Ruan Xiong was not very old, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six.
He was of average build, refined and scholarly. At a glance, he was clearly born to be a secretary.
So Xia Chujian could not understand why someone like him insisted on competing for the position of squad leader in a Starry Sky Marine unit.
Even if he wanted to avenge his father, was this method not far too costly for what it was worth?
Xia Chujian pondered inwardly but remained calm and composed on the surface. She nodded and said, "secretary Ruan?"
Ruan Xiong nodded as well. With his hands behind his back and an elegant, mild-mannered air, he smiled and said, "I am Ruan Xiong, a Third-Class Secretary in the Captain's Room of the Fifth Interstellar Fleet."
"Are you Xia Chujian? The candidate squad leader of Zero Forty-Four Squad, One Four Four Squadron, Fourth Brigade of the Starry Sky Marines?"
Xia Chujian's lips twitched. That title really has an absurdly long string of prefixes.
Such a tiny scrap of meat, and people are still fighting over it...
Calm and collected, she said flatly, "That would be me. Does the challenge begin now?"
Ruan Xiong shook his head. "The rules still need to be announced. Don't tell me you already know them?"
Xia Chujian said, "Rules? Isn't it just a challenge? Whoever kills the other wins."
Ruan Xiong smiled meaningfully. "I can see that Captain Xia is someone who does not follow convention."
"Still, the proper procedures must be observed."
As he spoke, he raised a hand.
In the transparent cubicle, a communicator on the glass wall began to speak.
"The challenge rules are now being announced. The challenger must not aim to kill the challenged party."
"Once the other party is unable to fight back, the challenger must