Chapter 217

Lucy White changed into casual attire, put on a face mask, and took a taxi alone to the restaurant.

This upscale private dining spot was a regular haunt for Julian Chase and his circle. The moment she stepped inside, the manager recognized her instantly.

"Miss White!" The manager barely contained his excitement, though his voice trembled slightly.

Lucy nodded politely. "Please lead the way."

The manager personally escorted her to the private room, then immediately pulled out his phone to tweet: OMG just saw Lucy in person! Even more stunning than on screen! So graceful and sweet—my heart can't take it!

Inside the room, four young men rose to their feet in unison.

"Ian Evans. Heard so much about you."

"Asher York. Finally meeting the real deal."

"Sean Miller. Big fan."

"Benedict Moore. Pleasure."

Lucy removed her mask, her bare face glowing softly under the lights. She took her seat with effortless poise. "Likewise. It's nice to meet you all."

When it came time to order, they insisted she take charge. Without hesitation, Lucy selected several signature dishes.

"So, you know your way around weapons?" Asher suddenly asked.

Lucy arched a brow. "A little. Why?"

"There's a tactical simulation event tomorrow. Interested in joining?"

She set down her teacup. "Why me?"

Asher exchanged glances with the others before confessing, "We're putting together a team for the International Tactical Simulation Championship. We need a female member."

"After seeing your performance on Island Survival, we think you'd be perfect."

Lucy tapped her fingers lightly against the table. "Details."

"It's a globally livestreamed 6D holographic competition," Asher lowered his voice. "The arena is real, but everything else is a virtual simulation."

"Live ammunition is involved, so weapon proficiency is a must."

A glint flashed in Lucy's eyes. In her past life, she'd heard of this groundbreaking event—where the national team lost narrowly due to a last-minute substitution.

"Why me? I'm not the only female celebrity who knows weapons."

Asher grimaced. "The rules require each team to have at least one woman. We tried recruiting from military families, but..."

"Either their stamina was lacking, or their reflexes were too slow," Ian cut in. "We can't afford dead weight."

The room fell silent.

Lucy swirled her tea, her pensive reflection rippling in the cup.

"And you're so sure I won't hold you back?"