Lone Wolf

The class monitor and Xiao Ying returned to the rest area, supporting each other.

"Water..."

"Oh!" The girl called Xiao Ying was quite sharp. She immediately unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and helped the class monitor drink.

"Whew... I'm alive again."

"Class monitor, where did you get those investigator clothes?"

"Where else could they have come from? The Investigation Bureau was the only one that could provide something like this. And if they gave it to us, it meant we must have helped them."

"You helped the Investigation Bureau? Don't tell me!" Xiao Ying's round black eyes widened. "You helped them capture a real Pseudo-Human!"

"Xiao Ying, you're pretty smart~ No wonder you always ranked in the top ten in cultural studies and logical analysis."

"Hehe." For some reason, whenever the class monitor praised her, she felt an indescribable happiness. "By the way, Class Monitor, you said 'we' just now? But I didn't see anyone else wearing clothes like yours."

"He chose a different reward."

"He? Luo Di?"

The class monitor did not answer directly, merely smiling as she patted Xiao Ying on the head.

Xiao Ying seemed to enjoy that kind of contact. She muttered softly, "No wonder your relationship has gotten so much better~ Last semester, you only ate together. But as soon as this semester began, you two..."

"Xiao Ying, don't tell me you like Luo Di?"

"No! I really don't." Xiao Ying shook her head and hands vigorously in perfect sync.

"I've seen you secretly watching Luo Di during Physical Education Class several times. I'll let you in on a secret: we're not boyfriend and girlfriend yet. If you like him, we can compete fairly."

"Only you, Class Monitor, can get into the same school as Luo Di after advancing. I'm not in the same league as you two. But I'll work hard too and try to get into a city district placement."

"Xiao Ying, do you want to eat with us from now on? I remember you always went to the cafeteria alone."

"Can... can I?"

"Why not? Aren't we classmates?"

"Okay..." For some reason, even though it was only the most ordinary invitation to eat together, Xiao Ying felt her tear ducts slipping out of control, her vision turning blurry.

But just then, a series of flesh-on-flesh impacts rang out, instantly drawing both their attention.

On the field,

All four people, including Gao Yuxuan, had been eliminated. Luo Di, however, seemed to have chosen not to cooperate with his teammates and stood alone in a remote corner.

Xiao Ying hurriedly wiped away her tears and focused on the field. "What happened? Luo Di doesn't seem to be attacking together with the vice class monitor and the others."

The class monitor spoke softly. "Yes, he has to do this. Can you guess why, Xiao Ying?"

Xiao Ying scratched her head. "The reason... hmm~ The only difference between Luo Di and before is the blade in his hand.

"And you said that the two of you received rewards from the Investigation Bureau. Since they could give you investigator clothes, Luo Di's item definitely wouldn't be bad either.

"Could that blade be...!"

"Xiao Ying really is smart~ Watch closely. This should be tonight's most exciting performance."

Inside the arena.

The homeroom teacher stared at Luo Di, who had abandoned his teammates and chosen to become a "lone wolf."

Although he regarded Luo Di as the finest prospect, this sort of behavior was what he despised most.

"Never abandon, never give up" was an important spirit he had brought from his homeland, and he had passed it on well to every student through his teaching.

Now, he decided to use his full strength to crush Luo Di's inexplicable confidence.

Just as the homeroom teacher moved forward,

Luo Di, who had been standing still until then, moved forward as well.

Their pace was nearly identical, and their gazes met.

The homeroom teacher was somewhat surprised. He saw no confidence in Luo Di's eyes, only the same calmness and focus as always.

Just as they were about to enter attack range,

Luo Di chose to strike first, taking a quick step to close in. He swung his blade in the simplest, most brutal slashing posture, identical to one from a movie.

The strike was heavy and powerful, chopping straight down.

However,

Such an attack might work against ordinary people,

But in the eyes of the battle-hardened homeroom teacher, it was riddled with openings.

The move was too obvious, the swing far too wide, and the attack pattern too single-minded.

Setting aside strength and precision, it was fundamentally the kind of movement only a first-year would make.

The homeroom teacher easily dodged with a sidestep and turn, then swung his Mechanical Baton at Luo Di's wrist.

That swift, close-range blow could not only knock away his weapon, but might even fracture his wrist. The outcome was practically decided.

Xiao Ying in the rest area noticed it too and could not help crying softly, "Oh no!"

Clang!

A sound like metal striking metal echoed through the gymnasium.

Just as the homeroom teacher realized the impact felt wrong, Luo Di's machete, which had originally been chopping downward, suddenly reversed and slashed upward through a full 180 degrees.

Danger!

His body drove his feet as the homeroom teacher swiftly retreated, instantly opening a distance of more than five meters.

Several strands of hair on his forehead had been cut off, and he could smell a stench of corpses and decay.

The entire arena fell silent.

Everyone was shocked. Even Gao Yuxuan, who already knew the weapon's nature, wore an incredulous expression. After all, this was his first time seeing Zombie Transformation.

Beside him, Xiao Ying clutched her chest and tried to slow her racing heartbeat.

The homeroom teacher stared at Luo Di's zombified right forearm, and his earlier prejudice vanished in an instant.

"So that's it. Is this why you 'abandoned' your teammates? A Corner-transforming item, and it even has concealment properties. It managed to fool even me.

"Students who have never encountered Anomaly Events will indeed be directly affected by this thing. They may even develop Mind Corners.

"They're letting minors use this now? And judging by your proficiency, you must have had it for quite some time. Who gave it to you?"

"The City Research Bureau."

"Can the Zombie Transformation this thing grants you be completely retracted afterward without leaving any side effects?"

"Yes."

"Very good~ Continue!"

Luo Di's blade work was crude. He basically copied the movements of movie killers, along with the basic techniques he had learned during Physical Education Class.

At most, he coordinated them with his body to increase the speed and power of his slashes.

Such simple moves made it difficult to hurt the homeroom teacher.

However,

Luo Di always managed to harden his arm at the right moment to block incoming damage, then use the opening created by the block to launch highly threatening counterattacks.

For a time, he actually traded blows evenly with the homeroom teacher.

But... there were only so many variations in his attacks.

The homeroom teacher, however, had many more changes at his disposal.

The Mechanical Baton, originally used only for suppression and whipping strikes, suddenly changed its trajectory and thrust forward like a spear.

Luo Di had no time to react. It was even faster than Spider Woman.

Whoosh! The tip of the Mechanical Baton jabbed directly into the space between his collarbones, making him choke for an instant.

The next second, Luo Di felt a kick land on his undefended abdomen. He was sent flying nearly ten meters, almost sliding out of the arena.

The surrounding students all backed away as well, afraid of being contaminated by the aura of a zombie.

Luo Di clutched his punctured neck, slowly sat up with his back against the wall, then checked the time on his watch.

"Six minutes? That was much worse than expected."

Luo Di was dissatisfied with his result, but the homeroom teacher gave him an approving look.

Then, the next group of students entered the field.

Once every student in the class had finished their sparring matches, Luo Di had basically secured the highest score in the class. His grade ranking, however, would depend on the final tally.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the homeroom teacher came to the rest area and stood before Luo Di.

"You've decided to use that weapon long-term instead of the field combat saber I usually teach, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"With your grades, the nighttime intensive training may not fall under my supervision. But I'll still be teaching your daytime Physical Education Class.

"Since you're so devoted to this most direct form of slashing, I'll personally teach you some special techniques during the free time in PE class.

"When our homeland resisted East Island's invasion in the past, it had Great Saber Squads. Those slashing techniques were not lost after the war ended."

"Thank you, Homeroom Teacher."