Chapter 33: You Have a Remarkable Pair of Eyes

When two Alphas faced off, Ji Laili was the one seemingly at a disadvantage in everyone’s eyes.

One was a senior, a prodigy among his peers. The other, a freshman who had just undergone physical training. From the very start, Ji Laili’s odds didn’t look promising.

In a real battle, they would be equipped with various quantum energy weapons—advanced firearms that served as an Alpha’s backbone.

However, in this match, neither carried any weapons. It was pure hand-to-hand combat, relying solely on their physical prowess.

Without firearms or external support, the fight boiled down to the raw strength of two Alphas.

Eugene struck with ruthless precision, showing no consideration for the fact that his opponent was a freshman. He moved like lightning, his exceptional Alpha genes on full display—agile, swift, and as lethal as a hunting leopard, striking with the intent to end the fight in a single blow.

Many freshmen barely registered Eugene’s movements before he had already closed in on Ji Laili.

Lei Po cursed under his breath, “Damn, this guy is intense.”

“He’s definitely strong.” Zhai Yifei’s eyes flashed with a hint of seriousness.

Eugene’s expression was cold and arrogant, determined to end the match quickly.

An Alpha going all out from the start carried a significant threat. His approach was simple: finish the fight in one move, not even giving his opponent a chance to react.

From Eugene’s perspective, the best humiliation was ending the battle before his opponent could even register what had happened.

Who gave you the right to stand opposite me?

His disdain for Ji Laili was clear, his arrogance written all over his face.

So when his opponent didn’t go down as expected from the first whip kick, Eugene’s expression flickered with surprise.

“Senior Eugene, spacing out at a time like this isn’t a good habit.”

In the brief second that Eugene was caught off guard, Ji Laili immediately counterattacked. Instead of retreating, he seized the momentum and struck at the back of Eugene’s neck with a powerful chop.

It would be a waste not to capitalize on the advantage his opponent had unknowingly provided.

The rush of wind at his nape triggered Eugene’s danger instincts. Years of battle experience kicked in as he instinctively dodged with a quick side roll.

Even so, he couldn’t completely evade the blow—his right shoulder took a hit.

A sharp pain shot through his bones, the force of the strike making an audible crack, as if a massive blade had slammed into him.

What kind of brute strength was this?!

Eugene’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly smirked, his lips curving into an arrogant sneer. “So you actually have some skills—that explains the attitude.”

The unexpected reversal left the freshman Alphas momentarily stunned.

Their pupils shrank, then widened—until their eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.

“Damn! I thought he was done in one move, but he countered?!”

“Hahahaha, hell yeah! They all looked down on him, and he just shut them up! Knock that bastard Eugene down—I wanna see him act all high and mighty now!”

“So… that rumor was true?”

“Told you it was! Think about it—why else would he be in the rebel squad? You think they just let anyone in?”

Someone unfamiliar with the situation asked, “What rumor?”

“That this guy once held his own against Instructor Aeg in a spar for more than ten rounds.”

The mention of that rumor made those who had witnessed it recall Instructor Aeg’s words.

Could it be… Ji Laili had been hiding his true strength all along?

After all, he had never shown his skills before.

Excitement surged through the crowd of freshmen, their confidence soaring.

They had long disliked Eugene’s arrogance. If Ji Laili took him down, wouldn’t that be the same as them taking him down?

Just imagining it was immensely satisfying.

Ji Laili, however, paid little attention to the commotion below.

Like he told Eugene, spacing out at a time like this was a terrible habit.

Ji Laili came from a police academy background, but he had also interned with a criminal investigation team for a month. Calling it an internship was a bit misleading—there had been too much work, and they had been assigned real tasks to assist with.

As one of the top students, Ji Laili had been part of that group. Though they didn’t have much authority or real responsibilities, they observed everything.

After the busiest couple of weeks, most interns returned to their academy. But Ji Laili continued to show up, shadowing the veteran detectives, learning from their investigations and fieldwork.

Maybe it was his persistence—or just his natural charisma.

One of the older officers had once praised him, “Xiao Ji, you’re a promising one. I look forward to seeing you grow.”

Ji Laili had been complimented countless times throughout his life, from elderly grandparents to toddlers barely learning to speak.

He had always accepted praise with an easygoing attitude.

But the senior officer had only chuckled and teased, “I mean it, you know. Do you know what I admire most about you?”

Ji Laili asked, “What?”

“You have a remarkable pair of eyes.”

A talent for observation, a sharp mind, and an almost photographic memory—paired with quick thinking and adaptability. Wasn’t that the makings of true talent?

Perhaps Ji Laili didn’t realize it, but to many, he, too, was a prodigy standing at the peak.

It was just that his brilliance was often hidden behind a pair of bright, unassuming eyes, making it easy for people to overlook his sharpness.

Eugene quickly realized that finishing his opponent in a single blow was impossible.

At first, he had underestimated Ji Laili. But as an experienced Alpha, Eugene swiftly adjusted his mindset, raising his estimation of the freshman’s threat level.

It was incredible—he was actually being forced to take a freshman seriously.

And yet, every time Eugene thought things couldn’t get more absurd, Ji Laili managed to surprise him again.

Was he… learning his techniques?

The thought made Eugene question his own sanity.

But the moment Ji Laili used one of his own moves against him, Eugene was certain—that was my technique.

He blocked the attack, his once-arrogant brows furrowing as he looked at Ji Laili with newfound complexity.

In reality, aside from Eugene’s initial misstep, Ji Laili had not gained much of an upper hand afterward.

When Ji Laili first arrived in this world, he had sparred with Instructor Aeg and felt he still had more to give.

Now, facing Eugene—another prodigy—Ji Laili realized that Aeg might not have even used thirty percent of his full strength back then.

The Alphas here were all incredibly powerful.

Rather than feeling pressured, the thought excited Ji Laili.

Drawing from his past combat training, he steadied himself and focused entirely on studying his opponent.

At this moment, victory was no longer about whether he could defeat Eugene.

His real opponent was himself.

In the end, Eugene had the edge. Realizing that if this continued, he might actually lose—or at best, end in a draw—he refused to accept either outcome.

This was the first time since facing Shen Yu that Eugene had felt such immense pressure.

By the time it was over, both Alphas were drenched in sweat, panting heavily.

Ji Laili wiped his face, exhausted but exhilarated.

Flashing a grin that revealed his canine teeth, he laughed, “Thanks for the lesson, Senior!”

If it wasn’t a lesson, then what was it? He had practically stolen his opponent’s techniques mid-fight.

Eugene scoffed coldly and said nothing. Without sparing anyone a glance, he turned and strode away, ignoring the patrol team calling after him.