"Stop bothering me!" Himeko waved a hand and sat back down behind her desk, casually propping both legs up on it. "What mission? The terrorist attack on 956 just ended. Can't I get a moment's peace?"
"Lieutenant Himeko, you're a public servant, and the work you do is also a..."
"A glorious and noble cause. All right, I know. So hurry up and tell me what happened in Guangcheng that requires the use of Magic City's security forces."
"Hmm..." The leader pondered for quite a while before slowly speaking.
"This is classified information. If you want to hear it, Lieutenant Himeko, you'll first have to join the special task force."
"And once I join, I'm not allowed to quit, right?"
"That's right."
"Sigh..." Himeko shook her head and sighed. "After all these years, it's still the same routine... Whatever. Guangcheng... I'll take the mission. Who else is going with me?"
"Only you."
"Hmm. Just what I wanted."
"Then remember to attend the operation briefing this afternoon. I'll go report to the director."
"Take care. No need to see you out~~"
She saw the leader off with a bright smile, but the moment the door closed, Himeko's expression turned gloomy.
"Guangcheng... I really don't want to go there at all..."
Come to think of it, that kid named Xu Qi last time... Although she had managed to get his WeChat, she hadn't contacted him for so long...
Sigh~~ What a pity. I finally met a young man I liked, only to have to go on a business trip out of town...
"Nothing I can do. After I return from Guangcheng, I'll try to lure him out."
······
Off the coast of Magic City, an underwater base near the shore.
"Shigure Kira! Snipe the targets!"
Inside the holographic shooting range, the green Exoskeleton Armor wielded an HK Particle sniper rifle, taking down every moving target that suddenly appeared with a single shot!
Just then, a high-temperature beam suddenly attacked from the side, but Shigure Kira remained calm.
Several floating shields detached from the side of the green Exoskeleton Armor! Each of them was covered in HK Particles, blocking the incoming high-temperature beams one by one.
What astonishing perceptiveness and Mental Power!
In the research room outside the holographic shooting range, which resembled a military base, a researcher reported, "Target hit rate: 96.71%. Cherub Armor damage: 3.25%. Shigure Kira, excellent performance."
These figures had actually been entered into the database long ago. The researchers were mainly reporting them to the woman seated in the central position.
She wore a white coat over a black striped inner shirt. A pair of round glasses rested on her face, and her smooth black-and-purple hair cascaded down her back.
She sat quietly behind the central desk in the research room. A long stream of data raced across the virtual screen before her.
She was a professor, and also a beauty.
With her gentle beauty, all she had to do was sit there quietly to become the focus of everyone's attention.
For the researchers working under such a superior, it was hard not to feel a little happier.
But if Xu Qi had been there, he might have been rather surprised. After all... she looked far too much like Mei—almost exactly like the mature version of Mei many years later.
Even her figure was the same. The so-called mature woman had to possess every quality: a seductive bearing, a full and shapely body, and the charm that surfaced unintentionally.
And this woman... was like a peach ripened to perfection, as though juice might drip out at the slightest squeeze.
That was something the Mei of the present could never compare with.
Still, youth had its own appeal. Different people liked different things.
After hearing the data, she smiled and said, "That's enough. You've improved a lot. Next, test the Fallen Angel Armor's performance and compatibility. Have Seele get ready."
Once the order was passed down, it wasn't long before Shigure Kira arrived at the research room, drenched in sweat.
"Doctor, I did great today too, right~~"
Dr. Mei smiled. She glanced at Shigure Kira and teased her, "Is that so? Then why didn't you complete the assignment to make contact with Xu Qi last time?"
"Uh..." Shigure Kira scratched her head awkwardly. "Isn't it because... I feel like I found another candidate who's just as suitable?"
"Prometheus never makes the wrong choice. You should trust her."
"Okay~~ Okay~~ But I always feel that the assignment to contact Xu Qi wasn't entirely Prometheus's choice."
Dr. Mei raised her head and asked curiously, "Why's that?"
"Because I always feel like you're paying too much attention to this Xu Qi fellow. That's not like you, Doctor."
"Is that so?" Mei's expression remained calm. She brought up Xu Qi's file on the virtual screen. As she stared at the man in the photograph, Dr. Mei's thoughts became complicated.
"Probably just an illusion... Besides, according to the calculations, he might be the key to successfully advancing the dual-furnace system. Two Solar Furnaces—I'm sure you know what that means."
"But I think that boy named Kosma possesses the same potential."
"Perhaps... Enough about that. A mission has arrived. Get ready. We're heading out."
The moment she heard there was a mission, Shigure Kira's eyes lit up.
"What is it? What is it?"
Dr. Mei smiled mysteriously.
"Classified."
"Huh?"
"Let's go. I can only tell you that the destination of this Terra Network mission... is Guangcheng."
······
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. It was still the campus of Huazheng, and there was still a black GTR.
When the wild roar of its engine died down in front of the school gate, the students filing out of the building couldn't help glancing over. After all—wasn't it a little too cool?
But when Xu Qi pushed open the door coolly and stepped out of the car, he discovered that most of the students who had been drawn by the car were actually boys.
Damn! Was this a little too realistic?
But it didn't matter. When he saw the girl walking out of the school with a ponytail swaying behind her, struggling under the weight of several large bags, Xu Qi smiled and went to meet her.
Mei raised her head. The moment she saw Xu Qi, all the fatigue vanished from her face, and her eyes suddenly lit up. She dropped the packages in her hands straight onto the ground and ran toward him excitedly.
The overflowing youthful energy made Xu Qi laugh aloud. He opened his arms and swept the incredibly excited Mei up into a hug. The smiles on both their faces were so genuine that anyone would have wanted to snap a picture of them and preserve it as a keepsake.
When Xu Qi set her down, Mei hooked her arms around his neck and asked, "Did you miss me, Xu Qi?"
"I did! I thought about you every moment."
"Really? I couldn't feel it!"
A smile spread across Xu Qi's lips. Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, in the middle of the crowd, he lowered his head and kissed the girl in his arms.
Even though they had only been apart for three days, could she truly feel how deeply he had missed her?
Mei, I like you...
64. Mei, how about we go see the sea?
"Honestly, there were so many people at the school gate just now! You kissed me right in front of everyone, and you didn't even pay attention to your image in the crowdfunding group."
In the passenger seat, Mei's face was filled with happiness, but she still had to complain a little. Perhaps that was a girl's sense of modesty...
"All right, all right, my fault. I was just too excited."
At times like this, Xu Qi always went along with whatever the girl said. If giving ground verbally could earn him tangible benefits, he didn't mind giving up a little more.
"How is everyone at the Golden Courtyard?"
"Everyone's doing fine. We've also decided on the destination for the trip. I sent you a message about it before—Guangcheng, by the sea."
"We're going to see the sea?"
"That's right."
"Yay!~~ Huh? Wait..." Mei belatedly realized what was going on. She narrowed her eyes and looked sideways at Xu Qi. "You suggested it, didn't you..."
"Yeah?"
"I knew you had ulterior motives. Going to the beach in weather this hot means we'll definitely have to wear something more revealing."
Xu Qi raised an eyebrow.
"Is that bad?"
"You pervert."
"Hey, is that how you talk about your own boyfriend? Besides, we'll be at the beach. What swimsuit wouldn't be revealing?"
"Hmph!"
Although that was what she said, Mei was secretly imagining it herself. What swimsuit should I wear then? Should I really grant Xu Qi's wish and wear something a little more revealing?
That would definitely mean a bikini... That's... that's so bold!
But Xu Qi would definitely like it. In that case... I guess there's nothing I can do...
Her cheeks flushed slightly. Mei glanced at Xu Qi, who was concentrating on driving, and said softly, "I... haven't had time to properly apply a face mask lately. Tonight... help me with it."
Good grief, she even needed help putting on a face mask? Of course, Xu Qi knew she meant something else. She was being rather subtle, though. Applying a face mask had practically become Mei's secret signal for asking for affection.
After all, they were a couple deeply in love. How could they endure being separated for so long?
"All right. I'll help you tonight."
"Ehehe..."
"Oh, right. There's something I need to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"My... father sprained his foot a few days ago and fractured it. The doctor said he needs a month of bed rest."
"What!?"
Mei immediately panicked. "Is it serious? I'll go back with you to see him."
"That won't be necessary. Actually, I was at home that night when you called a couple of days ago. I just didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd worry."
"You... It's not a big deal... You're just too considerate sometimes."
Xu Qi gave a bitter smile. Many times, he understood that, but... he really didn't want Mei to worry about him.
"Xu Qi, we're lovers, right?"
"Right."
"Since that's the case, we're one. So when something happens, we should face it together, rather than having you arrange everything for me while I simply enjoy your concern.
"Maybe you think I'm still in school and don't have enough ability to deal with the things you encounter. But at the very least, I can comfort you. So let's face things together... all right?"
Xu Qi fell silent for a long time. What reason could he possibly have to refuse?
He simply felt, all of a sudden, that Mei had already grown so mature.
She was no longer as inexperienced and naïve as she had been in high school, as if she understood nothing about the world. Perhaps he really had been too protective of her at times, always thinking of Mei as the little girl he had first met.
But in reality... without him realizing it, she had already grown into an individual equal to him.
Who could say otherwise? They were lovers, after all. The two people who fell in love were one entity. It wasn't just a matter of him protecting her—Mei definitely wanted to protect him too.
"I understand."
Mei knew Xu Qi well enough to realize that those words were anything but perfunctory.
She smiled in satisfaction and said with emotion, "So I have to work hard too... I have to become a better person. That way, I can help you and be worthy of you."
"You're already wonderful, Mei."
"You don't need to tell me that."
"So when someone says you're plump, you start getting carried away?"
"Hehe~~"
Before you continue