“Boom!”
A blade of wind slashed down from the sky, striking the ground between the two opposing teams. A vicious crack spread across the ground like a dense spiderweb. The tremendous impact forced both sides to stagger backward as dirt and gravel exploded into the air, leaving everyone covered in dust and looking utterly disheveled.
“Damn it! Who the hell did that?!” one of the boys cursed after spitting the dirt out of his mouth.
Whoosh!
An invisible ripple spread through the air.
The boy who had cursed let out a bloodcurdling scream, clapping a hand over his mouth. Blood poured through his fingers in a steady stream.
The surroundings instantly fell silent except for a chorus of sharp gasps.
Even the girls who had been about to lose their tempers hurriedly covered their mouths, staring in horror at the pale-faced boy writhing in pain, his hands soaked in blood.
“Ye Chengcheng.”
Ji Renlin barked her name, stopping the girl before she could act. His expression darkened as he looked at the injured boy, vicious intent surging in the depths of his eyes.
Qiu Limo lowered his hand and silently returned to stand behind Lian Qiguang. His arms folded across his chest as he lowered his head once more, saying nothing.
Lian Qiguang glanced at Ji Renlin without expression before turning to leave.
“Four spots.”
Those two simple words landed like a slap across Ji Renlin’s face.
Watching Lian Qiguang’s indifferent back, Ji Renlin clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Lian Qiguang!
He ground the name between his teeth.
His handsome face had turned livid, and the warmth and gentleness that usually filled his eyes had long since been replaced by savage malice.
Qing Yi snorted coldly, shot Ji Renlin a contemptuous gesture, and followed after Lian Qiguang.
Mi Xiaobao merely shrugged, giving Ji Renlin a look that practically said my condolences.
Trying to play the pitiful act in front of Lian Qiguang?
That was just asking to die.
“Senior Ji.” Ye Chengcheng grabbed Ji Renlin’s arm pitifully. “Those trash are so hateful! They even injured A’Kan!”
Suppressing the urge to shove her away, Ji Renlin buried the savagery on his face and turned around with his usual gentle smile.
Only this time, the smile carried a trace of bitterness and helplessness.
“I already promised Xiaoguang that I’d team up with him. No one knows what dangers this training exercise will bring. Xiaoguang lacks experience… I’m really worried about him.”
By the time he reached the end of his sentence, his eyes had reddened slightly. His tightly clenched fists silently conveyed his inner struggle.
“Everyone knows how Xiaoguang feels about me…”
The vague implication was enough.
“Although Xiaoguang is being rather unreasonable right now, I still can’t stop worrying about him. After all… I promised I’d stay by his side and protect him.”
“Everyone…”
“Hey! Are we really just going to let him keep spewing that crap?”
Walking behind Lian Qiguang, Qing Yi cracked her knuckles loudly, looking thoroughly irritated.
“If someone has no shame, that’s their business. We still have ours,” Feng Qingyang scoffed.
“I seriously want to rip that fake face off.”
“No rush.” Lian Qiguang spoke calmly.
“We’ll deal with him after we enter the training zone.”
“Ku Mu.” Mi Xiaobao looked worried. “Is it really okay that Qiu Limo attacked someone just now?”
“It’ll be fine,” Lan Qi answered. “Qiu Limo held back. It’s only a flesh wound. An ordinary household medical robot can heal it in less than a minute.”
“I see.”
Mi Xiaobao relaxed before remembering something else.
“Oh, right. Qing Yi said Ku Mu would be our team captain. Anyone object? I’ll go first—I fully support it.”
“No objections.”
Feng Qingyang shrugged.
“Same here.”
Lan Qi raised his hand.
“I was the one who suggested it in the first place.”
Qing Yi pumped a fist proudly.
Everyone’s eyes shifted toward Qiu Limo, who had remained silently behind Lian Qiguang with his arms crossed.
One king versus another.
Choosing which king would lead wasn’t exactly easy.
Under everyone’s burning gazes, Qiu Limo slowly lifted his head.
“Mm.”
Just that single syllable.
“…”
Qing Yi and the others exchanged stunned looks.
He agreed?
Ku Mu is incredible.
He actually managed to get that monster to acknowledge him.
Their admiration for Lian Qiguang instantly rose to an entirely new level.
“Xiaoguang.”
That nauseatingly gentle voice drifted over again.
The good mood everyone had just recovered instantly evaporated.
Great.
The lovesick idiot was back.
Ji Renlin walked over with Ye Chengcheng, Zhang Qi, and another tall, skinny boy named Zuo Jing, one of Ji Renlin’s classmates and a loyal follower.
“Senior Ji is certainly magnanimous,” Qing Yi said with a smile. “You’ve already abandoned your teammates so quickly?”
Her words sounded pleasant enough, but every sentence struck directly at the most painful spot.
A flash of cold light crossed Ji Renlin’s eyes.
His killing intent deepened.
You bitch.
Just wait until we’re inside the training zone.
Let’s see how arrogant you are then.
He had already made up his mind.
The moment an opportunity presented itself, Qing Yi would die.
The thought alone improved his mood considerably.
Watching the smile spreading across Ji Renlin’s face, Qing Yi felt a chill run down her spine.
This bastard’s definitely plotting something.
Everyone in Class One knew Qing Yi couldn’t stand Ji Renlin.
Although they’d never interacted much because of their previous circumstances, everyone also knew that she’d secretly created countless virtual simulations of Ji Renlin in the game and gleefully beaten the living hell out of him every chance she got.
“Xiaoguang.”
Ji Renlin stopped before Lian Qiguang.
“For the next ten days, we’ll be advancing and retreating together. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you the whole time.”
“…”
Feng Qingyang shuddered dramatically and sidestepped with an expression of complete disgust.
Ji Renlin’s face darkened briefly before he forced himself to ignore it.
Just wait.
Once we’re inside the training zone, I’ll deal with every one of these pieces of trash.
“Quiet, everyone!”
Principal Qing Murong appeared atop the observation platform overlooking the gathering students.
“Now quiet down. Each team’s captain should submit the names and information cards of all team members to the instructors in your assigned area before receiving your team number.”
The moment he finished speaking, the assembly became noisy once again.
“Hey! Why should that loser be the captain?”
Seeing Qing Yi and the others obediently handing their information cards to Lian Qiguang, Ye Chengcheng immediately erupted in protest.
“A loser?”
Qing Yi and the others looked at one another before turning to stare at her as if she were an idiot.
“What are you looking at? Am I wrong? He’s a loser!”
“You must’ve skipped school recently,” Feng Qingyang said casually.
“H-How did you know?”
“Tch.”
He snorted and ignored her completely before casually handing his information card to Lian Qiguang.
“You…”
Ji Renlin lowered his gaze to the information card in his hand, his heart burning with unwillingness and resentment.
“Well, Senior?” Qing Yi urged cheerfully. “We’re just waiting for you.”
“Boss Ji…” Zhang Qi and Zuo Jing looked equally unwilling.
“I won’t!”
Ye Chengcheng hugged her information card protectively.
“I refuse to let that loser be captain! Based on strength, based on ability—he doesn’t qualify!”
“Oh?” Lan Qi narrowed his eyes. “Then who do you think should be captain?”
“Of course Senior Ji!”
She lifted her chin proudly, looking at Ji Renlin with naked admiration.
Qing Yi, Feng Qingyang, and Mi Xiaobao all burst into laughter.
Only their laughter was filled with ridicule.
We’re trash?
Fine.
At least we’re self-aware trash.
Ji Renlin?
Who the hell does he think he is?
Even if Lian Qiguang weren’t captain, there’d still be Qiu Limo.
It’d never be Ji Renlin’s turn.
“Chengcheng! That’s enough!”
Ji Renlin barked furiously, his face frighteningly dark.
“Senior Ji…”
Scolded for no reason, Ye Chengcheng pouted miserably before glaring viciously at Lian Qiguang.
It’s all this loser’s fault!
If not for him, Senior Ji would never have yelled at me!
I won’t let him off!
Seeing the undisguised hatred in her eyes, Qing Yi and the others exchanged helpless looks.
How could someone possibly be this stupid?
“Xiaoguang.”
Ji Renlin stepped forward and handed over his information card.
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me. I’ll help you.”
As long as Lian Qiguang relied on him and obeyed him, the title of captain would merely be an empty formality.
Lian Qiguang looked up.
His gaze landed briefly on Ye Chengcheng’s hate-filled face.
One eyebrow lifted slightly.
Then, under her furious glare, he accepted Ji Renlin’s information card without a word.
Once Ji Renlin took the lead, Zhang Qi and Zuo Jing had no choice but to hand theirs over as well.
“Hey.”
Qing Yi looked provocatively at Ye Chengcheng.
“Yours.”
“No!”
“You have five seconds to think about it.”
Before Qing Yi could unleash another verbal barrage, Lian Qiguang suddenly spoke.
His face remained expressionless.
“Hand it over.”
“Or get lost.”
This should be what that romance book he read yesterday called acting a little spoiled, right?
Throwing little tantrums once in a while, being unreasonable now and then…
Apparently it made your lover cherish you even more and obey your every word.
Hmm.
Judging from the results…
It actually seemed to work.
What was that book called again?
Oh, right.
Let’s Fall in Love, Girl~
Looking at the thick stack of information cards in his hands, Lian Qiguang felt extremely satisfied.
“You—”
“Qing Yi.”
“Start counting.”
“You got it!”
She grinned broadly.
“Five.”
“Four.”
“Three…”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Ye Chengcheng panicked.
“Two…”
Idiot.
There isn’t anything this monster wouldn’t dare do.
Qing Yi looked at her with utter contempt.
“One!”
The instant the count ended, Lian Qiguang spoke calmly.
“Qing Yi.”
“Find another teammate.”
“Fill the last spot.”
“Xiaoguang!”
Ji Renlin hurriedly stopped her.
Ye Chengcheng might be stupid, but she was still fairly capable.
She could at least be useful inside the training zone.
If they let Qing Yi recruit someone else, who knew what kind of deadweight she’d find?
“Xiaoguang,” Ji Renlin said gently, “Chengcheng is still young. She doesn’t know any better. Don’t hold it against her.”
He turned sharply toward Ye Chengcheng.
“Chengcheng.”
“Follow orders.”
“Senior Ji…”
“Hurry.”
Ji Renlin frowned.
This woman only knows how to drag everyone down.
Seeing that Ji Renlin was genuinely angry, Ye Chengcheng finally pouted and walked toward Lian Qiguang with teary eyes.
“Here!”
She shouted viciously, raising her hand and hurling the information card straight at his face.
But when her hand came within four inches of Lian Qiguang…
An invisible force abruptly seized her wrist.
“Ahhh!”
She screamed, struggling desperately.
The only thing she gained was waves of agonizing pain.
“W-What is this thing?!”
Lian Qiguang calmly removed the information card from her immobilized hand before turning and walking toward the registration area.
“You loser!”
“Was this your doing?!”
“Let me go!”
She shrieked at his retreating back.
Qiu Limo remained standing silently with his arms crossed.
A dark glint flashed through his pitch-black eyes.
The next second, Ye Chengcheng suddenly felt an overwhelming force press down on her body.
She was launched through the air.
“AAAAAH!”
“Chengcheng!”
Zhang Qi and Zuo Jing rushed toward her.
Ji Renlin frowned deeply, his icy gaze locking onto the nearly invisible Qiu Limo.
The darkness faded from Qiu Limo’s eyes.
Only icy killing intent remained.
This woman…
Kill without mercy.