Chapter 69: Counter Attack

Ava felt a little upset knowing none of them had gotten punished as the days passed.

It had already been a week, and during this time, she couldn't stand her sister Isla bragging to her about their recent punishment.

Isla suggested that the General must have forgiven them because they were brave enough to resolve their differences through physical confrontation.

Isla suggested Ava should learn from her, using more fists than brains, so she could also be cool like her and one day be the last one standing in a group fight.

"You know, Ava," Isla said one afternoon, arms crossed, a smirk on her beautiful face.

"you should learn from me. Sometimes, fists are better than brains. Just swing first and ask questions later. That's how you earn respect. Be tough, be cool, and you'll always be the last one standing."

Ava was fed up with her words, as Isla thought the only reason she was the last one standing was that she was cooler than everyone.

Ava found it funny at first, but when Isla suggested that she be like her, it annoyed her. She believed the only result of trying to be like her would be pain—nothing but pain.

Why couldn't this fool understand that Isla was simply better at fighting than everyone else, rather than thinking she was the coolest one and that fighting better was just an addition to that? Isla seemed to think all she had to do was be cool to fight like her.

If that were the case, Ava would have copied everything Isla did.

However, Ava wasn't stupid enough to try to be like her, knowing she couldn't act like her—her brain just wouldn't allow it. She'd feel self-conscious every second.

So now, she could only listen to Isla blabber all day, having no comeback to her words, even though she was still surprised that the General hadn't punished them.

Now, all of them had almost recovered, and Isla recovered the fastest, as she had the least bruises of them all. Searᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

However, something unexpected happened that day, and Ava realized that day that the General liked to toy with their emotions.

Around morning, after training, the General called them again, but this time everyone was present.

Everyone thought it was for the announcement of their next mission, and they couldn't guess what it would be since the General wore her usual emotionless face.

Today was rare, as the General started giving a speech before revealing the mission, which only happened when she wanted to teach them something.

Everyone was focused, listening to her talk about how they shouldn't trust their enemies' words or turn their backs on them, as it could be a fatal mistake during a mission.

"Never trust your enemies," the General said, her voice calm but firm. "And never, under any circumstances, show your back to them. One mistake is all it takes to end your life."

All the soldiers were confused, knowing this topic had been included in her first speech.

Seeing how soft her behavior had been a week ago, and now hearing a repeated lesson, they worried.

The General was like family to them—something they'd never admit out loud—but in their hearts, they knew she was their only family. Her unusual behavior left them concerned.

Only Ava thought the General was the same. She didn't know why, but she couldn't believe the General would say something without reason, especially after what happened a week ago.

Now, the General's words felt like a troll to Ava, but she wasn't completely sure.

She hadn't seen the General play sarcasm on them before if that was the case. Ava pitied the poor souls who had just recovered, not even realizing what was about to happen.

If Ava's suspicions were correct, their recovery time might extend from today.

Ava silently prayed the General would teach them a lesson so these fools wouldn't be violent when not on a mission. She liked a peaceful atmosphere when they weren't on duty, and Isla's boasting was one of the main reasons she wanted them punished.

She prayed these fools would get their punishment, and she even hoped that after it all, her sister Isla would become a little tamer and stop talking about fighting all day.

Although Ava found her words entertaining, whenever Isla included her in the conversation and tried to indirectly assert herself as the elder sister by boasting about her fighting prowess, Ava knew she would get annoyed.

Her prayers weren't in vain. After the speech, they didn't receive a mission at all.

Instead, the General announced that those involved in the infighting were going to be punished now, adding that it wouldn't be fun to punish an injured person. She wanted to enjoy their punishment to the fullest.

Almost everyone present looked dumbfounded upon hearing her words. They had never imagined the General would act like this.

Now that they had recovered, it felt even crueler to be punished, only to have to recover again.

Those not involved in the fighting were relieved, as they had escaped this brutal punishment. All the involved parties would have to spar with the General for many days, and they knew in their hearts that this sparring would be more violent, given as a form of punishment.

Those unfortunate individuals who thought they were safe, living peacefully for the past week, were now sweating profusely, contemplating what the future held. None dared to speak a word, as usual, knowing the General was respected enough that no one would plead against an order she had already decided.

The following day, Isla returned all beaten up to the place where both sisters lived together.

Ava stood up and walked over to her sister's bed. "Rough day?"

Isla groaned into the pillow. "You have no idea."

"I probably do," Ava said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The General doesn't go easy on anyone."

Isla lifted her head slightly, her eyes red and tired. "She's... she's a monster. I swear she's not human. I didn't think it was possible to get kicked that many times in one session."

Surprisingly, Ava didn't tease her. Despite how annoying Isla had been over the past week, Ava couldn't bring herself to mock her sister now. She saw how tired, how genuinely beaten down Isla was, and decided to take the high road. She went to the bathroom, grabbed some ointment, and started tending to Isla's bruises.

Isla, touched by her sister's behavior, complained to her about the General that night before bed, with little tears in her light brown eyes. Ava, like the perfect sister, comforted her. Isla hadn't expected her to say anything about the General; she only sought solace in her sister's comfort, which was exactly what she got, as Ava knew what Isla needed.

She felt a little skeptical so so she asked this question to confirm if what's happening it true for not.

"You're not going to make fun of me?" Isla asked, wincing as Ava applied the ointment to a particular bruise.

"Not today," Ava replied. "I'm not that heartless."

After the punishment was finally over, Isla's pain tolerance increased slightly. Now fully recovered, she was ready to enjoy her time with her almighty sister Ava, who had taken care of her all along. Isla even felt guilty about annoying her sister without realizing it. She thought to herself,

'I think I should accept my sister Ava as my elder sister today, knowing how kind and caring she is by the way she took care of me.'

She resolved to accept Ava as her elder sister, even if it was a bit embarrassing. She thought her sister deserved it all.

However, before Isla could even bring up the topic, Ava asked her with a concerned voice if she had fully recovered. Isla earnestly answered and praised Ava several times with phrases like "almighty sister" and "sister of dreams." Ava, trying hard not to laugh, finally gave in and started laughing.

Now, it was Ava's turn to pay her back for annoying her all that time. She repeated Isla's embarrassing complaints about the General and even ridiculed how she had cared for Isla's bum and applied medicine there when she got kicked.

Fifteen minutes passed, with Isla's face now a deep red hue, gritting her teeth and stomping her feet, shouting "stupid sister" and "idiot sister" repeatedly to lessen her embarrassment.

But all she could see was Ava laughing so hard that tears came out, holding her stomach in amusement. Isla remained clueless about how she had just lost the chance to become the elder sister between them.

Until the day Isla stopped feeling embarrassed about these things, Ava would always have the upper hand. Isla now tried to talk less when speaking to her sister, carefully selecting her words so as not to get annoyed for some unknown reason.

In the end, it didn't work, and Isla had to live in embarrassment for half a month, which resulted in her becoming more shameless in front of Ava.

Ava regretted teasing her until this day, as Isla had become so shameless that she hardly got embarrassed anymore.