Chapter 23: The Reason for Winning

Lian Fei was pulled outside, and it wasn’t until they had left the building that the Tenth District Military Commander finally let her go.

“Teacher!” Lian Fei said, a little angry. “What are you doing?!”

The Tenth District Military Commander snapped back, “Don’t you want to go?”

“Of course not!” Lian Fei put her hands on her hips, her anger flaring. “I know my own level. I’m fine with doing odd jobs, but participating in some rescue operation? No way!”

The commander looked at her as if she were a fool.

Did she really know her own capabilities?

“Listen, Lian Fei, I have high hopes that you can win Eden,” the commander said. “You haven’t had any real combat experience before, and this is a great opportunity to gain some. You can’t just miss out on this.”

Lian Fei felt her head growing heavy.

She had never really thought about winning the competition.

No, at the start she had, because she misunderstood the conditions for winning Eden — she thought only one planet’s people could survive, so she pondered how to win.

But after learning the full process from Situ Qing, she gave up completely.

As long as you survive, you win.

She had zero mental power and was going up against those so-called 3S-level and A-level people. What chance did she have?

Was it because she somehow, inexplicably, knew how to pilot a mech?

Lian Fei felt these people had a huge misunderstanding about her.

“Teacher,” Lian Fei gathered her words carefully, “I think you have a very big misunderstanding about me.”

The commander raised an eyebrow, looking eager to hear more.

Lian Fei asked, “May I ask, teacher, why do you think I have this strength?”

She wanted to get to the root of the problem.

The commander replied, “Then why do you think you don’t have this strength?”

Lian Fei was speechless.

Why? Because her mental power was zero!

The commander continued, “You’re number one on the Black Market power rankings, and number one on the DOL power rankings. Why would you think you don’t have that strength?”

Lian Fei’s eyes widened.

No way, how did he know that?

Seeing her confusion, the commander smiled. “If we want to check, we can check.”

Lian Fei’s feelings grew complicated.

If that was the case, then surely he knew her mental power was zero!

“That’s just a matter of chance,” Lian Fei explained. “K pilots a manual mech, and it’s well known that people who pilot manual mechs often suffer muscle fatigue from long hours typing in codes, leaving openings.”

“Besides, K said he’d duel me again and take back that top spot.”

“He was just cocky and underestimated me last time. Next time, he’ll definitely win.”

The more Lian Fei explained, the more the commander looked at her with affection.

This little fool didn’t realize how formidable she really was?

There’s an old saying: those involved are confused, but those watching from outside see clearly.

From Lian Fei’s perspective, her victory was accidental.

But to others, the fight between her and K was a clash of experts.

Which “waste” could create afterimages and sonic booms?

K’s skill was well known; very few could match him.

And then there was the Hellworm Nest’s Tatuo — anyone who had fought there knew just how strong Lian Fei had been.

The commander sighed and patted Lian Fei’s shoulder, cutting off her endless self-justifications.

“Fei, the winner of Eden will receive a huge reward, including but not limited to a mech and admission to military academy. You know that, right?”

Lian Fei nodded.

“Isn’t there something special you really want?” the commander asked. “If you don’t want any of the federal rewards, you can make a wish — as long as it doesn’t violate federal law, the Federation will do its utmost to grant it.”

Lian Fei was taken aback.

Something special she really wanted?

She didn’t think she did.

If she had to say...

She wanted to go home.

She meant, back to Earth.

But how was that possible?

She remembered clearly that she had died.

Then, when she opened her eyes, she was in this world.

She could never go back.

Seeing Lian Fei’s spirit gradually sink, the commander felt a little helpless.

Oh no, why did it suddenly get so melancholic?

He quickly changed the subject. “Even if you don’t have anything special you want, Fei, just think of it as me begging you — help the Tenth District win once, okay?”

Lian Fei looked at him in surprise.

“No, please don’t say that,” she stammered.

“Our Tenth District’s planet has always been marginalized by others because of poverty... You saw at the meeting just now, even if I fell asleep, no one would care. You know why? Because they know the Tenth District can’t contribute much.”

“The winners of Eden have always been dominated by the First and Second Districts. This year, the First District has shown its strength — five 3S-level mentalists. If you don’t go, this year’s winner will definitely be from the First District.”

“You may not understand politics, but what I want to tell you is that in the past, the First and Second Districts balanced each other out, while the other seven districts combined could counter the Second District, creating a delicate balance.”

“But this year, without you, when the Eden game ends, the First District will dominate alone. Then the Federation’s ten districts will lose balance, plunging the Federation into chaos.”

The commander gave Lian Fei a rough outline.

In truth, the situation was far more complicated than he described.

The conclusion that “Eden has become a tool for certain people’s political games” was not baseless. That was why these districts, even if they were cannon fodder or stepping stones in Eden, insisted on sending representatives.

They couldn’t let any other district dominate.

Even if they couldn’t win, they had to be involved.

Moreover, they could use the deaths of participants to manipulate things.

The commander shared all this to stir Lian Fei’s sense of belonging to the Gocero Star and the Tenth District.

He hoped that this sense of belonging would inspire her to try harder.

Unfortunately, Lian Fei was a transplant from another world. She had no sense of belonging to the Federation, the Tenth District, or Gocero Star.

Hearing all this, instead of igniting her fighting spirit, it only made Lian Fei retreat further into her shell.

“Teacher,” Lian Fei said weakly, “I can’t bear the things you’re talking about.”

She just wanted to live.

She had barely come back to life.

Seeing her like this, the commander was frustrated beyond words, his anger rising from his heart.

“Lian Fei! What are you so afraid of?!”

Lian Fei said plaintively, “I’m not as strong as you say.”

The commander was about to explode with anger. He glared at her, then threw up his hands and stormed off.

Lian Fei was left confused and at a loss.