"My strength can't match his. I'm just following in his wake. I doubt I can change his mind. So, big sis, hand over your signal button." The curly‑haired boy offered kindly.
Big sis, my foot!
The way this pretty boy talked made Lan Grace want to blow her top.
That said, she had no intention of yielding.
If she were eliminated, she would be sent back to the Waste Star.
Just the thought of returning to that life of hardship…
Suddenly she felt strength flood her limbs.
She would not go back!
Even if she had no power to fight, she did have legs to run.
Without another word, Lan Grace turned and bolted.
The move, so outside the script, made Kong Simon—who had been poised to strike—stare.
Even a single beat of hesitation let Lan Grace "skitter" more than ten metres away.
Come now—her physique was at least B‑grade; she wasn't slow.
"Fei Fei, you stay. I'll chase." Before the words finished, Kong Simon had already leapt after her.
Fei Fei's physique wasn't much; his strength lay in mental power.
And there was no need for him to move. Kong Simon alone would catch the Waste Star girl quickly—it wouldn't take long.
Dodging left and right through the jungle, Lan Grace had barely gone far when she ran into a familiar face.
A cold beauty in a sleek, dark‑blue training combat suit, long hair in a high ponytail, a three‑foot sword in hand—Zhao Qingyan.
Lan Grace had a good impression of this cold beauty.
In the first melee of the exam, after accepting the pastries Lan Grace had offered, she had left Lan Grace her nutrient solution. Lan's favour had shot through the roof.
"Help, beauty!" The next second, Lan Grace sprinted straight for Zhao Qingyan.
Kong Simon had not expected to run into Zhao Qingyan here—and from the Waste Star girl's look, the two seemed familiar?
He hesitated again; Lan Grace had already slipped behind Zhao Qingyan.
Zhao Qingyan too had not expected to meet the Waste Star girl who had given her sweets.
She had already eaten them all—so delicious it was unbelievable!
Even on the Alliance Star, at the most renowned dessert shops, the best she'd had were merely on par.
So just as Lan Grace had a good impression of Zhao Qingyan, the latter had one of the Waste Star girl.
After all, to gift such delicious pastries—apology or not—was sincerity.
More than that, Zhao Qingyan was curious. She turned and asked, "Did you make that box of pastries?"
"I did…" Lan Grace blinked—then answered.
She was running for her life here!
At such a moment, wasn't that a little off topic?
Hearing it, Zhao Qingyan's favour spiked—right up to the top.
On the Alliance Star, to eat desserts of that calibre—even with her status—she had to book in advance, queue; at most once or twice a month—and quantities were limited.
But if she knew a pastry master who could make such exquisite sweets, then—
Zhao Qingyan was already thinking whether she could be friends with this pastry master.
If they were good friends, would delicious desserts be easier to come by?
Lan Grace had no idea her eyes were growing ever brighter.
The other person present had already been completely ignored.
"Zhao Qingyan! Are you protecting this Waste Star girl?" Kong Simon demanded coldly.
But the voice—deliberately pinched into that "broadcast" tone—didn't land. It sounded faintly comical.
At another time and place, if his target weren't herself, Lan Grace might have laughed aloud.
But this was about her life; she watched Zhao Qingyan's reaction, butterflies in her stomach.
"Protecting her?"
Zhao Qingyan came back to herself. "You're going to eliminate her?"
The answer was written on his face.
"No. Her—you can't touch." As she spoke, Zhao Qingyan's gaze grew colder.
Kong Simon stared. "You would make me your enemy?"
Er…
As the bystander eating melon seeds, Lan Grace was a little dazed.
She had sought the cold beauty's help—but had not expected her to be so firm.
A chance meeting, and such loyalty—drawing her sword at a critical moment—it was moving!
From Kong Simon's dark face, the two might clash any moment!
Lan Grace had even started to picture the battle—then the cold beauty turned and snorted.
"You—are you my match?"
Dominance crackled.
With absolute strength, the aura unleashed at a critical moment was dazzling.
Lan Grace's eyes shone. She decided that she would take this boss as her goal—and work to grow stronger!
A fledgling's tough days—running everywhere, hunted like a rat—were far too humiliating…
Kong Simon had no answer. He was not Zhao Qingyan's match.
Rumour had it Zhao Qingyan, the Zhao clan's genius, was S‑grade in physique. He himself was A‑grade in both physique and mental power.
S and A looked like a single tier—but the difference was a gulf. Ten A‑grades might still not beat a single S‑grade.
Power differentials decided all.
Kong Simon swallowed hard and lowered his head.
He wanted to eliminate the so‑called Waste Star girl the president had singled out—but with Zhao Qingyan standing in front of her, he was helpless.
"Let's see if you can protect her forever." He gave Lan Grace a poisonous look, then addressed Zhao Qingyan.
Lan Grace: "???"
Something felt off.
Not only was his voice odd—his whole way of thinking, of speaking, seemed… off.
There was no time to think it through; Kong Simon turned and left.
The heavy, unbending steps, the lone, proud back—only deepened the sense that something was not right.
His outward act—how to put it…
Terminal chuunibyou?
Yes.
That was it.