"Didn't use full strength? Heh." Tank rubbed his hands together. "Even if you did, it wouldn't matter. My explosive power has no equal right now. And arm wrestling isn't just about strength, it's about technique."
When both sides were ready, Snake Spirit called out, "Three, two, one, start!"
Everyone's attention locked on the match. They were all curious to see just how strong this little woman really was.
Jing Shu took a deep breath and unleashed everything. She felt a primal force erupting inside her, endless, unstoppable. Once it burst out, there was no pulling it back.
Tank's body tensed, veins bulging as he roared and pushed with all his strength. But then, everyone saw his face twist, his veins throb, his shirt rip apart, and his roar turn into a scream.
It took only one second. He resisted for that long, then his arm slammed down hard to the other side.
BANG!
His massive wrist smashed into the solid wooden table like a hammer blow. The wood caved in with a deafening crack, leaving a huge hole. Tank's thick fist was buried deep in the splintered table.
Everyone stared, wide-eyed. This wasn't just a win, it was a one-second KO!
Tank was drenched in sweat, veins bulging, his face twisted in pain. Meanwhile, Jing Shu looked like she'd just finished playing with a kid. She even gave an awkward smile. "Sorry, I couldn't hold back."
Monkey and Monk both swallowed hard. Even Ling Ling, who'd been quietly snacking, gawked in disbelief. For the first time, everyone really took Jing Shu seriously.
Tank's hand was stuck in the ruined table at a horrible angle. Sweat rolled down his forehead. "It's broken. My wrist is broken!"
Zhen Nantian examined it calmly. "It's just a light fracture. Ten days of rest and you'll be fine." Then he turned to Jing Shu. "Miss Mirror, maybe this is the perfect chance to test your medicine. Our preliminary rule is that one dose of your medicine costs 100 contribution points. Do you agree?"
She nodded. If Tank couldn't hold the front line, she'd be in danger too. She pulled out one of the pills she'd prepared, made from diluted Spirit Spring mixed with traditional herbs.
To look more professional, she'd sorted them into categories: external wounds, internal use, hemostatic. Each pill was tiny, about the size of a fingernail. To keep them from sticking together, she'd wrapped each one in candy paper.
She unwrapped a "candy," broke the pill into three pieces, and rolled them into small pellets. She crushed one onto Tank's wound, then wrapped the rest back up and handed it to him. "Apply once a day. In three days you'll be fine."
Yang Yang's eyes lit up. "Your secret medicine leveled up again? Last year you only had a little vial of water. I thought we'd run dry before even reaching the U.S."
The others were skeptical, staring at the so-called "secret medicine." Even Tank looked doubtful. Only when Zhen Nantian gave a nod did he finally mutter, "This better not be sugar wrapped up to trick us. Otherwise you're not getting a single contribution point. Damn, what a shitty start, already down a hundred points."
Still, whether they trusted her medicine or not, nobody doubted Jing Shu's strength anymore. She used the chance to suggest that Tank should wear the mech. But he shook his head, saying he'd only wear it once he could beat her fair and square.
Jing Shu: "Hmm, there's a comment I could make… but maybe I shouldn't."
Next, Monkey and Hao Yunlai introduced themselves. With that, all nine members had finally finished their introductions.
Yang Yang had everyone sit back around the big dining table. He spread the map out and said, "As the intelligence officer and task coordinator, I'll be handing out missions from above and making strategic decisions. Let's go over the rules and our first target."
Jing Shu perked up, listening carefully. The plane's roar was the only other sound.
"We're still using the contribution point system. During mission time, all resources obtained must be turned in and converted to contribution points.
Private matters must be done outside mission hours. Anything you acquire privately belongs to you. You can also use contribution points to cover the cost of shipping private goods back to China."
Jing Shu's eyes lit up. So mission loot had to be handed in, but private loot could be shipped back as long as you paid the points. That explained how Yang Yang managed to ship her RV back.
In other words, she could stash one batch in her Cube Space and ship another batch back legitimately. Her heart raced. She could cash in big this time. Contribution points were gold. No wonder Yang Yang's eyes had sparkled the moment the U.S. mission came up.
Contribution points decided how much you could bring back to China.
Yang Yang continued, "I'll keep track of everyone's points. They can be traded freely, even used as currency in our circle. This mission's a group effort, but food and ammo aren't provided. You'll have to sort those out yourselves, either with points or trades. Contribution points can also be used to request emergency support from the state, but that cost is steep.
"Advance credit is available depending on rank. B-level can borrow 500, B+ can borrow 1000, A- can borrow 1500, and so on."
He paused, then added, "Last rule: life comes before the mission. If necessary, abandon the mission to save yourself or your teammates. We leave together, and we come back together."
Jing Shu thought back to last year when Yang Yang managed to get everyone home alive despite the danger. With her here now, and with everyone so strong, surely nobody would die this time.
…Spit. A few days later, she'd regret ever thinking that. Every time she raised a flag, fate smacked her down.
Yang Yang tapped the map. "Our first target is Sacramento. Because of the earthquake, waves of Mexicans have flooded in looking for food and supplies. Neighboring countries are eyeing it too. It's turned into a warzone, basically a no-man's land."
The date: the 28th.