Sorry, Our Captain Is a True All-Rounder

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: I Am Just a Pretty Face

The group showed no pleasure at General Zhang’s praise. But not wanting to make things awkward, they put on polite smiles and said, "Thank you. We’re just glad you enjoyed it."

Feng He placed one of the roast chickens in front of them, setting a bowl of sauce beside it. The remaining six chickens were for his group; they each took one.

Each holding a roast chicken, they smiled at the officers and said, "Please, enjoy your meal."

With that, they turned with their chickens and immediately walked over to sit on some nearby rocks.

Captain Li watched them go, then glanced back at the group seated at the table.

Sensing he wouldn’t get a single bite of the dishes on the table, Captain Li walked straight toward Lin Jingjing without hesitation.

He plopped down beside Lin Jingjing, his mouth watering as he watched them, each with a large chicken in hand.

"Lin Jingjing, how about you spare a drumstick for me?" Captain Li said, his face stern, but his tone was much softer than usual.

Lin Jingjing didn’t say much. She simply reached out, tore off a drumstick, and handed it to him. "The roast chicken on the table over there is yours," she said after he took it.

Holding the drumstick, Captain Li looked over at the whole chicken on the distant table. ’So that one was meant for me,’ he thought.

"General Zhang has proposed that you all participate in the corps competition," Captain Li said, dipping the drumstick in sauce.

"What’s the corps competition?" Lin Jingjing asked. This was the first time she had ever heard of it.

Captain Li explained, "The corps competition is held once every three years. This happens to be the third year, and it’s the First Corps’ turn to host."

"All these people are here at the First Corps to set up the competition grounds. This whole area in the back mountains has been designated as the venue."

"And you’ll be participating in this corps competition under the designation of military cooks."

Lin Jingjing nodded at his words. ’So it’s a competition where the strongest from every corps gather to compete.’

"But can’t they just bring Nutrient Liquid onto the field? What’s the use of us participating?" Lin Jingjing pressed. Nutrient Liquid was so convenient these days; one bottle was enough to fill a stomach. Soldiers could easily bring it with them into a competition like this.

"This year is special," Captain Li replied, taking a satisfied bite of the drumstick. "In previous years, there were no military cooks in this kind of competition. But three years ago, when the Fifth Corps was hosting, an unexpected situation prevented the robots from delivering Nutrient Liquid."

"Once they ran out of the Nutrient Liquid they had on them, they couldn’t get out. A lot of soldiers were trapped inside, starving for several days."

Lin Jingjing nodded after hearing this. ’No wonder they’re adding military cooks to the competition this year.’

’It’s to prevent the soldiers from starving to death if they run out of Nutrient Liquid.’

And Captain Li had just said that General Zhang had personally nominated the five of them to participate in this so-called corps competition.

"What’s in it for us if we participate?" Lin Jingjing looked at him and asked quickly.

"There haven’t been military cooks in past years, so I don’t know what the benefits would be right now."

Lin Jingjing fell silent. ’There probably won’t be any benefits,’ she thought.

The five of them had already been through so much. They had discovered mutant beasts in Hong Fei Park and even an underground research facility. Despite such a massive contribution, they hadn’t seen any recognition.

Not even a single star coin.

Captain Li took another bite of chicken. Seeing her silence, he added, "You’ll get promoted."

"How high of a promotion could we get? We’re all just Grade D trash. Even if we ranked up, no one would respect us," Lin Jingjing retorted.

"Then you’ll just have to perform well in the corps competition. It’s going to be broadcast live," Captain Li said.

’Broadcast live? Does that mean the entire Empire will be able to see them?’

’Now that’s a good thing.’

"Fine!"

’Looks like running into this group of leaders today had its perks after all,’ Lin Jingjing thought, feeling much happier.

The few stir-fried dishes they had prepared were nowhere near enough for the officers. With so many people, each only got a few bites to try the flavor.

But that taste was enough to tell them it was incredibly delicious.

Beisang already knew there were five limited-time windows in the cafeteria where exceptionally delicious food would appear at fixed times.

Every mealtime, many soldiers would rush to the cafeteria at top speed. Beisang had eaten there once, and the taste was indeed excellent.

’So it was them cooking those meals all along.’

"Not bad," the woman from the Second Corps commented. "They are indeed suited to be military cooks."

"Alright, I have no objection to them being the military cooks," the leader of the Fifth Corps spoke up.

The remaining few didn’t say anything, but they didn’t object either.

And just like that, Lin Jingjing and her group traded one meal for the chance to participate in the corps competition.

After they finished eating, Beisang exchanged a few words with Captain Li before leaving with his people, leaving a complete mess behind.

They sat on the rocks, eating the roast chicken in their hands and gazing at the twinkling stars in the dark night sky.

The group sat there without speaking, only the occasional sound of chewing breaking the silence.

"The night sky is so beautiful tonight," Lin Jingjing remarked with a sigh.

"And tomorrow, it’s back to training," Shi Feng said. He didn’t want to train; it was miserably exhausting every day. But he couldn’t bear to miss Jiang Lusheng’s Mecha manufacturing class.

He could only endure the painful special training in the morning and afternoon, waiting miserably for the evening to arrive.

"Exhausting. I’m just so exhausted," Shi Feng said, lying on the ground, his mouth still greasy.

Aidan looked up from his chicken to say, "You still have to train for another three months. Once the special training is over, you’ll become true soldiers."

Three more months...

Three months!

Shi Feng’s eyes snapped wide open, and a wail escaped his lips. "AHHHH—"

After his wail died down, he started clamoring, "Just let me take my classes! Let me do the practicals! I don’t want to do special training anymore! I don’t want to be a special forces soldier!"

"There’s no way around it. It’s what every soldier who joins the corps has to go through," Aidan consoled him. "You’ll get used to it."

"I can’t get used to it one bit..." Shi Feng said, sitting up. He struck a bashful pose for Aidan and said, "Because I’m just a useless, delicate flower vase."

Aidan was shocked speechless. It was the first time he’d ever seen someone refer to themself as a flower vase.

Recovering from his shock, he noticed that the other four were completely unfazed by Shi Feng’s statement, as if they had heard it countless times before.

Aidan composed himself and then said, "Flower vases are great. You can admire them, you can smash someone with one, and the broken shards can kill people."

"You can be a flower vase, that’s fine."

’Who would’ve thought this Aidan could praise a flower vase to the heavens.’

’That’s some skill right there.’

"Heh heh, I can accept that," Shi Feng nodded.

Just then, Gu Kaiwen slung an arm around his shoulder. "You’re the King Kong of flower vases."

"No, you’re the Empress of flower vases. Just smash anyone who won’t submit," Feng He chimed in.

"And you have a clever little brain, so that makes you a clever flower vase," Lin Jingjing added, joining the teasing.

Mo Xuan was gnawing on a chicken leg. He looked at Shi Feng, swallowed his mouthful of chicken, and then uttered two words: "Good luck."

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