Chapter 32: 31 Also Became a Civil Official

Facing the Underground Woman’s threat, Qi Ming blinked in surprise, then replied four words: “Wait and see.”

With that, his arms formed an L-shape, and the Zepellion Ray shot out, striking the defeated Gilaieled man.

“Boom!” The Gilaieled man, along with the Tylasteron crushing him, exploded into ash.

“No!” The Underground Woman let out a terrified scream and vanished in the brilliant light.

At this point, all invaders were annihilated.

A speck of green light and a speck of blue light pierced the sky, passed through Diga’s flickering color timer, and sank into the button at the upper right corner of Qi Ming’s watch.

[Access/Conversion].

Qi Ming did not hesitate and selected conversion for all.

Star gift: 4.

See Through: 3/5.

It seems the first-generation Gilaieled man reached B-class. Not bad.

Qi Ming nodded inwardly, then gave a thumbs-up gesture to Nami Nishijo, who sat in the Feiyan-2 cockpit, still tense and alert, before leaping into the azure sky.

Emi: “That gesture… is Pyramid Ultraman telling us the situation is resolved and we shouldn’t worry anymore?”

Nami Nishijo froze, then lowered her guard.

“Calling him ‘Pyramid Ultraman’ is too weird. How about ‘Diga Ultraman’ from now on?” Qi Ming’s voice came through the comms channel.

Nami Nishijo immediately asked what had just happened and why the communication had been cut off.

“I don’t know. I was talking to you just now, but no one replied.”

“Only later did I notice the comms had disconnected—probably accidentally bumped during the run.”

Emi smiled faintly at Qi Ming’s such “down-to-earth” mistake.

Nami Nishijo was skeptical but refrained from pressing further due to Qi Ming’s past rigid demeanor.

“So you were just talking to yourself the whole time? Ugh… I’m getting dizzy again.” A member of the Yamakawa team chimed in.

He had confidently boasted earlier that he’d show off and not let Qi Ming steal all the glory.

Yet he crashed at light speed and now wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.

Logically, he should’ve kept a low profile now… but he just couldn’t help himself.

Qi Ming: “Take it easy.”

Though Yamakawa had boasted and still crashed, the incident had been sudden—not his fault.

Qi Ming didn’t mock him, letting him conserve energy for recovery.

This tolerant attitude surprised Kishida and Emi, who thought: Qi Ming actually has a human side.

Back at the ocean base, Yamakawa was sent to the medical center; the others returned to the command room to receive verbal commendations from Moroboshi and summarize the mission.

Moroboshi: “Good work. Well done.”

Qi Ming lightly tapped the table: “Did you notice what the Underground Woman shouted at Diga Ultraman before she died?”

Emi: “That line—‘Other underground people will come to avenge us’? Are you worried her kin will seek revenge?”

“Don’t worry. They won’t amount to anything,” Kishida said.

From tonight’s performance, Tylasteron was extremely weak—it felt like Feiyan-2’s Texas Beam could take it out with one shot.

Qi Ming: “The ‘other underground people’ she mentioned may not be her kin.”

In his memory, “Ultraman Jack” featured the eerie and terrifying [Underground King Bokku], while “Ultraman Ace” had a kingdom built by four billion underground beings…

The two underground races in “Ultraman Max” and “Ultraman Galaxy S” were even more famous and deeply rooted.

If they came to intervene, even Qi Ming would find it troublesome.

But Qi Ming had acted decisively because he believed the Underground Woman was bluffing.

If they were truly united, why would this underground faction always ally with aliens? Why not just summon a million Bassukus and sweep everything aside?

But after careful thought, he realized the world’s situation was complex—perhaps strange changes had occurred—and he needed to issue a warning.

Moroboshi nodded: “I’ll have the intelligence division keep an eye on this.”

Qi Ming: “And the Gilaieled men—the matter isn’t over. Fake Gilaieled men are still hiding among the populace. Their kin will surely return.”

If next time it’s only the second-generation Gilaieled man from the original “Diga Ultraman” series, it won’t be a big problem.

But if the gates of hell open and all the Gilaieled men pour out…

That would be trouble…

…………………………

The next day, nothing happened.

On the third day, seeing no reversal, Qi Ming prepared to request leave and go to Alchemy Star to see if there was any way back.

“The headquarters is in France…” Qi Ming frowned.

At that moment, Kento’s aide, Saeki Rika, arrived and asked Qi Ming to accompany her somewhere.

Three days ago, she reported what she witnessed to Kento.

Kento didn’t see Qi Ming’s actions as insubordinate—he praised them highly.

In his view, Qi Ming had entered the Victory Team through Tongshan and Moroboshi.

When his superiors were in danger, he defied He Zhi’s pressure to protect them and resolve the crisis—such loyalty in the face of authority impressed him.

Also, during the TPC self-destruction incident, though Moroboshi and other team members’ reports were vague, through his channels, this new member had played a decisive role, even repelling the rogue alien directly.

“He must become ‘one of us!’” This awareness and ability made Kento value him greatly.

Saeki Rika: “But he’s still a foreigner—and he’s already offended He Zhi.”

“If He Zhi uses ‘unknown origins’ against him at the next meeting, branding him a suspect or even a spy, we’ll be on the defensive.”

Kento understood this well—he’d been thinking for days and devised a solid solution.

“Make me a teacher?” Qi Ming was surprised on the way.

“Just a nominal position,” Saeki Rika said.

Kento planned to assign Qi Ming as a teacher at a school under TPC, whose leadership were all aligned with Kento.

Kento had already instructed them: if anyone investigated, they’d all swear Qi Ming had taught there for three years—known, trustworthy, diligent.

Saeki Rika: “This way, your record is clean—no issues.”

“If anyone asks, Kento will speak up for you.”

“He’ll say, ‘Because you saved students during a disaster, your virtue and strength were recognized. After long observation and strict recruitment screening, you were permitted to join the Victory Team.’”

Qi Ming pondered: “It’s somewhat like the ‘talent recruitment’ policy back home.”

His father’s mentor, “Teacher Gao,” had entered officialdom this way—from university professor to high office.

Thinking of this, Qi Ming almost smiled—he now had another teacher identity.

Does that mean he was now, in a sense, a civil official?

(End of Chapter)