Chapter Twenty-One: The Final Battle on Phantom Island

“Girlfriend?” Nangong Kexin, still in shock, was stunned by her best friend's sudden question and subconsciously retorted, “Huiyan, what are you up to?”

“I…” Chu Huiyan blushed, her index fingers pressed together, fidgeting for a while without saying anything.

As a fellow woman, Nangong Kexin could see through her friend's little thoughts. She rolled her eyes, about to speak, when Xia Ruli hurriedly jumped in, “Huiyan, don’t you already have a boyfriend?”

“Him? That can be changed!” Chu Huiyan’s face turned even redder.

“No, it can’t!” Xia Ruli clenched her small fists, becoming rather agitated.

“Huh?”

“Lili, you…”

Nangong Kexin and Chu Huiyan looked at Xia Ruli in confusion, unsure what had come over her.

“It’s nothing!” Xia Ruli realized she’d said too much, quickly turned away, her face crimson.

“Oh?” Nangong Kexin and Chu Huiyan responded, still puzzled by her sudden oddness.

Their little episode had just passed when Li Xiuyuan finally recovered from his inner shock and hurried to announce the real business at hand.

“Now, I’ll announce the quota for this year’s top student assessments. Class One: Tuoba Feng, Gao Xinyu! Class Two: Lin Chen… Class Three: Nangong Kexin, Gao Jianming! Class Four: … Class Twelve: Nangong Yuchen! Angel! These twenty-four are the students recommended by the twelve class teachers, and also the best in physical ability among all students!”

As his voice fell, the entire hall erupted. Those who had been selected cheered with excitement, while those rated as excellent but not chosen wore faces full of regret and disappointment.

“See, I guessed right! Class One really is Gao Xinyu and Tuoba Feng!”

“Eh, isn’t that obvious? They have the best grades in Class One!”

“But it’s a pity about the Class Three monitor. I thought it'd be him and Gao Jianming, but that girl snatched the spot!”

“Well, she did get a score of 29.4 meters. If that crazy Yuchen from Class Twelve hadn’t shown up at the last minute, she would’ve helped Class Three take first place. How could the Class Three teacher not choose her?”

“The vice monitor from Class Six, the monitor from Class Eight… They didn’t get picked either!”

“Ah, what can you do, the quotas are so few. It’s such a pity!”

…

In Class Twelve’s ranks, Le Han was also excited. For more than two years, it was the first time he’d seen Nangong Yuchen smile so happily. He was genuinely glad for the siblings.

At this moment, Yuchen’s heart was even more stirred. Originally, he just wanted to help his sister improve a bit, but he hadn’t expected the result to be such an enormous surprise!

Now, he even wondered if, should he advance together with Kexin, they might be able to eat together, attend classes, and go home together in the future!

Some rejoiced, some regretted, and some were unwilling. Li Xiuyuan looked down at the young, innocent faces below, seeming to reminisce about his own youth.

Eventually, his expression grew stern and he announced loudly, “As you all know, every year only three students at Star Academy can truly become top students. So, in half a month’s time (December 15th), the twenty-four of you selected will compete with forty-eight seniors from Year Two and Year Three on Phantom Island. The final three victors will advance as top students!”

“No way? We have to compete against Year Two and Year Three? Is that even doable?”

“Yeah, won’t we just get crushed?”

“And what’s this Phantom Island? Does our academy even have such a place?”

The students below grew restless, especially those with assessment quotas, unable to accept such conditions.

“Quiet, let me finish!” Li Xiuyuan’s voice was harsh as he continued, “Since Phantom Island is very spacious, and this year’s outstanding students are particularly remarkable, the school leaders have decided that each grade—Year One, Year Two, and Year Three—will have an extra twelve spots. These thirty-six will be selected the day before the assessment, and together with the seventy-two already recommended, a total of one hundred and eight students will enter Phantom Island for the final trial. The last three survivors will be the victors!”

“As for the one hundred and eight who enter Phantom Island, everyone’s physical abilities will be directly raised to the first tier. You’ll be able to choose from various mecha suits, so everything will be fair in there!”

“Now, here’s what Phantom Island looks like!” As Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, a black control panel appeared in his left hand. He raised it towards the hall’s airspace, and a virtual scene appeared!

“Ice fields, mountains, rivers, forests, deserts, and a ruined city—where is this?” Once again, the students were shocked, staring at the unfamiliar images hanging in midair, looking at each other as if searching for answers.

“This is the simulated Phantom Island, newly completed this year by the school at great expense, modeled after the structure of the Time-Space Ring. Once inside, it feels just like reality, but since it’s virtual, anyone who suffers fatal injury will be immediately ejected—eliminated! When only three remain out of one hundred and eight, they advance as top students!” After Li Xiuyuan finished explaining, he put away the black control panel and the virtual images vanished.

“Wow…” Exclamations echoed throughout the hall, and even Nangong Yuchen and Le Han, who had visited the City of Technology, felt a jolt of amazement. Such a simulated Phantom Island was truly astonishing to them!

Li Xiuyuan, along with Shangguan Luohua and the twelve class teachers plus four instructors, left the hall.

“I never expected our technology to reach such heights!” Many students discussed the simulated Phantom Island.

Most students here were still ordinary people; unless they broke through to the first tier, they had no access to such technological wonders. If Nangong Yuchen hadn’t had the chance to enter the Mecha City last month, he wouldn’t have known that such advanced mechas and technology existed in everyday cities.

“First tier! Haha, I never imagined that in two weeks, I could temporarily become a first-tier mecha warrior!” Lin Chen from Class Two was elated. Becoming a first-tier mecha warrior had always been his dream, and now it was about to come true. Even if it was only virtual, it would feel real!

Other students, hearing this, were full of envy. They too wanted to experience the power of a first-tier mecha warrior, but for now, the opportunity eluded them.

One student suddenly had a bright idea and said excitedly, “How about, once Phantom Island opens, we propose to the teachers that we get a chance to experience it? It would greatly help us in our training!”

At these words, apart from the students who already had quotas, everyone’s eyes lit up.

“You little rascals can forget about it! Phantom Island requires enormous amounts of energy every time it opens. If you all went in, the entire city of Rushia would be paralyzed!” Liu Wen, before leaving the hall, dashed their hopes with a bucket of cold water.

“Energy?” The students sighed in disappointment, feeling hopeless.

As the tests ended, the students in the hall began to leave one after another, since it was already time for dismissal.

“Nangong Yuchen, I’m heading back. Don’t forget to make more vegetarian dishes tomorrow!” Angel pulled a funny face at Yuchen before leaving, reminding him that every weekend meal was full of meat dishes, which she disliked.

Nangong Yuchen shook his head helplessly, “Yes, yes, boss lady!”

After three weeks of getting along, their relationship had eased, much like when they first visited Qinghu Town. Nangong Yuchen was still utterly dominated by her.

He thought about how he'd be busy cooking a mountain of dishes again tomorrow morning and felt overwhelmed. One sister loved to pick fights with him, and the other, Angel, could easily have him wrapped around her finger.

Nangong Yuchen could only sigh inwardly, hoping these days would end soon!

He took out his phone to check the time—it was already past five. He quickly ran outside.

Tonight, he needed to collect his salary for October from the coffee shop. Although he’d resigned some time ago, the pay could only be collected at the end of November. He’d been too busy yesterday, so he had to come today.

Just as Nangong Yuchen rushed out the door, Nangong Kexin, Xia Ruli, and Chu Huiyan walked out from inside. Watching his retreating figure, Chu Huiyan chased after him for two steps, calling out, “Nang… Nangong Yuchen!”

Perhaps because of the noisy hall, he didn’t hear her and continued at the same pace, turning down the corridor and disappearing from sight.

“Ah, Kexin, it’s your fault! You insisted we wait, and now Yuchen’s gone!” Chu Huiyan complained, her face full of regret.

“He left, so what does that have to do with me?” Nangong Kexin tossed her head, absolving herself entirely. She’d deliberately waited until Yuchen left before coming out. Because of two recent incidents, she felt a strong resistance toward him and didn’t want to see him.

If she hadn’t promised Angel before that she could come over for dinner each week, she wouldn’t even have let Yuchen step foot inside her home!

“Ah… Weren’t we just saying we’d go to your house together to celebrate? Now that Yuchen’s gone, what do we do?” Xia Ruli lamented, regret filling her face.

“…,” Nangong Kexin looked at her two close friends, their faces full of disappointment and complaints, and snapped, “Huiyan, Lili, are you celebrating for me or for him?”

District B, Tianhua Street.

The lights were still bright, the traffic heavy, and the air was full of noise. Tall buildings rose on all sides, neatly arrayed. Nangong Yuchen navigated the bustling crowd and arrived at the entrance of a refined coffee shop.

This was his part-time workplace, “The Coffee House.”

He hadn’t been here for nearly a month.

Nangong Yuchen looked at the dark coffee shop, feeling puzzled. It was Friday—had the boss closed again? The timing seemed off.

He’d come all this way to collect his wages—was it going to be a wasted trip?

Knock knock! Thinking this, Yuchen walked up undeterred and knocked on the closed wooden door.

After knocking for a while and receiving no response, Yuchen could only sigh, “Ah, wasted trip.”

Just then, inside the pitch-black coffee shop, several pairs of eyes glowing with green light suddenly lit up.