At this moment, Barrett Walker, despite having eaten some food to supplement himself, looked less pallid, but still frail and feeble, akin to a consumptive specter. As he observed the gestures and overheard the whispered laughter directed towards him, though coarse, Barrett Walker was too preoccupied to care. His eyes vacant, his mind filled with visions of Julia weeping in the radioactive rain of the previous life, intertwined with the silhouette of Monica. Suddenly, his head exploded with the realization that he could not continue to be so cowardly.
Barrett Walker glanced at the war god standing nearby, sensing the powerful force emanating from within him, as imposing as Mount Tai, almost suffocating. He averted his gaze and looked at the expressionless Julia in the crowd, wondering if anything would happen between them again. Nevertheless, as the arrow was already nocked, it had to be released.
Amidst the bewildered expressions of the crowd, just as she was about to leave, Marge Green, now several months pregnant, sought Richard Smith's figure everywhere, feeling a slight disappointment at not finding him. She then composed herself, gazing with disdain at Barrett Walker's feeble appearance, resigned to her decision to act according to her plan at the appropriate time. Little did she expect this consumptive specter to be so audacious as to leave her alone even before their plan had begun.
With a scornful chuckle and a flash of malice on her face, she remarked, "If you show no respect, don't blame me for being heartless later!" Then, her countenance suddenly brightened with a smile that truly befitted her enchanting beauty, capable of captivating even those aware of her deceit. She intimately clasped Barrett Walker's arm, her rank as a major making it uncertain whether, even at his peak condition, he would be a match for her. He struggled slightly but failed to shake her off.
"Don't move!" Marge Green pulled Barrett Walker close, forcing a smile that felt like a disgrace. She never expected Barrett Walker to dare to scorn her, muttering through gritted teeth.
A large group of people observed Marge Green affectionately embracing Barrett Walker, likening it to a flower blooming in manure. However, upon realizing that this consumptive was the war god's grandson, their expressions turned to pity, casting more contemptuous looks at Barrett Walker. The reputation of the war god's family had been tarnished by this youngster, no wonder he had never gained any fame before! Such a person was best left hidden after marriage, so as not to bring any further disgrace to the war god's family.
But it seemed that things would not go as they had hoped. Just as Laura Walk, Barrett's stepmother, and Morton Walk, his father, were about to address the audience, Barrett Walker returned to the stage. He had not dared to look at his war god grandfather since stepping down, and to the astonishment of the onlookers, he took the microphone and declared boldly, "I absolutely refuse to consent to this engagement, even if it means... "
This statement was like a thunderclap in a drought, leaving the dignitaries within the hall stunned and bewildered, struggling to discern the reason behind Barrett Walker's resolute expression. Could it be April Fools' Day today?
Barrett Walker's words were akin to igniting a powder keg, but the first to erupt in anger was not Marge Green, who stood there dumbfounded, but Laura Walk, Morton's sister. Without a change in expression, she strode forward and slapped Barrett Walker across the face, showing no restraint. With her ability as a one-star admiral, such a blow could have turned an ordinary person's head into pulp. She chided, "You ungrateful wretch!" Clearly, she maintained some restraint in her words, considering the audience present.
Even though Barrett Walker had a strong constitution, having just recovered from a serious illness, he was still weak. He might not have suffered severe injuries, but he could have coughed up blood, and in severe cases, sustained a concussion.
"I think it's best for you to rest!" Suddenly, a gust of wind swept in, and Ross, dressed in a green military uniform, exuding an air of confidence, walked into the hall. This added another beautiful sight to the gathering, unlike the others. She stood in front of Barrett Walker, her imposing presence causing Laura Walk, the one-star admiral, to retreat. She even blurted out, "You were just a junior lieutenant before, weren't you?"
Wow! This banquet was truly extraordinary! Was there to be a showdown between two women vying for the same man? But wasn't Barrett Walker acting a bit despicable? Many felt that this was unlikely.
Meanwhile, Julia dismissed a few annoying flies and frowned at Barrett Walker's frail appearance. Morris, on the other hand, had started screaming, daring anyone to bully the women of the Green family, or they would be in serious trouble. She seemed to be disgusted by the noise and moved aside, wanting to take a closer look at the person who seemed so familiar to her.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Now, Ross had been promoted from a junior lieutenant to a two-star admiral at the age of 27, a remarkable three-level promotion. This terrifying speed of advancement caused a stir among the dignitaries, as it was a significant boost for the Rockefeller family.
"It's just luck," Ross said with a smile, but there was a hint of lingering fear in her heart. Clearly, reaching the rank of two-star admiral had been largely a matter of luck.
"Hmph! Do you know that this is a matter for my family, the Walks and the Greens? What gives you the right to interfere?" Laura Walk pulled Morton Walk aside, worried that with Ross's terrifying speed of advancement, Morton might be outdone. This was something she could not allow.
"I don't need a reason. As the student designated by the headmaster of the War God Academy, and as his junior brother, I will intervene if he doesn't want to. No one is allowed to bully the students of my War God Academy." Ross's assertion of authority in front of the war god would undoubtedly seem arrogant, but these dignitaries were not ignorant. Although the war god, Mas Walk, was the honorary headmaster of the War God Academy, it was Danus Leo who had managed it in such a way that the students were not easily swayed. As long as these students did not wish to join the Federation after graduating, the Federation government would not dare to act rashly. It seemed that the cooperation between the two sides was proceeding smoothly, and there would be peace for the time being.
"A special student at the War God Academy? That's nothing special. There have been others before."
"You don't know? The headmaster of the War God Academy, what's his name, the disciples he appoints are not as weak as you think!" The audience murmured, realizing that if this news were true, it would completely rewrite the history of the War God Academy.
"Hmph! Look at him, with his appearance, he's nothing but a big smoker." The comments continued, indicating that they did not believe that Barrett Walker had been appointed by Danus Leo. This news, if true, would be a groundbreaking development in the history of the War God Academy.
"Hmph! With his appearance, he still got a special appointment at the War God Academy. If it weren't for his luck and accidentally hitting that experiment, would he be where he is today?" Laura Walk wanted to restrain herself, but she couldn't help it. The thought of the red potion, almost all of which had been shattered by the frenzied Ross in the chaos of battle, with only a few remaining, the ingredients of which were difficult to reproduce, had been a great stroke of luck for these two individuals, and she was unable to contain her anger.
Seeing his wife inadvertently reveal such a major secret, Morton Walk watched as his father's expression darkened and hurriedly pulled Laura Walk aside, not allowing her to speak further.
"Don't pull me back. I won't say anything. Marge, you speak. This should have been your affair." Laura Walk was pulled back by Morton Walk, standing to the side and addressing Marge Green.
At that moment, Marge Green wanted to sabotage the wedding, but then she realized that doing so in front of so many people would be embarrassing. Although Ross, as a two-star admiral, confronted her fearlessly, expressing her disdain, saying, "This is my man. What right do you have to interfere? Don't you know I'm already carrying his child?"
Wow! This news was even more explosive than the ones before! They were all wondering, as Marge Green's promiscuity was well known in the Federation, how the Walk and Green families suddenly formed an alliance. Now they knew the reason!
Upon the release of this news, it was not only the people of the Federation who were shocked, but even the members of the Walker and Greene families were utterly bewildered. When did this happen? Laura Walker hurriedly stepped forward, supporting Marge Greene, and cautiously said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? If you had, you wouldn't have had to resort to such drastic measures. What if something happened to the baby? Our Walker family treasures her dearly and cannot afford any mistakes! Are you still a man? You are about to become a father, yet you are still standing here. Hurry and help her inside."
Barrett Walker's mind was suddenly overwhelmed. Pregnant women always evoke sympathy, and this move was truly ruthless. He couldn't help but think about how in his previous life, he had been kept in the dark. However, upon further thought, if she was truly pregnant now, it would explain why she had waited three years to marry. What Barrett Walker didn't know was that in his previous memories, although she was pregnant at this time, the reason for waiting three years was not because of this, but because she simply did not want to marry Barrett Walker at all. It was because Richard Smith had promised her, and she was eager to have a child and marry Richard Smith openly and honestly.
"This child must be Richard Smith's!" Barrett Walker thought to himself, but his feet remained rooted to the spot. However, the onlookers gradually began to look down on him, as if he were truly unable to defend himself. Barrett Walker looked at the expressionless war god, hoping that he would come forward to help him explain, but Barrett Walker had never harbored any illusions about his own family.
Seeing the puzzled look on Rose's face, it was clear that she had doubts, but she stood by his side. After giving it some thought, Barrett Walker ultimately did not choose Julia, but turned around and embraced Rose, who was looking frail, and in a group of shocked expressions, Barrett Walker kissed Rose. With this act, she was challenging the entire Federation!