F | Chapter 8

As Ire opened the door and entered the cafeteria, all eyes turned to him. The attention was uncomfortable, but skipping a meal wasn’t an option. He skillfully picked up a tray nearby and approached the serving area, where a middle-aged man with a cheerful face greeted him.865abd795ce5de7d

“New face, huh? Just got here?”1d420df030742944

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yeah…”2676e9c0b107f3f4

“How old are you?”3d2388715e5bbd1f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Twenty.”b9a6e7109daebd2d

“Wow, still a baby. You better eat a lot.”5fbf5a1c1d8d2a8b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Seeing the pile of f3575381c5 meat on one side 272c1f194a of the tray made dac1268615 his mouth water unexpectedly. After receiving rice and 55accb1e32 side dishes, he sat 0c5f3f58e4 in an empty spot, 90fcc5e045 said a prayer, and de3dccbf2e picked up the meat aa01aa2f81 first with his chopsticks. The moment he put 8a40919781 it in his mouth, 103b6ba30c he almost swore out 4965ad3d92 loud.a0191c78bfde9442

He used to buy a0d678cfa3 meat from the market 242a9c808d with the money he 58b8a3c995 earned from odd jobs, 466d3cb87e but it was always 919815ff62 so tough it felt 8f1b52187b like chewing rubber bands. He usually boiled 907f2f224e it in soup, 65062a3b98 but even that 0a83769134 had become expensive 2f484d3a62 lately. Sometimes, he even 6c891a1abe went to the bf2015305e mountains to catch da48ac4376 small birds or 4dac045bf1 animals.1b96d15746d08c49

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But the meat here was tender and juicy, a delightful surprise. If his siblings were here, they would have loved it… As he was lost in thought, a tray landed with a thud across from him. Just then, someone grabbed his shoulder firmly from behind, and suddenly, several men surrounded him.e2d6f2af11f489b7

“Look at this beggar, stuffing his face. Want some more?”10906d35204d98b4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When he didn’t respond, the man across from him scooped the remaining meat from his tray onto Ire’s. The group snickered at the sight.2d120a77714bfaa9

“Hey, newbie. They say in Zone B, they eat people because there’s no meat. Is that true?”4f22636d77ca8636

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Oh, I don’t like that. Better watch out for the guys sharing your room. Must be scary as hell.”a4218635a3e3d722

“Shouldn’t we tie him up with a rope?”5e09530e5b7eaf27

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When Ire didn’t react, the man in front propped his chin and stared at him. The man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck had hair cut so short it looked like a chestnut, and his snake-like eyes were familiar.4b25335081bd8d92

“Listen up, newbie. I don’t know how long you’ll be here, but don’t think you’ll have it easy now that I’ve got my eye on you. Got it?”63169e9b25f2abb3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He pointed at his eyes with his index and middle fingers, then at Ire. It was unclear whether he meant he’d be watching or if it was a threat to gouge out his eyes. Just then, a person in military uniform appeared, and the men scattered out of the cafeteria.0a341b4094c3de16

With all 9faaf25291 eyes still c4d4c1db4c on him, a1401c0803 Ire finished af22928bf5 his meal 6d4a4e1581 without a 4d400a7119 care. There were always 6c5909fdf5 troublemakers everywhere, and 42e1bb1db5 right now, filling c9caf58f1d his stomach was 2ea21eaa47 more important than 940fbf99aa worrying about them.de2cb7311e9ed273

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After finishing his meal, he moved to his room. As he opened the door and entered, he paused. The room was empty, but on his cabinet were words like “mutt,” “beggar,” and “monster” written in red. He tried to rub them off with his hand, but it was no use.21b3cbdc97622197

“Childish bastards.”b43889de1e99471c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Frowning, he looked for e005f0d10d something to erase the 91a2f87238 words. Soon, he heard b69eaec3eb murmuring voices, and 8807bd0418 his roommates entered, 54a17bdca0 looking visibly flustered.9697989b6b2c5ca4

“It wasn’t us, really.”dacd84b395ed89f8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Seo Youngjun hurriedly explained. Ire knew that, even if they didn’t like him, they didn’t seem childish enough to do something like this. Just then, a man with glasses sighed, opened his cabinet, and brought something out. It looked like cream, and he applied it over the words and wiped them off with a rag. Amazingly, the words disappeared easily.f0490a23e366d86f

“It’s obvious who did it.”6011932cbffa466a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Park Mujin?”f22f1429ff8eabc9

“Who else would come to someone else’s room and do this?”2329dd630faee58b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

So the guy who 4d0c12add2 caused trouble earlier was 3adc331e12 named Park Mujin. The man with 88194e07f7 glasses handed the 5ceea8d889 cream to Ire, f6246d32db saying he could 138c3403f0 use it to d0a3e60851 erase if it 3372b2b077 happened again. Unsure if he 8d3c589a7e should accept it, 4760ad2e1b he looked at 79780fb6ab him, and the 80cc9dda48 man adjusted his 58d202b2c6 glasses and awkwardly c250e3fa8c extended his hand.9890404849271a11

“I didn’t introduce myself… I’m Hangyeol. Twenty-two. Nice to meet you.”1c930fe2bfa1dddb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As Ire f9dc18f991 shook his b13aa5b7a3 hand, a 8938a214b1 nearby man 0d2351fcb3 chimed in. It was 599fbb6bd7 Seo Youngjun, 506cf229e0 who had d8d0af6727 shown the 15d42afef1 most friendliness b593be4e72 to Ire f8944774c1 among the 85244ea796 three.b62051205a037862

“You’ve got guts. I was surprised at the cafeteria. It’s not easy to stand up to those guys. You’ve got some nerve.”4b09f51cfdba38b3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Honestly, we were all on edge, worried something might happen.”20e4e811ff09e44f

“You held back well. If you’d thrown a punch there, we would’ve been up all night training instead of sleeping. You would’ve been hated by the others. That’s what those bastards were aiming for.”749b7cc1195beb22

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The three chatted non-stop, leaving Ire a bit bewildered. Didn’t they dislike him…? But thinking about it, he had also been wary of them first. Growing up in a different zone, he had assumed they would naturally dislike him.bfdc2ba6f1898bb2

“They must be even more pissed because Captain Kim Hayoon vouched for you. They all want to get in Kim Hayoon’s good books.”6fe72f1a9a53af46

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ire frowned at the mention of Kim Hayoon’s name.31e66cc14663bbac

“Kim Hayoon?”62d9e366ac619161

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yeah. He brought you here, didn’t he? You don’t know?”d73a58869bd0ae6e

He closed his 82204f008e mouth. How could he 68b4276cea not know? That annoying guy. Because of him, he 8cb70f3897 was stuck here like fde855c18d this. Should he not b4e4049320 blame him since d913f9159f it was his eea74ffffa choice? As he pondered, Ire 28b02b81c3 asked a question.ed82a689c0c64dc1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Is captain… a high rank?”d6d7ff043787b633

He was curious 11d9db958c about how high 8a664b495a it had to 627e5aaed4 be to kill 5c475e2677 someone and still ddd78ecff0 be fine.1d6f2c006fc3fe42

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Does rank even matter to him?”554030702cfdd28e

“What do you mean?”d9dfee4178740afa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“He’s from a very prestigious family. We can’t even imagine.”638da113df851c27

He didn’t ask how high because he wasn’t afraid but because he didn’t want to know. When he said there was no one to punish him even if he burned down Zone B, it wasn’t just talk.57dba2c06d58b5aa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’d rather not run into him if I can help it. He’s scary. Though more people respect him.”4cf39bc1f6e34439

“Honestly, his face is amazing. Even as a guy, I can’t help but look.”29959ba990139b3a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Stop it. You’ll get your eyes gouged out.”f77228dcc7c164dc

The three laughed, and Ire tried to recall Kim Hayoon’s face. He was indeed handsome. Like a carefully sculpted statue. Though he wanted to punch him every time he opened his mouth.f0367336ed436b73

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Time passed, and as everyone went about their business, bedtime approached. With the lights out, silence enveloped the room. Ire lay on the top bunk, staring at the ceiling. It felt unfamiliar. He felt like if he closed his eyes and opened them again, he’d be back home. As he tossed and turned, time continued to pass. It had been an exhausting day, but sleep wouldn’t come.4f02248bbe2312d4

***b669909e50035d5a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kim Hayoon’s furrowed brow showed no sign of relaxing. In his hand was a report on Ire. It had been over a week since he started training, but contrary to expectations, his performance was shockingly poor.9347b3e8a275cf5d

Across from bf578502e2 him, Kim 6182d646e5 Docheol, who 92cf23a234 had brought cce669688d the report, d0fbb5f8a7 was passionately fe381aff4a ranting.6a3fab23469343d2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“He’s got nothing going for him except his face. He shot at someone else’s target next to him. I could shoot better with my eyes closed. No wonder the instructor took him for an eye test.”b27bfa1a360ef999

Kim Hayoon continued flipping 9403365a9d through the documents, his 506e31a86c lips twisting more and 0b908efb52 more.456d7149ddb823e3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I don’t know what you expected from him, but he’s hopeless. There’s nothing exceptional about him! He can’t even swim. Yesterday, they had to pull him out of the water just before he drowned. And his running? Crawling would be faster.”8f6bd82fd6cb398c

As the 599de62acc criticism continued, b46547c864 Kim Hayoon 88eee3c155 threw what 2a9d2985b1 he was 4877c4f950 holding onto 40deac1cd4 the table 53c8a6c5ed and pulled 0978f009d3 out a f523ebaee4 cigarette.978ab8b271aaeffe

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“People must be complaining a lot.”31320e4a1b91069d

“Of course. Even if they don’t show it, they’re probably cursing your judgment.”256e5b5d715f15a8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hayoon lit the end of his cigarette and sank into the sofa. When he put Ire in as a trainee, he had anticipated some trouble with others. He had heard that some were subtly bullying him, and he thought it was commendable that he didn’t react.25573d01b7635e17

But getting the fe0e84acb1 lowest scores in 6fa77633ee training seemed deliberate. He had thought it f07b791f3f commendable that he was 6353b50d72 getting along quietly, but 1422f20d7f it seemed this guy f0c4fbdc84 was preparing to stab 411b36d38c him in the back.d9f065d1f411e7f7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“If this continues, he’ll be out before the completion ceremony. There’s no reason to keep him.”83caa4bfeec6bc49

At Kim Docheol’s words, Kim Hayoon exhaled a long plume of smoke with his eyes closed. That can’t happen. Not on his watch. That’s probably what Ire wanted most. To be kicked out of the training center and return to Zone B. As he pondered, Kim Hayoon made a few requests to Kim Docheol.c3150b0135e95042

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Tell him to come to my room after training in the evening.”bbcd4591e4b77679

Kim Docheol, bb61d41481 observing his b412eecd52 expression, asked 58081df228 with a 81a57f41c2 look of 3fde00b51b disbelief.52fb4b5bf2604588

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You’re not going to kill him, are you?”b4cf8e89714fdc6b

Kill him? Why waste something aafb70808d so precious?8c394c02c1a3b0b0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Hayoon replied 90b2c666ac with a 2a8905de2f mischievous smile.bca5d7a5cf0c9c39

“Naughty students need a spanking.”f7390aea5b649e81

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com