Even though what the examinees said was pretty over-the-top, it was full of genuine feeling. And more importantly, Lin Xiaohe loved hearing it!
What can she say? She’s just that kind of pure, unpretentious, upright girl who likes being praised, okay?
Since her classmates were asking so nicely, Lin Xiaohe felt it was her duty to help. She turned around, raised her arm, and just started blasting away.
The 73rd Division avoided her like she was the plague.
There was really no need for that. It was just Johnson, after all. It wasn’t worth sacrificing so many Imperial soldiers’ lives.
Yuan ran the fastest. He stopped about 500 meters from Lin Xiaohe, controlled his mech to clasp its fists, and said, “Boss, we’ll remember your immense kindness forever!”
Yuan was still shaking from the scare. They had come all the way from the Third Star Ring to the Fourth Star Ring to show off in front of the top universities of the First and Second Star Rings, and they almost failed the exam.
So terrifying!
Lin Ye came in second, sliding straight into a kneeling position. “I couldn’t recognize Mount Tai right in front of me. I failed to see your incredible strength beneath your unassuming exterior. I’m convinced!”
Inside her mech, Lin Xiaohe was laughing maniacally, but her face showed a calm, breezy indifference. “We’re all classmates. No need for thanks. Just listen to me, and good grades will be yours.”
If they had cooperated like this from the start, would she have really needed to go on that desperate solo mission to rescue the president?
The examinees slowly trickled out of the capital city.
Some of them only dared to stay far away from Lin Xiaohe. Her power was just too overwhelming. Who would dare step forward unless she told them to?
The examinees from the Second Star Ring were naturally a bit arrogant, but they took the initiative to gather around her.
Gabriel said with a complicated expression, “Lin Xiaohe, you must have sacrificed a lot to save the president and us, right? Do you have enough energy and ammunition? Should we share some with us?”
Lin Xiaohe’s reflex was to pull out her payment QR code, but she was weighed down by the burden of being an idol now and felt too embarrassed to do it.
“No need. Just remember my sacrifice in your hearts, and that’ll be enough for me.”
But seriously, don’t forget!
Remember it as deeply as the Weasleys did, carve this gratitude into your hearts, and then turn that gratitude into a mountain of gifts and mercilessly shower them all over me!
Ten meters isn’t too short, a hundred meters isn’t too tall!
Inside his mech, Gabriel flashed a mysterious little smile. “Um, Mister President seems to be getting mech-sick. Should we put him down first?”
What?!
Johnson was dizzy and disoriented, not even sure what year it was.
Lin Xiaohe quickly put him down, handling him as gently as if he were a porcelain doll.
“Let me handle it. I’m a medic.” A female examinee from the Second Star Ring, carrying a medical kit, jumped out of her mech, took Johnson to an open area, and said, “He’s a bit oxygen deprived.”
The next second, the Second Star Ring examinees who had been crowding around Lin Xiaohe all simultaneously pulled out their shoulder cannons, aimed them at Lin Xiaohe, and fired!
Boom! Boom!
This all happened so fast that Yuan, Lin Ye, and the others didn’t even have time to process it.
Gabriel curled his lips triumphantly. “Lin Xiaohe, let this be the most important lesson I teach you. Never let your guard down until the very last second. [Nuwa] hasn’t officially ended the exam yet, but you are out!”
“You’re good, but you’re too arrogant, too confident. You lack the vigilance a good soldier should have. Goodbye, Lin Xiaohe!”
Gabriel started to turn away, but then he froze.
An expression of utter disbelief spread across his face.
The smoke cleared. The garishly colored mech stood as firm as a mountain. From inside came Lin Xiaohe’s complicated sigh.
“You Second Star Ring examinees are absolute dogs! Turning on me like that, biting the hand that feeds you, utterly despicable, shameless, stopping at nothing. You’ve really mastered the art of being scumbags.”
How was this possible?!
The Second Star Ring examinees looked as if they’d been struck by lightning, their eyes wide and mouths agape, their thoughts adrift in utter shock.
Gabriel’s brow suddenly stiffened, his gaze frozen. “Aren’t you out of energy?”
Lin Xiaohe scolded him, “Nonsense! I just said I made a big sacrifice. I never said I was broke. In your minds, am I really that shallow of a person?”
Shallow? As in, ‘shallow pockets’?
Were their Chinese classes taught by the PE teacher?
Gabriel wanted to make a sarcastic comment, but he didn’t dare move. The heroic feat of Lin Xiaohe destroying a warship with a single shot was still fresh in everyone’s minds.
“Lin Xiaohe, we’re all Federation examinees. After we graduate from military academy, we might even become comrades-in-arms. Leave a line today, and we’ll meet again tomorrow.”
“Ridiculous! Your actions are unworthy of being called Federation soldiers! In the name of the President, I hereby revoke your military status. Attacking a hero of the Federation from behind is an act of betrayal against the Federation!”
Johnson struggled to his feet, glared at the Second Star Ring examinees, and said with a fiery hatred of evil, “In the name of the Supreme Military Commander, I exercise my prerogative to convict you of treason. Sentence: immediate execution!”
The President’s voice was filled with grief and indignation, and it sounded quite imposing. But the Second Star Ring examinees didn’t give him an ounce of respect.
He was just a captured, useless, lone NPC, that’s all.
Treason? Hilarious.
But the next second, the examinees couldn’t laugh anymore.
One by one, ships flew in from the sky. Their black hulls absorbed light like black holes, with only the Federation flag pattern shining brightly.
As Johnson’s words “immediate execution” faded away, the turrets on the ships emitted beams of blue light.
Every single examinee who had just attacked Lin Xiaohe was hit, sent to meet [Nuwa] ahead of time.
This time, the one who was absolutely shocked was Lin Xiaohe.
Her eyes were wide as saucers, her mouth hanging open.
A dead silence fell over the scene.
Johnson walked with difficulty over to Lin Xiaohe, his eyes full of admiration. “Captain Lin, thank you for your hard work. The Federation will never wrong any of its heroes. We will remember your dedication and contributions.”
“Huh? Oh, no… don’t mention it.” Lin Xiaohe’s feelings were complicated.
What a guy, this Johnson. He’d just become the coolest kid on the block.
So annoying!
Johnson stood in front of the mech, looking up, his light gray eyes reflecting the stars.
“Captain Lin, I remember you once said that you would defend your home to the death.”
Lin Xiaohe licked her lips. Her intuition told her this was a very important question.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to follow her heart and said firmly, “Yes, that’s right! Unless the enemy steps over my dead body, I will never allow them to run wild on the soil of my homeland!”
Johnson broke into a relieved smile and said cheerfully, “I knew it! I didn’t misjudge you!”
He then put away his smile and became serious.
“Captain Lin Xiaohe, you displayed unparalleled skill during the rescue operation. Your loyalty to your homeland and its citizens is as clear as the sun and moon. Your noble character shines as bright as gold.”
“Captain Lin, the Federation is in imminent danger. This planet is about to fall. Do you have the courage to shoulder the heavy responsibility of saving the Federation?!”
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes lit up. Here it comes, here it comes! The bonus question for the exam had finally appeared!
“Sir, yes, sir! I have the courage!”
Johnson’s voice rang out, almost covering the entire planet. “In the name of the President, I hereby confer upon Lin Xiaohe the rank of Major General, and place her in charge of the battle for this planet!”
