Chapter 535 This Is a Trap
"Are you sure you wanna share?" Benjamin strolled over, asking casually.
Everyone froze, not saying a word.
Benjamin scanned their faces and then told Dominic, "Cut your plate into six pieces and give everyone a share."
"No way!" Sam was the first to object.
"We were just kidding," Emma, who was freaked out by the bugs, said quickly. "We didn't mean it."
The others chimed in, "Yeah, totally!"
Dominic was speechless. These unreliable folks!
In the end, Dominic ended up eating the fried bugs himself.
He couldn't shake the thought of those bugs, so he didn't eat much at lunch and was still hungry when he left the cafeteria.
"Want me to go with you to the store for some snacks?" Sam whispered to Dominic. "Afternoon training's gonna be rough, and you won't make it on an empty stomach."
"Whose fault is that?" Dominic shot him a glare.
"Mine," Sam admitted without hesitation. He looked around, not spotting Benjamin, and nudged Dominic. "Come on, my treat."
Dominic hesitated. "Benjamin said we need to report if we go to the store."
"Are you dumb? If you report, do you think you'll get to eat?" Sam reasoned. "Remember those bugs you didn't finish?"
Dominic's face went pale.
In the end, he sneaked off with Sam.
When Daphne and the others saw them sneaking away, they asked what was up. The two claimed they had stomachaches, so the others didn't press, thinking Dominic's stomach couldn't handle the bugs.
When lunch break ended, Daphne and the others came out for training. They saw Dominic and Sam running laps around the huge training field and knew something was up.
"What did they do?" Zoey asked, confused.
Daphne and the others had no clue either.
After a bit, Benjamin walked over, holding a water bottle.
Seeing them watching the two struggling to run, he asked, "Do you know why they're being punished?"
"Dominic didn't finish the bugs at lunch?"
"They linked arms while running earlier?"
Everyone guessed randomly.
How could they know the real reason?
"They went to the store without reporting," Benjamin explained, barely moving his lips, enunciating each word.
Such a thing might be trivial outside.
But in this strictly disciplined organization, all rules had to be followed.
"From now on, anyone who doesn't eat enough at lunch and sneaks off to eat later will be punished doubly," Benjamin's dark eyes carried a heavy sense of authority. "Got it?"
Everyone responded in unison, "Yes!"
"Follow the training schedule I gave you this morning. Dismissed," Benjamin ordered.
They immediately went off, all very disciplined.
As for the other two, they were still running around the massive training field.
The field was as big as several football fields, and after a few laps, they were struggling.
Benjamin waited on the side. When they ran past, he called out to Sam, "Stop for a moment."
"Yes, Benjamin!" Sam was excited.
He had only one thought, 'Finally, I can have a legit break.'
Seeing Sam drenched in sweat, Benjamin asked, "Gonna do it again?"
"Nope," Sam replied quickly.
Benjamin handed him a water bottle. "Take a drink and rest up a bit."
"Yes!" Sam was thrilled.
He gulped down the water, feeling refreshed and a bit less tired.
After he finished, Benjamin had him sit down, and they chatted for a while.
During the conversation, Sam felt super guilty, thinking he had let Benjamin down.
So, he made up his mind to train hard from then on.
Seeing the time was about right, Benjamin asked, "Rested enough?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
"Then continue your punishment. You've got forty-five minutes to run a six-mile weighted course," Benjamin checked his watch. "If you're not back by 2:50, tomorrow's training doubles."
Sam was crushed.
Weren't they just talking about life and dreams? How did it turn into a weighted run?
"You've got forty-four minutes and fifty seconds left," Benjamin reminded him.
Sam was almost in tears.
He tossed the water bottle back to Benjamin and started running.
It was just a bottle of water and a twenty-minute break! Why did he have to run six miles?
Seeing him run off, Benjamin went to get Dominic. Since Dominic hadn't eaten enough at lunch, it was time to give him a meal.
When Dominic saw that Sam was gone, he ran up to Benjamin, panting, "Benjamin, I have no strength left. I can't run anymore."
"Come with me," Benjamin instructed.
Dominic was puzzled.
"Aren't you out of strength?" Benjamin timed it perfectly, not wasting a second. "I'll treat you to a meal."
"Really? Can I eat?" Dominic asked, eyes full of hope.
Benjamin nodded. "Yes."
Dominic praised, "Benjamin, you're so nice."
"Don't break the rules again," Benjamin said as he led Dominic to the cafeteria, "Eat whatever you're given for your meals. Everything in the cafeteria is edible."
"Yes," Dominic quickly agreed.
While eating, Dominic took a bite, swallowed, and then asked, "Benjamin, will I still be punished later?"
"Punished for what?" Benjamin asked.
"For not reporting," Dominic responded honestly, considering Benjamin a friend.
Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"
Dominic's lips twitched.
So, he was still going to be punished?
"Your afternoon training will be tripled," Benjamin continued naturally, seeing Dominic's face change.
Dominic looked like he was about to cry. "I really have no strength left."
"Really?" Benjamin asked lightly.
Dominic nodded frantically. "Yes!"
"Then how do you still have the strength to eat?" Benjamin said casually, with a hint of laziness in his expression.
Dominic was upset, and he slowly ate his meal.
He thought that Benjamin was a devil.
Daphne and the others still didn't know what had happened to Sam and Dominic. When they saw Dominic training harder than ever, they chatted during their break.
"What got into him?" Emma asked, puzzled, seeing Dominic working harder than ever.
"Probably the bugs at lunch," Zoey guessed.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
