Ms. Anna

Although it was a quasi-military operation, and everyone here was a Quasi-Knight, it was perfectly safe within the territory right now. Alert? Alert my ass.

Colin sat chatting with Bill, while the other three team members were on the other side.

Before it got dark, the main force of the Fifth Knight Order arrived at the camp. Immediately, the porters became busy. The outer perimeter of the camp was erected first, and they brought enough timber.

Some people began to feed the livestock. The warhorses and mules were fed separately, with completely different fodder.

At the same time, the tent of the Knight Order Commander was also erected first. After the tent was set up, Colin was called into the tent alone, along with the other five squad captains.

The tent was large. Although the conditions were simple, the ground was floored. Opposite the tent entrance hung an oil painting, with the flags of the Fifth Knight Order on both sides. On the right side stood a full suit of metal armor, giving it a strong sense of ceremony.

In the center was a rectangular, exquisite conference table and a finely crafted chair. Lyon Brown sat in the only chair, with Michael Harris standing beside him.

Colin and the squad captains all stood opposite them.

The hierarchy, power, and influence within the Knight Order were clearly displayed.

Lyon Brown glanced at Michael Harris. The latter understood and looked up to address everyone, "The most important task tonight is, of course, the alert duty. I will now announce the shifts and rotations."

Six squads, twelve hours. Two hours per squad, rotating. However, there were good shifts and bad shifts. The first shift from 6 PM to 8 PM was naturally the best, the second shift from 8 PM to 10 PM was not bad either, and the shift before dawn was also good. The three shifts in between were quite tough.

Colin's first squad, as expected, got the 2 AM to 4 AM shift.

After Michael Harris announced this shift order, the squad captains had no objections. A unified "Yes" was all that was needed.

After leaving the tent, Colin shared this good news with Bill and the other team members.

"We're doomed. It's never-ending. And staying up late is bad for my skin," Bill lamented, taking out a small mirror from his pocket and looking at his beautiful face with a mournful expression.

The other team members also looked unhappy. Being assigned to Colin Russell's squad was considered the worst luck they'd had in eight lifetimes. However, they dared not speak their minds. Brian and Chal's fates were truly unfortunate.

Late at night, 2 AM.

The weather was clear, the starry sky bright. A cold wind blew fiercely, like knives slicing through the air. The members of the first squad were housed in a tent and had been woken up ten minutes in advance.

As 2 AM struck, they began their alert duty. The five of them split up, not standing in conspicuous places, but hiding in concealed positions.

A Quasi-Knight's hearing was sharp, allowing them to grasp the surrounding movements, making it sufficient to hide in the dark and remain vigilant. If they stood in the open, they might be killed.

Although, it was unlikely anyone would attack them.

After separating from his teammates, Colin went to a corner of the stable, took out a sheepskin blanket, and sat down on the ground.

A short while later, Colin heard footsteps. He looked up in surprise and saw Ms. Anna.

"Colin, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do," Ms. Anna said softly, her expression a little unusual, as if she had something on her mind.

"You're too kind, Madam. This Knight Order Action is a quasi-military operation. As a teacher, your role is only to protect, not to interfere," Colin quickly stood up and then said with self-deprecation, "Besides, who told me to offend Lyon Brown?"

Ms. Anna stared at Colin, seemingly trying to confirm if he was lying. But she found that in his eyes, besides self-mockery, there was only frankness. She couldn't help but feel a little comforted, fearing most that he would be unable to bear the slight and become cynical.

Ms. Anna then sighed, "However, this incident is also a lesson. We are nobles of the Empire, and the hierarchy is relatively strict. For Brian to target you was actually overstepping. And offending Lyon Brown was not wise. You must remember this lesson."

"This is just a quasi-military operation for now. If you truly join the Knight Order in the future, you must carefully consider whether to defy the 'prominent ones.' Compared to him, Michael Harris is much more docile. Although he is the heir to a Viscount, he knows that in a Marquis's territory, the hereditary knights of the Marquis are even more prominent."

As she said this, Ms. Anna seemed to recall something. Her usually calm and aloof expression showed a hint of vulnerability and sadness.

Colin looked at Ms. Anna's expression, caught off guard. Wasn't she supposed to be comforting him? He intended to offer comfort, but after thinking about it, he found no words, so he could only stare blankly.

However, Ms. Anna quickly regained her composure. She smiled and said, "But fate favors the diligent. You are a diligent person. I believe you will break through the class system and go higher and further."

"Thank you for your guidance. I will keep it in mind," Colin said respectfully.

"Keep up the good work," Ms. Anna smiled, then turned and left, concealing herself somewhere to maintain her vigilance.

"Ms. Anna's inspirational talk feels pretty good," Colin sat down again, leaning leisurely against the stable, continuing his watch.

Shortly after dawn the next day, after breakfast, the main force set off again. Colin and his first squad continued to be responsible for reconnaissance missions.

This repeated, and on the evening of the fifth day, after traversing mountains and crossing rivers, the main force finally arrived at the site of the Ox War ruins in the Dolor Mountains.

Countless years had passed, and the entire site had been largely reclaimed by nature, with very few traces remaining.

The Fifth Knight Order set up camp on a leveled mountain peak, with the water source located in the mountain hollow below.

This campsite was not chosen randomly. Prior to this, many cohorts of students from Wales Knight Academy had come here for Knight Order Actions.

Therefore, there was a stone wall built around the perimeter, and within the camp, there was a stone-built house and a stable.

The Fifth Knight Order would conduct basic Knight Order Activities such as training, reconnaissance, and alertness within this camp.

Lyon Brown would not let Colin have any peace. As soon as the main force arrived at this camp, he assigned Colin a reconnaissance mission.

Colin shrugged and accepted the mission. Since it was all mountain roads, they couldn't ride horses. The members of the first squad, carrying a small amount of dry rations and weapons, set off.

"God. To walk thirty miles of mountain road to scout a mountain ridge, it's a wonder he could even think of that," Bill said irritably. Although none of these were life-threatening hardships, these small actions were truly maddening.