Sticking with the captain, that's right

The farce unfolded quickly and left as soon as it came. Apart from the barbecue stall owners, who were left with long faces, cleaning up the wreckage, no one else took it too seriously. Not even Jaxon.

Jaxon, of course, recognized Ox and his crew. He had been expecting something like this. If Ox and his gang hadn't shown up today to handle the stall owners, Jaxon would have found a way to strike back himself. The owners had clearly been conspiring against him, and if he didn't stand up to them now, they'd think him an easy target and escalate their harassment.

However, Ox's interference had served as a lesson. Jaxon hoped the stall owners would now understand the situation and leave him alone. If they minded their own business, everything would be fine.

Jaxon and Liu Yidao worked their stall until around midnight before packing up. There were still some people wandering the street at that hour, and if Jaxon had kept his stall open, he would have had more customers. But his thoughts were already on the game world. Staying out too late was risky—if he was missed by dawn, trouble would follow.

After returning to his residence, Jaxon freshened up quickly and entered the game world. The moment he arrived, dawn was just breaking.

"Everyone, get up and assemble!" Zhou Shan's booming voice echoed outside the tents.

"Couldn't have timed that better," Jaxon thought to himself, straightening his uniform.

Jaxon was the first to arrive at the assembly point. The others were still sluggish, fumbling with their clothes. He, having stayed up all night, was already dressed and ready to go, which naturally made him faster.

Zhou Shan shot a glance at Jaxon, his expression unreadable. Then he turned back to the tents and urged the others once more.

"Captain, you're so fast," Zheng Xiaoliu commented as he finally took his place behind Jaxon. Despite his own speed, Jaxon had beaten him there.

"As a captain, one must set an example," Jaxon replied quietly.

"Right, we should all learn from the captain," Ox added, catching up as well.

The squad members all nodded in agreement.

"Everyone, stand still and be quiet," Jaxon reminded them as the assembly grew louder.

Gradually, more people gathered at the assembly point, and the noise levels rose. Most of these people were ordinary farmers from the day before, and they couldn't be expected to become disciplined overnight. Some of them stood crookedly, chatting or rubbing their sleepy eyes.

In contrast, Jaxon's squad stood out. Every member of his squad stood at attention, not a single one speaking.

Jaxon, with his military training from university and years of watching military-themed shows, knew that standing still and maintaining silence was the right way to behave during an assembly.

Sure enough, Zhou Shan's face darkened as he surveyed the crowd.

"Everyone, stand still! No talking!" he barked.

The squadron leaders stepped forward to help restore order, and eventually, the noisy crowd fell silent.

"Except for the second squadron, fourth squad, everyone else, fifty push-ups!" Zhou Shan commanded.

"Ah, why?!" one person complained.

"Why don't they have to do it?" another grumbled.

"I won't do it," someone muttered.

"Sixty push-ups!" Zhou Shan's expression remained unfazed.

"Why should they get special treatment?" came another protest.

"Sixty? I can't do that many," someone else groaned.

The grumbling continued, but it was quieter now, and the tone of defiance had started to waver.

"Seventy!" Zhou Shan's voice rang out sharply.

"We're just logistics soldiers; do we really need to be this serious?" someone muttered, but no one dared to speak any louder.

"Eighty!" Zhou Shan snapped.

By now, everyone was silent, their heads down in fear. They realized that if they kept talking, the punishment would only increase.

"Hurry up and do it! If you don't finish, ninety each!" Zhou Shan shouted. "Today, if you don't finish, except for the second squadron's fourth squad, no one will be allowed to eat!"

That did it. The threat of going hungry pushed everyone into action. They quickly dropped to the ground, no longer complaining or hesitating.

Once everyone was working, Zhou Shan continued, his voice cutting through the early morning air. "Do you know why the second squadron's fourth squad is an exception?"

"No!" someone from the crowd replied, still eager for answers, though their tone had become less defiant.

"One hundred each!" Zhou Shan said calmly, making it clear he wasn't going to tolerate interruptions.

"He was the one who spoke, why should we pay for it?" came a protest from the back.

"One hundred and twenty," Zhou Shan said flatly. "Because you are part of a unit now. In the army, you are no longer individuals but members of a whole. When one person makes a mistake, everyone pays the price."

No one spoke again. The point was clear: silence would keep the punishments at bay.

With the noise subdued, Zhou Shan added, "This morning's assembly was best performed by the second squadron's fourth squad. While the rest of you were standing around and chatting, they stood still without moving. They didn't treat this place like a marketplace or their own home. You should all learn from them."

The crowd looked over at Jaxon's squad. They were still, every member standing straight with disciplined composure, without a word exchanged.

Any lingering dissatisfaction in the crowd faded, replaced by a growing respect for the fourth squad.

Ox and the others couldn't help but feel a rush of pride. Jaxon had set an example, and if he hadn't reminded them, they might have been standing and chatting like the others, suffering the same fate as the rest of the group. But because of Jaxon's foresight, they were comfortably standing, watching the others struggle.

"Any more complaints?" Zhou Shan asked, his voice sharp.

This time, no one dared to speak.

"Today, the members of the second squadron's fourth squad will each get a bowl of meat soup for breakfast," Zhou Shan continued.

The assembly point erupted in envy as the announcement sank in. Meat soup was a luxury usually reserved for squad leaders. Now, every member of the fourth squad would get a bowl.

Ox and the others swallowed hard, their mouths watering. Just the thought of the rich, hearty meat soup made them remember last night when Jaxon had shared his with them. They hadn't expected to get it again so soon, let alone have their own bowls.

It was a small but powerful reminder that sticking with the captain had been the right choice.