The "Reinforce the Frontline" Campaign

The announcement of the "Reinforce the Frontline" volunteer campaign created a strong wave of enthusiasm throughout the school. To go directly to an area near the front, to contribute their own small part to support the soldiers—it was an honor and an experience that any student in wartime would dream of.

Of course, with their reputations and achievements, the trio of Lam Minh, To Quyen, and Quynh Nhu (who used her status as a "Blacklight supervisor" to register for a spot) were easily selected for the list.

The winter break arrived. Instead of tourist trips or friendly gatherings, they put on volunteer uniforms and, along with hundreds of other outstanding students from across the city, boarded military vehicles heading towards the Western Front.

The Western Front was completely different from the Eastern Front where Lam Minh had been before. The terrain here was mostly desert and arid, rocky mountains. The fighting was fiercer and more frequent, as this area was rich in rare mineral deposits that both sides wanted to control.

The volunteer group was taken to a massive logistics base called "Lac Hong Base." It was like a miniature city, with warehouses, repair workshops, field hospitals, and barracks for tens of thousands of soldiers.

The volunteers' jobs were clearly assigned. Those with good physical strength, like Hung 'Map', were assigned to the loading team, transporting goods. Those who were dexterous and careful went to the area for sorting military equipment and medicine.

To Quyen, with her scientist's mind, immediately requested to work at the field hospital. She didn't work as a nurse, but supported the data analysis team, helping to optimize the process of receiving and triaging the wounded, reducing waiting times, and increasing the survival rate.

Quynh Nhu, as a special forces soldier, was assigned to teach basic self-defense skills to other volunteers and to support the base's security team. This job was a perfect fit for her dynamic personality.

As for Lam Minh, the number one "seed," everyone's hero, he chose a job no one expected.

He signed up for... the kitchen.

"What? The kitchen?" The lieutenant in charge of assignments had to ask three times because he couldn't believe his ears. "You... Lam Minh, are you sure? With your physical abilities, you could be doing much more important work."

"Yes, sir, I'm sure," Lam Minh said with a smile. "I think ensuring our soldiers have delicious and nutritious meals is also a very important job. Besides, my cooking isn't half bad."

His decision made everyone, especially To Quyen and Quynh Nhu, fall over in shock.

"Are you crazy?" Quynh Nhu pulled him into a corner and snapped. "You came here to cook? Do you know how many dangerous jobs there are, how many opportunities to prove yourself? How are you supposed to score competition points doing this?"

"Who says cooking can't prove anything?" Lam Minh shrugged. "A delicious meal can boost the morale of an entire platoon. Isn't that a great contribution?"

To Quyen had a different thought. "Lam Minh, are you deliberately choosing a safe job to avoid danger?"

Lam Minh looked at her and smiled. "Let's just say that. I find cooking very relaxing."

And so, while the two girls were striving to prove themselves in important positions, Lam Minh leisurely put on an apron and chopped vegetables with a knife in the noisy, hot kitchen.

But he was not lazy at all. On the contrary, he worked very hard and efficiently. His chopping speed was as fast as a machine, the slices perfectly even. He could single-handedly manage a large wok, stir-frying food for hundreds of people without showing any signs of fatigue.

And most importantly, the dishes he cooked, though made from simple military-grade ingredients, were unusually delicious. He didn't use any special seasonings, but he knew how to use a little of his "qi" to stimulate the natural flavors of the food, making the dishes richer and more appealing.

The meals prepared by "Chef" Lam Minh quickly became a phenomenon at the base. The soldiers, after long hours of training and fighting, felt their spirits lift whenever they ate his delicious food.

"Oh my god! Today's rice is so good!"

"I heard it was cooked by that volunteer student named Lam Minh!"

"A hero is truly different, even his cooking is better than ordinary people's!"

The reputation of "Chef" Lam Minh spread even further than his reputation as a "champion."

Meanwhile, To Quyen and Quynh Nhu were also making their own marks.

To Quyen, with her analytical skills and logical thinking, helped the field hospital develop an automatic triage software, reducing the initial processing time by more than 30%. Her initiative was highly praised.

Quynh Nhu became the most popular instructor. Her self-defense lessons were not only effective but also very entertaining. She also frequently joined patrols on the base's perimeter, where her sharpness and skills as a Blacklight soldier helped her detect and prevent several minor Madakaros infiltration attempts.

The competition between them continued silently, neither willing to concede.

Lam Minh, though in the kitchen, was always using his spiritual sense to monitor all activity within the base. He knew this peace was only temporary. The Western Front was never truly quiet.

He chose the kitchen not because he wanted safety. But because it was the place that attracted the least attention.

If something happened, he could easily disappear from his post and act in secret without anyone knowing.

He was waiting. Waiting for an opportunity. An opportunity to do some "overtime" and earn some military merits, as well as some precious Immortality Points.

And he knew that in a place like the Western Front, that opportunity wouldn't make him wait for too long.