Quarrel

With the final assessment over, the excuses and indignation of the losers were as hollow as their performances and their standings on the scoreboard.

The eighty eliminated students had been decided: sixty from the combat track, twenty from the non-combat track, cut by rank. The final results were already posted for all to see.

But inside the temporary shed where the three principals had gathered, a fierce quarrel was erupting.

"The top twenty earn mech soldier qualifications. Xu Lingqu is first—she deserves that spot," Instructor Chen insisted, uncharacteristically stubborn. "Why not give her a chance? Let her try."

Su Li fixed him with a cold stare. "Her Psychic Power Level is B. You want a B-rank student piloting a mech? Are you appreciating her talent or trying to ruin her? Do you have any idea what happens to people with low psychic power who pilot mechs?"

"But Xu Lingqu is different. At the start, did anyone think her body would even hold up? And it's just a qualification—no one's sending her to the Military Department to test-drive a real mech." Instructor Chen's tone grew frosty. "In the military academy league's mech dueling arena, the minimum for piloting replicated mechs has already dropped to B-rank handling A-class mechs. She deserves basic training."

"Do you think I don't want to train her?!" Su Li's voice rose. "You think I don't know about the league? But do you have any idea how much pressure the Military Department will put on us if I list a B-rank student as an official mech soldier?!"

Kai Ang tried to mediate. "Look, the Military Department's been breathing down our necks for ages..."

He'd initially thought Instructor Chen was chasing pipe dreams, but Xu Lingqu kept pulling off miracles. Gradually, his stance had softened—what harm was there in trying?...

"How can you say that, Kai Ang?" Su Li shook her head. "You don't have to deal with them directly, so you can casually say 'ages.' Where do you think this trial period's funding came from? I go to the Military Department every day, begging like a beggar. When you want equipment or facilities, I'm out there pulling every string I can. Do you two think being vice principal has been easy?"

"But she fought so hard for first place—she deserves fairness." Sensing the raw emotion in Su Li's outburst, Instructor Chen knew he should drop it, but he couldn't resist one last jab. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it.

Predictably, Su Li's temper flared even hotter.

"Fairness for her? Has Moye had any fairness since Galaxy Admiral Sheng Shu left? Back then, the three of us graduated basking in the old admiral's final glory. By the time we returned, the original teachers had been driven off one by one, leaving a bunch of incompetent old-timers. The admiral's reputation is being dragged through the mud. We swore we'd prop Moye back up. Both of you have thought about leaving at some point, but I never did. I swallowed my pride and clawed my way to this position—do you think I don't know how the Military Department works? If you file that report today, a budget cut notice will land on my desk tomorrow. Do you think I'm singling her out? Wake up."

Kai Ang and Chen Ai had dreams; they valued talent. Did Su Li not share those? It was just that behind every beautiful dream lurked a cruel, messy reality, and someone had to clean up the mess.

Her outburst left them stunned.

They'd known Su Li carried pressure, but never imagined it ran this deep.

Once a quiet, introverted girl, she'd changed so drastically—they'd chalked it up to growth and experience. In truth, it was the desperation of being crushed.

"I'm sorry." Instructor Chen spoke first, bowing to Su Li. "I'm sorry. Thank you for everything."

Kai Ang followed suit, also apologizing. "I won't waste money or make unreasonable demands anymore. I'm sorry."

Looking at these two, their mannerisms just as they'd been in their student days, Su Li finally let her guard down. She turned away, dabbing at the corners of her eyes.

Letting them see her cry was a bit embarrassing.

Kai Ang and Instructor Chen knew full well she was wiping away tears, but they tactfully stayed bowed until she turned back.

"Xu Lingqu is an outstanding student," Su Li said, her voice steadier now. "She'll shine in the command track. For this league, I'll back her as Moye's Chief Commander. But listing her as an official mech soldier is non-negotiable. Instead of arguing with me, go find her and explain the situation first."

The task fell to Kai Ang. As he was leaving, worried Su Li and Instructor Chen might reignite their fight, he urged them, "At least wait until I get back to argue—so there's someone to break it up."

"Get out."

When Kai Ang stepped out, he walked straight into Xu Lingqu, who said coldly: "I'm just that bad. And I never intend to change."

His brow knitted even tighter. Xu Lingqu was no walk in the park either. But he still, with a pained expression, called her aside. "I need to tell you something..."

Kai Ang ran through the Military Department's explicit and implicit rules and underhanded practices, venting over a decade's worth of grievances along the way. He'd braced himself for righteous protest or bitter sarcasm, but to his surprise, she took it in stride—just a calm nod.

She'd expected this all along.

The instructors had taken their time before announcing the list, clearly locked in some argument. And Kai Ang had come straight to her the moment he stepped out—the reason was obvious. Xu Lingqu had long been mentally prepared.

Actually, solving this would only require her to reveal her true Psychic Power Level. But now wasn't the right moment.

She already had a timeline for announcing her SS-level psychic power. Following her plan, losing the mech soldier slot now was hardly a loss.

Seeing how well she handled it, Kai Ang was fully reassured. He returned and officially announced the elimination and mech soldier lists.

On the elimination list, Sun Liao and his little gang had been almost completely wiped out—further proof that crossing Xu Lingqu never ended well. The mech soldier list, meanwhile, stirred up a fair amount of chatter.

"Xu Lingqu was first place though..."

"But her Psychic Power Level is B. She can't pilot a real mech."

"The mechs in the Sky Network's league aren't real ones."

"Is the league all you can think about? This affects her whole life."

Jin draped an arm over Shen Shouli's shoulder and called out to Xu Lingqu: "Why not push for it a little more? Our young Master Shen here has connections in the Military Department." He was trying to lighten the mood with his usual jokes.

"Sis, maybe I should talk to brother or dad..." Xu Xiqin looked worried.

Unlike in the dream she'd had before coming here, she hadn't ended up 21st and lost her slot. But Xu Lingqu, who'd placed first, had lost hers.

"It's fine." Xu Lingqu cut her off. "I'm actually pretty happy."

"...But your face says otherwise." Shen Shouli suddenly piped up.

"Because it hurts." Xu Lingqu told the truth.

She urgently needed to get back to the base's medical bay respawn point to revive.