「If there’s trouble, bully Xiaoxi; if there’s nothing, still pick on Xiaoxi. Got it, so it turns out some designer changed careers.」
「Six hundred sixty-six, not even acting anymore.」
「The room is so cute! After seeing Xiaoxi so fierce in the last episode, I totally forgot they’re still just a bunch of kids.」
“Real combat? I understand!”
Yun Ruoxi nodded thoughtfully.
The two exchanged a few more words. Ten months without seeing each other meant there was a lot to catch up on.
But with the course requirements right in front of them, they had to part ways hastily.
Fortunately, this time they swapped dorm rooms—though dorm changes weren’t as frequent as ID number changes—so even if their numbers changed, they’d still have a way to keep in touch.
Watching the other’s figure disappear into her personal space, Yun Ruoxi finally let out a slow breath and rubbed her face.
“That was too sudden, but the performance should be fine.”
She hadn’t expected to be matched with Lin Zhen, and had to improvise a plausible excuse for why she had been “missing” for ten months.
She couldn’t very well say she’d been tinkering with pre-performance preparations even before episode four had started airing, right?
But the excuse she gave Lin Zhen was reasonable and could withstand verification.
After all, it was the groundwork she’d laid for the annual assessment.
Yun Ruoxi opened the system panel and stared at the [Ultimate Acting] skill she’d exchanged most of her popularity points for.
[Ultimate Acting] is an advanced version of [Master-level Acting], the pinnacle of this personal skill. Although it had cost her nearly 100,000 popularity points, it was absolutely worth it.
This skill allowed her performance to penetrate the mental realm so deeply that even mental scanning devices could be perfectly deceived.
The force field therapy device still recorded the ongoing Data of Mental Trauma Corporalization Treatment she was receiving.
Moreover, her plan was to rely on this skill to handle the war camp’s inspection technology after the first season ended.
“But the annual assessment… Lin Zhen, you can’t even imagine how much more brutal it is, by countless times.”
Having read the original work, Yun Ruoxi knew very well that the annual assessment was a nightmare that could make someone wake up gasping in the middle of the night—a true hell.
Of course, it was also the moment Lin Zhen truly awakened and began to realize.
Replaying the original plot in her mind and confirming that her acting plan had no oversights, Yun Ruoxi nodded with satisfaction.
As usual, after completing three combat simulations, she exited the virtual space.
Removing her helmet and fixing her flattened hair, she stood up and instinctively looked to her right.
The blonde girl stood there smiling brightly.
Her figure had become more proportionate, and her once dry, split blonde hair had grown smooth and glossy.
Seeing this, Yun Ruoxi teased slightly, “Xiao Ai, why did you finish early again?”
Since that day, her relationship with 9993—Aili—had grown closer.
They had even started giving each other nicknames to replace the cold, impersonal ID numbers.
“I just can’t win… four losses in a row again.” Aili smiled sheepishly. “Sis, I used the Combat Techniques you taught me, but I just can’t react fast enough.”
“Is that so…” Yun Ruoxi showed a trace of helplessness, her eyes falling on Aili’s collar.
Number 6145. Over a thousand ranks higher than the previous 7246.
It seemed pretty good, showing steady progress, but there was still quite a gap from the top five thousand.
In fact, this gap was even wider than the one between 7246 and 5000 ten months ago.
After all, all the trainees had been training desperately to survive during these ten months.
Having gone through ten monthly assessments.
Those with true talent had long since risen to the positions they deserved.
Now, the numbering had basically stabilized, with around 6100 being the ceiling Aili could reach.
Yun Ruoxi sincerely hoped Aili would break into the top five thousand; otherwise, she wouldn’t have shared all her Combat Techniques so openly.
But unfortunately, Aili didn’t have her level of talent. No matter how much she learned, it was a futile imitation.
On the arena, she was almost fragile enough to shatter at a single touch.
“Don’t be discouraged, Sis. There are still ten days left!” Aili seemed even more optimistic than Yun Ruoxi, her smile calm.
“Besides, what if I perform well on the annual assessment and leap straight into the top five thousand?”
Yun Ruoxi smiled helplessly. “That possibility is way too low.”
“Let’s go back to the dorm.”
“Alright!”
The two walked side by side out of the training room, navigating the corridor easily until they reached the familiar crossroads.
Just as they were about to part ways, Aili suddenly stopped and looked Yun Ruoxi in the eye, her face showing a hint of shyness:
“Sis… ten days from now… can you help me braid my hair?”
Her meaning was unmistakably clear.
Yun Ruoxi was silent for a moment before nodding softly: “Sure.”
Late at night.
Yun Ruoxi lay on the hard iron bed in the dorm, quietly watching the wild wind and rain outside the window.
Her fingers absentmindedly stroked the quick-sleep spray, her mind torn apart by inner conflict.
Although Aili was working hard and had her help, she lacked outstanding talent.
She was destined to fail the annual assessment.
This girl was so ordinary.
Just averagely pretty, with no prestigious background.
Such a girl was truly just a background character you could find everywhere in anime worlds, not even a minor supporting role.
If Yun Ruoxi hadn’t intervened, she probably wouldn’t have even appeared on the popularity charts…
Was this kind of background character really worth risking everything to save?
Yun Ruoxi already had a complete acting plan, honed over ten months, enough to dazzle the audience once again and harvest massive popularity.
But if she chose to save Aili, everything would have to change.
More importantly, under the watchful eyes of the war camp’s upper echelons, she had no absolute confidence that she could help Aili pass the assessment.
In other words, even if she was willing to give up her perfected plan and take this unknown risk, it might all end up as a fruitless effort.
Yun Ruoxi exhaled deeply.
This kind of weighing and deliberation had occupied her every night before sleep over the past month.
Yet, even tonight, the result was the same.
She still couldn’t decide.
Popularity was everything to her, the necessary resource to revive her parents.
Yet Aili, who was originally just an emotional outlet and test subject, had unknowingly taken a place in her heart.
Small, but undeniably real.
“Ten days left, I’ll think about it more carefully…”
As if trying to escape this dilemma, she inhaled a sharp spray of the quick-sleep mist, forcing herself into slumber.
***
The next afternoon.
Having just finished physical training, Yun Ruoxi was about to head to the cafeteria when Instructor Xiaguang stopped her.
“219, wait a moment. Someone important wants to see you.”
“Who?” Yun Ruoxi halted.
“You know who.”
Xiaguang smiled faintly, lips silently moving.
Yun Ruoxi discerned the lip movements, her breath suddenly quickening.
Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging deep into her palms.
Bright red drops of blood seeped through her fingers, falling onto the cold floor.
She lowered her head briefly, then lifted it again, the fake smile she wore for her role completely vanished.
Only piercing coldness remained.
“Understood. Lead the way.”