Huaihai City.
Wearing a gray cloak, Tianping strode across the corridor, knocked on a door, and then pushed it open and entered.
"Captain, the rankings for this year's training camp are out," Tianping said as he walked up to Wangmian.
Wang Mian raised an eyebrow. "How is it?"
"Not as you predicted, Lin Xi Chen came in first place with 96 points and also received a Starfall Medal. and Lin Qiye came in second place with 95 points and also received a Star Medal!"
"95... The same score as me back then, thank goodness." Wang Mian breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought this kid would get a much higher score, and he almost lost face. Then the information hit him like a truck when he realized that Lin Xi Chen's score was even higher than his! 1 point! It was like she was getting revenge for that bribery incident. "No wait... Did his sister have a higher score than me!?"
"Yes, she did. She could have achieved a higher score, but because her attitude towards her studies slipped a bit, she frequently lost points for her attitude."
"..." So she score on full combat assessments?
"Captain, he only scored 6 points in the shooting assessment."
"…Pervert." Wang Mian's lips twitched slightly. He slumped back in his recliner and sighed deeply. "At this rate, I reckon there will be quite a few people trying to take him…"
"Captain, should we also apply to our superiors to transfer the twin over here?" Tianping couldn't help but ask.Wang Mian shook his head. "No need."
Tianping was taken aback. "Why? We're also a special team, and we have a good relationship with Lin Qiye and Rose really fond of Lin Xi Chen too! If we extend an invitation, they'll likely agree."
"Rare geniuses like Lin Qiye and Lin Xi Chen would not be allowed to join any special team by the higher-ups."
Tianping seemed to have thought of something, "You mean..."
"Someone like them is destined to build their own special team. Joining any other special team would only limit their growth. I heard that the plan to rebuild the fifth special team is already on the agenda," Wang Mian said calmly.
"However, they are still a newcomer who just came out of the training camp. He is lacking in both strength and experience. He won't be sent to form a special team so quickly. The higher-ups will likely transfer him to a garrison team in a city to hone his skills. When the time is right, he will be sent to form a new team."
"Therefore, it's impossible for the higher-ups to agree to our request to bring the Lin siblings over."
Libra sighed helplessly, seemingly with some regret.
"What a pity..."
"There's nothing to regret." Wang Mian stood up, smiled, and patted Tianping on the shoulder. "Aren't you looking forward to it?"
"What are you expecting?"
"I look forward to the day when they stands shoulder to shoulder with a whole new special forces team," Wang Mian murmured, looking out the window. "I'm really looking forward to it..."
...
Dark, gloomy clouds gradually enveloped the earth, and the blazing sun, as if banished by darkness, gradually disappeared behind the thick haze. The hot and stuffy air was almost suffocating.
This world is waiting for a heavy rain.
Lin Xi Chen and Shen Qingzhu were hanging out under a tree on the green lawn at the edge of the running track. After a long silence, Shen Qingzhu asked softly, sounding quite unsure, "Hey... what kind of guy do you like?"
"Hm.... Me? I like handsome hotheads like you—a bit of a bad boy, but still kind-hearted. Someone that I can trust and watch my back while handling my timid side..."
Lin Xi Chen smiled teasingly upon seeing Shen Qingzhu blushing; then, turning serious, she voiced her innermost thoughts: "I really mean it—if it weren't for God Ruin, I never would have found the courage to face the issue..."
"That's also why not many people are interested in me—partly because I'm not beautiful, and partly because I feel unworthy of them; in the end, I'm just a weirdo..."
"Then.... We can be a couple of weird. I will punch every thug that bully you."
"Haha.... hey I'm strong now, I can kick their as-.... You are serious..."
Lin Xi Chen gave him a wry laugh before looking back at Shen Qingzhu's expression, seeing that he was really seriously looking at her. This made her blush and she became flustered, stammering and blushing even more. "Y-you... really like me...? I-I'm..."
Chu—
He pulled Lin Xi Chen into his embrace and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead to comfort and calm her, all while stroking her voluminous hair.
He then leaned back slightly to see her flustered face and pout—a sight that made him unable to stop teasing her and squishing her chubby cheeks.
"Oh? You crying?"
"Mmph..... Waaaaa.... You bully me.... I will tell Lin Qiye..."
"Hah, his marksmanship will never match mine. But if it comes to swordsmanship, I'll leave that to you." Shen Qingzhu smirked as he pulled her into his embrace and whispered, "So, feel free to show your vulnerable side when I'm around; I'll protect you. We'll always protect each other."
"I'll let it slide that you teased me."
"Fine then.... Let's go back, it's going to rain heavily." Shen Qingzhu ruffled her hair, then stood up, took Lin Xichen's hand, and pulled her to her feet. He draped his military jacket over her head to shield her from the light and the hot of the summer. Hand in hand, they made their way back to their dormitory.
Lin Xi Chen looked down at the ground, seemingly deep in thought; then, she looked up and nudged Shen Qingzhu, "I have something I want to give you; could you wait downstairs at the female dormitory for a bit later?"
"A gift?"
...
"It's going to rain heavily," Lin Qiye said, leaning against the dormitory corridor and looking up at the increasingly dark sky.
"Let it rain, let it rain, it's good that it's raining. This awful weather is unbearably hot," Baili Pangpang said helplessly, wiping away his sweat.
There was no air conditioning in the training camp, and in such a hot environment, almost no one could stay in the dormitory. Most of the new recruits ran to the corridor, trying to get some cool breeze.
Without the constraints of training, everyone seemed to relax a lot and started organizing recreational activities in the dormitory, such as playing cards, chess, and King of Glory...
Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, the sharp whistle rang out again.
The moment they heard the whistle, everyone instinctively dropped what they were doing and sprinted toward the training field. Over the course of a year of training, the whistle had become an instinctive part of them.
Three minutes later, everyone arrived at the training ground.Instructor Hong stood on the training platform, and after calling out "At ease!" and "Attention!" for a while, he took out a document from his leather bag and said:
"I've called you here now because your transfer orders have all come through. I'm announcing it here so you can prepare in advance."
The moment the transfer order was announced, everyone's heart tightened; they felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation."Zheng Zhong, transfer to Night Watch Squad No. 117 in Wudong City!"
"Yang Zi, transfer to Night Watch Squad 152 in Hailan City!"
"Li Shaoguang, transferred to..."
"Deng Wei..."
"..."
As name after name was called out, the sky grew increasingly dark, and faint rumbles of thunder echoed from the clouds, reverberating across the heavens. Some breathed a sigh of relief, while others remained apprehensive.
"Molly, transfer to Team 017 in Suzhou City!"
"..."
"Baili Tuming, transferred to Squad 010 in Guangzhou-Shenzhen City!"
"..."
"Cao Yuan, transfer to Squad 007 in Huaihai City!"
"..."
"Shen Qingzhu, transfer to Squad 006 in Shangjing City!"
"Lin Xi Chen, transferred to Squad 136 in Cangan City!"
"Lin Qiye... is being transferred to Squad 136 in Cangnan City!"
Hearing this, everyone was stunned and looked at Lin Qiye in the queue with surprise, their eyes filled with incomprehension, shock, and resentment... Everyone had seen the twin's performance, and they were completely convinced of his first place.
But to everyone's surprise, just when everyone thought he would join a special team or the Beijing team, the higher-ups arranged for him to return to the small city of Cangnan...
Is there something fishy going on here?!
On the contrary, Lin Qiye was not angry or upset about the result. On the contrary, he was extremely satisfied with the arrangement.
Lin Xichen furrowed her brows slightly; she didn't seem to like the situation much, and it appeared unfair. Her hunch tells her that the situation goes beyond the simple fact that they still have to stay in Cangan.
Baili Pangpang and Cao Yuan frowned and exchanged a glance, seemingly also feeling that the arrangement was somewhat inappropriate. However, considering that Lin Qiye himself was quite satisfied with the result, they tacitly remained silent.
But even if they don't say it, others will.
"Report!!" Shen Qingzhu suddenly shouted from the crowd.
"Speak."
"I refuse to accept this!"
"You've been transferred to the Shangjing City team, what else do you want to complain about?"
"It wasn't me." Shen Qingzhu narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Lin Qiye and Lin Xi Chen were clearly the top students in the training camp. It's one thing that they weren't selected for the special team, but why was they transferred to Cangnan?"
"Oh?" Instructor Hong raised his eyebrows. "When did you, Shen Qingzhu, become so close to them?"
"This isn't about relationships," Shen Qingzhu said seriously. "They're stronger than me, stronger than anyone else in this camp! If even they can only stay in Cangnan, then what right do I have to go to the capital?"
"I, Shen Qingzhu, cannot afford to lose face like this!"
Shen Qingzhu's words were resounding and stunned not only Lin Qiye, but also Instructor Hong, who was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Shen Qingzhu, Lin Xi Chen and Lin Qiye, I hope you understand..." Instructor Hong took a deep breath and said slowly, "This transfer order was not arranged by us, but by the higher-ups of the Night Watch. In fact, when we learned of this news, we were even more confused and angry than you. We have all seen Lin Qiye's performance. He is the one who should be given the most important position!"
"But...we are soldiers, and soldiers are meant to follow orders!"
"I don't know who gave this order, but I believe he must have had his reasons for doing so!"
"That's all I have to say. Your individual transfer orders will be issued shortly. Now... disperse."
Instructor Hong turned and left, leaving the new recruits standing there, looking at each other blankly.
—Thud.
A raindrop landed on Lin Qiye's shoulder, followed by a second, then a third...
In an instant, the rain poured down!