Chapter 28

Raymond had dressed according to the "preferences" Xuan Jingxi had once mentioned offhand, but it had done nothing to win her favor.

Instead, he saw Xuan Jingxi stop Qin Su and wanted to stay, only for He Muzhi to put an arm around his shoulders and lead him away.

For someone who was single-mindedly trying to show off and win affection, it was a bolt from the blue.

"Raymond, don't do anything unnecessary."

Though he was also curious what Xuan Jingxi, He Wenyuan's older half-sister, wanted with Qin Su, he didn't want Qin Su to dislike him, so he refused to deliberately eavesdrop.

Raymond fell apart and made an unreasonable fuss. "Unnecessary? Muzhi, I seriously suspect you're calling me pickled fish!"

He Muzhi: "?"

Raymond smiled wearily. "Sour, lousy, and unnecessary."

He Muzhi: "...That's not what I meant."

Forgive him. Aside from nutrient solution, he didn't like cooked food, and he especially disliked pickled fish. He couldn't understand how Raymond had connected all that.

"Yes, you did!" Raymond gave him a resentful look.

He Muzhi: "..."

Whether he had meant it or not, Raymond was definitely a huge foodie in private.

[Raymond, we're just viewers. Saying that is crossing a line, you know.]

[Whatever. Raymond's easy enough on the eyes at a glance. It's enough if he's willing to make an effort for me~]

[He really is like a giant husky.]

[Here we go comparing people to dogs again. But can't you pick a cooler dog? A dumb husky?]

[Husky: Hello? Where are your manners? You'd better sleep with one eye standing guard and the other keeping watch tonight. (a king's disdain)]

Since it concerned He Wenyuan, an important villain in the comic, the comic had captured his appearance in the video, even though He Muzhi wasn't watching it.

[Big shot 1: ...Hard to comment.]

[The Federation's number-one slap, the Baturu Family?]

When Qin Su saw the "hard to comment" bullet comment, he silently gave it a like in his heart.

He genuinely didn't understand what the video had to do with him.

Unable to understand the connection and thoroughly baffled by the absurdity, Qin Su wanted no part in this strange family's play. He stayed silent out of habit and offered no comment.

She was the one who had shown him the video. Even if he said nothing, she would speak.

When the video ended, Xuan Jingxi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for watching."

In her eyes, Qin Su's silence meant he didn't take a minor character like He Wenyuan seriously at all. Even after seeing He Wenyuan punished for ruining his class experience, he couldn't be bothered wasting words on him.

Fundamentally, he didn't care about He Wenyuan.

"There's no need."

Qin Su spoke honestly.

[Plague god: Hello? I got slapped into a pig's head and you're saying "there's no need"??? Then what were all those slaps on my face for?]

[They count as... proof you're thick-skinned? @plague god]

[@everyone The pig's head has been found!!! Right here @plague god after the slapping]

[The hell, pig's head? You're crazy. You made me laugh.]

Xuan Jingxi smiled. Qin Su's answer proved that the truth was just as she had guessed. "You may not care, but the Xuan Family can't do the same."

According to the greater lunatic, Qin Su might not care, but the Xuan Family still had to make its position clear to him: it would never indulge He Wenyuan, and He Wenyuan's individual actions hadn't been ordered by the family.

The Xuan Family?

Qin Su: "..."

What did this have to do with the Xuan Family... Wait, the video and bullet comments showed that He Wenyuan belonged to the Xuan Family.

And He Wenyuan's "susceptible-period disorder" had caused a disturbance during yesterday's training class. The video had also been filmed after yesterday's disturbance ended, and today Xuan Jingxi had specifically shown it to him...

So the truth was...

Could it be that the Xuan Family feared him because he had used the "bug data" to create the "powerful illusion that he had connections on many planets," and was apologizing to him because He Wenyuan had disrupted his class yesterday?!

Qin Su: "..."

The truth was, because yesterday's class couldn't continue, he had not only gotten to rest his body but also gained extra time to learn about this world's weapons and mecha data.

Only then had he been able to demonstrate his "skilled handling of weapons and mecha" before the "viewers" during the previous two hours of class today.

As a result, he had gained countless favor points from the natives and bullet comments from the viewers, increasing his life by a full eight days.

On closer accounting, it went like this:

He had gained practical experience with weapons and mecha and life points, while the students had gained knowledge. Both sides had bright futures ahead of them, and a world where only He Wenyuan was hurt, physically, had been achieved.

The ones actually affected were the other innocent students.

The one He Wenyuan had really wanted to affect was He Muzhi.

Rounding it off, he had "reaped the benefits of others' conflict."

Having worked out the causes and consequences of this "drama," Qin Su's silence was deafening. He silently lit a candle for He Wenyuan in his heart.

In Xuan Jingxi's eyes, Qin Su's silence once again became "he doesn't care about the Xuan Family and can't be bothered stating his position."

Regardless of Qin Su's cold attitude, she had fulfilled the greater lunatic's request. Next, it was her own turn.

An apology without a gift wouldn't show sincerity.

Everything the Xuan Family possessed was good, and she liked it very much. The two lunatics had peculiar ways of thinking and didn't care, but she couldn't afford not to. Xuan Jingxi opened her Optical Brain again.

Having memorized so many mecha schematics, Qin Su recognized, among the small number of brand-new structures on the page displayed by Xuan Jingxi's Optical Brain that he had never seen in the data obtained from the system, that these were most likely schematics for a completely new mecha that had yet to be released or produced.

Considering Xuan Jingxi's personal data, this was probably her "new work."

Good mecha held an extraordinary position in the war against the Zerg. Once mass production began, purchases by the various planets would only increase.

It could be called priceless.

Before he could see it clearly, Qin Su decisively looked away.

Having worked out the causes and consequences, he thought he probably understood what Xuan Jingxi meant.

For one thing, everything he possessed so far was part of "maintaining his persona." He had no real "background" with which to accept Xuan Jingxi's "gesture of goodwill."

For another, he already possessed countless detailed schematics for mecha and weapons. One more or one less made no difference to him. With no manufacturing materials whatsoever, he couldn't make it anyway.

Soon, Qin Su heard Xuan Jingxi speak.

"These are detailed schematics for a mecha I designed independently. The ownership belongs entirely to me, and they haven't been released to the public yet. It hasn't been named. I wonder, would it have the honor of being personally named by you, Qin Su?"

The implication was that she was giving it entirely to Qin Su as an apology gift.

[Mystery solved. She came to apologize and offer compensation on the Xuan Family's behalf.]

[She's giving him such a huge gift just for disrupting big shot 1's class. The Xuan Family's survival instinct is practically spilling off the screen.]

[If you think Qin Su will accept, gouge out your eyeballs. If you think he won't, type 2.]

[There's no way big shot 1 will accept. He only glanced at it casually before looking away. He's clearly not interested in the slightest.]

The offer was just as Qin Su had expected, and he decisively refused. "There's no need."

[Baby 1: Oh, that's it?]

[Great, we don't have to gouge out our eyeballs. We're saved!]

[That disdainful indifference indirectly proves that Susu has more than enough already, so much that he can simply disregard a gift that could bring many people enormous profits.]

[Leaving a marker here to make a prediction: Qin Su's family definitely owns countless weapons and mecha, so he looks down on this little trinket.]

[You mean... an interstellar arms dealer?]

[If that guess is right, which planet is Qin Su's home base? Or which planet is it on?]

[Ever heard that a crafty rabbit has three burrows? Maybe his home base is "several planets." After all, all weakness comes from insufficient firepower. With enough firepower, where couldn't be "home"? He's probably at the Federation Military Academy to "scout it out" before attacking.]

[Genius!]

[Ascend the throne right here!]

"..."

The netizens really dared to imagine anything. Qin Su didn't want to open his eyes, hoping it was his own hallucination.

Other streamers counted down from three and posted a link. The netizens counted down from three and increased the difficulty for him. Qin Su sincerely hoped their "thoughts" would occasionally slip off track.

At that moment, Qin Su deeply experienced what it felt like to be "a dead man showing faint signs of life," his heart reduced to ashes.

Battlefield trash—now he had to collect it whether he wanted to or not.

To "transport" the trash to the designated location, he not only had to keep saving life points, he had to do so at maximum intensity.

Qin Su: "..."

He was starting to feel like typing 1 to speed up the world's destruction.

From the moment she displayed the schematics, Qin Su had only glanced at them casually before looking away with a cold, uninterested expression. Xuan Jingxi understood that this gift, priceless to many, wasn't worth mentioning in Qin Su's eyes.

Qin Su's calm refusal and the indifference radiating from him, as though he "had no desire for anything worldly," confirmed her guess.

The smile on Xuan Jingxi's face didn't stiffen because of it. Since Qin Su was clearly uninterested, she didn't insist on forcing it on him. That would only backfire and annoy him. She nodded. "All right, I understand what you mean."

Qin Su: "..."

No, the truth was obviously not what Xuan Jingxi and the bullet comments thought.

Still, having refused easily without her trying to "force it on him," Qin Su breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

They really weren't people who could chat easily with each other, and the current "business" was settled. Xuan Jingxi didn't delay Qin Su any longer and tactfully apologized of her own accord. "Sorry. In that case, I won't take up any more of your time, Qin Su."

Qin Su took the opportunity to nod goodbye. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Xuan Jingxi nodded as well.

Her teaching assistance was complete. In the simulated combat exercise, "apart from each student themselves, all their classmates on the Simulated Battlefield were enemies, simulated as bugs." So there was nothing more for her to do.

After they exchanged goodbyes, Qin Su turned and headed in the direction his classmates had left earlier.

Even after turning around, Qin Su could sense Xuan Jingxi's gaze following him from behind. He continued walking in a "strong, official" manner.

When Qin Su's retreating figure disappeared from sight, Xuan Jingxi breathed a great sigh of relief.

She was very curious. What kind of thing could possibly catch Qin Su's eye?

In the end, because everything about Qin Su was a mystery and what they could see now was only the tip of the iceberg that he wanted them to see, Xuan Jingxi couldn't find an answer. She set the question aside for the moment, opened her Optical Brain, and reported to the greater lunatic.

The video of He Wenyuan slapping himself wasn't long and hadn't taken much time. When Qin Su arrived at the Simulated Battlefield classroom, he saw the students scanning their Identity IDs to collect "equipment" from machines.

The classroom was spacious, and there were still many machines "spitting out" equipment. Beside each machine stood a sign with instructions that, from Qin Su's perspective, appeared to be exactly the same length.

The moment Qin Su appeared, he attracted the attention of countless classmates.

Not only did the students who had collected their equipment instinctively look at him, but even those waiting in line glanced his way.

Throughout this, Qin Su ignored their gazes and maintained his "cold" expression. Without pausing, he quickly and silently observed the surroundings and his classmates' movements.

He walked naturally toward the machine with the shortest line and the lowest average height, which would ensure he was "captured by the protagonist's camera," and therefore seen by the "viewers" both inside and outside the screen, guaranteeing his "screen time."

He stopped one step behind the student in front of him and lowered his eyes.

Qin Su appeared to lower his eyes "coldly and indifferently," but he was actually dropping his eyelids to conceal his feelings at having gone to such lengths, using every possible means, just to save up life points.

He wanted a great deal. There was nothing "casual" about it.

Anthony, standing in front of Qin Su, sensed an oppressive presence behind him that was impossible to ignore. Every inch of his body tensed.

"..."

Qin Su was doing this on purpose, wasn't he?!

With Qin Su's overwhelming presence behind him, Anthony's thoughts were in a mess.

[Anthony shudders and immediately realizes things aren't simple.]

[Anthony: Help... (pinches his own philtrum)]

[Doesn't anyone think Qin Su's whole routine was incredibly smooth? It makes him look like he already knew all this.]

[Big shot 1: You need someone to teach you? Doesn't everyone know this?]

Qin Su: "..."

Not really.

After reflecting on his bizarre behavior in choosing a line, Qin Su had no time to pay attention to Anthony. He raised his eyes.

Hidden within his indifferent gaze, which appeared to look ahead in boredom, was a "greed" to "quickly absorb" the words on the sign beside the machine.

1. Each student must use their Identity ID to collect one set of simulated combat equipment and change into it in the changing room;

2. After putting on the equipment, follow the subject teacher's instructions and enter the Simulated Battlefield area. Once inside, every other student around you on the battlefield will be randomly simulated as a type of bug;

3. Each student's objective is to use the randomly assigned weapon in their hands to kill every visible "bug." After the bugs are "killed," they will disappear from the Simulated Battlefield. Through "killing," you may seize the weapons dropped by the "bugs" you kill;

4. There is no time limit for simulated combat. Being "killed" by any weapon will result in "elimination" from the current exercise. The simulated setting is random. Cover can prevent all "kills," so make full use of "cover" to avoid being killed. The "ammunition" fired by every weapon is specially made and, together with the specially made combat suit, will cause no real bodily harm. However, to train students' tolerance for pain, the pain of every round hitting the body will not be reduced in any way. The exercise will automatically end when only one person remains on the "Simulated Battlefield";

5. At the end of the exercise, final rankings will be determined by each student's number of "bugs killed." The points earned will serve as a significant reference in the final assessment of regular performance;

6. After the simulated combat exercise, please return all equipment by scanning your Identity ID;

7. We sincerely wish the Federation's future outstanding warriors excellent results in every simulated combat exercise.

Qin Su: "..."

He understood. To gain more life points, and even more so for his "big shot" persona, he not only had to be the undisputed number one in this simulated battle, but because he didn't know how long previous simulated battles had lasted, he also had to end this one as quickly as possible.

Moreover, because he didn't know how much it would hurt to be hit by this world's "ammunition," he needed to be extremely careful not to be hit by a single round, lest the pain exceed his expectations and cause cracks to appear in his "expressionless mask" before everyone.

Qin Su: "..."

The pressure was immense.

While Qin Su considered and calculated based on the simulated combat rules, Raymond, who had already changed into his simulated combat suit, frantically elbowed He Muzhi's arm and lowered his voice.

"Did you see? He's back! He's back!"

He Muzhi raised a hand to protect his arm and lowered his voice as well, sounding helpless. "...I have eyes."

"Want to team up later?" Raymond covered his mouth with his hand, excitement at "doing something bad" radiating from him. "Don't you want to use this fair and open contest to give it everything you've got and find out how strong Qin Su is?"

He Muzhi: "...A friendly reminder: once we enter the Simulated Battlefield, everyone except ourselves will turn into bugs in our eyes."

As if they would be able to recognize each other.

Before the Simulated Battlefield began, they had no idea what kind of bug each of them would appear to be in other people's eyes.

"We could use gestures as a secret signal," Raymond said, making a heart over the right side of his chest. "Like this, to cover it up."

He Muzhi: "...Thanks, but no thanks."

If Raymond turned into one of the Zerg's famously eight-legged twin-tails and made a heart at him, he'd throw up even the nutrient solution he'd had the night before.

"All right..."

Raymond looked disappointed, but he had only been joking to cheer himself up after his failed courtship display.

[Raymond: Life is dull and meaningless, so I madly elbow my classmate in class (doge)]

[Mu-baby's arm: What did I ever do to deserve this?]

[Doesn't anyone think these Simulated Battlefield combat suits are really... so civilized (shy)? They perfectly cover and show off every muscle on the body. Whether it's muscle or fat, there's nowhere to hide it. Give the designer an extra chicken leg]

[Type 1 to speed up the esteemed SVIP's one-click outfit change for Boss 1!]

The 1s filling the screen nearly blinded every viewer's titanium-alloy eyes.

Qin Su: "..."

As expected of the viewers, who were enthusiastic about everything and came armed with magnifying glasses as long as they weren't at work.

Fortunately, his body had been trained for so long that it hadn't had time to put on any fat.

After Anthony's agonizing wait, it was finally his turn.

He had only waited in line for 28 seconds, but every second had felt like a year to Anthony. The moment he got his equipment, he didn't want to spend another instant in front of Qin Su, and he fled the place that left him struggling to breathe in a flash.

Qin Su looked up just in time to see an afterimage, caught off guard by the display of an interstellar human's explosive speed: "..."

Even if he closed his mouth and lowered his eyes, envy would still pour out of his heart!

Envy bubbling in his heart, Qin Su followed the example of those before him, scanned his Identity ID, and collected his equipment.

Fortunately, he had undergone professional, strenuous, targeted training day after day for years. Better yet, although the native Alphas had powerful explosive strength, their lack of systematic training meant they had little endurance, so he could hold a slight advantage for the time being.

After reassuring himself and changing into the combat suit in the changing room, Qin Su "came back to life."

While no one was watching, Qin Su ran his fingers over the combat suit, feeling its material.

It was soft and thin, yet it could form a mechanical shape around his bones and joints. It was probably some kind of soft metal, capable of resisting the actual damage inflicted by simulated combat ammunition without preventing the pain of its impact on the body, much like a "bulletproof vest" in the real world.

He would have to scan his ID and return it after the simulated battle, which meant he couldn't take it away for now. Qin Su regretfully withdrew his hand and left the changing room with an entirely black object hooked on his finger. It resembled sunglasses, but clearly wasn't.

Before coming in, Qin Su hadn't seen any of the students who had already changed into their combat suits wearing "sunglasses," so he didn't put his on either, just to be safe.

Wrapped in the gray-and-black mechanical outerwear with its metallic sheen, he looked even taller and more slender, his proportions perfect, the lines of every muscle honed to perfection through years of training...

The moment Qin Su appeared in the comic's frame, the bullet comments filled the screen with exclamation marks.

[Cool mechanical outerwear! God, he's so hot!]

[Is this lewd... wait, what is this?]

[Those pecs, those abs, those arms, that powerful waist, those long legs that kill me and stomp all over my heart, that perfect body that makes my nose bleed like crazy, and on top of it all, that cold, aloof face... Everyone, who else knows the feeling of "completely covered up, yet even more tempting"?]

[So lewd... oh, no, easy on the eyes, five stars ()]

[That physique would be hard to build in a gym. Evidence of Qin Su's years of combat +1]

[Asceticism taken to the extreme is charm taken to the extreme! No objections accepted]

[Who else but Boss 1 spoils my eyes like this?]

[One person's petition for a tutorial on breaking the mechanical outerwear in the Simulated Battlefield!]

[Waiting for the battle-damaged version of Boss 1!]

Raymond looked down at his own abdomen. He had thought that although his physique wasn't as muscular as He Muzhi's, he had no flab, which was already pretty good.

After seeing the clear outlines of Qin Su's abs beneath the tight mechanical combat suit, he shut down.

Comparing yourself to others could drive you mad. It left him no way to live.

He Muzhi solemnly clenched the hand at his side. Before coming to the Fourth Military Academy, he had been through several wars with the Zerg because of his family's affairs, and had naturally undergone emergency intensive training several times. He also had a habit of exercising regularly.

But compared with the "formidableness" and confidence Qin Su displayed in his every move, he fell far short.

Before the students could stare at Qin Su for long, Duan Lin's voice rang out. "Students, please stand around the perimeter of the Simulated Battlefield area. Once the simulated area opens in 5 seconds, enter the Simulated Battlefield and begin the simulated combat."