Qiao Ying put away her phone and stood up, "It's about time, I'll head back to the dorm to meet up. You guys talk."
Qin Hanyue had originally wanted to take Qiao Ying to leave together. After all, military training would end tomorrow, and she should have had enough fun by now.
He thought about taking her to tour the capital city.
But Shangguan Qingmu's words aroused his curiosity, so he also took back his intention to ask Qiao Ying whether she would leave or not.
He answered, "Alright."
After Qiao Ying left,
Qin Hanyue asked, "General Shangguan, who was that amazing young lady you just mentioned? May I ask what is her identity?"
Shangguan Qingmu hesitated for a moment, "Considering you donated so much good equipment, telling a ‘kind-hearted civilian’ like you wouldn't hurt. That young lady is a cryptography expert."
He unconsciously lowered his voice at the last sentence.
"Back then, Country S and Country M came up with some plan targeting our country. They made a bunch of encrypted stuff while plotting. I don't know the details, but it was nothing good. We intercepted a part of it, but none of the decryption experts could crack it. Luckily she was there."
"It's confidential, so I don't know much. Anyway, she resolved the issue for us that time. She intercepted their communications somehow. I don't know how she did it either. She actually managed to force a conversation with the President of Country S. The President was dumbfounded at that time, he couldn't even hang up. You weren't there to witness our feelings."
"There were quite some nasty words about our country said by Country S to Country M in those decrypted files. It pissed me off reading those. Later the girl scolded them all back, showing great backbone. Although such approach might have aggravated them, I was quite satisfied hearing it at least."
"She then reinforced all our equipment. Our tech guys said that girl's skills..." Shangguan Qingmu gave a thumbs up.
Qin Hanyue couldn't help but think back to when Qiao Ying saved Sack and Qin Yan...
Shangguan Qingmu sighed, "I was fortunate enough to meet her twice, back when I was still a Major General, just a few years ago."
"Why did you choose to trust her back then?"
Shangguan Qingmu said, "She came with people from the top. It wasn't up to me whether to trust her or not."
Qin Hanyue asked, "What does she look like?"
Shangguan Qingmu said, "Beautiful! As pretty as a flower, with big eyes, small mouth, and that little face. I tell you I've never seen anyone better looking than her, oh, maybe slightly taller than student Qiao here."
"We could still contact her two years ago. Then she vanished, just like that. Our people have been trying to find her secretly since."
Shangguan Qingmu sighed again, "I'm worried if she was targeted and exposed because of that incident." I'm telling you this today, you must keep it a secret."
Qin Hanyue nodded slightly and kept silent for a while, looking at the shooting target placed to the side, "Was that shot by Qiao Ying?"
Then he got up and walked over.
"Yes."
Qin Hanyue went closer to take a look at the bullet holes in the target center.
Shangguan Qingmu said, "You taught her to shoot right? Talents come forth in large numbers in times of prosperity. The young will surpass us."
Qin Hanyue asked, "Can I take this target with me?"
"What do you want that for?"
"To put in my house as decoration."
When it was time to gather, Instructor Hou helped explain Qiao Ying's situation for everyone, telling them the misreported score was a system error, and Qiao Ying's actual shooting score was 100 rings. The reasons she got called out frequently was because she exceeded expectations in many areas and earned recognition from their superiors.
This shut up those jealous faces.
Tang Xiaoguo said, "What's so great about that."
It was the last day of military training.
Students who had previously hated Instructor Hou, avoiding him whenever they saw him, and even nicknamed him behind his back, suddenly became reluctant to part. They surrounded Instructor Hou, eyes red, asking to take pictures to remember him by.
Instructor Hou was cold and heartless as always, completely indifferent.
He left them with an aloof back view, "I see batches like you every year."
Then he went straight under a tree where Qiao Ying was playing on her phone.
"What are your plans after graduation?"
Qiao Ying glanced at Instructor Hou, "No plans."
"Want to join the army? I can give you a recommendation."
Qiao Ying was baffled.
"Your physical capabilities, shooting skills, and psychological endurance are one in ten thousand. The troops is where you belong. The workplace would only bury your talents."
Qiao Ying asked back, "Do you know who was the last person trying to introduce me to a job?" She put away her phone, "It was Qin Hanyue. He probably thought I didn't know better at first, too arrogant. But now..."
Other than feeling it a pity, Instructor Hou had nothing else to say.
The freshmen returned to school on the bus, all lively again. They started bombarding the school forum as soon as they got on the bus.
Now, nine out of ten posts on Capital University Forum are about Qiao Ying.
Having had no phones for these days pent up their frustrations. As soon as they got their phones back, they poured out all of Qiao Ying's glorious deeds from the past few days.
The male students even directly addressed Qiao Ying as the "Pride of the Computer Science Department".
"Young Master Huo, Young Master Huo, there's a new freshman this year, with the looks of an angel and the figure of a devil. She's all over the school forum now. Have you seen it?"
Huo Chengdong was playing a racing game on his phone, didn't even lift his head, "Piss off, don't bother me when I'm playing games."
"She's truly gorgeous Young Master Huo. I just went to check out the Computer Science building. She's prettier without makeup or plastic surgery, even more stunning than the photos. She has overtaken Su Campus Beauty as the new publicly recognized campus belle."
Huo Chengdong said, "I've seen too many vases."
"This one isn't a decorative vase. She's a top student, daring enough to confront instructors during military training, and also did amazing in the obstacle course races..." The underling counted off with his fingers, listing everything, "You had to turn in your phone during your military training back then!"
Huo Chengdong threw away his own phone, grabbed his underling's phone, and looked closely at the enlarged photo.
These facial features looked more and more familiar.
"Oh right, she shares the same name Qiao Ying with the one you asked me to find, and they are both from Yun City."
Huo Chengdong was speechless. He couldn't tell which end was up. He raised his hand and smacked his underling twice, "Damn it, why didn't you tell me earlier you had her photo!"
Huo Chengdong looked back at the photo again, still incredulous, "My god, she became so gorgeous after losing weight!"
Feng Wenzhong told him Qiao Ying had lost quite some weight, but this was more than just quite some! It was like she lost a whole person!
The underling covered his aching head, wanting to cry but no tears would fall, "But, but Young Master Huo, the Qiao Ying you asked me to find was a chubby girl. She looks nothing like the photo you showed me!"
"You blind fool!" Huo Chengdong smacked him again, and walked off with the phone, then turned back after a few steps, "Which department did you say she's in?"
Qiao Ying sat in her seat.
The lecturer was teaching computer basics up front while the freshmen all listened attentively.
As someone ranking first on the global hackerboard with unmatched technical skills, Qiao Ying managed two minutes before spacing out again.
After class ended, Qiao Ying headed to the restroom.
She heard noises from the stairwell.
"Qiao Lingling, you really have no fear. My warning clearly went in one ear and out the other. You still dared complain to Xu Zhiyi."
"Su Qingyu, we're at school. Don't make trouble. If you dare touch me, Xu will stand up for me for sure."
"A country bumpkin like you even dares threaten me. You're really tired of living. This is my last warning. Stay away from Xu Zhiyi. I, Su Qingyu, have hundreds of ways to get you kicked out of Capital University, out of this city. You think Xu Zhiyi can really protect you? You overestimate yourself, onion."
Su Qingyu grabbed Qiao Lingling's face. She looked terrified and panic-stricken, then she saw Qiao Ying standing at the top of the stairs.
At this moment, her heart was filled with hatred and fear.
She hated looking so pathetic in front of Qiao Ying.
She hated having to ask her for help.
"Sister, save me..." Qiao Lingling called out with difficulty to Qiao Ying, as her face was being pinched.
She clearly knew that the words of Su Qingyu from the influential family were not empty threats. She regretted that after being warned by Su Qingyu to stay away from Xu Zhiyi, she had run to Xu Zhiyi and pretended to cry for sympathy.
Xu Zhiyi had stood up for her, but she had brought even greater retaliation from Su Qingyu in return.
