Chapter 99
Seeing that Qin Su didn't seem to react, Zhang Minglang continued his long-winded explanation with peace of mind.
Qin Su expected of someone who had seen the world, remained unperturbed no matter where he was.
By the time Zhang Minglang finished speaking, it was already 10:00 AM.
It was still early, so Zhang Minglang told everyone to go back to their dorms and get some more sleep, and to meet at 2 p. m. sharp.
Zhang Minglang said that, but when the group dispersed, everyone's eyes unconsciously turned to Qin Su just in case he had some plans. Zhang Minglang was used to this kind of situation.
"I'm going back to my dorm." Noticing everyone's gaze and not wanting them to wait around without getting to rest, Qin Su mentioned this before getting up to leave.
"I see!"
"The Class Monitor went back to the dorm, so I'll go back to the dorm too."
"Let's go, let's go together."
Qin Su's words immediately received a response from the students of Class 6), and a large group of them left the classroom.
As they walked out of the classroom, Class 6 realized that other classes were having meetings inside and showed no signs of ending. As they passed by, they could see the envious looks from the other classes who had finished early through the open doors.
"It seems that Teacher Zhang hasn't been long-winded enough."
"I'll never say Teacher Zhang is slow and indecisive again. Compared to other classes, Teacher Zhang is incredibly fast."
"The teacher truly lives up to his reputation; even an hour seems short to him."
Everyone chimed in with their own comments, and didn't forget to make faces at students from other classes.
[A bunch of childish kids]
[To be more understanding, considering their average lifespan of three hundred years, they are indeed children at this age.]
[Then what about our Baby 1? Mature beyond his years?]
[No, no, our Su Bao is the kind of person who can tell what a person will be like at three years old; he's born to do great things and is mature and steady.]
Qin Su: "..."
Composed? It's all fake. He actually talks a lot, but he only talks to himself.
--
At 1:40 PM, Qin Su arrived at the Jump Point and saw that the other students had arrived earlier than him. Looking around, he saw a large, densely packed group of people gathered together, watching the staff in charge of weapon handling and distribution finalize the Warships, Spaceships, weapons, supplies, and other items to be used in the Third Practical Exercise.
There were many people, and they weren't keeping their voices down. Even from a distance, Qin Su could clearly hear them talking.
"Don't you think there are a lot more weapons being used this time?" Belinda rubbed her chin.
Lin Yin's eyes swept over the items one by one, and she said with certainty, "Belinda, your feeling is right. I calculated the number used by each class in previous actual combat scenarios. The total number used by 59 Classes before doesn't even equal the number used by these 59 Classes this time."
Hearing this, others joined in the discussion.
"They used to be so stingy, but now they're suddenly giving so much. I don't know why, but it makes me uneasy. I just don't feel like the school is being really kind."
"There's no need to make such malicious assumptions about the school."
"There's no way around it, I've been tricked once before. Even though it wasn't me who was tricked, trust... I'd rather invest it in Qin Su than in school."
"Now that you mention it, that's actually true."
"It doesn't matter. Having endured the torment of Commander 1, I'm now a battle-hardened individual, fearless."
"It's done. With Commander 1 here, there's nothing to be afraid of. Besides, wherever we go, it's a populated planet."
Based on the students' voices and the fact that the number of weapons had increased, Qin Su was certain that the Third Practical Exercise was definitely the big pitfall that was "most likely a trap".
As they got closer, the students in the middle of the crowd noticed something, and the students behind them seemed to sense something as well, quickly turning their heads.
Upon seeing Qin Su, everyone instinctively spoke up.
"Qin... no, Commander 1."
"Commander 1."
Students who were further away heard the sound behind them, turned their attention back to the front, and turned around. The taller students could still see Qin Su in the distance beyond the crowd, while the shorter students were completely blocked by the taller and stronger people.
Hearing the repeated calls of "Commander 1," the staff conducting the headcount were speechless.
They change their minds so quickly; I was just looking at them a moment ago.
"Um."
Qin Su responded calmly, not bothering to join the crowd, and headed straight for the largest of the Spaceships used by Team 1 in their Third Practical Exercise.
The popularity of this "Boss 1" is comparable to that of a celebrity out in public; it's incredibly hot.
[This is what a character looks like with a perm (hands on hips proudly. jpg)]
[It would feel even more authentic if I went up to ask for an autograph]
[You think everyone doesn't want to? It's not that they dare not. Didn't you see that even though everyone's eyes were gleaming as they stared at Qin Su, they were trying their best to stay put and not get close?]
For ease of transport, most Spaceship used in actual combat have their large hatches located at the stern.
There were still staff members on the Spaceship conducting final checks on the Mecha. Qin Su didn't intend to go in and disturb them. He stopped a short distance from the rear of the hatch, waiting quietly while looking at the document his Class Advisor had just sent him on his Optical Brain.
It was basically all the precautions Zhang Minglang had mentioned not long ago. Qin Su quickly glanced at it, made sure there was nothing new, and neatly closed it before sending it to group '1'.
At 1:50 PM, after the staff completed their inspection, the Spaceship Access was officially handed over to Qin Su and Blumer, the two Commanders of the Third Practical Exercise.
Dividing Spaceships according to strength would easily lead to speculation, so Qin Su simply and directly allocated them according to class order.
The Spaceship assigned to the Commander by the school was the largest, with seats equivalent to three classes.
The Team 1 members received the message about the Spaceship allocation on their Optical Brain terminals. They looked at the two classes other than Class 6), and their eyes were filled with envy.
"You don't need to do this," Sophia comforted the other students. "Class... no, now you should call me Commander 1."
After casually mentioning that Qin Su was the Class Monitor of Class 6, Sophia continued, "1. After boarding the Spaceship, the Commander 1 usually goes straight to the cockpit and the Class Monitor will only appear before us after the Hyperspace Jump ends and we reach our destination."
"By then, everyone will be off the Spaceship. Rounding up, aside from the people in our (Class 6 who will undoubtedly have a longer time with the Class Monitor, the people in your other classes will not have a long time to spend with the Class Monitor on an equal footing."
"..."
"It's supposed to be comforting, but why does it sound so strange to me?"
"Sometimes I really want to call the police and arrest everyone in your (Class 6, except for the Commander 1, on an equal footing."
"By the way." (Class 6 focused solely on showing their understanding of Qin Su, "There are plenty of seats, so if you can avoid sitting in the first seat on the far left near the cabin door, don't sit there."
Samuel tilted his head in confusion. "Why?"
Jeffrey smiled slightly, "Because that's the seat our Commander 1 sat in during his first actual combat mission. Even though it's not the same Spaceship, the seat is the same. This has become a tacit habit in our (Class 6. Of course, it doesn't matter if the other classes don't care, but it's fine if our (Class 6 cares."
Other classes. "..."
What would happen if I showed off one less time?
"Alright, alright," someone stepped in to smooth things over, "You don't want to delay your Spaceship time and upset Brother Qin, do you?"
In short, everyone scattered like birds and beasts, each following their own Class Monitor onto the Spaceship that Qin Su had arranged in the group chat.
Qin Su was waiting in front of the largest Spaceship early on and was the first to Spaceship. By the time the other classes followed behind Class 6) to board the Spaceship, Qin Su was nowhere to be seen.
Although they felt regret, the students from the other two classes were mostly relieved. They couldn't imagine what they would say to Qin Su when they were in the same room without training; just imagining it made them feel suffocated.
They quietly entered the cabin and began scrambling for spots near the far left stern, taking photos and videos to mark their visit. They also created separate posts on the Forum with captions like "I was here, checking in."
Students browsing the Forum: "..."
Everyone who gets close to Qin Su appears normal on the surface, but in reality, they're driven mad with desire, banging their heads against a wall for Qin Su.
At 2:00 PM sharp, Qin Su received the Jump Points directly from the school. There were only Jump Points, but no specific 'combat' method.
Micafoklai 0725.
This is Jump Point that Qin Su had never seen before in the data he had checked.
But the planet's name... seems familiar. He thinks he saw this planet's name on the StarNet during the He Wenyuan Incident.
Qin Su set up Jump Points while simultaneously searching for relevant information.
Setup successful, search results page expands.
The interface contains no photos of the Jump Point, only a few words indicating that the location is a prison for Prisoners serving sentences of over three hundred years, who have been deprived of their political rights for life.
Qin Su: "..."
Places used for imprisoning death row inmates are anything but simple.
Regardless of his thoughts, Qin Su didn't waste even a second. Almost the instant he received the message, he set the location and the Spaceship started up.
Shortly after, they arrived at the Jump Point, and the Spaceship broadcast, as usual, a friendly reminder before the Hyperspace Jump.
Students on different Spaceships looked surprised when they heard the name of the Jump Point, and those who had heard of Jump Point before.
"No, why is the Third Practical Exercise being held in that godforsaken place? What are we going there for?"
Why is it called a ghost town?
"A place that holds a bunch of heinous Prisoner, how could it not be a ghost town? Besides, I've never seen anyone from the Micafokelai Planet's IP address speak on the StarNet."
"Oh right, they don't go online... Wait, what's wrong with the people in your (Class 6?"
The students in the other two classes were speechless when they saw that Class 6) had obediently and voluntarily stayed in their positions to wait for the Hyperspace Jump after the broadcast. Their attention was diverted.
"What's going on? The Commander 1 always sits like this during his first real battle."
"Really? With Commander 1's extensive experience, even standing and facing the bumps during the Hyperspace Jump wouldn't affect his balance."
"What good would it do us to lie to you? Is this a matter of balance? The Commander 1 is sitting in Hyperspace Jump, which is clearly a matter of 'discipline,' He Muzhi, don't you think?" Raymond sought He Muzhi's approval.
He Muzhi hadn't expected to be called on, but he quickly realized what was going on and honestly said, "I don't know what Commander 1 is thinking, but I do know that when my grandfather led the team on missions, everyone sat down out of discipline."
The other two classes thought that there was no need for Class 6) to fool them. As soon as He Muzhi said this, they spontaneously sat down according to the warm reminder broadcast.
Inside the cockpit, Qin Su, who was standing and continuing to gain experience in 'maintaining his balance during turbulence', was speechless when he saw the other students in the cabin who had been tricked and were now lame.
It's his fault; he unintentionally led everyone astray because of his own actions.
The familiar Hyperspace Jump of the jump came, something everyone was used to.
"Putting everything else aside, the fact that everyone is sitting so quietly makes the room look neat and tidy."
"That's right, looking at it this way, we definitely look well-trained, like a complete team."
"I get it now! So that's what 'professionalism' means when the Commander 1 acts like this! He must have carried out many missions like this that we don't know about, not just targeting insects, but very likely also humans."
Amidst the various opinions, the students who were on the same Spaceship as Qin Su quickly shared their conclusions with people on other Spaceships and posted them on the Forum.
Seeing this, students from other classes couldn't resist following suit.
Qin Su: "..."
People really can't be too idle. When they are idle, they like to imagine things they have never thought about at all.
In the comic book pages, compared to the chaotic scenes on the Spaceship during the previous two combat Hyperspace Jumps, this time every page appears orderly.
[As if copied and pasted]
[You know what, looking at it this way, it actually actually looks pretty convincing.]
[His facial expression of excitement was too obvious, and he seemed unsteady.]
[It's okay to ask for less; everyone is still growing. I'm really afraid that everyone will lack any youthful energy, which would look like they're going to their deaths.]
--
This Hyperspace Jump took longer than usual, and regardless of which Spaceship was, the initially excited students gradually leaned back in their chairs and became drowsy.
Buzz!
The Hyperspace Jump ended, and the vibrations from landing brought back the scattered thoughts that had been drifting within the Spaceship so long.
In the brief moment of lucidity, they heard a familiar electronic voice from above. "Arrived at Maikafukelai. This Hyperspace Jump mission is complete. See you next time."
Qin Su stretched his body, which had become stiff from sitting for so long, and opened the cockpit door the moment the electronic auxiliary sound ended.
The cockpit was some distance from where everyone was sitting; it required passing through three corridors to reach it.
If the students don't notice my arrival and stand up when I appear in front of them, the scene presented to the comic book Viewers won't be very appealing.
Qin Su neither quieted down his footsteps nor deliberately made them louder; he simply let his footsteps gradually approach the students' ears, giving them enough time to get up.
Based on his 'cold and oppressive' attitude towards everyone over the past month, people are instinctively afraid of his strong side, and it's normal for them to stand nervously when they see him.
Thinking about this, Qin Su felt conflicted.
To maintain his public image, he used every possible means to exploit things; he was truly wicked.
Step, step, step...
Those outside didn't hear the cockpit door open, but they could hear steady, unhurried footsteps approaching.
Their bodies seemed to be activated in an instant, quickly standing up from their positions. Once their minds had calmed down, they found themselves standing upright in the shortest possible time, their eyes all fixed on the central Passageway of the Spaceship.
There was an empty road in the middle.
As Qin Su's tall and slender figure drew closer, everyone unconsciously held their breath.
There were too many people to keep track of, so Qin Su didn't linger on anyone. Holding his helmet in one hand, he stepped out of the last open, round hatch and was about to meet the figure of the person standing closest to him when he opened the tail hatch of the Spaceship at the perfect moment.
Qin Su did not discriminate among the other 36 Spaceship; all of them opened their hatches at the same time.
Although the hatch was open, the students who weren't on the same Spaceship as Qin Su, while curious about the outside world, didn't immediately go out. Instead, they obediently stayed inside and looked at their respective Class Monitor.
The Class Monitor, recalling Qin Su's autocratic and absolute style, all said similar things.
"Everyone, wait."
The interior of the Spaceship was softly lit, not at all glaring. The hatch slowly opened, and the Jump Point Platform shone directly into the light, as bright as day. Upon entering the Spaceship, Qin Su's figure was instantly bathed in light, his body radiating a lustrous glow.
[Brother Su still remembers to open the hatches of other Spaceships; I love that feeling.]
[Every step he took struck my heart. I can't imagine how handsome Brother Su would look walking like that in military uniform, cap, and boots. It's a pity, though, since soldiers in the anti-insect army have to wear Combat Suit when they go out.]
[There's no way around it, in the Interstellar World, those dressed like that aren't on the front lines.]
[As we all know, whether it's a TV series or a comic, the scenes depicted always carry the creator's subjective intentions to some extent. This image of Boss 1 walking from darkness into light must have some profound meaning.]
As he walked, he glanced at the comments on the screen without making a sound. Qin Su silently read them and replied in his mind, "Just posing for photos."
Taking advantage of everyone's attention, Qin Su observed the surrounding environment as he walked forward.
It was already 10 p. m. From his perspective, the areas of the Jump Point Platform that weren't illuminated were pitch black. Apart from the starry sky high in the sky and the smudges left by raindrops pattering on Jump Point transparent platform, the smudges that hadn't dried and formed old marks were quickly washed away by the newly falling rain. The transparent platform thus maintained a 'clean' state, allowing one to see the bottom.
The rest, without helmets, were difficult for Qin Su to see clearly with the naked eye, without the aid of technology.
The school still hasn't sent over the battle rules.
This was the first time Qin Su had ever seen a transparent platform at Jump Point, and the strange feeling grew stronger and stronger.
Though he harbored doubts, Qin Su did not show them on his face.
In this situation, he needs to go out and find out what's going on. If it doesn't seem abrupt, it would be best if everyone went out to take a look together.
Passing by the last student at the rear, Qin Su's lips moved slightly as he activated Full-Band Communication: "Everyone Spaceship. No one is allowed to leave the Jump Point Platform without authorization. Familiarize yourselves with the surroundings and the bottom of the spaceship on the platform. The Spaceship will shut down collectively at midnight. Assemble at 6:00 AM tomorrow."
It's unlikely that a normal person would build Jump Point Platform that's transparent for no reason; there's probably something fishy going on underneath.
The school is currently stalling for time and hasn't released the battle rules yet. The night is dark, and even with a helmet on, one can see clearly within a certain range. Unless absolutely necessary, Qin Su doesn't want to act rashly without a certain understanding of the situation.
After issuing the instructions, Qin Su was the first to step out of the cabin.
With the previous 'deterrence' still in place, Qin Su knew that the people behind him wouldn't dare to overtake him, so he maintained his original speed as he passed the metal road with a certain slope.
Outside, the rain was visibly dirty, and the Combat Suit had the function of automatically cleaning and isolating external dirt.
Before exposing himself to the rain, Qin Su put on his helmet with one hand, activated his Combat Suit, and quickly adjusted the visibility range of the Visual Helmet to the maximum to clearly observe his surroundings.
The moment the black boots stepped onto the transparent skin, Qin Su, who had been silently observing the situation below with his eyes lowered, met the gazes of countless heads raised in the distance.
Body after body pressed together, head after head, countless pairs of eyes staring straight at him from below—some empty, some excited, some bloodshot, some cold, some foolish.
On the specially constructed walls that restricted their movement, countless torn and dried human body parts hung.
Those people staring at him menacingly, their heads tilted back, held different human parts in their hands, blood trickled from their lips, and bits of flesh clung to their gaping teeth...
Clearly, no amount of food can satisfy their already perverse and twisted psychology.
"!"
He knew something was fishy!
The scene before him was bizarre, disgusting, and chilling. The intense visual impact was terrifying, and Qin Su's pupils contracted violently in an instant. For the first time, he regretted setting the scope so high, leaving everything below completely exposed.
No matter how tragically the Zerg died, they were still anomalies, so there was no real sense of identification. But once you watch it enough times, it's only a matter of time before you overcome that feeling.
We are all human, yet we are different.
At that moment, Qin Su not only suffered from trypophobia, but the terrifying scene of cannibalism also made his scalp tingle and he felt a chill run down his spine.
In the brief second of eye contact, Qin Su understood that the Prisoners below were all heinous criminals, and the thought flashed through his mind: ' Prisoners who can be imprisoned for more than three hundred years are indeed extraordinary and terrifying.'
Qin Su suppressed the urge to vomit, secretly relieved that he had prepared himself to some extent, knowing that the Protagonist Group behind him couldn't see his expression.
Before the other people on the Spaceships could leave their cabins, Qin Su quickly composed himself, his eyes instantly returning to their indifferent state.
Before he even saw a single insect, the scene below presented him with a 'gift'.
Qin Su, his gaze fixed on the students below, showed no emotion. While examining his surroundings through high-powered binoculars, he calmly addressed the students behind him, "What are you all standing there for? Get down."
As the saying goes, it's better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone. Since we all came together, we should all receive the gifts together.
He Muzhi should also see that when humans turn evil, they are no different from the Zerg; both are ferocious beasts. Moreover, some people in the Federation who are two-faced will make He Muzhi's hair stand on end.
Qin Su's tone was calm, and the students on the Spaceship didn't think much of it, assuming that Qin Su thought they were too slow. They quickly put on their helmets and swarmed out of the Spaceship.
"Ahh!"
"Holy crap..."
"Help! My eyes!"
"Vomit--"
From different Spaceships, the students, looking down as if they were in hell, let out almost identical screams and vomiting sounds.