The BBQ party concluded amidst laughter and goodnights. Everyone returned to their own rooms, carrying a hint of wine and a warm, hopeful feeling for the future.
Lam Minh also returned to his "Principal's" room. He felt a bit dizzy, not from the alcohol, but from the emotions. It had been a long, long time since he'd had such a joyful and relaxed evening. It made him feel like he was truly "living," not just "surviving" to fight.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto the large bed without even bothering to change his clothes, wanting only to sink into sleep immediately. The entire room was submerged in darkness and silence, save for the silver moonlight spilling in from the window, creating ethereal streaks of light.
He had just closed his eyes, preparing to drift into a beautiful dream.
When...
Click.
A tiny sound, almost inaudible, came from the direction of the door.
Lam Minh, with a warrior's vigilance, instantly opened his eyes. But he didn't move. He just watched in silence.
The door slowly creaked open.
A small head, with long, dark hair, peeked in.
It was Minh Thu.
Lam Minh was surprised. This girl, why isn't she asleep yet? Is she planning to hack into my room for a prank?
He pretended to be fast asleep, wanting to see what trick she was up to.
Seeing that he seemed to be in a deep slumber, Minh Thu tiptoed gently into the room, then carefully closed the door behind her.
She didn't turn on the lights. Under the faint moonlight, Lam Minh could see that her face was flushed. It was probably the wine. Her large, round eyes, which always held a touch of timidity and fear, now shone with a newfound determination and an emotion he had never seen before.
She slowly walked towards the bed.
She stood there, gazing at him for a long moment, as if to etch his image into her heart.
Then, she did something that left Lam Minh, a man who had faced countless life-and-death battles, utterly stunned, his heart pounding in his chest.
She slowly leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips.
A very light, very innocent kiss, carrying the sweetness of milk tea and a subtle warmth of wine.
Lam Minh was completely frozen.
And Minh Thu, after that kiss, seemed to have used up all her courage. She was about to turn and flee.
But Lam Minh reacted in time. He reached out and grasped her small wrist.
"You..." was the only word he could manage.
Caught red-handed, Minh Thu jumped. Her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. She bowed her head, not daring to look him in the eye.
"I... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." she mumbled, her voice trembling.
Lam Minh looked at the small, trembling girl in his grasp. He didn't know what to say. He gently pulled her, having her sit on the edge of the bed.
"Why?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
Minh Thu was silent for a long while. Then, as if the alcohol had washed away her social anxiety, she lifted her head and looked directly into his eyes.
"Because... because I like you!"
Those three words, spoken with such conviction and sincerity, made Lam Minh's heart skip another beat.
"From the first time I met you," she continued, her voice no longer trembling. "When you were the only one who understood my code. When you stood up to protect me in front of everyone. When I saw you fight, saw you sacrifice, and then be reborn. I knew... you were the only light in my dark world."
She threw her arms around him. A very tight hug, as if afraid that if she let go, he would disappear again.
"I know... there are many people by your side who are more outstanding than me. Sister To Quyen is intelligent and beautiful. Sister Quynh Nhu is strong and charismatic. I... I have nothing. I only know how to hide behind screens. I'm timid, I'm afraid of strangers..."
Her voice began to choke up again. "But... but I really, really like you, Lam Minh. I want to be with you. I want to be able to do something for you, not just watch from afar."
Lam Minh held the small, trembling frame in his arms. He could feel the sincerity, the passion, and also the insecurity in her every word.
He wasn't made of stone. Faced with such a confession, how could he not be moved?
He gently stroked her long hair. "Silly girl," he whispered. "Why would you say you have nothing? You're a genius. You're my indispensable partner. Without you, I could never have uncovered those secrets."
He lifted her chin, making her look straight into his eyes. "And I... I like you a lot too, Minh Thu."
Hearing his response, Minh Thu's eyes widened, brimming with tears. But this time, they were tears of happiness.
Their feelings for each other, suppressed for so long, had finally erupted.
No more words were needed.
Lam Minh gently leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. It was no longer the innocent peck from before. It was a deep, passionate kiss, carrying all the affection he had for her.
Minh Thu clumsily responded in kind.
The room remained silent, with only the silver moon as its witness.
Her cat-themed hoodie was slowly removed.
Lam Minh's clothes were also tossed into a corner.
Under the moonlight, two young bodies, one strong, one soft, slowly intertwined.
That night, there was no war, no enemies.
Only two hearts that had found each other, and gave to one another their most precious gift.
The fateful night had truly begun.
...
Night fell, and the silver moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating the two figures entwined on the large bed.
If the battles in the desert or the jungle were wars of power and destruction, then the "great battle" in this room was a symphony of emotions, of discovery and union.
For Minh Thu, this was the first time she had truly opened her heart, letting someone step into her inner world. The initial pain of a young woman was quickly replaced by a strange sensation, a thrill of discovering a completely new side of herself. Wine and love had transformed her from a timid rabbit into a curious kitten, clumsy yet passionately responding to Lam Minh's lead.
As for Lam Minh, this was the first time in this life that he had truly lived as a man. The Dragon God bloodline, which gave him unparalleled strength on the battlefield, now turned him into an "unbeatable opponent" on the bed. His stamina seemed endless. Minh Thu's initial fervor gradually turned into astonishment, and finally, into "surrender."
"I... I surrender..." she whispered, her voice hoarse, her body limp as she snuggled into his firm chest.
Lam Minh smiled, holding her close, feeling a sense of warmth and peace. He let her drift off to sleep.
At midnight, 00:00, the first "great battle" concluded. They held each other and slept soundly.
But with the constitution of a Golden Core Realm cultivator, Lam Minh was fully recovered after just a short while. He looked at the little girl sleeping soundly in his arms, her black hair splayed across his chest, her beautiful, delicate face no longer shy, only peaceful. He gently stroked her hair, then softly placed a kiss on her forehead.
His movement woke Minh Thu. She drowsily opened her eyes and saw him looking at her, her face flushing pink again.
"I... I thought you were asleep..."
"I just woke up," he chuckled. "Would you like... round two?"
Hearing this, Minh Thu waved her hands in panic, her familiar shyness returning. "No... no... spare me... I really can't take it anymore..."
Her pitiful appearance made Lam Minh unable to hold back his laughter. The "great battle" thus continued, with intermittent rounds, lasting until dawn was about to break.
8 AM. In the administrative meeting room of Lac Hong Academy.
To Quyen, Quynh Nhu, and Ly Thien Ba were already present, discussing the new training plan.
"How strange," Quynh Nhu said, looking at Minh Thu's empty chair. "Did the sun rise in the west today? How could our 'Queen of Punctuality' possibly be late for work?"
"Maybe she was too tired last night," To Quyen said, though she felt a little puzzled herself.
"Should I go get her?" Ly Thien Ba suggested.
"No need," Quynh Nhu waved her hand. "She's probably busy with some 'research.' Let's just start without her."
They had no idea that their "super hacker" was, at this very moment, still sleeping soundly in the arms of the "Principal" after a night of "great battle" that had drained both her body and spirit.
At the same time, in a place far, far away, high above the Earth's atmosphere.
In a strange, zero-gravity space, a chessboard made of light hovered in the void.
Lac Long Quan, clad in majestic battle armor, sat on one side. Opposite him was a Madakaros.
He did not have the ferocious appearance of other Madakaros. He wore a long grey robe, his face handsome, his three eyes half-closed, exuding an air of profound wisdom. His aura had also reached the Peak Nascent Soul Realm. He was Faker, the supreme leader of the Madakaros clans invading Earth.
Lac Long Quan placed a white piece on the board, smiling. "Your 'sacrifice' gambit seems to have had no effect on humanity."
Faker also placed a black piece, his voice calm. "There's still injury time after the 90th minute. The game isn't over yet; it's too early to tell who will win."
"Then do you dare make a wager with me?" Lac Long Quan said, his eyes glinting. "My descendant will win this game."
"Oh?" Faker's interest was piqued. "What are the stakes?"
Just then, a third voice, genderless but carrying a terrifying pressure, suddenly echoed from the void.
"May I join? I too wish to place a bet on my chess piece."
A dark figure slowly materialized. The Holy Master.
The three most powerful forces, the three puppeteers pulling the strings of the war on Earth, had, for the first time, officially faced each other over this celestial chessboard.
The real war was only just beginning.