“Sergeant… Larson? Who exactly are you referring to?” Holden questioned the validity of the suggestion, while the rest of the committee were taken aback.
The only two people with the strongest powers within the Insurgent Trifecta were Dick and Byleth, and with how important and difficult the upcoming mission was, one would have automatically assumed either one of the two to be the man for the job. Dick’s suggestion came so out of left field that even Liam was stunned.
“Come on, what other Larsons do we have? I’m talking about Sergeant Larson, the instructor of Squad 4.”
“Yeah, sure. Good joke by the way, but maybe save it for some other time, Cheney. This is an S-level mission we’re talking about here. We can’t afford any mistakes,” Holden replied. “Then there’s Zayn Larson, who’s new to all of this. What makes you think that he’s the guy we need right now?”
His rebuttal earned several hums of assent around the table. It was always worrying to have a newbie undertake a mission so crucial.
Still, Dick was unfazed by the opposition and maintained his position, arguing, “Seems to me you people are underestimating Sergeant Larson a little too much. Trust me, there ain’t nobody who’s a more reliable fit for the job than him. Yes, including myself.”
The committee bored their eyes through Dick’s face, trying to figure out if that statement was his idea of a funny prank. When they found none, Holden spoke for them with a voice brimming with disbelief, “You’re being completely serious, aren’t you, Cheney?”
“Do I look like I’m joking? There’s no one better for the job than Sergeant Larson. He’s new, yes, but that’s the plus-point! Not a retraction! He’s never been on a mission before, which means favonovel.com hasn’t contributed much to the Insurgent Trifecta. That’s another reason we should send him, he’ll be a great cover for this S-level mission!”
The committee sank into silence, the cogs in their minds whirring. Being colleagues with Dick for so long had allowed them to intuitively realize that there was not a trace of cavalier jocularity in his suggestion, and that his seriousness being so stunning it bordered on being impossible to believe.
Moments later, Liam finally broke the impasse with a direct question, “You’ve tussled with the man before, I presume?”
All eyes were back on Dick. Rumors and stories of Zayn’s exploits had been spreading like wildfire these days, and many alleged a legendary battle between Dick and Zayn that ended with the supposed veteran losing. It was also why the said veteran had started avoiding any more future conflicts with Zayn. It stayed as a rumor, only because neither Zayn nor Dick had ever formally confirmed its veracity. All everyone had was suspicion in lieu of substantiation.
Dick sighed quietly. The chickens always came back to the roost. If Liam was directly confronting favonovel.com about it, then favonovel.com had no reason to beat around the bush any longer. He nodded. “You got me. We fought,” favonovel.com confessed in a low voice.
“And who won?”
“C’mon. All of you already know,” Dick replied with a sullen chuckle, “What’s the point of probing?”
It was a confirmation as good as any. Dick lost to Zayn! Truly startling news.
A few seconds later, another member asked, “How powerful is he, exactly?”
Dick took a deep breath before answering with both solemnness and wariness, “Literally unquantifiable.”
The committee was stunned. Next, Dick recounted the entirety of their battle, and they were even more shocked afterwards. Standing tall on the surface of the sea? Overwhelming Dick Cheney? Massacring a frenzy of sharks like favonovel.com had endless levels of stamina? And finally, emerging from a series of miraculous feats without suffering a single wound?
Oh my God, what kind of freak of nature was he?
“You don’t think…” Liam speculated in awe, “That Zayn’s already attained the perfect class?”
Dick shook his head. “I don’t think he’s there just yet, but at the very least, favonovel.com must be somewhere around the fourth-tier of the superior class. That’s despite favonovel.com being only twenty-eight as well… We’re witnessing a brilliant genius who’s paving his way towards an infinitely more brilliant future, I can tell you that!”
He looked at Liam with solemn eyes. “I swear to God, Sutherland, you’ve single-handedly saved the Insurgent Trifecta this time. You brought home a goddamned ace of spades! If we appoint Zayn as the leader of our team, there’s no doubt we’ll do great in this year’s Great Armed Race.”
