Fainting

Year six of the apocalypse. Law Enforcer Xu Lingqu had just started her first day on the job.

An infected individual appeared in the eastern district of the Lake Arden survivor base. Xu Lingqu followed the senior Law Enforcer, He Buyan, to handle the case.

At the infected person's home, the infected's relative resisted violently. He Buyan chose to shoot the man in the calf to incapacitate him, then executed the infected.

Three days later, on a peaceful day with no Mutant Beast incursions, He Buyan died in the line of duty—shot in the back by a limping human male.

No longer showing mercy to humans was the first step to saving humanity. That was the first lesson the new Law Enforcer, Xu Lingqu, learned.

"Since the individual surrendered, there's no reason to give them points from the team's victory, right?" Xu Lingqu looked at Sun Liao's face cycling through shades of red and black below the stage, then stated her reasoning to Instructor Chen.

Since the points were tied to elimination, there was no way she'd let someone like Sun Liao coast off the score. It wasn't that she feared him—it was just that when you see a cockroach, you lift your foot and stomp. Simple as that.

"Why! The rule says whoever's team wins gets five points! What gives you the right to decide I don't get mine!" Sun Liao was panicking. Xu Lingqu's performance had far exceeded anything he'd imagined, shattering most of his schemes.

He'd already lost all face in front of everyone, and he couldn't afford to lose his points too—otherwise it'd be like losing both the wife and the soldiers. He was so frantic he was nearly babbling. "Just because you're stronger, you can bully the weaker members of the team?"

Instructor Chen said nothing. He turned to look at Xu Lingqu, clearly sensing her weakness at that moment, and frowned slightly.

His micro-expression gave Sun Liao the illusion that maybe the instructor was on his side.

Sun Liao pressed on, hoisting the banner of moral blackmail. "She can decide who gets points and who doesn't—is that still teamwork? She can strip my points now, and next time she can strip someone else's!"

It was then that Lin Xiao raised her hand. "Instructor, as a teammate, I agree that someone who surrendered shouldn't get points. Also, I volunteer to put my own points under Xu Lingqu's discretion."

Xu Lingqu had essentially single-handedly won the match, pulling them back from a certain defeat and point deduction. Lin Xiao naturally believed that whatever points were earned, Xu Lingqu should be free to allocate them as she saw fit. She supported it unconditionally.

After Lin Xiao spoke, the other team members raised their hands as well, voicing their support for Xu Lingqu's distribution.

Sun Liao's face was terrifyingly ugly. He clenched his fists, ready to keep fighting, when suddenly Xu Lingqu on the stage wobbled and collapsed.

Instructor Chen, who had anticipated this, caught her immediately. The students who had been watching the spectacle shifted their attention at once, and Xu Xiqin jumped straight onto the stage.

"What's wrong with my sister?" This was the second time today Xu Lingqu had fainted!

Instructor Kai Ang also stepped onto the stage, checked Xu Lingqu's condition, then signaled a female instructor to carry her toward the makeshift medical tent set up in the woods.

"Exhaustion," he explained tersely to the anxious Xu Xiqin, holding her in place as his eyes lingered on Xu Lingqu with growing complexity.

A pathetically frail physique. A low psychic power level. And yet she possessed such refined, battle-hardened combat skills—and she was General Xu's adopted daughter.

She was shrouded in mystery, with no obvious place to start unraveling her.

Instructor Chen watched as she was carried off, then turned to Sun Liao with a smile. "Student Xu's collapsed from exhaustion, so let's go with her wishes."

Lin Xiao caught on and followed the instructor's lead of moral blackmail, adding to Sun Liao, "Yeah, yeah. She's passed out cold. You're not going to keep haggling with her, are you?"

Instructor Chen's stance was clear. Sun Liao had no choice but to accept his just deserts, angrily retreating to a corner. This was only the beginning—he'd still find a way to get back at that arrogant woman.

—

After blacking out, consciousness drifted into nothingness, sinking into a void of darkness, then quickly resurfacing—

A black interrogation room. Xu Lingqu, in her Law Enforcer uniform, stood under judgment.

"West District, Nanjing Street 102, during the execution of Mission D7—why did you kill that little boy?"

"His mother was infected and had been executed. He willingly licked her blood to become infected himself. In my eyes, he was already one of the infected. He was subject to execution."

The interrogator tapped the table. "Under Lake Arden's new law, humans in the early stage of infection can be handed over to the laboratory for use as test subjects in antibody research."

"The new law clearly states two options: hand over to the lab, or execute on the spot. I simply chose the latter."

A figure in a white coat appeared, slamming the table and pointing at Xu Lingqu's nose, shouting. "You're trampling on human life! You're snuffing out the spark of antibody research! You don't actually want the apocalypse to end—because only while it continues can you Law Enforcers hold power over others' lives!"

The interrogator dragged him away, and Xu Lingqu remained expressionless.

"I've explained myself clearly. Can I go now?"

After receiving the interrogator's approval, she stood and left, opening the door—outside was a interstellar city of soaring towers and bustling aircraft, sleek and futuristic.

Before Xu Lingqu could react, she opened her eyes, waking from the nightmare.

Her legs were wrapped in a transparent substance, squirming against her skin with a jelly-like texture.

"Awake? Fainted on day one. For you alone, I had to pack these up and cart them all the way here." A woman in a white coat was looking at her, ice-blue hair cascading to one side—whether dyed or natural, unclear.

Xu Lingqu glanced at her name tag. "Doctor... Li."

She was the school physician assigned to the new cadets during this trial period at Moye Military Academy.

"I heard you passed out twice today? First time because of the warp?" Doctor Li reached out and felt the back of Xu Lingqu's head. "At least you didn't hit your head—should I commend your falling technique?"

Xu Lingqu instinctively tried to dodge, but the two lumps on her legs kept her immobile.

"Don't move. This is high-tech—a new product from the Sky Network and the Imperial Medical collaboration. Silek gel. Expensive stuff." Doctor Li put on gloves and peeled them off.

This material was specifically developed for recovery from high-intensity physical training. It was currently only distributed within the Military Department and the six major military academies, and even Moye Military Academy's allocation was barely enough to fill the equipment. Doctor Li would have to pack it all back up afterward—she'd be heartbroken if even a bit were lost.

Xu Lingqu immediately felt her legs, formerly weighed down with lead, turn impossibly light—as if she'd been given a new pair entirely.

"The equipment is too heavy, so I could only treat you locally." Doctor Li placed the Silek gel into a briefcase-like container. "Once you're recovered, you can leave. If you're caught slacking off here with me, I'm authorized to deduct points on behalf of the instructors."

She flicked her ice-blue hair and dismissed the patient with clean efficiency.

Xu Lingqu got off the bed. The moment her foot touched the floor, she paused. Not only had her physical stamina recovered significantly, but her overall bodily state had improved by a notch.

That Silek gel was unexpectedly effective for the frail constitution of her original body.

Looked like she'd need to faint a few more times. Stepping out of the simple medical tent, Xu Lingqu thought silently.