474: Xia Ming's Past

Malai Country, Central Station.

At this moment, Xia Ming was dressed in casual clothes: a black short-sleeved shirt, white trousers, permed hair with a slight curl, and round-rimmed glasses, making him look somewhat handsome overall.

From his appearance, Xia Ming was nothing more than an ordinary student.

However, compared to most people, his looks were slightly above average; he was the type of pure, college-aged boy that older sisters would like.

Yet, unlike his ordinary appearance, his main identity at this time was no longer just a regular university student, but a top professional operative at Malai Country GTI, having become a TOP1 at such a young age!

In this era where restricted zones descend into reality, becoming a professional operative is even harder than getting into the best university in Malai Country.

Not to mention topping the rankings within a country; that difficulty is akin to reaching the heavens.

However, this seemingly unremarkable university student, Xia Ming, successfully achieved this.

Today, he was preparing, as usual, to head to the country's highest-level restricted zone to 'run the knife,' continuing to seek opportunities to see if he could bring out big red supplies and earn GTI points to solidify his TOP1 position. However...

Just as the vehicle was about to arrive at the station, a girl, whose height was like that of a middle school student, stopped him.

"Do you want a lollipop?"

Upon seeing the girl for the first time, Xia Ming's eyes widened instantly.

Because in the twenty years he had lived, he had never seen such a beautiful and lovely girl in real life.

The girl in front of him was like someone who had stepped out of a manga, dressed in an everyday yet fashionable outfit, with only a little foundation on her face, yet she was more exquisite than those internet celebrities and stars. Especially the streak of teal highlights in her hair, which was even more eye-catching.

What Xia Ming couldn't forget most was the curve of her eyes, charming and cute, and he didn't know if it was due to low-transparency colored contacts, but a faint blue could be vaguely seen within her black irises.

"I see you're also waiting for a car, here's one for you."

Saying this, the girl reached out and handed a teal lollipop to Xia Ming.

The encounter between a boy and a girl, if placed in a youth idol drama, would most likely be the beginning of a romance.

However.

Xia Ming was different from others.

Although the girl in front of him was cute and beautiful and had given him a sweet-looking lollipop, in Xia Ming's eyes, he only felt appreciation and surprise towards her.

He was surprised that such an exquisite girl could exist in reality and admired her beauty, but as for anything related to love, Xia Ming had absolutely no such thoughts in his heart.

If there were a 'favorability system' like in games, where reaching max favorability could lead to a relationship, then Xia Ming's favorability towards the girl in front of him would not even be 0, but a negative number!

Because Xia Ming liked men!

Although among ordinary people, 'gay' might be a despised word, Xia Ming was indeed gay, and he had no doubts about it.

This had been evident since he was very young.

When he was in elementary school, a classmate found an R-rated movie and dragged him along to watch it, saying it had exciting scenes. It must be said that the film had a great impact on him at the time, but the images within it also made him feel strange.

Other male classmates were very excited about the women in the film, like wolves seeing lambs, but Xia Ming felt nothing about it, even finding it a bit disgusting.

On the contrary, when Xia Ming saw the male actors, the feeling that arose from the bottom of his heart was undeniable.

Later, through learning and growing up, Xia Ming learned that this was a normal phenomenon.

However, in the economically developed and open Malai Country, his situation was not uncommon, and thus he did not experience much discrimination or exclusion.

"Hmm? This taste..."

Xia Ming tasted the lollipop she handed him, and his eyes immediately lit up.

"It's different from the lollipops I usually eat."

Most lollipops in Malai Country are made from maple syrup, which has a slightly bitter taste when placed in the mouth, but the candy the girl handed him was different.

"My name is Jiang Kexin, I'm from Dragon Country, and I came here specifically to find you."

Jiang Kexin said calmly.

"Looking for me? Is something wrong?"

Upon hearing this news, Xia Ming immediately became alert.

Since their encounter was not accidental, and the other party clearly came with a purpose, this made Xia Ming think of some possibilities that made him feel uneasy.

However, Jiang Kexin merely smiled faintly, seemingly understanding what he was thinking.

"Relax, I'm not here to frame you. I just heard that you have a young and formidable operative in Malai Country, who reached the top of your country's rankings at only twenty years old. I just wanted to come and ask for some guidance."

"When you in Dragon Country say 'ask for guidance,' you actually mean you want to compete with me and determine who's superior, right?"

Xia Ming gave a cold smile, not expecting the other party to come with such a purpose.

"Okay, but... I'm very strong. What's your strength?"

"Me? I'm just an ordinary Platinum Level operative."

"Platinum Level? Pfft--"

Xia Ming laughed out loud, but it didn't last long. To maintain politeness, he forced himself to suppress his laughter.

A Platinum Level operative might be considered very strong among ordinary people.

But in front of him, a TOP1, the gap might be even greater than between an ordinary person and a Platinum Level one.

"So confident? If you lose, there will be a penalty, you know."

"Heh, you're the confident one, aren't you! Well, I'll say this: if I win, you'll also have a penalty."

"It's a deal."

"Then you go first, what's your penalty?"

"If you lose, you'll be at my beck and call for three years, everything will revolve around me, and you'll follow my commands."

Jiang Kexin smiled faintly, her smile somewhat charmingly wicked.

......

"So... you were so easily bossed around by her?"

"I had no choice! After she beat me, she immediately pulled out a prepared contract. When I refused to sign, she directly revealed all my identity information, home address, and everything, and even called a bunch of burly men to my doorstep to deliver milk and fruit. How could I dare to breach the contract?!"

"Holy crap, that's so devious!"

Upon hearing Xia Ming's account, Xiao Yun instantly shuddered.

At this point, the coffee Liu Shihhan ordered had also arrived. The three of them chatted casually for a while about news from the restricted zone, then planned to return to the restricted zone.

And just then.

Xiao Yun's phone rang suddenly; it was a call from He Mo.

"Hello?"

"Xiao Yun, where are you now? Are you free? I have a friend here I'd like to introduce you to."

"Oh?"

Xiao Yun's eyebrows immediately raised. Could it be a job offer?

The only kind of friend He Mo, given his identity, would recommend, he could only think, would be someone interested in the big red items he had found.

Including the previous examiner from Lighthouse Country, who also helped him complete a large transaction.

So, Xiao Yun directly gave the location of the coffee shop he was in, indicating that he would wait for him there.

"Alright, she'll be there right away."

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(PS: Stayed up all night last night waiting for the red skin, then saw the email at 5 AM and was so mad at the planner I almost fainted. Challenge failed, will continue the challenge again tomorrow, hehe)