The Scorned Heiress's Hidden Empire (by Jade Quinn) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144

The guard’s eyes lingered on her face for a second, and he instinctively straightened up even more.

He’d seen her photo on the list before, with the words “Chief Instructor” written beneath it.

Back then, he’d thought the photo must be a mistake. She looked so young, even younger than the rookies he’d trained.

But now, seeing her in person, sitting just inches away through the half–open car window, and meeting her gaze, he uddenly realized the title on the photo was right.

Chief Instructor Natalie.”

His voice carried a hint of respect without him even realizing it.

He raised his hand in a salute, and the guard beside him followed suit. Both their eyes landed on that young face in the back eat, not with curiosity or scrutiny, but with the kind of pure obedience that only existed in a place like this.

Natalie nodded, and the car window rolled up.

Blondie hit the gas, and the car passed between the two iron pillars, driving into the canyon.

The guards held their salute until the car vanished into the canyon’s shadows, only then lowering their hands.

The special training camp sat in a mountain valley, not large, but with a level, open floor.

teep cliffs surrounded it on all sides, their summits shrouded in thick forest. Thin waterfalls cascaded down the rock faces. he sound of rushing water echoing through the valley in layers.

At the valley floor, a stream ran from north to south, shallow but fast–moving.

The training ground was set up on the east bank of the stream.

The training ground was a patch of dirt, trodden hard from constant use, about the size of two basketball courts.

On the west side, close to the stream, stood a row of gray cabins with concrete walls and metal roofs, rust streaking down rom the eaves.

Deeper inside was the dorm area.

Same gray cabins, doors blistered with peeling paint, window frames rusted, but the glass was spotle

Behind the dorms sat the kitchen and mess hall, white smoke curling from the chimney, the air mingling the scent of irewood and rice.

The camp had no walls, no gates, just mountains at its back and a stream running out front.

Blondie parked the car in the open area in front of the instructors‘ quarters and killed the engine

“We’re here,” Blondie said.

Natalie pushed the door open and stepped out, taking a deep breath.

The mountain air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of moisture and pine needles, completely different from the noisy

world outside.

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7:48 am

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Chapter 1 —

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Haile and Blonde slung their backpacks over their shoulders and headed toward the dorm area

Training officially kicked off tomorrow. Today was just check–in day.

There were already quite a few people in the dorm hallway, and every door was wide open.

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Some were making their beds, others were putting their things into the metal lockers, and a few were busy wiping down the

dust.

As Natalie and Blondie walked in with their backpacks, the group at the end of the hallway froze, stopping whatever they were doing.

All eyes landed on the girl with the ponytail and the white backpack.

Wait, is that a girl…a girl?”

‘No clue. Isn’t she way too young?”

‘Don’t you have to be at least eighteen to enlist? She just joined up and already got sent here? Is she here to get some glory or what?”

This camp is the real deal. Even if you’ve got connections, you can’t just walk in!”

‘Yeah, you can’t look down on anyone here. Everyone who made it had to survive some serious selection rounds.”

‘Yeah, but let’s see if she can even survive the first week.”

*****

Natalie and Blondie paid no attention to the looks and walked right past everyone, heading inside.

Blondie found his dorm room, saw four people already inside, and flashed a grin. “Hey guys,” he said, greeting everyone with easy friendliness.

Natalie made her way to the dorm at the very end of the hall. The door was wide open.

There was already someone inside.

It was a woman with chin–length hair, sitting on the edge of the bed, head down as she wrapped a bandage around ner foor

Her movements were swift and precise, starting the bandage at her ankle, each layer overlapping the last, looping around the arch and back again, the pressure even and the spacing perfectly neat.

Natalie recognized it instantly. It was the method spipers used to wrap their feet: the ankle needed to be num but the solk had to stay flexible.

When she finished wrapping her left foot, she looked up at the doorway

Their eyes met.

The woman’s first reaction wasn’t to say hello. She just sized Natalie up

Her gaze went from Natalie’s face to her shoulders, then down to her waist and finally her feet, white T–shirt, black pants canvas shoes, and a white backpack. She looked like some high schooler just here for the experience.

But unlike the folks in the hallway, she didn’t look surprised or curious. She just stared at Natalie for a couple more seconds.

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Chapter 14-

which dropped her gaze and went back to wrapping her right foot.

“Top or bottom bunk?” the woman asked, her voice low with a southern accent.

“Either’s fine, Natalie replied

She walked in and tossed her backpack onto the other bed.

TII take the top bunk,” the woman said.

‘Bottom bunk’s more convenient. Training uniform’s on the desk,” she added.

58 vouers

Natalie just gave a quiet “Mm,” didn’t bother to reply, and started unzipping her backpack, pulling her things out.

Once she finished wrapping her foot, she slipped it into her training shoe, laced it up, stood, and gave her foot a couple of est stomps right there.

Then she turned, propped herself against the bed frame, and watched Natalie as she unpacked.

Kelly Watson,” the woman said, introducing herself.

she didn’t offer a handshake, just nodded. “Southern Command, sniper.”

Natalie draped a gray towel over the metal bar at the head of the bed. “Natalie.”

Kelly waited a moment, but Natalie didn’t add anything.

No unit, no branch.

Nothing else, just her name.

She just raised an eyebrow and let it go.

Anyone who gets in here isn’t just some average Joe, Kelly thought.

she sat back down on the edge of the bed and started checking over her sniper’s log.

t was a palm–sized notebook, worn and fuzzy at the corners, every page crammed with numbers and notes.

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