16. New Recruits Challenge Veterans, Growing Younger with Every Fight (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Zilong Yue, Part 1/3)

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The truth cannot be concealed; Staff Officer Gondo, returning from an overseas conference, had learned about Qi Ming.
“Allowing a foreigner, whose background is unknown, to join the Victory Squad? That’s reckless!” He found it utterly absurd and believed that the Moroboshi Corps and Kiriyama were simply mad.
TPC was a quasi-military organization, strictly enforcing discipline from top to bottom.
As a key unit, the Victory Squad’s entry assessment was exceptionally rigorous—they only accepted the elite of the elite.
“This is his dossier.” Saeki Rika, a female subordinate of Staff Officer Gondo, handed over the physical documents.
Gondo’s expression faltered slightly upon seeing Qi Ming’s photo. “Is this digitally altered?”
“No,” Saeki replied.
“Then... this.” After scrutinizing the photo several times, his doubts about the Moroboshi Corps lessened considerably:
“He must have undergone plastic surgery, but achieving such a natural look is a miracle.”
“Choosing someone with a good image to join the Victory Squad does help boost public support for us, but...”
“But he hasn’t undergone specialized training or the entry assessment; rushing him into missions could cost him his life, which would be a great loss.”
“Exactly my point.” Staff Officer Gondo nodded quickly.
“He should first be transferred to the news department, where his nationality can be kept ambiguous as our spokesperson.”
“If he still wishes to join the Victory Squad later, we can train him part-time.”
“Let’s go talk to Captain Moroboshi in the command room.”

...

The atmosphere in the Victory Squad’s command room over the past few days had been far from harmonious.
Although Qi Ming was summoned by the captain for a private talk, nothing seemed to have changed, leaving Yamanaka and Kishida, who had been eager to see him embarrassed and humbled, somewhat disappointed.
Most frustrating of all was his complete lack of awareness as a team member.
During daily training, while they drove around searching the streets and alleys for the Zuluk aliens, Qi Ming stayed in his room enjoying the air conditioning, yet earned the same salary as them. Who could stand that?
Their prejudice against Qi Ming deepened. When they spoke harshly about him in the command room, Moroboshi would rebuke them for “disunity.”
If it was just some sarcastic remarks, Moroboshi would adopt a “better to vent than suppress” approach, encouraging them to voice their “opinions and suggestions.”
“That guy walks around like he owns the place. Anyone who knows the truth understands he’s a mercenary, but outsiders might think he’s some representative from Japan’s surrender decades ago!” Today, Qi Ming had once again casually skipped patrol, much to Kishida’s complaints.
Emi hadn’t returned yet; she was out searching for clues about “Jun Himeya” related to Qi Ming.
“No, I, Xiao Feng, a man of honor, can never be equated with that kind of person.” Just then, Qi Ming entered and overheard the comment, feeling displeased.

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The person who “bowed deeply” to accept the surrender document deserves to be compared to me?
“Oh, look who’s here—Member Qi Ming, just in time. We’ve finished all the work we had to do.” Yamanaka said with a sly tone. “The command room’s a bit messy; why don’t you clean it up?”
Qi Ming found a seat. “It’ll be clean once you leave.”
“You!”
Kishida, on Yamanaka’s side, stood up. “Do you think you’re so great?”
Qi Ming looked puzzled. “Isn’t that obvious to anyone?”
Moroboshi tried to stop them, but Saijo Nagi, standing beside him, gestured for him not to give Qi Ming any special treatment this time.
She rose, her cold, piercing gaze directed at Qi Ming, her aura surpassing that of Yamanaka and Kishida:
“During the last operation, your reckless behavior disrupted the plan and almost caused a disaster.”
“And you acted as if nothing had happened, thinking it was all over?”
“Have you not realized the other members’ resentment towards you? They don’t want to risk another incident where arrogance escalates the danger and amplifies the disaster.”
Qi Ming, unfazed by her intensity, rebutted point by point:
“Did you ask for my opinion when making the plan? I never agreed to it.”
“Moreover, didn’t your review reveal that if we had followed me to eliminate those two monsters in the mountains, the situation wouldn’t have escalated to four monsters gathering?”
“Finally, I don’t want to stay with you three clueless fools. Why don’t you quit?”
Saijo Nagi’s anger flared further. “Is that how you speak to your seniors? Didn’t your parents teach you to respect local customs and etiquette?”
Japan places great importance on hierarchical etiquette. In most cases, juniors must unconditionally obey their seniors.
If a senior reprimands you harshly, you must not show dissatisfaction; otherwise, you risk not only punishment but also isolation, exclusion, or even losing your job.
If a senior goes out drinking and returns late at night, juniors must sit properly and wait before going to sleep.
So far, Qi Ming had shown no signs of bowing, using honorifics, or respecting his seniors—openly defying authority, which in Japan is considered a grave disrespect.
Qi Ming was indifferent: “I was taught that ‘envoys from a superior kingdom do not bow to rulers of inferior states.’ But you, Vice Captain Saijo Nagi, bark like a mad dog in public. Could it be...”
He hesitated, originally intending to add, “Did your parents die early, causing gaps in your character development?”
But then he recalled...
Saijo Nagi had indeed lost her parents!
In the original *Nexus Ultraman* series, she witnessed her parents being killed by “Alien Beasts,” which shaped her cold and solitary personality.
Such an attack would be inhumane, so he held back.

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However, the “mad dog” remark was enough to enrage Saijo Nagi beyond control. She spun 360 degrees and delivered a sweeping leg strike aimed straight at Qi Ming’s face. “You need to be taught a lesson today!”
Qi Ming was delighted. “Finally! This is how it should be!”
He was no obedient child like Kodomon; there was no way he would “stop the vice captain from shooting Jun Himeya and accept being knocked to the ground without complaint.”
With a low crouch, he countered with a spinning kick, easily breaking her attack, then retaliated with a high sweeping kick.
Saijo Nagi’s close combat skills were impressive; after grabbing his leg, she prepared to strike his right knee with an elbow to break it.
Qi Ming bent his knee and braced himself, using a triangular stance to deflect the blow.
She actually... withstood my attack?
Undeterred, Saijo Nagi’s attacks grew fiercer, almost lethal.
She turned, created distance, then launched an elbow strike aimed at Qi Ming’s temple.
Reacting swiftly, Qi Ming dodged sideways and executed a “White Ape Supports the Peach” technique with one hand, striking her jaw with his right palm.
The jaw is rich in nerves; Saijo Nagi immediately fainted.
“Vice Captain!”
“What are you doing? Revolt?”
Kishida and Yamanaka rushed at Qi Ming when Saijo Nagi fell.
But only Saijo Nagi could somewhat match Qi Ming; against them, a high whip kick and a left hook easily sent Kishida and Yamanaka sprawling.
“How can we protect Earth while stuck with vermin like these?” After knocking the three down, Qi Ming looked at the stunned Moroboshi.
“So this is what you called ‘the quickest way to resolve conflict is to intensify it’?”
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Moroboshi couldn’t even intervene in time.
He didn’t even notice the command room door had silently opened.
Staff Officer Gondo, who had witnessed everything, stood stunned for a moment before turning and leaving.
“Not going to discuss the new member’s transfer with Captain Moroboshi?” Saeki Rika asked.
“No need.” Gondo thought of Qi Ming’s swift and overwhelming defeat of three veteran members in an instant: “He has already passed the assessment.”