Chapter 1 A Pleasant Escape Game Experience

"To leave each other with the most profound first impression, our company has specially designed an escape game to enhance friendship for all students participating in the Eight Schools Exchange, according to the requirements of each school. We wish the 160 students present a pleasant experience~"

As soon as Mingmei entered the game, she heard this devilish voice.

A pleasant escape game experience.

Yes, a very magical experience.

The key point was, Mingmei could tell that this voice was actually recorded by her uncle!

The whisper of the devil!

Satan's blessing was nothing more than this.

In this game, she was going to be a player.

The afternoon before the Eight Schools Exchange meet-and-greet, the whole class was notified to enter the designated game *Interstellar Escape* at exactly six o'clock in the evening.

"People are still on the starship, yet they can't wait to ask us to enter the game. Are they even human?"

"We were about to pass the Andromeda Galaxy, and I had an appointment with my friends to watch it, but this is just great..."

"So annoying, it started on the way here? I still want to catch up on sleep. Who wants to enhance friendship with them?"

When Mingmei opened her eyes, she was standing on a yellowish-brown ground, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

A group of people stood in twos and threes, either complaining or chatting idly. She looked up and saw a light blue transparent罩 (zhào, cover) directly above her head. Mingmei looked around along the direction it covered.

So, a large group of them were restricted within this area.

Outside the罩 (zhào, cover), Mingmei also saw a military fortress.

Could that be the real area where they would be playing the game later?

As she pondered, a shout suddenly came from behind her, "Meimei~"

Mingmei turned around and saw Lu Xiaoyao standing behind her. Before she could greet her, Lu Xiaoyao hung onto Mingmei, this little sapling, like a sloth.

"Wow! This is the first time I've played the same game as Meimei! I would recognize you even if you turned to ashes~"

Lu Xiaoyao said excitedly, not noticing the imperceptible twitch at the corner of Mingmei's calm mouth.

If she could recognize her even if she turned to ashes, why couldn't she give her a discount every time she sold boxed lunches?

"Did you start your livestream today?"

"No, when they announced the news today, they said we couldn't livestream," Lu Xiaoyao replied quickly, "They're afraid of leaking the whereabouts of students from other schools."

This year, the location of the Eight Schools Exchange was set on the Imperial Central Star. Apart from the Central Military Academy and the Second Military Academy, the Third and Fourth Military Academies were in different star regions, not to mention the four military academies of the Federation, which were even further away.

To prevent accidents on the way, even if everyone was playing the game together, Lu Xiaoyao was naturally not allowed to livestream. If someone leaked their whereabouts and location coordinates, attracting insectoids or the like, the consequences would be severe.

"By the way, where are the people from our class?"

Mingmei had just looked around and saw only unfamiliar faces. She didn't see Mu Chen and Lu Gui either.

"Then let's go find them~"

The two of them searched together, and soon they saw Mu Chen, who had taken the initiative to look for them.

"Our class is over there. Also, because each school only sent 20 people for the Eight Schools Exchange, and we didn't have enough people in our class, the school drew five people from other classes."

Mu Chen explained to Mingmei and the others in advance before leading them to the direction of his class.

"Which five?" Lu Xiaoyao asked curiously.

"They're all acquaintances, don't worry." Mu Chen smiled and nodded secretly at Mingmei, indicating that they were all familiar faces he had seen in the game before.

When they arrived, they found that the Zhen brothers, Wang Wenfei, Hu Yue, and Bai Xiao were indeed there.

"Wow, you guys are also participating in the Eight Schools Exchange. Why didn't you tell us in advance?"

As soon as Lu Xiaoyao saw that they were all acquaintances, she went up to chat enthusiastically.

"We were also notified temporarily after the final exams. We were so busy telling our families that we would be home later that who remembered to tell you?"

Deliberately teasing Lu Xiaoyao, Mingmei greeted everyone and then followed along to watch the fun.

As a result, Lu Xiaoyao immediately became unhappy upon hearing this and started babbling non-stop. Mingmei, Bai Xiao, and the others eventually found that they couldn't even get a word in!

After a long while, Wang Wenfei took the opportunity to interject, "Lu Xiaoyao, your classmates seem very strange."

"Ah?"

Hearing Wang Wenfei say that her classmates were strange, Lu Xiaoyao was confused. She had been listening to Lu Xiaoyao babbling just now while glancing at the other classmates standing nearby.

They were just—aloof.

There were two types of uniforms for Central Military Academy students. Usually, they wore a black uniform for classes, while they wore silver-white combat uniforms for physical training and firearms classes.

Now, everyone was wearing silver-white combat uniforms. A group of people stood there straight like rows of standing ice cones, constantly emitting cold air outwards, warning everyone to "keep their distance."

The pressure brought about by the overflowing spiritual power was quite frightening.

Moreover, although they were standing together, they were all silent, their eyes glazed over, not interacting with each other. If their uniforms weren't uniform, who would be able to tell that this group of people was together?

Even now, the people around couldn't help but cast curious glances at them. They were really too conspicuous this time.

Nineteen people surrounded Lu Xiaoyao and talked to her alone _(：3」∠)_

No wonder Wang Wenfei finally felt that the atmosphere was too strange and asked.

"No, everyone is just a little slow to warm up. There are too many strangers here, and everyone is a little uncomfortable."

Mu Chen heard this from the side and helped explain.

Wang Wenfei's voice wasn't too soft just now, and many of the special admission class heard it. When a group of people, basically all socially awkward, suddenly heard someone say they were strange, they became even more flustered!

Special admission class students: Feeling wronged QvQ!

As a result, after Mu Chen's explanation, many people cast grateful glances.

Seeing this, Wang Wenfei chuckled softly. She understood; she was also socially awkward.

"Hahaha, just slow to warm up, that's not a big deal~ It's good to get to know each other~"

Zhen Po, who was on the side, laughed and, in order to ease the awkward atmosphere, immediately walked in a very familiar manner to a student not far from him who was looking down and "observing the soil," patting the other person's shoulder.

Scared, the other person trembled all over, looked up with a look of horror, and looked like, "What are you doing, big brother?" But he didn't say anything.

Like coaxing a little white rabbit, Zhen Po revealed a row of white teeth and said with a smile, "Hello, I'm Zhen Po from the second-year mecha combat department. What's your name, classmate?"

The other person took two steps back and then said in a low voice, "Li Yuan, my name is Li Yuan."

After speaking, Li Yuan pursed his lips and looked up at Zhen Po, who was showing him kindness. A trace of annoyance flashed in his eyes.

He seemed to be dissatisfied with his reaction just now. However, at this moment, Hu Yue didn't know when she had suddenly approached him, and opened her mouth to ask, "What is Li Wangbei to you?"

"My brother."

"Hmm? Real one?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god!"

Hu Yue's eyes instantly became extremely fervent, staring straight at Li Yuan without turning away.

Li Yuan only felt that he was like a fragrant piece of meat, being targeted by a vicious dog.

He wanted to retreat, but Hu Yue boldly reached out and grabbed his arm, asking again, "Are you also in mecha design?"

Subconsciousness told Li Yuan that he should not nod, but facing Hu Yue's wolf-like gaze, he was directly frightened.

The onlookers Mingmei and the others were now whispering and gossiping.

"Who is Li Wangbei? Why is Hu Yue so excited?"

"Li Wangbei is currently the only mecha master in the Empire who has designed and manufactured an SSS-level mecha. Their Li family has a family motto: 'No S-level, no design.' It means that if you don't have an S-level or higher spiritual power, the Li family will not give you the opportunity to come into contact with mecha design and manufacturing training and learning."

"For someone like Li Yuan to be directly placed in the special admission class, rather than the mecha design and manufacturing major in the school, he must have already studied at home. Coming to school is just to get some gilding and expand his network."

Bai Xiao spoke eloquently, and finally suddenly laughed and said, "I guess they didn't expect studying in the special admission class to be so tiring."

Mingmei: "..." Suddenly feeling like she had been stabbed.