The air instantly froze, as if someone had hit the pause button on a movie.
A look of confusion appeared in the eyes of many examinees. Lin Xiaohe, was she really this arrogant?
Did she not realize that she wasn’t just issuing a challenge to You An, but to every single examinee from the Third Star Ring?!
No, to be more precise, she was issuing a challenge to every other examinee taking this test except herself!
Was this arrogance, or was it confidence?
Under the weight of so many intense, oppressive stares, Lin Ye’s heart began to waver.
According to his plan, he would hide among the Third Star Ring examinees and secretly help Lin Xiaohe from the shadows.
He would wait for the two sides to fight each other, like the snipe and the clam, and then, at the very last moment, he would step in and reap the benefits like the fisherman.
But now, with Lin Xiaohe creating such tension between both sides, how was he supposed to stay hidden and pull off his schemes?!
As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as arrogant, only even more arrogant.
After shocking everyone speechless, Lin Xiaohe simply turned around and went back to her room, completely unconcerned about what anyone else thought or did.
The hotel lobby erupted into chaos.
“What does she mean? Is she looking down on us?”
“She just leaves like that, so casually, without a care in the world?! What, am I some nobody, some insignificant little character?! I’m ranked third in the Third Star Ring! Argh, I feel so insulted!”
“Come on now, You An is the one who got more insulted than you.”
Lin Xiaohe’s actions really stirred up a lot of resentment. By the time the Second Star Ring examinees arrived at the hotel, they had already heard about her provocative declaration.
“Exam Grand Stage, Come Try If You’re Brave? Hah, a frog at the bottom of a well just knows how to talk tough.”
An examinee wearing glasses asked You An, “So she doesn’t plan to form an alliance or join any team?”
You An pressed his lips together tightly.
He knew a bit more than the average examinee. For instance, Marshal Chu had once said that Lin Xiaohe could pass the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Star Ring assessments in no time.
He had also managed to find out what the Fifth and Sixth Star Ring assessments involved and discovered they were extremely brutal—basically fighting for your life on the battlefield.
If someone could pass such a cruel assessment in no time, just how powerful must Lin Xiaohe actually be?!
“Yes, it seems she intends to go it alone.”
The examinee with glasses chuckled. “You An, are you intimidated? Haha, relax. The reason Lin Xiaohe stood out in the Fifth and Sixth Star Ring assessments is purely because she’s not afraid to die.”
Everyone stopped talking and listened intently to him.
“Here’s some good news for you. The Fourth Star Ring exam will be held on the Starnet, similar to the Central Military Academy’s practical combat assessments. The battlefield conditions will be much more varied, the terrain more complex, and since there’s no real threat to our lives, Lin Xiaohe’s courage… well, let’s just say, heh.”
Everyone collectively sighed in relief. This really was good news.
Compared to the Sixth Star Ring examinees from the slums, their advantages lay in better genes, broader horizons, more systematic education, and more advanced equipment.
The Starnet would level the playing field that courage created. So, the advantage was theirs!
Back in her room, Lin Xiaohe received a communication from Melina. “My dear Xiaohe, I heard you made a bold declaration in front of all the examinees?”
Wesley was behind Melina, pumping his fist, cheering Lin Xiaohe on. “That wasn’t just talk! It was the truth! Xiaohe is just that awesome, the strongest in the universe.”
Melina rolled her eyes dramatically and pushed Wesley aside. “I think that line of yours was really powerful. So I’ve decided to use ‘Exam Grand Stage, Come Try If You’re Brave’ as the slogan for this exam. How about it? Oh, you’re not going to charge me copyright fees, are you?”
Lin Xiaohe couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Melina and Wesley were trying to ease her tension.
“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not nervous.”
Melina’s eyes showed a glint of approval. “As expected of our Captain Lin, you’ve got strong mental fortitude. This exam will be held on the Starnet, and the four major military academies, along with all the universities and the Education Department from the First, Second, and Third Star Rings, will be watching the entire exam live, from every angle.”
Melina’s smile faded, her expression turning serious. “With so many cameras on you, any mistake you make will be magnified. You might actually score 90, but because everyone expects so much from you, it might seem like you only scored 50.”
“Everything has pros and cons. The good side is that no one would dare try anything shady in an exam with this much attention. Your excellent performance and your abilities will be seen by everyone.”
If Lin Xiaohe performed as brilliantly as a star in this assessment, then even if she didn’t get into Central Military Academy, she would be aggressively recruited by other top universities.
Her future would be wide open.
Melina’s voice was like a clear spring, washing away inner irritability. “So, Lin Xiaohe, are you ready?”
“Don’t worry, I’m ready at all times.”
Lin Xiaohe patted her chest. She hadn’t spent a single star coin or skill point; she was saving them all for this exam.
After ending the call with Melina, her door was knocked on by Halder. “People these days really don’t care about the environment. We’re planning to launch a public awareness campaign to save water resources. Would you like to participate? Just a photo and a few words.”
Halder held up his camera, ready to take a group photo.
Lin Xiaohe quickly stepped aside, not letting him capture her face. “My dad said you have to be careful when you’re out and about. Technology is so advanced now, just a casual photo or a group picture could be used to create an AI digital avatar. No taking my picture!”
Halder’s expression stiffened slightly, then his eyes lowered, a soft sadness appearing between his brows. “I’m not that kind of person.”
He looked up, his eyes clear like a puppy’s. “Xiaohe, let’s do our small part for the universe’s water resources, okay? There are still countless people in the Federation living with water shortages.”
Lin Xiaohe stared back with a deadpan expression. “Thanks, but I am one of those pitiful people. I only dare to use air showers, I’ve never actually used water to wash.”
When it comes to wasting resources, I’m nowhere to be seen.
But when it’s time to talk about guilt, suddenly I’m remembered.
Bullying me because I’m kind-hearted?
Lin Xiaohe’s expression was so easy to read that Halder didn’t know how to respond.
Seeing that Halder genuinely wanted to do some good, Lin Xiaohe pointed him in a direction. “You should go talk to the Second Star Ring and Third Star Ring examinees. In just ten days, they managed to get to Haige Star—they must have used interstellar jump technology repeatedly.”
Lin Xiaohe said with feigned distress, “And it’s not even for anything important! Such a waste of resources! Interstellar jumps create massive amounts of stardust, causing irreversible damage to various planets’ ecosystems. Go! Go convince them. If they won’t listen, expose them on the Starnet!”
Are you the devil?!
Halder fled in defeat, while Lin Xiaohe made a pinching gesture behind him.
Little schemes and plots, none can escape Lin Xiaohe’s sharp eyes, easily foiled!
Elsewhere, You An watched Halder return defeated and shook his head disappointedly. “Forget it. We’ll see who’s who on the exam field.”
