Chapter 19: Becoming a Reserve Member

Lin Xiaosu laughed, “Changye, you’re really not very considerate. You’ve dragged me here for half a month, and you haven’t shown the slightest concern whether I’m eating well, keeping warm, or if the little assistant is obedient…”

Behind him stood Changye.

Changye curled her lips. “With the accommodations here, do I really need to worry about your food or clothing? As for the assistant’s obedience… She probably wasn’t at first, but after tonight, maybe she will be.”

“What do you mean? Have I passed the assessment?” Lin Xiaosu was a bit excited.

“We’ll talk about the assessment later. Tell me, after reading these books, what are your thoughts?”

Lin Xiaosu sighed softly. “Peace and stability are not things we should take for granted. The tranquility we enjoy today exists only because someone carries the weight for us.”

Changye gazed quietly into his eyes.

At this moment, his eyes were clear as crystal.

Lin Xiaosu opened the book in front of him and pointed to a spot. “There’s something odd here.”

“An oddity?”

“Yes!” Lin Xiaosu said, “The whole book uses aliases, but this one incident mentions a real organization name. Why?”

“Your focus is quite unique! Most people pay attention to the events themselves, but you’re concerned with real names versus aliases…” Changye said, “Since you brought it up, I’ll answer. This was a deliberate choice by Qianlong.”

“Deliberate? What do you mean?”

Changye took the book from his hand and opened to the page. “Hydra—the greatest enemy of Qianlong. Globally, it’s the largest criminal organization. Every Qianlong member’s ultimate goal is to confront them. And this Thunderbolt, who became legendary after slaying the King of Bones—Qianlong recorded his real name and deeds in this textbook for three reasons. First, to tell every Qianlong member that legends are made, not born, and must be earned with blood. Second, to show Hydra that, despite their claims of unmatched power, Qianlong of Daxia can still defeat them without hesitation. Third, it’s about Thunderbolt himself—he deserves to be a monument in our textbook.”

“Thunderbolt, a monument of Qianlong?” Lin Xiaosu asked.

“Yes, he’s transcended the standard of ‘Sprouts’ and entered the ranks of ‘Awakened.’ Even among the mysterious Awakened, he stands at the forefront. More importantly, there’s a saying in Qianlong: ‘When Thunderbolt sounds, the world settles. Whenever there’s a mission, he ensures its success…’”

In Lin Xiaosu’s mind, a figure of unmatched strength took root—Thunderbolt! His achievements were astonishing…

Since entering Qianlong 101, Lin Xiaosu had gained some understanding of the mysterious world of genes.

Genetic modification bestows superhuman traits upon people.

But this monumental endeavor is only in its infancy.

Currently, most genetically modified humans possess only a single aspect of superhuman abilities—the “Sprouts,” representing humanity’s first steps in self-enhancement.

This is the first tier of gene-humans.

There is another mysterious tier among gene-humans: the “Awakened!”

What awakens? Extraordinary power!

A superhuman and an extraordinary being—a single word difference, yet a world apart. The superhuman simply surpasses ordinary people; the extraordinary essentially becomes “inhuman.”

Every Awakened is a legend worthy of the history books…

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to the left.

To his left, a woman approached with graceful steps—not the little assistant, but a real person.

Her face was round, her eyes kind and smiling, holding a tray with two cups of tea. She handed one to Changye, who took a sip.

The other cup was offered to Lin Xiaosu. He held it, examining the tea. It was Clear Spring Tea, much better than the usual office tea served in the library. The tea looked clean and inviting, but under the discerning eye of the Dao, there was something unusual within the bright tea broth…

After a moment’s scrutiny, Lin Xiaosu gently placed the cup on the side table and picked up his original cold tea.

The round-faced beauty widened her eyes. “Sir, do you prefer cold tea?”

“Who actually likes cold tea?” Lin Xiaosu smiled. “I just couldn’t tell what kind of poison you put in the cup, so I decided not to risk it.”

Her expression changed. “What are you implying?”

Lin Xiaosu replied, “I’d like to ask you the same—this is our first meeting, and in the sacred Qianlong base, why did you try to poison me?”

---

“You’re talking nonsense!” The young woman lashed out with a swift kick.

Her speed was unmatched; Lin Xiaosu watched her foot closely, but he couldn’t evade it!

If he had a gun, he could have shot, but he was unarmed.

Still, his reaction was commendable: he twisted his waist sharply and leaped up.

But the kick wasn’t aimed at him—it was for the chair.

Just as her foot was about to strike the chair, she stopped, holding her toes half an inch from the target, halting in mid-air…

Thud!

Lin Xiaosu landed on the tea table, nearly sweeping all the items off. Changye flicked her fingers, causing the teapot and cups to float. With a gentle motion, Lin Xiaosu sat dazed, while the teapot, cups, and tray landed almost simultaneously back in place with not a drop spilled.

That was truly impressive.

“I get it!” Lin Xiaosu shouted. “We fought in the system, and you lost, which left you so furious. I ask you, does Qianlong have any rules? Losing in the training arena, and now you try to poison me in reality… Do you know what ‘martial virtue’ means?!”

The young woman was stunned. “How did you know the person who fought you in the system was me?”

“There’s a difference between avatars and real people, but your kicking action is identical to the assassin in the system—I’d have to be blind not to recognize it.”

The visitor was, of course, Crescent.

She was dumbfounded…

Changye’s eyes lit up. “I have a question too—how did you know Crescent poisoned your tea?”

“Because her eyes betrayed her,” Lin Xiaosu said. “Though she smiled sweetly, the moment I raised the cup, there was a sly, triumphant look in her gaze…”

“You rascal! Still showing off in front of me…” Crescent shouted, finally losing all restraint.

“You think that’s an insult? My eight ancestors are thrilled in their graves…”

“Damn it! Enough, let’s fight!” Crescent sprang up, kicking sideways—

Changye reached out, grabbing her calf instantly. “Crescent, do you want to lose points again?”

All her movements stopped instantly…

Points were her lifeblood.

She needed a thousand points to graduate from reserve status, and by merit, she’d amassed over two thousand—but she kept losing points, and now only had 853. If she really beat this troublemaker to a pulp in the library, she’d lose at least 200.

Changye turned to Lin Xiaosu. “Go back, your assistant is now obedient.”

“Is there any justice? I argue with him and risk losing points, but he passes the assessment directly…”

Amid Crescent’s protests, Lin Xiaosu left the library.

Crescent didn’t understand, but he did.

Today was an assessment.

Two points were tested.

First, his review of “Spy Wars.”

The review reflects a person’s inner world.

He told Changye that, through those tangled tales of espionage, he realized: today’s peace and happiness exist because someone bears the burden for you.

As he spoke, Changye watched his eyes.

She knew he spoke the truth.

This is the essential mindset for a Qianlong member.

---

Qianlong’s assessments test not only skills but also mindset—a proper worldview and a pure heart are prerequisites for great responsibility.

This was the first test.

The second was Crescent’s attempt at poisoning.

As a member of Qianlong, one must remain highly vigilant at all times. Had Lin Xiaosu drunk the tea, he would have failed.

But Lin Xiaosu not only correctly judged the tea was poisoned, but also demonstrated another basic skill—what was it?

He accurately identified Crescent as the assassin from the system by her kick.

What terrifying powers of observation and judgment!

With these three tests, he passed the Qianlong entry assessment and, from the moment the assistant’s permissions opened, became a reserve member.

Returning to his room, Lin Xiaosu saw his assistant, Xiao Luo, again.

She smiled and told him, “Sir, you now have access. Xiao Luo can do anything for you.”

Anything…

Lin Xiaosu was delighted. “Haha, finally I’ve made it! Even you have your day… Xiao Luo, bring me every dish from the eight famous cuisines you claim to master!”

“Sorry, sir. You can’t eat that much alone. Qianlong regulations strictly forbid waste.”

Damn!

In the end, Lin Xiaosu chose three dishes and one soup—the maximum allowed by Qianlong rules.

Still, permissions had their benefits; he could select any cuisine, mix and match dishes and soups freely.

Lin Xiaosu sat on the sofa, watching Xiao Luo roll up her sleeves to cook. He felt complicated—such a capable robot, must be expensive… Maybe, once I get paid, I’ll buy one to play with…

During the meal, Xiao Luo stood by, ready to serve.

The food was truly first-rate—a five-star review.

After eating, Lin Xiaosu sipped the tea she brought, looking her up and down. “Xiao Luo.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Are all your functions unlocked?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Even the ultimate function?”

“I don’t understand, sir. There’s no concept of ultimate function in my database…”

With that, Lin Xiaosu began to explain…

Xiao Luo blinked her beautiful eyes, recording word by word into her database. At last, she understood. “Sir means solving physiological needs. That’s not my job. Xiao Luo is a type B robot—my lower body is made of alloy, no openings. If you want to modify me, you’ll need to submit a request for approval.”

“No, no, I was just asking.”

“Let me give you a full explanation, sir…”

Xiao Luo’s eyes blinked, and the robot’s mechanical knowledge filled the room.