Font Size:
Wang Zhi and Sakura returned to their dormitory. When the three others saw them chatting and laughing, they stared at them in confusion.
“Why are you all looking at me like that?” Wang Zhi was the first to ask.
“Huh? Haha, just surprised you two finished eating so quickly. Hahaha.” Fatty laughed awkwardly before turning over to sleep.
Wang Zhi fetched a wooden bucket of hot water for Sakura to wash her feet, then gave her a half-hour massage before finally washing up and lying down.
Though he turned off the light, he didn’t sleep immediately. Instead, he thought about the day’s events. He hadn’t expected Zhao Yang from the Chiyan Team to be Zhao Yan’s younger brother. And given that Zhao Yan had seen him in Jie Xi’s room earlier and lost face in front of him, plus the previous conflict with Zhao Yang, it was clear Zhao Yan would cause trouble.
Even though the security team maintained order, Jie Xi couldn’t always be around—she needed to rest too. This gave Wang Zhi a headache. While their current strength wasn’t something Chiyan Team could easily suppress, he had no idea what level Zhao Yan’s strength was.
Wait! If Jie Xi despised Zhao Yan, then Zhao Yan would inevitably retaliate against him. From how Zhao Yan and Zhao Yang disregarded the rules of the Lingtower, he knew they wouldn’t hesitate to break them again. If things got out of hand, he could always break the pendant. Jie Xi would then appear, protect him, and use the system’s rules to eliminate Zhao Yan and Zhao Yang.
Jie Xi had planned everything! She knew Zhao Yang would retaliate upon seeing him, so she brought him home and gave him this pendant. In reality, the pendant was his insurance policy. She didn’t know exactly when Zhao Yan would make a move, but she had already set things in place.
“Brilliant!” Wang Zhi couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
“Brilliant? Instead of sleeping, what are you going on about?” Sakura asked, half-asleep.
“Nothing, just that things are getting more and more interesting here.” Wang Zhi replied.
“I think you’ve lost it.” Sakura rolled her eyes before turning over to sleep.
The dorm lights flicked on. Perhaps due to the intense training, neither Liu Li nor Fatty woke up, but Old He and Sakura had already risen early and were stretching in the courtyard.
“You guys sure are diligent, even in the dorm.” Wang Zhi sat up and checked the time—eight hours had passed.
“Might as well move while we’re alive. Once we’re dead, we won’t be moving at all.” Old He chuckled.
“I agree with you on that one, Uncle He.” Sakura nodded.
“Alright, Sakura, come with me to buy breakfast.” Wang Zhi had learned his lesson—not to move alone.
As they left, Sakura asked, “What’s with the sudden invitation?”
“It’s more impressive to walk with a beautiful lady.” Wang Zhi naturally wouldn’t say he was using her as a bodyguard.
“Oh? Is that so? Then wouldn’t it be even more impressive if you put your arm around me?” Sakura smirked at him.
Wang Zhi chuckled awkwardly but didn’t dare to take action. After spending these past days together, he knew that if he really tried, he might not make it to the restaurant.
Breakfast was the same—buns and millet porridge. The two returned with food, waking up Fatty and Liu Li.
“Today, we must train properly. It’s best if we stick together in one area. I have a feeling the Chiyan Team will act in the next few days. So, we can’t let our guard down even while training. If anything happens, communicate through the earpieces.”
During breakfast, Wang Zhi held an informal morning meeting, reminding everyone they were likely to be targeted soon.
“Lingling-1, what happens if someone is killed inside Lingtower?” Wang Zhi asked.
Lingling-1: “Punishments vary based on the severity of the case. Minor cases result in expulsion from Lingtower, while major cases lead to immediate execution. If the killing is ruled as self-defense, no punishment is issued.”
“What constitutes self-defense?”
Lingling-1: “If oneself or a teammate’s life is under threat, it is considered self-defense.”
“Understood, everyone? If your life is in danger, kill if necessary. Don’t worry—we have a good relationship with Captain Jie Xi. We won’t suffer too much for it.” Wang Zhi reassured them.
After finishing breakfast, the group returned to the training hall for another monotonous training session: six hours of physical endurance training followed by six hours of combat technique training.
At the end of the training, Lingling-1 notified Wang Zhi that Liu Li’s Forge-Linglong was ready for pickup at the equipment hall.
“Liu Li, your weapon is ready. Come with me to get it.”
Over the past few days, after hearing Fatty call her “Liu Li-sis” all the time, Wang Zhi had also started using the name.
“Okay.”
The two arrived at the hall, presented their ID cards, and received the weapon. The weapon was stored in a long iron case. Liu Li wanted to open it immediately, but Wang Zhi stopped her. Too many people were around—it was better to check it in private.
Back at the dorm, Liu Li could barely contain her excitement. She immediately opened the iron case and pulled out the weapon. The scabbard was a low-profile matte black, and the handle was wrapped in black sharkskin. The entire blade looked unremarkable.
“Liu Li-sis, is this your legendary weapon? Doesn’t seem worth 500 points.” Fatty looked over skeptically.
Only Wang Zhi and Liu Li, who had seen the weapon’s specifications in the equipment hall, knew that it was far from ordinary.
As soon as Liu Li unsheathed it, the entire room shuddered. The blade was crimson-red, adorned with black patterns, making it look even more menacing.
“What a terrifying weapon!” Old He commented from behind.
“This weapon is called Forge-Linglong—a crimson tungsten-alloy blade, capable of cutting through iron like mud.” Wang Zhi introduced it to the group.
“Goodness, Liu Li-sis, you’re about to be unstoppable!” Fatty exclaimed, trying to flatter her.
“It’s indeed a fine weapon, but I wonder how powerful it is,” Sakura observed.
“If it can cut through iron like mud, why not test it on a bullet?” Old He suggested.
Wang Zhi thought it was a good idea. Bullets were made of metal, harder than most materials. He retrieved a pistol round, removed the gunpowder, and placed the bullet casing on the table.
“Liu Li, try cutting it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Li swung her blade down.
Ding… ding ding ding…
The bullet was split cleanly in two, tumbling to the floor with a crisp metallic sound. A deep slash was left on the metal table.
Wang Zhi could tell Liu Li had held back—otherwise, the table wouldn’t have just a mere scratch.
Fatty was utterly dumbfounded. If that blade struck a person… wouldn’t they be cut in half instantly?
“Thank you, Captain. I will take good care of it.” Liu Li smiled as she admired her new weapon.