After the farewell party, Reno received the most severe punishment since entering the academy—three days of solitary confinement.
Yes, three days locked in a room, with nothing else.
He wasn't expelled because Marshal came back.
The old dean had been in charge of the academy for thirty years, always fair and impartial. But this time, on the last day of his teaching career, he abused his power.
For the incident involving Marshal's assault, he handled it in the most arrogant, domineering, and unreasonable way possible: three days of solitary confinement for Reno, seven days for Nora.
Issue resolved!
Considering Marshal's prestige at the academy and his imminent departure, the Academy Committee accepted his decision—they didn't want any complications in case the old dean suddenly decided not to retire after all.
Politics is the art of compromise; if you don't compromise, who will?
As for Marshal, thanks to advanced medical technology, his injuries were treated. Modern medicine could stimulate and control cell division to regenerate severed limbs and even regrow lost eyeballs.
However, due to the complexity and precision required for eye structure, it was the riskiest and least successful method of regeneration.
Marshal was fortunate; after lying in the medical pod for four full days, his eyes finally recovered.
Nevertheless, he suffered some residual effects; his right eye now had a tendency to tear up in windy conditions, shedding tears whenever the wind blew.
Incurable.
Nora's reputation soared as a result. The students knew better than to provoke this seemingly iceberg-like girl—not because she was strong, but because there was nothing she wouldn't dare to do.
After resolving this matter, Marshal finally retired.
With the appointment of a new dean, Alpha Academy began to undergo subtle changes.
As Courtman announced at the farewell party, he began to expand the academy, introducing elite groups and special admissions, and increasing the number of mechs and simulation chambers—all sponsored by corporate sponsors. These sponsors were astute; they knew that nurturing a group of officers specialized in using their products meant a steady stream of orders in the future.
Meanwhile, Dandy Bag was unsurprisingly dismissed.
On the fourth day of Courtman's tenure.
On the day Dandy Bag left, few people came to see him off.
Though this devil instructor had truly facilitated the students' growth, few would appreciate him.
Reno, Sveffield, Li Zonghan, and Claire were among the few who came to bid farewell.
Little Dot initially didn't want to come; he had been harassed by Bag during training but was dragged along by Reno.
Seeing the sparse group of students seeing him off, Dandy Bag squeezed a smile onto his ugly face.
He chuckled, "I thought nobody would come to see me off, didn't expect to see a few of you. I mean, looks like my popularity isn't as bad as I thought."
"An excellent soldier shouldn't care about how many people like him but how many people fear him," Reno replied.
This wasn't his invention; the original owner of the phrase was the cripple in front of them.
It was something the cripple had said when someone couldn't bear his training and cursed him as a pitiful, unloved loner.
Hearing Reno use his own words to respond, the cripple laughed.
He patted Reno on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "You're the most outstanding student I've ever taught. Not because of your combat skills, but because of your bravery and resilience. Remember, kid. No matter how dire the situation, never give up. A soldier's duty is to never give up the fight!"
"Yes, instructor, I'll remember," Reno replied earnestly.
Then the cripple looked at everyone.
He smiled and said, "Alright, kids, don't bother seeing me off. Let me leave quietly. Don't worry about me; even if I lose this job, I still have a disability pension to live on. As for now, I'm going to a comfortable place to have some fun with a few girls. Damn, ever since I started teaching you little rascals, I haven't been able to enjoy myself, but now I'm finally free."
He laughed and waved to everyone before stepping back.
"Keep in touch, instructor!" Li Zonghan pointed to the terminal; the cripple's number was saved in everyone's terminals.
The cripple laughed heartily, turned, and walked away.
Reno and the others silently watched him go.
Suddenly, Sveffield said, "He's feeling miserable."
"Of course, we can all see that," Little Dot replied.
"Dandy Bag was a good instructor...what a pity," Li Zonghan said.
"Hope time will heal his wounds," Claire added.
Nora remained silent.
After a final glance at Dandy Bag, they headed back to the academy.
They didn't know that as they returned to the academy, Dandy Bag also stopped in his tracks.
He turned to look at them, his eyes showing a sense of contentment.
Then, dragging his crippled leg, he walked away, step by step, towards the distance.
With each step, a day passed.
From daytime until night.
Occasionally, kind-hearted people would stop their cars and ask if he needed a ride.
Dandy Bag just shook his head.
He carried a small bag, walking on the endless road as if he were a primitive man emerging from a primeval jungle, alone on a road with no pedestrians in sight.
The road was long, so long that its end couldn't be seen.
Night fell.
Dandy Bag sat down on the grass by the roadside.
He lit a bonfire and sat beside it.
He sat there quietly, watching the flames. The flickering fire reflected on his face, now bright, now dim.
The flames danced, conjuring up one tragic scene after another.
On the battlefield of the gods, laser beams filled the air. Flashes of energy pierced the sky, and the thunderous roar of artillery echoed. The last cries of comrades before their deaths echoed in his ears:
"The godly race is coming, it's their dark warriors, I can't see it, ahh..."
"Retreat quickly, too many enemies, there are bugs everywhere!"
"Hold on, remember we are the Ironclad Mech Corps, Ironclads never compromise, never surrender!"
"The energy plant is destroyed, I'm out of ammo..."
"My leg... Oh God, save me, my leg is broken... Commander, Commander!"
"Commander, where are the reinforcements? Why haven't they come yet?"
"There won't be any reinforcements, right? Commander."
Dandy Bag closed his eyes.
His body trembled slightly, murmuring names: "El, Joly, Bradney, Baroman, Chandler..."
It took him a long time to stop this murmuring.
Then, as if making a decision, he took out a black notebook from his pocket.
It was a real paper notebook, not made of electronic paper, and it looked rough in craftsmanship, like a handmade product from a desolate era.
Then Dandy Bag took out a pen and slowly began to write in the notebook.
After finishing, he put the pen and notebook in a bag, placed it beside him, and weighed it down with a stone.
Then he took out a gun from his body, aimed it at his chin.
Looking into the distance, he said:
"Ironclad Mech Corps, all members fallen!"
He pulled the trigger.
...
Reno received the news of Bag's death during physical training class, while he was doing combat training.
He knocked himself and the sparring student down heavily, knocking the student unconscious. This displeased the new physical training instructor, who reprimanded him severely and asked him to be gentler next time.
Gentler!
Damn it!
This is a military academy, and we are all soldiers!
But Reno had no choice; he could only comply.
A student ran over from a distance, shouting loudly, "Who's Johnny Reno?"
"That's me," Reno answered.
The student looked at him and said, "Please come with me; a lawyer is looking for you."
The words made everyone stop what they were doing.
"Is there something wrong?" Reno remained calm.
The student replied, "Dandy Bag is dead... suicide."