novelraw Chapter 114 : Break Period
Chapter 114 : Break Period
At this moment, the Red Moon Snow Plain's jump channel opened, with the Border Army entering in large numbers.
The monitoring station door opened, and the black gold mecha walked out with its back to the strong light. The long spear spun a circle in her hand as Chen Sui looked at Ink Hills and Xitisi standing in the distance, feeling somewhat relieved.
Good thing she ran fast.
"Sister Chen Sui, does your Zhu Jing Fu have special courses to study acting? One after another, you all look so convincing."
Noya thought to himself that if he weren't also a black sesame rice ball, he would almost have been fooled by Chen Sui.
But—
Even after realizing it, she still evaded him.
Before the five schools departed, the points ranking changed one last time.
Zhu Jing Fu's points doubled for completing the equipment placement task, leaping to first place with their score gaining an additional digit.
"Tsk, Zhu Jing Fu made a killing, didn't they?"
Noya looked at the scores, then calculated the materials they had exchanged with Zhu Jing Fu. He Shuangmu added from the side: "Zhou Chen and the others also got a piece of snake scale armor, better quality than the White Jade Thunder Serpent scales."
As the aircraft left the jump exit, Noya fell into thought: "What did we gain?"
The Saint Laurent group was silent for a moment.
Noya reflected that their analyst was seriously injured, their strong attacker was seriously injured, and they couldn't even protect the analysis equipment.
In contrast, Zhu Jing Fu had Zhou Chen's core crystal repaired, got energy crystals, secured the analysis equipment, and even sheared so much wool from the energy field.
"Why don't we shear some too?" He Shuangmu's eyes lit up. "I chatted with Gu Qinxue for half the day at the base station. I've already agreed with her that for the next field, we'll share information with each other when there's activity."
Noya looked at him distrustfully: "With your intelligence, I'm afraid you'll be fooled to death by Zhu Jing Fu."
But He Shuangmu reminded Noya that if Zhu Jing Fu wasn't defending in the next round, they could completely share information. Zhu Jing Fu would just need to share a materials list—
Noya's eyeballs rolled, his golden hair bouncing back and forth.
On the other side, Chen Sui was holding the snake scale armor. Several analysts heading to the aircraft looked at the snake scales and took some samples for material analysis.
As the snake scale armor was spread out, Chen Sui cleaned the blood from it. Her fingertip suddenly paused on a crevice in the scales.
She traced along the mark. The entire crevice connected, looking somewhat like the fire pattern on Xueming's face, seemingly a trace left after using energy.
Her eyes focused slightly as she put away the snake scale armor.
The aircraft landed at the Crimson Snow Star Energy Management Department's base station, in the Competition Committee's special area.
Xiao Er was carried out from his mecha and taken all the way to the medical ward. The Zhu Jing Fu members leaped out from their mechas. Chen Sui saw from afar a man in a Border Army uniform wearing a special cap. He turned his head upon hearing the mecha's rumbling sound and glanced at her.
Chen Sui was attracted by the emblem on his cap.
[Congratulations to Colonel Lu Cuining on winning the Zone Eleven Combat Championship]
[Engraved by Song Baining]
Lu Cuining turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow: "You hit quite hard for a kid, don't you?"
"What, are you looking for revenge?"
Chen Sui scanned him up and down. Perhaps because she still remembered Lu Cuining's previous concealment, her attitude toward him could never be as respectful as to other seniors like Jian Run and Mo Qiu'an, especially with Lu Cuining's smug face that made Chen Sui's fists itch.
Lu Cuining made a tsk sound, his gaze settling on her head. Chen Sui's hair was somewhat tousled, but the green buds growing at the tips had disappeared, leaving only one vine at the top of her head, buried in her hair by Gu Qinxue.
She felt Lu Cuining's gaze on her, making her scalp subtly tingle, though she maintained a calm exterior.
Xie Chunshi noticed the confrontation between the two and quickly stepped forward, blocking Chen Sui: "Colonel Lu, waiting here, do you need something?"
Not seeing anything unusual on Chen Sui, Lu Cuining showed a slight smile, first looking at Chen Sui: "Coming after me when you've beaten the junior? I'm not that petty. If Xiao Er can't beat you, that's his problem. You'll see how I train him during the preparation period."
The man spoke casually.
Then his gaze moved to Xie Chunshi, looking at his characteristic Xie family curly hair with some displeasure. "What? Is she your girlfriend? Can't I look?"
When he was young, Xie Liuyun prevented him from looking at Sister Aning, and now Xie Liuyun's son was preventing him from looking at Chen Sui.
What, are all Xie family men so narrow-minded?
Xie Chunshi's ear tips instantly turned bright red. His mind went blank, unable to react in time.
It was Chen Sui who suddenly snorted with laughter, her eyes unfriendly as she looked at him: "Are you looking for a fight?"
Lu Cuining rolled up his sleeve: "Wow, kid, challenging me?"
Chen Sui watched his swaggering manner as he slowly rolled up his combat suit sleeve. The two stared at each other across Xie Chunshi, seemingly about to fight right in the Competition Committee's plaza.
Song Xingzhang walked over from a distance, only to see Xie Chunshi standing motionless like a wooden post. He glanced past him hurriedly, having no time to attend to him. Those eyes, full of vigor, looked at Lu Cuining with an unfriendly tone: "Who do you want to fight?"
With that voice and tone, Lu Cuining's movement paused. He turned around, and upon seeing Song Xingzhang, immediately rolled his sleeves back down, saying seriously: "Ahem, Master Song, no, I meant, Zhu Jing Fu's victory wasn't easy. Chen Sui, as an analyst, is particularly vulnerable to being surrounded. I was teaching her a few moves for self-defense."
Song Xingzhang's eyes were distrustful as he glanced at him: "Go play somewhere else."
The colonel who had just been aggressive toward Chen Sui couldn't help but tuck his tail in front of the elder.
Song Xingzhang looked at his student, indicating for her to follow, taking a step to leave. He glanced at Xie Chunshi: "What are you standing there for? Little Yan is waiting for you to handle the procedures."
Xie Chunshi was awakened by his cold words. He nodded, about to turn around, but when he saw Chen Sui, his previously somewhat pale face instantly turned red.
The Commander's usually steady breathing became uneven: "I'll go verify the points situation first."
As he spoke, he started walking in one direction.
Chen Sui watched him in confusion, reaching out to stop him, pointing to the other side: "The processing office is that way."
Xie Chunshi's eyes flashed. "Understood."
His steps were somewhat hurried. Chen Sui looked at his back, feeling as if the Commander had briefly touched his own cheek.
What's going on?
One after another, they were all acting abnormally.
Chen Sui followed Song Xingzhang, returning first to the Zhu Jing Fu area in the Competition Committee base station.
The conference room was completely quiet. The man still adjusting to his mechanical limbs tapped on the main control panel, shutting off the recording and permissions for the conference room.
Chen Sui watched Song Xingzhang's actions, suddenly feeling somewhat nervous inside.
He sat down opposite Chen Sui, connecting his light brain to the large screen and pulling up the Red Moon Snow Plain livestream recording.
This recording wasn't from the official cameras, but more like someone in the control room had placed a hand on the table and recorded with their light brain.
The angle was quite tricky.
But Song Xingzhang still paused the frame. "Master Lalnuo is an analyst highly familiar with spiritual healing. His teacher was one of the greatest analysts in the history of the Star Alliance in the field of spiritual healing."
Chen Sui had a bad feeling from the moment he paused the frame. Song Xingzhang turned to look at her, those eyes seeming to see through everything. But he gazed at Chen Sui for a few seconds, looking at the military academy student's heterochromatic eyes—the deep green eyes showing a hint of battle intent and sharpness.
Song Xingzhang seemed to sigh, his tone softening.
"If you have time later, you could go to the main star and have a good exchange with Master Lalnuo. It would definitely be beneficial for you."
Song Xingzhang unpause the video, continuing playback. He didn't mention Chen Sui's current energy anomalies, only analyzing her energy control situation in this process and the details that still needed to be addressed.
When the recording finished playing, Song Xingzhang unlocked the conference room panel permissions. As Chen Sui was leaving, he seemed to remind her of something: "Lu Cuining frequently enters and exits the God-Abandoned Domain. Don't get too close to him."
Song Xingzhang stood in the conference room, the light behind him illuminating his back in snow white, but his face cast a layer of shadow, his expression unpredictable.
"Little Sui, do you remember what you said in the Border Army medical ward?"
"That no matter what kind of energy body stands before you, you would kill it without hesitation."
Chen Sui felt he was implying something. She wasn't sure what Song Xingzhang had noticed; perhaps her anomalies could be concealed from Ji Qing and others, but they would be difficult to hide from Song Xingzhang, who knew her energy situation best.
But hearing Song Xingzhang's words, Chen Sui still nodded firmly.
She clarified her position: "Teacher, I always remember the oath at the Border Army Zone. That's what I will do."
She would not tolerate any alien species destroying her homeland or killing her people.
From the moment she applied for Star Alliance residency, from the moment energy fields descended on her place of residence, she and energy bodies were destined for a fight to the death.
"Rest well during the break period. Crimson Snow Star has many valuable places to learn from."
Song Xingzhang's aura relaxed, and he returned to his peaceful demeanor.
The determination in Chen Sui's eyes didn't seem feigned.
Chen Sui was silent for a moment, nodding slightly.
Coming out of the conference room, she found her four teammates waiting on the long bench in the rest hall.
"Little Sui!"
Zhou Chen waved his hand. "What did Master Song take you away for?"
He showed a bright smile, and without waiting for Chen Sui to answer, he waved the report in his hand: "Look at my core crystal condition! Quick, look!"
Chen Sui was urged forward by his tone. As soon as she approached, the core crystal report was thrust into her hands.
"Hmm, looks good, damage situation 5%," she flipped down and saw the core crystal energy concentration situation at around 80%, which was a normal level.
Xie Chunshi added from the side: "Before going for the examination, I had him go to the combat arena for a few rounds."
To release the abundant energy in the core crystal.
This way, during the spiritual examination, no energy anomalies would be detected, which would not implicate Chen Sui's use of space energy for envelopment and devouring.
Chen Sui nodded slightly.
"What did Master Song take you away for? Instructor Yan said we'd review the competition for a few days, then we can have a vacation. Oh, and all the materials are for you."
Zhou Chen and the others handed over their spatial buttons.
Chen Sui accepted them one by one: "Just discussed some energy control details, nothing major. Vacation? Why such a long break this time?"
The review wouldn't take a week, so they would still have several days to play.
Gu Qinxue explained from the side: "Crimson Snow Star has many early descended energy fields. It's also a famous mining district group from the Star Alliance's early days. The planet has many museums and exhibition halls, very suitable for learning."
Chen Sui nodded, bursting the beautiful vacation fantasy: "I understand, a social practice project?"
"That's not wrong either," Gu Qinxue showed a slight smile.
Zhu Jing Fu was already well-versed in the review work, thoroughly understanding it. What they needed to pay most attention to was the abnormal situation of the Red Moon Snow Plain energy field.
After completing the review work, half of the break period had passed. Chen Sui began arranging her time, completing mecha modifications and online store updates.
Additionally, inspired by Song Xingzhang's words, she went to learn about Lalnuo and his teacher, Inothe.
Inothe was most renowned for spiritual healing. Chen Sui looked at the biographical information related to her and suddenly became somewhat certain.
This person might also have been a space attribute awakened individual, but some people said they had sensed Inothe's energy attribute, which was clearly fire attribute.
Both Inothe herself and Lalnuo suffered from mental domain withering syndrome.
Mental domain withering syndrome was one of the few diseases in the current interstellar that could not be cured. The cause was unknown, but all had core crystal destruction and energy dispersal symptoms.
Master Inothe had died of this illness, and Master Lalnuo currently relied entirely on a micro-energy field protective shield to maintain his mental domain's stable form.
Mental domain withering syndrome—Chen Sui looked at this term, her eyes showing a hint of contemplation.
Before she could fully understand this disease's situation, as she was about to finish her mecha repair progress, Zhou Chen suddenly called in people from other academies.
Coming out of the repair room, she saw the Zhu Jing Fu rest hall filled with people.
Chen Sui paused for a moment. Xiao Er was sitting on the outer side, making eye contact with her. The young man wore a hood, and when he looked up, Chen Sui noticed a bit of purple-blue at the corner of his mouth.
She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This probably wasn't from her hit.
She was very principled—generally, she didn't hit people's faces.
"Is Zhou Chen really treating us? Is it for real?" Jipuna and Simos came over arm in arm, greeting Chen Sui very friendly when they saw her: "Hi, Sister Chen Sui, why is it always you who's busy in your Zhu Jing Fu, while Zhou Chen is just idle to the point of molding?"
Zhou Chen: "When am I idle to the point of molding? I average eight hours daily on the combat platform. Let me ask, who fights more than me?"
Just as he finished speaking, the young man with ice-blue short hair poking out from his black hoodie suddenly pressed his light brain.
"Your yesterday's training duration was 9 hours. Please keep up the good work."
Xiao Er's action made several Na Luo River members look at him.
What's going on? Is this a project our Na Luo River should participate in as well?
Lu Ting and He Lanqi exchanged a glance.
Simos was somewhat at a loss. No, wasn't showing off usually his task? How had Xiao Er stolen it?
Was there competition for this?
No one had told him that he only had seven hours. He had lost!
Simos felt somewhat regretful.
Zhou Chen was a bit embarrassed. He glanced at Xiao Er, who stared at the approaching analyst. Only when Chen Sui came closer did he ask with few words: "What about you?"
Chen Sui raised an eyebrow, taking a few seconds to understand his question: "Oh, me."
She unhesitatingly opened her light brain: "Your yesterday's training time was 5 hours. Please keep up the good work."
Five hours was already relatively low among the military academy students.
Noya said with some surprise: "Even Jiang Zhongyu has six hours. Sister Chen Sui, what's going on with you?"
The surrounding people immediately felt a sense of joy in winning against the overachiever, but only the four Zhu Jing Fu members remained silent.
Does no one look at Chen Sui's analyst training room and repair room time?
Five hours was generally Chen Sui's sleep time. At other times, she was either overworking or on her way to overwork.
All Zhu Jing Fu members knew that the repair room, analyst training room, and combat platform—choose one of the three—could precisely locate Chen Sui.
The power of the overachiever was beyond ordinary mortals.
"Why are you all here?" Chen Sui ignored their inner thoughts, asking curiously: "Is there some activity today?"
Xie Yi moved closer to her, smiling brightly: "Zhou Chen called us. Little Sui, did you block the group messages?"
Chen Sui belatedly looked at her light brain, discovering that on the light brain, there was not only the competition's main group but also small groups for each position. She was somewhat surprised: "Eh, when were these created?"
She hadn't noticed at all.
The Xitisi analyst beside her had a flushed face. When asked, he somewhat shyly raised his hand, speaking softly: "The analyst group was created by me. The teachers from the association said we could exchange more insights and reflections. In the Red Moon Snow Plain, Student Chen Sui taught us a lot, and we can also share with each other."
Xue Yaoyao gave him a thumbs up, which made He Chigui's face redden even more, smiling very shyly.
"That's right. Little Sui also taught me how to make analysis instruments. I've tried, and I should be able to make them during the preparation period," Xue Yaoyao made a heart gesture toward Chen Sui.
Hearing this, He Lanqi looked at Chen Sui with some surprise.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Heavens, she had always considered herself a genius. Had she now encountered a true genius?
He Lanqi was apprehensive inside but maintained a very stable exterior.
"That's right," Zhou Chen, as the organizer, stood up and delivered his speech to the crowd: "Thank you all for protecting me in the energy field. To express my gratitude, Little Zhou invites everyone to the Crimson Snow Star Polar World, with new dishes from the research institute. Please honor me with your presence!"
"Young Master Zhou covers all expenses?" Chen Sui asked.
Zhou Chen pulled out his star coin card, putting his arm around Chen Sui's shoulder: "Just covering the bill. Follow Young Master Zhou, and you'll eat and drink well."
He said proudly.
Xie Chunshi stared at his hand, also pulling out a card—a Polar World VIP card: "As a return, how about I treat Young Master Zhou to a roller coaster day tour?"
Zhou Chen's boasting expression instantly froze, and his face immediately fell: "Commander, I'm treating you to a meal, don't repay kindness with enmity."
"I'll repay with my fists," Xie Chunshi gripped his fist, smiling.
Zhou Chen's arrogance lasted no more than three seconds, instantly subsiding under the Commander's threat.
Before Chen Sui could sort things out, she was already on the Crimson Snow Star intercity bus with the crowd.
"So many of us?"
The interior of the intercity bus was completely occupied by military academy students.
Chen Sui had Gu Qinxue sitting on one side and Xue Yaoyao on the other. Xie Yi was still competing with Xue Yaoyao for who would sit next to Chen Sui.
Noya watched the two playing rock-paper-scissors and couldn't help saying: "Why don't you sit next to me, one on each side?"
Simos and Jipuna, sitting beside him, squeezed against him: "What, sitting next to me, not satisfied?"
Noya was squeezed into a ball: "Why are you squeezing me? It wasn't me who sabotaged you on the field. Go find Xie Chunshi."
Simos glanced over there. Xie You and Zhang Yingjie were sitting on either side of Xie Chunshi. The two Xie surname Commanders appeared to be facing opposite directions, but the one with hair covering his eyes kept glancing sideways.
"You think I don't want to? If I take one step in that direction, our Commander will glare me to death," Simos said softly. After speaking, he looked at Jipuna: "Hey, Jipuna, going to the clothing store later?"
Jipuna's eyes lit up, immediately nodding: "Yes, yes, brother, and Zhou Chen—"
He looked over at Zhou Chen: "Bro, are you going to get a haircut?!"
Zhou Chen also got excited, glancing at Gu Qinxue, quietly seeking her approval: "Should I dye my hair?"
Simos and Jipuna's gazes also followed Zhou Chen's, landing on Gu Qinxue.
Being stared at by several people, a faint red appeared on Gu Qinxue's face: "You dying your hair has nothing to do with me."
After speaking, she turned her head to the other side, looking at Chen Sui.
Zhou Chen chuckled a couple of times, knowing her words didn't contain rejection, and immediately became happy.
"Let's go, which store?"
Jipuna was very knowledgeable: "Right next to the Polar World," he said, then remembered to lean forward to remind Lu Ting on the other side: "Hey, Black Peacock, there's also a nail salon there, your favorite."
Black Peacock was the type of Lu Ting's spirit body, and she was often referred to by this nickname.
When Lu Ting heard about the nail salon, her eyes immediately brightened. She called to several girls around her: "Hey, anyone want to come with me?"
After speaking, she came over to Chen Sui: "Little Sui, can I see your collector's album again? I want to look for matching colors!"
Xie Yi looked up at her: "You're changing again? Didn't you just do this weapon theme not long ago?"
Lu Ting's nails had weapon pendants embedded in them. Chen Sui, reminded by Xie Yi, looked over and found one of the weapons particularly familiar. The long sword looked ordinary, but some of the patterns on it were very intricate.
"This is—"
Lu Ting opened her hands, waving them in a circle in front of her: "Pretty, right?"
She noticed Chen Sui's gaze fixed on one of the pendants and explained: "You like this one? This is the weapon of Black Execution, used by Director Song Baining. I really like it too. Little Sui, do you want to get your nails done? I can recommend this place to you. Mention my name for 20% off. I'm a VIP user."
Chen Sui laughed and shook her head: "No, thank you."
But her gaze still passed over that pendant. So that's what Black Execution's weapon looked like.
Chen Sui thought to herself.
"You could go choose a hair band. This one might not cover it," Gu Qinxue whispered in Chen Sui's ear as she watched Lu Ting leave.
She didn't ask what the vine on Chen Sui's head was, only knowing that Chen Sui didn't want to expose it, so she tried to help conceal it as much as possible.
Chen Sui's eyes flickered for a moment, and she slowly nodded: "Alright."
She frowned, not knowing if it was because there were too many people on the intercity bus or if the surrounding voices were too noisy, but she suddenly felt irritable inside, with the energy in her mental domain surging uncontrollably.
But as the intercity bus drove into the area where the Polar World was located, this feeling quickly dissipated.
Chen Sui composed her emotions, following the crowd into this large park.