In the East Huang live stream, the viewer count in the top-right corner soared.
It rose with rocket-like speed. In the blink of an eye, it had breached nine digits.
Host Lucas Moore sat at his desk, his face frozen in disbelief.
Even Colonel Liu, usually composed and stern, seemed to vanish at this moment. If one word could describe his expression, it would be "a fish on a cutting board" his eyes nearly bulging from his skull.
Professor Marcus, however, had the most unusual expression of the three. His eyebrows arched, lips curling into a grin, eyes slightly downturned, as if he were wearing brand-new pants on New Year's Day. He practically embodied the idiom "bubbling with excitement."
"This… this is insane! She just reached out and destroyed the monster? Are our selected players really this strong?" Lucas Moore couldn't contain himself and swore. Even though he had suspected Reina May might have superhuman abilities, seeing it happen live was entirely different.
His words ignited the comment section.
And by "ignited," it wasn't an exaggeration.
Imagine a normally flowing stream of comments suddenly overwhelmed by an unstoppable wave, completely covering the live feed.
Multicolored comments invaded the viewers' vision, forcing their brains to process the chaos. There was no chance to resist the screen became a battlefield for the eyes, a visual duel that left the audience stunned.
"Unbelievable! I didn't even blink, and the monster is already dead!"
"I pinched myself! This is real, not a dream!"
"Wow! Just a touch and it's gone!"
"No more acting, seriously!"
"Holy crap! I just screenshot it! The girl is amazing!"
Countless East Huang viewers jumped from their chairs like frogs pricked by needles. Hearts racing, hands trembling, they typed the first exclamations that came to mind.
Humans are visual creatures, and Reina May's delicate appearance was deceiving. Many viewers doubted, deep down, whether she could actually handle this challenge.
East Huang had lost seven times previously, including a recent three-game losing streak. The punishments imposed by the Destiny Battle had left deep scars.
The cheers, jokes, and encouragement for their players were also attempts to comfort themselves.
They weren't confident that their representative could clear the Battle.
But now, all that doubt evaporated. Light returned to their eyes, a spark of hope.
When Reina May crushed the slime's crystal core and its body shattered, one thought struck everyone's minds simultaneously: Our player holds the future in her hands!
"Could it be… could it be… East Huang is going to win this time?! Is it really happening?!"
"I bet my roommate's ten years of life for this. Please, let her succeed!"
"Roommate: Thank you very much!"
"I declare, if Reina May clears the stage, I will be her loyal servant forever!"
"The purity isn't high enough! If she clears it, I'll chop off my own…! No joke! Comments as proof!"
"That's already high enough, brother."
The comments erupted into a frenzy. The earlier tension dissolved entirely.
But in the Destiny Strategy Bureau, the mood was quite different. A new dossier had arrived, straight from the system, detailing Reina May's identity.
"This… is this for real?"
"This dossier is extremely strange."
Everyone leaned closer to the projected file, whispering in disbelief.
The Commander rubbed his temples as he scanned the absurdly detailed document. Now he understood why the Bureau's system had previously failed to locate this file.
"Alright!" the Commander shouted with authority. "Immediately send this dossier to the live stream. Let the audience enjoy themselves!"
"Yes, sir!"
In the live stream, Lucas Moore chuckled as the comments continued to scroll. Colonel Liu even lightened the mood with a joke. Professor Marcus, however, seemed slightly out of sync, still pondering how Reina May had accomplished her feats.
At that moment, the director's voice came through the earpiece. Lucas Moore glanced at his tablet, where a new file had just arrived.
Upon seeing its contents, Lucas Moore froze briefly before breaking into a broad smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, dear viewers, I've seen all your comments. The skills displayed by Reina May must have reassured you greatly. But now, I have even better news."
"Can you guess what it is?"
"That's right it's what everyone has been waiting for."
"Reina May's personal dossier has arrived. Many of you wondered why her file had not been released until now. This explains it."
He glanced at the now-calmed comment section and uploaded the contents of his tablet to the stream.
"You guessed correctly. The dossier wasn't shared earlier due to confidentiality rules."
"Take a look. This is a national secret. See the seal? National Security Bureau. It was released exceptionally in response to public demand, but this is the only time it won't happen again."
As Lucas Moore spoke, viewers finally saw the file. The confidentiality stamp in the top-right corner was crystal clear.
"An actual classified document!"
"I never thought a commoner like me would see state secrets in my lifetime!"
"Has no one here touched national exam papers? Those are absolute top-level secrets."
"Wait, let me get this straight. Lucas Moore is saying that our player's identity alone is a state secret?"
"Whoa! What kind of high-level VIP is this?"
"Alright, let's examine this classified file. Honestly, this is my first time reading such a document I'm a little excited."
Lucas Moore smiled as he scrolled down to reveal the contents beneath the cover. At first glance, he froze in his seat.
Name: Reina May
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Education: PhD
Position: Executive Deputy Director, East Huang National Think Tank