Episode 25: The Original Young Master

The next day, news of Anna’s engagement spread throughout Rockhill Valley, leaving the boys who had admired her heartbroken. Even in the rebel camp, many groaned in disappointment.

"I can't believe my goddess Anna is getting married… this is so unfair!"

Many guys lamented, but their whining irritated a good number of girls in the camp.

Among them, Luna and Judy—two of the prettier newcomers—stepped forward and snapped,

"You guys are unbelievable! Are the other girls in Rockhill Valley invisible to you?! What's so great about a woman who walks around with a cold, expressionless face all day?"

Their words immediately sparked an argument, as Anna’s admirers refused to back down. The camp was in chaos even before training had begun.

Meanwhile, Joey and the other six members of Squad Six weren’t paying attention to the drama. Ever since Alex had walked away in silence after getting slapped by Anna the day before, he hadn’t shown up. His absence worried them.

"Anna is strong, beautiful, and fearless—she’s the true flower of Rockhill Valley! None of you girls can compare to her!"

The guys doubled down, provoking the girls further. Just when the tension was about to explode, a lazy, carefree voice suddenly chimed in.

"Who says the girls in this camp aren’t as good as Anna? Personally, I like them better."

Everyone turned toward the voice and was shocked to see a sharply dressed, flamboyant young man strolling into the camp, casually running a hand through his hair.

It was Alex.

"Alex...?"

Joey and the others looked at him in confusion. Something about him was different—he had an air of arrogance they hadn’t seen before. But Alex just smiled at them before striding toward the group of guys trash-talking the camp girls, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You guys are pathetic," Alex scoffed. "The camp is full of beautiful girls, yet you're all obsessed with someone who wouldn’t even spare you a glance. Talk about sad."

He flashed a playful wink at Luna and Judy, making them blush.

The guys were furious, especially Willy and Claude—the ones who had always looked for ways to pick on Alex.

"Alex, don’t forget—you’re just a newbie here. Who the hell do you think you are?" Claude sneered.

Alex walked right up to him, still smirking. "Oh, that’s easy," he said coolly. "I’m Alex Hawke, the sole heir of the Hawke family—the one that owns the most factories in Rockhill Valley. Who knows? Maybe your parents work for my family." He tilted his head mockingly. "What’s wrong? Feeling a little upset?"

Claude’s face twisted in anger. He lunged at Alex, trying to shove him backward. But no matter how hard he pushed, Alex didn’t budge an inch.

Claude gritted his teeth. "What the hell…?"

Unbeknownst to him, Alex was using his newly trained Qi to anchor himself in place. It didn’t matter how much strength Claude used—he wasn’t moving Alex.

"Come on, wasn’t that supposed to be a push? Don’t hold back," Alex teased, grinning like he was watching a comedy show.

Claude shot a desperate glance at Willy.

"What are you waiting for?! Help me push him!"

Willy joined in, and the two of them threw their full weight against Alex, but it was useless—he remained completely unmoved.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Alex finally decided he had had enough. With a slight shift of his body, he sidestepped them.

Claude and Willy, who had been leaning forward with all their strength, lost their balance and crashed to the ground in a heap, drawing a wave of laughter from the crow

Claude and Willy scrambled to their feet, glaring at Alex in frustration. But Alex just grinned confidently and said:

"What? Want to try again?"

Claude's face turned pale. Knowing they were outmatched, he grabbed Willy and stormed off. Everyone watching was stunned—since when had the weak young master become this strong?

Joey and the others cheered, thrilled to see Claude and Willy put in their place.

"Dude! That was awesome! We were really worried about you..."

Gordon, relieved that Alex had stood up for them, stepped forward to congratulate him. But Alex simply smiled and turned his attention to Luna and Judy.

"Ladies, would I be honored to have lunch with two stunning beauties?"

He reached out his hand to Luna, making both women feel flattered. After all, Alex wasn’t just handsome—he was the eldest son of the prestigious Hawke family.

"Sure... why not?"

Luna and Judy eagerly accepted, but just as they were about to leave, a voice cut through the air.

"No way!"

Everyone turned in surprise. It was none other than Training Officer Chad, striding toward Alex with a stern expression.

"The Resistance isn’t some dating service! What the hell is wrong with you, Alex?" Chad scolded, clearly frustrated.

But Alex didn’t seem to care. He simply shrugged and smirked.

"Sorry, but I only joined the Resistance to pick up girls. If that’s a problem... then I officially resign. Effective immediately."

His words left everyone—including Joey and the others—completely dumbfounded.

"Wait... this has to be a joke, right?! Alex?!"

Even Chad was momentarily stunned, but he quickly pieced things together. With a sigh, he lowered his voice and muttered:

"I get that Anna’s engagement hit you hard... but do you even realize what you're doing right now?"

At the mention of Anna, Alex's expression darkened. He didn’t want to stay a second longer. Without another word, he took Luna and Judy’s hands and started walking away.

Just before leaving, he glanced back at Chad and said:

"Of course I know. I'm just going back to being the Hawke family's carefree young master."

At that moment, his AI smartwatch, Rae, chimed in:

"You shouldn't have used Qi back there..."

Alex responded coldly:

"Stay out of it."

And with that, he left the Resistance camp, leaving behind a crowd of speechless onlookers.

----------------------------------------

MEANWHILE, AT THE RESISTANCE HQ’S COMMAND ROOM...

At the long dining table, Anna sat at one end, quietly eating her meal. Her expression was unreadable. On the other end sat Leonardo, calmly cutting into his food with practiced elegance.

Neither had spoken a word, and the silence between them was unbearably tense—nothing like two people about to be married.

It was no surprise. Their engagement had been arranged by their fathers, and neither of them had much of a say in the matter.

Finally, as they finished their meal, they sat there, waiting to see who would break the silence first.

Leonardo smirked slightly and spoke in a testing tone:

"I have to admit... I never imagined the famous Anna Rehn would actually agree to marry me."

Anna barely reacted, as if she had anticipated this. She gave him a small, knowing smile and replied:

"Why wouldn’t I? In exchange, I get hundreds of highly trained soldiers willing to die for our cause. Sounds like a fair trade to me. But you, Captain... leaving behind the safety of Terra Fortress to come to this little refuge? Aren't you worried about getting killed when Rockhill Valley falls?"

Her sharp counter left Leonardo unfazed. He stood up, walked to her side, and answered just as bluntly:

"In a world like this, anyone who joins the Resistance to fight against the machines has already accepted the risk of death. And you—you're willing to sacrifice your personal life for the cause. Why should I be any different?"

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

"But... your father, Commander Rehn, seems far more concerned about keeping his precious daughter alive. That’s why he—"

Anna cut him off, her tone suddenly sharp.

"Enough. You and I are just following orders. No need for unnecessary talk. We’ll deal with things as they come."

Leonardo recognized the anger in her voice, especially when it came to her father. Deciding not to push further, he simply gave her a knowing look before turning and walking away.

Once she was alone, Anna finally let her guard down. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a fleeting memory—the one and only time she had ever felt close to someone.

That night, lying under the endless stars with Alex by her side.

She exhaled softly, whispering to herself:

"...You're probably hating me right now, aren't you?"