Arknights: Studying medicine can't save Terra

Qi Yan (This is the boss, so you can't scold him): Besides, wouldn't it be a waste if I painstakingly recorded the original soundtrack tapes that I was going to put into the prize pool?

Kroos: !

Doctor (who is also the boss, but you can mutter a few curses): Competition second, friendship first, support Amiya!

Kroos: Friendship first, competition second. Support Amiya!

Qi Yan (this is the boss, you can't scold him): Are there echo chambers here too?

Kroos retracted a message.

The PhD (who is also the boss, but you can mutter a few curses under your breath): Don't bark, you white dog!

Qi Yan (this is the boss, you can't insult him) has been banned by the administrator for 5 minutes.

The PhD (who is also the boss, but you can mutter a few words of criticism): But then again, a competition with absolutely no prizes is indeed too dry.

Kroos: But then again, a competition with absolutely no prizes is definitely too dry.

Kroos has been muted by the administrator for five minutes.

Amiya: ...So, Doctor, what suggestions do you have?

The PhD (who is also the boss, but you can mutter a few curses): Let's add a verbal reward: the champion will receive a "you're awesome" compliment from the other contestants.

Amiya: Is this considered a reward?

Amiya: But since it's the Doctor's suggestion, sure.

Competition first, friendship second

Under the somewhat intense gazes of the Doctor and Qi Yan in the crowd, Kroos announced the reward with a hint of bewilderment.

Upon hearing the details of the rewards, the female operators in the training room, including Blaze and Outcast, who had already registered for the competition, were somewhat bewildered, and their enthusiasm for participating clearly cooled down considerably.

The male operators, including Logos, who had been chatting and laughing together, began to exchange subtle glances. Although they did not part ways, the atmosphere had clearly become more distant, and they stood there, heads down, pondering their next tactics.

Kroos had no idea what these guys were thinking, assuming it was Amiya's plan to eliminate competition working, and proceeded to the next step on her own.

"As you can see, this competition is still being held in the training room, which has been renovated by Logos and others."

"The round bench race is not just an ordinary competition of who can pedal the fastest; it's a brutal obstacle course that combines sharp turns and uphill and downhill sections!"

"The participants will use round stools provided by our engineering department to compete on the track, combining strength and skill. The first participant to complete three laps around the track will be the winner of this competition!"

As soon as Kroos finished reading the rules of the game that everyone already knew, someone in the crowd immediately raised their hand.

"Brother ACE? Is there anything else you want to say?" Kroos asked, puzzled.

ACE adjusted his sunglasses, stepped forward with steady steps, and asked:

"Will Qi Yan and the Doctor also participate in this competition?"

The doctor and Qi Yan said in unison.

ACE frowned instantly, as if he had encountered something very troublesome.

Behind him, the expressions of the other male operators also began to turn solemn, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Completely unaware that she was now part of the Liberi tribe, Kroos was still waving her hand and chuckling:

"Relax, although these two will also participate, it's just a round bench race. No matter how smart the Doctor is, he can't make up for his physical disadvantage. As for Qi Yan, he promised not to use the power of his golden eyes and black hair."

The professor nodded repeatedly to Qi Yan, who even patted the professor's chest loudly, assuring him:

"Everyone, believe me, I, Qi Xiaobai, would never cheat!"

"I...cough cough...I..."

The doctor instinctively wanted to resist, but then seemed to remember something and suppressed his overflowing desire for revenge, obediently cooperating with Qi Yan's actions in order to dispel ACE and the others' doubts.

ACE turned around, his gaze sweeping over Logos and the others, before finally settling on Kroos:

"I trust everyone, but to prevent any accidents from happening during the game, please allow me to bring my own tactical equipment."

Kroos, you know me, I was absolutely doing this to protect everyone.

Kroos: ?

Something feels off.

“Me too.” Logos stepped forward as well. “I have full confidence in ACE’s abilities, but he is best at close combat, so please allow me to bring my bone pen as well, for double insurance.”

Kroos: ?

Something's not right! Something's definitely not right!

"Protecting the safety of the competition venue is everyone's responsibility!"

Scout and the others couldn't stand still any longer and stepped forward to ask if they could take their tactical equipment.

Kroos: ? ? ?

"No, what are you trying to do!" Kroos screamed. "I have a feeling you're about to start fighting!"

"How could that be? Haha, how could that be!"

A group of boys with fake smiles started putting their arms around each other's shoulders, trying their best to show their 'wonderful friendship'.

"Alright, it's just tactical equipment."

Qi Yan stepped in to smooth things over: "Bring whatever you like. As long as you're happy, it's fine even if everyone is armed to the teeth."

Upon hearing this, the male operators became even more nervous.

Logos stared at the composed Qi Yan and the silent Doctor, and whispered to the people around him:

"The situation is not good. I think we should cooperate and deal with these two formidable enemies, Qi Yan and the Doctor, first!"

"My sniper rifle and I are responsible for taking care of the doctor."

"My shield and I are on guard against Qi Yan."

"And my bow and arrows."

"And there are the traps I secretly hid behind your backs when I was setting up the competition venue."

The Tin Man walked through the somewhat unfamiliar corridors of Rhodes Island. Even though his body structure did not have nerves, he couldn't help but take off his hat and scratch his head.

"Strange, why is Rhodes Island so deserted? It's one thing that there's no security, but there aren't any pedestrians in the corridors either?"

"Rhodes Island is too careless. Aren't they afraid that someone will infiltrate and steal data or cause damage?"

"...Oh right, Rhodes Island has Qi Yan."

The tin man realized what was happening, shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh, and turned to continue searching for Amiya's office alone in the corridor.

He hadn't gone far when he encountered a stunningly beautiful woman with a cool and aloof demeanor.

Even the Tin Man, upon seeing this dragon woman dressed in a Yan-style qipao, couldn't help but be momentarily stunned by her ethereal aura.

But the Tin Man quickly regained his composure.

He discovered that this stunningly beautiful woman, who seemed to have stepped out of a painting, was staring at him intently with her clear, orange-red eyes, her gaze revealing an undisguised sense of unfamiliarity and distance.

More importantly, even the slightest unintentional leak of his aura was enough to make this undead soul, who had existed for over a thousand years, feel nervous.

They both spoke at the same time, and then stopped talking at the same time because the other spoke.

The atmosphere in the corridor suddenly became somewhat oppressive.

The tin man felt as if his metal joints were rusting, becoming somewhat less flexible, and explained with some difficulty:

"Madam, please don't misunderstand. I am not an intruder. I am Amiya's guest. I just found no one to meet me when I arrived, so I acted alone."

Despite explaining, the tin man's heart was filled with remorse.

He had assumed that Rhodes Island’s unguarded confidence stemmed from Qi Yan, but he never expected that he would encounter such a terrifying being just by taking a few casual steps!

From the other party's imposing presence and racial characteristics, the Tin Man gradually deduced the other party's identity.

Xi looked at the guy in front of her who suddenly became nervous. Her face, which was free of makeup and had no makeup on, remained unchanged, but she felt a little confused.

Since arriving on the island, she has secluded herself in her paintings, rarely interacting with others. Except for a few people, everyone else is a stranger to her. When she finally managed to strike up a conversation with someone, it turned out to be a guest.

What should be done in this situation?

Xi An fell into deep thought.

She's not good at handling these kinds of things!

The man was completely unaware that the woman he was facing was a socially awkward person. Seeing that Xi was just looking at him silently, his tension and regret had reached their peak.

Suddenly, the Tin Man saw Xi make a move without warning, grabbing a scroll from the void and throwing it at him.

The tin man instinctively stepped back, but the scroll still landed precisely in his hands.

"Take it to the training room to find Qi Lin."

Xi left after saying that.

Why would he disdain to harm himself, instead of marking him and making him turn himself in?

But he can't find the training room!

While the Tin Man was bewildered, Xi had already reached the end of the corridor and directly entered her own painting on the wall.

If you're not good at socializing, then don't socialize!

Although Nian and Qi Yan always call her a silly girl, she's not silly at all; she's very smart!

A small question lingered in Xi's heart.

This can be considered as fulfilling Qi Yan's obligation, right?

Why did this guy come to me asking for help with some cheating gadgets? In the end, I have to deliver them to his door.

She doesn't want to go to places with so many people!

The doctor died in Eureka 2.0.

In the Rhode Island girls' dormitory area, at the far end of the corridor, the door slowly opened.

A touch of pink peeked out from inside the room.

"There's no one here. Doctor wasn't lying to me after all. Everyone's gone to the training room."

Eureka nodded in satisfaction, picked up her beloved camera, and skipped out of the room in her slippers.

"A round stool racing competition sounds like a really exciting event. The professor is so kind to me, he even granted me exclusive live streaming privileges."

Eureka was happily imagining how much buzz she would get from this live stream, and her steps became even more cheerful, her loose slippers making soft rustling sounds in the quiet corridor.

Instead of taking the direct route to the training room, she planned to go around and enter the private room the doctor had prepared for her through the back door.

According to the doctor, that single room had a great view and excellent feng shui, offering a panoramic view of the training room and the competition field.

"The doctor is so kind to me, I must thank him properly when I have the chance!"

Eureka felt as if a small sun was shining brightly above her, humming a mumbled little tune as she turned the corner of the corridor and saw the final obstacle on her route.

She could reach the back door of the training room by going up that staircase.

But between her and the stairs, there was a strange figure blocking her way.

Eureka's little sun, which had been hanging in her heart, was instantly shrouded in dark clouds. Her face fell, and she stared at the other person nervously and anxiously, starting a frantic brainstorming session to find an excuse.

After all, theoretically speaking, her actions should be reported to Amiya or Kal'tsit. The Doctor used to have this qualification, but after the last Reunion Movement incident, the Doctor was stripped of the qualification to transfer.

On the other side, the Tin Man, who was standing at the top of the stairs and thinking about his route, heard footsteps and turned around to find a cute Zalak girl performing her face-changing act.

This girl wasn't as intimidating as the previous one; at first glance, she seemed like an ordinary, even somewhat frail, young woman.

There shouldn't be any danger, right?

The tin man hesitated for a moment, then picked up the scroll and prepared to step forward:

"Ah! Don't tell on me, I know I was wrong!"

The tin man was startled by Eureka's scream, and his right leg, which had not yet landed, instantly retracted, even staggering backward.

Then he felt his feet sink into the ground.

"Oh no, there's a staircase behind us!"