Jay had just returned to the base when he immediately sensed something was off.
As he passed by the training grounds, he witnessed a horrifying scene, several people had been hanged, their bodies swaying with the wind.
Upon closer inspection, he recognized a few of them as individuals he had seen around Colonel Hammond, likely the colonel's trusted subordinates.
A chill ran down his spine. He was desperate to find out what had happened at the base while he was away.
Without hesitation, he headed straight for the cafeteria.
At this hour, if his guess was correct, Buck should be drinking and goofing off as usual.
Sure enough, Jay found Buck in the cafeteria.
"Jay, you're finally back!"
The moment he saw Jay, Buck's face lit up with relief.
Without Jay around these past few days, he had felt uneasy about everything.
Especially now that something had gone wrong at the base…
"Buck, what's with those bodies hanging in the training ground?"
Jay wasted no time and got straight to the point.
Buck immediately waved off the others before sitting Jay down to explain.
"Jay, you don't know what happened! Right after you left, Colonel Hammond suddenly lost it. First, he locked up a group of people, then interrogated them one by one."
"Seems like something went missing, but no one admitted to taking it. Furious, the colonel had them tortured, brutally."
Buck swallowed nervously, his eyes filled with fear and relief, thankfully, he hadn't been caught up in it.
Lowering his voice, he continued, "Word is, those men outside were beaten to death because they couldn't endure the torture."
Jay froze. "Something went missing? What exactly did Colonel Hammond lose that was so important he'd go this far? Doesn't he fear a mutiny?"
Buck shook his head. "I have no idea. But for the past few days, everyone's been on edge, afraid of being dragged into this mess."
Jay nodded slightly, taking it all in.
He didn't care what Hammond had lost, nor did he care who had taken it.
But reality has a way of playing cruel jokes, what you fear most often finds you.
The moment Jay returned, somehow, the news reached Colonel Hammond's ears, and he was summoned immediately.
"Private First Class Nova Jay, I have a mission for you."
"Yes, sir! I will complete the mission!"
Jay knew there was no room for refusal, so he decisively agreed, hoping to earn some favor.
As expected, Hammond seemed pleased with his attitude. The stern expression on his face softened slightly.
"In three days, a shipment will arrive at the base port. I need you to escort it to another location and complete the transaction with the receiving party."
"Understood? If you have any questions, ask now. If anything goes wrong, no one will be able to save you."
Jay instantly realized he was in serious trouble.
After a moment of thought, his first question was, "Why me? I'm just an ordinary private."
Hammond chuckled. "Ordinary? Not at all. In my eyes, you are an outstanding soldier."
Jay couldn't help but show a subtle expression, Sir, do I look like an idiot to you?
Hammond wasn't inclined to explain, but given that a mole might be in his ranks, he had no other options.
Until the traitor was found, he had no one else he could trust.
So he chose to dangle a carrot.
"Jay, based on your past performance, I believe you have great potential. I've considered promoting you to sergeant. However, rapid promotions can cause unrest among others, so you still need to be assessed."
"This mission is part of that assessment. If you complete it successfully, your name will be added to the candidate list for the next sergeant promotion."
Jay immediately saw through the bait and cut straight to the point. "Just the candidate list?"
"You have to take things step by step. Promotions don't come easily. Some people remain privates their entire lives. Ever wonder why?"
Why?
Because they didn't bribe the right people.
Jay scoffed internally but outwardly put on a look of excitement.
Salute!
"Thank you for your guidance, sir!"
"Good. Get some rest in the next two days. Don't mess this up."
After Jay left, Hammond's expression darkened again.
Days had passed, and he still had no leads on the missing cargo. It was driving him mad.
Worse, even after resorting to extreme measures, the confessions he extracted under torture led nowhere.
His men had checked the supposed hiding spots, only to find they were all lies.
His brief moment of hope had been crushed.
Furious, he had those liars executed.
If not for the urgency of the situation and his lack of reliable personnel, he wouldn't have risked using a newcomer.
But he was confident he had Jay under control, he had plenty of leverage over him.
This was also a chance to test for the mole. Killing two birds with one stone.
Meanwhile, Jay wasted no time after leaving.
If his hunch was right, Hammond had chosen him for this mission because it was related to the missing cargo Buck mentioned.
So, what exactly had gone missing?
Something so valuable that Hammond no longer even trusted his own men and instead turned to a newcomer like him?
His curiosity was piqued.
But now wasn't the time for questions. He needed to think about how to protect himself if things went south.
After weighing his options, he realized there was only one way to ensure his survival during the mission.
He immediately had Buck gather their crew.
Those who had pledged loyalty to him, now was the time for them to prove it.
"Half an hour. Usual place."
"How many showed up?"
"Fifty-seven."
"Not enough. Go find 50 more people. Tell them that if they help me with a small task, just five minutes of their time, they'll each receive a reward of 10,000 Berries."
10,000 Berries wasn't a fortune, but it was enough to pique some interest.
After all, how many jobs out there let you make that much in just five minutes?
Sure enough, Buck had no trouble rounding up 50 people willing to take the deal.