Chapter 624

The cameras pivoted toward Janet, who offered a subtle, professional nod.

For the first half of the interview, Janet and Mason handled the barrage of questions with seamless coordination. They were perfectly in sync, answering every query about the rigors of military life without a single slip-up.

In the audience, the trainee instructor stood beside the chief commander, looking utterly perplexed. He couldn't wrap his head around why a powerful figure from the Lowry family would personally intervene in a recruitment video.

"Chief," the instructor whispered quizzically, "what exactly did you say to Mr. Lowry to get him here?"

The commander remained silent for a long moment before letting out a heavy, defeated sigh. "Nothing. I said nothing at all."

This year, the base had finally produced a record-breaking student. For the commander, appearing in the recruitment video alongside Janet would have been the pinnacle of his career and a massive publicity boost for the base. Unfortunately, he had been arrogant and lost a bet he never should have made.

He was drowning in regret for failing to recognize Janet’s true potential, and he couldn't help but wonder how Mason had seen it so clearly from the start. He could only blame his own lack of foresight for failing to identify a true master when she was standing right in front of him.

On stage, the conversation was flowing smoothly until a reporter suddenly spoke up, shifting the tone. "Miss Jackson, I have a personal question."

Janet raised an eyebrow, her voice light but guarded. "Yes?"

The reporter offered a faint, shark-like smile. "Would you like to address the defamatory posts currently circulating on the Woodsbury University online forum?"

Janet’s eyes narrowed instantly, an icy glint flashing within them. She didn't need the details; she knew exactly what he was referring to—the leaked videos and photos of her high school fights.

Beside her, Mason’s face turned grim. He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the reporter with a chilling intensity. "Please restrict your questions to the topic of military training," he commanded, his voice like cracking ice.

Mason had already spent the morning investigating the matter. He knew a group was deliberately coordinated to smear Janet’s reputation. He had planned to have Sean dismantle the operation the moment the interview was over, but he hadn't expected a reporter to be bold enough—or bought enough—to bring it up here.

To everyone’s surprise, Janet didn't shrink away. Instead, she stepped forward and snatched the microphone from the reporter’s hand, offering a sharp, knowing smile to the cameras.

Mason was taken aback, but he didn't stop her. He knew Janet well enough to know she was about to take control of the narrative.

The chief commander panicked. "What is she doing? Someone stop her!"

With the microphone firmly in hand, Janet stepped toward the reporter and faced the lens directly. Her posture shifted; she was no longer standing with military rigidity. Instead, she slouched slightly, leaning into a more relaxed, nonchalant stance.

She looked at the crowd through hooded, sluggish eyes as the morning light caught the sharp angles of her face. Even in a formal uniform, she exuded an undeniable sense of delinquency—a raw, untamed energy that set her apart. Her eyes were a dangerous mix of mischief and coldness.

The reporter actually caught his breath, physically recoiling from the frigid intensity of her gaze. This girl’s aura is terrifying, he thought.

The cameras zoomed in, focusing entirely on Janet as Mason tactfully stepped out of the frame to give her the stage. The chief commander rushed over to him, his voice trembling. "Mr. Lowry, what is going on? We have to cut the feed!"

Mason didn't look at him. He simply rubbed his temples and cast a dark, glowering look at the commander. He has the nerve to ask what’s wrong? Weren't these the reporters HE invited?

Suddenly, Janet’s cold voice rang out, resonating through every corner of the training camp.

"Since you brought it up, I might as well address it," she said, a faint, mocking smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

The crowd fell into a deathly silence. Mason frowned, his eyes filled with a rare flash of concern.

Slowly and deliberately, Janet spoke. "What did that post say? That I bullied two girls? That one of them was so humiliated she had to drop out of school?"

She paused, letting the words hang in the air. Then, she let out a low, brazen chuckle that sent shivers down the spines of those watching.

"I have to ask," she said, her tone dripping with defiance. "Who was your source? Because they were actually quite accurate."