The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 449 - 456: One Word, Fight!

Chapter 449: Chapter 456: One Word, Fight!

John Brown went straight back to the hotel, where the four close buddies immediately pestered him for details. He barely managed to fend them off before finally climbing into bed to rest.

All five of them were in a large suite at the moment, but no one was feeling particularly sleepy. Their bond as comrades had been forged through countless life-and-death situations. Back then, even the smallest ounce of selfishness could have thrown everyone into mortal danger. But they trusted each other enough to leave their backs exposed, knowing that even if a teammate couldn’t neutralize the threat, they would at least shield incoming bullets with their bodies.

This kind of relationship was truly a life-and-death camaraderie—trusting one another with their lives, not just typical drinking buddies or casual friends.

"Boss, after you left, Hawk Squad started having problems." Martin Miller puffed on his cigarette and suddenly sighed deeply.

"How could that happen?" John Brown furrowed his brow and said, "Hawk Squad comrades are closer than brothers. How could problems arise?"

Charles Robinson interjected, "If it were the old crew, there’d definitely be no issues. But after you left, Captain Hawk No. 1 brought in a few new guys. These punks clearly came for their own gain. Each one of them struts around with an attitude like they own the place. Whenever there’s a dangerous mission, they hang back, but as soon as there’s credit to take, they’re the first to charge ahead. Damn it, who are these little assholes anyway?"

"Just thinking about these idiots makes me furious. Damn it, if you were still here, Boss, you’d have kicked them out ages ago," David Bailey slammed his hand against the bed frame in frustration.

John Brown frowned again. Since the day he joined Hawk Squad, he’d always taken pride in it. The squad was hands-down the strongest special forces unit in SSUP Country, with every member wielding exceptional abilities. But more importantly, the squad’s brotherhood was unparalleled—if one member was in trouble, all the others would risk their lives to help. This tradition of unity was the hallmark of Hawk Squad.

Despite this, due to political considerations, the squad had a military-appointed leader responsible for assigning missions and managing personnel activities, namely Captain Hawk No. 1. The leader didn’t need stellar combat skills—organizational prowess and leadership sufficed.

John Brown, as Hawk Squad’s No. 2 figure, was the team’s true heart and soul. Within the squad, he was its strongest member and held unquestionable authority. Though officially he was just another soldier, within Hawk Squad, he was called the "Boss" by its members.

John Brown’s retirement had a lot to do with the new Captain Hawk No. 1. He couldn’t stand the man’s blatant bureaucratic style, which was a sharp departure from previous leaders. While former No. 1s weren’t combat maestros, they were all tough, iron-willed men who blended in seamlessly with the squad.

Mark Smith growled, "Hmph, the current No. 1 is really something else. He’s been assigning missions that leave us fuming mad. Last time, some pampered brat got into a scuffle and got beat up. That guy arranged for me to avenge him. Since when did Hawk Squad become someone’s hired muscle?"

David Bailey echoed angrily, "That’s nothing. One time, this clown heard he might have some enemies targeting him, so No. 1 ordered me to be his bodyguard. That guy was absolute garbage, just a son riding on his father’s coattails. He acted so high and mighty that it pissed me off to the point I felt like killing him on the spot!"

John Brown’s face had completely darkened by this point. He said, "Martin, what’s going on? I left, and now you’re the squad’s No. 2. You absolutely have the authority to refuse these assignments."

Martin Miller’s face twitched slightly, and Charles Robinson immediately jumped in to explain, "It’s not Martin’s fault, Boss. Ever since that No. 1 took over, he’s been systematically undermining the squad’s internal power. Now even Martin can’t assert any control over the team. Plus, those guys who got in through connections have turned the squad into a complete mess."

John Brown took a deep breath and said, "If Hawk Squad keeps running like this, it’s only a matter of time before it devolves into just another third-rate unit."

Martin Miller nodded and said, "Exactly. That’s why we all hope you’ll come back, Boss. You’re the only one with the clout to restore the squad’s standing and kick that No. 1 out."

John Brown laughed bitterly and replied, "Don’t you understand by now? It’s not that I didn’t want to kick him out—he had me kicked out first. In terms of combat, he’s a nobody, but when it comes to political gamesmanship, not even all of us combined could stand up to him."

"Boss, are you just going to sit back and let the squad fall apart?" Martin Miller asked urgently.

John Brown blew out a ring of smoke and said, "I don’t see what the big deal is. Haven’t you noticed how comfortable I am now? If you guys don’t want to stay with the squad, you can join me instead."

"Alright! I’m with you, Boss. When we go back, we’ll apply for retirement," Charles Robinson declared immediately.

David Bailey and Mark Smith quickly chimed in agreement, but Martin Miller frowned and said, "Isn’t that a bit rash?"

"Martin, you wouldn’t be hesitating just because you’ve recently become No. 2, would you?" David Bailey asked, furrowing his brows.

John Brown shot him a glare and said, "David! What kind of nonsense is that? Questioning Martin like this—is that the behavior of a Hawk Squad member?"

David Bailey was startled and quickly protested, "Boss, I wasn’t doubting Martin. I’m just anxious, that’s all."

Martin Miller waved it off and said, "I get it. To be honest, sometimes I find myself doubting others too. Things have changed. We’re not the perfectly united team we used to be anymore."

John Brown smiled and said, "Martin, you’ve become more mature than before. Truth be told, many close friends break apart over certain issues eventually. Our fifty-man squad—can anyone guarantee they’re completely selfless? Even I have my moments of selfishness. It’s all normal. Now, with the squad in its current state, here’s my advice: if someone has a fiery temper, let them leave first to avoid bigger issues. If someone can restrain themselves, they should stay to help maintain the squad’s foundation. We’re not trying to form splinter groups, but if Hawk Squad’s glory crumbles under our watch, it’d be a tragedy.

Martin Miller’s eyes lit up, and he said, "Boss, as expected, you’re more insightful than me. So your departure was also a way of avoiding direct confrontation, wasn’t it?"

John Brown chuckled and said, "Honestly, I was feeling a little worn out. More importantly, I didn’t want to keep holding you back. I know you’re someone with big aspirations. If I kept you from achieving them, our brotherhood might eventually turn into rivalry."

Martin Miller didn’t seem fazed. Instead, he burst into laughter and said, "Boss, you really understand me. But even if you were still in the squad, I’d eventually aim to beat you and take the No. 2 position for myself."

John Brown laughed heartily. He had no objections to Martin’s ambition. He believed people needed aspirations to drive their efforts. Martin was the kind of person who pursued his goals openly without resorting to deceit, which was why John Brown always regarded him as a true brother.

David Bailey, Charles Robinson, and Mark Smith also erupted into laughter. Hawk Squad had never operated based on personal connections; rank was earned strictly through strength. John Brown himself had only become No. 2 after two years in the squad. Although everyone competed with one another, the competition was always fair and honorable, which motivated everyone to strive harder, train diligently, and improve.

This transparent competition mechanism was why Hawk Squad remained the strongest. Anyone who slacked off would fall to the bottom and eventually leave the squad. Although it seemed harsh, the members appreciated it, as it constantly pushed them to perform better. With these efforts, Hawk Squad had the lowest mission failure rate among elite factions worldwide.

And even when missions failed, Hawk Squad had remarkably low casualty rates, losing no more than five members annually.

Considering the dangerous nature of assignments allocated to such elite teams, achieving such low mortality rates was extraordinary.

Martin Miller then said, "Boss, give me another piece of advice. How should I deal with No. 1? My authority’s already been stripped away by half, and if this continues, I won’t have any control left to support the brothers."

John Brown squinted his eyes slightly and slowly uttered one word: "Fight!"

"Fight?" Martin Miller was stunned for a moment, his eyes suddenly flashing with a sharp glint.

David Bailey quickly said, "Boss, are you asking us to fight No. 1? Wouldn’t that get us kicked out of Hawk Squad immediately?"

John Brown smirked slightly and said, "There are many ways to fight. Use your own judgment."

Martin Miller’s lips curled into a cold smile, and he said, "Boss, I understand. That bastard—I’ll make sure to teach him a proper lesson this time."

John Brown laughed and patted Martin Miller’s shoulder, saying, "Martin, you’re taking on the task I didn’t get to do myself."

Martin Miller looked at John Brown with a puzzled expression and asked, "Boss, if you thought of this before, why didn’t you act on it?"

"First of all, back then, he wasn’t as out of line as he is now. Secondly... I really wanted some normalcy. All these years... I’ve been so tired."