245. Valkyrie Assessment
The first month of the Medical Aid class consisted mainly of rote memorization, which was naturally no challenge for Yun Ling.
Next, it was time for Bronya and Yun Ling's duel.
Network security is essentially hacking; the goal is to breach the teacher's defenses within a certain timeframe.
However, it was clear that these defenses for those two were as thin as paper, crumbled with a gentle poke.
They didn't even need to lift a finger; their pre-written attack programs could automatically target the enemy.
The two tacitly remained seated, continuing their attacks on each other's computers.
A silent battle of offense and defense had begun.
Since it was a direct confrontation, their attack methods were simple and brutal: gaining control of the other's computer was the key to success.
Bronya immediately displayed formidable aggression, unleashing a barrage of viruses upon Yun Ling's computer.
Yun Ling calmly countered, adopting a defensive stance, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.
Their struggle naturally attracted the attention of the teacher above, but she paid it no mind; after all, competition breeds progress.
The keyboard clicked rapidly, and Bronya's offensive gradually slowed. Against Yun Ling's impenetrable defense, these attacks were utterly useless.
She didn't even have the resources left to be used as feints.
She had tried searching for weaknesses elsewhere, but to no avail.
Bronya felt as though her objectives had been completely exposed.
Hacking skills were important, but controlling the overall situation was equally crucial in this battle.
This wasn't just a cyber war; it also required consideration of tactics and other factors.
Bronya knew that all her objectives had been discovered, so she naturally had no intention of continuing the attack.
So she could only withdraw her forces, focusing on defense and waiting for an opportunity to strike, searching for Yun Ling's weakness.
But at that moment, Yun Ling had already manipulated Bronya's computer, changing her wallpaper to her picture, her slightly surprised expression in the wallpaper mirroring Bronya's real expression in real life.
This was a trap Yun Ling had left behind during Bronya's attack using a Trojan program while on the defensive.
This was entirely a game of strategy.
After all, most normal people would give up on this part, but Bronya was anything but normal.
"How could you guess?" Bronya asked.
"Because you use Heavy Bunny as your data hub, right? Heavy Bunny seems very important to you; you wouldn't give it up," Yun Ling replied.
"..."
Now, not only had her tactics been seen through, but her thoughts had also been guessed.
Bronya looked at the wallpaper on her computer screen, her slightly shocked expression seeming to mock her.
"When did you take this?" Bronya glanced at the photo; the background wasn't here.
"When you weren't looking, I thought it was cute and took a picture."
"Pervert."
"Personal attacks aren't cute."
"Hmph..."
The second round was another victory for Yun Ling. Having lost to Yun Ling twice in her strongest area, Bronya was completely convinced.
The monthly exams finally ended, and Kiana and Yuna both passed, a great joy for them.
Only those with excellent preliminary exam scores could continue to participate in the Valkyrie Exam.
Kiana and Yuna scored extremely high in their combat simulation test, thus pulling up their slightly flawed theory scores and qualifying them.
The Valkyrie Exam required each student to form a three-person team to perform missions on the battlefield. Of course, an instructor would always accompany the students, protecting them and scoring them.
Even the weakest instructors possessed the strength of a B-rank Valkyrie, making the Valkyrie assessment relatively safe.
Approximately thirty people qualified for the Valkyrie assessment, enough to form over ten teams.
"Hmm... I'm not in a team with Yun Ling." Kiana looked at her name tag, which didn't match Yun Ling's, and felt a little disappointed.
"Then I guess you're in a team with Mei and Bronya," Yun Ling reassured her.
"Eh? How did you know?" Kiana looked at Yun Ling in surprise.
"Bronya is responsible for battlefield reconnaissance and long-range fire support, Mei is responsible for ambushes and supporting teammates, and you'll be on the front lines. So, the three of you make a very suitable team," Yun Ling explained.
Sure enough, when Kiana found the two, their name tags were exactly the same as Kiana's.
"Yun Ling, who are you in a team with?" Mei asked.
"We can't form all three-person teams here, so there will inevitably be teams of two or one person. I must be one of them."
"Yun…Yun Ling…" Yuna looked at the number plate in her hand, her face showing a hint of excitement.
She was actually in a team with Yun Ling.
"It seems the school not only knows all our skills inside and out, but also pays attention to interpersonal relationships to prevent discord within teams," Bronya explained.
"After all, if disputes arise between teams, it will not only affect the mission, but may also cause other potential dangers," Mei nodded in understanding.
"Let's not delay any longer, and let's get ready. The instructor should be here soon."
Sure enough, Yun Ling and Yuna were the extra two, forming a two-person team.
The instructor who came was coming with a simple umbrella and a chair...
"Miss Rita?! You're actually an instructor at St. Freya Academy?" Yun Ling feigned ignorance, looking at Rita with shock.
"Please excuse my rudeness. I'm just temporarily fulfilling the duties of an instructor, but I'm confident I can protect Mr. Yun Ling."
Rita tucked her hair behind her ear and chatted with Yun Ling.
"This must be Miss Yuna. It's a pleasure to meet you. Just call me Instructor Rita." Rita looked at Yuna beside her and spoke to her softly.
"Yes...yes! Instructor Rita!" Yuna bowed nervously.
"Don't be so nervous. You can call me Rita in private, too." Rita leaned closer to Yuna and whispered in her ear.
Yuna was so nervous that she didn't know what to do with her small hands, only able to clutch Yun Ling's clothes, head bowed, silent.
This small movement naturally didn't escape Rita's notice.
"Let's set off then. Our mission this time is to search for survivors in Nagazora City. Although we've already conducted several large-scale search and rescue operations, there may still be some areas we've missed, so we'll take this opportunity to continue the search."
"If you encounter danger, don't force yourself. You can call my name, and I'll always be by your side."
Rita described the mission to the two of them, then disappeared from their sight.
But Yun Ling could clearly feel a gaze watching him from the shadows.
...