Lin Xiaohe managed to completely isolate herself from the Fourth and Fifth Ring examinees.
She didn’t exchange a single word with them until they rendezvoused with the special forces unit on Gonggong Star.
When the special forces team leader saw Lin Xiaohe’s pink Beetle mech, his stoic expression nearly cracked. “Is this… some kind of special camouflage coating?”
Wesley snorted. “She’s a civilian from the Sixth Ring. Where would she get special camouflage coating?”
The team leader’s vision darkened. “Then why paint it pink?”
Wesley sneered. “To look cute.”
The team leader pulled off his face mask, needing a deep breath to calm himself. “Lin Xiaohe, stow your mech and ride with your teammates.”
Wesley added dryly, “She’s pretty amazing, though. Wants to go it alone.”
Lin Xiaohe shot him a fierce glare. Does the team leader need your mouth running nonstop? Did he even ask you?!
The team leader turned and walked away. “Lin Xiaohe, your task is to stay put, maintain radio silence, and remain hidden. Everyone else, follow me.”
Wesley threw Lin Xiaohe a challenging look before piloting his mech to follow the team leader.
The others, after pointing and whispering about Lin Xiaohe, also departed.
Aber kept his head down the whole time, terrified that Lin Xiaohe might notice him.
Then, everyone was gone.
The exposed, reddish-brown earth was crisscrossed with gullies—some naturally formed, others scars left by battle.
On that vast, empty, silent plain, a single pink Beetle mech stood still, gazing up at the sky.
Lin Xiaohe once again embraced the solitude.
Her mind was still preoccupied with the dynamic display she’d seen in the conference room.
For some reason, she remained firmly convinced that the insurgent forces were luring the enemy in deep.
Ah, forget it. My words carry no weight. None of them believe my speculation.
Lin Xiaohe was incredibly bored.
She maneuvered her mech to dig a large pit, then started tunneling from the bottom of it.
The pink Beetle mech grunted and groaned as it burrowed, head down, working hard.
Inside the tunnel, it was pitch black.
Not wanting to waste energy, Lin Xiaohe turned off the searchlights and had her mech lie prone in the tunnel, motionless.
“Xin Bao, connect to the net.”
She couldn’t maintain true radio silence; Lin Xiaohe only knew how to lurk quietly.
Xin Bao felt like it was falling apart, its two little leaves drooping. [Wuwu, I’m so useless. I can’t connect to the net.]
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes dimmed slightly. The insurgents also have A-level firewalls? If so, are they really as helpless as they appear?
Her heart pounded wildly. She felt as if a massive net was closing in around her.
“Xin Bao, search for information on Gonggong Star’s Grand Canyon.”
Xin Bao perked up and projected the retrieved images onto the control screen.
This Grand Canyon: at its top sat a Federal military airfield; at its base, a Federal army base; to its left, a Federal air force base.
The nearest city, Salah, and the carrier battle group in space above it could provide support at any moment.
From every angle, the Grand Canyon seemed perfectly secure.
No wonder the soldiers had laughed when she suggested an ambush there.
Lin Xiaohe rubbed her temples. Without sufficient data, conducting any further in-depth analysis was next to impossible.
Forget it. I’ll just stay put as ordered.
At night, shooting stars frequently streaked across the sky. They were missiles or downed aircraft, leaving trails of fire in the atmosphere.
Lin Xiaohe felt as if she’d been forgotten.
She sat in her tunnel, watching the sun rise and set, day after day.
Until one day, Xin Bao picked up a distress signal from the special forces unit. Attached was a set of coordinates, pinpointing an insurgent logistics base.
Upon receiving this news, the Federal Surface Command on Gonggong Star learned that a single squad from the special forces unit had been left nearby. They issued an order for this squad to proceed to the rescue.
“Sir, can one squad handle it? That special forces unit also had the examinees undergoing their practical assessment with them.”
The commanding officer frowned, troubled. “It has to! The insurgents’ space forces remain intact, and their ground troops are retreating strategically, ready to regroup at any moment. We don’t have spare personnel to send for a rescue.”
“But one squad…”
“Enough! I’m only ordering them to rescue personnel, not attack the logistics base. You stay ready to provide support. Once this squad completes the mission, I’ll make sure their contributions are recorded.”
…
Inside the insurgent logistics base, the special forces team and all the examinees were imprisoned. Their mechs and weapons had been confiscated.
Wesley’s face was expressionless.
Talk about rotten luck. The moment we try to stir up some trouble, we run straight into the main Iron Meteor battalion.
They’d been overwhelmed and taken down in no time.
“Wesley, did you send out the distress signal?” the team leader asked, speechless with despair.
I’ve been operating behind enemy lines all this time without issue. The moment I link up with these examinees, we bump into a main battalion. Is there some kind of curse here?
Wesley replied, “Sent.”
Seeing the examinees looking utterly dejected and half-dead, the team leader tried to console them. “It’s okay. The Federation will send someone for us. If you don’t pass the academy exam this time, you can try again next year.”
Aber burst into tears. Being captured by the enemy during a practical assessment was too humiliating; he wouldn’t even dare apply to the academy next year.
Wesley’s expression grew even darker. Except for Lin Xiaohe, all the examinees are wiped out. She gets off scot-free and lands a massive stroke of luck.
“I hope they send someone really capable to get us out quickly. Maybe we can still salvage…”
“Lucky her! Lin Xiaohe totally lucked out!”
“Ugh, she’s not even that skilled. It’s all thanks to us setting the bar low.”
“Luck is part of skill too. Aah! I can’t console myself at all! How can one person be so fortunate?!”
…
“Yeah, how can one person be so fortunate?” Lin Xiaohe stared at the military order on her communicator, wanting to cry but having no tears.
Commanders, please open your eyes and look! Yes, I am technically the squad leader, but I’m the ONLY member!
You want me, alone, with zero support, to infiltrate a logistics base and rescue people?!
Lin Xiaohe deflated.
Dou Dou, however, was getting hyped, the whole plant vibrating. “Xin Bao, play the tune! Xiaohe, don’t be a wimp! Just do it!”
Sweet Sweet offered a bowl of plain popcorn. Having absorbed less sunlight lately, it couldn’t produce the caramel flavor. “Xiaohe, don’t be scared. I’ll protect you.”
The mech’s cabin filled with the energetic, rhythmic beat of “Little Bug,” now playing.
Big Brother Lin Chiyang had been thrilled to learn Xin Bao loved this recording of his. During the 11 days on the orbital transport, he’d taken Xin Bao’s suggestions to heart, adding many electronic elements to give the song more groove.
Restless Restless sat beside Sweet Sweet, swaying unsteadily from the bass vibrations. “Meat, I want meat.”
“You look like a piece of meat! A big chunk of pork!” Lin Xiaohe glared at it, frustrated. A thousand jin of mutated beast meat fed, and it still hasn’t reached maturity!
Restless Restless whined persistently, “Meat… meat…”
Lin Xiaohe looked at the military order again, then at the coordinates. Resigned, she piloted her mech towards the logistics base.
For the sake of getting into the academy, I’ll give it my all!
Ahhh, it’s so hot! It’s over thirty degrees now. Walking on the street with a mask on, I can barely breathe.
