"..." Gao Neng really wanted to say the door was broken.

However, after a glance at Shen Ning’Er, he reluctantly opened the door. The instant it swung open, an overwhelming stench of alcohol washed over him.

Fang Tangtang’s face was flushed red like a ripe apple. She looked incredibly excited, completely ignoring Gao Neng as she lunged straight for Shen Ning’Er.

"Sister Ning’Er, you’re really here?!"

"Tangtang, you’ve been drinking again!" Shen Ning’Er stood up and chided her.

"Hahaha, I couldn’t help it! My family has tons of social functions, you know... I’ve been navigating the drinking scene since I was twelve. You’re looking at the ’Little Tyrant of the Drinking Table’! Sister Ning’Er, I brought booze! You can’t drink in the military district, can you?" As she spoke, Fang Tangtang began pulling out food from various bags and piling it on the table.

As for the alcohol...

Gao Neng was utterly stunned.

This little loli, Fang Tangtang, had actually stored the alcohol in a silvery-white, high-dimensional capsule. What she pulled out was a large, mud-sealed jar that weighed at least twenty pounds.

"I snuck this out of the house! Even my grandpa is reluctant to drink it. That guy Kong Kun wanted a taste, but there’s no way I’d let him have any of this. Sister Ning’Er... did you come here specially to celebrate with me?" Fang Tangtang expertly broke the mud seal and casually poured a glass for both herself and Shen Ning’Er.

"If Grandpa Fang knew you were sneaking alcohol from home, he’d probably spank you!" Shen Ning’Er said as she sniffed the rich aroma of the wine, a hint of red gradually appearing on her face.

"My grandpa wouldn’t have the heart to hit me. Besides, I’m drinking with Sister Ning’Er. I dare him to try and spank my butt!" Fang Tangtang said with an unconcerned expression, then raised her glass. "Sister Ning’Er, cheers!"

"Cheers!" Shen Ning’Er raised her glass and clinked it against Fang Tangtang’s.

"GULP!"

They both downed their drinks in one go.

"..." Gao Neng was a bit dumbfounded.

’They just started drinking, just like that?’

’Wait, Shen Ning’Er actually drank it? And she’s drinking in my dorm room, no less! One second she was scolding Fang Tangtang, and the next it’s ’cheers’?’

’Could this be the legendary creature known as ’woman’?’

"Gao Neng, want a drink? Kong Kun could never get his hands on this, but you’re my brother-in-law... Ouch, ouch... Sister Ning’Er, why are you pinching my face?" Fang Tangtang was about to say more, but Shen Ning’Er’s hand had already pinched her cheeks into a round pancake.

"Do you want to drink?" After pinching for a moment, Shen Ning’Er let go and looked at Gao Neng, a faint, indiscernible glint flashing in her bright eyes.

"I’m not much of a drinker... I’d better not." Gao Neng hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the time again. ’Only ten minutes left. I should be able to hold out, right?’

"If you don’t know how, you can learn! How can my brother-in-law not drink... Ack, Sister Ning’Er, I won’t say it again!"

"Then continue your practice." Shen Ning’Er didn’t seem to intend to persuade Gao Neng to drink. Seeing that Fang Tangtang had shut her mouth, she let go of her again.

Gao Neng didn’t say anything more.

He went back to staring blankly at the clock.

Meanwhile, Fang Tangtang and Shen Ning’Er paid him no further attention. The two of them drank glass after glass, ate, and chatted about topics Gao Neng couldn’t understand.

For example: the Alliance’s recent economic trends, new policies issued by the Military Department, and the latest developments on the battlefield.

The two of them chatted happily.

But Gao Neng’s expression gradually darkened.

It wasn’t because he couldn’t understand them, but because the clock had long since passed midnight. In fact, ten minutes had passed; it was now 12:10 AM.

But the system’s notification sound...

...had yet to ring.

’What’s the meaning of this?!’

’It’s past midnight. Doesn’t that count as staying the night?’

Gao Neng was furious.

’What’s wrong with this trashy system?’

’Does it really expect me to make Shen Ning’Er stay the *entire* night?’

That led to a very serious question.

’If this little loli, Fang Tangtang, stubbornly refuses to leave, and it results in both her and Shen Ning’Er staying over, does that still count as completing the mission?’

Gao Neng figured it should be fine. After all, the system didn’t seem to have explicitly stated that he had to make Shen Ning’Er stay over by herself, right?

’Having both of them stay...’

’It shouldn’t affect anything!’

While Gao Neng was thinking this, Song Tianyun was still pacing back and forth in the principal’s office at the Eastern Capital Military Academy. He was on the verge of going crazy after receiving the latest news.

’Fang Tangtang went in too!’

’What in the world are they up to in the middle of the night?!’

’It’s one thing for the young couple to be all lovey-dovey, but for a huge third wheel like you to barge in... are they starting a love tri—wait. Is it possible that Fang Tangtang and Gao Neng also have a thing going on?’

’The two of them seemed to have registered on the same day.’

’No, no!’

’Gao Neng has always been in the Forgotten Land, while Fang Tangtang lives in the Eastern Capital. They shouldn’t have ever met, right? But then again, you can never be sure...’

The more Song Tianyun thought about it, the more his heart pounded in his chest.

He would have never thought this way before, but after the whole affair with Shen Ning’Er, he had a strange feeling that it wasn’t entirely impossible for Fang Tangtang to fall for Gao Neng as well.

’The world of young people...’

’He really didn’t understand it anymore!’

’It’s too complicated!’

Of course, Gao Neng had no idea what Song Tianyun was thinking.

He was feeling truly dejected now. He practiced distractedly while staring at the clock, watching the seconds tick by until it pointed to half-past one in the morning.

Fang Tangtang’s voice had gradually grown much quieter.

It was almost inaudible.

’Looks like she’s drunk.’

Shen Ning’Er was also looking groggy, and she soon slumped down onto the table as well.

Gao Neng’s heart leaped with joy.

’They both passed out?!’

’What an unexpected, pleasant surprise! This means Shen Ning’Er definitely won’t be leaving tonight, right? The system should be giving me my reward now, shouldn’t it?’

Gao Neng continued to wait.

He waited another two or three minutes. He could even hear Fang Tangtang’s even breathing, and Shen Ning’Er was completely still, but the system’s notification sound still hadn’t arrived.

’What the hell is with this trashy system!’

’This is totally a bug!’

’Do I really have to wait until morning for this to count as a success?’

"Alright, you trashy system, you’re ruthless!" Gao Neng let out a long sigh, stopped his practice, and turned to look at the table where the two had been drinking.

He hadn’t noticed before, but one look gave him a shock.

It was a complete mess.

’So this was the aftermath... the battle record of two women drinking together could be this ferocious?’

Gao Neng rubbed his temples. He wasn’t just dejected now; his head was starting to ache. Nevertheless, he stood up, first pulling back the covers on his bed, then walked over to Shen Ning’Er.

"Ning’Er, I’m just putting you to bed," Gao Neng muttered, as if hypnotizing himself. Then, he reached out, scooped Shen Ning’Er up in his arms, and carefully placed her on the bed.

After a moment’s thought...

Gao Neng took off Shen Ning’Er’s outer jacket.

He truly hadn’t thought about what to do next. After all, his mind was completely filled with thoughts of the Middle-Level Treasure Chest. As for that other stuff between men and women?

’Is that even important right now!’

’I don’t even have a career yet, what’s the point of chasing women?’

After settling Shen Ning’Er, Gao Neng then carried Fang Tangtang onto the bed as well.

After carrying both women to the bed, Gao Neng boiled a kettle of hot water. He cleaned the room while also opening a window to air out the smell.

By the time the room was clean, the water had boiled.

Gao Neng took out a clean towel, dipped it in the hot water, and gently dabbed Shen Ning’Er’s face. He then rinsed the towel and wiped Fang Tangtang’s face as well.

After taking care of all that, he finally felt a hint of drowsiness.

He closed the window again, checked the blankets on Shen Ning’Er and Fang Tangtang, and then, relieved, lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing the welfare mission: The First of Three Days and Three Nights. The system rewards one Middle-Level Treasure Chest!" Just then, the mechanical voice sounded.

Gao Neng practically shot up from his deathbed.

’It’s complete?!’

’Why did it suddenly complete?’

Gao Neng opened his eyes and looked at the clock. It was almost two in the morning. Less than half an hour had passed since one-thirty.

’What’s going on?’

’So I didn’t have to wait until morning after all? Was there some other condition?’

As Gao Neng was pondering this, he noticed Shen Ning’Er shift slightly on the bed. Then, the sound of her steady, even breathing filled the room.

’Shen Ning’Er wasn’t drunk just now. No... she didn’t pass out at all. She was pretending to be asleep!’ Gao Neng finally understood the system’s completion criteria. Only when Shen Ning’Er had truly decided to stay for the night would the mission be considered complete.

’Which meant...’

’When he carried her to the bed earlier, she hadn’t actually decided to stay yet. She was still thinking of leaving?!’

Thinking of this, Gao Neng felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

’Phew, lucky for me I’m no beast.’

’Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.’

’Shen Ning’Er had been testing him this whole time. Perhaps the test had started the moment Fang Tangtang walked in, when Shen Ning’Er had asked him if he wanted a drink.’

’What if he had said yes?’

’There was an eighty percent chance he would have been drunk under the table, and then Shen Ning’Er would have left with Fang Tangtang. As for the other twenty percent... she would have just gotten angry and left immediately.’

’In short, the mission would have been impossible to complete. After all, Fang Tangtang lived just upstairs, and Shen Ning’Er definitely knew that. The only reason she didn’t leave was to test him.’

’But why would Shen Ning’Er go through all the trouble to test him?’

’She could have just gone upstairs and been fine, but instead, she pretended not to know, had a huge drinking session with Fang Tangtang in his dorm, and even pretended to pass out?’

’Could it be that, deep down... Shen Ning’Er didn’t really want to leave?’

’She didn’t want to leave?’

’She wanted to stay?’

’She’s fallen for me?’

Uh...

Gao Neng shook his head hard. The difference in their status was too great. He was just a poor boy from the Forgotten Land. And Shen Ning’Er?

She wasn’t just Vice Commander Shen’s precious granddaughter; she was a true genius, an Alliance Major at eighteen, a being who could take him out in a single move.

Gao Neng didn’t continue down that train of thought. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but that he didn’t dare.

’Get stronger!’

’Only by getting stronger will I have the right to even think about these things.’

"A Middle-Level Treasure Chest... Open!" Gao Neng stared at the chest floating before his eyes, praying endlessly. ’It has to be a Soul Tempering Pill. My Energy Materialization is just missing Spiritual Power. It has to be a Soul Tempering Pill.’

(Whoa, I went drinking tonight and got totally wasted... Passed right out. Woke up with a start at 2 AM and crawled out of bed to write a Chapter... Can you believe it? Please subscribe, everyone! Xin Yi is working hard to a degree that even I can’t believe!)