The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

Though he was unwilling, Clarens knew there was no point in resisting further. The enemy’s skill was far above his own—not only in shooting but also in a presence that felt far more formidable than anyone he’d ever faced.

Maybe it was better to hear them out. Why hadn’t they killed him right away? Did they want to recruit him?

Accepting his defeat, Clarens glanced over at Jiang Hui’s position, lips pressed into a thin line.

If it was her team, it made sense.

Once he understood Huan Xian and the others’ intentions, Clarens still couldn’t completely let down his guard, but he felt somewhat reassured.

Huan Xian made the same demand he had of the others: for Clarens to drop his weapon and walk over unarmed. Given Clarens’s impressive marksmanship, the four of them stayed alert, each keeping their guns trained on him in case he tried anything.

It was clear this was a very proud person. Huan Xian’s instructions seemed to sting him deeply, his posture stiff with resentment. Though he complied, he looked increasingly uncomfortable, his expression darkening by the second.

Zhou Xiuwen thought to himself that this new teammate seemed to be a bit of a hothead—probably not the easiest to get along with.

But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was skilled. This was the third person Zhou had met whose abilities truly impressed him, after Jiang Hui and Huan Xian. Without their combined focus in the recent fight, he and Xierman might have been eliminated by Clarens’s precise shots. His skill was something to admire.

Xierman, meanwhile, felt a strange sense of kinship, a mix of camaraderie and shared experience. Watching Clarens’s reluctant expression reminded him of his own humbling experience joining the team. He couldn’t help but wonder, with a touch of embarrassment, if Jiang had thought he was too timid back then.

No problem—after all, they were all on the same team now. Embarrassing himself in front of teammates? Who cared! It wasn’t a big deal, and besides, he was counting on these skilled teammates to help him level up.

But…why did this guy look a little familiar? Golden hair, handsome face, an expression like the world owed him a fortune…could it be…?

The moment Jiang Hui saw him in person, she couldn’t help but think, “Just as I thought.”

No wonder his shooting style had felt a bit familiar during their earlier standoff. And that lingering gaze that seemed to keep landing on her—it really was someone she knew.

“Clarens,” Jiang Hui greeted, slightly awkward.

Why was it awkward? Because her teammate Huan Xian didn’t seem to be welcoming this new member in the usual way.

…Did he seriously tie him up? Jiang Hui’s expression froze, hand half-raised in greeting, as she watched Huan Xian firmly secure Clarens with a length of flexible alloy cord that he’d pulled out of nowhere. He bound him with a professional technique that left no room for escape.

Wait—aren’t we recruiting him as a teammate? Jiang Hui’s smile turned stiff.

Zhou Xiuwen and Xierman stood there, equally stunned.

And Clarens himself was momentarily speechless. He’d assumed his hunch was right about joining the team. But…what was this? Was this some kind of initiation test to gain their trust—being tied up for a while?

All the defiance and unwilling pride Clarens had shown before was replaced by pure bewilderment.

“Did you all forget what we were just discussing? This guy is our ideal solution! Hurry up and help out, or we won’t be able to make it in time,” Huan Xian urged, moving quickly.

While Zhou Xiuwen still looked dumbfounded, Xierman, who was always up for anything, jumped in to help, even though he didn’t entirely understand what was happening. In seconds, he had tied up…Clarens’s legs.

Huan Xian looked quite satisfied, then directed Zhou Xiuwen and Xierman to support Clarens as they made their way toward the central energy block. What else could Jiang Hui do? If her teammates were acting like bandits, she’d just have to be one too.

At first, she was startled by his bold action, but Jiang Hui quickly realized what Huan Xian had in mind. Actually, this wasn’t a bad plan—it saved them a lot of worries.

So, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Those two or three extra minutes they had spent arguing hadn’t been wasted; it might have delayed them a bit, but it also brought them a valuable helper. Definitely worth it.

With that in mind, Jiang Hui cheerfully joined the others.

Clarens: …

The four who’d been quarreling just moments before, along with their new “teammate” who had been dragged in against his will, enthusiastically headed back toward the very place they’d been avoiding like the plague.

Of course, it wasn’t them who would be going in—it was their new teammate.

—

Looking at the energy reserves in double digits, Huo Qi’s brow didn’t relax in the slightest.

A teammate some distance away nodded slightly toward him, “Captain, that person still hasn’t shown up.”

Huo Qi gave no response.

However, a young girl sitting across from the two of them gave a light snort, sneering coldly, “Must be really good at hiding. What are they so afraid of, going to such lengths to keep out of sight? Why not just face us openly? Sneaking around like that—pathetic…”

“Mu Kun, that’s not quite right. If the person didn’t have some real skill, how could they rank at the top? Even with compensation points, they couldn’t have reached 300 points. Don’t underestimate the enemy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You just want to argue with me, huh? I don’t like people who skulk around like that. I’m not questioning her ability; you’re the one—”

“Enough! What kind of example is this, bickering among yourselves? Don’t lose focus before we even encounter the enemy,” the teammate who had called out to the captain interrupted coldly, putting an end to the argument.

Though the two still looked unsatisfied and didn’t glance at the one who had spoken, they seemed to realize their behavior wasn’t appropriate. Each gave a slight huff, then looked away.

Huo Qi observed the dynamics among his team with a cool gaze, but he didn’t say a word. He simply cast a disinterested glance at the name at the top of the points leaderboard and then looked at the map. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed sharply, locking onto a ranking number that had just jumped onto the map.

“It looks like he finally couldn’t resist coming out.”

“That’s… the third-ranked Theophilus Clarens from Combat Special Unit Class 2, currently solo.”

“Wow, he really knows how to stay hidden. But someone managed to out-hide even him.”

“He’s close by in sector L3. Why don’t we go mess with him for a bit? It’s a shame he’s still without a team.”

Yes, what a shame it is. If only they’d encountered him sooner. Huo Qi’s gaze lingered briefly on that name before quickly moving on.