"Who can tell me what's going on here?" A few minutes later, Juan arrived and looked at the dying, blood-soaked Old Military Officer lying on the ground, and the bruised but murderous soldier standing beside him.
He touched his nose in disgust and asked in a majestic voice.
"Reporting, Regiment Commander, he was dissatisfied with you becoming the Regiment Commander and tried to disrupt the integration, wanting to incite others to join him.
I couldn't stand it and tried to dissuade him, but not only did he not listen, he became enraged, insulted me, threatened to make me take off my uniform, and even threatened to seize my deceased family members.
I wasn't intimidated by his threats; he rushed over and attacked me, so I had no choice but to act in self-defense.
He couldn't defeat me, which is why he ended up in this state," the soldier replied with an innocent expression, emphasizing certain parts of his story while omitting others entirely.
"I can't just listen to your side of the story.
First, send him for treatment, and after he wakes up tomorrow, I'll understand the situation and deal with it then.
You all should go back and rest early; don't mess around late at night and then pretend to be dead at the training ground tomorrow."
Juan was inevitably a bit angry; on his first day of enlistment, someone caused trouble before he had even done anything.
Duke had really given him a good assignment.
After examination by the military doctor, the Old Military Officer was found to have six broken ribs, one of which was irreparable, and various other injuries.
He was essentially crippled; he certainly couldn't stay in the army, and if he didn't recover well, he might not even be able to care for himself in the future.
Upon waking from his coma and learning of his physical condition, the Old Military Officer felt as if his world had collapsed, followed by an uncontrollable rage.
Upon learning he had awakened, Juan immediately rushed over, and even before entering the room, he heard the Old Military Officer's furious roars.
Juan paused at the doorway for a moment, then slowly walked in.
Seeing Juan arrive, the Old Military Officer became even more agitated and shouted at him in a commanding tone, "Juan, I am a member of the Patch family.
Our family has countless riches.
No matter what method you use, as long as you help me kill the person who injured me, I will give you anything you want that I possess!"
Looking at his arrogant expression, combined with his immobile body, it created a highly incongruous and even comical sight.
"I won't say any more nonsense, and you don't need to either.
I'll just ask you a few questions, and you answer truthfully."
Juan didn't want to have any dealings with this scoundrel among the nobility, but he still needed to understand the circumstances of the incident.
"Did you incite discontent within the army with the intention of disrupting the integration?"
"Yes," the Old Military Officer knew he couldn't hide it, so he simply confessed.
"Then, did you insult your comrade first?"
"What comrade! Is he even worthy? He's just a..."
Juan impatiently interrupted, "You just need to tell me if it's true or not."
"Yes."
"And who struck first?" Juan continued to ask.
"I did," the Old Military Officer's voice had become much quieter.
"Then you were beaten into this state by him?"
The Old Military Officer became impatient: "Aren't you just asking the obvious?"
"Then why do you demand that I kill him?" Juan retorted.
"My family has great wealth, great power, and high status.
As long as you help me kill him..."
"Enough!" Juan's patience reached its limit, and he interrupted again, "Do you think everyone is like you?"
"You're unwilling to help me? You should know this is entirely beneficial to you, with no harm!" The Old Military Officer expressed disbelief.
"I'm telling you clearly, not only will I not kill him, but I will not punish him in any way; in fact, I will heavily reward him!" Juan replied bluntly.
"Bastard!" The Old Military Officer cursed furiously.
"You bastard!" Juan was truly angered as well.
After fighting for so many years, this was the first time he had encountered a soldier like this, and he couldn't help but curse back directly.
The same words, cursed by the full-throated Juan, carried a hundred times more destructive power, almost causing the Old Military Officer to lose his breath.
"How do you think I should deal with you?" Juan looked at the dumbfounded Old Military Officer with a hint of amusement, soliciting his opinion.
"How else do you want to deal with me? I'm already like this; I certainly can't stay in the army.
I can accept discharge.
I'm no longer a soldier; you have no right to punish me," the Old Military Officer protested.
"But you haven't been discharged yet.
Until the discharge procedures are completed, you are still a soldier, and I still have the right to deal with you, even though I don't want someone like you to tarnish the word 'soldier'.
I originally intended to just discharge you, but after confirming the course of events and considering your good attitude, I've changed my mind," Juan said with a sinister smile.
A hint of unease rose in the Old Military Officer's heart, "What do you want?"
"I will kill you as a warning to others!"
The Old Military Officer's eyes widened, and he questioned him, half-believing, half-doubting, "No! You can't kill me.
Why would you kill me?"
"Why can't I kill you?
Disrupting military morale, planning sabotage, fighting in the barracks, attempted bribery, premeditated murder, insulting a superior officer—are these crimes not enough to kill you?
I could even charge you with espionage, but you're too stupid and too weak; no one would believe you're a spy," Juan mocked mercilessly.
The Old Military Officer was truly panicked now.
Juan's expression didn't seem like a joke, and he stammered incoherently, "I am a noble, you are a commoner.
You cannot kill me, you are not qualified to kill me!
I apologize for my previous mistakes.
Can we let this matter go?
As long as you don't kill me, I will be grateful to you; I will absolutely not seek revenge."
"You still want to seek revenge on me? Then I can't let you live."
"No, I beg you, please spare me.
I won't seek revenge on you."
The Old Military Officer's tone had changed from the command he used when Juan first entered to a plea.
"No," Juan flatly refused.
The reason he was still wasting words with him here was to see what kind of face these arrogant so-called nobles would make before their deaths.
"I demand an audience with the Pope."
"Are you worthy?"
"If you kill me, my family will not let you go!" The Old Military Officer, seeing that begging was useless, threatened fiercely.
"Let them come!" Juan said fearlessly.
The Old Military Officer still didn't give up, pleading, "Can I see my family one last time?
I have last words I want to say."
As long as he could see his family, he could ask them for help, and there would still be a glimmer of hope.
"No need.
You can tell me any last words, and I will relay them, or you can write them down."
Juan sized him up and down, then continued, "However, you don't look like you can write right now."
"Even as a ghost, I won't let you go!"
"Then I wish you entry into heaven," Juan blessed him with a smile.
"Enjoy the last few hours of your life.
At dawn, it will be your execution day."
With that, Juan left, not looking back, no matter how the Old Military Officer cursed and shouted.
The Old Military Officer wanted to run; he moved slightly, and his bones almost fell apart.
He wanted to commit suicide, but after holding his breath for a long time, he didn't have the courage.
...
At dawn the next day, after multiple charges were listed, the gagged Old Military Officer was executed in front of all the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Regiment.
Juan had anticipated this moment when he was appointed Regiment Commander, though he hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
A negative example delivered right to his doorstep; it would be a waste not to use it.
Killing one to warn a hundred would make everything else much simpler.
Other pressures would be handled by Duke and the Pope.
Although they hadn't interacted much, Juan could see that the Pope genuinely wanted a strong army.
Given this, it was impossible to allow nobles to arbitrarily interfere with the army, and even less so to let his own personal safety be threatened.
The Old Military Officer, who was alive and kicking yesterday, was a corpse today.
Some of the soldiers present believed he got what he deserved, some felt it wasn't their business, some feared that one day the blade would fall on their own necks...
More people felt complex emotions: relief, surprise, fear... various emotions more or less occupied their hearts.