Chapter 152 Graduation

After two weeks of martial law, the base was finally lifted. The interns, who had been cooped up for half a month, rushed out of their dormitories like piglets, panting and groaning as they headed straight for the cafeteria. God knows what life had been like for them these past few days: poor food, poor sleep, and constant fear. They were losing weight, visibly.

It's a real bummer, but I have so many tears to cry about. The base is under martial law, so what's more, the food has been reduced. Even though we used to eat from a communal pot, and the guy serving us food was so shaky that we couldn't even get a few bites, it was still better than drinking nutrient solution every day. And what's more, the nutrient solution the base distributes is made of, and it tastes like stale limewater—as awful as it can be. If the base didn't forbid wasting supplies, they'd honestly rather starve to death than drink this nutrient solution that tastes so awful.

The veterans, unaware of the situation, couldn't help but sigh, "It's great to be young! Look how energetic they are." If it were them, they would just think about getting a good night's sleep to make up for all the sleep they'd missed recently. Unlike these newcomers, the first thing they did after being released from lockdown was eat a meal. It really is still good to be young.

…

The base still had some humanity in it, giving everyone a day off after the ban was lifted to rest and recuperate, so that everyone wouldn't be too rushed. Although the bosses in the base looked like they were giving them one day off too many, this didn't stop everyone from enjoying this rare vacation, even if it was only for one day.

Wen Le and his friends gathered together as usual to share the information they knew with each other. In the end, they somehow ended up talking about the spy they caught. The squad leader couldn't help but say, "I really can't understand what these people are thinking." They could have a bright future without doing these things, but they insisted on being spies.

If it's all about money and beauty, then there's no need. As long as the Zerg exist, they'll have no shortage of opportunities for meritorious service and advancement. How can they be lacking once you're promoted? Even if you're a lustful, lecherous, and maniac, as long as you have the skills, there will still be plenty of beautiful women swooping down on you, and you'll have no shortage of financial support. Your future is bright.

As for theories about sacrificing oneself for an ideal or arguing otherwise, the squad leader considered them pure nonsense. The individuals captured were native Imperials, enjoying every benefit afforded to citizens from birth. These weren't granted by some supposedly backstabbing power. The Empire expended so many resources annually only to produce such ungrateful individuals. If he were in power, he'd be furious.

"If you could understand their thinking, you wouldn't be sitting here now." Instead, he was sent to prison like the others who were arrested, awaiting a military court.

After all, this was a sensitive topic, so everyone stopped talking after a few words and started talking about some lighter topics. After all, everyone was very nervous during this period, and talking about such serious topics would only affect their mood.

After a day of rest, everyone plunged back into intense training. After the Zerg invasion and the spy incident, the base's management was stricter than before, and the training was much more demanding. Wen Le and the other new recruits were so exhausted they almost collapsed on the floor after each training session. This training was far more demanding than at school, and many of the elements were unfamiliar to them. Not only did they have to endure the physical training, but they also had to learn everything from scratch. You can imagine how exhausting it was.

At the end of their internship, Wen Le and his classmates returned to school with their grading reports from the base. The school would use their overall scores to determine their final grades. A higher overall score was better. If the overall score didn't meet the requirements, they wouldn't receive a diploma, and their years of study would be wasted.

While the probability of not being able to complete the course was small, it was not impossible, so everyone was still anxious as they waited for their results. Especially with the major incident at the base, they didn't know if it would affect their grades. The base's grades were invisible to them, only the school could see them, which made Wen Le and his group of graduates even more nervous.

Wen Le even felt like he was reliving the feeling of waiting for the notification letter after the college entrance examination, feeling both nervous and expectant.

The school also had a bad taste and deliberately left Wen Le and the others alone for two days before announcing the results, just to see the students scratching their heads in anxiety.

Unbeknownst to the graduates, while they awaited their final grades, the school leadership and instructors were meeting to discuss this matter. The principal first summarized the performance of students in each department over the past few years and singled out several instructors for special recognition, including Class A. The instructors from each class cast envious glances at these individuals, believing this recognition was more than just a verbal accolade. Not only did they receive honors, but they also received various benefits and rewards. If these students performed well in the future, the school would even offer additional rewards to their instructors. It was a lucrative opportunity.

The school has always been generous to instructors who can train outstanding students. It's no exaggeration to say that if a lucky student does well, the rewards from the school alone can easily save up enough money to buy a wife. This doesn't even include the hidden benefits, which is why everyone is envious.

Promotion and salary increase are just around the corner.

But everyone was just envious. After all, everyone had started from the same point, taught the same students, and the students for the key classes were chosen later. The instructors were also chosen after a fair competition. What was there to say about not being as skilled as others? All they could do was secretly resolve to work hard after the second half of the year, when enrollment began, to earn the right to teach in the key classes.

The principal took in the expressions of the instructors below, hid the smile on his face and began to look forward to the future. It was nothing more than asking everyone to maintain their current performance while working hard to improve. The main idea was to keep the title of the first military academy by stepping on the other competitors.

Then, with a smile, the principal opened his office laptop and, after a few taps, a performance evaluation form appeared on everyone's desk. Everyone perked up, knowing the main event was about to begin. The previous parts were all routine annual events; the performance evaluation form was the real kicker.

This evaluation form represents each class's performance at the internship base, as well as the instructor's year-end bonus and performance evaluation. Few instructors receive the aforementioned rewards each year, so the year-end bonus and performance evaluation are more substantial. Furthermore, the annual ranking of military academies is based on this evaluation, which is crucial for the second half of the year's enrollment and the school's reputation, so everyone takes it very seriously.

No matter how resounding a school's reputation, if your students don't perform well, the military won't accept them, effectively destroying the school's reputation. Therefore, everyone is very pragmatic, and rankings are based on student performance and the final evaluation of the internship unit. Otherwise, no matter how much you say, it won't be convincing.

The principal's expression told everyone that this year's rankings were set. A smile like that meant the base's evaluations must have been excellent. Considering recent events, everyone's attention turned to Class A instructor Hans Lee. This guy was incredibly lucky, having encountered a group of talented students and being assigned the position of instructor. His value was about to skyrocket. He was sure to become famous among all the students' parents once the rankings were released.

Even if it weren't for the other things, he could make a killing just by being a summer private trainer, not to mention the summer training agencies specializing in military academy instructors. His inbox would probably be flooded with offers. Parents, eager to get their children into their dream schools, would never hesitate to spend their credit points.

Many training institutions, recognizing this, have launched intensive summer programs, using the slogan "teaching by instructors from prestigious universities" to attract students. To maintain their reputation and brand, these institutions target instructors on leave. Instructors who have produced outstanding students are particularly sought after and offered substantial compensation. Of course, these institutions also charge exorbitant tuition fees.

The school turned a blind eye to the instructors' summer part-time jobs. They were human beings, and they needed to eat. The school didn't mind them using their vacation time to earn a few extra credit points to supplement their family income. As long as they were dedicated to the students while working, the school wouldn't pursue their concerns, even if they were secretly working as private instructors.

The principal generously praised Hans Lee, unfazed by his arrogance. For the principal, any instructor who could produce outstanding students was worthy of praise. Materially satisfied, spiritually satisfied, too. Otherwise, who would have the motivation to work diligently with constant criticism? How could one cultivate outstanding students without diligent work?

The principal thought he was a very open-minded boss, and the first thing an open-minded boss should do is to praise his subordinates and make them full of motivation at work.

…

Two days later, Wen Le and his fellow graduates received their graduation comments and grades from the school. Class A received excellent grades, and the school's comments highlighted their ability to flexibly apply the knowledge they learned and their bold innovation. The school expressed optimism about their future and looked forward to their continued success in the military.

Not only that, but they also gave everyone a bonus of 50,000 credits. For students with limited income, this was like a small fortune, instantly filling their coffers. After all, they were considered to have some savings, which was still very satisfying.

The next step was the awarding of graduation certificates. This was held in the school auditorium. I was watched with admiration and envy by the younger students sitting below. It felt great.

After receiving their diplomas and the bonuses from the school, the base also gave them a week off. These graduates were extremely happy and started planning how to spend this wonderful holiday.

Wen Le held his diploma in his hand and thought of the fat man who was still struggling with his graduation thesis. He couldn't help but gloat over his misfortune and said to Lily, "Now I think going to military school is not bad. At least I don't have to prepare a graduation thesis~"