Doctor will never die in a hellish situation.

And indeed, he launched an attack the moment the test began, completely overwhelming Melantha.

"Mr. Sharp's offensive is indeed fierce, but Miss Melantha has completely withstood the attack and will launch a counterattack soon. She will defeat him in no time." Shining said in a low voice after watching the battle for a while, afraid that Qin Duanyu would worry.

"No need to watch anymore. That bearded guy can only stay fierce for another two or three minutes at most. The little girl will fight back soon." Boris, the Red Knife Guy, who had walked over at some point, also offered his assessment with the same consideration.

He glanced at the translator in his hand, then looked at Shining with surprise.

“Shining, my current assistant.” Qin Duanyu nodded her thanks to him, then briefly introduced the Sword Saint in Ursus.

If both expert swordsmen said Melantha was safe, then there shouldn't be any problems.

"If Melantha can defeat Mr. Sharp, does that mean she has the ability to be promoted to senior expert?" Qin Duanyu asked curiously.

According to the usual promotion rules, as long as you can last long enough against an operator of that level, you can gain recognition. So if you directly defeat the opponent... wouldn't Rhodes Island really have another Sword Saint?

“Just as people’s physical constitutions cannot be generalized, each swordsman has his own strengths and weaknesses due to different styles. Miss Melantha’s swordsmanship emphasizes agility and resilience, and her style is a perfect counter to Mr. Sharp, but that does not represent her absolute strength.” Shining shook his head.

Melanie's speed in skipping grades is indeed astonishing, but it still needs time to mature.

"And what about you, Miss Shining?" Boris raised an eyebrow and asked with a half-smile.

After all, he was the man who single-handedly cut down an entire block during the most brutal and fierce battle in the heart of Chernobog. Red Blade's eyesight was undeniably sharp, and he saw that Shining was deliberately hiding his strength.

The person before him is probably even stronger than he was at his peak.

"I only learned some rudimentary swordsmanship while wandering, just some fancy moves for self-defense. I can't be considered a swordsman." Shining knew that the other party had seen through her, so she smiled modestly, "I know a little bit of everything."

I know a little bit about everything (I'm fucking invincible).

Section 282, Chapter 4: You have no spirit!

"Likewise, I'm just a farmer who toils in the fields. I learned a few farming skills from the village elders, and I'm far inferior to those two on the field." After listening to Shining's words, Boris nodded thoughtfully and echoed her humbly.

“That’s right. Their battles now are not only a contest of skills and strength, but also a clash between two fighting philosophies,” Shining added. “To reach that level, I am indeed far behind them.”

Then, the two turned their attention back to Melantha, and even put on an expression that said, "Wow, they're amazing."

Stop cursing, stop cursing.

Upon hearing this, Qin Duanyu couldn't help but roll her eyes, secretly marveling at how sophisticated even a master could be, and how this was now spreading like wildfire.

If you're really just all show and no substance, then what are Melantha and Mr. Sharp? Is it a fight between kids or chickens pecking at each other? But it's not so bad, just watch others fight and don't get involved yourself.

For a fleeting moment, he even thought Boris would have a live sparring match with The Shining.

After all, one is the Red Blade Bro who shatters blades and has completely mastered the way of killing with swordsmanship, while the other is the Sword Saint who cuts through dawn and dusk and wields his sword with the belief of protection. Both are among the strongest in the Terra world in terms of combat power, and they adhere to completely opposite swordsmanship philosophies. It is inevitable that they would want to exchange a few blows after meeting.

If it were Red Knife Bro before he returned to the village, and he encountered Shining from a few years ago, a battle between the two would be inevitable. As the saying goes, a master is lonely and a true friend is hard to find, so there is no reason for him to miss such a formidable opponent.

But now, Brother Red Knife only wants to live a peaceful life. Taking care of the elderly in the village is his only goal. Ideally, he can suppress the carcinogenic disease in his body and die alone and quietly after the elderly pass away.

As for Shining, she is so disgusted that she is unwilling to even draw her sword. She is one of the few operators who are "mentally deranged and hallucinating" who insist that she has unparalleled swordsmanship. Even Nearl, who is with her day and night, only regards her as a skilled healer who is not good at fighting.

In just a few brief words, the two former powerhouses could tell that the other had long lost the so-called swordsman's heart. Even if they didn't know what the other had been through, it didn't stop them from pretending to be ignorant.

kendo?

What is that? Can it be eaten?

Just as the two had predicted, not long after, Sharp's fierce attack suddenly stopped, and Melantha seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, eventually knocking the training sword out of his hand.

"You're a force to be reckoned with! I never expected to lose so decisively." Sharp, panting heavily, gave Melantha a thumbs up. "This sparring session has been very beneficial for me. If you ever need someone to practice with in the future, just come to me."

"Mr. Sharp, you flatter me. I only benefited from the difference in style... I still need to hone my skills." Melantha wiped the large beads of sweat from her forehead. Clearly, this battle was not easy, but fortunately, she persevered and withstood Sharp's rapid and relentless attacks.

Thinking of this, Melanie couldn't help but look at Qin Duanyu who was walking over, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Without the Doctor, she definitely wouldn't have made it this far. Just like when she fought against Yato, whenever she felt discouraged and couldn't hold on any longer, she would think of Qin Duanyu watching from behind, and then boundless power would surge through her body.

Yes, she wanted to protect the doctor's safety with the sword in her hand.

Having passed the assessment for promotion to senior operator and standing on the same level as girls like Lappland and Platinum, she now has ample confidence to do so. And, if she gets Little Feline in the future, she can protect them too…

"You must be very tired. Drink some water first, and be careful not to exhaust yourself!" Qin Duanyu handed a bottle of sports drink to Melansha, stepping over the congratulatory crowd.

"Oh, Doctor... I'm so embarrassed looking like this. Please allow me to take a shower and change my clothes..." Melantha, who was pondering whether "Abigail" or "Isabella" was a better name for her second child, blushed furiously and wished she could disappear into the ground.

"You look great, it's just that your hair is a little messy. Here, let me fix it for you," Qin Duanyu said with a smile, taking out a towel and comb.

"Wow, I was quite worried that something might have happened when I saw the team leader's eyes were numb for a while. I didn't expect that the two of them have made up as before. That's great."

"To be honest, I'm a little ashamed. Although I'm proficient in making many desserts, I have no experience baking large cakes. No, I need to practice more when I get back. I have to make the team leader's wedding cake."

"Whew, Katie loves kids the most! We can take them for a ride on the sled!"

Under the ambiguous gazes and good-natured teasing of her teammates such as Katie and Andrej, Melanie blushed and accepted the water bottle handed to her by Qin Duanyu, letting him help wipe the sweat from her head.

Shining, hidden in the crowd, watched the two being so intimate, a hint of nostalgia flashing in her eyes.

Gradually, the black-haired film girl in Qin Duanyu's arms not far away transformed into a silver-haired Sarkaz girl.

"Doctor, look, I've successfully passed the Exonerator's exam and am qualified to serve as His Highness's personal guard! Ah, it's not that I'm happy to leave you, it's just that my abilities have been recognized by everyone..."

"Understood, understood. Remember to work hard by His Highness's side. Anyway, I'm just an insignificant staff member. How could I be qualified to order around the pardoner? Oh well, I was hoping that you could stand up for me when Kal'tsit bullies me in the future."

"I...I really didn't have that thought. If it weren't for your guidance, Doctor, how could I have progressed so quickly...Besides, several times when I felt like giving up, I thought of you, Doctor..."

"Hahaha, you clumsy, simple-minded fellow, who can't even bandage a wounded soldier, how could you possibly take good care of Her Highness? That's why I specifically asked her to let you continue to stay by my side."

"Ugh, Doctor, you're so mean! What's the use of studying medicine? It won't save Kazdel at all. Besides, if I just kill all the enemies, I'll protect everyone. There's no need to treat any wounds."

She reached out her hand as if to touch something, then pulled it back as if she had been electrocuted.

"Doctor, you're right. A clumsy guy like me can't protect anything with just the sword I'm holding."

……

Boris stopped Sharp, who was about to leave, and with a few casual gestures, made the other man realize that he was an expert in this field.

"Kid, do you know why you lost?" He said, his hands behind his back, his tone carrying a hint of instruction.

The reason he went to the trouble of stopping Sharp was only because of his mission to instruct the Rhodes Island operators, and definitely not because he heard Qin Duanyu complain that "this style is too weak, let's not let Boris teach everyone."

“I’m not good enough, my skills are inferior, or perhaps my swordsmanship philosophy is flawed…” Sharp lowered his head. Although he was genuinely happy for Melantha’s advancement, as the person who was defeated by her, it would be a lie to say that he wasn’t upset.

“Nonsense, you just don’t have the same tenacious will as that little girl.” Boris reached out and tapped him on the head, his tone suddenly becoming louder.

"what do you mean……"

"To abandon everything for the sake of killing the enemy is the true way of the sword! And look at you, you're like a wilted eggplant, you have no spirit at all!" Boris scolded in exasperation. "Come on, tell me who you are!"

"I am Sharp, a veteran Guard Operator from Rhodes Island!"

"You think you can go out and chop someone up while you're speaking so softly?"

"I am Sharp, a veteran Guard operator from Rhodes Island!"

"Good! Very energetic!"

If I hold a sword in my hand, I cannot embrace you.

If I don't have a sword, I can't protect you. —by Si Shao

Chapter 5, Section 283: The one who truly understands me is Shining!

After comforting Melantha with kisses and hugs, and confirming that Red Blade had been stimulated by the "unintentional words" and was training his operators even more diligently, Qin Duanyu left the training ground satisfied amidst the screams of those unlucky guys.

This is Red Knife Bro's personal guidance. Even if it's only for a few days, these "tools" should grow a lot. As long as we have a few more official operators, we can set up another action team to make money.

Yes, his method of pushing potential to its limits can be promoted. Judging from Dobermann's constant nodding, there must be no problem with the instructors. As long as a professional physician from the medical department issues a certificate confirming that this method will not threaten the operator's health, Kal'tsit has no reason to object.

By the way, speaking of professional doctors... what about Shining?

He then realized that the Sword Saint, who should have been by his side, was nowhere to be seen.

"Doctor, I just went to pick up the package. I didn't encounter any danger. I'm sorry to have worried you." Just as she was about to make a call, Shining appeared behind her like a ghost. She waved the package in her hand and said apologetically.

No, if I really have any concerns, it should be that you bring danger to others.

"Hans brand coffee beans? I've never seen that brand before, and I wonder what they taste like." Qin Duanyu glanced at the label on the package, feeling that it looked vaguely familiar, and asked casually.

“Oh, these are black coffee beans from Kazdel. It’s normal that you haven’t seen them before.” Shining tore open the packaging to reveal a dark tin can with a cute tiger printed on it. “However, it would be troublesome if it doesn’t suit your taste. I bought this especially for you.”

"Huh? For me?" Qin Duanyu was a little confused, but quickly realized what was going on.

His office was completely destroyed in the last desk incident. Although it was quickly renovated and all the furniture and equipment were replaced, the things stored inside were burned, and he hadn't had time to replenish essential supplies like snacks and coffee.

It's worth noting that even Platinum and Lappland, who often served as assistants, only gradually figured out Qin Duanyu's habits after many rounds of adjustment, realizing that this guy would struggle to lose weight without drinking coffee every day.

She is indeed the kind of gentle and well-mannered older sister who is very thoughtful.

“It’s all my fault for taking the liberty. If you don’t like this brand of coffee, I’ll order some Colombian coffee…” Shining saw that he hadn’t spoken for a while and assumed that he didn’t like this kind of coffee. She couldn’t help but blame herself for not asking more questions beforehand and instead habitually buying this kind.

"Life is about trying new things, and it's nice to try a brand you've never had before. I should thank you for being so thoughtful; without coffee, today would have been tough," Qin Duanyu said quickly upon seeing this.

"You flatter me. I was just doing my duty as an assistant," Shining said with a slight smile, her expression softening.

It seems that while Shining is more adaptable than Nearl in everyday life, she can also be a bit too serious when it comes to work. Seeing the girl's somewhat overreaction, Qin Duanyu simply assumed it was just her personality and didn't think much of it.

……

Back in the familiar office, well, the curtains used to block out Warfarin, the soft sofa where you could lie down and take a nap... and the various official documents piled up like a small mountain and covered in dust, the furnishings were not much different from what I remembered.

The only change was that the partition under the desk was removed.

It is said that this was specifically requested by Dr. Kal'tsit.

Okay, it seems she really does mind.

Qin Duanyu looked away with some disappointment, not because the strange play she had come up with inspired by that day could not be implemented, but because she regretted that she could no longer work in a suit jacket and shorts.

Why not treat her to strawberry ice cream sometime? Maybe she'll be so happy she'll forget about it. Qin Duanyu quickly wrote out an application for desk renovation, stuffed it into the bottom of the drawer, and planned to throw it into the pile of documents to fool everyone when the time was right.

Next came the tense and exciting process of processing official documents, such as those for a sign-in event. Countless documents were signed and issued. Qin Duanyu, who was in a state of "high tension," yawned and prepared to ask Shanling to make him a cup of coffee.

"Doctor, I just made some coffee, would you like some?" A rich aroma of coffee wafted over as Shining approached with a steaming cup in hand.

Unlike the delicate and refined Syracuse coffee, or the refreshing and delicate Colombian coffee, this Kazdel coffee has a very aggressive and distinctive aroma, giving people a rugged and wild feeling.

Surprisingly, she didn't dislike it; in fact, she quite liked it. It was like she had drunk it countless times before, a feeling of comfort and nostalgia like seeing an old friend. Qin Duanyu took a sip, then closed her eyes in blissful contentment.