Ves grumbled as he was forced to pick up the plasma welder. Fortunately, it didn't dent too much upon dropping.
All of these petty acts of bullying hardly caught the attention of the virtual mech technicians and virtual mech designers in the Mech Department. Most of them didn't even have enough processing power to pay attention to the environment. As for Virtual Commander Dislan, the head of the Mech Department seemed to have a soft spot for Lieutenant Foster.
In his virtual eyes, she could do no wrong!
Therefore, Ves was pretty much on his own. As long as Foster's bullying wasn't too blatant, she could do whatever she wanted!
Ves knew what she was doing, of course. Besides venting her indignation, she also tried to sabotage his ability to earn merits. Slowing down his work slowed down his speed of promotion. Her actions deprived him of merits, preventing him for redeeming them for various services such as allowing his comrades to enter the Starlight Megalodon.
It also left more broken mechs behind to be restored for any incoming Vesian mech designers. Ves hadn't forgotten about the manpower the Vesians had at their disposal. Listening to the dialogue between Calabast and Foster informed him that the Vesians were prepared to send as many experts to the Starlight Megalodon as possible.
For now, the harsh recruitment tests for non-CFA personnel served as an impassable barrier for both the Vesians and the Flagrant Swordmaidens. Ves had no doubt that the Vesians wouldn't let this barrier hinder them forever.
Perhaps Calabast had a point and that none of the experts accompanying the Vesian ground forces were any good. Yet as long as the Starlight Megalodon took in hundreds of different scientists, their collective research ability became extremely frightening.
As soon as his shift ended, he quickly said goodbye to Lieutenant Foster and practically fled the Mech Department without any regard for dignity! He practically shamed the entire CFA with his disgraceful exit!
"What a scary superior!" Ves huffed.
Fortunately, Ves did not have to drop by the Mech Department very often. Even though Foster tried to interfere with his work as much as possible, he still managed to compose a couple of repair plans for some neglected mechs and hand over responsibility to the virtual mech technicians.
While the virtual mech technicians lacked the programming to plan any sophisticated repairs to mechs, it was no problem for them to execute a prearranged step-by-step plan made by Ves. He already possessed an abundant amount of experience in doing so during his time with the Vandals, so the virtual mech technicians would certainly be able to fix the mechs regardless of his absence.
"All of those merits are in the bag as far as I'm concerned."
During the next couple of days, Ves spent most of his time in the Research Department. Not just anyone could enter this department. Numerous security checkpoints and roving security patrols restricted access to the laboratory facilities in particular. Without the necessary security clearance and authorization, nobody would be allowed to enter these sensitive areas!
Therefore, the Research Department and more specifically the Mech Research Sub-Department became his refuge. Lieutenant Foster had no way of harassing him when he holed himself up inside one of the research labs.
"Hehe. I finally completed this darned research project." Ves grinned. "I should have enough merits now to be eligible to take the promotion test."
He activated his CFA comm and navigated the menus until he came across the option. He immediately took the test, causing his entire surroundings to be engulfed in darkness.
Two hours later, the darkness disappeared and Ves reappeared but with a noticeable difference. The ensign insignia on his uniform morphed into the shape of a lieutenant junior grade insignia!
"That was easy."
While Ves believed in Calabast's capabilities, he still expected to face a considerable challenge in his promotion test.
Yet the reality was much different! The promotion test to Senior Apprentice was actually a repeat of his initial recruitment test that prompted the Starlight Megalodon to recruit him as a Junior Apprentice!
It was as if Miss Calabast replaced his university-level test with a high school-level test.
Even if the test that Ves just took right now randomized all of the variables, that didn't change the fact that the difficulty fell well within his range of competence!
This level of cheating was both audacious and daring. The level of hacking skills needed to pull off such a feat without the virtual officers getting wind of it must be extremely frightening!
His apprehension towards Miss Calabast and her shadowy organization aside, Ves was extremely glad to be promoted to lieutenant.
At the very least, Foster wouldn't be able to bully him for the moment, though he expected her to be promoted very soon. Besides tormenting him, she also began to suggest reforms to the tactics and operation of the mech units under the Mech Department. All of these improvements along with demonstrating her insane piloting ability netted her a considerable amount of merits and endeared her to Virtual Commander Dislan.
Unlike Ves, Venerable Foster probably didn't require any cheating to pass her next promotion test!
"I've got to stay ahead of her in rank and merits." He muttered.
As newly promoted lieutenant, Ves received some new privileges from the CFA. His comm jingled with incoming messages.