Chapter 27 - An economics class
Clang Clang Clang
...
"Shit."
"Alex... wake up."
... Yaaawnnn
"Haaa, we've got about five minutes, or we're in for a punishment..."
This was a conversation they'd been having since their first night at the training camp. Curses and yawns could be heard throughout the large tent; at that precise moment, they all had one thing in common.
They were damn tired.
"Fall in line!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Three laps around the field!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
Sergeant Ramirez, standing in the middle of the field, watched as the cadets ran laps.
His first thought was one of pity, though not directed at the cadets who hadn't even completed one lap before showing signs of collapsing; rather, it was self-directed.
Captain García had assigned him the task of overseeing the cadets' morning training.
Haaa... Captain, we have little time and a lot of pressure.
With that thought, he continued to observe the panting cadets.
Isaac Ramirez, part of Captain García's team, had reached the rank of sergeant at 33 with merit. Of course, many non-commissioned officers and officers held their positions thanks to political connections and family influence, but many others, like Isaac, had earned their rank by risking their lives.
The war was brutal, claiming countless lives worldwide, and to top it off, as if it were a story penned by a child, an unexpected actor emerged as the grand victor.
...
Alex and Ivan, keeping pace among the first few, gasped and ran with difficulty. Sergeant Ramirez watched them like a hawk surveying its prey from the sky, ready to swoop down at the slightest sign of fatigue.
"Ha... ha... Alex, I think I'm going to pass out."
"Shit, Ivan... hang on, just one more lap."
Alex, speaking choppily with Ivan, glanced briefly back. He could see several of his classmates dragging themselves on the ground, panting, while others simply lay on their backs, staring upwards.
We're in worse shape than I thought.
"Cadetes, fall in formation!"
After completing the three laps, Sergeant Ramirez had them perform basic exercises like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups...
"Cadets, dismiss!"
Haaa...
A collective sigh echoed across the field; everyone was exhausted.
Although it had only been a week since they arrived, everything had been done with a sense of urgency, not even giving them time to adapt before undergoing an evaluation.
"Hey Alex, what do we have after breakfast?"
"Hmm... If I remember correctly, it's social sciences with Professor Lundström."
In the camp established by the military, several tents called barracks were set up where the cadets slept.
For Director Ohanyan's and the other professors' classes, two containers were brought and joined together, creating a makeshift classroom equipped with everything necessary for the cadets' learning.
"Cadets, salute Professor Lundström!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
As the cadets saluted, the professor entered, dressed in a tweed suit with dark brown formal shoes. His blond hair was neatly combed back, and his olive-green eyes conveyed a sense of calm and serenity, or so they usually did.
"O-Hey, Alex."
"Yeah?"
"Does the professor usually look like that?"
"... I couldn't tell you."
While the cadets whispered among themselves, Professor Lundström had a deep, pronounced frown on his face. He went straight to the desk and turned on the projector, directly connecting his computer.
"Good morning, cadets. Although I would normally like to give a brief introduction, it seems our friends are eager for me to impart my lessons."
Oh, it looks like they've forbidden him from indulging in his egotism...
Although Professor Lundström was one of the best instructors in social sciences, he did have a flaw of being an egotist. He had faced numerous issues in previous years with several professors complaining about his sense of superiority.
"Well, you will find an attached file on your tablets called 'Economy in the Post-War Confederation.' When you click on the file, you'll see it's divided into several subtopics."
"Click on the one labeled 'Economic Reconstruction After the War.'"