The problem with saving the city is that, afterward, people kind of know who you are.
For Task Force Chimera, hailed as the "Heroes of Hanoi," this meant their quiet lives were officially over.
The military, in a brilliant move of propaganda to boost public morale, released their heavily edited and very cool-looking profiles to the public.
Quynh Nhu, "Hawkeye," was depicted as an enigmatic and deadly shadow. Pham Tuan, "Juggernaut," was the unbreakable shield of the people. Minerva was a faceless ghost, a digital angel watching over the city.
And Lin Ming, "Zenith," was portrayed as the calm, calculating leader, a once-in-a-generation strategic genius.
The result was instantaneous, city-wide stardom.
For Lin Ming, this meant that his quiet walks to school were now punctuated by squealing teenagers asking for his autograph.
"Oh my god, it's Zenith! Can you sign my textbook?"
"He's even more handsome in person!"
"Zenith, I love you! Please have my babies!" shouted an over-enthusiastic young man, for the second time in Lin Ming's short public career.
[New Title Unlocked: Reluctant Heartthrob]
[Description: The Host's handsome face is now a recognized city asset. May cause spontaneous declarations of love and a 5% increase in awkward social encounters.]
[System Advice: Sunglasses might help. Or a paper bag.]
His newfound fame also brought back an old nuisance. His Aunt Lin Le showed up at his family's new, luxurious apartment, her face a mixture of shock and opportunistic glee.
"Oh, little Ming!" she gushed, barging in without an invitation. "To think you were a city hero all along! So secretive! My son, you know, he's just been promoted to managing logistics for the heroes' support team. A very important job! He says he works directly with Zenith's unit. Isn't that a coincidence?"
Lin Ming's mother, Mai, gave her a strained smile. "Yes, a huge coincidence, Sister-in-law."
The lie was so blatant it was almost impressive. Her son was probably in charge of ordering toilet paper for a regional barracks fifty kilometers away.
"I just think," Aunt Le continued, her voice dripping with faux concern, "that a hero like Ming should be with a proper girl. My neighbor has a daughter, she's... well, she has a great personality. I can arrange a meeting!"
Before Lin Ming could politely refuse, his personal comms unit buzzed. A text message popped up on his private channel.
Su Quyen: My father wants to have dinner with you.
Lin Ming almost choked on his water. Dinner with his former-and-hopefully-future girlfriend's high-ranking ASEAN official father? That sounded more terrifying than facing two Nascent Soul aliens.
He quickly typed back. Zenith: Is this about my performance report or because he found out I'm talking to his daughter?
Su Quyen: Both, I think. He called you an 'asset with alarming and unorthodox tendencies'. Wear a clean shirt. 7 p.m. Don't be late.
This was a classic "face-slapping" scenario in the making, but this time, he might be the one getting his face slapped if he messed up.
The day got weirder. He was called to the Dragon's Fang training grounds by Instructor Long. The stern instructor, who once viewed him with suspicion, now looked at him like he was a winning lottery ticket.
"Zenith!" he boomed, clapping Lin Ming on the shoulder with enough force to rattle a normal person's teeth. "Good to see you! Listen, the school's annual budget review is coming up. As our most decorated graduate, a few words from you about how our 'rigorous training program' shaped you into a hero would... be very beneficial."
Lin Ming stared at him. The "rigorous training" had involved him letting a school bully use him as a punching bag to farm points.
"Of course, Instructor," Lin Ming said with a perfectly straight face. "I learned many valuable lessons here. Mostly about pain tolerance."
Instructor Long beamed, completely missing the sarcasm. "Excellent! That's the spirit!"
As he was leaving the facility, he ran into the last person he wanted to see: Trinh Tuan, the spoiled young master he had humiliated in the drone test. Trinh Tuan, who used to look at him with contempt, now had an expression of deep, complicated awe.
"Z-Zenith," he stammered, actually bowing his head slightly. "I heard about what you did. What your team did. My father's warehouses near the power grid... they would have been destroyed. You saved my family's business."
He shoved a small, very expensive-looking box into Lin Ming's hands. "This is... a 'Ginseng of Spiritual Clarity.' It's over 500 years old. It helps cultivators focus their mind. A... a token of my gratitude. And... an apology. For being a jackass."
[Rival has been completely conquered and is now a Fanboy.]
['Legend Humiliator' Title glows with pride. He didn't even have to beat him up this time!]
[+500 'Guilt-Tripped' Battle Will Points Acquired.]
Lin Ming looked at the box. This ancient ginseng was probably worth more than his family's new apartment. Defeating your rivals, it turned out, was extremely profitable.
"Apology accepted," Lin Ming said, patting a stunned Trinh Tuan on the shoulder. "Keep working hard. The city needs everyone it can get."
He left Trinh Tuan standing there, looking as if he had just received a divine blessing.
Finally, he arrived back at the Chimera barracks, hoping for some peace. He found Quynh Nhu and Pham Tuan in the living room, standing in front of a mountain of boxes.
"What is all this?" Lin Ming asked.
"Fan mail," Quynh Nhu said, kicking a box. "Apparently, I'm now the 'Rose of the Battlefield.' They sent me flowers, perfume, and... dozens of offers for milk tea endorsements. Pham Tuan got a bunch of protein powder and was named 'Hanoi's Most Eligible Boulder.'"
Pham Tuan blushed a deep shade of crimson that looked very strange on his greyish, stone-like skin.
Lin Ming's own pile of boxes was even larger. Most of it was just junk, but one small, discrete package caught his eye. There was no return address. He opened it. Inside, nestled in soft foam, was a state-of-the-art, custom-built stealth earpiece and a single data chip.
A note attached read:
They'll be monitoring official channels now. This line is mine. Untraceable.
The chip contains my research on 'White Rabbit'. You were right. It's not a myth. It's very, very real.
- M :)
Lin Ming smirked. In a single day, he'd dealt with his annoying aunt, received a terrifying dinner invitation, been used as a tool for school funding, turned a major rival into a follower, and received a secret mission package from his ghost-hacker teammate.
Fame, he decided, was exhausting, ridiculous, and incredibly useful. He pocketed the ginseng and Minerva's chip. First, he had a dinner to survive. Then, he had a spaceship to find.