The Blacklight reinforcement team swarmed the warehouse within minutes. They moved with silent, grim efficiency, bagging evidence, securing the whimpering Madakaros techie, and carefully dismantling the alien console under the watchful eye of their top engineers.
Lin Ming, Pham Tuan, and Quynh Nhu were gathered near the entrance, a strange bubble of silence around them in the midst of the activity. Quynh Nhu had descended from her perch and was now standing with her arms crossed, staring intently at the cloth-wrapped object on Lin Ming's back. Her usual snappy demeanor was gone, replaced by a thoughtful, analytical silence that was somehow more intimidating.
Pham Tuan kept stealing glances at Lin Ming, his mind still trying to process the clean, effortless lethality he had witnessed. The arrogance had been completely scrubbed from him, replaced by a wary respect and a healthy dose of fear.
Finally, Agent Hien arrived, her face as impassive as ever. She received a quick report from the on-site team leader, then approached the three of them.
"Mission successful," she stated flatly. "The captured tech specialist is already being interrogated, and the data we've salvaged from that console, thanks to Minerva's intervention, is a major intelligence windfall. It contains the patrol routes and communication frequencies for this entire sector."
She then turned her sharp gaze to Lin Ming. "Your performance was... exceptional. The mission report states you eliminated two hostiles in under thirty seconds. Unofficially," she lowered her voice slightly, "Quynh Nhu's optic-feed footage is currently being analyzed by a very impressed, and very confused, panel at Central Command."
Lin Ming simply nodded. "I followed my training."
"Your 'training' involves a sword that can slice through Madakaros armor like it's butter?" Quynh Nhu finally spoke up, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. She pointed at his back. "What is that thing?"
"It's an antique," Lin Ming replied with a perfect deadpan expression. "A family heirloom. Very well-maintained."
Quynh Nhu narrowed her eyes. She knew he was lying, but she also knew she wasn't going to get a straight answer. It infuriated and intrigued her in equal measure. This scrawny, mysterious boy was more interesting than any puzzle she had ever encountered.
Agent Hien interjected before Quynh Nhu could press further. "Whatever it is, it's effective. The details of your personal equipment will be classified under your operational file, Lin Ming. For your exceptional service, you have been awarded 500 military merits and fast-tracked from 'provisional' to 'probationary' candidate status in the Dragon's Fang program. Congratulations."
500 merits was a huge deal. It was enough to trade for high-grade nutrient solutions, better housing inside the inner sectors, or even advanced military-grade equipment. It was a significant step up in the world.
Hien then turned to Pham Tuan. "Tuan, you provided adequate support and followed orders. You will receive 100 merits for your participation. Continue to improve."
It was a standard, passing commendation, but after witnessing Lin Ming's performance, it felt like a participation trophy. Pham Tuan clenched his fists, but he bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Agent." The battlefield had taught him a brutal lesson about the gap between them.
The ride back to the facility was silent and awkward. When they arrived, Pham Tuan paused before exiting the vehicle.
"Lin Ming," he said, the name sounding strange on his tongue. He refused to look at him directly. "You... you saved my life back there. With the firefight and... the bomb." He took a deep breath. "I was wrong about you. I apologize."
Having said his piece, he practically fled from the vehicle, as if the words themselves had burned his mouth.
[Rival's Grudging Respect Gained!]
[The 'Face-Slapping Expert' title glows with satisfaction.]
[+200 Battle Will Points for turning a former enemy into a... well, a deeply intimidated acquaintance.]
Lin Ming was left in the vehicle with Quynh Nhu, who was watching the exchange with amusement.
"Wow," she said, twirling one of her pink pigtails. "You broke him. The school's golden boy is now your humble admirer. You must be very proud."
"Just another day at the office," Lin Ming shrugged.
She chuckled at that. "Listen, Scrawny... Lin Ming. That offer I made before... it still stands. This world, this war... it's a meat grinder. You have talent, a lot of talent. But talent gets people killed just as often as it saves them. You need allies." She met his gaze, her usual spiky attitude softening for a fraction of a second. "You're not as annoying as I thought. Maybe we can be... allies."
Coming from Quynh Nhu, that was the equivalent of a heartfelt declaration of friendship.
"Maybe we can," Lin Ming agreed. He found her straightforward, "tsundere" personality refreshingly simple compared to the political maneuvering and hidden agendas of others.
When he finally returned home, it was past midnight. His parents had waited up, their faces etched with worry. When he told them he had been on a "supervised training exercise" that went well, they were visibly relieved. He omitted the parts about lethal combat and nearly being blown up.
After depositing his reward merits into the family account—a sum that would drastically improve their living conditions—he retreated to his room and locked the door.
He sank onto his bed, finally allowing the fatigue of the day to wash over him. He checked his system panel.
[Name: Lin Ming]
[Age: 16]
[Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining - Mid Stage]
[Battle Will Points: 5860 / 4000 to advance]
[Military Merits: 500]
He had more than enough points to break through to High-Stage Qi Refining. The real fight had yielded incredible results. The risks were high, but the rewards were undeniable.
He closed his eyes. "System, begin the breakthrough."
[-4000 Battle Will Points deducted. Initiating advancement to High-Stage Qi Refining.]
The vortex in his dantian roared to life once more, pulling in the ambient energy of the world with even greater ferocity. The process was more intense this time, his body shaking slightly as his Qi channels widened and his physical form was reinforced.
As the energy settled, a profound sense of power filled him. He was on the final step before the true transformation: Foundation Establishment.
But just as he was savoring the feeling, a small, unobtrusive icon popped up on his system interface. It wasn't a mission alert or a point notification. It was a private message icon. There was a message waiting for him inside his supposedly impenetrable, mind-linked system.
He opened it with trepidation. The message was short, written in plain text.
I noticed an unusual energy surge from your biometrics during the mission. It doesn't match any known Awakened patterns. It looked like the code for a self-contained energy system. What are you?
- M.
Underneath the text was that same, cheeky ASCII art smiley face. :)
The hacker who saved his life... had just hacked into the one secret he thought was completely safe. His system.
Lin Ming felt a cold sweat run down his back. This was a complication he had never anticipated.