Chapter 68: 068 Post-war
"You..."
Rose could clearly feel that her body was getting better, Bai E\'s hands seemed to possess magic power, and now it felt as if a warm current was flowing through her body.
Bai E sat beside her, gazing at the large lamps shining through the night\'s thin mist from outside the barracks, his eyes somewhat distracted, "Don\'t talk, you haven\'t recovered yet."
"Ow~"
The empty training ground was somewhat silent for a moment, almost all the new soldiers seemed to have let go of all their strength as if shedding it off after the threat of the Bug Race had passed, and occasionally medical professionals would come over to inquire and check on each recruit to decide whether to treat them on the spot or take them to the infirmary.
The new soldiers had just come into being, and although they did not fear life or death, it was all happening too fast...
Their lives were the common currency of all humanity, and should be used more rationally rather than being easily wasted at home.
The relief of surviving disaster fermented in the heart of every soldier, with everyone licking their own wounds.
And the entire process of this battle revolved around an absolute center, with glances occasionally sneaking towards the same spot.
That silently seated figure in the halo of the lighthouse had become the faith of many recruits in this batch.
The center of attention, Bai E, remained motionless.
Rose curiously stared at his profile.
What was hidden in his gaze?
Pity? Sorrow?
Whatever it was, his eyes were like the stars that had fallen into the pond, twinkling and shimmering.
She didn\'t know what this warrior, unparalleled in courage, wisdom, and strength, was thinking at this moment?
...
[Is the life of an artificial person really so insignificant?]
There were also natural human new soldiers, Bai E had seen them in the past two days, but he hadn\'t seen any in this trial.
Was it targeted only at artificial people?
Even if they were purely tools of war, wouldn\'t it hurt to lose so many?
It was just a test in the barracks, yet the military could bear such a degree of loss.
If it weren\'t for his significant contribution in this trial, who knows how many more would have died? If the losses reached a certain extent, would they... intervene?
Bai E didn\'t know, he had no answer.
There was only one thought he knew—when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves.
Would he, one day in the future, also die as silently and obscurely as he did this night?
Silently and obscurely?
Bai E suddenly chuckled at his own thoughts.
Was he afraid of being insignificant, or of dying?
Strength!
What distinguished him from the other new soldiers, waiting passively for rescue during this trial, was strength!
Despite the danger of this trial and the severe losses of the new soldier camp, the gains he had acquired... were probably much more than all the training results combined up to that point!
[Name]: Bai E
[Race]: Human
[Template]: Initial Gene Modification
[Health]: 105/105
[Identity]: Leader (Li Ming)
[Physique]: 13.2/15
[Insight]: 10.9/15
[Reflex]: 11/15
[Mystery]: 8/∞
[Gene Optimization Degree] (Current inclination: Orc): 0.1/100
[Skills]: Gun Fighting Skill, Lucky Hit (Current charge: 44/100)
Stealth (8/100)
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Handicraft (74/100)
[Traits]: Thought Dullification, Battlefield Instinct, Well-Trained, Bloodlust Instinct (Dormant), Hive Mind Will (Dormant)
[Specialties]: Rapid Recovery (Locked), Self-Restraint
[Mastery] (Potential Points*3): Light Firearms Specialization (143/2000) (Level 4)
Heavy Weapon Specialization (246/300) (Level 1)
[Spiritual Energy]: Unmastered
[Knowledge] (Tech Points*4): Firearm Maintenance (89/300) (Level 1)
Logging (17/300) (Level 1)
Theft (2/100)
Traps (31/100)
First Aid (Bandaging) (Level 2) (Max Level)
Dissection (30/100)
[Technology]: None
[General Experience]: 592
[Combat Experience]: 3000
[Mutation Risk]: Extremely Low
[Faction]: Li Ming (Reputation Level 1)
...
Experience explosion!
With a total of 3592 general/combat experience points, it\'s enough for me to level up my current most prominent skill, Light Firearms Specialization, to level 5 with some to spare, and the remainder could even bring my level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization up to level 4.
Or should I directly raise Heavy Weapon Specialization to level 4 and see if it also unlocks a skill tree? Then use the leftover experience to activate abilities on the skill tree.
Gun Fighting Skill had already given Bai E enough surprises; he speculated that the skill tree from Heavy Weapon Specialization wouldn\'t be disappointing either.
Alternatively, I could continue pouring experience into the skill tree unlocked by Light Firearms Specialization and unlock the previously hesitated "Precise Shot."
There are many choices, and it seems that any method of improvement would bring satisfying growth.
But too many choices have thrown Bai E into a kind of anxiety, uncertain about which method of improvement was the best choice for maximizing his progress.
Or should he stay put?
A level 4 Light Firearms Specialization was already sufficient for most situations, and without unlocking new special attributes, raising it to level 5 wasn\'t particularly meaningful.
Although the 2000 experience points required to unlock "Precise Shot" might not seem too much, it was the additional requirement of 2 potential points that especially concerned Bai E. He had suffered too many losses due to similar "skill points" in other games. Compared to experience, these were probably the truly precious resource.
To be stuck later on learning a more powerful skill would be a serious issue.
As for Heavy Weapon Specialization? Given his current role as a marksman, even on the battlefield, the chance that he would need to rely on his own close combat to break through was slim; leveling it from 1 felt like a waste.
Rather than such potentially insignificant upgrades, the fact that these large amounts of combat experience were hard-earned was more important, especially the 3000 combat experience points from the rarely-used skill "Lucky Strike." He hadn\'t forgotten it.
The charge for "Lucky Strike" was hard to come by; his most recent battlefield prowess had netted him the highest one-time addition of just 50 points.
That seemed to be the maximum charge he could gain from a single event or emotional experience in the short term.
The charging mechanism of this mysterious skill suggested... it was an incentive to take action, to do things that would catch attention.
Change... huh?
This mechanism consequently meant that the next use of this skill was uncertain.
In fact, even this time, Bai E wasn\'t too keen on using it.
Though the experience dropped by the mantis bug was plentiful, other rewards were mediocre, and two traits luckily burst forth that he couldn\'t use temporarily because he didn\'t fit the Bug Race template.
When it came to the functionality of drop items, it was even inferior to him blowing a roadside fence...
Basic construction techniques, oh~
If it wasn\'t for witnessing Rose in danger and needing to resolve the situation *quickly, he would\'ve preferred to save his critical hit chance for a more suitable target.
Of course, the timing of its use wasn\'t much of an issue. "Lucky Strike" required a finishing blow to kill, and using it prematurely without securing the kill meant it would be wasted.
"Ah~" Bai E sighed deeply.
Annoying!
...
"Now there\'s a problem, how should he be rewarded?"
Seated in the base vehicle on the way back, Weslin tapped her fingers on the table, highlighting the most pressing issue.
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