Chapter 138 Choosing Teammates
The kids at the base heard a lot of gossip about the upcoming competition between Evelyn and Jerry.
In their eyes, Evelyn was like a towering figure; not only could she shine in different areas, but she also stayed calm when facing problems and always managed to lead them out of trouble time and time again.
They didn't think Evelyn would lose at all, and they were really angry about those ridiculous comments.
"This is just too much! Who do they think they are to understand Mommy so well? How dare they say Mommy is biting off more than she can chew!"
John stomped his feet in anger, his little face turning red as he defended Evelyn.
"Dad and Mommy were right, they're just biased against Mommy," James was a bit calmer, though he was equally upset inside. "Mommy's command ability is clearly better than Mr. Nelson's. If Mr. Nelson hadn't sabotaged things in the middle of the mission, the supply transport wouldn't have been delayed."
"And then he blamed it all on Mommy, that's just ridiculous!"
The kids sat together in a circle, all fuming for Evelyn.
When Evelyn pushed open the dorm door and walked in, she saw them sitting there with unhappy faces, looking like they'd been wronged.
"What's wrong? Why does everyone look so upset?"
She asked with a smile. The kids immediately stood up, ran to her side, and poured out their complaints.
Realizing they were upset on her behalf, Evelyn couldn't help but smile as she pulled them into her arms.
"I understand how you feel. I also think it's unfair that they're biased against me, but it's okay. I will use my strength to show them just how stupid their ideas are."
Actions speak louder than words, especially when dealing with these rigid, self-righteous men.
Reality would slap them hard in the face and make them realize how completely wrong they were.
Hearing Evelyn's words, the kids felt a bit more at ease and cheered her on. "Mommy, you can definitely do it! We believe in you!"
"That's right, teach them a lesson! Why should they look down on girls!"
Evelyn smiled and patted their heads, then made a pinky promise with them. "Okay, I definitely won't let you down!"
The night before the competition, both sides' team rosters would be publicly announced.
Everyone rushed to the hall, waiting with anticipation, curious about how they would choose their teammates.
According to the rules, Evelyn and Jerry each needed to select five team members. Jerry naturally chose several people from the base who were close to him and had strong abilities.
Evelyn browsed through the candidate list, carefully and seriously selecting four members with balanced physical fitness and technical skills. But when choosing the last spot, she hesitated for a moment.
Her criteria for selecting team members were actually quite simple - they didn't need to be super strong, but they had to have solid skills in at least one area.
Each person on the team would complement the others, balancing out every task.
Evelyn didn't want to be criticized for using personal feelings, but after thinking for a while, she still said, "For the last team member, I want to choose Arthur."
The room erupted in surprise. Everyone was shocked by her decision and started whispering to each other.
Jerry even let out a cold laugh, crossing his arms and mocking: "Evelyn, this is a base, not a place for your romance."
"Taking your husband along on missions, you really are going to stick to your idealism to the end, aren't you?"
His mockery made everyone present laugh, but Evelyn didn't get angry. Instead, she looked up and responded calmly. "I just don't trust you guys to take care of him. Why don't you take him? But don't say I didn't warn you, he's sickly and gets out of breath after just a few steps."
Arthur raised his eyebrows and pointed at himself, cooperatively coughing twice, and said with a smile, "Indeed, the doctor said I can't do intense exercise."
The room burst into suppressed laughter, and Jerry's expression instantly darkened.
He couldn't choose Arthur as a team member, because he couldn't stake his win or loss on someone he didn't understand.
Besides, Arthur and Evelyn were married. Putting him on his own team would be like planting a bomb inside it.
Jerry's cold gaze turned toward Evelyn's team and met the eyes of the man standing behind her.
His name was Raymond Evans, an old friend of his. The two had once been very close at the base, but later they grew apart because they couldn't see eye to eye.
Raymond turned his head and continued packing his equipment, but when no one was looking, a flash of coldness crossed his eyes.
Arthur thus joined Evelyn's team, and Evelyn immediately held a small meeting to share her thoughts with the team members.
"My goal for this mission is very clear: to win. But that doesn't mean I'll do whatever it takes to win."
She smiled openly, holding nothing back. "I hope everyone can cooperate and trust one another. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we'll solve them together. Please don't let setbacks cause internal conflicts, and I hope we can complete the mission smoothly and safely!"
Everyone applauded, agreeing with her view.
Those who joined her team naturally didn't support Jerry's theories either, and they also wanted to use the results to shut Jerry up.
After the meeting, Arthur helped Evelyn pack equipment and couldn't help teasing with a smile. "Am I really that useless? You made me sound completely worthless. They probably won't take me on missions anymore."
Evelyn laughed out loud and replied while working efficiently, "You actually believe that? I was just fooling them. Otherwise, how would they agree to let you be on my team without being super cautious?"
She had carefully considered choosing Arthur. It wasn't a hasty decision based on their relationship.
A team needs reliable teammates to function, and Arthur's abilities and principles aligned with hers. With Arthur there, she could feel much more at ease.
"That's good then," Arthur smiled and put his arm around Evelyn's waist. "I won't let you down either."
"Alright, stop being so lovey-dovey. The mission is about to start, and we need to keep our distance. Otherwise, if the other team members see us, what would that look like?"
Evelyn smiled and pushed his hand away, then glanced at Theodore and the four kids standing not far away, becoming even more determined. "We can only win this time, not lose. Arthur, we don't have a second option!"
"Of course," Arthur also showed a determined expression.