Returning from the secret Blacklight base, Lam Minh was filled with an indescribable excitement, not because he had met the general, but because of the "gift" he had been given.
As soon as he was back in his room, he locked the door and pulled out the metal box. Inside, the Graphene-Adamantium tactical dagger lay silently, emanating a deadly coldness. Its hilt was jet-black, the blade as thin as a cicada's wing, yet he could feel its unparalleled hardness. By channeling just a little "qi" into it, the blade emitted a soft hum, so sharp it could sever a hair drifting past it.
"The real deal is something else!" Lam Minh praised with admiration. Compared to his old fruit-peeling knife, this was like comparing a bicycle to a fighter jet.
Next to it was the form-fitting body armor. It was made from a type of elastic nano-fiber, feeling as light as nothing when worn and not affecting his movements at all. He tried punching his chest lightly; the force was almost completely nullified.
"With this suit, I can pretend to be beaten without feeling any pain. Farming points will be much safer," he chuckled slyly.
He carefully put away the two treasures, his mind already brimming with new plans. Refusing to join Blacklight for now was the right decision. He needed time, a lot of time, to cultivate and become even stronger before officially stepping onto the battlefield. The next two years would be a golden period for him to accumulate strength.
In the following days, his life returned to its normal rhythm. He still went to class, still dozed off during boring lessons, and was still the center of attention for the female students. Occasionally, he would be "kidnapped" by Quynh Nhu to the Blacklight training room to serve as a "punching bag." But now, with his new armor, these sessions became much more bearable. He could "act" more realistically, letting Quynh Nhu pummel him without any real harm, which only made her more frustrated, as it felt like punching a tough piece of rubber.
Time flew by, and soon it was the end of the semester. Just as General Khang had said, Tran Hung Dao High School announced a special week-long extracurricular program for students with outstanding academic and activity records. And of course, the entire school combat team was on the list.
The destination of the trip made all the students ecstatic: Field Training Base No. 7, located in a safe zone but not far from the Great Wall on the eastern front. This was where new recruits were trained before being sent to the front lines.
"Whoa! We get to see the army train for real! So cool!" Hung 'fat' yelled when he heard the announcement.
To Quyen's eyes lit up. "This is a great opportunity to collect real-world data. I heard they have combat simulation rooms and even Madakaros specimens there."
Lam Minh just shrugged, but inwardly he felt a flicker of anticipation. "Who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to 'accidentally' wander off and find some 'prey' to farm points."
On the day of departure, the whole school was as excited as if going to a festival. Military buses transported the students from the bustling city into the suburbs, where military installations became increasingly dense.
Field Training Base No. 7 appeared before them, not the dilapidated barracks they had imagined, but a complex of modern buildings, vast grounds, and areas simulating complex terrain. The atmosphere here was solemn and disciplined.
The students were given a tour. They watched soldiers practice shooting, navigate obstacle courses, and conduct mock battles. Everything made the city students' eyes go wide with amazement.
"Look! They're sparring!" Hung 'fat' pointed towards a large ring.
On it, two soldiers were engaged in a fierce fight. Their moves were not flashy, but extremely practical and deadly, pure battlefield killing techniques.
"Compared to our matches, this is real combat," Hoang Long, the former captain, said with a serious expression.
A guide officer, seeing the students' interest, smiled and said, "These are soldiers from the 9th Reconnaissance Squad. They're training before heading out beyond the wall for a mission next week."
He looked towards the Tran Hung Dao team, his gaze stopping on Lam Minh. "Ah, you must be Lam Minh, the champion of the recent tournament, right? I watched your final match. Very impressive!"
Lam Minh replied modestly, "Hello, sir. I was just lucky."
The officer laughed. "Humility is a good trait. Would you all like to have a little exchange? Let our soldiers learn some of that 'luck' from the champion."
This suggestion made all the students excited. But Hoang Long and Le Van Hung's faces turned a little pale. Sparring with real reconnaissance soldiers? This was no joke.
"So, what do you say, champion? Do you dare?" the officer looked at Lam Minh, a playful challenge in his eyes.
Lam Minh looked up at the ring, where the soldiers were now looking at him with curiosity and a hint of belligerence. He smirked faintly.
"Yes, sir. Why not?"
He knew this wasn't just an exchange. This was a test. A test from the military for the "Tiger in Sheep's Clothing." And he, too, was very eager to see how his Late-stage Qi Refining strength would stack up against these seasoned soldiers.