Chapter 141: Liam Davis’s Selection [Bonus - ]

Liam stood at the front of all the aspirants.

Beside him stood Captain Armstrong and Instructor James, while the enormous group of hunters who had participated in the Squad Selection stretched out before them.

But this time, the gazes were different.

Everyone was watching Liam.

Some looked at him with admiration.

Others with curiosity.

And some seemed to be trying to understand how someone who, just a few minutes ago, hadn’t been selected by any of the five sub-captains was now standing in front of all of them as the sixth sub-captain of the Ace of Spades.

Liam swallowed.

’This still feels like a dream.’

He glanced at Captain Armstrong.

"Captain, how many aspirants am I supposed to choose?"

Armstrong raised an eyebrow slightly.

"How many?"

"Yes. I don’t know if there’s a minimum or maximum number of members for each squad. I don’t even know how many hunters would normally make up a squad."

Captain Armstrong smiled.

"There are no limits."

"None?"

"None. You can select a single person or a hundred. It’s entirely up to you."

Liam’s eyes widened slightly.

"Can I even select someone who has already been chosen by another sub-captain?"

"Exactly."

Armstrong pointed toward the aspirants.

"In that case, the hunter will have the option to choose which squad they want to belong to."

Liam slowly nodded.

"I understand."

James chimed in.

"And you don’t have to worry too much about the number, Liam. After the Selection, we’ll send you reports on hunters who are already members of the guild and currently aren’t part of any squad."

"To me?"

"To your new office."

Liam froze.

"My... new office?"

"Of course."

"I’ll have an office too..."

James nodded as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"You’re a sub-captain now."

Liam began imagining everything that came with that.

An office, a squad, responsibilities, and probably...

’Will I get a fixed salary?’

His smile grew a little wider.

’How much does a sub-captain make?’

Maybe he could buy Mr. Banks’s apartment.

Maybe he could even stop worrying about money all the time.

’This keeps getting better.’

"Liam."

Captain Armstrong’s voice brought him back to reality.

"Yes?"

"Everyone is waiting."

Liam blinked and looked forward again.

"Right..."

He cleared his throat with a small cough and took the microphone.

"Before we begin... I’d like to thank you all."

The hangar fell silent.

"First, I want to thank Captain Armstrong for trusting me and giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank Instructor James, the other sub-captains, and all the hunters I had the opportunity to work with during these trials."

He paused briefly.

"And, especially, I want to thank my wife."

Liam turned his head.

Lydia was standing among the selected aspirants.

Upon hearing those words, her eyes widened slightly.

Liam smiled.

"She has been with me from the very beginning. She has helped me every step of the way, and no matter how difficult a situation was, she was always by my side."

Lydia smiled.

A small tear of happiness slowly rolled down her cheek.

She felt immensely proud of her husband.

"That’s why... my first choice is pretty simple."

Liam raised the microphone.

"Lydia Davis. I want you to be part of my squad."

Lydia placed a hand over her chest.

Then she smiled and nodded.

"It would be an honor, honey."

A murmur spread through the crowd.

Liam looked at the rest.

"During this Selection, I had the opportunity to work alongside some great hunters. I didn’t have the chance to meet everyone, but after seeing your results and performances, I have no doubt that many of you would make excellent members of any squad."

Liam began scanning the rows.

Until his gaze stopped on two people.

Jordan and Carol.

Both were standing among the aspirants who hadn’t been chosen by any of the five sub-captains.

Jordan still looked somewhat exhausted.

Carol, on the other hand, kept her gaze straight ahead.

Liam raised the microphone.

"Jordan. Carol."

Both raised their heads.

"If you’re willing... I want you to be part of my new squad."

Carol’s eyes widened.

Jordan’s did too.

Neither of them reacted immediately.

Then Carol hugged Jordan tightly.

"We made it!"

"Yeah!"

Jordan began laughing.

Carol did too.

Both looked toward Liam and nodded.

"We’d be proud to work under you again."

Carol said it.

"Yeah. It would be an honor."

Jordan added.

Liam smiled.

"I’m glad to hear that."

He continued scanning the rows.

And then his eyes met Chuck’s.

Chuck was already staring directly at him.

He had a huge smile on his face and was nodding.

As if he were clearly saying:

’Come on, Boss. Pick me.’

Liam let out a small laugh.

But then he looked toward Jane.

’Wait...’

Chuck had been selected by Jane.

’Would she mind?’

Liam hesitated for a few seconds.

However, he remembered everything they had been through together.

The dungeons, the trials, the battles, and all the times Chuck had trusted him.

’Well... we’ll see.’

Liam looked at Chuck again.

"Chuck."

"Yes, Boss?"

"Would you do me the favor of joining my squad?"

Chuck’s smile grew even wider.

"Of course, Boss."

Some of the aspirants laughed.

Liam smiled as well.

’Now it makes a lot more sense that he calls me Boss.’

Chuck gave him a thumbs-up.

"You won’t regret it."

"I know."

Liam continued.

Then he saw Emily.

The hunter was standing a few yards away.

She seemed to be hesitating.

Liam knew exactly why.

Emily had been chosen by Tim.

After all, that was one of the main reasons she had decided to join the Ace of Spades.

It was one of the first things she’d told him when they met.

’Maybe I should let her go.’

However...

He trusted her too.

They had fought together.

Emily had proven that she could work as part of a team and that she would never abandon her teammates.

’She’d make an excellent partner.’

Liam looked at her again.

Emily raised her eyebrows slightly.

But Liam hesitated and decided to look away.

"What’s wrong, Boss?"

Liam stopped.

Emily crossed her arms.

"Don’t you think I’d make a good subordinate?"

Several people began laughing.

Liam couldn’t help but smile.

"Of course you would."

Emily smiled.

"Then..."

"Emily Green. I want you to be part of my squad."

Emily raised a hand to her forehead, adopting a military stance.

"At your service, Boss!"

Liam burst out laughing.

"You don’t have to exaggerate."

"Yes, sir!"

"Emily..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Enough."

Emily began laughing.

Liam looked at the others again.

He glanced at the top of the ranking.

Maxwell.

Duncan.

Lilly.

Ruby.

Carl.

Robert.

Some of them would probably be willing to work with him.

But he didn’t know if they actually wanted to.

And there was one in particular that Liam immediately ruled out.

Robert Hanks.

’Definitely not that guy.’

He remembered Robert’s attitude during the trial.

He didn’t seem like someone interested in working under someone else’s orders.

Besides, he had already proven that he didn’t care much about teamwork.

Liam took a deep breath.

He had chosen five people.

Lydia.

Jordan.

Carol.

Chuck.

Emily.

For now, that was enough, so he lowered the microphone.

"That will be all."

◇◆◇

Captain Armstrong smiled.

"Quite an interesting selection, Liam."

Then he raised the microphone.

"Congratulations to all the aspirants selected by the new sub-captain."

The hangar erupted in applause.

Liam smiled as he listened to the cheers and congratulations.

Now came the next part.

The aspirants who had been selected by more than one sub-captain had to decide which squad they would belong to.

Liam walked over and took his place beside the other sub-captains.

For the first time, he was standing there as one of them.

Don Rouch was the first to approach.

"Congratulations, kid!"

Tim smiled as well.

"You deserve it."

Amber extended her hand.

"Congratulations, Liam."

Liam shook her hand.

"Thank you, Amber."

Then Wayne approached.

He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and offered it to him.

"You’re gonna need this to survive this job."

Liam looked at the cigarette.

Then he looked at Wayne.

"I’ll pass."

Wayne burst out laughing.

"I knew you’d say that."

They both laughed.

Finally, Jane approached.

For the first time, Liam could observe her up close as his new fellow sub-captain.

She extended her hand with a friendly smile.

"Jane Armstrong."

Liam shook her hand.

"Liam Davis."

Jane smiled.

"I hope you’ll make a good sub-captain."

Liam smiled back.

"I’ll do my best."

Jane nodded.

The six sub-captains stood in a line in front of all the aspirants.

Liam looked toward the enormous group of hunters.

His new life within the Ace of Spades had just begun.

And now...

All that remained was to find out who the new members of each squad would be.

Liam crossed his arms and waited.

The next decision was no longer in his hands.

Now it was their turn to choose.