Chapter 71: The military’s assumptions
Bear had seen enough bloodshed to recognize the look in Grandpa Jiro’s eyes. The old man wasn’t bluffing. If he made the slightest wrong move, that sword would separate his head from his shoulders without a moment’s hesitation.
Bear slowly relaxed his tense posture. "Alright. Let’s both take a step back. I won’t fight. So put your sword down."
Before Grandpa Jiro could respond, Nina dashed forward. "Grandpa Jiro! Don’t listen to him! Cut him!" She pointed accusingly at Bear. "He pushed me! I fell really hard! He even called Big Brother Atlas a defect!"
The veins on Bear’s forehead bulged.
Grandpa Jiro’s expression turned icy as he looked directly at Bear. "Apologize."
Bear’s face darkened. "I’ve already agreed to back down. Don’t push your luck, old man."
Grandpa Jiro didn’t say another word. Instead, he calmly pushed the sword forward by a fraction of an inch. The razor-sharp edge broke Bear’s skin, and a thin line of blood trickled down his neck.
Bear’s pupils contracted. Cold sweat broke out on his back. The old man really intended to kill him.
His pride finally gave way. "...I’m sorry." He lowered his head slightly toward Nina. "Please forgive me."
Nina crossed her arms and raised her chin. "Hmph. Now you know what happens when you don’t listen to me." She returned Bear’s own words right back to him.
Bear’s eyelid twitched.
Only then did Grandpa Jiro withdraw his sword. He casually walked past Bear and gently patted Nina on the head. "You alright, kid?"
Nina nodded. "I’m fine."
Grandpa Jiro smiled faintly before turning back toward Bear. The warmth in his eyes vanished. "Brat. If I ever catch you bullying my convoy members again, I’ll cut you in half. And don’t think that just because your clan has money, you can look down on everyone else." He pointed his sword toward the road. "Now... Scram."
Bear’s face twisted with hatred. He slowly glanced across everyone gathered around the campfire, as though engraving each face into his memory. "This isn’t over. You’ll all pay for today’s humiliation."
Leaving behind those cold words, he turned around and vanished into the darkness.
Only after Bear was gone did Grandpa Jiro sheathe his sword. He looked around the campfire. "So... What exactly happened here?"
Leo merely shrugged. Without offering an explanation, he turned around and walked back toward his truck.
Grandpa Jiro looked at Rex instead.
Rex pointed at Nina. "Ask this brat. I’ve told you countless times she’s a walking disaster. We should’ve locked her in a cage a long time ago."
Whoosh!
A heavy wrench came spinning straight toward his head. Rex’s eyes widened. He hastily ducked, and the wrench missed him by less than an inch before embedding itself in a nearby wooden post with a loud thunk!
Rex looked toward the culprit. "Madwoman!" He grabbed his dinner plate and fled before another wrench could follow.
Meanwhile, inside one of the command tents within the military camp, Rose stood with her head lowered as a middle-aged officer glared at her from across the table. The Colonel’s face was dark with anger.
"Do you have any idea what you’ve done? According to the reports I received, you nearly died four different times today." He slammed the report onto the desk. "You’re lucky to be standing here."
Rose lowered her head even further.
The Colonel took a deep breath before speaking again. "Pack your things. I’m sending you back to the clan shelter."
Rose’s head shot up. "Uncle! Please don’t send me back. I promise I’ll follow every order from now on. If you want, I won’t even leave the camp. Please..." She clasped her hands together, wearing a pitiful expression.
The Colonel rubbed his temples. "What exactly are you planning to do here? You only came because of John. Now his condition is critical. We’re transferring him to the Rizen Group headquarters for treatment."
Rose’s cheeks turned red. Her hidden motive had been exposed. She quickly straightened her back. "Sir! I’m here to gain combat experience. I’m definitely not here to chase after anyone." Then her serious expression faded. She grabbed the Colonel’s arm and smiled sweetly. "Please, Uncle. I know you’re the one who spoils me the most. Just this once."
The Colonel sighed helplessly. "I also know why you don’t want to go back. You don’t want to face your mother. You’ve even stopped answering her calls."
Rose shuddered dramatically. "You know what she’s like. The moment I go back, she’ll start arranging blind dates. And once she starts nagging, she never stops." She shook the Colonel’s arm. "Please help me. I’ll be good. I promise."
The Colonel could only surrender. "Fine. But if you disobey another order, I’m personally sending you back."
Rose’s eyes brightened. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I knew you were the best uncle!"
The Colonel waved her away with an exasperated look. "Enough. Now tell me everything about the man who stole the alien corpses."
Rose became serious. "I couldn’t see his face. The hood covered everything." She hesitated briefly before adding, "And... I think we should stop chasing him. Tony started the fight. He also saved my life. I don’t think he’s a bad person."
The Colonel slowly shook his head. "Whether he’s good or bad is irrelevant. The alien corpses are too important. If he’s willing to hand them over, we’ll reward him generously. But if he refuses, we’ll have no choice but to use force."
Rose sighed softly. Although she didn’t like it, she understood where her duty lay as a soldier.
Something crossed her mind. "Oh. I remembered something. After the explosion, I saw several cards lying on the ground. But before I could get a closer look, they disappeared the moment that man arrived."
The Colonel fell silent, slowly tapping the table with his finger.
Rose continued. "And one more thing. He was obviously strong enough, but throughout the battle, he deliberately avoided killing the zombies."
The Colonel looked toward the secretary standing quietly beside him.
The woman adjusted her glasses before speaking. "If Miss Rose’s observations are accurate, then I can only reach one conclusion." She paused briefly. "His supernatural ability is likely related to killing zombies. That would explain why he intentionally avoided delivering the final blow while we were watching. He was trying to conceal the true nature of his ability."
The Colonel slowly nodded. "It fits. It also explains his unusual behavior." He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "These days, everyone seems to have some strange gimmick."
After a brief silence, his expression became serious. "This man isn’t simple. If we identify him, do not engage." He looked directly at the secretary. "Keep him under surveillance. And report everything to me immediately."