novelraw Chapter 38 : Time-Limited Mission
Chapter 38 : Time-Limited Mission
Mu Qianyou looked at the document before him, his fingers nervously tapping on the desk.
His forehead was already showing cold sweat as he stared at the highly completed assignment that even addressed and explained several points he hadn't considered at all. This kind of superior-level crushing made his heart twist with jealousy.
What use was it for a non-analyst department person to do assignments so well!
At the same time, he couldn't help feeling smug—no matter how well completed, they still couldn't become an analyst.
Low spiritual threshold was low, no qualification meant no qualification.
He gained some satisfaction from his perspective, replying to Chen Sui with a somewhat cold tone.
[From group chat: Received, will pay after grades are out]
Chen Sui looked at this message and indifferently snorted.
Mu Qianyou compared this assignment with his own, and after struggling repeatedly, still submitted the ghost-written original version.
Trying to modify his own assignment now would be like Nüwa patching the sky—better to just submit the standard answer.
Once the assignment entered Yang Qinhe's inbox, who would know what he wrote? In the end, everyone would only see his score.
His delusional fantasies excited him, eagerly anticipating Chen Sui's desperate, disbelieving expression upon learning she had lost.
Then he would prove to her.
Spiritual threshold was just a number!
No one could surpass him because of a mere number.
He was the true Analyst Department top student.
He was the one worthy of the school team analyst position.
In his excitement, Mu Qianyou welcomed Yang Qinhe's second class.
This was Chen Sui's final class.
She sat in the back row, in her familiar position, watching the young man in the first row. Seeing the undisguised pleasure on his face, her eyes held a trace of mockery.
Yang Qinhe arrived precisely on time, finished the course content, and finally brought up the assignment screen.
The [Ocean Valley] energy field map played on the light screen.
The middle-aged teacher sighed, his tone severe.
"This time, there are two highest scores for the assignment."
These words caused an uproar in the classroom.
Everyone's gaze shuttled between Chen Sui and Mu Qianyou.
Before they could discuss, Yang Qinhe continued:
"They have identical scores, identical approaches, and------"
Yang Qinhe's cold gaze swept across: "Identical content!"
This news exploded like a bomb in Mu Qianyou's ears.
The color instantly drained from his face.
Yang Qinhe displayed the content of both assignments, with the senders clearly visible.
"Wow, what's going on?"
"Identical, could it be plagiarism?"
"No, no, why does this assignment style look so familiar?!"
"Ah, that familiar 'kill them all,' it must be our Grass God!"
"Who's Grass God?"
"Ah, a master in the ghost-writing group who does analyst assignments. Currently, no one knows her identity. Some guess she's a second-year analyst because she has close business dealings with Qi Sixia from the second-year Analyst Department."
"Grass God! Help, hasn't Grass God stopped taking orders recently? She's practically doing charity work. Is that my assignment? No, that's my remedial teaching plan, wuwu"
Grass God, considered an absolute treasure within the Analyst Department.
Each time an assignment came out, she could save a student going bald over homework.
Her assignments weren't dry answers but analyzed from various angles, explaining why to view things this way, why to do things this way—practically a cost-effective tutor with an excellent reputation passed by word of mouth in the Analyst Department.
"Grass God didn't write an explanation sheet this time, this is a standard answer..."
Someone noticed the difference.
Yang Qinhe looked at the owners of these two assignments in turn.
"Explain yourselves, you two."
Chen Sui and Mu Qianyou stood up, one with a calm demeanor, the other trembling from head to toe.
"Teacher, I completed the assignment independently."
Chen Sui said.
As soon as she finished, the Analyst Department students looked at her with strange expressions.
"Huh? You think Grass God is dead?"
"I'm laughing, family members. You completed it independently? Does that mean you also taught my assignment."
This statement gave Mu Qianyou some confidence. He calmed down and also insisted: "Teacher, mine was also completed independently."
Yang Qinhe's thin face twitched.
His tone was sarcastic: "Then you two must truly be kindred spirits, identical word for word, even the punctuation and short sentences are exactly the same."
"Mu Qianyou also did it himself?"
"F*ck, I just remembered, didn't the second-years go for intensive training? Submitting via light brain, if Grass God is a second-year analyst, she shouldn't have had network access!"
"Huh? Yes, does this mean Grass God is really a first-year analyst?"
"Holy shit, could it be Mu Qianyou? He doesn't seem like it at all, help!"
"Why couldn't it be Chen Sui..."
"She was in Combat before, are you crazy or am I? A Combat student doing analyst assignments, doesn't that sound ridiculous?"
"I don't know who Grass God is, but I do know one of these two definitely found outside help. Really impressive, cheating for a bet, disgusting."
Mu Qianyou heard the surrounding voices, his face alternating between red and white. He didn't have time to wonder why Chen Sui would have the same content as himself; he only wanted to extricate himself from this suspected plagiarism storm.
However, Chen Sui didn't give him a chance to continue fabricating lies.
"I have a record of completing the entire content."
A calm female voice sounded.
Mu Qianyou's face paled as he looked back in disbelief.
The discussion voices abruptly stopped.
The record content was sent by Chen Sui to Yang Qinhe, who clicked to view it. Sped-up content appeared on the light screen.
Watching the completion record, Yang Qinhe's expression eased slightly.
Seven Academy could tolerate various transactions among students privately, but would guide students to have the ability to complete tasks on their own while seeking help.
If something like this happened, directly submitting ghost-written content, the academic affairs office would severely punish it.
Although Yang Qinhe didn't agree with Chen Sui's analytical philosophy, he could sense her talent in the analysis field.
Seeing the orderly playback of the entire content, Chen Sui collecting materials, analyzing materials, completing the assignment explanation items.
When they saw the original version of the explanation assignment, the students below finally reacted.
"That familiar layout, familiar red highlighting, my goodness, this is Grass God, I swear on my life."
"Help, she's Grass God?! But wasn't she in Combat?! I'm going crazy!"
"Mu Qianyou found a ghost writer and found the actual person, I'm done."
Seeing this, Mu Qianyou's eyes suddenly stabbed toward Chen Sui.
"You did this deliberately... You clearly wrote an explanation version, but sent me this kind. You calculated against me?!"
His anger congested in his chest, but before he could vent, Yang Qinhe coldly shouted: "Quiet!"
Mu Qianyou trembled all over, his expression finally showing some fear.
"Isn't that what you requested?"
Chen Sui softly reminded him: "As perfect as possible, after all, without the credits for this assignment, you would fail, right?"
Yang Qinhe frowned, looking at Mu Qianyou. His rich experience quickly clarified the dispute between them.
He made his decision: "Identical submissions have scores canceled, credits for this assignment cleared to zero."
The end-of-class reminder sounded promptly. Yang Qinhe looked at Mu Qianyou, leaving a piece of advice: "To be an analyst, one must be sufficiently clear-headed, rational, and open-minded, otherwise it's difficult to last long."
How could he not see this student's pettiness? However, in this world, people with high spiritual thresholds were plentiful. There were always people better than yourself, worlds beyond worlds. If you become jealous every time you meet someone more capable, then an analyst's entire life would be trapped in blaming heaven and earth, self-pity, never seeing daylight.
He intended these words as comfort for the young student, but to Mu Qianyou's ears, they felt like a hard slap across his face.
Credits cleared to zero meant he couldn't get high grade points for his midterm exam and would have to retake the course. Being so proud, how could he endure such a blow? He instinctively pushed all his misfortunes onto Chen Sui.
As soon as Yang Qinhe left the classroom, Mu Qianyou sprang to his feet, stepping toward Chen Sui.
The analyst, who was unhurriedly packing up, glanced at him lightly from the corner of her eye.
She said slowly: "Before you make a move, I should remind you, I was previously in Combat, first in the fighting class."
Mu Qianyou's body froze.
Chen Sui patted her hands and came down from the steps.
"You should really be grateful that you're an analyst, and right now, not on the battlefield."
Her cold, sharp gaze looked at Mu Qianyou as if he were a dead man, her aggressive killing intent fully displayed.
Mu Qianyou's legs could no longer support him; he suddenly went weak and collapsed in the aisle.
Chen Sui coldly withdrew her gaze.
"Today I want to see an apology post on the forum, otherwise you'll find out whether the medical pod treatment fees hurt more, or the academic affairs office's punishment hurts more."
Passing by Mu Qianyou's side, Chen Sui looked down imperiously.
Though she was extremely thin, anyone who now saw her as a weak girl incapable of binding a chicken would be somewhat stupid.
Mu Qianyou's lips trembled. Finally returning to his senses from the near-death intimidation, he saw Chen Sui walk past him, causing him to lie on the ground, gasping for air.
The Analyst Department students looked at him as if viewing garbage.
"My god, what was he thinking? Actively challenging someone to a PK, then cheating himself. That would be fine, but he sought outside help and ran into the actual person."
"He doesn't really think he's the first-year top student, does he? The day he provoked Chen Sui, I wanted to say, this top student position, wasn't it something he fought desperately for during enrollment? Someone was jokingly called the top student, and he stared creepily and stalked them, and finally people just said, 'Fine, Mu Qianyou is the top student,' only then did things quiet down."
"Good grief, what a weirdo? Indeed, entrance exams can only screen for ability, not character."
"What forum apology post? Does anyone know?"
"Ah, it should be this one, the one spreading rumors that Chen Sui got the analyst position predetermined as soon as her spiritual threshold was revealed. Liao Ruyi even clarified in the post. So he was the poster."
"Does he hate this much, unable to accept someone better than him? He'd be better off improving himself rather than suppressing others. This guy is somewhat sick."
Mu Qianyou's face turned green then white. After everyone dispersed, he tremblingly opened his light brain.
Chen Sui's threatening words still echoed in his ears. Recalling those eyes filled with killing intent, his heart jolted with terror.
With one hand covering his mouth, tears shakily flowing down, he quickly edited an apology post and submitted it to the forum.
Chen Sui didn't care about the uproar this incident caused. After finishing her morning classes, she went to the training room.
She ran into Cheng Wei, who had his arm around a black tank top-wearing young man. The two were discussing something. Seeing Chen Sui approach the reservation interface, he waved enthusiastically.
"Chen Sui!"
"Are you also joining the time-limited activity?"
Chen Sui was just curious about the Sui Han Bone reward and came to the virtual battlefield to see if there were other materials she could take advantage of.
Hearing about the time-limited activity, she showed a puzzled expression: "What time-limited mission?"
"The holographic competition duo team benefit! High star coin clearance rewards, plus lots of materials and energy crystals. With good luck, you might even get analysis equipment," he said, then introduced, "This is Chen Tunan, my friend. This guy owes you a month's worth of nutrient solution."
"Huh?"
Chen Sui looked at the young man in the black tank top, who lowered his head embarrassedly, looking this way and that.
Cheng Wei explained the matter to Chen Sui, tracing back to their enrollment.
"This guy later went to the Border Army energy field internship and just returned recently. Now he has to make it up to you."
Chen Sui nodded thoughtfully, then politely declined: "I'd rather not."
Chen Tunan looked at her carefully, "Ah, it's just a small matter, consider it making a friend!"
"You're the first person I've met who was admitted through the interstellar nomad recruitment."
Chen Sui shook her head, "No, it's just that recently I have too many nutrient solutions to deal with."
She never expected to have such a worry one day.
Just a few days in the school team, and Yan Mingyu, holding Qiao Ji's advanced analysis report on Chen Sui, seriously informed her that besides physical training, Chen Sui also needed to appropriately enhance her physical condition, striving to improve her combat level again before the Star League Competition.
Puluo had same-city express delivered a box of nutrient solutions last night, and the next day, He Lanxi came to check on his midterm assignment, bringing Chen Sui a Biology Department application card that allowed her to pick any edible items from the mature experimental area.
After hearing this, Cheng Wei stood dumbfounded, asking in confusion: "There's such a good deal? Why didn't anyone tell me? I also think I'm a bit thin."
Chen Tunan, acting like a true friend, snorted: "Can you look at your physique before saying such things?"
"People improve their physical condition to advance in combat, but you're strong and sturdy, yet still can't pass the Border Army internship exam."
Cheng Wei, stabbed deeply by his good friend, covered his mouth.
"Stop, shut up."
Seeing Chen Sui make her reservation, he politely asked: "By the way, are you going to join the time-limited activity? The rewards are really rich, but there's only one week, so hurry!"
Chen Sui was uncertain: "I'll see later."
The time-limited activity was a special energy field team mission requiring two-person teams. Inside, one person would be holographically transformed into an energy body, the other attacking, teammates playing against each other.
The winners would receive rewards.
Chen Sui entered the holographic pod, first checking several expensive materials, memorizing the relevant competition dates, then looking at the time-limited mission Cheng Wei mentioned.
Human side and energy body side were randomly selected, with different scoreboards for the two factions.
Currently, the energy body side was far ahead, surprising Chen Sui.
She curiously clicked into the time-limited mission interface.
[You have joined the Holographic Battlefield-Competition-Time-Limited Mission]
[Please read the competition rules carefully]
[Choose your matching method]
The popup displayed 'Teammate' and 'Random' options. Chen Sui chose the latter.
[Your random faction is------]
[Energy Body]
[The energy field arranged for you is: Bamboo Whisper]
[Bamboo Whisper, high-level energy field configuration. As the main energy body, you have the ability to control other energy bodies with superior driving power. An outsider has entered the bamboo forest; his energy can nourish you. All energy in the bamboo forest is your eyes. Now, please prevent the human faction from placing energy monitoring equipment]
The system's smooth voice recited the rules, and before Chen Sui could react, she was placed into the holographic battlefield.
Energy surged in her spiritual threshold. Chen Sui opened her eyes from the dazzling white light, countless images appearing in her vision.
She concentrated her mental focus on one viewpoint, finally seeing her appearance clearly.
In the bamboo forest's jumbled rocks, a breeze blew. On a black rock lay a slender green snake, slowly climbing along an ordinary-looking green bamboo, ascending the joints to the branches and leaves. The edges of the bamboo leaves, blown by the wind, were sharp as knives and blades.
She saw herself blending among the dense bamboo trees, barely noticeable. As the leaves trembled slightly, a wave of green energy rippled outward.
[Deployment successful, competition begins]
The system's mechanical voice shut down.
Chen Sui sensed a piercing aura, like wind, snow, storm, cold as an engraving knife.
Through the plants in the bamboo forest, she heard the sound of footsteps crushing branches and leaves.
A young man dressed in black, wearing a black hood, swung his mecha ring, stepping into the bamboo forest. As his mecha was released, Chen Sui saw ice-blue hair peeking from under his hood and his cold eyes.
Bamboo shadows rustled, a bamboo leaf slowly falling from the darkness.
Xiao Er logged into the cockpit, connected to his mecha, and tested his new weapon, smoothly tracing a blade of light in the air.
Chen Sui clearly felt the air around him grow colder, moisture gathering, dry bamboo leaves becoming damp.
The mecha held monitoring equipment, checking the energy spectrum formed by the energy field.
He moved toward the placement point.
Chen Sui's viewpoint jumped between bamboo branches. All the green energy in the energy field was her eyes, watching as the ink-blue mecha passed through a bamboo forest clearing littered with broken stones.
An energy storm kicked up a fierce wind.
Xiao Er instinctively swung his blade, which opened in the air like a fan, blocking the sweeping wind.
Broken stones beat against the blade, making pattering sounds.
As the wind passed and leaves fell, Xiao Er folded his blade, his cold gaze scanning the surroundings, his ice-blue hair brushed back with his palm.
The view before him exposed, and behind a black slate, a cluster of plant roots suddenly exploded.
Several vines swung toward him. The slate was penetrated by vines, and as they opened, fragments shot in all directions, creating an air wave on the ground that lifted scattered bamboo leaves.
Facing the vines in front of his face, Xiao Er swung his arm. The fan blade opened, its blade a thin layer—nine layers in total, each sharpened into a keen edge. He gripped the handle, swung downward, and the nine fan leaves detached. The blades scattered like petals, then quickly swept in front of him.
The vines, less than two meters from him, were cut off by the fan blades. The root system produced more vines, but the fan blades bloomed like flowers, rapidly spinning in front of the mecha, preventing the plants from approaching.
Chen Sui detached her mental attachment from the root system. Many mental filaments carrying energy attached to bamboo leaves.
Ground bamboo leaves slowly rose into the air. The leaves, like blades, stabbed toward the ink-blue mecha. Sharp leaves scraped across metal, peeling off surface paint. The pain of flesh being cut transmitted to Xiao Er, deepening his cold gaze.
The fan blade swept broadly in his hand. After a backhand swirl cutting off the vines near the roots, he quickly drove the mecha away. With a shake of his hand, the fan blade instantly closed, then thrust firmly into the plant root system behind the shattered slate.
Plant sap flowed.
Chen Sui felt a stabbing pain in her mind like being pierced by a needle. It stayed only briefly, making her thoughts pause momentarily before reconnecting with the surrounding energy.
As bamboo leaves showered down again, an ice-blue snow shadow rose from the ground behind the ink-blue mecha, suddenly rushing forward, exploding with the icy breath of a blizzard.
The moisture in the space instantly gathered and condensed. Frost abruptly appeared in the air, spreading outward, immediately forming an ice wall.
Frost sweeping ground and sky.
The bamboo leaves were covered with ice crystals on the outside, frozen in midair.
Like green gems in ice-blue amber.
The ink-blue mecha silently closed its blade and sheathed it.
With an expressionless face, he walked into the space of frozen bamboo leaves.
Proceeding all the way.
Chen Sui, having calmed her turbulent spiritual threshold, observed this scene and mentally estimated his spiritual body attributes and values, simultaneously planning on the energy spectrum.
Worth mentioning, in the time-limited mission arena, not only was there faction warfare between energy bodies and humans, but energy bodies could set energy spectrums and synchronize them to the human faction.
Chen Sui moved the placement point, setting it directly in front of her, eagerly anticipating a confrontation with this opponent.
The energy body's form made her somewhat uncomfortable. As she twisted her body, the thick bamboo joints also swayed with her.
She predicted Xiao Er's movement trajectory, setting energy bodies of varying sizes along the route, her mental vision once again tracking his traces through energy.