Act ZERO Glory | Chapter Zero: The Laurel

[Part 1: Glory]

It was approaching the dead of winter in 2025.

With the date of the trial mission drawing ever closer, everything is proceeding according to the timeline set by Professor Wood Plark.

For the past six months, he or she has been lingering at shooting ranges and mixed martial arts training arenas, and almost every armed employee at the Nine Realms Station has been beaten up by the Big Sister or gunsmith.

People only know that the gunsmith is a talkative and approachable man who often helps other passengers or soldiers adjust their equipment and maintain their weapons.

The other Big Sister was not so easy to get along with. She often appeared in the gym at the shooting range wearing a mask. First, she would do twenty minutes of stretching, and then she would start punching the sandbag until the sound of the punching attracted people. Once someone came up to chat her up, she would immediately issue a duel challenge.

She had a fantastic figure; from a warrior's perspective, her legs were like an antelope's, and her back and arms were as strong as a cougar's.

The ponytail swaying with the rhythm of boxing could captivate the soul of the soldier from Guangling Zhixi, who was probably intoxicated by the wonderful sense of rhythm between movement and stillness.

Her daily routine and fighting habits were completely different from the gunsmith's, making it hard to believe that the two were both unknown and had the same teacher. But when they took a step, lifted their legs, and threw a fierce punch, producing a clean and powerful punch, they were so similar.

However, the difference in their combat strength is quite significant.

--The gunsmith is a gentleman. In most cases, when facing opponents of European Guangling Zhixi who weigh over 200 pounds and are over 188 centimeters tall in combat sports, he is restricted by the rules of the boxing ring and finds it difficult to defeat them.

--The Big Sister is nothing like a lady like the gunsmith. In half a year, she destroyed thirty-three jaws. The broken teeth could fill a movie studio and be divided into a two-hundred-page script. The script is full of the blood and tears of "Tooth Fairy Big Guy", because most of these broken-tooth soldiers are as strong as Dwayne Johnson.

In conclusion, people still prefer chatting and gossiping with the gunsmith, talking about the nameless woman's family affairs, and are also curious about the real appearance of this Big Sister, this ruthless and wild flower.

She always wore a mask when meeting people, the mask printed with a cheerful yet terrifying smile, her eyes sharp and intense.

She never wears makeup, her eyebrows and eyes are sharp and piercing, and you can't smell perfume on her. Most of the time, you can only smell Libai laundry soap and Liushen floral water.

She doesn't grow long nails; her fingers are like a guitarist's, and she never wears any rings to ensure precise strumming.

She rarely speaks, but most of the time she will exchange a few words with the shopkeeper when she is fiddling with bottled electrolyte drinks at the convenience store.

Her skill in handling firearms was as exquisite as that of a gunsmith, and the shooting instructors would occasionally reveal some information about her when they talked.

[This is what the gunsmith taught me; in exchange, I taught the gunsmith how to fight.]

I am Chinese, not Singaporean, Malaysia, Japanese, or anywhere else. I am Chinese, not of mixed race.

[In earlier times, there were the Imperial Guards or the Inner Guards; later, there were the general's pistol captains. Now, the Nameless One is Ming De's personal bodyguard. You can think of me as the head of that bodyguard team.]

[Go find the gunsmith if you need anything, I don't have time for you.]

[This is my phone number (contact information for 9527).]

Apart from that, this mysterious woman rarely frequented other areas.

On two separate occasions, people witnessed the Big Sister's whereabouts at the Dead Puppet Agency, where she was retrieving a fragile part of [Wenyu Wuhuan].

Then the gunsmith took over these matters until the Best Moon God Cup.

Wait, now it's called C√B. After the Noob Cup was over and Bu Liuxing achieved excellent results, he returned to [JoeStar], and these trivial matters were handed over to this little brother. Gunsmith also lived a secluded life.

People say that the gunsmith is the godfather of the nameless man, and this young man can handle everything, big or small. This receptionist is very good at interpersonal relationships, speaks in a way that makes people feel comfortable, and is generous and elegant.

However, the Big Sister doesn't understand people's hearts. Most of the time, she seems to have a cold, aloof, and superior demeanor, like a rose sculpted from ice, and she is also the guardian of [JoeStar].

The simulated combat, shooting, and hand-to-hand combat training over the past six months have constantly demonstrated just how terrifying this woman's physical constitution is. Previously, there were only some rumors about her being unable to sleep without killing three blood-sucking monsters every day.

But those who actually came to see her after hearing the news, amidst the gunfire and punches, the torrential rain and thunder from the shooting range and the ring, could only marvel at how tough the monster in Chaderton Fort in London truly was; otherwise, it wouldn't have been enough to stop this Big Sister from killing.

The lobby manager, Hank Marcus, is the only person in the station's boardroom counter system who knows the secret of the War King.

He is from Ohio, USA. He and his wife were childhood sweethearts and lived in Yancheng. He also awakened his Inspiration at the age of thirteen and regarded Ming De as his adoptive parents who were his second father and mother, whom he absolutely trusted.

Manager Hank, carrying a new set of clothes, new jewelry, and a new mission briefing, knocked on the door of the Nameless Club.

"Time's up, Big Sister."

The Big Sister sat upright at the bar, seemingly having waited for a very long time. She had maintained her female character account for over two months, adapting to this body's menstrual cycle and getting used to [her] temperament, as well as the signs of her muscles straining and her soul power activating.

If Xue Ming was still somewhat unaccustomed to the account when attacking Chaderton Fort, after half a year of adjustment, she has completely become one with it, and no longer feels any hesitation or awkwardness.

She simply sat there, wearing burgundy leather gloves, quick-drying workout clothes, and a fur coat for warmth.

"I've been feeling a very strong sense of unease lately."

Hank pushed everything onto the counter next to the Big Sister.

What do you mean?

Xue Ming immediately replied, "My daily kills have been dropping. I did a rough calculation, and it started at 3.85, but now it's dropped to 1.8—this is making me anxious."

Manager Hank was a bit dumbfounded, unsure whether the nameless boss was joking or just putting on a show.

"Let's get down to business." Jiang Xueming immediately opened the package of clothes and pulled out a set of prison clothes. "My trial mission is this?"

Manager Hank nodded and explained.

"Your name is Glory, just like your brilliance stone."

Big Sister: "My pyroxene?"

Hank: "That's not important, we'll talk about that later—anyway, you need a pseudonym."

Big Sister: "The names of prisoners used for their incarceration?"

Hank: "Yes. This prison uniform has basic bulletproof protection; it can save your life."

The Big Sister: "Which prison do I need to go to?"

Hank: "In a satellite town of Eleventh District, a place famous for its potatoes and peppers, it's also called Yellow Bull Town."

The Big Sister, "Shouldn't it be called Potato Town or Chili Town?"

Hank: "When cooking, people always say, 'You should supplement what you lack.'"

The Big Sister: "That makes sense."

Hank: "Yellow Bull Town has excellent transportation connections. Four small stations were built within a six-kilometer radius. The Third Transportation Department and Sixth Transportation Department transported criminals here to labor reform, to plant potatoes or dig potatoes. They always had to choose one."

The Big Sister, "Duran and Flavia are serving their sentences here."

Hank: "Yes, first you need to get into prison and help Duran and Flavia escape. Do you know their full names?"

The Big Sister: "Claudia Ars Duran, and the other one I don't know."

Hank: "The other one's full Flavia Marcus, and she shares my last name. Quite a coincidence."

The Big Sister: "Do I have to contact them using a pseudonym?"

Hank: "Help them escape from Prison Break to Clearwater Bay in Forty-Eight District, which is Yellowstone People's territory. Infiltrate the underground gang's drug factory, destroy their drug den, and capture or kill the ringleaders. The Little Brotherhood and other members of the Madness Butterfly Sect might also get involved. It's a highly profitable business, and hallucinogens are magical tools that cultists rely on for survival."

Big Sister: "Where's my gear? What's the plan?"

Hank: "Yinhe and Jingguang will be sent to Forty-Eight District to await orders. The things you've created are just too outrageous; no one will believe you got these divine weapons from prison. As for those boots, they can be put in D33 Locker in the prison. It's a large bathhouse, and the lockers are guarded. The supervision of personal belongings in the women's prison isn't that strict."

Big Sister: "Where's my stick?"

Hank: "Your warhammer will be with Galaxy in a safe at the Baiyu Tower Industrial Park Station in Forty-Eight District. The safe number and combination are written inside your clothes. As for this umbrella, keep it with you."

Big Sister: "Excellent arrangement."

Hank: "Just one more question, was what you said earlier true?"

The Big Sister: "Is what's real?"

[Part ②·Laureate]

Hank talked for a long time, then picked up his water glass and asked the Big Sister for some alcohol.

"It's that feeling of anxiety. Do you really feel anxious because of a statistic like your average daily kills?"

The Big Sister tilted her head and shook it. "Just kidding."

Hank smiled awkwardly, "That's good."

The Big Sister, "The thought that drug dealers are still at large while I've trained for half a year and done nothing—a woman's youth is precious, and to waste it on the shooting range and the ring, having to wait so long before I can actually kill someone—makes me really anxious. Data is static, but people are dynamic. Do you understand how I'm explaining it?"

"I understand. I understand." Hank explained earnestly, "This is the BOSS's intention. There's no other way. Flavia and Duran are two high-value targets. If we release them immediately after they enter prison, the Little Brotherhood members probably won't trust these two undercover agents—being suspected is the most fatal thing for an undercover agent."

"Why couldn't I participate in the C√B Noob Cup before?" Jiang Xueming didn't understand. "Meteor went to Cairo and had a great time. He's already metamorphosed and is just one step away from becoming a butterfly. I think I should also go and choose a few opponents and absorb their strength."

Hank: "Be a lady."

Xue Ming changed his wording. "Study hard."

As he was saying this, Bu Liuxing suddenly appeared from behind the counter.

The big guy was hiding behind the counter, eavesdropping, afraid that Ming Ge would go out and not take him with him.

"Yeah! Why, why? I want to go fight someone with Ming Ge!"

Manager Hank explained, "Our Big Sister can't appear in the public eye, at least not this time. Before she completes this VIP trial mission, her appearance and fighting style must be kept relatively secret, at least not exposed to the live broadcast of the event watched by millions of people."

Based on the previous format of the Best Moon God Cup, this kind of World Cup in the supernatural world is very popular and widely known in the major cities of the underground railway. The Big Sister can cause trouble in the training camp of the Nine Realms Station, but it would be impolite to go elsewhere.

The Big Sister said, "So, all of this was arranged by the boss."

Hank: "That's right. Please forgive me."

The Big Sister: "You just mentioned pyroxene."

Before he could finish speaking, Hank carefully took out the jewelry and handed the reforged Steel Heart to the Big Sister.

It retains the simple, unadorned iron ring design; the corundum and carbon steel give it a very cold and hard appearance. It also smells strongly of engine oil.

The rings had been badly damaged in previous battles, especially by the Mary and Stuart sisters. By the time they returned to Xiao Qi's hands, they were cracked.

After being recast by Ling Weng, it is now sparkling clean.

Xue Ming tapped on the table, and Xiao Qi, who had been eavesdropping under the counter, popped out.

"Coming, coming, coming! Okay!"

Xue Ming handed one of the small boxes to Xiao Qi.

Bai Qingqing fainted.

It happened so fast! Just as fast as the first time I fainted.

I have no idea how to describe what happened. Bai Bailu was hiding under the counter. Luckily, Bailu grabbed her sister-in-law quickly, otherwise that woman would have at least suffered a mild concussion.

Just as Hank was marveling at the hide-and-seek potential of the [JoeStar] bar counter.

Despite these minor amusements, Xue Ming managed to steer the conversation back on track, bringing up the matter of the pyroxene.

"You said before that you wanted me to change my name to Glory, the same as my brilliance stone?"

Manager Hank immediately pulled out a new gift from the small bag containing the mission summary.

"This is a diatomite jewelry piece that the Spirit Elder made for the Nameless Big Sister. Your diatomite and gunsmith must be differentiated; clubs and stones are the primary symbols by which people in the underworld recognize each other."

Xue Ming roughly untied the ribbon and tore the packaging apart.

A glittering golden crown was placed in the gift box, inlaid with a jet-black cat's-eye stone. This was a diopside cat's-eye with an extremely high refractive index; it was almost like the eyes of a BOSS, with some golden-green brilliance visible in the dark pupils.

The crown, adorned with green osmanthus branches and leaves, is woven from gold and silver threads; compared to the Steel Heart, this thing looks far too expensive.

The Big Sister was about to pick up the crown, put it on her head, and test its psychic abilities.

The meteor immediately shouted, "When you put on this golden headband, you will no longer be a mortal!"

For a moment, everyone felt awkward and remained silent, all staring at A Xing.

Meteor explained awkwardly and aggrievedly, "I just felt the atmosphere was right... so..."

The Big Sister simply held up the crown, while Manager Hank frantically pulled out the spirit elder's eulogy to complete the ceremony.

Some say that the world's first war was between men and women.

Gold and silver threads fell into her jet-black hair, and the Big Sister closed her eyes to experience the new brilliance.

"Lilith said to Adam, 'Why must you be on top and I on the bottom?' And so the war began."

When the Big Sister opened her eyes again, they were blood red, along with her hair.

--It seems that this bluish-green, almost pure black diopside has the ability to change the color of a gemstone.

Hank then spoke, continuing the discussion on the gift presented by the Old Lingweng.

"She became a demon of the night, and after being driven out of Eden, she became a mysterious, alluring, vicious, and deadly monster."

"Like you, they call you Baba Yaga, the Night Demon who can stop children from crying and let them sleep peacefully."

"It is the crown of the War King, this head of blood-red hair is your banner, and this cat's eye gemstone is Ming De."

"You were born from a colorless stone of unwavering resilience; human blood is red and tastes of iron—this is the [Glory] I bestow upon you."

The Big Sister said, "And then?"

"Then," the manager said, holding up the small piece of paper, "Have you felt your combat power improve?"

The Big Sister: "No, absolutely no change, except that my hair has turned red—nothing has changed at all."

Manager: "The old man said that wearing this crown will give you a feeling of high spirits and invincibility."

Big Sister: "Are you serious? You went through all this trouble just to dye my hair?"

Manager: "Oh, oh, oh! I found it."

Turn to the back for instructions--

--A functional overview of this piece of jewelry.

"Marika is Radagon!" (This line was crossed out for some reason. Judging from the crooked handwriting, it was probably written by the BOSS.)

"It possesses some of the qualities of black stone, yellow stone, and green stone, representing curiosity, vitality, self-esteem, and a touch of luck."

"It can make your hair a deep red with RGB color code 160/30/40, the color of blood. In the underworld, there are many blood-bearing monsters, and vampires might mistake you for a subspecies that retains human body temperature as a disguise because of this characteristic."

"Good luck, Big Sister."

"I have one last question." Xue Ming felt rather uncomfortable wearing this crown. "My name sounds like I'm from another country, but this face—"

After saying that, she grabbed Bailu and held her younger sister's face next to her as a reference point, because the BOSS had instructed that she could not take off her mask.

"--He looks Chinese no matter how you look at him. What am I supposed to say if the Little Brotherhood asks me about it?"

The manager clapped his hands.

"That's right! Glory, isn't her surname Ge?"