3 Chapter 3

"These beds are very hard. How to endure when even the mattresses will make us suffer" The voices of lamentations rose throughout the room.

The group consisted of thirty people, five women and twenty-five men. They split into two groups, with fifteen roommates per group. In the barracks there was no gender separation. There was no difference between men and women, only recruits. Yu looked around the room and chose a corner near the window. Since Allen was very fond of her fragile companion, she settled on a bed near Yu.

They did not have much time to rest, as a soldier arrived who ordered the group to follow him. They stopped at various areas, giving them directions for each location. Physical training area, weapons training area, medical introduction room, military library, military laboratory and finally the dining room.

"Breakfast time is five in the morning, at five thirty they will stop serving food. At six in the morning they must be present in the area corresponding to the time that is on the information board of their respective room. Lunch time is at one o'clock, if they have not finished their training by two, there will be no lunch. In the evening a light meal of bread and water is served. No one can leave the barracks without permission. If they break the rules, they will be punished according to the seriousness of the offense. Lest they say that I have not warned them, the least punishment is thirty blows to the body with the wooden stick. " They gave a group start "You can eat, you have half an hour before the soldiers in charge of serving the food leave. As it is late, you can go back to your room. Take advantage of this time, which is the only thing you have left before experiencing a real Hell. Starting tomorrow, there will be no rest time other than bedtime. From the time they wake up until they go to bed, they will be training. "

They all quickly went to look for food, except for Yu. She wasn't hungry so she found the nearest table to sit on. Observing his own situation, he took a deep breath. For the first time since he was reborn in his new body, he stopped to think about what he should do from now on. Ever since he woke up on the seashore, he had been busy traveling to Z City to make it to the stipulated date described in the enlistment letter on time.

Traveling from District 8 to City Z wasn't particularly far. If he traveled by plane, it took around eight hours, but since the original owner was really poor, he could only travel in wooden carriages and then transfer to another mode of transport, and all that time, he had to do about six transfers. A trip of eight hours by plane and twenty hours by high-speed trains took three and a half days.

The original owner was so miserable that he lived in a shack quite far from the center and did not have a steady job. He dedicated himself to different areas of work. From construction to agriculture and more. If someone needed a hand, there it was and thus they managed to survive without having to beg in the streets. Since he couldn't afford a house in the center of the district, it was difficult to find a decent job. But, with a few years of hard work, he managed to gather a small savings, to move towards the center, once the arms factory accepted him.

He lived a pretty sorry life. He worked so hard that his hands were callused and scarred. His skin turned dark under constant sun exposure and he had a haggard face.

Yu was surprised to come to that memory; He hadn't realized it until now, but he looked at his hands and they were evidently different from the original owner's memories. He felt familiar with this body. At first he thought he and the original owner had the same complexion, but now that for the first time he stopped to think, they were obviously not the same. Although this new body was not exactly the same as Hall's, it was eighty percent similar.

His hands were no longer callused, his skin no longer dark. Even his face wasn't haggard at all.

Yu couldn't think of why, but certainly the body now only retains a twenty percent resemblance to the previous owner. As he had to perform hard work from an early age, he sported a tough complexion and firm muscle. Now, apart from maintaining firm skin, he had no protruding muscle as he had previously looked. He had more the appearance of a young master who had never touched a drop of dirty water than that of a man who lived his twenty-three years of life in labor to survive.

The previous owner was an introvert. He hardly ever looked straight ahead because he felt ashamed of his condition. And adding the fact that he had constantly been teased by boys his age, all the time. He wanted to go unnoticed so as not to incite further harassment. His hair was long enough to cover half his face and he was always hunched over. That is why they always saw him as a poor man with an unattractive appearance.

The first thing Yu did was go to a hair salon. He spent a third of the savings the previous owner had on a cut that allowed him to see the world. He did not like hair that obstructed his vision. Once he was done, he wasted no more time and left for Z-city, calculating his exact time of arrival so as not to miss the inscription. Otherwise, he had to pay a penalty that he could not afford due to his financial situation.

With the cut and the trip he made, he spent more than half of the savings, leaving him with only three Silver coins.

Yu lamented for the original owner. Even until the day he died, he couldn't even find out who the person was who signed him up to enlist.

Thinking back to the unfortunate life of the original owner, he really wanted to do something for him as payment for becoming the new host of the body. Although Yu was indifferent to all things and hated having to deal with matters that required so much effort, he wanted to help him get revenge. A rare feeling that he never had in his twenty-seven years of life. Due to his birth state, he never lacked for anything. He grew up without the need for physical labor and all he did was study and be buried among books. When he got there, he stopped thinking. He did not want to remember his past.

Now brought back to reality, he considered how to live in the army. He didn't want to be involved in any trouble. When he thought that being a scientist was a profession that he only needed to pursue, he was wrong. It wasn't until the last moments of his life came that he realized he was not completely free. In one way or another, his life was in the hands of other people. And now with a second chance at life, he didn't yearn to waste his life fighting for others. He wondered inwardly why being an ordinary citizen was so difficult. He analyzed his own physical state, how would he survive if even the physique that the previous body possessed has disappeared with his rebirth? At least he would have been able to resist thanks to the years of suffering lived, building a stronger body. Life didn't give her a second chance only to be taken back in such a short time, did it? If that were the case, why was it reborn in the first place. He sighed again regretfully.

"Yu, we only have fifteen minutes left. You should go get something to eat, otherwise you will starve all night, "Allen urged handing him a tray of food.

"Thank you" thanked him for the gesture of attention.

"You're welcome, now we are comrades. We must take care of each other "he gave her a smile before diving into his food. Yu looked at his food and started eating as well.

"You're done?" Yu nods, preparing to clean up and leave the dining room. The only thing he wanted at that moment was a bed to drop his tired body. The journey had exhausted him in good parts. From the 8th district to the military recruiting center in the city and now in the Z-zone military barracks, he had not rested at all.

"But if you only picked a few vegetables. You haven't even touched the meat "

"I do not eat meat"

"Oh" Allen looked at him concerned. "But… you will need protein if we are going to train. You will not hold, eating only vegetables "

"Okay, don't worry" without taking another look at the worried man, he left the dining room after cleaning his food tray.

After leaving the dining room, he first took a tour of the military library. Possessing a photographic memory, it had come easily.

When he walked through the door, the only person he saw was an elderly soldier, sitting at the reception desk at an old wooden table. The old man did not look up from his reading, as if no person who had appeared mattered. Yu looked around the empty room, occupied only by shelves of books and computers. He looked around the room, stopping at a staircase that led to a second floor. For the first time since he was reborn he felt that he was at peace and comfortable. As he did not like to be surrounded by people, finding a place where there was no one but himself and an old man, it was almost heaven. When he was used to having everything to himself; his own laboratory, with the technology of central data without the need to move to any library, in addition to having his own room since he was born. He was very reluctant to share and be around a group of people.

With good humor, he approached the old man. When he felt her presence close, he looked up. "Your badge" the old man requested without much emotion.

"I'm a new recruit" the old man gave him a look of disdain and annoyance.

"Entry is only allowed if you have a plaque or with the guidance of an instructor, so get out of here" happiness had come quickly, as well as disappointment. All the good humor had evaporated in the blink of an eye. Dejected, he had dropped his shoulders and turned to leave, but bumps into someone before heading out the door. He heard some curses from the person involved. When Yu looked at the man he bumped into, he clearly remembered the person who was also looking at him with a frown and a confused expression. As if she didn't recognize him at all.

"Evans?" he asked with reservation.

"Yes" with no desire to continue wasting time with that subject, Yu prepared to leave the library again, but he did not allow the passage. His gestures and gaze were full of mockery and provocation.

"So the poorest wretch in the district has signed up. My, my… I never thought you had the guts to come here "the malicious tone, dripping pure contempt. Yu studied it indifferently, showing no particle of disturbance. "And to think that you would rather end your pathetic life than have to go through this hell. I really underestimated you. You're even here with that pitiful body. I only left the district for a year, how come you are worse than before? Couldn't you get money to feed yourself properly? Oh right, you're almost no different from homeless people, "he burst out laughing. "I didn't tell you, but… Do you know that the position that you wanted so many to get in the arms factory accepted you? You thought you were going to change your miserable life by working in the center of the district, right? " tears came from the outbreak of laughter. "Poor Evans, so sad ..."

"was you?" Her cold eyes surveyed him, briefly surprising Walker. Although he didn't want to admit it, he was truly in awe of the poorest boy in his district. If he hadn't confirmed his identity himself, he might as well have passed it off as someone else.

The man in front of him was so different from his past him. Not only did he not show despair or fear when he found him, but he was completely serene unlike the past that cringed in fear whenever he encountered him. He even ran away from him, if he noticed any trace of his presence nearby. The Evans of now not only showed no sign of fear, even everything about him from his posture to his temperament was completely different. He wasn't looking at the ground, he didn't have hair covering his face, he wasn't hunched over either. He even had a whiter and healthier skin color. She knew that due to his many jobs, she had always seen him with dark tanned skin. But this one had even lost the muscles that, in his past, he had. He even had a refined and scholarly air. Unlike before he was rough and pitiful.

"Yes, now that you have noticed?" when Walker walked a few steps, the old man stopped him with a harsh voice. "I don't want trouble here. What are you doing? "He gave Walker a stern look. The old man did not usually get into the dispute of the others, since it was everyone's business and although he could protect someone once, it did not mean that he could do it a second time. Each was responsible for his own life and if he was not able to defend himself, he may very well die sooner rather than later. This will save you suffering in the long run. Furthermore, they themselves had to learn to become stronger without the help of others. But the more he heard the fool talk, the angrier he got. And he couldn't believe how the other kid could be so calm as if the blond was air or he was deaf himself. Not even himself with an attitude impassive by his years of experience to learn not to be impulsive, had not been able to stay with his arms crossed without defending him.

"Excuse me Lieutenant Adams, I have come to get the books that First Major Carter had requested," he answered hastily. He inwardly cursed his carelessness. Meeting the person he had mistreated for so many years prompted him to act rashly.

"They are at that table, take it and go because I do not like to disturb my tranquility" said the old man to a pile of books. Walker didn't linger any longer. He quickly took the books and left before the old man punished him. Before leaving, he gave Yu a malicious look. This time he did not dare to say anything else. If Evans was here, sooner or later if they were to meet again, and by then even today's grievance on the old man's part would be unraveled.

Yu paid no more attention, since he met Walker, he only got to say three short words. He didn't mean to and didn't need to say anything. Knowing the responsible person who had enrolled him in the army was enough. Since he had wanted revenge on the person responsible for the suicide of the previous owner, naturally he was going to comply. With a slight smile, he leisurely turned towards the exit.

"Brat" called the old man with a black expression. Yu showed him a small smile, "Thank you Lieutenant." I have thanked him sincerely. Although he hadn't needed the help, it wasn't bad to deal with the matter at another time, because he was truly exhausted. "Just be careful, that type of person is not to stay still" Yu nodded and prepared to leave, again. "If you have free time, come to the library. I need someone to help me clean the books." Yu was a bit surprised by the old man's offer. The old man didn't know why he was helping him up to that point either, but he liked the little boy. Usually young people his age were bursting with energy, hot-blooded and impulsive. But this one was stable and calm. Seeing him like this, he thought it was okay to have him in the library helping him with simple jobs. He didn't usually have any other soldiers in his library because he didn't like to be disturbed, but the boy had a good presence and temperament, so he didn't mind keeping him around a bit until he got stronger. At least a couple of months until muscles grow.

"Okay, thank you Lieutenant" Yu willingly agreed. He hadn't expected the old man's reaction. He had to thank that guy for giving him such an opportunity. Just thinking that he could be away from the hustle and bustle, even two hours a day, was enough to fill him with a good mood.

Once Yu left, Old Adams sighed inwardly. The boy's happiness had not been overlooked. He regretted the boy's bad luck a little. Even if he knew that his registration was manipulated by another, he could not do anything. The rules of the military center were not broken or changed by a nobody. Not even he who was a lieutenant could do anything if the implicated was his own grandson.

Yu did not know that old Adams had misinterpreted his happiness. Thinking that Yu's joy was due to his protection, he felt a little bad for the weak boy. But the only truth was because Yu didn't like being around people all the time. He loved his privacy and it was also because he was very lazy when dealing with others, he also liked being alone. And for this reason he desperately wanted a sanctuary to rest from his new and tedious surroundings. If old man Adams knew Yu's true motive, he would have vomited blood. Because he was worried about a matter, that not even the injured person himself cared.

The library returned to its usual calm. A man who had been flipping through a book with ancient writings, next to the window on the second floor, stopped what he was doing and looked up out of the window. A pale pink began to paint the atmosphere, giving way to the starry night. The moon was beginning to appear in the expanse of the sky. When he looked down he found the straight back of a person walking slowly towards another building. His posture was calm like flowing water. He stopped before entering and looked up at the sky. With that position you could see the right profile of his face. It did not express any earthly emotion, offering a harmonious feeling, then a small smile suddenly emerged as if it could devour any stillness that might arise at any moment.

The man's deep eyes were watching the scene with an extremely serious expression. He stopped looking at the man, turning back to the sky.

One did not emanate any danger or coldness, the other was neither indifferent nor lazy. No one thought of anything other than the tranquility that heaven offered him at that moment. Two different people with the same heart, in the same hour, seeing the same panorama.

An almost inaudible sound indicated the appearance of someone. Claude broke his contemplation and returned to his usual expression.

"Master" respectfully greets a man dressed completely in black, with a silver mask, covering half of his upper face.

"They found him?" he asked with a cold tone full of dangerous pressure emanating from the environment.

"Reporting to the Master, only one piece was found." Claude's expression turned colder. A mocking expression covered his eyes. Trash was getting more and more wary.

"Remove the search from this area and head to city Y" the man in black was surprised.

"Master, we are still missing the central area of ​​Barracks Z"

"It is not necessary" the man in black did not dare to speak again, because he knew that his master was not someone who liked to repeat things. He nodded briefly and left to issue the order.

At that moment that the man in black disappeared, a beautiful androgynous person entered the library and walked quickly towards the second floor.

"My major, they already have their room ready, they can go to rest. I explicitly ordered them not to leave any dust in the room and not to touch their belongings either. " Keith spoke with a wide smile.

As always, Keith didn't wait for his leader to answer him. He only did it when necessary.

This trip had been more exhausting than ever. He knew what their leader was like and was used to being ignored, but at least in city A, he had comrades and he didn't feel bored. By now he was even beginning to talk to himself. He sighed inwardly.

He had wanted to search for the cute boy, but remembering his leader's warnings, he gave up any thoughts that had to do with him. Oh! I really wanted that toy. He was not like the others who gawked at him and couldn't even manage to say no to him, if he wanted to stab them with a knife. What fun was there if there were not even some desperate screams?