Drained of Luck!

Things became much simpler after that.

Mike glanced at Lin Yue, who was still lost in thought, and immediately issued his orders. "Lin Yue, stay home for the next few days and take the time to fully understand your new abilities. Practice, reflect, and master them as quickly as possible."

He continued, his tone firm, "Put everything else aside for now. From now on, you're to avoid going outside without my express permission. Stick with me, and stay in this room unless otherwise instructed."

"...What?"

Lin Yue blinked, staring at Mike in confusion. "Sir, I'm a soldier. How can I just hide away?"

Mike's quarters were the safest location in the entire shelter, a place fortified against any imaginable threat. For him to request her to stay here was, without a doubt, an act of protection.

Lin Yue could sense that Mike placed great importance on her, and while that gave her a sense of pride, it also left her somewhat disappointed. No true soldier would willingly retreat to the rear lines. Her destiny, as she believed, lay on the battlefield.

"You don't understand," Mike said with uncharacteristic gravity. "You're no longer the same. You're crucial—irreplaceable to me."

His voice grew sharp with authority. "That's an order. Obey it!"

"Yes, sir!" Lin Yue instinctively snapped to attention and saluted. Yet, Mike's words continued to echo in her mind: Crucial. Irreplaceable.

Mike couldn't afford for anything to happen to her now. Lin Yue had become the cornerstone of the shelter's military strength. Her presence alone could elevate their fighting capacity by several magnitudes.

"I'll let Xiao Ci explain the details later," Mike added, gesturing toward a cup of tea. "She'll handle your future assignments."

With that, he reconnected with Jiang Xiaoci.

"Still busy, Xiao Ci?" Mike's tone lightened as he addressed her through the comms.

"Always, sir." Her voice carried its usual cheerful cadence. "Has Lin Yue's advancement been completed?"

"You guessed it?"

"I could tell from your mood," she replied with a knowing smile. "I take it the results exceeded your expectations?"

"More than exceeded," Mike said, his voice tinged with mystery. "I'm sending the data to your terminal now. Take a look."

Moments later, Jiang Xiaoci retrieved the freshly printed report and scanned the contents. Her expression faltered, her usual composure giving way to visible astonishment.

Mike couldn't hide his glee. It was rare to see Jiang Xiaoci—ever calm and in control—show any signs of surprise.

"Well? Strong, isn't she?" he asked with a grin.

"Undeniably so," Jiang Xiaoci admitted, nodding. "She's even surpassed me."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you anticipated this too?"

"Not exactly," she replied, a faint smile gracing her lips. "But it wasn't difficult to deduce. Lin Yue is unique—our shelter's rarest asset, with qualities rooted deeply in loyalty and national faith. The relic she used to advance amplifies traits tied to such values. Her outcome was bound to reflect these factors."

Mike gawked at her. "That's not deduction—that's borderline clairvoyance!"

She chuckled softly. "I'm no oracle, sir. It's just logical reasoning."

Mike couldn't help but marvel at her insight. "You didn't even need to use your foresight ability?"

"No, sir. That ability is too draining, and I've been conserving my energy for pressing matters."

Mike laughed. "Impressive. You're already strong enough to outmaneuver the future without needing any special powers!"

"Hardly, sir," she said with a modest smile. "But I must admit, Lin Yue's data is... extraordinary. She's now the strongest in our ranks, far beyond me."

"Don't start with that nonsense," Mike said, waving off her comment. "Both of you are indispensable to me."

"Yes, sir," Jiang Xiaoci said, satisfaction flickering in her eyes. "I wasn't complaining, just... awed by the results."

Mike chuckled. Jiang Xiaoci's momentary amazement was the cherry on top of his day. Lin Yue's transformation was nothing short of extraordinary—perhaps even miraculous.

For now, though, there was much to discuss. Jiang Xiaoci agreed that Lin Yue should no longer participate in external missions. Her value now lay in safeguarding the shelter as its ultimate insurance.

"Lin Yue," Mike said later that day, "Xiao Ci has proposed a new role for you, and I've approved it."

"Sir, what is it?" Lin Yue's eyes brightened with anticipation.

Mike's smile didn't waver. "Your command over the army has been reassigned to Xiao Ci."

"Understood, sir," Lin Yue said without hesitation. "She's far more capable than me. I accept the decision."

Mike nodded. "Good. As for your new role, you'll no longer be participating in combat missions. From now on, you'll serve as my personal guard, replacing Wang Shi's position. You are not to leave the shelter—or even this room—without my explicit permission."

"What?!"

Mike raised an eyebrow. "That's an order."

"Yes, sir," Lin Yue replied reluctantly. Her disappointment was palpable, but she knew better than to argue.

"Good," Mike said, patting her on the shoulder. "Remember, every role serves the people. You'll adapt."

"Yes, sir," Lin Yue replied, squaring her shoulders. If it was for the people, she would find a way to reconcile with her new responsibilities.

"Come on," Mike said, standing. "Let's head downstairs. There's work to do."

"What do you need me to do, sir?"

"Nothing for now. Just follow me. I'll be recruiting new talent."