"We'll continue."
"Considering you pointed out the location of the energy crystal earlier, I won't deduct any points this time."
The second-year Analyst course focused on a blend of theory and practice. Occasionally, Chen Sui would hear a few unfamiliar terms, but overall, she understood most of the content.
Professor Yang Qinhe's teaching style was far more relaxed and humorous than his stern appearance suggested. He sprinkled his lectures with anecdotes from the border army, leaving the military-aspiring students in fits of laughter.
Through his stories, Chen Sui was introduced to a new and unfamiliar field.
By the time he finished explaining the full process of energy crystal analysis, he suddenly retrieved a box from his spatial button. The moment the black metal case opened, a wave of icy cold air swept out, chilling the bones even under the bright midday sun.
"This is a mutated water-type energy crystal. On the market, an S-grade crystal sells for only around a hundred thousand credits. But analyzing one? That'll cost this much." Yang Qinhe held up his hand. "Five hundred thousand."
"In this line of work," he added in the final minutes of class, going slightly off-topic, "the risks are low, the returns are high. Aside from the high threshold to entry, being an Analyst has no real downsides. Study hard, and in the future, you'll be rich, famous, and successful—all thanks to the knowledge you gain now."
He tapped his temple for emphasis.
But his words left the students below with expressions like spilled paint—chaotic and colorful.
"Professor, are you sure the risks are low for Analysts?" one student in the front row frowned, skeptical.
Others nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Every time we're attacked, the Analysts are targeted first. Even energy entities are drawn to them. Sometimes we don't even need energy lures; an Analyst just has to take two steps to the side and bam—the entity's right there sniffing them out."
Laughter broke out among the Analyst cadets in the classroom.
Chen Sui noticed a girl in the front row named Liao Ruyi turning her head, sweeping a cold glance at the laughing students.
"Only the useless are afraid," she said coolly. "The entire team protects one Analyst. If that doesn't lower your risk, what does? In every League match, Analysts are always kept at the center of the formation for protection. Don't use cowardice as an excuse."
She seemed highly respected in the Analyst department. The students who had been laughing moments before instantly quieted, though they didn't fully agree with her perspective.
"But I'm not wrong, am I?"
Yang Qinhe observed the mixed expressions in the classroom, then, in the last few seconds before the bell, dropped a bombshell assignment on them.
"Alright then—let's make it an assignment."
"Song Baining, the most recent Analyst-to-DPS convert in the Star League, experienced the same energy field—Hymn of Sand—under both roles."
"Based on that energy field, analyze the different threats faced by Analysts and DPS respectively. Also, identify the key factors that allowed Song Baining to escape both times. Your analysis should be no fewer than 3,000 words. Submit it via the StarNet communication channel by Wednesday. Don't forget to include your name."
"If you're covering for someone, include both names."
Yang Qinhe glanced across the room. Chen Sui noticed herself and the girl in front of her—the one who had quietly prompted her earlier—among those he looked at.
As he finished speaking, the dismissal chime rang. Snapping his ruler shut, Yang Qinhe strolled out leisurely.
The Analyst students were still stunned in their seats, groaning aloud.
The boy who'd previously complained about the dangers of being an Analyst slapped his own mouth. "Why did I say anything? If I hadn't spoken, we wouldn't have homework. If I didn't have homework, I'd be such a cheerful guy right now!"
Liao Ruyi stood up, heading to her next class. She smiled and called back, "Come on, Professor Yang always gives post-class assignments. Be glad he didn't make us analyze all five Star League matches—that's him going easy on us."
"Sis Liao—" the boy whined, his voice rising and falling like a wave. "Liao-jie, please, let me copy yours!"
"Shameless."
She laughed and scolded him before leaving without mercy.
"That's enough. You're making me nauseous," his friend muttered. "I'm heading to the Academic Affairs Office to see if anyone's done an assignment on that energy field before."
Chen Sui was packing her things and silently noted the mention of the assignment archive.
She had picked up the homework task for this class too.
Her morning was still free, so to better understand the material, she located the first-year Analyst course in the academic system and decided to sit in.
The first-year course was entirely foundational, and helpfully explained a few of the terms that had confused her earlier. There was no extra homework either, making it much more relaxed than her prior class.
After class, she hurried down the road, drinking a nutrition pack as she walked and tossing the empty container into a bin. Her optical brain chimed—someone had messaged her.
Gu Jin Xue:Leaving for two days. Please fertilize the carrot sprouts on the windowsill once. Thank you.
Chen Sui was briefly confused about how Gu Jin Xue had her contact, but then she noticed the message came through a group chat on the academy channel.
She realized belatedly that she'd forgotten to add Gu Jin Xue as a contact yesterday. Still, she added the task to her to-do list and replied politely.
With a mix of nervousness and excitement at doing her first real assignment, Chen Sui headed toward the library.
At that moment, far away at the Starport, the four school team members were listening closely to their team leader's briefing before heading to the jump point.
Gu Jin Xue's optical brain buzzed several times.
She murmured a soft apology and glanced at the screen.
Chen Sui:1
A strange expression flickered across her face.
The team leader, used to seeing her cold, proud, and aloof, was surprised by this odd reaction. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
Gu Jin Xue shook her head. "Nothing, sorry for the interruption. Please continue."
A tall boy with pink hair snorted softly beside her, earning an icy glare from her.
The team leader looked between the two of them—two DPS players already at odds—and felt a headache brewing.
Chen Sui's Note:"If I just kill all the enemies, won't that keep me safe? Just tell me—did the teammates survive or not?"
Hymn of Sand was initially classified as a high-tier energy field—ranked 3S—when it first appeared.
It was a special mission that had suddenly dropped during Song Baining's early years at the military academy.
Back then, she was still an Analyst. A year later, she transferred to the Summoner department and became a heavy DPS.
After the Star League, the top three winners received exclusive passes to high-level border army energy fields.
By then, Hymn of Sand had already become one of the top ten elite fields.
Just as Chen Sui was about to look up the footage on the StarNet, she received over 99 messages. She clicked into the academy group chat and saw that Yang Qinhe had shared an anonymous file.
Two video files had been uploaded.
It was the first time Chen Sui had seen Song Baining herself, even if only in video.
Song Baining piloted a pure white mech. Blood from energy entities splashed onto it and slid off the smooth surface without leaving a trace.
Her weapons included both a cannon and a heavy blade.
Even as an Analyst, Chen Sui saw multiple moments where Song Baining seemed ready to charge forward—only to be held back by nearby border soldiers.
"Analyst, mark the location. We'll go," one of the soldiers said.
The three soldiers rushed forward, leaving her and a solo fighter behind. The solo glanced at her and coughed, "Don't look at me—focus on the crystal's position."
Song Baining turned the mech's head and silently pinged the coordinates.
"I think something's off," she said casually.
The three DPS were engaged in combat up ahead. Song Baining sat down in place and mounted her cannon on her shoulder. The solo fighter glanced at her relaxed yet guarded posture. "What's off?"
"Beneath my feet."
She calmly redirected her cannon downward—toward her mech's feet.
The solo soldier was startled. "What are you doing?"
"This."
Chen Sui heard the woman's voice in the recording—calm and unbothered.
"I'll count to three. We take off."
Before he could answer, she started counting:
"One."
"Two."
"Three!"
A loud blast. A massive fireball exploded into the sand, launching Song Baining into the air. The solo followed her, still confused.
The sand at the original site suddenly collapsed inward, forming a gaping hole. Simultaneously, the energy entity fighting the three DPS soldiers dove straight into the pit.
Song Baining quickly aimed her cannon at the hole and fired.
Just as the sand snake emerged, mouth agape, the cannon shell smashed into its face, blowing half its head apart.
"Wheee!" she cheered.
The solo was speechless as Song Baining rushed forward, wielding her heavy blade.
She slammed it into the creature's ruined head, and then, with one clean slash across the belly, extracted a glowing yellow energy crystal.
Chen Sui nodded in approval. Song Baining had excellent combat awareness. Her timing was impeccable—any later and the snake would've escaped; any earlier and it would've remained hidden.
As the video continued with other team members scolding her for taking risks, Chen Sui thought to herself:
Who says Analysts are weak and must always be protected?Looks to me like they can fight just fine.
If you're no good, don't blame the job.
She smirked at the thought, but quickly waved it away, reminding herself she was a Solo—not an Analyst—so she didn't need to worry about whether Analysts should switch to DPS.
After watching both videos, Chen Sui found a detailed analysis of Hymn of Sand in the Academic Affairs archive and read through various example answers.
Once she had a good grasp of the topic, she also brushed up on basic Analyst theory before finally starting on her assignment.
As night fell, her optical wristband reminded her of military training.
She stretched her stiff spine, sore wrists, and shoulders before returning the books on interstellar chronicles, mech origins, Analyst foundations, and more.
Then she went to complete her training.
After physical drills, Chen Sui had a virtual battlefield session in the holographic training room.
The Seventh Institute had an entire building dedicated to holographic training, but it was always full—students had to reserve spots well in advance.
Because of this, many chose to train in the virtual energy fields behind the campus.
Explosions from the mountains were often thanks to them.
In the simulator, Chen Sui selected the military training program. The format was similar to her entrance exam—target locking and enemy elimination.
For Chen Sui, it was as natural as breathing. The only difference was that the enemies were now energy entities instead of alien species.
And honestly, energy entities looked much nicer.
When she stepped out into the night air, she suddenly realized—energy crystals on energy entities were actually quite visible.
She made a mental note.
But assumed it was part of the training's beginner protection phase and didn't think much of it.
Later that night, after finishing the last part of her assignment, Chen Sui went to sleep.
Her first class in the Solo Combat department was in the afternoon.
But at the Seventh Institute, there were early training sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Chen Sui woke up early, completed the morning drills, and, since she had no classes or substitute duties, used the free time wisely.
First, she fertilized the carrot sprouts on the windowsill, as Gu Jin Xue had asked, using the nearby nutrient solution with care.
Then she began preparing for the Mech Repair Certification exam.
There was still more than a month to go—enough time for her to master the theory. As for the practical exam, she was more than confident in her abilities.