Two weeks passed by quickly.
During that time, Lam Minh spent most of his time consolidating his Early Foundation Establishment realm. He no longer rushed to farm points in the simulation; instead, he focused on controlling his new power with greater subtlety. He was now able to completely restrain his aura, looking no different from an ordinary person, unless he actively wanted others to sense it.
He also spent more time with his family. He used the rest of his military merit reward money to take his family shopping and to eat at fancy restaurants they had never dared to enter before. Seeing the happy smiles on his parents' and sister's faces, he felt a peace greater than any victory.
Finally, the day of departure for Hanoi arrived.
Due to the long distance and the need to transport some sensitive equipment, the research institute's delegation did not travel by plane but used a special military train. The train was armored, equipped with light weaponry, and traveled on a heavily guarded railway line connecting the two ends of the ASEAN bloc.
Lam Minh and To Quyen arrived at a secret military station on the outskirts of the city. The delegation wasn't large, only about a dozen scientists led by Professor Lan Anh, along with an elite security team.
"Let's get on board, children," Professor Lan Anh said, handing each of them a ticket with their carriage and seat number.
Lam Minh and To Quyen were seated next to each other in a comfortable carriage reserved for specialists. The carriage wasn't overly luxurious, but it was clean and quiet.
"The journey will take about a day and a half," To Quyen said, taking out a tablet. "We'll have plenty of time to review these documents."
Lam Minh gave a wry smile. He had thought this was a relaxing trip, but who knew his "class president" would turn it into an extracurricular study session.
"Come on, we're on a business trip," he teased. "Let's relax a little."
He leaned back in his seat and looked out the window. The train began to move, gliding through the suburbs, industrial zones, and then vast fields. The peaceful scenery inside the Great Wall made one almost forget that not far away, a brutal war was still raging.
The train had been running for about an hour, and Lam Minh was dozing off when a familiar, sharp voice rang out.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Lam Minh's eyes snapped open. Standing in the aisle was a girl with pink hair hidden under a baseball cap, wearing oversized sunglasses and a very energetic-looking travel outfit. But no matter how she disguised herself, he recognized her immediately.
"Quynh Nhu?" he blurted out.
To Quyen was just as surprised. "Quynh Nhu? What are you doing here?"
Quynh Nhu took off her sunglasses and gave them a mischievous wink. "What a coincidence! I'm on this train too. I'm going to Hanoi to visit relatives. I didn't expect to see you two here."
She showed them her ticket. "Look, my seat is right across from you two. It must be fate!"
Lam Minh looked at the ticket, then at her "innocent" smile. He knew perfectly well this was no coincidence. This girl had definitely used her Blacklight privileges to arrange this.
"It's a small world," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It sure is!" Quynh Nhu replied cheerfully, then placed her luggage on the rack and sat down in the seat opposite them, instantly turning their quiet space into a small marketplace.
"Whoa, military trains are different, so smooth! Hey To Quyen, did you bring any snacks? I'm starving."
"Lam Minh, you look so sleepy. Couldn't sleep last night? Or were you too nervous about this date... I mean, this business trip?"
The girl chattered non-stop, deliberately provoking both of them. To Quyen could only manage a wry smile, while Lam Minh pretended to put on his headphones, closed his eyes to sleep, and ignored her completely.
Seeing Lam Minh ignore her, Quynh Nhu grew even more annoyed. She started to cause trouble. She pulled out a deck of cards and invited To Quyen to play. Then she pulled out a huge bag of chips and ate them loudly and obnoxiously.
Finally, unable to bear Lam Minh's silence any longer, she lightly kicked his leg with her foot.
"Hey, punching bag, wake up and play cards. It's more fun with three people."
Lam Minh kept his eyes closed, but muttered, "Be quiet, you're too loud. Or I'll throw you out the window."
"You dare?" Quynh Nhu challenged.
"Try me," Lam Minh replied curtly.
The tension between the two flared up again. To Quyen, sitting in the middle, felt a headache coming on. Her trip to Hanoi, it seemed, was going to be very "turbulent."
The train continued to glide forward, carrying three people with three different moods towards the north, towards the old capital, a place that held the secrets of history and, perhaps, the destinies that awaited them.