Free Web NovelChapter 337: Chapter 280: Starting to Be Studied
"C-Captain?!" Chen Bai’s body stiffened. He whipped his head around to look, and sure enough, Gao Neng was holding the very Captain’s insignia he had been dreaming of.
This was so messed up!
It had taken him a full two years to get promoted from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant!
And what about Gao Neng?
He had just escaped from the Forgotten Land a few months ago. A student who hadn’t even graduated from the military academy yet was now his superior officer?
Chen Bai was thoroughly depressed.
Just as he was thinking this, Fang Tangtang spoke up as well. "I was promoted to Captain, too. Lieutenant Chen, if you’re going to call Gao Neng ’sir,’ you should call me ’ma’am,’ you know!"
"..." Chen Bai didn’t want to speak.
’These two must be doing this on purpose, right?’
To think he’d just been thinking how considerate Gao Neng was. Now it seemed he’d really been overthinking it. These two were up to no good.
"Yes, I’m a Captain, too." Just then, Lin Ying also produced an insignia and slowly pinned it to his shoulder.
"!!!" Chen Bai.
’FML.’
’The culture at Eastern Capital Military Academy really is something else!’
He knew of Lin Ying.
Such a good kid, always respecting his teachers and caring for the young. How had he fallen in with Gao Neng and Fang Tangtang and been corrupted so quickly?
Still, he wasn’t surprised that Lin Ying had earned the rank of Captain.
After all, Lin Ying was already a fourth-year student.
Besides, he had accumulated quite a few merits on the battlefield over the years. In fact, Lin Ying was already a Lieutenant even before the Dragon List was published.
Now that Lin Ying had secured an S-rank rating on the Dragon List, it was only natural for the Military Department to recognize him.
"Brother Chen, don’t be angry. You’re not that old. You still have plenty of room for future development," Gao Neng said comfortingly when he saw how down Chen Bai was.
"Thanks for the kind words," Chen Bai replied casually.
"I hear you’re not even thirty-five yet. What was your Dragon List ranking again?" Gao Neng asked again.
"..." Chen Bai.
’Is he ever going to stop?!’
’Can’t he give me a break?’
"Oh, sorry, sorry. I forgot you’re still in the lower tiers. Tier Three Late Stage, wasn’t it? I heard you’ve been stuck there for a few years? You really have to work harder! I’m not saying you have to catch up to me, but you should at least aim to catch up to Fang Tangtang, right? She’s only sixteen!" Gao Neng continued.
"I..." Chen Bai’s face flushed red.
He desperately wanted to retort that not everyone was a monster like them. If there were really that many monsters, wouldn’t the alien races have been driven away long ago?
The Human Alliance wouldn’t have fallen to its current state.
A few months’ time...
Going from Tier One to Tier Five... That truly wasn’t something a normal person could do. They wouldn’t even dare to dream of it.
Of course, Chen Bai couldn’t say any of this out loud.
He could only shut his mouth and say no more.
Seeing Chen Bai fall silent, Fang Tangtang chimed in considerately, "What do you mean, ’catch up to me’? I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am Tier Five now, okay? Lieutenant Chen, you should set your sights on other people!"
"You’re Tier Five?" Gao Neng was somewhat surprised.
’What has Fang Tangtang been doing these past three days?’
To jump from Tier Four Late Stage all the way to Tier Five.
’It seems...’
’I need to work even harder.’
"Of course! I haven’t been slacking off at all these past three days! Ask Sister Ning’Er if you don’t believe me!" Fang Tangtang puffed out her chest, but it was clear there wasn’t much to puff.
"Yes, Tangtang has indeed been working very hard these past three days," Shen Ning’Er said.
"See? I’m very diligent. Lieutenant Chen, you just focus on your driving. Our conversation is a bit too high-level, so your state of mind might not be able to keep up right now. That’s perfectly normal. But you must remember, never get discouraged. Your future is very bright!" Fang Tangtang said smugly.
"..." Chen Bai.
’If time could be turned back.’
’He absolutely would not have agreed to drive this car!’
...
「An hour later.」
They arrived at the Federation Government Building.
A large crowd of reporters was lying in wait outside the police cordon.
Today was a major event for the Alliance. The news that three hundred Dragon List Geniuses would be gathering at the Federation Government Building had already spread all over the internet.
Although the reporters couldn’t enter the Federation Government Building, they had all arrived early to set up their cameras outside.
The appearance of Gao Neng and the others naturally caused a huge commotion. After all, four S-rank individuals had just stepped out of one car.
Shen Ning’Er, ranked sixth on the Dragon List.
Lin Ying, ranked twenty-ninth on the Dragon List.
Gao Neng and Fang Tangtang, tied for fifty-seventh on the Dragon List.
True super-geniuses.
A legion of four!
Except for the driver... Chen Bai.
"Wow, look! It’s Shen Ning’Er and Gao Neng!"
"Fang Tangtang and Lin Ying are there too!"
"I heard someone say that Fang Tangtang might be a ’human-shaped nuke.’ That’s some super-massive potential! Her future achievements will be limitless!"
"Lin Ying is incredible, too. He was at Tier Six Mid Stage and actually defeated the Tier Six Late Stage Yi Qingge. Back then, no one thought Lin Ying would win that fight!"
"Blood Rage Berserk... Lin Ying truly deserves the title of super-genius!"
The reporters swarmed toward Gao Neng’s group, chattering excitedly.
But several middle-aged men in uniform quickly appeared before them and blocked the throng of reporters outside the cordon.
"Hello. I’m a staff member from the Federation Government. Welcome, the four of you," one of the middle-aged men said, stepping forward and nodding at Gao Neng and his group.
Gao Neng glanced at the middle-aged man’s chest.
There was no four-colored mark.
This meant the middle-aged man was indeed just an ordinary staff member.
"Hello," Gao Neng greeted him.
"There are too many reporters here. Please come with us," the middle-aged man continued.
"Can’t I say a few words to the reporters?" Gao Neng asked, puzzled.
"..." The middle-aged man was silent.
"Alright, keep a low profile. I get it." Gao Neng said no more and strode toward the Federation Government Building.
The middle-aged man gave a wry smile, quickly caught up, and led the way for Gao Neng’s group.
The City of Hope, Federation Government Building.
The true core of power.
The security here was even stricter than at the Military Department. Even at the edge of the cordon, Gao Neng could already see at least a dozen heavy weapon emplacements.
After the Great Cataclysm.
Technological research and development hadn’t actually stagnated completely.
On the contrary, because of the appearance of the "Magnetic Pile," some technologies were even more advanced than before the Cataclysm.
For example, the high-dimensional capsule was one such technological product.
Besides that, things like super-missiles and so on were emerging one after another.
However, these heavy, high-tech weapons were mostly used for defensive purposes. Even if they were brought to the battlefield, they were only suitable for large-scale combat.
Like the last battlefield raid.
The Military Department hadn’t brought any heavy weaponry.
The reasons for that go without saying.
After passing through the restricted area, Gao Neng and the others arrived in the main hall of the Federation Government Building.
The Federation Government Building was composed of four high-rises, divided into east, west, south, and north sectors, with a circular building connecting them in the center.
The circular building was suspended in the air.
Like a castle in the sky.
Moreover, while he was still downstairs, Gao Neng had sensed a faint, shimmering Energy Protective Shield around the central sky-castle.
’If I’m not mistaken...’
’...that’s where the Federation Council is located.’
Upon entering the main hall.
Gao Neng discovered that entry and exit at the Federation Building were incredibly strict. Outsiders had to pass through several checkpoints to get in.
Most notably, the identification method used was very special: the most advanced DNA gene recognition, not something like retinal or facial scanning.
"Please, go on in, the four of you! There will be new reception staff waiting for you inside." The middle-aged man led Gao Neng and his group to the door and stopped.
"Thanks," Gao Neng nodded.
He didn’t give a tip.
Because he felt it was unnecessary. Besides, they probably wouldn’t accept it, which would be a little awkward.
"Hello, may I ask if you are Colonel Shen, and the three Captains: Gao Neng, Fang Tangtang, and Lin Ying?" a young woman asked as she approached them.
"Yes," Shen Ning’Er replied this time.
"Alright, please undergo a genetic scan first to verify your identities," the young woman said with a professional smile, guiding Gao Neng’s group to a metal door.
Shen Ning’Er was the first to step through.
A green light lit up.
Fang Tangtang and Lin Ying followed, both passing through smoothly.
Gao Neng was actually a little nervous. He didn’t remember ever coming to the Federation Government Building before. Would this genetic scan let him through?
"Captain Gao, please," the young woman said again.
"Okay." Gao Neng nodded and, steeling himself, walked in.
A beam of light scanned over Gao Neng’s body, followed by the sound of an electric current. Then, the green light on the metal door lit up.
’It actually let me through?!’
’How miraculous!’
Gao Neng guessed that his genetic data had probably been collected when he was studied by Dr. Lan, and then entered into the system before his visit to the Federation Government Building.
’The Alliance’s methods really are powerful.’
After successfully entering the Federation Government Building, the young woman led Gao Neng and the others into an elevator. She didn’t say another word the entire way, taking them straight to the seventeenth floor.
DING!
The elevator doors opened.
Another metal door for genetic scanning.
’Seriously, it’s super strict.’
Gao Neng couldn’t help but wonder if he could still pass this genetic scan after using his Life Element Fusion.
Of course, he didn’t dare to try.
Federation Government Building, Seventeenth Floor, Special Affairs Research Institute.
Gao Neng soon saw the large characters on the sign.
’A full examination? Am I going to be studied again?’ Gao Neng’s feelings were actually quite complicated. He had no idea what would happen if his hidden talents were exposed.
’Full talents!’
’All of my talents are at 100%.’
’Something like that would definitely cause a massive stir, right?’
’But, it probably won’t be too big of a deal. After all, Fang Tangtang, the human-shaped nuke, is standing right next to me like nothing’s wrong.’
’It’ll be fine!’
’There definitely won’t be any problems!’
Gao Neng chanted silently in his heart.
He was trying to psych himself up.
But for some unknown reason, just as his foot was about to truly cross the threshold into the "Special Affairs Research Institute," a chill inexplicably ran up his spine.
