Paid To Care, Destined To Conquer Novel

Chapter 456 One Week Deadline Everyone fell silent. Stella descended the steps, one after another, not a hint of disturbance in her demeanor after the earlier brawl. In no time, she was standing right in front of them. In the corner, someone lurking in the shadows was left utterly stunned. Stella glanced over and asked, "What's your name?" Her voice was cool and commanding. She spoke with a nonchalant air, as if she couldn't care less. Behind Hudson and Murray, someone had appeared out of nowhere, standing right behind them before anyone even noticed.

He was the one who was supposed to train Blaze. Roy turned his head. Seeing this, Roy's face clouded over. He strode over without even glancing at Stella. "His name is-" "I'm asking him," Stella said coldly, cutting him off. She turned, interrupting him before he could finish, leaving Roy's words stuck in his throat. The two of them locked eyes. Stella's eyes were cold and detached, making everyone shiver without even realizing it. The veteran scoffed, "Why should I tell you my name?" His tone was openly defiant.

He snapped to attention, hands locked behind his back, shooting Stella a bull-eyed glare, his face rebellious. He clearly knew who she was, and made no attempt to hide his resentment. Behind him, the other veterans mirrored his rebellious posture. What they wanted was a real instructor, not just a "mascot" who couldn't even carry their own weight. Stella shot him a cool, assessing glance, as if weighing his worth. A moment later, she gave a slight smirk, her expression tinged with mockery. Hudson was at a loss for words. So was Murray. But inside, their alarms were blaring.

'Please, don't lose your temper!' they thought, panic creeping in. Just then, a military jeep sporting a special insignia roared down the main road nearby, only to slam on the brakes and come speeding back in a flash. It pulled up at the roadside. The door swung open, and someone stepped out, military boots thudding against the ground. Roy and the veterans all sucked in a sharp breath. It was Vincent and Eliel from Red Shadow, striding straight toward them. Red Shadow was the very embodiment of the divine in their eyes, almost godlike, a realm none of them could ever hope to reach.

The veterans were clearly stirred up, excitement buzzing through the ranks. But one question burned in everyone's mind: who were they here for? All eyes followed their movements as everyone held their breath. Vincent and Barrett walked right through the crowd and stopped in front of Stella. Vincent and Eliel stood tall, faces shining with excitement as they saluted. "Ms. Carter! You actually came!" Successfully unlocked! 1/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline Everyone froze. 'Red Shadow is saluting Stella?' everyone thought, utterly stunned. This was unreal.

Spotting some familiar faces, Stella instantly reverted to her laid-back attitude. She just gave a nonchalant " mm," then jerked her chin at the recruits still sprawled on the ground. "Pick them up for me." Everyone stood there, left speechless. 'Pick them up?' That word threw everyone off. That was kinda insulting. Vincent did not hesitate for even a second. He grabbed a couple of the rookies and hauled them off the ground without asking a single question. Eliel just watched, deep in thought as he took in everything happening before him.

"Get out here," Stella said lazily, her eyes drifting toward the shadows. Everyone instinctively turned to look. Out from the corner slunk a guy, looking like he was about to burst into tears. The second he realized Stella was staring at him, he slapped on a bootlicking grin, collapsed to the ground with a dramatic thud, and wailed, "Dad!" It was Joey, the same guy who had just lost his precious dreadlocks at the Porter family party yesterday. Hudson was at a loss for words. So was Murray. Eliel, Vincent and all others were at a loss for words.

After all those wild plot twists in just a few minutes, everyone's brains had officially short-circuited. "What's your name?" Stella asked, utterly unfazed as she calmly steered the moment back to the beginning, locking eyes with the veteran who had looked so tough just seconds earlier but now seemed visibly rattled. "Noe," he blurted out, still in shock. Stella nodded, and in the very next instant, catching everyone completely off guard, she suddenly swung her fist straight at Noe's face. Noe's pupils contracted in terror.

By the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late to dodge. The bone-chilling force of her punch made even this hardened soldier instinctively squeeze his eyes shut. No sound stirred in the air for quite a while. Noe slowly opened his eyes, only to find Stella's fist hovering so close to his nose that barely a hair's breadth separated them. Stella just smiled. Noe was speechless. 'No joke, I honestly thought I was about to meet my maker just now!' Noe thought, his heart still pounding. There was dead silence.

"I know you're all elite soldiers, handpicked from every corner of the country," Stella said coolly, lowering her fist as her gaze swept over these tough-as-nails veterans. "You've got pride in your bones and swagger in your hearts." Noe's nose suddenly started to itch. He felt something sliding down. Instinctively, he reached up to check. 2/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline It was actually blood. Noe was stunned. 'Did her punch really make my nose bleed just from the force?' he thought, completely shaken.

"Give me one week, and I'll break that pride of yours," Stella drawled, sounding every bit the harmless, laid- back student. But the moment those words landed, the veterans couldn't help but bristle, defiance flaring up in their eyes.' Who does she think she is?' they thought in unison, anger simmering beneath the surface. Roy shot her a sharp look. "What are you trying to do?" 'This isn't some kid's game!' he thought, his jaw tightening. Stella didn't spare Roy a glance. Her gaze slowly shifted and settled on Joey. Joey was speechless. 'Oh no. Please, not me...

Joey thought, dread flooding his chest. They were all trembling in fear. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping she'd just ignore him. 'You can't see me.' Joey repeated silently. "Step forward," Stella ordered, her voice cool and commanding. Joey was totally stunned, like he'd just been hit by a bolt of lightning. He swallowed hard, his throat dry. He was in a complete daze, totally spaced out. Before he even realized it, his feet were already moving, carrying him forward on instinct alone. "I'll take this one, you take Joey. One week.

Let's see who comes out on top in this so-called 'friendly' match," Stella said, tipping her chin toward Noe. Hudson was at a loss for words. So was Murray. Eliel, Vincent and all others stood there, left speechless. Then, the whole place erupted in an uproar. Joey sucked in a sharp breath, nearly blacking out on the spot. "Boss, please, have mercy!" he cried, panic written all over his face. 'This isn't a competition. This is a straight-up death sentence!' he thought, his heart racing. They held out for only five seconds. That was all.

The gap between them was unmistakable, like night and day. 'Just one week? Are you kidding me? That's nowhere near enough!' Joey thought, spiraling. Roy gaped at her, totally floored. "You're actually serious?" Stella didn't say anything. "And what if you lose?" Roy perked up, his tone turning deadly serious. Stella shot back, "Then I'll step down and hand over command without a fight, and I won't set foot in any more training sessions." Roy narrowed his eyes. "Do we have a deal?" Stella met his gaze, unwavering. "You have my word." Hudson was at a loss for words. So was Murray.

Eliel, Vincent and all others stood there, silent. 3/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline Roy let out a cold laugh. "Then I'll hold you to it!" Back when Hudson gave him the order from the higher-ups, it hit Roy like a ton of bricks. After all the time and effort he'd poured into this, there was no way he'd just swallow his pride and go crawling back to his old squad. Stella lifted her gaze lazily, looking as relaxed as ever. The air was thick with tension, like a powder keg about to explode. Joey was stunned. Staring at Noe, who was built like a tank, Joey's brain just short-circuited.

If he could rewind time, he'd be bawling and groveling at his dad's feet, doing anything to avoid getting shipped off to this hellhole. He'd forget losing his precious dreadlocks, and he would rather work himself to the bone for the rest of his life. Anything was better than having Stella personally toss him straight into the meat grinder. Roy clasped his hands behind his back, bracing himself with a steady, commanding presence. He looked at Noe and asked, "She wants to take us on.

You game or not?" Noe gave his nose a rough swipe to clear the blood and shot back, "Hell yeah!" Roy pressed, "So, you think you won't lose?" Noe snapped, "Absolutely not!" 'Lose to a loser like him? Not a chance.' Noe sneered inwardly, brimming with confidence. He gave Joey a look of pure disdain. Joey was speechless. Roy turned to Hudson and the brass. "You guys are my witnesses. Make sure you see this go down!" Hudson was at a loss for words. So was Murray. Eliel and Vincent could only stare in disbelief. 'Man, this is insane!' they all thought as they watched the chaos unfold.

'You're on your own now!' They silently wished Roy and Noe luck. Stella said, "Then I'm leaving now." With her goal locked in, Stella dropped the act completely. She gave Hudson and the others a lazy nod, then glanced at Eliel. "Hey, Eliel, take us to the cafeteria." ***** Inside the car, Joey curled up into the smallest ball he could, trying to make himself invisible. He opened his mouth. With a little pop, he spat out a tiny white ghost. Vincent was grinning from ear to ear. "Stella, the whole Red Shadow squad rolled in with Mr. Gray this time! And Barrett, he's recovering insanely fast.

Seriously, we couldn't have done it without you!" Joey just mumbled, "Uhh... uhh..." His brain was totally short-circuited. Joey perked up his ears, sneakily trying to eavesdrop on the conversation without getting caught. Stella leaned her head on one hand, sometimes giving a lazy "mm" just to be polite, but most of the time she just stayed silent. "Huh, feels like I forgot something," Stella said casually. Eliel and Vincent, who was driving, exchanged a glance and said at the same time, "What?" Stella kept silent.

4/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline Upstairs in the office, Fabian clung to the security bars, looking like a big goof. The only company he had was Big Ben, still hooked up to the charger. His stomach let out a loud growl. He gazed out with puppy eyes, full of longing. 'When is Stella coming back?' he wondered, bored and starving. At the cafeteria, Joey hunched over and dragged his feet behind Stella, feeling like the sky was falling as he thought about the nightmare week ahead. He was muttering under his breath, silently freaking out, when Stella suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Straighten up," Stella said, her voice cool and commanding. Her sharp, icy face was mirrored in the glass, and right next to it was Joey's slouched reflection. Joey whined, "Boss, I..." Stella turned to him, slow and deliberate, her eyes cold as ice. Joey was speechless. He instantly straightened his back, snapping upright. At the same time, he plastered on a big, overly bright grin. It was a bright smile. Stella broke eye contact and walked right in, pushing the door open without a second thought. Joey, face full of doom, dragged himself in after her.

The moment they walked in, the whole cafeteria went dead silent. Everyone, whether they were eating or not, looked up at the exact same time. All eyes were on them. Joey was speechless. His legs felt like jelly, shaking uncontrollably. "Dad, is it just me, or are they staring at us kinda weird?" he whispered, his voice trembling. Stella responded with a noncommittal "mm." News of their bet had already spread like wildfire across the entire base. In short, they were basically celebrities now.

Just then, a veteran carrying a fresh tray of food strutted past, eyeing Stella and Joey up and down, as if " loser" were tattooed across their foreheads. He snickered, not even noticing the freshly mopped floor under his feet. In a split second, the veteran stumbled, his body lurching. The rest was fine, but the bowl of soup on his tray was about to take a nosedive. And right then, without even glancing back, Stella moved like she had eyes in the back of her head. She turned lazily, snatched the bowl just before it could tip over, and nonchalantly placed it back on his tray.

She didn't spill a single drop of soup the whole time. Everyone stood there, left speechless. The whole place went dead silent. Stella raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You don't even know how to walk?" The veteran was speechless. 5/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline His face turned beet red, and he bolted without a word. Joey pumped his fists in the air. In his mind, his little cartoon self was going nuts, throwing tiny punches and shouting "Yes! Yes!" nonstop. 'Freaking awesome! Totally mind-blown!' Joey thought, riding the high.

Joey, lost in his own little world, just stood there with a goofy grin. "Wow!" "You spacing out again?" Stella's voice was icy, making Joey snap back to reality with a jolt. "N-no!" Joey blurted, scrambling to grab his tray. Stella didn't even spare him a glance. "Give him..." Every dish Stella ordered for Joey was meat, with no veggies in sight. Joey felt his eyes sting. 'Dang, Boss actually treats me pretty well... Boohoo.' he thought, feeling choked up. Stella and Joey just grabbed a seat that looked free and plopped themselves down.

Some time later, Joey stared at his tray, stacked up like a freaking mountain of food. It was overflowing, packed to the brim. "Boss, do you have connections in the mess hall or something?" Joey stammered, eyes wide. 'Otherwise, how the heck did I get this much food?' he wondered, baffled. For a split second, Stella just froze. Now that she thought about it, that big ladle Mr. Penn was holding looked awfully familiar. Stella and Joey just grabbed a seat wherever looked free and plopped themselves down.

The veterans sitting nearby instantly grabbed their trays and moved to another table, not even trying to hide their desire to avoid them. Joey pouted, feeling a bit left out. "Why are they treating us like this..." Stella replied coolly, "Here, it's all about strength." Joey was speechless. 'Yeah, well, that's one thing I'm fresh out of, he sighed. Just as Joey picked up his fork, Stella's cool voice floated over. "Eat up. Once you're done, it's time to go." Joey was completely at a loss. His fork slipped from his hand and hit the table. He was stunned.

'Wait, is the plot really moving this fast?' Joey thought, panic rising. 'Is she seriously sending me off to my doom already?' His mind spun. "Dad..." Joey's eyes instantly welled up with tears. He froze. Stella said, "I mean go to training." 'Oh, just training.' he thought, suddenly getting it. Joey blinked away his tears, snatched up his fork, and shoved a big chunk of braised pork into his mouth. 'Damn, that's tasty!' he thought. Joey groaned, "Boss, you know I'm hopeless! One week? That's suicide! If Noe lands one punch, I'll be coughing up blood. Two punches, and I'm out cold.

Three punches, and my great-grandma and I will meet in the afterlife. Four punches..." 6/8 Chapter 456 One Week Deadline Stella froze mid-bite. "Enough. Zip it." "Roger that!" Joey said, miming zipping his lips shut. A few minutes later, Joey was happily stuffing his face when Stella drawled, "Hand it over." "Huh?" he blurted out. Stella glanced up. "The thing in your pocket." Joey was stunned. 'How the heck did she catch that?' he thought, feeling busted. Looking like he was about to cry, he pulled the little sketchbook out of his pocket and shoved it over to her.

Stella just flipped through the sketchbook, looking totally relaxed. "Is this what you were doodling while they were brawling?" she asked, her voice casual. Joey mumbled, "Uh-huh." Stella glanced at the sketchbook. Joey had quickly sketched out all the moves from Noe and the other veterans' fight, each one drawn in the bottom right corner of every page, the lines fast and effortless. "Boss, you gotta look at it like this..." Joey said, making a show of flipping the pages. Stella looked up, her slender fingers flicking through the corners.

As the pages turned, Noe and the other veterans seemed to leap off the paper, each move playing out like a flipbook animation, every punch and kick coming to life right before her eyes. "Isn't that awesome?!" Joey bragged, his grin stretching from ear to ear. He shot himself a big thumbs-up, looking super pleased with.himself. Stella was amazed. Across from her, Joey looked around all sneaky-like, hunched over, and whispered, "Actually, Dad, I have a dream!" His eyes sparkled with excitement. Stella raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I have a dream!" Joey repeated. "And then?" Stella asked.

Joey replied, "I'm gonna be a comic artist!" 'Surprised? Didn't expect that, did you?' Joey mused. 'Pretty cool, right? I'm a total genius!' Joey hyped himself up. In his mind, his chibi self stood with hands on hips, cackling at the sky. Stella asked, "So?" Joey flourished his long, piano-player fingers right in front of her. "Boss, you seriously wanna see these hands for arts ruined for good?" Stella froze again. Joey wailed, "Boss, these hands are my ticket to comic stardom! You can't just let them get wrecked!" Stella didn't know how to reply.

Twenty minutes later, at the training ground, Joey's scream echoed across the track, pure agony. On the mile-long track, Joey was running for dear life like hell itself was chasing him. He was lightning-fast, a total blur. Behind him, five wolfhounds, teeth bared, were tearing after him like he was their next meal. 7/8 Editorial Board Editorial Board Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.