Gao Kai stepped forward and stood discreetly to the side and in front of Su Tang, thus blocking most of Jiang Yan's line of sight.

His sharp eyes stared directly at Jiang Yan, his tone steady and firm, leaving no room for argument.

"Commander Jiang, Teacher Su has been working hard all night. Let's talk about it after she has rested."

This one sentence instantly broke the delicate tension.

This is not a request, but more like a declaration.

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly and looked at Gao Kai.

In the eyes of this once proud gunsmith genius, he saw an almost instinctive protectiveness and a hint of undisguised hostility.

Gao Kai shifted his gaze from Jiang Yan and turned to Su Tang with concern, saying, "Teacher Su, you don't look well. Are you too tired? Should we go to the medical team for a check-up?"

Just then, an even more imposing figure pushed through the crowd and strode over.

It's Chief Instructor Lei Kuan!

"Instructor Lei!"

Everyone immediately straightened their backs, their smiles vanishing instantly, replaced by solemnity and reverence.

Lei Kuan's gaze, sharp as a knife, slowly swept over the group of "beggar soldiers" before him.

They were all covered in mud, their clothes were tattered, and they were stained with blue and red paint that represented "being killed in action." They looked as disheveled as a group of beggars who had just crawled out of a garbage dump.

But Lei Kuan's face, which was usually stern and seemed to owe him hundreds of pounds of grain coupons, slowly, very slowly, broke into a smile.

That smile wasn't exactly attractive; it was even somewhat menacing.

Lei Kuan walked up to the class monitors Jiang Yan, Xu Gaogui, Zhuo Yue, and Gao Kai, his gaze sweeping over them one by one, finally settling on Su An for a long look.

He didn't say anything more, but simply extended his calloused right hand and patted each person's shoulder heavily and firmly.

"Well done! You're all great!"

These three words, when spoken by someone else, may just be a casual compliment.

But coming from the mouth of Lei Kuan, a taciturn and notoriously strict soldier, it carries more weight than any medal of honor!

Zhuoyue grinned foolishly, puffing out his chest even more. "Reporting, Instructor, mission accomplished!"

Xu Gaogui was so excited that his face turned red. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Thank you, Instructor!"

Lei Kuan nodded in satisfaction and added, "Stand up straight, all of you! Remember how you feel today! You are soldiers of the Third Battalion! You are the victors!"

"Yes!" A thunderous roar echoed across the playground.

Standing on the outermost edge of the crowd, Bai Wei's face turned ashen as she listened to the thunderous cheers and Lei Kuan's unprecedented praise.

Every laugh, every compliment, was like a red-hot steel needle, piercing her heart.

She watched Su Tang, surrounded by everyone in the center, calmly accepting the glory that should have been hers. The intense jealousy and resentment almost burned away her reason.

"Sizzle..."

Suddenly, a piercing electrical sound came from the loudspeaker on the playground.

Everyone looked up at the metal loudspeakers hanging on the telephone poles.

After the static subsided, a calm and serious voice came through the radio.

It was the voice of Vice Minister Zheng Hongyi.

"Battalion Three, Battalion Two, all personnel, pay attention!!"