The Plan's First Step!

***

"What the hell did you say you wanted to be?!"

The fingers holding Shi Qiang's cigarette butt twitched, nearly burning him. His eyelids jumped as he stared in disbelief at the young man spouting such nonsense.

"Wasn't I clear?" Alvin tilted his head and repeated, "I hope you'll recommend me to General Chang Weisi as the Fourth Wallfacer."

"You? What makes you think you can?"

Shi Qiang curled his lip and sized up the young man before him.

Because you're handsome?

Don't make me laugh. Being handsome won't get you anywhere.

Besides, Shi Qiang wasn't into men, and he had no interest in pretty boys.

Alvin thought it over, then said earnestly, "I can help humanity defeat the Trisolaran Civilization. Does that count as a reason?"

"...Do you think I look like an easy mark?" Shi Qiang ground his teeth and said with exasperation, "You want me to recommend you as a Wallfacer? If I had that kind of pull, why wouldn't I become a Wallfacer myself? A job that good wouldn't be handed to you!"

With that, Shi Qiang tossed his finished cigarette onto the ground, ground it under his leather shoe, then patted Alvin on the shoulder and said seriously, "You're some rich kid, aren't you? I don't know who sent you to find me, but sorry—I can't do it. If you've really got nothing better to do, go chew on a lighter."

Ever since Luo Ji had been attacked, all sorts of unsavory characters had come out of the woodwork—but in the end, they all had the same goal.

Either they were ETO spies,

or they craved the power of a Wallfacer.

Humanity... was truly laughable.

Shi Qiang couldn't help giving a scornful chuckle. Even with humanity's survival at stake, people still couldn't stop fighting among