Chapter 165
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Chapter 165: The Captain’s Way
“Huh? How did he know I’m awake?”
Having received treatment, Shi Jin saw the two Captains arguing over her affiliation and instinctively decided to play dead, lying motionless on the ground.
It wasn’t until Fresnel engaged in a heated debate (though it was really just with one person) and gave an order to Wang Xiao that she realized she had been exposed.
“I don’t know, but someone who can manipulate light must have sharp eyes.”
Fulan’s voice traveled through muscles and bones, sending a faint tingling sensation to Shi Jin’s neck.
Watching the double doors draw closer, Shi Jin suddenly sat up from the ground and politely declined the offer of assistance.
The man named Wang Xiao was far more muscular than the profile Fulan had provided; his physique was a blend of a sparring partner and the streamlined force of wind.
For some reason, just looking at him gave Shi Jin the feeling that he might toss her like a ball…
She quickly pushed those wild thoughts aside and followed Wang Xiao as they rejoined the team and left the arena.
Fresnel led the group at the front, with three—no, now four—team members lined up behind him.
“Mission accomplished!”
As Shi Jin walked with her head down, she suddenly felt a vibration at her collar.
True to her word, Fulan had observed the entire battle from the sidelines, and Shi Jin had somehow managed to complete a mission for the Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult by sheer coincidence.
To be honest, she felt a little thrill about it.
Fulan seemed to be deep in thought, and after a couple of seconds, she said:
“Everything is proceeding according to the original plan. If anything changes, I’ll notify you separately. Otherwise, just follow Team 25’s lead.
“Don’t stress too much; superpowered individuals have all kinds of strange abilities. Staying too tense might give you away.
“Besides, our Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult isn’t evil. We won’t make you do anything bad.”
Shi Jin gave a barely perceptible nod, her dust-covered combat suit falling silent as if nothing had happened.
She was used to this by now. By tomorrow morning or sometime tonight, the suit would mysteriously disappear.
It might be days or weeks before Shi Jin saw Fulan again.
She could appear as a book, a coat, or perhaps some odd daily necessities.
It was kind of amusing…
Shi Jin suddenly found herself looking forward to her new life.
The entire team left the arena under the resentful gaze of Team 32’s Captain, Zheng Gaoya, and his few teammates.
Fresnel led the way toward the team lounge. It wasn’t too late, and he hadn’t gone to the training grounds, perhaps wanting to bond with the new member first.
At that moment, Beacon approached him and asked in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear:
“Captain, weren’t your words a bit too blunt back there?
“Isn’t that person a classmate of yours and ‘Crusher’? Is your relationship really that bad?”
Fresnel glanced back and noticed that, aside from the somewhat timid Shi Jin, the others seemed quite interested in the topic.
He cleared his throat and raised his voice:
“You may not have paid close attention, but the decision to reinforce our team here was unanimous.
“Taking a step back, even if ‘Obscure’ now steps into a secondary role, with his past achievements and his status as a survivor of the Exploration Plan’s casualties, his future won’t be too bleak.
“Let’s dissect this matter: Obscure and the rest of us owe nothing to each other. He didn’t reveal his issues at a life-or-death moment, and we didn’t coerce him into doing anything against his will under the guise of camaraderie.
“That’s why we could come here with a unified goal to select new teammates.”
As he finished speaking, Fresnel turned his head to glance at the others. Both Beacon and Puppet Master, along with Wang Xiao, nodded sincerely. His words were straightforward, but they rang true.
He continued:
“However, Zheng Gaoya’s teammates are a different story. His two comrades perished during the Infected uprising, caught between extraordinary beasts and the Infected.
“It’s difficult to assign blame in such a situation, but it remains a lingering issue in the hearts of his teammates.
“Zheng Gaoya chose to ignore this problem, leveraging the bonds of friendship to impose his will upon them.
“Just look at the expressions of his teammates; it’s clear they had no desire to attend today’s event. From start to finish, it was Zheng Gaoya who took the lead, speaking and acting alone. The others, including the one who went down to fight the wind, seemed visibly distracted.”
Though Shi Jin didn’t know who Fresnel was referring to as “Obscure,” she instinctively furrowed her brows upon hearing this:
Distracted? A single knee strike nearly took me out!
Unaware of his new teammate’s inner thoughts, Fresnel continued:
“A team held together by obligation and friendship isn’t just unfit for exploration beyond the city walls—it might even collapse one day, even while defending against a beast tide on the city walls.”
At this point, he suddenly stopped walking, turned around, and looked at the four of them with utmost seriousness:
“Promise me this: if one day I become that kind of person, forcing my will upon you, don’t hesitate to act. How you choose to respond is entirely up to you.”
Shi Jin felt something odd about his words, as if an invisible presence had materialized behind Fresnel.
But seeing her teammates nod in agreement, she too gave a solemn promise.
Everyone understood Fresnel’s intent; he wasn’t belittling his friend but rather reflecting on a potential mistake he might make in the future.
They returned to the team lounge in silence. Since it hadn’t been confirmed whether a new member would join, little preparation had been made for the newcomer.
The female Puppet Master and Beacon helped Shi Jin settle into her new room, gathering daily necessities and a basic combat suit before handing her a form.
“‘Exploration Auxiliary Equipment Application Form’? What’s this?”
Seeing her puzzled expression, Beacon explained:
“To prepare for the uncertainties outside the city walls, every member participating in the next Exploration Plan can apply for a customized piece of equipment tailored to their abilities.
“Just write your personal needs below, and someone from the research institutes’ weaponry department will handle the design.”
“Oh? Really? Can I write any request?”
“Yes, as long as it’s not too unusual or excessive, it should be fine.”
Beacon paused for a moment, then added:
“I’d suggest training with us for a while before filling it out. Working together will help us identify each other’s weaknesses.”
