"It was... Xu De who made the first move!"
Thomas had still been terrified, but when the instructor questioned him, he ignored the pain in his throat and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
The others who had been beaten alongside Thomas chimed in, and even those who hadn't joined the fight nodded along when they saw how things were unfolding.
No matter how capable Xu De was, the military was still a place of strict hierarchy. If the instructor wanted to take him down, what could Xu De do about it?
So the people who had just been gathered around Xu De, along with some who had always believed in the supremacy of the strong, all nodded and joined the accusations.
You would've thought Xu De was the bully.
As for Xu De...
He didn't panic. Being falsely accused angered him, but he didn't lose his cool.
He simply turned to look at the security camera behind him and said,
"Reporting, Instructor. I request to review the footage!"
He had led them to that corridor precisely because he'd picked out a camera angle.
It would've captured everything perfectly.
"You..."
The instructor hadn't expected Xu De to have this move up his sleeve. He nearly choked on his rage.
Even those who had been accusing Xu De fell silent.
But Xu De knew this wouldn't be enough to stop the instructor.
After all, he could lock Xu De up first. As for the footage, once Xu De was behind bars, the instructor could say whatever he wanted.
He could even claim the footage was corrupted, and nobody would care.
"I'll review it! But before then, you're a major participant. Put him in detention—"
Just as Xu De had expected, the instructor continued.
But before he could finish, Hans stepped forward.
"Instructor! I can confirm that Xu De is telling the truth!"
Hans's voice still carried fear, but he spoke with unwavering resolve.
"You're his friend! Of course you'd cover for him!"
The instructor sneered. As soon as he finished speaking, three more people stepped forward.
"I saw it too!"
"Me too!"
"I saw Thomas attack him!"
Among the three who came forward, some had been bullied by Thomas, while others genuinely respected Xu De's strength.
In any case, Xu De turned and gave them a serious look, silently committing their faces to memory.
It wasn't easy to speak up at a time like this.
As those three stepped forward, another dozen people from the hundred present gradually took their place behind Xu De.
They now stood in opposition to Thomas's group.
Watching the scene unfold, the instructor felt a surge of fury, but his confidence began to wane.
If things went wrong now, it could turn into a mutiny. He could lose his head over this.
Xu De had been an ordinary soldier before. Even if his piloting skills were good, he had no foundation. Why were so many people still willing to take his side?
The instructor hadn't realized that the main reason they had stepped forward was the force of personality Xu De had displayed during their exchange.
He was neither servile nor arrogant. He stood there calmly and confidently, speaking openly and honestly. He seemed like a man of absolute integrity.
And so, they couldn't bear to see this sun-like young man framed by a villain.
After all, would that be fair?
Besides, they could easily be the next Xu De someday.
For people like them, who had no connections, standing together was their best option.
But the instructor didn't dwell on it for long before reaching his decision.
"You... You're spreading rumors and disrupting morale! Arrest every last one of them!"
In this situation, he could only act decisively and put an end to things at once.
Once they were arrested and he had the situation under control, he'd still be safe.
As for those people, he'd throw them in and torture them until they changed their stories.
But even though the instructor had given the order, the soldiers from the military police unit showed no intention of obeying.
Instead, they looked as if they'd seen a ghost. They lowered their guns in fear and resumed their military stance.
Their boots thudded heavily against the metal floor, the sound echoing through the corridor like a welcoming bell.
"You..."
The instructor turned around, ready to demand an explanation, and saw Revil standing silently behind him. A chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to his scalp.
Even his neck, red with rage just moments ago, turned deathly pale.
"Instructor Rick, you certainly throw your weight around."
Revil smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
Anyone could hear the sarcasm and mockery in his words.
"Colonel Revil! I was just—"
"Dereliction of duty, abuse of authority. I'll see you at the military tribunal."
Revil seemed too tired to say anything else. He simply nodded to the military police beside him, who looked like mice that had spotted a cat, and gestured for them to drag Rick away.
As they led him down the corridor, the instructor's pleas still echoed through its long stretch.
The grating sound left Revil and the people behind him, who had thought they'd chosen the right side, drenched in cold sweat.
The fence-sitters in particular wished they could die.
If only they'd known the colonel would come out to take charge.
They never would've stood behind Revil.
That idiot instructor couldn't even handle his superiors, and he had to make a show of himself. Wasn't he just dragging everyone else down with him?
While the others were consumed by regret and fear, Revil barely spared them a glance.
"Anyone who just lied will spend a week in confinement."
Discipline here really wasn't all that strict.
But this punishment might be a death sentence for them.
What would happen if the World Tree blew up while they were confined?
The answer was obvious.
Of course, Xu De felt no pity for them.
The others might not have deserved to die, strictly speaking.
But he had no reason to save them.
Whether they lived or died after this was none of his concern.
As for the few who'd been sentenced to confinement, when they heard it was only for a week, they looked relieved.
A week was just long enough to miss the possible battle. They might not earn any military merit, but they'd definitely be safe.
After all, the World Tree was so safe.
And so, in a bizarre turn of events, neither side objected to Revil's decision.
"Corporal Xu De, I'm glad our military has someone as talented as you."
Ignoring Thomas and the others who had already been taken away, Revil turned to Xu De with a warmth entirely unlike his earlier demeanor.
He'd originally planned to wait until Xu De had nowhere left to turn before stepping in and offering him a favor.
But he hadn't expected Xu De to force the instructor into such a corner all on his own.
Even if Revil hadn't intervened, Xu De probably would've found a way to resolve the situation himself.
Combined with the calm composure he'd shown during the fight, Xu De was one of the most promising people Revil had ever met.
Second only to that blond kid who'd gone to the moon to play with a Zero.
Whether in close combat or in flight, he had enormous potential.
He also had a clear head and knew how to use tactics.
Those were all essential qualities for a top-tier pilot.
Otherwise, why would pilots be so sought-after?
Ordinary grunts like the ones here simply couldn't do the job.
Before you continue