Jing Shu squinted at the Capital team leader Zhen Nantian, instantly realizing the long-tongued man's words had been forcibly held back. She was even more curious about what else Zhen Nantian might be hiding. Unfortunately, nothing had been revealed. Everyone obviously had their own secret cards—they wouldn't just lay everything out on the table at first meeting.
And that name, Zhen Nantian, sounded imposing and commanding, right? He might be small in stature, but the energy he radiated was enormous.
After Zhen Nantian's introduction, Yang Yang, also a team leader, began his own. "My code name for this mission is Mountain Goat. I'm also the Wu City team leader, my role is special operative/intelligence, currently rated A+."
That "special operative" part was worth pondering. Jing Shu stroked her chin for a moment, realizing Yang Yang basically said nothing. So his ability was A+? What kind of "special" made him reach A+? Monkey's arrogant gaze showed he wasn't impressed either. Why did this weakling Yang Yang get such a high rating?
"Call me Snake Spirit from now on. My mission role is killer. My ability is using poison I've developed myself, currently rated A. Also, I have a mutated little Thai striped snake rated B+, so my overall rating is A+." As he spoke, something wriggled around his neck. Jing Shu initially thought it was just a tie or scarf, but it moved—turns out it was a snake!
She knew the Thai striped snake ranked seventh among the world's top ten poisons. One bite could release enough venom to kill 150 people, and it was a fairly large snake. This little snake was mutated? One thing was certain—the venom was far stronger than the five-step snake she kept herself.
The muscle man scoffed. "Stop exaggerating. Your so-called self-made poison is just your saliva."
Monkey's face went pale. He dashed to the bathroom and washed his face several times, making Snake Spirit laugh out loud. Even his teammates kept a cautious distance from him.
Jing Shu, however, squinted at the snake around Snake Spirit's neck, thinking about how snake meat tasted similar to eel—lean, firm, and chewy with no off-flavors. Unlike fishy or ducky smells, snake meat was best in a clear soup hotpot. Snake skin and bones made flavorful broth. She'd eaten plenty of five-step snakes, and now she wanted to try Thai striped snake. She wondered if Snake Spirit had developed this species further, and whether she should try to befriend him to taste some of its other qualities.
But seeing Snake Spirit caress the little snake like a treasure, she hesitated. If she mentioned stewing or braising it, would she get bitten? Jing Shu sighed, feeling a bit hesitant to speak.
Next was the bald man, the team's luggage handler. He grinned, patting his head. "Just call me Monk. I'm a monk expelled from my temple, and thanks to a discerning patron, I get to go on this mission to the U.S. for both duty and personal matters. My mission role is front-line muscle and infiltrating a solemn U.S. temple. Rating: A."
Then it was the shy girl's turn. Jing Shu noticed her legs bare, wearing a super short skirt, elegantly munching cookies. Her fluffy, cute bob and cropped down jacket gave her an adorable and shy vibe.
Judging from the outfits, the two women from the teams were instantly distinguishable. Jing Shu had to admit she didn't measure up. She feared the cold, feared danger, and had a huge appetite—one meal could easily be a bowl of rice. How could two women be so different?
"I-I'm Ling Ling. My role is sniper and fire support, currently rated A-. This is my partner, Parrot, capable of reconnaissance, rated C+. Overall rating: A." Ling Ling opened the cage and released her parrot. The bird immediately started flying around the plane, squawking loudly.
"Silly bird, silly bird, come chase me!"
"Found a silly dog, found a silly dog, silly dog, come chase me!"
"Found a bunch of idiots, reporting, found a bunch of idiots!" The parrot perched on Ling Ling's shoulder, repeating, "Found a bunch of idiots."
Everyone: …
Xiao Dou opened one eye, nudged Jing Shu's foot, laid an egg, then went back to sleep. Snake Spirit let out a strangled cry, pointing at Jing Shu's hen. "W-what is this thing?"
Everyone turned their attention to her. Jing Shu felt her face warm. "It's a chicken."
"Ah!" Snake Spirit backed into the corner, terrified. "Why are you bringing this? Is it your battle pet?"
Snakes were afraid of chickens.
Yang Yang said from the side, "It lays eggs to help her maintain her health."
Everyone exchanged weird looks. Even Zhen Nantian, always expressionless, was curiously studying Jing Shu.
Jing Shu hurried to clarify. "Actually, this chicken is a battle chicken. Its combat power is strong." She tried to save face, but judging by everyone's expression, no one believed her. Fine, various pets had uses, but in this apocalypse, who cared about a chicken? It laid twenty eggs a day, though.
Still, she relaxed a little. No one cared about her hen, which meant she could keep her abilities hidden safely.
Finally, it was the big guy's turn. He dragged a chair and sat, feeling like he was in a child's seat.
"Call me Tank. My mission role is front-line tank and human-powered crusher. Strength is explosive, but I'm slow and dull-witted. Rating: A. I was supposed to pilot the exoskeleton mech this mission, but I heard the mech goes to the Wu City team leader, so that's your decision. I want to challenge whoever you assign to see who's truly fit to wear this seventy-kilogram mech. Of course, it's your mech, so you have the final say on who bears the responsibility."
His words carried a clear challenge. Even if he lost, the mech could still go to the assigned person, but now everyone was watching.
Jing Shu raised an eyebrow. So this was how it felt when opportunities just fell from the sky. The mech was in high demand. She liked it too, but honestly, if danger came, she'd rather let someone else wear it up front.
Yang Yang smiled. "Honestly, she's the strongest I've seen. Even without training or proper techniques, she can handle the mech effortlessly. Now, let me introduce our team member, code name Mirror. She specializes in medicinal treatment and is the mech operator for this mission, serving as doctor/support. Rating: B."
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镇 (Zhèn): This character is a verb meaning "to suppress," "to guard," "to pacify," or "to keep down." It carries a sense of immense, stabilizing power and military might. Think of a town garrison or a powerful talisman that suppresses evil. It implies using force to maintain order and dominance.
南 (Nán): This means "south." In Chinese culture, the south is one of the four cardinal directions, but it's more than just geography.
天 (Tiān): This means "heaven," "sky," or "the heavens." It represents the ultimate power, the cosmos, destiny, and the natural order. It is the highest and most profound force in the universe.
So, his name have meaning like: "The One Who Suppresses/Pacifies the Southern Heavens."