Chapter 497 Essential Difference
Hayes and Andrew’s facial expressions stiffened following the shout. That handover ceremony was merely a customary process with the aim of letting the subordinates know who would be the new army commander.
Unexpectedly, a disruption had occurred before the handover process even began. Hayes glanced at Jonathan. After sensing the latter’s lack of response, he quickly stepped forward.
“F*ck! Which one of you d*mn b*stards objected? Get the hell out now!”
“Sir! That was me!” Following the exclamation, a determined-looking officer in his thirties, who was standing in the front row, took a step forward.
“Cameron Lynch, are you trying to rebel?” Hayes rushed forward while gritting his teeth.
Then, he sent Cameron sprawling on the floor with a kick.
Cameron did not retaliate. Instead, he merely got up and stood before Hayes again.
“Reporting in, Commander. I am not planning a rebellion, but I object to this substitution!”
“Hey, you b*stard! Aren’t you getting more excited to speak after we criticize you?” Hayes booted Cameron and sent the latter flying backward into the crowd. “D*mn you! Do you believe I will strip you of your position as the Third Division leader if you dare object again?”
Cameron got to his feet again. “I don’t mind giving up the position! I will follow you wherever you go. I will object as long as I have to serve under anyone else but you!”
Hayes scratched his head and cursed, “F*ck! Where do you think I’m going? I’m going to Northern Crimson Prison. Do you think I’m leaving here to enjoy my life? Why have I never realized you’re such a stubborn person in the past, Cameron?”
Hayes was about to make a move, but just as he lifted his leg, he heard Jonathan’s voice sound from behind.
“Stop right there.”
Hayes immediately retracted his leg upon hearing Jonathan’s order.
He jogged up to Jonathan and wore a wry smile. “Mr. Goldstein, I really did not anticipate this interference. Please allow me five minutes, and I will make sure he can never speak again-”
Jonathan waved his hand, interrupting Hayes from continuing his speech.
“It is good that all your soldiers only acknowledge you after weathering all those battles alongside you. This signifies loyalty among your troop,” Jonathan said while regarding Hayes with a faint smile.
In fact, that situation resembled how Jonathan had told Broderick at Grand Forest Mountain previously about his soldiers not being cold-blooded, heartless machines who only recognized the army’s emblem.
It seems like Tiger has led the Lumonburg’s troop well.
Jonathan got up and stepped forward before he said, “Cameron Lynch, right? You object to this change in leadership. Can you tell me what’s the reason?”
Cameron replied hoarsely, “Sir, an objection is an objection. There is no special reason behind my protest. All of us had been through all kinds of perilous battles with our army commander. Commander Hayes has brought it upon himself to be sentenced to imprisonment by you because of his error.”
“F*ck you and your error. I was dragged into this mess, all right?” Hayes muttered and widened his eyes after listening to Cameron’s words.
Judging by his demeanor, Hayes might have really booted Cameron to death if Jonathan wasn’t standing beside them.
Cameron glanced at Hayes guiltily before mustering his courage and added, “And now, you found a toyboy to take over the Lumonburg army. I will have to obey his commands in the future, but I will never accept him as our leader. I am not the only one. All the other soldiers standing behind me share my sentiment too. Am I correct, everyone?”
Almost two hundred soldiers standing behind Cameron simultaneously took a step forward after Cameron asked the question at the top of his voice.
“That’s right. We object!”
Taking in their aggressiveness, Jonathan turned to look at Andrew and chuckled.
“Andrew, did you hear that? You’ve become a toyboy.”
Andrew’s face turned crimson instantly.
In fact, Andrew had long acquired the nickname “toyboy.” It was no wonder because he had the appearance of a young celebrity despite being twenty-nine.
Anyone would have assumed Andrew had attained his rank through connections.
Unfortunately, that practice was highly disdained among military men.
“Great! It seems like you all have discussed this matter in private. In that case, just tell me what you want,” Jonathan chirped.
Cameron flashed a grin as they were finally getting into the main topic.
“Hehe. Commander, can you not assign our army commander to Mysonna? If you do that, we will accept this bloke as our leader.”
“Oh. So, you all are waiting for me because of this reason,” Jonathan uttered with a smile.
“All right. It is difficult to execute this order if most of you do not follow it. Since all of you are pleading for mercy for your army commander’s sake, I cannot just do as I wish now. In that case, I’ll add one more condition. If you all can accomplish this feat, I will not change your army commander.”
“We guarantee to complete the mission!” Approximately two hundred soldiers shouted at once.
Jonathan bobbed his head slightly. The next second, he turned to look at Andrew and his party.
“Take off your shirt, the three of you. This is an order!”
“Yes, sir!”
After receiving Jonathan’s instruction, Andrew and the other two began removing their shirt. Around ten seconds later, the three of them stood bare-chested in front of everyone.
At that moment, all the soldiers widened their eyes at the scene before them. The source of their astonishment was due to the countless scars covering Andrew and the other two soldiers’ bodies. Their torsos and arms had at least four to five gunshot wounds. Not to mention, the injuries from scattered shrapnel and cuts from knives covered their skin, forming a frightening and spine-chilling sight.
Jonathan calmly said to the soldiers in front of him, “My condition is for all two hundred of you to subdue these three men without using any weapon. If you succeed, I will let Hayes remain as your army commander. Do I make myself clear?”
Standing furthest in front, Cameron responded in a daze, “T-Two hundred of us against the three of them? Is that right, Commander-”
Bang!
Before Cameron could finish the rest of his sentence, Andrew leaped over from five meters away and hit Cameron on his chest.
Eyes bulging, Cameron gradually sank to the ground on his knees. Then, his body tilted backward, and he passed out immediately.
“Come on. Come at me all at once. I have plenty of transition-related work to deal with after defeating all of you,” Andrew piped up nonchalantly while retracting his fist.
The next moment, Andrew was joined by the other two soldiers, and they formed a small battle party and began wreaking havoc among the Lumonburg army.
Hysterical cries reverberated in the air instantly.
“F*ck! Get them, everyone!”
“If we can’t even crush these three people with the combined effort of two hundred men, we should feel ashamed of ourselves in the future…”
“Hey! Are you all right? Sh*t-”
Pandemonium reigned in the garden as agonized screams and piercing cries echoed in the air.
“Are you that confident in your subordinates’ abilities, instructing three of them to fight against an army consisting of two hundred soldiers?” Xiara chirped while observing the commotion on the field.
“Number-wise, this may be a battle between three men and an army of two hundred, but the only ones who can actually contribute in this fight for the other party are the group of over ten men surrounding Andrew and the other two. It is good for soldiers to be loyal, but these men are too insolent to dare to threaten me because I decide to change their army commander,” Jonathan explained.
Xiara turned her head around to look at Jonathan upon hearing his words. “Is there any essential difference between this matter and when those prominent families asked you to relinquish your military power?”
Jonathan replied while wearing a faint smile, “There is. Tiger has a superior, and that’s me, while I will never serve under anyone’s command.”
