Chapter 29: 28 Re-entering the Game a Second Time

At ten p.m. the next night, the Victory Team’s emergency signal blared.

Miho stared at her computer: “The [Underground Woman] who appeared at the base before has shown up again—street cameras captured traces of her movements.”

Yamaka perked up: “Finally, she’s appeared!”

Kishida glanced around: “Where’s Qi Ming? He usually skips patrols, but now of all times, he should show up.”

Since the last incident, none of them harbored resentment over Qi Ming’s refusal to train or patrol; they had quietly accepted his special treatment.

“Here he is.” No sooner had the words left his mouth than the door—previously smashed through but now repaired—opened, and Qi Ming walked in carrying a large bag of snacks and pastries.

He had been eating late-night snacks when he received the alert.

“We’re heading out on a mission soon—everyone, eat something to conserve your strength.” Qi Ming began handing out food.

If anyone else had pulled this stunt during an emergency, Nami Nishijo would have stormed out and screamed at them until they were drenched in shame.

But now she simply took the blueberry mousse Qi Ming offered her, ate it silently, and didn’t scold him for “failing to read the room.”

“I usually don’t eat sweets at night—I gain weight easily and get cavities,” Yamaka said, yet still bit into it wholeheartedly.

This was Qi Ming’s first offering to his seniors as a new recruit—too memorable to pass up!

Kishida wondered why this felt like some superior officer descending to oversee operations and comfort the rank-and-file—was this kid actually acting like he was above them all?

“Thank you, Qi Ming,” said the deputy team leader, and with that, Miho had no reservations.

She devoured the cake in a few bites, then licked the cream from the corner of her mouth before briefing Qi Ming on the situation.

Moriboshi: “Chief He Zhi specifically instructed us to capture her alive.”

Qi Ming: “Did he mention anything else?”

Like issuing a warning signal to me—the one designated as ‘the extremely rare individual.’

Moriboshi: “No. Why?”

Qi Ming nodded inwardly—Chief He Zhi was holding his ground well.

Yesterday, he had exchanged opinions with Tongshan; both agreed that the claim “Namaru is a native Earthling” might not be the full truth, and the information should remain sealed to prevent panic.

“Won’t you tell Moriboshi?”

“Forget it—he’s turned into a decoration since becoming team leader.”

“Alright… I’ll speak with Chief He Zhi myself. Don’t worry about retaliation—he won’t dare target you. You’re just a regular team member; he can’t afford to stoop to your level.”

“He should be praying I don’t come after him.”

At that moment, Miho spoke again: “She’s appeared again! The target designated [Underground Woman] has been spotted by cameras in T7-C!”

Yamaka was thrilled: “So careless! Good—let’s move. Catch this thing that nearly blew up the base and make her pay!”

Qi Ming: “Hold on—I feel like she’s deliberately showing herself to us.”

Moriboshi blinked: “What’s your basis for that?”

Qi Ming: “A few days ago, while browsing news on my phone, I saw a report: ‘Frequent minor earthquakes in T7-B force tunnel construction to halt.’ I believe that was caused by an underground monster.”

Nishijo: “So because the [Underground Woman] also appeared in T7, you think that underground monster is the ‘Taleson’ Dr. Yuushima mentioned?”

Communicating with smart people was effortless—Qi Ming nodded. “Didn’t we install Dr. Yuushima’s rectifier to expand radar range? Scan T7-B and see.”

Miho: “The target has changed position—she’s moving toward T7-B.”

Kishida gritted his teeth: “That’s it! She’s faking being caught on camera to lure us to her, then summon the monster to attack us!”

At that moment, Miho, having scanned T7-B with radar, frowned strangely: “It might not be that simple.”

She reported that beneath T7-B’s strata, not only was there strong activity from a massive lifeform, but also the lingering energy signatures of the previous two “Sacred Flames.”

Sacred Flame… After the Bila aliens who allied with the underground people were wiped out, did they now team up with the Gilielodes?

Moriboshi frowned deeply—the danger level in T7-B was now extremely high.

Not only was there an underground monster ready to burst forth at any moment, but also flames capable of incinerating a skyscraper in an instant.

Moriboshi: “Issue an evacuation order first.”

Nishijo: “But if we alert them, they’ll vanish again—and might cause even greater destruction later.”

After all, you can’t guard against thieves forever—she preferred paying a necessary “price” to eliminate the enemy outright.

But Moriboshi believed protecting civilians’ lives mattered more than eliminating the monster.

He also bore responsibility for his team members’ young lives—he couldn’t let them walk blindly into a trap stacked with hazards.

At that moment, Qi Ming said:

“I think we should turn their plan against them.”

“If the [Underground Woman] dares act as bait to draw us out, then we’ll send someone to lure out their entire backup plan after they succeed.”

“One battle to wipe them out completely—end all future threats!”

Since the plan originated with Qi Ming, the suicidal “tightrope walk” naturally fell to him to execute personally.

This caused the other team members to secretly raise their estimation of him.

Though this kid ignored team rules, craved special treatment, and always acted superior,

he was no desk-bound commander who dumped pressure and danger onto others—he actually went in himself.

Nishijo: “I’ll go with you—we can cover each other.”

Qi Ming refused: “Even I struggle to protect others when facing multiple enemies. Forget it.”

The implication: there was no mutual protection—only me protecting you.

Moriboshi’s nose nearly twisted off in anger.

He had just been pleased by Qi Ming’s recent acts of goodwill, thinking he was trying to mend ties with the team.

And now this—does he think women are inferior to men?

Nishijo herself remained calm, nodded, and did not press further.

Having acknowledged Qi Ming’s strength, she now tolerated his “insolent” behavior with high leniency and rarely questioned his plans or orders—that was exactly what Qi Ming wanted.

Qi Ming continued: “While I’m engaging them, you issue the evacuation order. I’ll draw their fire, hold their attention, and ensure the civilians escape safely.”

This arrangement, which took all risk onto himself, moved them deeply.

Miho worried: “What about you?”

Even if you’re strong enough to smash through a six-ton door, your opponents are multi-ten-thousand-ton monsters—flesh and bone are nothing against them.

Qi Ming: “Don’t worry—I’ll adapt as I go.”

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Today, besides asking for reads and monthly votes, I’m asking for something special.

Recently, Qidian is running the “War of the Gods” event—those with votes, please cast them for *Zhe Tian*.

(End of Chapter)