The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

You might wonder why Jiang Hui is now teaming up with Zhou Xiuwen after they had just aimed their guns at each other.

Initially, Jiang Hui didn’t plan to work with him at all. She only intended to show a little kindness, considering he had asked for her help.

However, she never thought of dragging someone along, especially in such a perilous training ground. She didn’t have the capability to do that.

But just a moment ago, Jiang Hui suddenly changed her mind.

When she was “confronting” Zhou Xiuwen, she hadn’t completely let her guard down. While talking to him, she remained vigilant about her surroundings because she understood better than anyone the principle of “the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.”

Jiang Hui didn’t want to be careless and let someone take advantage of her. Once she confirmed that Zhou Xiuwen wasn’t a threat, she relaxed her guard a bit and subtly shifted her focus elsewhere.

Someone was hiding very well, remaining calm and patient. At first, Jiang Hui only sensed something was off with her keen intuition.

But after Zhou Xiuwen appeared and got involved, that hidden person became bolder, glancing over multiple times. Naturally, Jiang Hui noticed this change.

The other party clearly hesitated to take a precise shot at her, and so did Jiang Hui. However, the hiding spot was relatively open, and if they started shooting, they would likely be discovered and face a “surrounded” situation. Thus, they continued to coexist without any conflict, each pretending not to see the other.

But this precarious balance was disrupted with Zhou Xiuwen’s arrival.

With the prey delivered right to her door, Jiang Hui couldn’t help but be distracted. The other party immediately saw an opportunity. Little did they know, Zhou Xiuwen posed no threat to Jiang Hui at all; he hardly divided her attention.

If the enemy directly targeted Zhou Xiuwen, it would have been more advantageous for Jiang Hui, as it would reveal the enemy’s position and make it easier for her to deal with this cunning adversary. She was gaining confidence in her shooting accuracy.

Unfortunately, the enemy was overly ambitious and didn’t take the shot at the large target that Zhou Xiuwen presented, instead choosing to confront Jiang Hui directly.

As expected, they seized the moment when Jiang Hui seemed to relax.

However, Jiang Hui had already locked onto him and was prepared to turn the tables, using Zhou Xiuwen’s distraction to counterattack.

What surprised her was that Zhou Xiuwen, completely unarmed, showed loyalty instead of seeking revenge or fleeing amidst the chaos. He stepped in to block the shot. Jiang Hui couldn’t decide whether to call him brave or foolish.

Jiang Hui had already calculated her evasion angle, but Zhou Xiuwen’s sudden movement completely threw her off course, and the enemy’s bullet missed its mark.

Yet, her well-aimed shot was released before the enemy or Zhou Xiuwen could react, successfully taking down the sly adversary. Though there were some unexpected developments, the outcome was ultimately favorable and satisfactory.

After the situation was resolved, Jiang Hui realized that Zhou Xiuwen was not the liability she had imagined. She then inquired about his mental strength.

The hidden gunman’s ability to conceal himself was quite strong; without her high level of mental power, she might not have noticed him at all. So, Zhou Xiuwen must also have considerable mental strength if he was able to perceive and respond so quickly.

Jiang Hui thought uncertainly. Thus, an unusual temporary team was formed.

It was called a temporary team because there were only two members, falling short of the five needed to form a proper team, which meant they couldn’t enjoy many of the benefits that come with team formation. Furthermore, since it was a makeshift team, the members still fought independently, with no shared damage.

Of course, this also meant that if a member of a temporary team was shot, it wouldn’t affect the other member. In reality, it was just a label of “team,” not a true squad.

The only useful and binding aspect was that the relationship in this temporary team restricted the members’ actions. Specifically, team members couldn’t attack each other; otherwise, such attacks would be deemed ineffective and recognized by the simulation vest as invalid.

This type of temporary team was essentially a transitional phase towards forming a squad. After all, not everyone could immediately find five reliable teammates to form an ideal team, so a reasonable transition period was necessary.

Jiang Hui had never thought of forming a team for herself. Given her limited acquaintances at this school, she couldn’t even gather a full squad. From the beginning, she had planned to operate solo.

She wasn’t fixated on achieving a certain rank or taking down a specific number of targets; she simply aimed to score as many points as possible and not waste such an interesting large-scale event.

However, being alone in such a chaotic environment was still a struggle. Navigating the complex terrain and engaging in combat was difficult enough, let alone having to stay alert in every direction. Who knew if eyes were watching from behind? Just thinking about it was terrifying, but there was no way to avoid it.

If two people were watching each other’s backs, they could achieve a nearly “360-degree” vigilance, effectively covering all angles. As long as they were cautious, no one would be able to ambush them easily.

After some consideration, Jiang Hui decided to form a temporary partnership with Zhou Xiuwen. This arrangement would not only help mitigate the threat they posed to each other but also prevent any deeper entanglement. Currently, their team consisted of just the two of them.

She generously returned the firearms and some essential supplies she had taken from him, then began guiding Zhou Xiuwen through the training ground, initiating a cooperative strategy of “one person shooting while the other supports.”

During this process, Jiang Hui discovered that despite Zhou Xiuwen’s laid-back attitude, his mental strength, perception, and reaction time were impressive. He was highly cooperative and showed significant potential.

More importantly, his acting skills meshed seamlessly with hers, allowing them to draw out several well-hidden ambushers. Those ambushers likely had no idea that the two were working together until they were eliminated.

Zhou Xiuwen seemed to have no obsession with being in charge or scoring points; he simply wanted Jiang Hui to protect him, and he was fully compliant with her plans.

He was truly an ideal teammate.

Jiang Hui thought that even if her familiar teammate Xierman was by her side, the situation wouldn’t likely be the same.

Of course, even if Xierman were there, she couldn’t be sure he would be willing to be her teammate. After all, just because they got along well in normal times didn’t mean they would do the same in a competition; it depended on each person’s abilities.

In any case, she wouldn’t hold back.