Lin Xiaohe stood there, hoping to hear more about what they were planning. But those two men, like a couple of idiots, just kept laughing loudly and didn’t discuss anything substantial.
By the time their gaze shifted from the high balcony towards the elevator lobby, Lin Xiaohe had already taken the elevator up and left.
Time was tight. After settling her family and leaving a few messages on the Star Network for her apprentice, Dong Yuxuan, Lin Xiaohe headed to the military port to board a military transport ship bound for Makemake.
Makemake was what people in the Fifth Star Ring called the dwarf planet. It was small in volume, with only one satellite orbiting it.
Looking down at Makemake from space, it resembled a reddish-brown gem.
“Makemake is beautiful, isn’t it? Actually, the surface is freezing cold. It’s covered in a layer of ice about one centimeter thick. The temperature, over two hundred degrees below zero, isn’t suitable for any life form.”
Lin Xiaohe turned towards the voice. A boy with brownish hair and a few freckles on his face was smiling shyly at her.
He waved his hand like a beckoning cat. “Hi, I’m Abel. Are you also a candidate here for the practical assessment?”
He ran his hand through his hair in a slightly troubled gesture and muttered quietly, “There are a lot of strong candidates this time. If we’re allowed to form teams, want to team up?”
Lin Xiaohe’s gaze fell on the four boys and two girls not far from him. They nodded at her in a friendly manner.
Tsk tsk, so my aura of a strong person can’t be hidden anymore, huh?
You’ve got good eyes. This time, your big sister here will carry you to victory!
Lin Xiaohe nodded with restraint.
Makemake was indeed an extremely cold planet, just as Abel had said.
After the transport ship docked at the military port, everyone went through quarantine and identity verification before being allowed into the base.
As soon as the soldiers led them into a large hall, everyone heard a gruff voice cursing and complaining.
“Another bunch of whelps still wet behind the ears. I don’t care where they’re from, the Fourth Star Ring, Fifth Star Ring, or Sixth Star Ring, I refuse to babysit!”
He seemed to be on a video call with someone. After the other side said a few words, he flew into a rage.
“What?! You want to use Gonggong Star as the location for the practical assessment? Have the radiation during your space jumps fried your brains? If you’re sick, go get treated, and don’t drag us down with you.”
“It’s a military order? Military order my ass! Do I also have to send several squads to protect these little princes and princesses?”
“Young Master Weasley from the Fourth Star Ring is here too? My dear sir, if he wants to play house, you’ll have to find someone else to play with him. I’m very busy!”
“It’s an order from that person?!”
After a moment, a tall captain with a stern face, sharp eyes, and an aura of intense displeasure walked out of the room.
His piercing gaze swept over the crowd, pausing for a moment on Lin Xiaohe.
So, this was the troublemaker who forced him into babysitting duty.
“Everyone here?”
From the end of the corridor came the sound of neat, synchronized footsteps.
The young man leading the group had handsome features. A custom-made combat uniform fit him perfectly, highlighting his refined and extraordinary bearing. The subtle details, especially, gave him an air of innate nobility.
This kind of “more money than sense” vibe reminded Lin Xiaohe of Dong Yuxuan.
Following behind him was a group of arrogant youths, mostly from the Fourth Star Ring.
Trailing behind them like little tails were the candidates from the Fifth Star Ring.
Lin Xiaohe whispered to Abel, “You guys from the Fifth Star Ring really have no presence.”
‘You guys from the Fifth Star Ring’? Weren’t you one?
Just as Abel was about to ask, the fierce-looking captain interrupted impatiently, “Fall in! I’ll briefly explain your mission.”
“Our mission is to annihilate the main battalion of the Iron Meteor Raiding Group on Gonggong Star.”
Weasley raised an eyebrow. “The legendary, ever-victorious main battalion?”
The captain, who discriminated equally against all candidates, retorted, “In front of an officer, you need to learn to shut up. Weasley, deduct 5 points.”
Weasley didn’t care about the deducted points at all. Passing the assessment had never been his goal.
The captain didn’t want to hype up the enemy’s strength, but seeing the bewildered looks on the candidates’ faces, he had to warn them.
“Don’t think they’re just ordinary space pirates. In reality, the members of the main battalion are either military academy graduates or special forces soldiers from the regular army. They specialize in assassinations, sneak attacks, sabotage, poisoning, spreading rumors, intelligence theft, and fighting tough battles. Especially in close-quarters mech combat, many military academies have actually referenced their combat techniques.”
The captain had a headache.
Gonggong Star was located in a remote area of the Fifth Star Ring. The indigenous people there didn’t accept Federation rule. From the moment they were incorporated into Federation territory, they had never stopped rebelling.
This time, a large-scale uprising had broken out on Gonggong Star again, with various factions involved. The situation was very complex.
He really couldn’t understand why the assessment site had to be set on Gonggong Star!
The captain scowled. “The mission is tough. Form your own teams. I’ll assign tasks based on how you organize yourselves.”
Weasley curled his lips.
Without him saying a word, the students from the Fourth Star Ring efficiently divided themselves into teams, ten people per group, making a total of 15 groups.
The students from the Fifth Star Ring, experiencing this situation for the first time, naturally wanted to team up with people they knew.
Abel smiled and extended his hand towards Lin Xiaohe, just about to invite her to join his team when he heard the exaggerated jeers from the Fourth Star Ring students.
“Haha, see that? They’re actually trying to team up with a candidate from the Sixth Star Ring.”
A student said with mockery, “Don’t say that. Lin Xiaohe is a specially admitted student, after all! She has one, pfft, a pink Beetle mech.”
“Wow, her physique and mental strength must definitely be above 3S, right?”
“No, I’ve seen her academic file. Was it C or D? Can’t remember clearly. I’ve never seen such a poor physique.”
Abel’s eyes widened, his eyeballs practically popping out of their sockets. “You’re Lin Xiaohe?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
Abel instantly withdrew his hand.
The Sixth Star Ring had hyped Lin Xiaohe up a lot, but people in the Fifth Star Ring didn’t believe that a civilian student without mech training could single-handedly take on an Empire base.
It must be bragging!
The Sixth Star Ring was creating a star, trying to salvage their crumbling dignity.
“Hmm?” Lin Xiaohe’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of danger seeping out.
Like a scared little rabbit, Abel hopped back beside his own teammates, never mentioning inviting Lin Xiaohe to team up again.
The other Fifth Star Ring students also kept their distance from Lin Xiaohe.
Everyone was smart enough to see that the Fourth Star Ring students had some kind of issue with Lin Xiaohe.
No one was willing to cross over a hundred Fourth Star Ring students just for one Lin Xiaohe.
The captain watched the drama unfold with amusement. “Lin Xiaohe, you’ve been ostracized.”
Lin Xiaohe chuckled: “Reporting, sir. You may address me by my rank. I am Lieutenant Lin Xiaohe of the Special Reconnaissance Battalion, 5th Division, 6th Star Ring.”
“Oh? Second Lieutenant Lin, what do you plan to do? You don’t have a team.”
“The strong never fear solitude. In our Special Reconnaissance Battalion, operating solo as a one-person team is common.”
This round’s entry into the third round of PK was very fast. I received the SMS about entering the third round yesterday.
Nervous. Exciting.
