144: Chapter 144: Can't keep up the act anymore, so they start putting on airs?

"Teacher Liu, y-you… you didn't make a mistake, did you?" the boy with glasses asked, stuttering. "A Major? Isn't that a field-grade officer?"

"Yeah!" another classmate added, face full of shock. "My cousin has been in the military for eight years, and he's only a Captain right now!"

"Su Han has only been in the military for ten months! How could he possibly be a Major?"

Everyone's eyes focused on Su Han once again, filled with shock, confusion, and disbelief.

Zhao Xiaodao looked as if he had been hit with a paralyzing spell, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

He turned his head abruptly to look at Su Han, eyes wide as saucers: "Old Su… you… you're really a Major?"

"When you told me last time that you got an exceptional promotion… I thought you were joking with me!"

"Holy crap! You actually managed to become an officer? And a Major at that?!"

He was so excited he was incoherent, grabbing Su Han's arm: "You're such a jerk! How could you keep such a big thing from me!"

Su Han patted his hand helplessly: "I just got lucky and made some contributions, that's all."

"You can become a Major just by getting lucky?" Zhao Xiaodao rolled his eyes. "Do you think I haven't watched military dramas? A Major is a battalion-level officer!"

The atmosphere in the Private room completely erupted, and the classmates started chatting noisily:

"My god, our class actually produced a Major!"

"That's insane! Going from a recruit to a Major in ten months, what kind of god-tier move is this?"

"No wonder Su Han was so calm just now; he really has the confidence to back it up!"

Lin Ruoxue's gaze towards Su Han also changed; beyond the shock, there was more admiration.

She recalled the firmness in Su Han's voice when he said "It's my duty," and the faint scars visible at his collar. She suddenly felt that the man before her was full of mystery.

Only Chen Hao's expression was ugly to the extreme, as if he had swallowed a fly.

He stared fixedly at Su Han, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world: "Impossible! That's absolutely impossible!"

"Teacher Wang, you must have made a mistake!"

"He has only been in the military for ten months. Even if you start from Private, you can only be promoted to Private First Class in a year at most. How could he skip the non-commissioned officer ranks and become an officer directly? And a Major at that?"

He knew a little bit about the military promotion system, and this was simply a fairy tale!

"I think Teacher Liu must have misread it!"

Chen Hao suddenly seemed to think of something, his tone becoming sharp: "Maybe he just got a fake uniform and forged a Major identity just to show off for his sister at school!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Private room instantly fell silent.

Forging an officer's identity is a serious crime; Chen Hao's words were undoubtedly pushing Su Han into a pit of fire.

"Chen Hao! What are you talking nonsense for!" Zhao Xiaodao was furious and stood up abruptly. "Just because you don't have any ability yourself, you can't stand seeing others do well, right?"

"I'm talking nonsense?" Chen Hao stiffened his neck, though his eyes flickered. "Then make him take out his officer's ID and let us see!"

"Dare you?" He stared at Su Han, his tone full of provocation. "If he can't take it out, that proves what I said is true!"

The air in the Private room seemed to freeze.

Chen Hao's questioning was like a knife hanging over everyone's heads. All eyes focused on Su Han, waiting for his response.

Su Han's expression was calm; his fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, making a faint "tap-tap" sound.

"I really don't have my officer's ID on me," he said indifferently.

Chen Hao's eyes lit up, as if he had caught a handle on him, and he immediately raised his voice: "See! I knew he was a fake! He can't even take out an officer's ID!"

"Chen Hao!" Teacher Liu frowned and scolded. "What kind of attitude is this? Su Han is a child I watched grow up; how could he do such a thing?"

Teacher Wang also pushed up his reading glasses, his tone serious: "Xiao Chen, you can't speak recklessly. Forging an officer's identity is illegal. Su Han is a soldier; it's even more impossible for him to knowingly break the law."

"Teachers, you are too naive!" Chen Hao sneered. "What kind of people aren't there in society now? For the sake of face, what wouldn't they do?"

He turned to Su Han with a provocative look: "If you really didn't bring your officer's ID, you must have a photo of it on your phone, right? Something as important as an officer's ID, a normal person would take a photo of it for backup."

Su Han frowned slightly.

He did indeed have a photo of his officer's ID, but it was an internal military document involving unit numbers and classified information, not suitable for display in a public setting.

Seeing Su Han silent, Chen Hao became even more smug: "What? You don't even have a photo? And you still dare to call yourself a Major?"

"Chen Hao! That's enough!" Zhao Xiaodao slammed the table and stood up. "What kind of person Old Su is, don't we old classmates know? Would he lie for just this little bit of face?"

"That's hard to say." Chen Hao said sarcastically. "Some people just love to pretend. Just honestly admit you're an ordinary soldier; why brag about being some Major? Isn't this just humiliating yourself?"

Lin Ruoxue pursed her lips and spoke softly: "Chen Hao, I don't think Su Han is that kind of person. When he admitted he was a firefighting hero just now, his attitude was very calm."

"Ruoxue, you're just too kind." Chen Hao shook his head. "A person who lies like this isn't worth you speaking up for him."

He took out his phone and swiped quickly: "Look, it says online that military promotions have strict regulations. How can a recruit who has only been in the military for ten months be promoted directly to Major? This simply doesn't make sense!"

The atmosphere in the Private room became subtle.

Although most classmates still trusted Su Han, Chen Hao's words did indeed arouse some people's doubts.

"Su Han, why don't you call the military to prove it?" someone suggested in a low voice.

"Yeah, or find your superior officer to help explain."

Su Han shook his head: "No need."

He looked at Chen Hao, his calm eyes carrying a trace of coldness: "Whether you believe it or not, it really doesn't matter to me."

"Ha! Feeling guilty now?" Chen Hao sneered. "Can't keep up the act, so you're starting to put on airs?"