Two days later, "Brigadier General William Stryker!"
"From today onwards, you are another newly appointed General in America!"
"Having joined the ranks of Generals, you must make even greater contributions to the Military and to America!"
In a hall at The Pentagon, a certain General...
...after the company's takeover, gave...
...a Military bigwig who supported the company presided over William Stryker's promotion ceremony.
"Yes!"
"I guarantee that this moment is arguably the most glorious in William Stryker's life.
William Stryker never dreamed that he would be promoted to Brigadier General just two years after becoming a Colonel. Although it had the prefix 'Brigadier,' he was still a General in America, a big shot who was recognized both in the Military and at The Pentagon. He was no longer that... seemingly impressive but easily disposable trash Colonel from before...
After the investiture ceremony, the crowd quickly dispersed. Even the General who supported him encouraged William Stryker with a few words before also leaving quickly.
He was just a Brigadier General. Although he was on the list at The Pentagon, that rank was still not highly regarded there.
If it weren't for the fact that this time...
...the company had invited this General, who held significant sway in both the Military and The Pentagon, to appear, William Stryker's promotion probably wouldn't have been widely known. At most... it would just show up as an additional General when checking the internal network.
But for William Stryker, this was completely different!
One could even say that William Stryker hadn't even considered the possibility of being promoted again so quickly.
According to William Stryker's own estimation, his position probably wouldn't have seen any major changes for another five or six years.
But today's promotion completely shattered his perception.
Of course, after the General spoke with him for a bit, William Stryker also learned who was behind his promotion this time...
"Hey."
"William."
"Isn't your patron the Military?"
"How did you get involved with the company?"
Thaddeus General Ross, also an Air Force Brigadier General at the time, walked over to William Stryker, who was still excited, and asked him in a low voice.
Before Bruce Banner became the Hulk, or rather, before there was a clear objective, General Ross was still relatively restrained in his actions.
Of course, it might also have a lot to do with the fact that he was only a Brigadier General at the time, and not yet the Air Force Lieutenant General he would become after the Hulk appeared...
"General."
"Don't joke."
"If he was willing to support me, why would I have been transferred to the Army?"
"If it weren't for the fact that he owed a favor to an elder in my family and had to promote me, he'd wish I'd die out there!"
Although they weren't in the same faction, William Stryker and General Ross's relationship wasn't bad. While they couldn't be called good friends, they were more than just acquaintances.
"What?"
"The General isn't...?"
General Ross was a bit surprised. He truly didn't know about this, otherwise he wouldn't have wondered why it was another, more powerful General who promoted William to Brigadier General.
In America, there's an eternal pecking order: first the Navy, second the Air Force, third the Army, and fourth the Marine.
What's more, William Stryker, in fact, had climbed his way up from the Marine.
Who the hell would promote their own people by throwing them into the Marine? If William Stryker hadn't been so resilient, his grave's grass would have grown to who knows what height.
"Then you truly are a lucky fellow."
"To be favored by a General, your future will truly be smooth sailing!"
General Ross knew very well the General's standing in the Military. As long as the General was around, William Stryker could at least safely reach the rank of Lieutenant General.
"No!"
"It's not the General this time."
William Stryker shook his head, denying it.
"Huh?"
"Then who is it?"
"Who could possibly move the General?"
This time, General Ross was truly shocked. Who had such influence to get the General to appear and confer the rank on this lucky fellow, William Stryker...
"The company!"
William Stryker glanced at General Ross, thought for a moment, and then spoke.
This matter itself wasn't a secret; anyone with a mind to could inquire about it, so William Stryker didn't hide it.
"Hmm?"
"How can that be?"
"Don't they know you have connections with Blackwater?"
Upon hearing this, General Ross was stunned, and then looked at William Stryker, who was grimacing wryly, with a strange expression...
No one from the America Marine didn't have some connection with Blackwater, and William Stryker was no exception.
In fact, William Stryker's relationship with Blackwater was even closer.
After all, sending his own subordinates to capture Mutants every time wasn't ideal.
But with Blackwater, it was simply too convenient.
And William Stryker's wry smile was naturally due to this.
He had been too surprised earlier to react, but now, thinking back to who had supported him...
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