What does it feel like to be just one millimeter away from death?

Perhaps ten years later, when Fu Luo has gotten used to the feeling of having her head crumpled and mashed together like toilet paper, she will no longer be able to answer this foolish and weak question. But she will never forget the shape of that gun barrel.

The barrel of the laser gun was unusually flat, almost just a single line, reminding her of the "double-slit experiment" from her science class as a child. This was undoubtedly a weapon of desperados, because if it was poorly maintained and the gap became blocked, the high-energy laser bullets would immediately cause the chamber to explode. At that time, it wouldn't matter if the gunman was a person or even a Transformer, they would be blasted into scrap metal.

The gun barrel seemed to hide another world. When it was pointed directly at her forehead, in an instant, the immense pressure and murderous intent almost made Fu Luo hallucinate, as if she could smell a hint of a rusty, fishy odor from it.

Time seemed to linger on that second for a century.

It's said that when facing imminent death, one's life of love, hate, and resentment flashes before their eyes. But unfortunately, this didn't apply to Fu Luo. She didn't know if her mind was too simple or what, but at that time, there was only a blank space above her neck... She only deeply remembered the chilling and strange smile of "No. 5".

At this moment, the sound of a huge engine suddenly came from below, and someone shouted loudly: "Jump!"

Fu Luo was startled awake from her frozen state.

The voice command reached the nerve endings of Fu Luo's auditory system at a speed of about 340 meters per second. At the same time, the laser gun fired.

But short-range free fall could never be faster than laser bullets!

Thanks to the countless times the school instructor had pushed them off the artificial climbing wall for training - the moment Fu Luo received the command, almost without going through her brain, her body instinctively made a sixth sense prediction of No. 5's aiming trajectory.

Fu Luo fiercely kicked off the wall, bending her waist to the maximum angle she could bear, and "bounced" straight off the wall.

The laser bullet flew past her calf without hitting it, but the high temperature from the near miss scorched her pant leg, and Fu Luo felt a burning pain in her lower leg.

However, in this situation, even if her leg had been blown off by a shot—let alone a minor burn—it would not have affected her ability to adjust her movements in the air.

Fu Luo was like a cat with nine lives. In the air with no footing, she contracted her limbs as much as possible, relying entirely on the strength of her body to adjust the angle of her descent.

The familiar aircraft opened its top, and the pilot, with extremely high skill, precisely caught her at the right moment. The second laser shot immediately followed. Just as Fu Luo's entire body entered the aircraft's protective film, the aircraft violently shook. Fu Luo heard a hair-raising "sizzle" sound from above her head. The protective shield deflected the laser bullet at the last second.

The next moment, Fu Luo felt a huge impact force causing a dull pain in her feet. Her injured leg instinctively softened, but she did not fall as a result.

Fu Luo performed a neat forward roll, using her shoulder to dissipate the impact force and steadying herself without bumping into the boy who was already in the aircraft.

Smooth and complete, with full points for key movements, even more textbook than the standard - Wang Yansheng immediately understood why the first-year instructors would pick Fu Luo to be a teaching assistant every year when new recruits entered the school - clearly not just because she was easy to bully.

Although she had just escaped death, Fu Luo was still a young person who did not yet know the fear of life and death. At that time, she neither felt lucky nor had lingering fears. Her mind was filled with No. 5's annoying smiling face. She just wanted to raise her head, flip No. 5 the middle finger, and then blow his head off with a cannon.

Of course, with teachers and superiors present, Fu Luo prudently kept the thought to her inner world and did not act on it.

Above her head, Yang Ning's near-ground mecha had already engaged, as if carrying out what Fu Luo imagined, blowing off half of the sixth floor with a cannon, causing irreversible disfiguring damage to the exquisite and elegant office building. Subsequently, the security department's reinforcements were all in place, surrounding the entire building from multiple angles on the ground and in the air.

Fu Luo thought with a bit of regret in her heart: "It seems there's nothing for me to do."

She stood up, leaned against the wall for support, and gave a proper salute while limping. She picked up the boy by the back of his neck, stuck him into the ground like planting a tree, and said in a serious tone: "Teacher, the target person has been brought."

However, the rescued boy looked at Fu Luo thoughtfully, moved his shoulders, and then slowly made a wild claim: "Since when... do Earth's newly enlisted recruits have this level of quality? No wonder they couldn't wait to push me out."

No one responded to him, as if no one was curious about his background. The two cunning male foxes, Wang Yansheng and Yang Ning, glanced at each other, each revealing a hypocritical smile.

Wang Yansheng: "This... is not within my authority. All subsequent work will depend on the young people."

Yang Ning: "The leader is too kind. I'm also just a temporary errand runner. With my rank, how could I be worthy of contacting someone with 5S security clearance? I wouldn't dare to take half a step over the line regarding things I shouldn't hear."

After saying that, as the aircraft slowly drove into the surrounded safe area, Yang Ning instructed the medics: "This little friend has been frightened. Quickly give him a sedative shot."

Fu Luo wasn't sure if it was her misconception, but she felt that Yang Ning particularly emphasized the words "little friend".

She wasn't sure if it was another one of her misconceptions, but she always felt that in the verbal sparring between Teacher Wang and Colonel Yang, they seemed to be aware of something yet played dumb together.

The boy was unsurprised, glancing over those two people with sarcasm and derision, revealing a knowing sneer. He obediently accepted the unidentified drug under the nice-sounding name of "sedative" and lost consciousness in the blink of an eye.

"Her too," Wang Yansheng said, pointing at Fu Luo. "Treat the burn on her leg."

The medic who had settled the boy strode over and cut open Fu Luo's pant leg with scissors.

Fu Luo's expression twisted for a moment - this medic was probably a veterinarian by training. His technique was very simple and crude, tearing off the charred fabric stuck to the flesh.

Her expression hadn't even had time to adjust back when she heard Wang Yansheng seemingly casually mention: "What do you think about coming to the Security Department?"

Wait, where did this topic come from?

Fu Luo's tongue immediately tied itself into a knot: "I..."

Yang Ning, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly raised his head.

"You see, in this place, although your father and I don't have much of a relationship, if we really run into each other, we can still call out each other's names. We are both middle-aged and elderly people, and I can actually understand his thoughts to some extent..."

The "middle-aged and elderly person" who was twenty years younger than Wang Yizheng shamelessly put on the appearance of a kind and benevolent elder, and persuaded the teenager with earnest advice.

"Our enemies have the same appearance as us, and similar historical and cultural heritage. It can be foreseen that these will all intensify the complexity of the situation on the ground. To be honest, I am also quite unsure about taking over the position in the Security Department now, and I am in urgent need of some capable people."

Fu Luo vaguely felt that the direction of the conversation seemed to be a bit off.

However, Yang Ning seemed to interject casually, but with a different meaning: "Yes, no one expected the frontline war situation to suddenly become so tense, and people are needed everywhere."

Wang Yansheng remained expressionless: "Yes, but sometimes, young people's choices should consider more factors, such as the expectations of their family. You are not old enough, so you may not understand that some things cannot be neglected and cannot be recovered. Staying on the ground, you may be able to exert greater personal value and take into account your parents' wishes. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

...Fu Xiaoxin and Wang Yizheng's intention of "letting their daughter stay on the ground" definitely did not include letting her go to the Security Department to play spy.

Fu Luo inevitably thought of Fu Xiaoxin's eyes and sighs when she left home, and she said a little helplessly: "But I..."

"The role of the Security Department in the war is crucial, and this is indisputable," Yang Ning interrupted her, "but such rear military branches generally have their own specialized talent training bases, right? Our students in the space combat command system, of course, play a greater role on the frontline, don't you think, junior?"

The last two words successfully washed away Fu Luo's outlook on life, and she blankly said: "Ah..."

Yang Ning smiled at her in a gentle and elegant manner, taking the opportunity to get closer: "I graduated too long ago, and you may not even know - back when we were in school, the third cafeteria hadn't been built yet, and the food level was worlds apart from what you have now."

After saying that, Yang Ning glanced at Wang Yansheng and thought with a smile: "The white-haired demon is indeed good at finding opportunities to intervene."

Wang Yansheng also glanced at Yang Ning and thought: "The kid whose hair hasn't even fully grown dares to jump out and compete with me for people."

Teacher Wang immediately opened his mouth to stir up trouble based on the principle of harming others without benefiting himself: "Yes, yes, what Colonel Yang said also makes sense, that's right... You've already received your grassroots artillery badge. Sigh, there aren't many young people these days who are willing to go to the grassroots. I am very gratified by your down-to-earth style."

While speaking, he also emphasized the four words "grassroots artillery".

Fu Luo responded in a daze: "Mm..."

Yang Ning remained expressionless, as if he had long anticipated such a move, and said leisurely: "Oh, it's the recent conscription order, right? Sigh, the kids in our department just don't know how to be flexible, they're all too rigid. That physical test and political review, it'll take at least a week to go through the hassle. For people cultivated by our own school, why bother with all that trouble?"

Wang Yansheng's eyelids twitched.

Yang Ning admired his complexion and announced like a big wolf with a tail: "Actually, before coming today, I had already transferred your file to the Second Department. Although it's a special period now and the efficiency of the logistics work may be a bit low, by now..."

He pretended to glance at his watch: "It should be about time for the entry to be completed and the enlistment registration procedures to be finished."

Fu Luo, who never had a chance to express her personal opinion from beginning to end: "..."

Wait... what... didn't you say you'd give me a day to consider it?

So, the so-called "consultation" by Colonel Yang yesterday was just a casual courtesy?

How can this world be so unreasonable!

"The original plan was to leave tonight, but the higher-ups asked me to handle this matter first, so now it seems I can only postpone it until tomorrow." Yang Ning put on a spotless white glove at his leisure and politely suggested, "I think you should go back to the school and make do with staying there tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll have the quartermaster find you and prepare a bit, then you can come with me."

Fu Luo was truly at a loss for words in the face of such a swift and decisive arrangement.

However, Wang Yansheng suddenly asked: "Has Colonel Yang been serving in the Second Department ever since graduating?"

Yang Ning: "No, before being transferred to the Second Department, I served as a secretary officer for old General Zhao Youxuan for a period of time."

Wang Yansheng nodded and turned to leave without a word - no wonder, the ability to poach people is indeed inherited from that old undying Zhao.

After going around in a big circle, her assignment had inexplicably returned to the Second Department. Fu Luo, who had gone through an indescribable day, limped back to her alma mater.

By this time, it was already late, and the applicants and staff at the school gate had dispersed, making it quiet again. Only a young girl stood there, looking lonely.

As she got closer, Fu Luo recognized the person with a jolt of shock.

"...Xin Ran?" She was genuinely surprised, "What are you doing here?"