Realization 0.3 ( final part)

-31, 32, 33, 34... a random soldier counted.

- When whipping someone you need to put your whole body into it, strengthen your grip, and hit harder if you don't want to be replaced by him - Vice-captain was shouting out violently.

Suddenly one of the punished soldiers stopped screaming, it was Mike. He could no more feel pain... some of you may think, that he acquired some great ability to endure all the hardships and went through a tremendous change in a mere second, like how it happens in basically every corny manhua nowadays, but the reality is far more disappointing. Mike couldn't feel pain, because he couldn't feel anything at all, no feeling of revenge, grudge, envy, jealousy, nostalgia, love, betrayal, nothing, he was surrounded by darkness. Yes, he was dead. Mike who always possessed a fragile body, was not fit for the army, he did this to simply support his mother, wife, and a 3-year-old girl.

The vice-captain was first to notice that Mike stopped screaming. Since this wasn't the first time someone died due to his irresponsible actions, he felt no regrets, only disappointment. He was disappointed that, Mike only lasted, for that long...

- Tch... get that piece of shit out of here and throw him into the bag. - Vice-captain ordered new cadets.

Soldiers' faces who were laughing a few minutes ago were now all gloomy. Nobody found the strength in themselves to enjoy this show anymore... was this punishment even really necessary?

As for Kai... he was sheading dried-up tears for his lost comrade, probably the only one who he could trust in that place. Kai made screwed-up faces and loudly yelled his comrade's name. The vice-captain was deeply disgusted by this scene so he ordered to add 50 more lashes to him.

It was already evening, everyone left and Kai was left alone with his cold comrade next to him. Kai's back was burning horribly so he couldn't do anything but lay on his stomach. later that day some stranger took him and moved him to the medical tent. Kai was unconscious.

On the next day, Kai woke up horrified, he couldn't stand up and he was barely able to speak.

"Wa... t... er... please..."

- ok... ok... just shut up... I am coming... As if waking me up at midnight wasn't enough now I am a nanny to a 20-year-old... doctor mumbled to himself.

The doctor looked old and his face was all wrinkled up, as for his hair it looked like a tree in winter, all white. He poured some water onto the cotton and put it on Kai's lips. Kai calmed down. Now that Naive boy was there no more, he had only one thought, to change the military system and avenge his comrade's death. Vice-captain, captain, Anthon who told on him, all the soldiers in the camp who looked at them and simply laughed, this medical facility, the empire itself. He despised every single one of those and he was determined to crush everything.

- I know what you feel right now, young boy. However, forget about avenging, you are not the first one in that position, soldiers die every day, it's their fate. When a soldier comes to the army, he already knows that it's a place of survival, if your goal is to go back alive, you must be ready to sacrifice everything you have, even your comrades.

- He was not like that. - kai

- mhmm...Doctor sighted. "Do whatever you want, just go away from my cabin after you feel better and make sure to do everything, I have written in that note. " - The doctor said this and was about to turn around but then he decided to add one more thing: " don't forget to thank your benefactor, he should be behind the hill. "

At that moment Kai thought that after living a short miserable, unlucky life, he finally had a purpose, which was greater than his usual self-centered desires. It was as if he realized the reason for his existence. All these mischievous ideas he had before this, which he hid deep inside him, didn't have to be held back anymore, he could finally forget the idea of looking righteous in front of others and just go to his goal. To do this he understood that he needed two things patience and persistence.

What do you think he will see beside the hills?