Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high! Chapter 5: Questioning from Teammate 005

With resolute steps, a military officer, adorned with three silver stars upon his shoulder, approached, the metallic percussion of his boots echoing distinctly on the pavement.

His imposing, muscular frame, accentuated by a dense beard, seemed to advance directly towards them, an unyielding presence akin to a formidable mountain.

His manner of speaking was far from polite.

"Old man, do you understand the gravity of your words?"

As he drew nearer, the officer’s gaze briefly swept over Bai E before settling intently on the elderly chief examiner.

With eyes downcast, the chief examiner appeared undisturbed by the intimidation, responding with quiet resolve,

"Hamilton, this is not your armored battalion, and it is certainly not your prerogative to interfere with my decisions."

The middle-aged officer let out a cold chuckle, "New artificial humans inducted straight into the special forces squad, old man... aren't you moving a bit too hastily?"

[You keenly discern that you may have inadvertently become entangled in a factional dispute; you decide to...]

Upon receiving the prompt on the interface, Bai E opted... for silence.

Lacking sufficient information, any hasty move could prove detrimental.

"The finest soldiers are meant to undertake the most demanding assignments; this principle lies at the very core of the artificial human soldier initiative."

Steering his attention away from Hamilton, the chief examiner instructed his subordinate, "Proceed to find him a suitable squad."

"Understood, sir!"

Hamilton emitted a cold snort, crossed his arms, and offered no further commentary.

His original purpose in being there was to rendezvous with an associate from the Elf Race; he had simply chanced upon this situation and could not resist a brief, sardonic observation.

The internal conflict between factions, those who opposed and those who supported artificial humans, intensified daily, and a decisive outcome seemed inevitable.

These dissenters who championed artificial humans would inevitably face deployment on the battlefield!

...

The deputy acted with swift efficiency, quickly identifying a potential candidate. "Accompany me, I will introduce you to your future squadmates."

Bai E responded with a curt nod, "Mhm."

Following the deputy through the encampment, Bai E found his prospective teammates within a spacious tent constructed with steel frames and durable fabric.

In a corner, seated upon an ammunition crate, a man meticulously polished a firearm with a dark, oiled cloth, his tightly fitted uniform accentuating his powerful physique.

A slender woman, concealed within a dark uniform, revealed only her composed and impassive eyes from beneath a black mask.

And then there was an individual not clad in the specialized combat uniform, but rather a simple white tank top, resembling an ordinary middle-aged man enjoying a leisurely outing.

Solely positioned near the tent's entrance stood a figure garbed in charcoal grey, wearing a combat suit fashioned from an unfamiliar, resilient material that armored his body; the visible portions of his face bore several distinct, deep scratches.

All of them had received prior notification and were awaiting his arrival.

"This is 'Tiger,' the commander of this combat detachment. He, much like you, is an artificial human, and he will now serve as your captain," the deputy declared.

"This individual is 95B27; his performance metrics were exceptionally high. Commander Laurent specifically mandated that we assign him to a special forces unit," he added, concluding with a pat on Tiger's shoulder. "Familiarize yourselves with one another; from this point forward, you are comrades."

With those words, the deputy lifted the tent flap and departed, leaving Bai E subjected to the collective scrutiny of four individuals.

Tiger, adopting a genial demeanor, effectively dispelled the emerging tension.

He extended his hand, gesturing broadly towards his squadmates as he proceeded to introduce Bai E.

"Allow me to introduce Song Ying, who handles our team's artillery support; this is 98A24, our point man for assaults and breaches – he prefers to be called 'Da Shan' (Big Mountain); and that one is 98B25, responsible for tactical maneuvers and reinforcement, you may address her as 'You'."

Tiger completed the introductions sequentially, then eyed Bai E with a degree of expectation.

"Aside from 'Ying,' the rest of us here are, like you, artificial beings. Designations involving numbers can be needlessly complicated; thus, we typically adopt simpler monikers. What name would you prefer to adopt?"

[A new existence, a new identity; this opportunity arises but once. You declare your chosen name to be...]

The system prompt materialized unexpectedly at that precise juncture, causing Bai E’s gaze to momentarily shift before he responded softly.

"Bai E. You may refer to me as Bai E."

[Welcome, esteemed soldier 'Bai E,' you have now been formally integrated into the world of Galaxy Online. Henceforth, you are free to explore at your own discretion!]

Galaxy Online?

The game I had Pre-ordered?

Finally, the reason behind this world's uncanny familiarity became clear!

Bai E’s eyes sharpened as a sense of composure returned, grasping that underlying connection weaving through every detail.

Bai E’s newfound teammates did not afford him extensive time for solitary contemplation.

"Your assessment scores were quite impressive?"

In a secluded corner, Song Ying was meticulously cleaning his firearm. He suddenly looked up, his expression unreadable, and inquired quietly, "Only those with a sharpshooting specialty are required to undergo testing, correct?"

Bai E responded with equal composure, "It should be fine."

Even highly skilled artificial soldiers would find it exceptionally difficult to achieve a Level 3 specialization in light firearms during their initial assessment.

Possessing a genuine specialization, he felt a surge of confidence as he spoke.

Gripping his gun, Song Ying rose to his feet, declaring, "Let's see what you're capable of."

A hush fell over the tent. You and Da Shan observed in silence, while Tiger, clutching his chest, seemed pleased to witness the unfolding events.

Noticing Bai E glancing around, Song Ying stated firmly, "Don't pay them any mind. Anyone entering the squad must earn their place. We need to be certain we can rely on each other's backs during future dangerous missions."

[Faced with an order from above, anyone would instinctively resist. Confronted by your teammates' doubts, you choose to...]

"..."

Bai E gave a slight nod. "How do you wish to proceed?"

"It's straightforward. A shooting assessment."

The shooting range was equipped with a variety of targets, ranging from stationary ones at 50, 100, and 200 meters to moving targets with unpredictable frequencies.

While not identical to actual combat, it served as a means to evaluate fundamental skills.

"Understood."

"Follow me."

...

A sense of calm returned to the inside of the tent.

As they watched the two depart, the remaining three squad members exchanged glances, their eagerness palpable.

"Shall we go observe?"

"They've been gone for a while; who knows how it's going."

Tiger casually tapped his combat knife against the smoking pipe held in his hand.

"If you're that keen, then let's go take a look," he decided.

Da Shan and You exchanged a look, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Let's go then."