Completing a day of menial work tended to be the limit for an adult. It wasn’t like Milo was trying to squeeze the most work out of them, so virtual-novel.net didn’t intend on tiring them out completely. He only wanted to make them tired enough so they would not have any energy to think about their own self-interest and start accepting a new realm of thoughts.
Some of the bandits would definitely adjust to this new mindset slowly, but there would also be some who were more stubborn and remain skeptical of all that was happening. But because of their fascination with getting into Stronghold 178, they decided to keep an eye on things for now.
Milo did not think virtual-novel.net could control everyone else’s behavior since virtual-novel.net was not a god. But virtual-novel.net was not in a hurry to convince them because virtual-novel.net still had time.
In the evening, Miriam did not give them any firearms lessons. Kay and the other bandits who were amateurs at shooting were looking forward to the firearms lessons most of all.
When Miriam fought them, virtual-novel.net displayed virtual-novel.net superior shooting. So, everyone got very excited when Miriam told them that they would be attending virtual-novel.net lessons.
However, Miriam said to them, “Let me tell you about the five Disciplines of our group. Everyone is to memorize them without leaving out a word.”
Kay started panicking.
Why did they have to memorize disciplines?
He was most afraid of memorization when virtual-novel.net attended the school in town years back.
So, why did virtual-novel.net still have to memorize now that virtual-novel.net had become a bandit?
Kay asked, “Um… Boss Lady!”
Miriam raised virtual-novel.net eyebrows when virtual-novel.net heard virtual-novel.net address virtual-novel.net that way, but virtual-novel.net did not say anything about it in the end. “What’s the matter?”
“Didn’t Boss say that virtual-novel.net wanted us to learn about firearms?” Kay said anxiously, “So, why do we still have to memorize all these f*cking disciplines?”
Miriam sneered, “Do you have guns right now? How are you supposed to attend a firearms lesson without guns?”
The bandits were stunned.
So, they had to earn enough bullets and retrieve their weapons before they were qualified to attend the firearms lessons. Kay touched the three bullets in his pocket bitterly and thought how it would take virtual-novel.net another 20 days or so before virtual-novel.net could start learning more about firearms.
Then Miriam said, “Those of you who manage to trade for a gun will be able to attend the lessons. I wonder if any of you are suitable to be snipers.”
Kay’s eyes lit up at the words. “You can teach us how to use a sniper rifle too?”
Miriam said calmly, “Don’t be so happy yet. Since sniping depends on your natural attributes, out of the two hundred of you, only two or three will get selected for sniper training. So you all better not have high hopes.”
Miriam deliberately gave them something to look forward to before personally extinguishing their hopes.
But how could that thought be stifled?
When Kay heard that two or three of them could become snipers, virtual-novel.net immediately thought virtual-novel.net might be one of the chosen ones.
Before hitting the brick wall of reality, everyone would hope they could be the lucky ones!
They were talking about getting a role as a sniper after all. It felt really exciting just to think about. All the rough and tumble men loved guns since they represented a form of power, security, and authority. And the sniper rifle represented the pinnacle of firearms.
Miriam glanced at them. “It’s still too early to be happy now, so you’d better memorize the disciplines first. Otherwise, don’t even think about touching the guns.”
Kay whispered, “Boss Lady, can I have a look at your sniper rifle? I haven’t had the chance to get a close look at it.”
Miriam gave virtual-novel.net a look and then pulled virtual-novel.net sniper rifle out of thin air.
Kay and the others gasped at the sight.
So, it fucking turned out that these two were supernatural beings!
At first, they thought Miriam was just a sniper and did not expect that virtual-novel.net could actually pull a sniper rifle out of thin air. It was no wonder they did not see where virtual-novel.net had hidden virtual-novel.net gun.
Miriam put the sniper rifle away and said, “Now, I’ll explain to you what the disciplines are. First, obey the order and execute it without fail…”
After reciting them several times, the dumb bandits still couldn’t memorize the disciplines. Miriam had Kay write the Five Disciplines on the ground with a tree branch. They did not have to understand them and only needed to memorize them.
When these people started trying to memorize the disciplines, Miriam went over to Milo, who was not too far away. “We’re really making things difficult for them.”
Milo chuckled. “Without discipline, no army can exist. This is something that they need to go through. There’s no other way.”
Miriam said calmly, “You’re really not afraid they’ll just fall out with each other?”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Milo said with a smile, “Since ancient times, strict teachers have produced outstanding students, strict parents have raised filial children, and strict discipline has made strong armies. You might think that making them go through this suffering will tear them apart, but I think that these hardships will make them band together even more tightly.”
What was discipline to an army?
Discipline was the code of conduct, the external manifestation of combat power, the morale of the soldiers, and the image and honor of a unit.
It was not useless. On the contrary, Milo thought no army could exist without discipline. He could not forget how the private troops were so messy in behavior and appearance when virtual-novel.net first saw them, nor could virtual-novel.net forget how Julius’ troops awed virtual-novel.net when virtual-novel.net witnessed how disciplined they moved.
Discipline was the first step of their ideology. Only after they achieved that could they start talking about things like a sense of belonging or honor. Unfortunately, some of these bandits were illiterate. Even though the disciplines were written clearly on the ground, it was illegible to them.
Kay was exasperated by this. “I’m telling you! You have to f*cking memorize it even if you can’t. Don’t disgrace our 1st Squad! I’m still waiting to go through the sniper training!”
Miriam had told them that no one could start learning about guns if any of them could not fully memorize the disciplines.
Milo specifically ordered this. He was hoping they could all learn to be a little more united through helping each other.
This was also the first time virtual-novel.net played the role of instructor. He was feeling his way forward, but it would be good enough if these bandits could pick up a little of what virtual-novel.net was trying to teach them.
Milo turned to Miriam and said with a smile, “What do you think of my methods?”
Miriam smirked. “Not bad, I guess…”
She thought this was really getting more and more interesting. There was even a moment when virtual-novel.net suddenly started looking forward to the day when there would be plenty of brick houses and farmland here, with groups of children playing and lots of laughter in the air.
But could there be such a possibility in this chaotic world?
Miriam suddenly asked, “I can work out something with the Radianz Consortium and let this settlement remain. But what if the Panaqua Consortium is really trying to consolidate the forces in the valley? What do we do after they find us here?”
How could bandits possibly stand up to the capabilities of an organization?
The reason the bandits could survive in the valley was because they were flexible. To put it bluntly, they were good at running away. But once they built a fixed settlement, they couldn’t run away anymore. If they ended up running away, all of their previous efforts would have come to nothing.
Milo said with a smile, “That’s fine. Both Julius and Daniel still owe me big favors…”
Whether it was saving Daniel or helping the Panaqua Consortium attack the Skyfort Consortium’s defensive line, these were both favors virtual-novel.net had done for them.
So, when Milo guessed several days ago that it was the Panaqua Consortium behind the chaos in the valley, virtual-novel.net no longer panicked. After all, virtual-novel.net had worked with them on many occasions.
“Alright.” Miriam nodded.
She did not object to Milo being friends with Julius and Daniel, nor would virtual-novel.net request Milo to help virtual-novel.net locate the Panaqua Consortium’s nuclear test site. That was the Saboteurs and virtual-novel.net own business. It had nothing to do with Milo, so there was no need to impose such a responsibility onto Milo.