Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 616

"Instructor, let us grab a sip of water. Can we just rest a second before finishing?"

"No.

You put on that uniform, which means right now, you are soldiers defending this country.

When our predecessors held The Iron Ridge Stand, they went without food and water for days. They faced brutal trench conditions and relentless enemy artillery.

But through sheer willpower, they held the line for forty-three agonizing days and emerged victorious."

Instructor Vance wasn't just barking orders from the sidelines; he jogged alongside them, speaking without breaking a sweat.

"We enjoy peace today because of the sacrifices of those who came before us.

But we cannot lose our traditions. The spirit of resilience and hard work must remain. The readiness to sacrifice everything for our nation cannot fade.

That is the true purpose of this orientation."

It was clear that this instructor took his responsibilities dead seriously.

Spurred on by his words, the students gritted their teeth and somehow managed to finish the second lap.

But the moment they crossed the finish line, several collapsed. Vanessa Voss dropped to the ground first, unscrewing her water bottle to chug, with Jillian Lowe following her lead.

"On your feet!"

The rest of the class, who had been about to sit down, froze at his booming command and remained standing.

"I haven't dismissed you yet. Breaking formation, lacking discipline, ignoring direct orders, and showing zero team cohesion..."

A barrage of criticisms rained down, causing Vanessa's expression to darken considerably.

She was a wealthy heiress. Her entire life, she had been placed on a pedestal, surrounded by people eager to cater to her every whim.

She was the object of envy and flattery among her peers. No one had ever dared to dress her down like this.

Not even her parents or her brother had spoken to her with such disrespect.

He was just a lowly First Lieutenant. What was his problem?

In the presence of a top-tier Aethelgard University student and a prominent socialite, he wasn't even fit to carry her bags.

Catching the storm brewing on Vanessa's face, Jillian spoke up on cue.

"We're exhausted. What's wrong with taking a sip of water? Do you really need to be so dramatic?

Frankly speaking, your fitness levels are universally abysmal.

Even after this orientation ends, you need to stay active daily. You're young; act like it.

Otherwise, your bodies will fail you, and all that textbook knowledge won't mean a damn thing."

"Alright, dismissed. Take a brief rest. We reconvene in ten minutes.

Let me reiterate: anyone who can't handle this level of exertion is free to withdraw right now.

But anyone who stays will obey the rules."

Instructor Vance certainly knew how to command a room.

After a speech like that, no one dared to quit and brand themselves as weak or fragile.

Not even Vanessa.

Then again, from the very beginning, it was Jillian playing the scapegoat, making a scene on her behalf.

All Vanessa had done was make a minor mistake early on by failing to understand the strictness of the protocol.