I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Just then, a small squad of Imperial border patrolmen stealthily approached from the shadows behind the Holy Kingdom soldiers, like ghosts.

Their movements were swift and precise, and they subdued the two Holy Kingdom soldiers who were holding hostages in an instant, successfully rescuing the two terrified hostages.

However, Kirk was an exception.

Just as the imperial soldiers pounced, he used his battlefield-honed instincts to dodge the capture with a clumsy but effective side roll.

With his companion captured and his escape route cut off, despair and madness gripped Kirk in an instant.

He suddenly raised his pistol, the dark muzzle no longer pointed at the enemy, but resolutely aimed at one of the hostages!

Even if he's going to die, he'll take someone down with him.

This was his final, twisted glory as a soldier of the Holy Kingdom.

"Die!" Kirk roared, his finger slamming into the trigger.

At this critical moment!

Zod's figure shot out like an arrow, and incredibly, he pounced on the hostage!

Kirk's twisted lips curled into a near-maniacal grin as he hissed, "Ha! Now you think about saving people? Too late! Unless you're willing to take my bullets with your own body... Heh heh heh!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already pulled the trigger!

"Bang!"

A flash of gunfire, and the deadly bullet tore through the air, heading straight for the hostage's heart!

In a flash, Zod did something that astonished everyone.

He didn't even have time to think; his instinctive reaction was to kick the hostage hard in the chest!

The older hostage was sent flying sideways like a tattered sack, crashing heavily into an Imperial soldier behind him with a loud thud before collapsing to the ground.

Almost simultaneously, a bullet whistled past the spot where she had just stood, embedding itself deeply in the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust!

Zod finally let out a long sigh of relief, raising his hand to wipe the cold sweat that had instantly beaded on his forehead. He muttered with lingering fear, "Hiss...that was close! The hostage was almost hit by a bullet..."

This unbelievable method of "rescuing" completely stunned Kirk. His eyes widened, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor, and he screamed, "You...you're a monster?! Who rescues people like that?!"

Not only Kirk, but even the Imperial patrol next to him was stunned by Zod's kick.

Before he could finish speaking, several fierce Imperial patrolmen pounced from the side, pinning the dazed Koko to the cold, muddy ground and capturing him firmly.

Then, the medic ran to the hostage who had been kicked away and gave a quick assessment: "The hostage is out of danger, just a few broken ribs and he's unconscious. Get a stretcher quickly..."

After confirming that the hostages were safe, Zod breathed a sigh of relief, having almost made a mistake out of kindness.

"Hello, Lieutenant, I am the captain of the 7th Patrol Squad." The young Imperial officer with the rank of Warrant Officer walked up to Zod and saluted.

Zod returned the salute.

"You are really amazing. You actually managed to find those two women all by yourself. Even my superior didn't dare to take on this mission. It is said that no one dares to take on such a thankless task, for fear of offending people."

The warrant officer had a faint smile on his face and continued, "Although you rescued the hostage very efficiently, that kick you just gave... well... women of a certain age hold grudges, so please be careful."

So, the so-called top-secret mission is only top-secret to a select few?

Zod observed the warrant officer and felt as if he were looking at a sucker, wanting to laugh but trying his best to hold it in.

But Zod still thanked him: "Thank you for the advice, Warrant Officer."

……

……

"Lieutenant Zod is the strongest Imperial officer I have ever seen. I dare say he is the man who will become an Imperial general sooner or later."

At a troop gathering that night, Cassius, with his left hand on his hip, a wine glass in his right hand, and one foot on a stool, began to speak with great emotion, fueled by his drunkenness:

"The timeframe for our search mission was actually only four days, because by the time we arrived at the scene after a forced march, it was already afternoon."

"There were no clues left at the scene pointing to the hostages' whereabouts. Just when I thought we were at a loss and didn't know which direction to search... *hiccup*"

Cassius burped twice, then raised his glass and took a large gulp:

"Lieutenant Zod spent an entire night organizing the clues and then drew up a search route. The route we searched was almost identical to the route the Holy Kingdom soldiers took to escape."

"Tell me, besides Lieutenant Zod, who else could do that? Who else???"

"As the mission deadline approached, even I was worried for the lieutenant and asked him to speed up the search."

"Lieutenant Zod simply said to me calmly, 'Cassius, don't worry, everything is going according to plan. We will definitely complete the mission by the deadline.'"

"Then, that night, following the lieutenant's orders, I..."

Under the influence of alcohol, Cassius's words are often embellished to some extent.

If nothing unexpected happens, Cassius will probably start boasting about his achievements next.

Even though he didn't play much of a role from beginning to end, it didn't stop a drunkard from believing that all the glory in the world belonged to him.

Zod sat alone in a corner of the hall, savoring the fruit wine from another world.

He wasn't particularly happy about the successful completion of the mission; instead, a hint of worry appeared on his face, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

In any case, this mission has successfully brought Zod into the sights of his superiors.

Will the kick he made to rescue the hostages get him into trouble?

Even if the other party doesn't care, coming into the superior's sights will have unpredictable effects on his peaceful future.

Will he be sent to the front lines, or will he be tasked with an even more difficult mission?

Zod didn't drink too much, as he didn't particularly enjoy drinking anyway, and left the party slightly tipsy.

As he stepped out the door, the evening breeze swept over him, instantly dispelling his already dwindling drunkenness.

Zod strolled along the riverbank in Hessen town all the way back to his residence.

That night, Zod lay in bed, finding it increasingly difficult to fall asleep.

If his popularity rises again, given the show's track record, there's a high chance he'll be sent to the battlefield.

If he actually goes to the battlefield, it's questionable whether he'll even survive to the next episode.

Do not!

In order to increase his chances of survival in the coming storm, Zod knew that improving his strength was of utmost urgency.

Caution is always the cornerstone of survival in chaotic times. This thought weighed heavily on his mind.

As his thoughts wandered, Zod recalled the reward he received when he first opened the newbie pack: "Virtual Dream Training Ground".

Without further hesitation, he silently recited the instructions in his mind.

The moment he confirmed his intention to enter the training ground, an endless, pure, and chillingly pale expanse rapidly spread from beneath his feet, silently engulfing the entire room like a tidal wave.

In the blink of an eye, all the familiar walls and furniture around him disappeared, and Zod found himself in an absolutely empty and silent alternate dimension.

Is this the "Virtual Dream Training Ground"?

With a slight thought, almost simultaneously, a long sword gleaming with a cold, sharp light appeared out of thin air in his outstretched palm, its heavy texture feeling incredibly real.

"It's truly amazing..." he murmured, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

For the next period of time, Zod, like a child who had just acquired a new and exciting toy, began to explore the rules of this space with great concentration.

Weapons? They can be transformed in countless ways with just a thought.

The venue? High mountains, deep valleys, lava fields, glaciers—all rise from the ground or vanish in the blink of an eye.

Opponents? Lifelike warriors or ferocious beasts, sculpted to his liking.

Time? He can control the time in the training ground at will, as long as he wants.

"Gravity!" Zod's eyes flashed as he locked onto his most pressing need—power!

Without hesitation, he focused his mind and issued the command: 4 times gravity!

boom!

The instant the command took effect, an indescribable, terrifying pressure suddenly descended!

Zod felt his body suddenly sink, as if he had been slammed to the ground by an invisible giant hand, or as if he had suddenly been burdened with hundreds of pounds of weight!

This was by no means a simple increase in weight; his entire skeleton was groaning under the strain, and every muscle fiber was stretched to its limit, desperately resisting the tearing force from above.

The air seemed to solidify into lead, making each breath incredibly difficult, and my chest ached from the pressure.

Just maintaining the most basic action of standing took up most of his strength, and his knees trembled slightly uncontrollably.

"Ugh...!" He clenched his teeth, and a slight blue vein appeared on his forehead.

Within this cage of four times the gravity, capable of crushing an ordinary person instantly, Zod's gaze remained unusually firm.

He took a deep breath, slowly bent down, and placed his hands on the seemingly invisible yet incredibly solid ground.

Training begins with this first push-up!