Maslow Quotations

"Cough, cough, Captain, I was carrying out a mission, really! I definitely wasn't happy just because I could use the mission as an excuse to curse people openly. I swear!"

Looking at John's ferocious expression, Wendy gave a dry laugh as she explained herself.

Could you wipe that excited grin off your face before saying that?

Wasn't this the textbook definition of protesting too much?

And she was even reciting that same repetitive nonsense he had said in the command post earlier?

Did I fucking give you permission to recite it? You idiot, do you have any respect for copyright at all?

By now, John had already realized what was going on.

Weren't the words Wendy had just recited in front of everyone the improvised drivel he had made up to deal with Dormammu and those assholes?

The sheer embarrassment of having something like his diary read aloud instantly left John choking with rage.

The merciless iron hand pressing on her head tightened further. Ignoring Wendy's pleading wails, he spoke with fury in his voice:

"What mission requires you to conduct this damned cult propaganda ritual in front of the 14th Squad? You'd better give me a reasonable explanation, Sergeant Wendy!"

"Ah, Captain, it's true! I wasn't lying to you! This was an order personally issued by General Dormammu! I really wasn't deliberately punishing them, sob!"

Wendy looked at John with tearful eyes, her face filled with grievance.

An order personally issued by Dormammu?

Wait, could it be...

Hearing that, John seemed to finally realize something, and his pupils trembled.

As if to confirm his suspicions, the aggrieved Wendy quickly gave him an answer that made his vision go dark.

"Half an hour ago, after the meeting at the command post ended, the general sent a guard to the 6th Battalion with an order for the soldiers to read Maslow Quotations in order to strengthen their understanding of the Empire Spirit."

"The so-called Maslow Quotations are the speech you gave at the meeting. The general believes that the principles you put forward not only comprehensively explained the Empire Spirit, but were also forward-looking and highly educational. So, he ordered people to compile your quotations into a booklet for the soldiers to read and memorize."

"To test the results, the general arranged for a pilot program starting with our 14th Squad. Battalion Commander Olaf even appointed me as our squad's political instructor, responsible for supervising everyone's memorization of Maslow Quotations."

"So I really was carrying out a mission! I absolutely wasn't using it as an excuse to curse people and vent my stress! Please believe me, Captain John!"

Looking at Wendy's earnest explanation, John could only hear a buzzing in his ears. His hands and feet began to turn cold beyond his control.

He had thought his survival plan being disrupted was already bad enough, but he had never expected that old bastard Dormammu to leave him such a damned "big surprise."

And it was the kind of big surprise that would completely cement his identity as an "Empire lackey"!

What Empire Spirit-promoting quotations? This was fucking asking for John Maslow's life!

If these damned quotations gained the Empire's approval and officially spread through the Imperial Army—

Then without question, John could be certain that the Allied Forces would dispatch professional agents to assassinate him, the Empire's number-one lackey, within half a month!

He had to stop it. He had to stop this damned propaganda!

This was basically a guillotine invented by Louis XVI!

Veins bulged across John's forehead in rage. He wanted nothing more than to snatch the damned quotations from Wendy's hands and tear them to shreds.

But feeling the gazes around him—some admiring, some puzzled—he knew that if he wanted to stop this damned lecture promoting the "spirit of loyalty," he needed a suitable reason.

Otherwise, what awaited him would probably be a smile from the Inspection Forces!

At that thought, John immediately took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to hang up and beat this idiot subordinate of his. Instead, he forced a smile onto his face and rapidly turned his brain over.

"So that's how it is. It seems I misunderstood. However, Wendy, I think there may have been some deviation in your understanding of Battalion Commander Olaf's orders."

"A deviation?"

Wendy looked at John in confusion, then hesitantly pointed at the fervent crowd.

"I don't think there's a problem, Captain. Look, everyone is incredibly excited that they get to read your quotations!"

That was exactly the problem, you brainless idiot!

John choked back his fury, but he still did not explode. Under Wendy's puzzled gaze, he shook his head "calmly."

"No. This forced memorization and comprehension of loyalty may make things look better on the surface, but it does little to help soldiers truly understand the Empire Spirit."

"Personally, I believe that as soldiers of the Empire, if we want to prove our loyalty to the Empire, it should not be through this kind of lecture."

"Although this sort of assembly-style recitation can indeed have some effect, it is inefficient. It is a hollow, performative project."

"A soldier's loyalty to the Empire never lies in whether his slogans are loud enough. It lies in his actual actions!"

"Those who truly possess loyalty to the Empire are often those who can hold fast to their principles in the face of outside temptations, and who dare to offer their lives to the Empire in times of crisis."

"When the Empire is weak, they will not betray their homeland for fame and fortune. When the Empire is strong, they will not descend into corruption for personal gain."

"A true Imperial warrior should live his life like this: when he looks back upon the past, he will not regret wasting his years, nor will he feel ashamed of accomplishing nothing."

"At the moment of death, he can proudly say: I devoted my entire life and all my energy to the most magnificent cause in the world—that is, the struggle for the Empire's strength!"

"This is the true Empire Spirit. This is the loyalty every soldier in our Empire must learn!"

Under everyone's astonished and worshipful gazes, John slowly withdrew his right hand from Wendy's head. Then, with a "kind" expression, he addressed the pig-headed subordinate who only knew how to cause him trouble.

"So, Sergeant Wendy, do you understand what you should do now?"

"I understand, Warrant Officer! I have recognized my mistake, and I now fully understand the Empire Spirit you wished to convey to me!"

After recovering from John's stirring speech, Wendy's eyes had turned red with emotion. She stared at him as though looking at a great figure, then immediately puffed out her chest and raised her head with confidence.

Just as John thought this damned "Maslow Judgment Assembly" was about to come to an end, Wendy's next words froze the smile on his face completely.

"To ensure that the soldiers can gain a deeper understanding of the spirit you conveyed, starting today, I will cancel the inefficient practice of holding collective lecture ceremonies. Instead, I will establish a Maslow Quotations study group and regularly share and discuss everyone's insights from memorizing Maslow Quotations, so that we can learn from you even better!"

After pausing slightly, as though she had remembered something, Wendy immediately turned toward the others, whose eyes were shining brightly, and raised an arm in a shout.

"Everyone, let us study and comprehend the true Maslow Spirit together!"

Comprehend my ass. Are you fucking afraid I won't die fast enough?

Wendy, are you sure you aren't a stupid pig personally sent by the Goddess of Misfortune to kill me?

John's fury surged. Just as he was forcing himself to maintain his expression and preparing to find another excuse to persuade Wendy not to cause him more trouble, the people in the square began voicing their agreement.

"Vice-Captain Wendy is right. Our understanding of Maslow Quotations is still far too shallow. We simply cannot reach the heights that Captain John has achieved, so establishing a study group is absolutely necessary!"

"I think so too. Also, the words Captain John just said should be added to Maslow Quotations!"

"Yes! True loyalty does not lie in whether slogans are loud, but in action. That sentence strikes straight into the soul. It deserves to be recited and remembered day and night!"

"That line about how a person should not regret accomplishing nothing in life, but should struggle for the Empire, was great too! Just hearing it makes my blood boil!"

"This is wonderful! This is the Empire Spirit I have always wanted to pursue! Everyone from the 14th Squad, please let me join the study group!"

Everyone discussed it at once. In the end, as though they had reached a consensus, even soldiers from the other companies who had originally just been watching joined the 14th Squad members and raised their arms in a shout.

"John Maslow! John Maslow!!!"

Their voices were unified and grew louder and louder. They even drew the attention of nearby patrolling soldiers. After learning what had happened, these soldiers, their minds reeling from the famous quotations of another world, seemed to become infected as well and joined the chanting crowd.

For a time, the entire square resembled an offline recruitment gathering for cult members. The number of people continued to grow, and the air filled with an indescribable atmosphere of fanaticism.

It was over. It was all over!

Wendy Brown, this damned stupid pig was going to get Boss killed for real!

Watching the person-to-person spread take hold and the number of people reciting cult proclamations swell further and further—

John realized that the situation was developing in exactly the direction he least wanted to see, and his heart immediately turned to ashes.

Especially when he thought about how he was about to lead the new unit on that damned joint operation assigned by Dormammu—

And how he still had not come up with a perfect way out—

His already swollen head began to ache even worse.

Fuck it. Whatever. Let it happen.

Rather than worry about the consequences of these shitty quotations spreading, he should first think about how to resolve that damned mission perfectly!

After all, his life was already at risk. How could he possibly worry about the future?

With that thought, John stopped agonizing over the damned cult-like scene. Ignoring Wendy's dissatisfied expression, he expressionlessly ordered everyone to disperse on the spot, then walked into his tent with a dark face.

Just as he was about to pour himself a cup of coffee and use that damned little drink made for workhorses to whip his already exhausted donkey ass a few times, forcibly squeezing out what few brain cells he had left to devise a plan that could satisfy both sides—

Footsteps behind him caught his attention. He had assumed it would be Wendy, that stupid pig, and was just about to unleash a torrent of curses at her.

But when he turned around, he discovered that the visitor was actually Laiya Binote.

However, compared to her usual calmness, the silver-haired female adjutant's expression now seemed somewhat strange.

Her little face was flushed, and her gaze at John carried a familiar look of admiration that left him speechless.

Clearly, this strange girl had also been successfully assimilated by that idiot Wendy after hearing the brainwashing speech earlier.

Not again, right?

Give me a break. I'm really exhausted already!

John sighed inwardly, but after thinking it over, he still decided to make this innocent girl abandon the idea of joining the operation.

After all, he truly could not bring himself to send someone who had helped him to her death.

"Warrant Officer Laiya Binote, I'll be direct. You..."

Just as John was about to forcibly dismiss her, the tent flap was pulled open again. Wendy's adorably infuriating figure entered, and she casually spoke to John.

"Captain, Battalion Commander Olaf just sent word. The rest of the troops for the joint operation have already assembled, and only our 14th Squad is missing. He asked when you plan to depart for the mission."

After saying that, Wendy seemed to notice there was someone else in the tent. Seeing John's face as dark as the bottom of a pot, she vaguely realized she might have arrived at a bad time and immediately stuck out her tongue, intending to leave.

But when her eyes landed on Laiya Binote's unusual silver hair, she seemed to remember something. Her gaze froze for a moment before she cried out in surprise.

"That hair color... you, no, could you possibly be Warrant Officer Laiya Binote, the ace newcomer of the Black Eagle Special Forces?"

"Ace newcomer?"

John immediately looked confused upon hearing those words.

"Wow, Captain, don't you know about the Binote Family? They're a mysterious family that inherited the 'Severing' technique, said to be capable of cutting through anything! Even compared to the 'Thousand Blades' technique wielded by the Allied Forces' Star-Shattering Sword Saint, they are no less formidable!"

Wendy looked puzzled, seemingly wondering why her captain did not even know such common knowledge.

But soon, as though she had thought of something, the expression on her face was instantly replaced by excitement and delight.

"Wait, Captain, could Warrant Officer Laiya be the adjutant for this joint operation? If that's true, then we can completely coast to victory!"

"You should know that Warrant Officer Laiya once independently repelled a thousand-man Allied Forces unit!"

"Even among the official members of the Black Eagle Special Forces, she's one of the fiercest!"

Wendy chattered on endlessly. However, after hearing this information, John fell silent only briefly. Then, under Laiya's puzzled gaze, he stepped forward on his own initiative and directly took her small hand. An unprecedentedly gentle smile appeared on his face, and his tone was incomparably sincere.

"Warrant Officer Laiya, please forgive my earlier poor hospitality. Please—you must join my team!"

"This joint operation needs a talent like you!"

(End of Chapter)