The Mafia Heiress's Comeback: She's More Than You Think novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32 The Rules

In the searing heat of the brutal summer, ten men stood in an impeccable military formation. They held their bodies rigid, faces etched with intensity, eyes slicing through the air like blades.

Each of these men bore the distinct, hardened calluses found between the thumb and index finger on their right hands, a detail Maren quickly noted.

Yet, it was their age that struck her more profoundly; not one was under thirty, their faces marked by the passage of time.

These were undoubtedly men who had seen retirement from active service.

Maren immediately identified their background.

However, the setting puzzled her: a simple field exercise at the academy. Why were skilled soldiers required to

stand guard here?

Moreover, considering a potential threat in the area, what could these unarmed, retired soldiers contribute?

Despite their evident training in firearms, none carried a weapon.

Most concerning to Maren was a subtle, hostile vibe she detected from the men, aimed at the students.

When weapons were issued, each student was given a handgun and three bullets.

“Ms. Hinks, why are we each allocated only three bullets?” a student asked, baffled by such meager provisions.

The exercise had fifty participants in total.

The academy had organized the training to proceed in shifts for each class, and it was their class’s turn.

Still, fifty people and just three bullets each?

Something wasn’t right about that.

Previously, all their shooting exercises had targeted fixed objects. This time, however, they were to aim at moving targets, increasing the likelihood of misfiring.

“In a real fight, wouldn’t you just take bullets off your enemies?” Rosaline retorted. “Throughout this exercise, drones will deliver supply drops. These packages will contain essential items that could drastically improve. your chances of prevailing.”

As she finished, the objective became crystal clear to everyone.

The scenario was crafted to foster intense rivalry among them.”

The availability of supplies was critical; their acquisition was intended to simulate a survival scenario,

emphasizing the importance of resource management.

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Chapter 32 The Rules

Moreover, the rule limiting them to three bullets and no additional supplies was designed to discourage participants from merely taking cover. Anyone lingering in hiding would quickly become vulnerable.

All eyes then shifted towards Maren in the field.

Maren’s academic performance had consistently been the poorest; she had never passed a shooting test.

Nadia’s lips curled into a knowing smirk, seemingly gratified by the situation.

Wilbur’s reaction was more vocal; he laughed outright. “You refused our help before, Maren. It’ll be interesting

to see if you ask for it now.”

The consensus was clear: Maren’s decision to avoid alliances suggested she might attempt to conceal herself alone. This strategy, while limiting her visibility to opponents, offered little other advantage.

While the others were busy plotting behind her back, Maren turned the bullets over in her hand. Something

felt off–the surface was too thin, the weight too light. She popped one open without breaking a sweat.

Indeed, the cartridges were blanks. These projectiles would cause little more than a mild sting.

Maren noted that each was filled with a dense, colorful dye: A hit would stain the target’s uniform vividly,

marking them as eliminated.

To her, the whole setup felt like child’s play.

Her interest in the training had been low from the start, and now it seemed downright dull. She was eager to

wrap it up quickly.

“Maren! Did you just dismantle one of your bullets?” A nearby observer had caught every detail of Maren’s

tampering with the bullet.

At that remark, all eyes swung towards Maren.

“Really? She used up one of her only three bullets?”

“She’s so rash. It’s no shock that Wilbur keeps his distance.”

Maren had once again taken her classmates by surprise, a recurrence too common to keep track of.

To many, her actions appeared careless and senseless.

“Maren, you’re only issued three bullets,” Rosaline said as she approached, her face stern. “We won’t supply