Chapter 122: The Pinnacle of Glory

Ye Ling rose from her warm bed. Outside the window, the scenery shifted from the deep-night jungle to a grassland bathed in the rising sun, ushering in a new morning. She felt a lingering sense of disorientation; yesterday’s events seemed so distant, as if they were nothing more than an unreal dream.

The rustling of insects drifted in, and as the view outside grew brighter, Ye Ling’s mind gradually cleared. She turned her head, gazing blankly at the landscape, feeling a peace she had never known before. She remembered everything from yesterday, though it felt like a lifetime had passed. She remembered being teleported out of the battlefield and waking up from the neural conduction apparatus.

At that moment, she had heard a roaring sound outside—a terrifying wave of noise, one after another, as if the entire sky were being overturned. Even then, she could have guessed the sensation their victory would cause, yet the uproar exceeded her imagination. But now, everything had settled.

With that thought, her tension vanished. She stretched her body, which had not yet stiffened, and stepped out of the room. The moment she appeared, she became the focus of the world; everyone’s gaze converged upon her in an instant. She was the sole survivor of the great battle. Her survival had won her team the crown of glory. She was the greatest upset, leaving the gamblers ruined. She and her team had shattered the myth of Level 10 invincibility, leaving the military top brass in a state of chaos. Regardless of the reason, she was the center of attention, and the entire Fantasy City was watching this girl—a girl who had previously been unknown.

...

Ye Ling got out of bed, shed her oversized pajamas, and donned the clothes laid out by the bedside. They seemed a bit large—likely Falani’s, as she was half a head taller. Ye Ling did not care about such trivialities. After dressing, she began to comb her hair. Before she even picked up the comb, she stared at her right hand, a smile touching her lips. She kept replaying that day in her mind, feeling as if it were a century ago.

She remembered Lin Yang being the first to reach her, grabbing her hand without a word and leading her onto the high-profile floating platform. But it was not a stage for her to be celebrated. She had expected the victory earned through the Doom Team's relentless struggle to be met with cheers. She was wrong. Instead of applause, they received only doubt and vitriol.

...

Ye Ling slowly picked up the comb, gently smoothing her long hair. In just one day, it had become tangled beyond her endurance. Yet, it was not the mess of her hair that concerned her, but the turmoil in her heart. As the comb slid down her locks, she wondered when she had let her hair become so disheveled.

Her thoughts drifted. People were shouting, "Shameless ambush!" "Bribed the brass!" "Backdoor dealings!" "Low-life tactics!" Such vile accusations attacked them from all directions. It was a situation no one, including Ye Ling, had anticipated. The abuse spread from every corner, merging in the vast space into a cacophony of piercing irony that battered her eardrums.

"Get out!" someone finally yelled. Their emotions were so intense that Ye Ling felt that if not for the protective barrier, someone might have hurled a fireball at them.

...

Clutching the wooden comb, her fair knuckles turned white and trembled. Each time she recalled the scene, a nameless rage flared within her. She gripped it so hard that a sharp pain shot through her scalp as she pulled her hair. She let go, staring blankly at her right hand.

The memory grew clearer. The military leadership seemed to tacitly endorse the audience's fury, showing no intention of standing up for the Doom Team. Perhaps this was exactly what they wanted to see. Their silence only convinced the rioting crowd that the Doom Team’s victory was illegitimate. The insults grew more intense, evolving into slogans like, "Expel this dishonorable team from the Hunting Squads" and "A disgrace to the Hunting Squads."

"Why?" Ye Ling stood dumbfounded, unable to understand how a victory could lead to such an outcome. Xie Liu had provided the answer: It was what the higher-ups wanted. They did not want to see an unknown team take the championship. Perhaps the initial agitators were all arranged by them. The moment the Doom Team won, before anyone could react, their thoughts and emotions were steered in the direction the leadership desired. The Doom Team had defeated a Level 10 powerhouse; such a result was something the military elite could not afford, and something the audience could not accept.

Just as Xie Liu and the others faced the endless abuse with cold expressions, the holographic screen in the sky rotated, revealing a middle-aged man Ye Ling did not recognize. "Cough, cough. Everyone, please remain calm. I am the Deputy Commander of the Hunting Squads."

"Where is Vladimir?" Ye Ling asked in surprise, then noticed the icy look on Xie Liu’s face.

"Probably under house arrest by the board of directors. Vladimir would have spoken for us—no, he would have told the truth," Xie Liu replied with certainty, his expression grim. "The higher-ups are determined to go against us."

The man on the screen adjusted his microphone, cleared his throat, and began to speak. "This ranking battle for the direct-subordinate teams has seen an outcome no one expected. We are also quite surprised." The audience fell silent; the man represented the official stance. "Regarding the Doom Team’s victory, we unanimously agree that there was no cheating; it was purely a matter of luck."

Ye Ling felt her heart sink. Clearly, the official stance was not to support them.

"First," the man continued, "the external mechs have significant flaws. We cannot fully replicate the power of Level 10 combatants. The ones you saw were only slightly stronger than Level 9s. Compared to their true strength, the gap is immense. The technology is simply not mature enough to support Level 10 power."

The audience nodded in agreement.

"Secondly, the designated combat range was unfair to Level 10 super-powered beings. Even with their power dampened, their destructive potential is immense. As you saw, the restricted range limited their performance, which gave the Doom Team the opportunity to close in and defeat them."

The audience nodded again, accepting the logic.

...

In the bedroom, Ye Ling picked up the comb again, counting the wooden teeth aimlessly. Her thoughts blurred as she recalled Xie Liu’s words after the man finished speaking: "It’s just the desperate sophistry of the higher-ups. But it’s highly effective, because humans are always prone to accepting what they want to believe, even if the premise itself is wrong. Everything happens because they believe Level 10s are omnipotent."

After the man finished, someone in the stands shouted—undoubtedly an agitator sent by the elite. "The Doom Team doesn't deserve first place! Even if they didn't cheat, they exploited loopholes. Such a team has no principles and doesn't deserve the win!"

The call sparked a wave of reaction. "Yes, they don't deserve it!" "I don't accept this!" "I demand a rematch!" The higher-ups had succeeded; they incited the crowd, who never considered that the Doom Team had followed the rules from start to finish.

...

"Snap."

With a soft sound, Ye Ling snapped the comb in her hand as she remembered the most intense moment of the crowd's reaction. A sharp pain in her hand brought her back to reality. She hurriedly cleared away the wooden splinters, offering a bitter smile. "Was I insane that day?"

Thinking back, she felt a lingering fear. She hadn't been thinking at all. With everyone cursing and painting the Doom Team as pathetic, and few willing to stand up for them, the fed-up Ye Ling had stepped forward and roared, "You bunch of losers!"

The sudden roar drowned out the crowd, followed by a deathly silence. Everyone stared in shock at the girl who had gone berserk.

"What do you even know? You only know how to bark like dogs!"

There were hundreds of thousands of people in the stadium, yet they were suppressed by the voice of one girl. Her voice seemed infused with magic, amplified to dominate the entire venue.

"Which eye of yours saw us cheat? What right do you have to judge us? We won, so that's not allowed? We're 'pathetic,' so we can't win? Who made that rule? We won, so it’s cheating? Who made that rule? We can't beat a Level 10? Who made that rule? Are you gods? You don't even have the qualifications to step onto the field, you bunch of losers!"

"You bunch of losers!" For a long time after, this phrase became a staple in Fantasy City, used to mock those who blindly followed the crowd. But when it was first shouted, it had nearly brought the house down. No one expected Ye Ling to react like a bristling mother cat, scolding everyone present. After a brief silence, the stadium exploded in fury.

"How dare she!" "She's gone too far!" "Is anyone going to deal with her?"

Ye Ling had become famous—or rather, infamous. But she didn't care. Even if the whole world blamed her, she didn't care. At that moment, she only thought of Li Shizhu, who had raised a hand to stop her before being swallowed by the light curtain; of Gong Hou, buried in the ruins; of Xu Xiong, turned to dust in the electric glow; of Lin Yang, who died biting onto a bomb; and of Xie Liu, who perished with the enemy. In their eyes, there had never been confusion. The Doom Team had won fairly and squarely, a victory that brooked no question.

...

Ye Ling picked up a new peach-wood comb, smiling bitterly while brushing her hair. "I was really impulsive back then." She had nearly provoked the entire city.

The jeering had not yet calmed when Xie Liu stepped from behind her, pulling her back and roaring at the sky: "Quiet, all of you!" Though he lacked her intensity, the crowd fell silent, glaring at him to see what nonsense he would spew.

Xie Liu scanned the endless sea of people and sneered. "You say we ambushed? Exploited loopholes?" He turned to the holographic screen where the middle-aged man still lingered. "Commander, you say the field limited the Level 10s—doesn't it limit us too? Doesn't such a small space force us to face them head-on?"

He turned back to the audience, righteous and stern. "We are hunters. Hunters of Fantasy City. Miracles are what we create. If defeating a Level 10 is a miracle, then I am the one who created it! And you lot... you’re still questioning it? I have to say, you have no vision." He held up his middle finger.

The crowd erupted, but this time, the dissent was notably weaker. The people of Fantasy City weren't fools; they had only been manipulated by the elite during their initial emotional outburst. After Xie Liu’s words, many began to wake up. Hunters had always been the creators of miracles—when had they stopped believing in them?

The middle-aged man on the screen looked ghastly. He hadn't expected Xie Liu to regain control of the situation. Just as he was about to speak, Vladimir walked onto the screen and shoved him to the ground.

"Vladimir, how could you..." the man gasped, then his face changed. "What did you do to Director Migros?"

"Nothing, just let him and his aides take a nap," Vladimir said, adjusting the microphone to face the city. "I am Vladimir, the Supreme Commander of the Hunting Squads."

The room went silent. Vladimir was the highest authority; his words carried the most weight.

"It has been investigated. The Doom Team did not cheat. On the contrary, the God-Slayer Team's Oda Nobunaga accepted hints from the military council. Thanks to Ms. Falani, we intercepted this." Vladimir held up a small player.

"Attention, the dead-eye is aimed at you."
"Damn it, he isn't using Level 7 bullets. Oda, be careful."
"It's a Level 7 bullet. Prepare to defend."

The recording played. The arena was deathly silent. The reversal was too fast; one minute they were calling the Doom Team cheaters, the next the situation had flipped.

Vladimir put down the player, his goal achieved. "The military intervened in our competition without authorization. I want to ask: Do you truly think we, the Hunting Squads, are defenseless?"

The military officials turned pale. They had no rebuttal.

Vladimir continued, "I, Vladimir, in the name of the Supreme Commander, announce: Oda Nobunaga is disqualified for cheating. The God-Slayer Team is ranked last. The Doom Team, through their wisdom and courage, is the champion of this tournament!"

Silence reigned. The Doom Team had won. "Is there anyone who still objects?" Vladimir scanned the crowd. "If you do, listen to this: The Doom Team defeated the S-class special monster 'Nine-Lives.' In the T-City battle, they defeated the strongest special soldier of the Special Alliance. They have repeatedly bested Falani and her Silver Flash team, forcing them to use their full strength."

Falani appeared above the floating platform, confirming, "It is true. I was nearly defeated by them."

"In the Hokkaido branch battle, they defeated the Special Alliance's strongest and heavily damaged a giant metal robot."

"I, Tianhe Qianye, testify that this is true," a voice added from beside Falani.

"The Doom Team’s victory was won with their own blades and blood. I, Vladimir, acknowledge it. Who still objects?"

"I, Falani and the Silver Flash team, acknowledge it. Who still objects?"

"I, Tianhe Qianye and the Heaven's Judgment team, acknowledge it. Who still objects?"

...

Ye Ling finished pinning her hair, twirling in front of the mirror. She felt satisfied and walked to the door. As she pushed it open, she recalled Vladimir’s final words from that day: "Weakness is never scary. What is scary is thinking you are weak and believing it's natural. Even worse is not only accepting your own perceived weakness but trying to drag others down to your level. Remember, this isn't following the tide; it’s jealousy and resentment. What limits you is not the objective external world, but your own heart. Don't let yourself be trapped by fixed thinking. Have dreams, and you will fly higher."

...

"Fly higher because of dreams?" Ye Ling whispered, tucking the words into her heart. She smiled and pushed the door open.

"Ah! You're out! Did you sleep well?" Wendy shouted, waving a greasy chicken leg as the group feasted.

...

"These are your spoils," Falani said, handing the Diva Battle Suit and the Energy-Gathering Sword to Ye Ling. Ye Ling was slightly stunned. Yes, this was all they had brought back from the battlefield.

"Not a total loss, then," Ye Ling laughed.

A few hours later, they passed through Star City. Ye Ling noticed the holographic screens were gone. The peak of Star City was as it always was—an endless river of stars, tides rising and falling. The Doom Team and the Silver Flash team walked together, laughing and talking.

"Oh, thank Tianhe Qianye for me," Ye Ling said to Falani.

As they spoke, the galaxy before them suddenly erupted in beautiful light, like a grand celebration of fireworks. Roars from the deep cosmos echoed in their eyes. Ye Ling ran forward with the others, mesmerized by the display.

"Falani!" Ye Ling looked at her, her face full of excitement.

"I... I..." Summoning her courage, Ye Ling shouted, "I love the boys of the Doom Team! I love them the most!" Her voice was swallowed by the roaring sky, but Falani heard it clearly. After a moment of surprise, she smiled gently at the nervous girl. "Is that so? Congratulations."

Falani looked ahead, where her sisters were dancing and laughing with the members of the Doom Team. "They are all good people."

...

The group left the headquarters and boarded a small transport ship to the China branch. Along the way, they bid farewell to Falani and the others. The Rainbow City of the China branch remained as beautiful as ever, but Xie Liu and the others had no heart to admire it. They were ready to return to school. However, as they passed through the city, they were stunned.

Everywhere, banners were hung:
"Doom Team, well done!"
"Doom Team, a team built on dreams!"
"Doom Team, our glory!"

Countless banners showed that what they had done was not unrecognized. Ye Ling stared blankly. "This... this is unbelievable."

"Yes," Xie Liu stood beside her. "That is the ebb and flow of life—ever-changing."

(End of Volume)