On Gonggong Star, the Federal Army and the rebel forces were still locked in a fierce firefight within the Grand Canyon.
The heroic performance of the pink Beetle mecha was, for now, only circulating on Gonggong Star and hadn’t spread widely across the Fifth Star Ring.
The public only knew that the examinees had been saved by Lin Xiaohe. How exactly they were saved and whether there were any casualties remained a mystery.
However, they would find out soon enough.
A large group of reporters had already been camped out at the port, just waiting to get first-hand information.
The Fifth Star Ring College Entrance Examination Education Channel had even sent a live broadcast vehicle. As the transport ship’s arrival time at the port grew closer, the number of viewers in the live stream skyrocketed.
Everyone wanted to know: Were the examinees all right? How did they manage to escape?
The examinees’ parents, traveling in the buses provided by the Outlets Hotel, arrived in neat rows at the port entrance, joining the soldiers’ families who had been waiting there long before.
Their hearts pounded like startled deer as they stared intently at the port, desperately eager to see their children safe and sound, stepping onto solid ground.
Meanwhile, aboard the transport ship, everyone silently yielded the lead position to Lin Xiaohe.
Wesley had been mentally preparing for a long time. Only when the transport ship was about to land did he scurry over to Lin Xiaohe like a thief.
“Big shot, 500,000 star coins, deal or no deal?”
Lin Xiaohe raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”
Wesley struggled to get the words out: “How about letting me take the lead spot?”
The others glared at him.
Wesley’s eyes pleaded, looking like he might cry any second. “Big shot, let me explain. My mom will definitely come to the Fifth Star Ring to pick me up, and I really don’t want to get beaten up! The first person out of the transport ship will get the most public attention. With everyone watching, my mom should save me some face, right?”
What a pitiful reason.
Wesley was just a poor kid who didn’t want to get hit by his mom. What bad intentions could he possibly have?
It was absolutely not because Lin Xiaohe had been showing off and spending too recklessly, leaving her pockets empty, that she agreed to Wesley’s request without hesitation.
It was out of sympathy!
Lin Xiaohe agreed, but the others didn’t.
No one would object to Lin Xiaohe being the leader, but Wesley? What qualified him?!
Wesley, reading the room, quickly offered: “10,000 star coins each.”
The captain of Team C sneered coldly: “Hah!”
Wesley: “20,000 star coins!”
Ebol raised his hand. “Deal.”
Everyone added Lin Xiaohe to their contacts one by one, then obediently lined up.
The moment the transport ship’s door opened, a huge roar of cheers erupted from the port.
Countless camera lights flashed. Reporters trying to rush forward for interviews were held back by security, left to shout their names hoarsely.
After getting permission, the families sprinted towards the transport ship like crazy.
“Ebol!” A stylishly dressed middle-aged woman, running in high heels, led the charge.
She threw her arms around Ebol, sobbing uncontrollably: “My dear boy, Mama was wrong. I’ll never force you to take the military academy exam again. You like photography, so we’ll study photography.”
Ebol’s nose stung, and tears he couldn’t hold back streamed down his face. “Mom, I’m sorry for disappointing you. I’m not as strong and confident as I thought. I’m a coward.”
“No, no! You being alive is the greatest comfort you could give your father and me.”
Other relatives followed suit, finding their own loved ones.
“Aidusa.” The tall, burly team leader’s eyes flickered, afraid to look directly at the beautiful woman before him.
Aidusa chuckled softly. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“Huh? I, I…” The team leader’s face turned as red as a monkey’s bottom. He stammered for a long time but couldn’t utter a single word.
“Oh, honestly.” Aidusa stood on her tiptoes, hooked her arm around his neck, pulled him down, and pressed her lips tightly against his.
“You idiot! Open your mouth and breathe; you’re about to suffocate me.”
“O-okay, Aidusa.”
Beside them was a pair of boisterous brothers.
Kory clutched his head in agony, wailing, “What?! Little brother, you sold all my favorite models and figurines?! Aaargh, just let me die.”
“Hmph! Kory, I want you to taste how painful it is to lose someone you love,” the younger boy opposite Kory said fiercely, tears glistening in his eyes.
“This time I was just tricking you. If there’s a next time, I’ll really sell them all. Kory, for the sake of your figurines, you have to stay alive.”
Across from Kory and his brother stood a couple, eyes locked but not speaking a word.
“Honey, say something. Please, don’t be like this. You’re scaring me.” Barnett’s palms were slick with cold sweat, and his legs trembled.
“Hah, still calling me honey? Didn’t you tell me to take the kids and marry Rio?”
Barnett burst into tears. “Honey, I was wrong.”
“Hah, and you dared to hide private savings – a whole 570,000!”
Barnett dropped to his knees in a dramatic slide. “Honey, I was wrong. I was going to use that money to buy you a gift.”
“Hmph! Confiscated!”
People on the scene were either crying or laughing, scolding or hitting, and this touching scene was captured by cameras and broadcast to every corner of the Fifth Star Ring.
Wesley looked around but couldn’t spot his family. He hung his head dejectedly.
“Wesley!” Melina rushed over, finally laying eyes on her precious child.
“Mom!” Wesley’s face lit up with surprise and joy as he ran towards Melina.
They embraced, their hearts surging with emotion, unable to calm down for a long time.
After what felt like forever, Wesley whispered weakly in Melina’s ear, “Mom, I was the first one out of the transport ship.”
“Hmm? So?”
“So, you can’t hit me now, okay? It’ll get recorded by the reporters and damage your image as the Education Bureau Chief.”
Melina didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused. She deliberately put on a stern face and said in a low voice, “But you kept such a huge secret from me.”
Wesley was almost drowning in guilt. “I’m sorry, Mom. You love Dad so much, and you love Halder so much. I didn’t want you to be sad or upset.”
Melina’s eyes were red-rimmed as she gently rubbed Wesley’s back. “Silly child. Your father and I had an arranged marriage. He has lovers outside, and so do I.”
Huh?!
Wesley felt like his own self-sacrificing efforts had made him a complete fool.
Melina’s gaze turned icy, a decisive, ruthless smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “But if he thinks he can step on you and me to pave the way for Halder, well, we’ll just have to see if he can afford the price.”
Melina’s gaze softened instantly as it fell on Wesley’s shocked face. “Alright, Wesley, tell me, what did your father say to make you decide to come take the exam in the Fifth Star Ring?”
Wesley answered honestly: “He said it was that person’s wish. If I successfully stopped Lin Xiaohe, I’d get a chance to meet that person.”
Melina was speechless, choked with emotion. That kind of empty promise probably wouldn’t fool a ten-year-old. “Wesley, that person isn’t like you imagine…”
Melina struggled to find the right words, not wanting their mother-son relationship to be affected by talk of that person.
Wesley had always deeply admired that person, so much so that he couldn’t stand hearing a single bad word about him.
She thought Wesley would get angry.
But to her utter surprise, Wesley nodded vigorously and agreed, “You’re right, Mom. Lin Xiaohe is so good and so strong. For that person to target her is absolutely outrageous!”
Huh?!
Wesley’s eyes sparkled. “Mom, I hereby declare that from now on, my idol is Lin Xiaohe!”
Huh? Where is Lin Xiaohe?
Everyone at the scene wanted to express their gratitude to Lin Xiaohe, but Lin Xiaohe had vanished.
