Deserter

Just then, Qian Mu came to his side, a smile spreading across his face.

"Interested in being my roommate?"

Lin Mu was slightly startled, his eyes looking at him, and he gave a slight nod.

He didn't have any particular impression of Qian Mu.

He only knew that he was strong; if it weren't for activating the system, someone like him would never have crossed paths with someone like Qian Mu.

"Don't worry, being roommates with me won't treat you badly!" Qian Mu laughed.

"You know a lot of things?"

"Should be more than you! Actually, your current situation is pretty dangerous!" Qian Mu explained.

A hint of confusion appeared on Lin Mu's face: "What do you mean?"

"You should have noticed, among the top few people in the Training Camp, someone holds a lot of hostility toward you!" Qian Mu said.

"I really do feel that way!" Lin Mu nodded.

"His name is Duan Wenchang, Blood Qi Value around 8.5, from the Duan Family—an absolute genius!"

"He started cultivating at three years old, with his family's help he reshaped his hundred meridians, his physical fitness far surpasses others, and the Duan Family is grooming him as the next family head, giving him top-tier resources. Being targeted by someone like him, you're in quite a bit of danger!" Qian Mu explained.

Although he was the top genius of First High School.

Compared to people from these big families, there was still a considerable gap.

They received excellent education from birth, which naturally made them very different from him.

"But I don't even know him!"

"You really don't, but Bai Mo does! And, a few years ago, he already declared to the outside world that Bai Mo is his fiancée!" Qian Mu said.

Lin Mu's expression shifted slightly.

How cliché!

Because Bai Mo had some favorable feelings toward him, it drew Duan Wenchang's hatred.

But he could understand it too. Someone like Duan Wenchang, raised in privilege with a high standard of living.

And rarely facing setbacks, naturally couldn't accept the woman he liked liking someone else.

A hint of helplessness crossed Lin Mu's face.

"Meet force with force! Hope he doesn't court death!"

A trace of amusement appeared on Qian Mu's face: "I knew you weren't afraid of trouble!"

"There's no other way. Some things, even if I tried to explain, wouldn't lead to any result."

Qian Mu nodded: "That's true! But there's no need to worry too much. Although there's a certain death rate within the Training Camp, if there's no training session going on, you don't need to worry—he wouldn't dare make a move on you!"

A hint of curiosity appeared on Lin Mu's face: "What if I want to make a move on someone else?"

Qian Mu thought for a moment, then immediately said: "Then you can wait for the Jungle Trial three days from now."

Lin Mu was curious: "Jungle Trial?"

"En! We came here to train, so every day's tasks are packed, and there's a certain amount of danger."

"The Jungle Trial is a group of people competing to snatch Banners. Whoever gets the most Banners takes first place. And in the jungle, each person only has one distress button, to trigger when encountering danger."

"But the rescue process takes anywhere from fifteen minutes to about an hour. Some trainees die during that process," Qian Mu explained.

"That brutal!?" Lin Mu said.

"Society is more brutal than we imagine, and every martial artist ultimately has to go to the battlefield, so this is nothing," Qian Mu explained.

Lin Mu nodded slightly.

He understood very well that a genius with great power who couldn't adapt to the environment wasn't what the country needed.

This world had its own dangers.

Any strong person grew through repeated tempering.

"One more thing I need to remind you: there are no rules in the jungle. You want to kill him, and he definitely has the same thought," Qian Mu warned.

Lin Mu nodded: "Thanks for the reminder."

"No problem, I still have a lot to learn from you," Qian Mu said.

A smile appeared on Lin Mu's face, and he didn't say much more.

He understood very well that Qian Mu was building a connection with him, probably curious about his strength.

Wanting to understand his cultivation situation.

As for whether he had other intentions, he wasn't sure, but for now, he was extending goodwill.

The two arrived at the door of a building, pushed it open, and walked inside.

It was a single-story house, the facilities quite simple: a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, two Cultivation Rooms, and two bathrooms.

Lin Mu and Qian Mu each chose a suitable spot and put down their things.

Lin Mu lay on the bed, letting out a light breath.

Though much of his physical exhaustion had faded, his mental fatigue lingered.

Before long, he drifted into a deep sleep.

He had no idea how much time had passed when a sharp, urgent sound rang out.

Lin Mu sat up, a hint of confusion on his face.

Qian Mu's voice came from outside.

"Get up! Emergency assembly!"

Lin Mu was a little surprised.

They had only just finished training—why an emergency assembly so soon?

They hurried outside.

A flood of trainees was also rushing in the same direction.

Before long, they arrived at a training ground.

Several instructors stood at the front.

Not far from them, a few figures knelt on the ground, their faces bearing signs of dishevelment.

Once everyone had gathered, the man at the front spoke in a cold voice.

"Just now, someone tried to escape. Perhaps I failed to make the rules clear to you."

"This is no cradle, nor is it a school. Before you came, you all signed a Life-and-Death Waiver."

"You can die not only out there, but also by our hands."

As his words fell, many eyes flickered with shock.

Deserters!

They had only just arrived, and already someone wanted to run.

Those who had been considering escape now abandoned the thought.

Though they were prodigies, many had lived pampered lives.

It was only natural that some couldn't handle the environment.

Lin Mu's gaze swept over the kneeling figures.

Most of them were fair-skinned and dressed in expensive clothes—clearly from prestigious families.

Their auras were not weak either; their Blood Qi Values were at least 6.7 or higher.

With strength like that, if they couldn't endure hardship, they would never go far in the future.

"Everyone, get down!" the leading man barked.

A wave of pressure descended.

Everyone present felt an immense force bearing down on them.

They dropped to the ground.

Lin Mu could feel it too. Even with his high Blood Qi Value, he couldn't resist the pressure.

Lying flat on the ground, he was puzzled.

Why all this, out of nowhere?

"One person's mistake, everyone's punishment. One thousand push-ups each. Finish, and you can go back," the leading man said.

Groans immediately rose from the crowd.

But the moment their voices sounded, streaks of energy lashed down on them, drawing pained whimpers from their lips.

"In this place, we have no use for trash. If you can't take it, die," the leading man barked.

Terror flickered in many eyes.

They obediently began their push-ups.

"As expected, this place is still as brutal as ever," Qian Mu muttered with a helpless look, his body rising and falling.

Lin Mu was curious. He glanced at him. "You know a lot about this place?"