Lin Ming crossed the extraction point finish line without a single scratch on him, the glowing briefcase in hand. The simulation around him dissolved, replaced by the grey metal walls of the debriefing chamber. The main door hissed open, and he stepped back into the observation room.
The atmosphere was thick with tension. Trinh Tuan's father was red in the face, looking like he was about to have a stroke.
Instructor Long looked conflicted, his face a mix of disappointment in his chosen candidate and grudging respect for Lin Ming's unorthodox victory.
Agent Hien maintained her professional poker face, but a small twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her amusement.
And then there was Quynh Nhu. She was giving him a slow, deliberate clap, a wide, mischievous grin on her face. "Bravo, Scrawny. Bravo. Turning your opponent into drone bait was a new one. Very creative."
Moments later, a furious Trinh Tuan stormed into the room, his expensive gear scuffed and his face a mask of pure humiliation. The simulation had ended for him after he was buried under a pile of drones and repeatedly stunned into oblivion.
"YOU CHEATED!" he screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Lin Ming. "That wasn't skill! It was a dirty trick!"
Lin Ming raised an eyebrow. "The objective was to retrieve the package and extract. I did. The objective was to deal with drone opposition. You became part of my drone-dealing strategy. It seems perfectly efficient to me."
"Why you little—" Trinh Tuan lunged at him.
Before he could take two steps, Agent Hien moved with surprising speed, stepping between them. "That's enough, Mr. Trinh. The assessment is over. The results are clear." She turned her cold gaze on Instructor Long. "The Dragon's Fang unit values intelligence and adaptability above all else. Lin Ming has demonstrated both. Trinh Tuan has demonstrated that expensive gear cannot compensate for poor tactical decisions."
The statement was a clear and public rebuke. Trinh Tuan's father sputtered, "This is an outrage! My contributions to—"
"Your contributions have been noted, sir," Agent Hien cut him off coolly. "As has your son's performance." The unspoken threat was clear: cause a scene, and your cushy relationship with the military might be re-evaluated. The portly man snapped his mouth shut, his face turning a shade of purple.
Agent Hien then turned to Lin Ming. "Congratulations. You have passed the initial assessment. A formal admission offer will be forwarded to you. We recommend you accept." There was a weight to her words. This wasn't just a school program anymore; it was an invitation from ASEAN's military elite, monitored by Blacklight.
[Mission Complete: The Spoiled Brat's Beatdown!]
[All Objectives Met!]
[Reward: 2000 Battle Will Points!]
[New Title Unlocked: Face-Slapping Expert (Increases point yield from humiliating arrogant opponents by 10%).]
[System Analysis: A flawless performance. The system is currently composing a ballad in your honor. It's called 'The Ballad of the Trash Can Turtle'.]
Lin Ming checked his stats. He now had 2510 Battle Will Points. The 4000 needed for the High Stage was suddenly much closer. This had been incredibly profitable.
As the disgraced Trinhs were ushered out, muttering threats, Quynh Nhu sauntered over to Lin Ming. She poked him in the chest with her lollipop stick.
"Not bad, Scrawny. You're less boring than I thought," she admitted. "But don't get a big head. You pass one little test. The real world is a lot meaner."
"I'll keep that in mind," Lin Ming said, unfazed by her pointy-stick-poking.
"Good. Here," she said, pushing a small data card into his hand. "My comms ID. If you decide not to be an idiot and actually join the program, you might need someone who knows what they're doing to keep you from getting killed. Call me."
Before he could reply, she turned and strutted away, her pink pigtails bouncing. "Come on, Hien, let's go! I'm starving. This 'face-slapping' show was great, but it doesn't fill the stomach!"
Lin Ming looked at the card in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips. He had passed the test, gained a mountain of points, earned a new title, humiliated a rival, and somehow acquired the contact information of a high-strung loli sniper. It had been a very productive day.
He was escorted home, with a formal notice that his performance records had been sealed under a Class-B security level. His life was about to change drastically.
The next day at school, the news of his victory hadn't spread yet, thanks to Blacklight's secrecy. Things were quiet. During the lunch break, he was sitting alone, mentally calculating how many more arrogant young masters he needed to beat up to reach the next stage, when someone approached his table.
"Is this seat taken?"
Lin Ming looked up. It was Su Quyen. His heart did a familiar lurch. She was holding a tray with a simple lunch, her beautiful face holding a hint of nervousness and a great deal of curiosity.
"No, it's free," he managed to say, trying to keep his voice even.
She sat down opposite him. The small table suddenly felt very crowded.
"I... I wanted to congratulate you on winning the championship," she said softly. "Your final match against Pham Tuan was incredible."
"Thank you," he said. "He was a strong opponent."
There was an awkward silence. She fiddled with her chopsticks. "You're not like what everyone says you are," she blurted out.
"What do they say I am?" Lin Ming asked, genuinely curious.
"Well... before, they said you were just a quiet kid from the slums. After you beat Khang, they said you were scary. But watching you... you're very calm. And... clever." She looked up, her clear eyes meeting his. "When you whispered to me that day... what did you mean?"
He was trapped. He couldn't tell her the truth of his past life. He couldn't tell her of the deep, aching regret he felt over failing to protect her.
So he opted for a half-truth, wrapped in sincerity. "My family... we're from the outer district. We've seen our share of trouble. I've learned that you have to be strong to protect the things you care about. When I look at you, I see someone kind and brilliant, someone who the world desperately needs. That's a precious thing. Something worth protecting."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. The answer was both intense and strangely chivalrous. It was nothing like she expected.
"I... I don't need protecting," she stammered, though her voice lacked conviction.
"Everyone needs protecting sometimes," he said gently. "I've heard you're the top student inxenobiology, that you know more about the Madakaros than most teachers. Is that true?"
Her eyes lit up. This was her passion. "Yes! Their biology, their cultivation methods based on our planet's resources... it's all fascinating. Their reliance on petroleum is a huge strategic weakness, but no one seems to be taking advantage of it. Our tech is focused on armor and weapons, not on crippling their energy source. If we could just—"
She stopped herself, realizing she was rambling excitedly to a boy she barely knew.
Lin Ming smiled warmly. "I'd like to hear more. About all of it. If you'd be willing to share."
In his past life, Su Quyen's research had been instrumental in developing strategies that prolonged humanity's survival. Her genius was a weapon. But she was always just a researcher, kept far from the front lines and from people with real power. This time, he would be her partner. He would be the power that could turn her brilliant ideas into reality.
A brilliant smile, the one he had missed for so long, bloomed on her face. "Really? You're interested?"
"Absolutely," he said.
This was the beginning. Not a repeat of his old life, but a new chapter entirely. A partnership forged not in shared tragedy, but in shared purpose.