CHAPTER 48 ♦ MAID COSTUME

The Arts Troupe President and Commissar exchanged a look and smiled helplessly at each other before teasing Wu Lieutenant Colonel beside them: “Lao Wu, the SF sure hides tiger and dragons. Just a single soldier can already outperform the entire Arts Troupe.”

Wu Lieutenant Colonel’s cheerful smile widened, replying modestly: “Not at all not at all, that’s just one of our girls.”

“Say, that girl’s got some good looks, why not have her come to our Arts Troupe to develop her career?” The commissar suddenly said.

Wu Lieutenant Colonel immediately collected his smile and said seriously: “How can that do!” What did he just say?! Seedlings that can become an SF soldier were already rare enough as it is, how could he let her go to the Arts Troupe to sing and dance?!

The atmosphere immediately chilled, a sharp contrast against the pumped one behind them.  

“Haha, do you still lack people in the Arts Troupe? We Tercel Brigade only have this one girl. Even if Wu Lieutenant Colonel bears to let her go, the SF soldiers won’t!” The young Major whom Qin Ke Xuan had seen previously sitting beside Wu Lieutenant Colonel joked, breaking the unhappy atmosphere. “Lee President, the next performance is by your Troupe’s golden flower, isn’t it? Ah, she’s on the stage already. This is such a rare chance, I’ve gotta take a good look.” At his words, everyone’s focus turned to gather on the stage, and that blanketed the previously unhappy atmosphere just like that.

There was a female soldier performing a solo ballet performance. She was performing the White Swan. The genre of her performance was completely different from Qin Ke Xuan’s. If Qin Ke Xuan’s performance had the audience’s blood boiling from excitement, then that White Swan had the audience feeling very peaceful and relaxed.

By the time the performance started, Qin Ke Xuan had already returned to her seat in the audience to spectate. At hearing the faint sounds of swallowing and seeing the glinting gazes from the surrounding males as though they were thirstier than wolves that had been starved for days, she asked Number 12 beside her: “Oi, isn’t she cold wearing so little?” Even though the heater in the hall was on, the temperature was still a little low, else, why would everyone wear their padded jackets? What she’d actually wanted to ask however was that was that girl not worried about showing her butt in that attire?

Number 12 minced his lips and said to her softly. “She was the beauty the senior soldier had mentioned previously. Tch, I don’t think she looks prettier than you. Just look at that dance, so lifeless and limp, is she going to die or what? Your previous dance’s a lot better! You’ve learnt sword dance before?”

Qin Ke Xuan sent him a brief look, approval tingeing her gaze. Just look at her twitching and twitching hands, it looked more like she was having a spasm instead of dancing. Number 12’s sight was pretty accurate. “Oh, I’ve seen it online before so I learnt a little.”

“I’ve seen other people doing a sword dance too, but their movements were too gentle and soft, unlike yours… yours had a powerful aura to it. Yes it’s a matter of aura, yours were the kind that could conquer mountains and rivers, absolutely majestic! So handsome!”

When the performance ended, Qin Ke Xuan returned to the dorms along with the bunch of people joking about. Their topic of conversation was pretty much the same as the other soldiers–their thoughts about the female soldiers from the Arts Troupe, and some views on QIn Ke Xuan’s sword dance. Qin Ke Xuan’s performance had well exceeded their expectations. They’d originally thought Qin Ke Xuan would just sing a military song they were all dead-familiar with, but who knew she’d put up such a powerful show; they were all swept off their feet.

Qin Ke Xuan checked her phone when she returned to her dorms. Since her situation was special, she was allowed to use her phone. However, her usage was only limited to within her dorms. She also was not allowed to let the others know she was able to use her phone so as to avoid inciting the unhappiness among the masses.

Other than the few messages Yin Xu Dong had sent her on an everyday basis, there were some missed calls. The call log displayed that they were from the Xu Tian Xian whom she hadn’t contacted in a long time. She immediately picked up her phone to dial back. Xu Tian Xian would only call her when there was a need for them to go on a mission.

“Enh.” Z L T

“12345?” Z L T

“Go bathe and sleep. I’m Le Le.” This was Tercel Team A’s self-designated password.

“We have a mission. Come over as quickly as you can. I’ve already requested for your leave with Wu Lieutenant Colonel. There will be a car to send you to the city.”

“Enh.” Z L T

After Qin Ke Xuan hung up, she changed into her normal clothes and walked out her dorms and towards the parking lot. When she passed by a dark little alley, she saw a guy and a girl holding hands intimately, talking as they walked. Even though it was beneath the dim lighting of the lamppost, Qin Ke Xuan’s eyesight was sharp so she managed to make out their side profiles. The female was the female soldier from the Arts Troupe that performed the White Swan previously, and the male was that two-lines-one-star Major.

Qin Ke Xuan was uninterested in them so she brisk-walked by. When she reached the parking lot, there was a car that had its headlights on. Walking over, she confirmed the car plate number, pulled open the shotgun seat door and slid in. “Let’s go.”

“Hold on, we’re waiting for another person as well.” The soldier sitting in the driver’s seat said.

Qin Ke Xuan waited for a while before the backseat door opened. She glanced at the person entering the car with the rearview mirror. It was the two-lines-one-star guy that was out on a date with the White Swan just now. After he boarded, the car drove out the parking lot.

Two-lines-one-star glanced at Qin Ke Xuan, asking in curiosity: “You’re leaving the military base on your own so late in the night?”

Qin Ke Xuan ignored him and looked at the messages Yin Xu Dong sent her instead.

“I’ve been diligently studying and training all day today! I poached number-one over to be my free tutor again! Haha!”

“Did you eat properly? Today’s training’s pretty tiring too right? It’ll be Chinese New Year’s Eve the day after tomorrow, are you able to take leave?”

“When will you be able to come back? I kinda miss you…” 

“Kneading! Haha, were you tricked? Let me tell you secretly, did your kneading unclog my Governor vessels? I feel like I’m a lot more powerful than before, even the training became easier!”

Qin Ke Xuan was speechless. Were Governor vessels so easy to unclog? All she did was to help him straighten out your inner balance and unclog your other vessels. It was the foundations that he did a good job of establishing previously, that’s why the following trainings were smooth-sailing.

“Did you fail you English and Physics for your year-end exams? If you want to be a military doctor, you should read more books instead of thinking of all the nonsense stuff.” Qin Ke Xuan replied him. The results for the year-end examinations were already out. Even though Yin Xu Don tried his best to study, he had left it wilting for too long so he only managed to pass, barely, the majority of his subjects. Her on the other hand attained great results for pretty much all her subjects. It was said that she was the top ten in the level. With regards to this result, MI6 felt that her grades barely made past their requirements so they considered her as having passed academics-wise, but they had her to work harder in the future.

This was two-lines-one-star’s first time being so blatantly ignored. His lips mincing, a gentle smile appeared on his face. “I’m Zhuo Hou Yi. What’s your name?”

Qin Ke Xuan turned and swept him a bland gaze. “Qin Ke Xuan. What type of soldier are you?” His military uniform’s colour was different from theirs.

“Air force.” Zhuo Hou Yi replied: “Why didn’t you go to the female SF if you wanted to be an SF soldier?”

Unfortunately, Qin Ke Xuan once again ignored him. She turned to look out the window at the night view even though there actually wasn’t much for her to see. The car had just left the military base so all that was outside was a pitch dark patch of trees and grasses.

Zhuo Hou Yi became glum. What was this lass’ background? To actually put up such airs with him? It was Wu Lieutenant Colonel who asked him for a favour to send her to the city along with him since he was going, and yet, she was actually ignoring him, and so many times at that. He considered whether he should remind her of his identity. Even though he wasn’t her direct superior, his military rank was there. She should at least give a military salute and show some respect no?

“Have you had a dog before?” Qin Ke Xuan suddenly asked. 

“Ah? Oh, I had one before. What’s with the sudden question?” Zhou Huo Yi was surprised. 

“Nothing.” Z L T

The remaining journey passed in silence. When they reached the city, the car stopped. Qin Ke Xuan gave Zhou Huo Yi a military salute before alighting the car and disappearing into the streaming people.

So you still know how to give a salute. Zhou Huo Yi looked in the direction Qin Ke Xuan left in.

When Qin Ke Xuan reached the MI6 base and walked into Condor A Team’s office, the rest of the team members had already gathered and were discussing their mission this time. At seeing Qin Ke Xuan walking in, Xu Mei Li handed Qin Ke Xuan a copy of the documents.

Qin Ke Xuan sat down, scanned the document once and raised her brows, looking at them. “Grade D?” She had not come into contact with any missions above Grade B to date.

Xu Tian Xian’s expression was grave. “Enh. The mission this time’s a little thorny. Other than Team A, Team B and C and the majority of the teams are going to be deployed as well.”

Qin Ke Xuan thought for a moment before saying: “I want to exchange my job with Mei Li’s.”

Xu Tian Xian frowned. “Reason.” Z L T

“I’m more adept than her and will be able to guarantee the General’s safety even in the face of unexpected dangers. Instead of having me aid Xu Mei Li in the event of a crisis, I think having Mei Li bring into play her planning skills and have me protect the General’s a more doable plan.”

Xu Tian Xian looked at Xu Mei Li, asking: “What’s your opinion on this?” 

Xu Mei Li shrugged and said, uncaringly: “I’m fine with anything. But protecting the General will be a dangerous job. Le Le’s still small, will this arrangement…”

Qin Ke Xuan immediately rebutted: “This is independent of age. Also, isn’t the priority of our mission to protect the General? Our own safety will always rank after the General’s.”

After much consideration, Xu Tian Xian finally agreed to Qin Ke Xuan’s suggestion and have her exchange her job with Xu Mei Li.

Qin Ke Xuan had her agenda for automatically submitting a request for job switch in the mission–this was her chance to get close to the higher-ups. Ever since she’d joined the military, she had not encountered any information relating to time machines. In order to get to know such classified information, getting close to officers of high ranks was the best way. Even if she would only be able to receive tidbits of information, she would able to trace its tracks and figure things out eventually; at least it would be better than searching headlessly.

Everyone stayed at the base overnight to prepare for their mission the next day. Qin Ke Xuan held the so-called Italian Beretta 92F type handgun and sat in the corner checking it out. As she did so, she wondered how she should ask that General if he knew any information about time machines.

Xu Mei Li walked over the Qin Ke Xuan with the costume in her hand and said excitedly: “Le Le, come try if this waitress costume fits.”

Qin Ke Xuan placed the handgun down and took the costume from her expressionlessly before heading into the toilet to change and coming back into the office.

Xu Mei Li tapped her chin as she walked around Qin Ke Xuan in circles. “Feels like you’re still missing something, oh right, your hair! Hold on, I have a wig here!” She fished out a long-haired wig from a box and hooked it on top of Qin Ke Xuan’s head. “Tsk tsk, maid costumes sure are moe! Guys, come see how it looks!”

The rest of the people that were engaged in knocking out the mission plan raised their head. And then, they were immediately blown away by the moe Qin Ke Xuan in a maid costume. Covering their noses with a hand, they gave a thumbs up with their other hand. Guys, as expected, were maid costume-con!