Chapter 2, The Cost of Laziness

Ah? The deputy leader and the mercenary both wore expressions of disbelief. To be honest, neither of them had expected anyone to apply for the position.

The Red Spider Mercenary Corps was established in V.C. 1994, which is thirty years ago from now. In the realm of mercenary groups, known for their short average lifespan, it can be considered a perennial presence on the battlefield. The commander, Major General Lindemann Haysin, is fifty-eight years old and a former officer of the Qingyang Prefecture of the Great Han Empire. The total number of personnel in the corps, including support staff, is approximately twelve thousand. Although referred to as a legion (a joint formation comprising several armies), the actual number is less than half of a standard mechanized infantry force of thirty thousand. Furthermore, this twelve thousand is divided into support fleets and ground troops, which further reduces the number of personnel available for actual combat.

The deputy leader's attitude suddenly turned one hundred eighty degrees, "This confirms your number, please wait a moment."

Zhang Songlan did not expect that while he was breakdancing in the reception room, the door to the reception room would suddenly open

Ah? The mercenary was taken aback

The door closed again

You! The furious mercenary grabbed the gun and intended to give him a shot.

Nod

In the time it took to blink, the certification program for the eye examination had already sent back the results. It turned out that his poor handwriting had caused the computer to misidentify him, leading to his assignment to a military organization he had never even heard of. With a mindset of just getting by, Zhang Songlan decided to take a look for himself. He had originally intended to seek a leisurely clerical job in the Harlan Free Federation, but little did he know that he had inadvertently boarded a pirate ship.

Are you asking for a beating? The mercenary, filled with pent-up anger, was immediately provoked by this unexpected remark.

Zhang Songlan, from now on we will be comrades, please give me your guidance. Zhang Songlan extended his hand

No matter how frantic and mad Zhang Songlan becomes, he cannot change the fact that he has boarded a pirate ship. Mercenaries do not operate like national armies, where explaining the situation might allow you to leave. Moreover, the fact that they have locked the door is quite clear—since you have come aboard, do not even think about getting off!

... ... '' remains silent

At a certain parking space in the second row, there is an unconventional aircraft. It is equipped with several high-velocity Gauss cannons for air combat, and even has ground-attack cannons typically used by atmospheric bombers mounted beneath its wings. The tail is emblazoned with a striking red spider symbol. Compared to the other sleek aircraft, it stands out like an armored hedgehog among a group of guinea pigs, attracting the attention of passersby.

The two individuals outside the door completely disregarded this absurd explanation. The deputy team leader coughed and walked away, while another girl, dressed in graduation attire and carrying a backpack, silently entered the reception room and chose a seat farthest from Zhang Songlan, clearly believing that he was either mentally unstable or had some psychological issues

The greatest taboo in the mercenary industry is being compared to bandits and pirates. Not to mention this young and vigorous mercenary, even the composed old deputy commander showed a hint of anger on his brow.

"Consider yourself lucky!" The mercenary angrily put down the gun, "Get lost!"

"I would rather not have such a vacation." The mercenary wore a look of polite refusal, "Having just fought under those old soldiers in Iberia, now I am to be looked down upon by a ceremonial guard that has never seen blood. Moreover, you have seen those graduate deputy battalion leaders, each one more arrogant than the last. Who would take notice of a mercenary group like ours, which could kick the bucket at any moment and has no compensation?"

Uh... Zhang Songlan could only awkwardly retract his hand. He was not particularly skilled at dealing with women, especially under such a poor first impression

"Only women are needed here." The other party finally spoke, their voice cold yet melodious, but unfortunately, they still did not look at him

After all, with a foundation built over thirty years, this mercenary group is considered advanced compared to most of its peers in terms of equipment. The support fleet consists of ten newly received early-generation battleship transport vessels from the Iberian Federation, under the guise of remuneration. The hulls have been modified, removing the essential anti-mine armor of battleship transports and replacing it with firepower equivalent to that of assault battleships. This design, characterized by a thin skin and substantial firepower, clearly reflects a compromise aimed at utilizing battleship transports as formal warships. The equipment of the Marine Corps is much more varied; most of the battle mechs are refurbished remnants of enemy machines salvaged from various battlefields. Not to mention, the differing specifications of ammunition supplies alone would be enough to drive any elite logistics officer to despair.

The quadrennial recruitment event for graduates of the Peace Officer Academy resembles an international equipment exhibition, with various participating military organizations dispatching their latest liaison boats or shuttles. This is not only to attract graduates who are uncertain about their future, but also primarily because there are often opposing factions among the participating organizations. Given that this is a neutral free planet where neither side can engage in combat, they are left to compare their equipment and military appearances. Consequently, the venue often witnesses the peculiar sight of soldiers from two opposing nations or organizations standing face to face, eye to eye, competing to see who has the more upright military posture.

The deputy leader's courtesy left Zhang Songlan feeling flattered; to be honest, this was the first time in his life that he had been received with such high standards.

Oh. Zhang Songlan vaguely remembered that the information just now indeed stated "Recruiting grassroots commanders, no gender restrictions"

Although I really want to leave, I am sorry but I still have some questions to ask the two of you said the graduate with a smile while scratching his head

Do you know that this is a mercenary group

Are you ... ... this year's graduate?" Zhang Songlan spoke up in an attempt to break the silence that oppressed him with the nerve of "shame." At this point, he felt embarrassed to say that hetushu.com is leaving.

This is the introduction to our organization's materials. Please take it to the reception room on the ship and wait there. We are scheduled to set sail in one and a half hours. The burly deputy leader was surprisingly polite, as if he had become a different person.

The girl did not look at him, only nodding slightly

How should one put it? Zhang Songlan appears to be astute; however, no one is perfect. He consistently makes mistakes in areas where ordinary people should not, and despite repeated admonitions, he shows no signs of remorse, continuing to err time and again. His form of self-punishment for his mistakes is to find a secluded place to engage in a chaotic and unrestrained dance that would be intolerable to the aesthetic sensibilities of normal individuals, much like what he is doing now.

"Wait a moment." The deputy leader firmly grasped the mercenary's arm, "Just ignore the young man; he is inexperienced. This is someone else's territory, so do not cause trouble!"

From the perspective of equipment science, a shuttle, which is a small spacecraft solely used for personnel transport, does not require any armament. For warships, its size is too small, and pursuing a shuttle would be akin to using a cannon to swat a mosquito. As for space fighters, the maneuverability of shuttles is excessively clumsy; regardless of how the opponent arms their space fighters, they can easily evade them. Therefore, apart from a few financially constrained mercenary groups and the Free Planet Army that equip shuttles with weapons to compensate for the shortage of space fighters, no one else would do so. Moreover, the maneuverability of shuttles is still too clumsy for space fighters to contend with, allowing them to easily evade any armament the opponent may employ. Thus, aside from a few financially strapped mercenary groups and the Free Planet Army, no one would arm shuttles.

Of course, it is not entirely like this

Until the shuttle took off, no one else came in, and Zhang Songlan did not ask the girl's name

The old deputy regiment commander, whose temples were already frosted with white, said calmly, "The regiment leader must have his reasons for doing this. Since we are passing by, we might as well wait here for a few days. Who knows, we might even recruit a few good grassroots commanders. Just consider it a vacation."

Even with such weak combat power, the Red Spider Mercenary Corps can still barely squeeze into the top ten of the public rankings of the Great Virgin Constellation Mercenary Federation (AMF). Given that countries cannot tolerate powerful armed forces operating uncontrollably within their borders, it is not surprising that the mercenary industry, which developed rapidly after a prolonged period of peace, also declined at a similarly rapid pace.

Ah, that is correct. The graduate clapped his hands and said, "My name is Zhang Songlan, graduation number 2KL85410297, and I have applied for your... um, organization's recruitment interview"

"Tsk, Deputy Commander, look at the expressions on those people's faces. What kind of madness has the old man fallen into, thinking he can recruit people in a place only big players can afford? Aren't our legion's grassroots commanders usually gathered from retired veterans?" A young man dressed like a mercenary swaggered around with a gun, glancing about.

Haven't you figured it out yet? This kid has no idea what we do. Perhaps he filled it out randomly or there was a problem with the machine that brought him here. Once he realizes that we are mercenaries, I bet one hundred imperial gold coins that he will definitely run away! The deputy commander truly lives up to his reputation, seeing through the truth at a glance

How pitiful..." Zhang Songlan shook his head and set down the electronic file. Suddenly, he thought of an important question—wouldn't it be even more pitiful for himself, who was about to join this mercenary group?

What a nuisance! Has the door been locked?! I suppose I'm the only one who would fall for this, right?" Zhang Songlan lingered in front of the door that should have opened automatically for quite some time, but it showed no response. He tried to push the door, but it wouldn't budge.

So why come here? Aren't there plenty of places to recruit grassroots commanders?

Oh, it resembles a pirate ship; I didn't expect there are still landing craft with such configurations! Before the mercenary could finish speaking, a sudden voice of mock admiration came from beside him.

The awkward silence lingered as the two individuals outside the door silently observed Zhang Songlan's appearance, each turning their heads away to indicate that they did not recognize this person

May I ask if this is the fourth parking space in the second row? This graduate seems to have some difficulty distinguishing left from right

Having dealt with the officials of various countries' military departments extensively, one naturally learns the ropes. The commander immediately revealed his mercenary nature as he watched Zhang Songlan enter the cabin, "Quick! Tell the driver to lock the door to the reception room!"

Shake one's head

Uh... this is a misunderstanding. I am exercising to prepare for the interview. " Zhang Songlan stammered and gestured animatedly in an attempt to explain his gaffe

Ironically, what it represents in its full armor is a form of weak resistance

"... ... Ah, I apologize, have I upset you?" The troublemaking, foolish graduate actually asked knowingly.

Is there any inconvenience regarding my application?" Zhang Songlan scratched his head

Zhang Songlan was naturally unaware of what the deputy commander was up to outside. He walked into the makeshift reception room, which was clearly a dining hall temporarily converted for this purpose, found a seat, and opened the documents that the deputy commander had handed him.

Do you want to pursue a clerical position

Oh. Zhang Songlan stood foolishly in place, waiting

"What is it?" the deputy leader asked, pressing down on the veins bulging on his forehead.

I know you. The girl squeezed out four words through the gap in her lips and no longer paid attention, focusing intently on her materials, leaving Zhang Songlan, who had extended his hand, standing there.

The deputy commander nodded.

Zhang Songlan's "dance steps" came to an abrupt halt, her body contorting into a highly twisted pose

"When did you learn this set of skills, Deputy Commander?" The mercenary looked incredulously at the Deputy Commander's change in attitude. The Deputy Commander he knew was not someone who would display such a friendly face—rather, the most accurate assessment would be that he was someone who could kill without blinking.

Ah, my office life! Zhang Songlan was completely driven to madness; he swore that this was the first and most frustrating time in his life that he hated his poor handwriting. It was precisely this that ruined the leisurely days he had long planned for himself.

"Hurry up, there is still time!" Zhang Songlan finally understood what he needed to do to save his future, but unfortunately, it was too late

Oh! The mercenary finally understood the intentions of the deputy commander and quickly contacted the driver