Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ultimately, Bai Xingshu still didn't get an answer from Lin Lie, and because of the argument with the teacher, Bai Xingshu was delayed for quite a while. By the time he left the award building, the other students had already left.

Bai Xingshu returned to the dormitory on his own.

As soon as he entered, Bai Xingshu saw Shen Geng inside, writing and drawing. Shen Geng only looked up when he saw Bai Xingshu come in.

Feeling good, Bai Xingshu raised his hand and greeted Shen Geng: "Hello, champion."

Smiles are contagious, and Shen Geng couldn't help but smile back: "Hello, another champion."

"What are you doing?" Bai Xingshu chuckled and quickly moved closer to Shen Geng, taking a look. "Reviewing? No wonder you're a champion, so diligent."

Bai Xingshu's tone was genuinely admiring, and Shen Geng's smile became more sincere.

Shen Geng had heard plenty of praise since he was young, but most of it was about his talent, not his hard work.

Being praised naturally called for a polite response, so Shen Geng habitually returned the compliment: "You were really putting in the effort during the competition."

After saying this, Shen Geng recalled how Bai Xingshu fought in the Freshman Tournament.

It wasn't just hard work; it was more like a life-and-death struggle.

Shen Geng paused and added, "But you should still be careful about safety."

Seeing how polite and proper Shen Geng was, Bai Xingshu couldn't help but observe his posture.

Sitting as straight as a pine tree in the chair, whether it was the hand resting on the table or the pen held properly in his hand, everything was calm, with no casual movements.

Even though he looked indifferent, it gave off a distant vibe, but he always looked at the other person during every conversation, waited for them to finish speaking, and then responded.

His manners were surprisingly good.

It made Bai Xingshu think of the kids from high-ranking families he'd seen before.

[Is he really from an ordinary family?] Bai Xingshu wondered.

The system, questioned, immediately got upset: [The info I found is totally correct!]

[Alright.] Anyway, Shen Geng was just a Beta, so it didn't matter to Bai Xingshu.

Bai Xingshu casually brushed off Shen Geng's reminders.

This attitude made it clear Bai Xingshu wasn't taking Shen Geng's words seriously.

Shen Geng frowned slightly, but then he remembered Bai Xingshu was from Xitu Star.

Coming from such a remote planet, pushing himself to the limit was probably his daily routine. Without that kind of effort, how could Bai Xingshu, who'd just started learning to pilot a mech, have won the championship?

In the empire's history, such a mindset wasn't something he could comment on.

Thinking of the empire's past heroes, Shen Geng couldn't help but get curious about Bai Xingshu's thoughts: "Can I ask you something kinda personal?"

"Huh?" Bai Xingshu was confused.

Wondering what kind of private question it could be.

"Go ahead."

"Not many people have come from Xitu Star to here over the years, how did you do it?" Shen Geng asked sincerely.

Bai Xingshu was momentarily stunned.

[Is this kind of thing difficult?] Bai Xingshu asked the system.

The system replied nonchalantly: [The original host was also 'Bai Xingshu', you are all counterparts from different worlds, and ordinary people don't have the qualifications to make deals with our system.]

Bai Xingshu was stunned; he had just learned this.

After a moment of thought, Bai Xingshu answered based on his past experiences: "Set a goal for yourself and just go for it."

This made Shen Geng even more intrigued, and he straightened his back even more, as if awaiting a legendary statement, his eyes shining as he looked at Bai Xingshu: "What goal?"

Bai Xingshu took a deep breath, his gaze firm.

"Marry into a wealthy Alpha family!!"

Shen Geng: "..."

Shen Geng: "......Huh?"

Before Shen Geng could process this, Bai Xingshu continued without pause: "I think Lin Lie seems pretty good. I just defeated him in the Freshman Tournament, and he didn't get angry. He even helped me find the teacher to complain about the championship footage. He must like me too."

Shen Geng: "Huh???"

Only then did Bai Xingshu notice Shen Geng's confusion: "You don't know who Lin Lie is?"

"He's the youngest son of Marshal Lin of the Third Military District."

Shen Geng was... utterly shocked.

How could someone come to the Capital Military University with such a life goal?

And with such a clear goal and determined actions, it was obvious that he had thought deeply about it.

Thus, Shen Geng was even more astonished.

Bai Xingshu ignored others' thoughts, but discussing this topic suddenly reminded him of a question he hadn't gotten an answer to from Lin Lie.

It didn't matter whom he asked.

"There seems to be something off with my championship footage, do you know what it is?" Bai Xingshu asked frankly.

Shen Geng: "..."

Shen Geng: "???"

Shen Geng felt that he couldn't just describe it as mere shock anymore.

Does Bai Xingshu not even get such things?

Is Xitu Star so remote that... no one knows such common knowledge?

Seeing Bai Xingshu's pure and genuine curiosity, without a trace of pretense, Shen Geng paused for a few seconds before answering: "Well... there's a part at the end... with some suggestive elements."

Bai Xingshu: "?"

"What kind of elements?" Why is everyone being so cryptic?

Shen Geng's lips twitched.

This guy really doesn't get any hints at all!

But to make Shen Geng say it directly...

Raised with strict etiquette, Shen Geng had never been in a situation where he had to say such things.

Shen Geng's fingers holding the tablet were exerting force, and only then did he state in the most calm, composed, and collected tone: "About mating."

This answer made Bai Xingshu blink, puzzled, then give Shen Geng a complicated look.

As Shen Geng met Bai Xingshu's gaze, his grip on the tablet tightened.

Bai Xingshu didn't pick up on Shen Geng's embarrassment and annoyance, and he directly expressed his shock at this ambiguous answer.

"That's it?"

In this post-apocalyptic world, decency was a thing of the past. Scenes of open-air activities could be seen from time to time, and group encounters were also common.

Not just between humans.

Between humans and animals, even between humans and Mutants.

People's preferences were very free and unrestrained.

Though Bai Xingshu wasn't interested, he'd seen his share of such things.

Such risqué activities, in Bai Xingshu's eyes, didn't even count as a kindergarten train.

Shen Geng was speechless.

What is this guy who didn't understand anything looking down on?

Shen Geng's lips twitched.

Bai Xingshu muttered a casual complaint, and now he knew why the system was so reluctant to say 'you did very well' during the award ceremony.

So Lin Lie's into that sort of thing.

Bai Xingshu stroked his chin, filed the thought away, and asked Shen Geng, "What are you up to?"

"Going over the match." Shen Geng generously showed the content on the tablet to Bai Xingshu.

Bai Xingshu skimmed the tablet, covered in indecipherable notes and diagrams.

Why is everyone in this world so driven?

Reflecting on it, his victory in the Freshman Tournament was mostly due to a surprise tactic.

If he wants to keep besting Lin Lie, he'll have to step up his game.

"Mind lending me your login device again?" Bai Xingshu asked directly.

This time, Shen Geng paused before handing over the login device.

Bai Xingshu accepted it, assuring Shen Geng he wasn't planning to freeload indefinitely: "The school's set me up with a work-study position."

"Once I've saved up, I'll get a used one and then take you out for a feast!"

"Oh." Shen Geng barely registered Bai Xingshu's words, his mind tangled up in other concerns.

Watching Bai Xingshu put on the login device, Shen Geng hesitated before speaking. "From now on... maybe keep your goal to yourself."

"Or maybe find a different way to say it?"

"Huh?" Bai Xingshu was caught off guard by Shen Geng's sudden suggestion.

True, people in this world were pretty touchy.

The clip of him taking down Lin Lie had already set their minds racing.

Folks from peaceful worlds were like hothouse flowers—their feelings needed extra care.

Bai Xingshu, always open to advice, readily agreed. "Alright, I'll just tell people I'm doing it to get by."

Watching Bai Xingshu brush off the conversation and dive straight into BattleNet, Shen Geng was speechless: "..."

"..."

He reached under his pillow and fished out a couple of his prized books.

"Legendary Hero Bi Xian: To Survive"

"Holy Dreamer Zhang Wude: I Can Do Better"

"..."

Clueless that his words had rattled Shen Geng's idol worship, Bai Xingshu skipped the usual drills after logging in this time.

Stepping away from the starting point, Bai Xingshu found himself in the vast personal space.

Inside, rows of mechs stretched out before him, alongside a flashy mix of rooms—mod bays, beauty salons, lounges, and reception areas.

But everything was grayed out and locked, except for the basic mech he'd trained in.

He picked the mech.

Jumping into the first battle.

The scene shifted, and Bai Xingshu was suddenly in the mech's cockpit, staring out at a landscape that mirrored the Freshman Tournament—flatlands dotted with hills.

A basic mech, just like his, stood in the distance.

Bai Xingshu replayed Lin Lie's moves from when he'd been taken down.

He nudged the control stick.

The mech shot skyward.

...

At 5 a.m., the blaring alarm jolted Bai Xingshu awake.

"What's happening?" Bai Xingshu squinted at the pitch-black night outside, trying to make sense of things.

But as a protector of the apocalypse base, he knew that sound never meant anything good. Even as he spoke, his hands were already moving, faster than Shen Geng's, to get dressed.

Shen Geng originally wanted to answer, but when he turned around, Bai Xingshu was almost fully dressed, so he had to quickly remind him, "Put on your training uniform," before answering Bai Xingshu's question.

"It's an emergency assembly; we need to go to the main field."

Bai Xingshu quickly changed into his training uniform and vanished from the dormitory like a gust of wind.

Shen Geng turned around only to find his roommate already gone. He had just finished changing: "..."

Was he really that much slower?

Bai Xingshu set off quickly, but the high-level dormitory building was far away, and by the time he reached the main field, a crowd had already gathered.

Without wasting a second, Bai Xingshu used a hack: [Where’s the Combat Department?]

[Lin Lie is 150 meters to the right front.] The system clearly provided an exact spot.

Soon, Bai Xingshu arrived near Lin Lie, but Lin Lie was already with someone.

"Why are there still juniors from your Lin family, who haven’t even mastered their own combat techniques, out here picking on rookies for fun?"

"That’s just ridiculous."

"Who is it from your Lin family, *‘He who walks will arrive’*?"