Beyond the Zenith

Most people in the arena assumed the Gold Erasers’ platoon leader was there for the recruit graduation, that Shao Xuan had come in person because he was dead set on securing the strongest recruit in ten years.

They naturally assumed that he had stepped down to the arena to back Han Qingyu up. After all, the kid had just run afoul of the White Erasers these past two days.

No matter how they looked at it, the Gold Erasers had already shown more than enough support. Perhaps even a bit too much.

“But if we’re being honest here, that kid’s only an A-ranker.”

The speaker immediately caught himself. What gives me the right to say “only an A-ranker?”

This instinctive skepticism wasn’t unfounded. In truth, Han Qingyu’s source energy integration level alone didn’t seem to measure up to his titles and reputation.

The Oriental Republic Army Group was vast, and while S-rankers were exceedingly rare, there were still an average of two or three A+ results per year. Even the Ninth Army alone could expect one every year or two.

It all came down to growth.

“Integration level aside, just look at his record. Who else has matched his merits and performance during their recruit period?” someone asked. “The title ‘strongest in ten years’ is a composite evaluation. If you insist on a definitive answer, you’d have to pit all the candidates from the past ten years against each other in the same ring, and that’s obviously not realistic.”

“Fair point.” The man nodded as he thought it over, then stood on his toes and craned his neck. “What’s that?!”

The soldier on the arena floor was opening a wooden box with an engraving of the International Azure Coalition’s flag in front of Han Qingyu.

Han Qingyu owned a box for his Silver Azure Guardian Medal, and its lid had the flag of the Oriental Republic Army Group.

From that, he knew this one was Gold.

Han Qingyu stared unblinkingly.

A gleaming Gold Azure Guardian Medal sat nestled in silk inside the wooden box.

Shao Xuan gestured toward it, then asked with a smile, “Surprised? Didn’t see it coming?”

“I’d thought about it, but I didn’t think it would actually be Gold.” Han Qingyu hesitated, then asked, “What about our instructors from the two regiments, and the members of Platoon 1123?”

“Three collective awards of First-Class Merit plus a Starry Splendor Commemorative Medal, benefits for three generations of dependents, and then individual recognitions on top of that. But that’s a matter for the army and the regiments. It’ll be awarded during the recruitment briefing assembly. You don’t need to worry about it.” Shao Xuan reached up to pat Han Qingyu’s shoulder. “Since you’re a recruit, this Gold Medal is part encouragement and part investment. The legion commander and the Chairman both advocated hard for you at the International Coalition Council.”

Han Qingyu nodded wordlessly.

“Relax. You need to understand how significant destroying that thing actually was. Besides, the rewards for Gold Medals are all funded by Coalition headquarters, and our legion commander loves to take advantage of a good deal. He loves fighting for these.” Shao Xuan smiled at Han Qingyu. “If you’re ambitious, you could try going for a Starlight Medal someday.”

“A Starlight Medal?” Han Qingyu met his gaze with a serious expression. “How many energy cores does that come with?”

“Uh...” Shao Xuan faltered. “One per day.”

Han Qingyu gulped.

“Only five people in the Coalition’s history have ever received the Starlight Medal, though. Two of the five came from small nations and voluntarily gave up the benefit because they felt they were too old and didn’t want to take up too many resources.”

“What about our legion commander?”

“Him? No chance!” Shao Xuan laughed. “He just doesn’t use much himself. Every year, he turns most of his allocation over to the legion’s supply depot.”

Curiosity in the stands had long since peaked as the two talked in hushed tones. People were murmuring and craning their necks, trying to catch a glimpse inside the box.

“Alright, enough of this awkwardness. This was supposed to be presented during the opening of the recruitment briefing assembly. The ceremony would have been grander.”

With that, Shao Xuan reached into the box and lifted out the Gold Azure Guardian Medal.

Gasps and exclamations rippled through the crowd.

The shock lasted only a heartbeat before every single person in the arena set their questions aside, rose to their feet, and stood at attention.

Shielded from the eyes of the crowd in the second-floor viewing room, Qi Shantong did the same. As he stood at attention, he fixed a stern look on the still-resentful White Erasers member beside him and asked, “What are you doing?”

The man stared at him blankly.

“We may disagree with a great many things about the Coalition’s past and present, but we do not disrespect the honors that countless people have defended with their lives across nearly a century.”

Noticing Qi Shantong’s expression, the man snapped to attention. “Yes, sir.”

Similarly, Liang Ge, standing on the platform, had no choice but to come to attention once again. If he had actually caused Han Qingyu serious injury only for the kid to be presented with a Gold Medal...

Stepping on a recruit with strong backing was bad enough. A recruit with a Silver and a Gold Medal wasn’t someone he could afford to beat up.

Shao Xuan carefully pinned the medal on Han Qingyu’s chest. Then, reading from a card in his hand, he detailed Han Qingyu’s extraordinary performance during the battle at District 1123 and the reasons he had been awarded the Gold Medal. Finally, he stepped back and saluted.

The entire arena saluted in unison.

“For all who still draw breath, we fight with no retreat, standing firm against the heavens!”

As the oath rang through the combat simulation arena, the echoing words had Han Qingyu slipping into a daze. The scene before him blurred and merged with the memory of that night, when a mountainside of soldiers had stood in formation to salute the remains of Zhang Dao’an and the others as they were carried away.

Instructor Zhang...

***

It was finally over. There was no denying that a ceremony like this was effective in granting him protection. Even so, Han Qingyu wasn’t used to it and didn’t like it.

If he had his way, every medal presentation would be like the time he received his Silver Medal at the 425th Regiment, held in a small office with a few officers without ceremony.

The only thing he cared about and looked forward to now was the energy cores.

Wait, they didn’t seem to bring any?When are they going to give them to me? They didn’t forget, did they?Would it be rude to ask? Han Qingyu’s head spun with questions.

“Oh, right. With all of this going on, you haven’t done the Gold Erasers’ assessment, have you?” Shao Xuan smiled at him, then took off his officer’s jacket and put on his maneuvering device. “Come on. I’ll spar with you.”

The arena erupted with a mix of surprise, excitement, and more than a little envy. A sparring session with the Gold Erasers’ platoon leader, the Ninth Army’s top fighter, was not an opportunity available to just anyone.

A senior veteran publicly offering a newcomer the chance to trade blows carried a certain implication of mentorship and endorsement.

Han Qingyu, however, was thinking about something else entirely. Taking advantage of the noise, he muttered under his breath, “Where are my energy cores?”

“Hm? Don’t have some? Or are you worried you won’t have enough?” Shao Xuan asked, overhearing his utterance. He turned to the soldier beside him. “Give him one of mine.”

“Yes, sir.” The soldier rummaged through a bag and quickly produced one.

A blue crystal energy core, and a full one at that. Han Qingyu didn’t think. He simply took it.

Qin Guowen sat at the edge of the arena and watched with an expression of sheer disbelief. How are you taking another one from him? I already gave you one yesterday. Do you even know who you’re standing in front of? You actually...

“Thanks, Platoon Leader Shao,” Han Qingyu said.

Activating his device, he swapped out his energy core, removing the still-full one inside and pocketing it before slotting in the fresh one.

Qin Guowen shot to his feet.

Han Qingyu glanced at him, then turned back to Shao Xuan with an endearingly clueless expression. “Platoon Leader Shao, you’re way too strong for me. Could I maybe spar with Captain Qin instead?”

The veterans in the stands laughed, assuming the kid didn’t understand the significance of this chance that he was trying to pass up.

Regiment Commander Li and Lao Jian exchanged a look. “This kid is great in every aspect. His only flaw is that he’s too honest.”

Qin Guowen, on the other hand, thought, Is he really that confident he can take me?! Then again, the kid’s acting strangely. What if he opens with a bare-handed attack? What if he pulls the same thing with the device on and lands a cheap shot?

As he mulled it over, his eyes quietly darted to Liang Ge of the White Erasers, then to the stands packed with veterans and recruits.

Qin Guowen sat back down.