The man sitting next to Tian Xiao, with a nose reddened by alcohol, was 'Old Lu.' Despite his graying hair and weathered appearance, he was still under forty. Years ago, he had lost a kidney to the Zerg, which had caused his rapid aging. His combat ability had deteriorated significantly, and he now barely held onto a position at the bottom of the H3 warrior rank. His love for alcohol, however, remained unwavering, although his ability to hold his liquor had diminished. He could only take small sips these days.
Tian Xiao dared to challenge him, knowing full well his situation. Old Lu couldn't even finish a cup in one go—he took over an hour to sip down a glass. His only redeeming quality was that he never wasted alcohol, always savoring it slowly.
The young security member, Chen Wuling, a recent recruit, entered carrying a crate of strong liquor. He was Ro Fei's most trusted underling, and his rapid rise to the H4 rank had made him one of the base's elite, with excellent talent and remarkable drinking capacity.
Chen Wuling placed the crate on the table and looked at Tian Xiao with a grin. "Old Lu's body isn't what it used to be, and his drinking isn't much either. Let me handle this one. I'll drink with you, and after we finish, if anything happens on base, I'll have your back!"
With that, he flicked off the bottle cap with a snap and began pouring the liquor into his mouth with impressive speed.
Tian Xiao stood up without hesitation, grabbed a third bottle of strong liquor, and matched Chen Wuling's pace. They went head to head in a drinking contest, each taking huge gulps, the fiery liquor practically scorching their throats.
Within 20 seconds, they had emptied a 500ml bottle of the strongest liquor.
"Good!" Ro Fei, unable to contain his excitement, burst into applause.
Chen Wuling slapped Tian Xiao on the back and grinned. "That's the spirit! From now on, we're brothers. If you want more drinks, just come find me. And if you run into trouble at the base, you can always drop my name—no need for Ro Fei's, just mine."
Tian Xiao nodded, acknowledging the offer. "I'm Tian Xiao, and I'll be counting on you, Ro Fei and Brother Chen."
Tian Xiao had passed the test. Gaining Ro Fei's recognition meant Chen Wuling's approval, and with it, the rest of the group's opinions hardly mattered. He was now effectively part of the security team, even if he didn't yet meet the combat personnel standards with his H2 chip.
But if even someone like Old Lu—whose kidney had been taken by the Zerg—could remain in the security team, then adding one more member, especially someone like Tian Xiao, was no issue at all.
"You sweating already?" Chen Wuling asked, noticing the beads of sweat forming on Tian Xiao's forehead. "Are you okay? Should I find you a place to rest?"
The others also looked at Tian Xiao with concern. Drinking three bottles of strong liquor in one go was no small feat. Anyone with a slightly weaker constitution could end up in the hospital for a stomach pump.
Tian Xiao waved them off. "I'm fine, just drank too fast. I need something to balance it out. Brother Chen, do you have any food? Preferably some meat."
Chen Wuling looked toward Ro Fei, who nodded with a smile. "Get something hearty. Let's treat our new brother to a proper meal."
Chen Wuling understood immediately, turning to walk toward the back room. Half a minute later, he returned, hauling a two-meter-long, frozen beast by the shoulders—its flesh preserved in ice. He threw it on the ground as the others scrambled to set up a grill, bringing over two Z-fire guns for the task.
"Hey hey," Old Lu approached with a grin. "Ever seen an H4-level Tearing Mouth Wolf? See that mark on the left haunch? That's where I shot it."
Tian Xiao followed Old Lu's gaze and saw the wolf's hindquarters clearly marked with several bullet holes.
"Impressive!" Tian Xiao remarked, impressed.
The body of an H4-level beast was tough enough to withstand H4-level weapons, whether hot or cold. The fact that Old Lu could pierce its defenses suggested that his strength hadn't completely diminished yet. He was still capable, at least for the time being.
Chen Wuling's display of the beast was meant to show off the security team's strength and to signal their respect for the new recruit. But Tian Xiao knew better than to sit idly by while the veterans handled all the work.
"I'll help," he volunteered, standing up.
Without missing a beat, one of the veterans handed him the Z-fire gun. Tian Xiao had spent a year with Ro Fei in the past, and during that time, he had mastered the art of cooking and drinking. This wasn't his first time handling a grill or a piece of meat. He was quicker and more skilled than even Chen Wuling.
As he grilled, Tian Xiao expertly used his small knife to carve off the finest, most tender cuts from the Tearing Mouth Wolf. With a sprinkle of seasoning and just the right amount of heat, he presented the grilled meat to Ro Fei.
"Ro Fei, care to try my handiwork?" Tian Xiao asked with a smile.
Ro Fei picked up a piece of meat, roughly the size of his thumb, and without hesitation, stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring the flavor, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Mmm!!" Ro Fei's eyes gleamed with delight as he gave Tian Xiao a thumbs-up. "Unbelievable! I didn't expect this from you. Excellent!"
The others were watching in awe. They knew that Ro Fei, apart from his love for drinking and hunting, had a special fondness for grilled meat. Generally, no one could impress him with their grilling skills. But Tian Xiao's meat was different. Even Ro Fei, a self-proclaimed expert, was giving him a genuine compliment.
The rest of the group quickly dug in, scrambling for pieces of meat. "Not bad!"
"This is delicious!"
"D*mn, Old Lu, from now on, stop ruining the meat! Look at Tian Xiao's grilling skills—your past attempts were a disgrace to the ingredients!"
"Sh*t, crossing the river and tearing down the bridge... But seriously, Tian Xiao, your grilling skills are top-notch. Where did you learn this?"
The group devoured Tian Xiao's freshly grilled meat, and with each bite, their curiosity about his skill only grew. As Tian Xiao expertly carved and grilled, using his small knife with practiced ease, their admiration increased.
"The key to good grilled meat is freshness, tenderness," Tian Xiao explained with a smirk. "The cuts I just grilled were the best parts, so they taste the best. The next ones might not be as great, but I hope you'll understand."
He joked as he passed around another plate of freshly grilled meat.
"That's fine," Chen Wuling said after tasting it. "This tastes way better than anything Old Lu ever made."
The others chimed in, nodding their approval. "Not bad!"
"This flavor is actually pretty good."
"Tian Xiao, you're too modest."
"Ro Fei, you should bring this kid on board soon. I think he's cut out for our security team!"
Old Lu suggested, and the others agreed.
"This kid's got the right temperament," another veteran said. "His drinking ability reflects his character. He's straightforward and generous. I don't see why we shouldn't bring him in."
Ro Fei considered the suggestion carefully. However, admitting someone without a Citizen Chip into the security team would be complicated. It would take some connections and favors.
After chewing on another piece of meat, Ro Fei looked at Tian Xiao and finally spoke.
"Your physical fitness and chip still have a long way to go. For now, you'll stay here at the base. By the way, save up some money. Once you've accumulated 200,000 credits, I'll make up the rest and get you a Citizen Chip."
Ro Fei wasn't short on money, but he needed people he could trust. Tian Xiao's ability with the knife, and his calm demeanor in the face of a Tearing Mouth Wolf, were what convinced him to make this offer.
Tian Xiao wasn't just passing a test. He was earning a place among these veterans.