Chapter 101: Military Merit ( PLAT )

Ethan stared at the conditional admission letter from Pinnacle University, a thoughtful look on his face. Top-ten ranking in the city-wide exams… not based on score. Suddenly, all the disparate pieces clicked into place—the brutal practical combat class, Mr. Gordon’s passionate speeches, the school's sudden, jarring focus on fighting real monsters. A slow grin spread across his face. They’re not looking for scholars anymore. They’re looking for soldiers.

He returned to school the next day and excitedly shared the news and his theory with Marcus and Seraphina. The two of them were extremely happy for him, their faces filled with genuine, unadulterated joy. At the same time, they were full of gratitude. If it weren't for him leading the charge, they wouldn't have received recommendation notices from any other schools, let alone have a shot at their real dream. Although they now held guaranteed admission offers from other fine universities, their ultimate goal remained Pinnacle University. They unanimously decided to give up on these safe bets and instead focus entirely on preparing for the new, more challenging college entrance exam, vowing to fight for their dreams together.

When Marcus and Seraphina told their families about this decision, their parents expressed their full support. They believed that as long as their children had a firm belief and a clear goal, the journey of striving for it, even in failure, would be a priceless, character-building asset.

Time flew by, and another half a month had passed. During this period, every day for Ethan was extremely fulfilling. The psionic theory classes were rich with new information, while the advanced combat and practical combat classes made every student sweat buckets. In these combat classes, Ethan, with his real-world experience, had naturally become something of a "big brother" to his classmates. He would constantly "bully" those students who were not pleasing to his eye, pointing out their flaws in form, sparring with them relentlessly, and using his own hard-won experience to force them to improve under the guise of friendly competition.

His days were spent in this leisurely, comfortable, yet productive state. However, on this day, Mr. Gordon came to him after class, a proud smile on his face. The military, he said, had prepared a special reward for him. An official military merit medal and a bonus of three million credits.

Receiving a merit medal was an extremely high honor. It was tangible, official proof of his contribution and would grant him preferential treatment when applying for universities—a bonus on his entrance exams and the focused attention of recruiters. More importantly, the three-million-credit bonus greatly relieved Ethan's lingering financial pressure.

The next day, under the school's arrangement, Ethan, Marcus, and Seraphina, all wearing their neat school uniforms, arrived at the New Veridia military region headquarters under the leadership of Mr. Gordon. Besides them, the grounds were filled with soldiers who had come to receive their own commendations for their bravery during the recent beast tide.

A tall, imposing soldier wearing a decorated military uniform took to the stage. This was General Valerius. His voice was loud and clear as he began his speech. “Fellow soldiers, my apologies for not having the time to attend your school's opening competition last time. But today, I want to solemnly commend the heroes who have made outstanding contributions in our previous battle against the Evolution Cult!”

With the General's booming voice, the scene instantly erupted in thunderous, heartfelt applause. The commendation ceremony began. One soldier after another went up to the stage to receive their own honors, their faces beaming with pride.

The three of them waited nervously below the stage. Finally, General Valerius announced their names. “And now, let us welcome, with the warmest possible applause, the three little heroes who have made truly outstanding contributions in this incident!”

The applause was like a powerful tide, one wave after another crashing over them. The three of them walked up to the stage with their heads held high and their chests puffed out, accepting the baptism of applause from hundreds of hardened soldiers.

General Valerius personally presented the medals to them. When it was his turn to present the medal to Ethan, he pinned it to his chest and then reminded him in a low, gruff voice, “Brat, you train well. The future of the Global Concord still depends on courageous young people like you.”

Ethan nodded forcefully, his heart swelling with pride. “General, rest assured, I will definitely not let you down!”

After the ceremony ended, they received their rewards. Marcus and Seraphina each received a bonus of 500,000 credits. Ethan received his promised three million credits, as well as a piece of advanced-grade psionic gear—a personal gift from General Valerius himself.

The gear was a simple-looking wrist guard. The General explained that its main function was that after being infused with psionic energy, it could change its shape at will. Not only could it become a helmet, gauntlets, or a breastplate, but it could also be attached to the body like a second skin, like symbiotic clothes. Although its defensive power was not overwhelming on its own, its special, adaptable characteristic made it perfectly suited for Ethan's many different forms.

Valerius had given him this gift not only to express his personal gratitude—that map had been an invaluable piece of intelligence that had led to his own commendation and recommendation for promotion—but also as an investment in a future asset. For a Rank Four master like him, an advanced-grade piece of psionic gear was a small price to pay.

Ethan, holding the wrist guard, was extremely grateful. “Thank you, General!”

He cherished this piece of gear very much. It was a true treasure, a high-grade piece of psionic equipment. But more than that, it was a symbol of the General's encouragement and his heavy expectation. This made Ethan even more determined to become a strong person who could truly protect his home and his country.