Being Targeted

There were still quite a few disciples in the abandoned building asking about the interior of the Deep Mountains. Commissioner Lu Chuan answered everything he could—even when some of his answers violated Di Hua's rules. In Lu Chuan's view, this physical training had gone a little too far. He did not believe a group of rookies who knew nothing could perform particularly well when faced with real ghosts.

Of course, quite a few disciples had already begun searching among the rookies for powerful teammates, or forming groups with people of roughly equal strength to increase their chances of passing the physical training.

Jiang Pengyu, the Mechanical Academy rookie who had initially sought out Yu Jing, had already formed a four-person team. He had planned to look around and see whether Yu Jing was willing to join them, but discovered that Yu Jing was currently grouped with the troublesome Yu family members. He therefore abandoned the idea of recruiting him.

Quite a few people here knew that Yu Xiaoxiao was unusual, so no one came to ask her to form a team.

Yet, just before the end, someone took the initiative to walk toward Yu Xiaoxiao. It was the white-haired rookie whose frightening question earlier had made Yu Xiaoxiao feel threatened.

"Miss Yu, would you be interested in joining my team? The two of us should have no problem killing two ghosts within seven days and earning ten points each in advance."

"Not interested." Yu Xiaoxiao did not even look at him.

"What a pity. Since the eldest Miss of the Yu family is so stubborn, I won't force you. See you next time."

The white-haired rookie had no intention of forcing her. Before leaving, he looked at Yu Jing, who stood inconspicuously beside Yu Xiaoxiao. When he noticed the research institute work badge hanging around Yu Jing's neck, a faintly interested expression appeared on his face.

After the white-haired rookie left, Yu Jing asked, "Do you know that guy?"

"No. He's a very irritating person, so we have to be careful. If we're unlucky enough to run into him during the physical training, he might attack us." Yu Xiaoxiao replied.

"Mm."

Because Yu Xiaoxiao was unaccustomed to interacting with others, Yu Jing handed in their team registration to Lu Chuan, who stood in the center, while the crowd was still large. However, when Lu Chuan received the registration, he looked somewhat surprised at Yu Jing, who had formed a team with the Yu family's descendant alone. His gaze then shifted to Yu Jing's right arm, concealed beneath his sleeve.

"Plant modification?" Lu Chuan asked Yu Jing, ignoring the disciples waiting behind him.

"Plant gene grafting technology." Yu Jing immediately used the technical term from the materials Commissioner Liang had given him to explain.

"What plant?"

"Ivy."

"The plant's abilities suit your personality quite well. So you're Commissioner Liang's student?"

"Yes. My work at the research institute has all been thanks to Commissioner Liang's care."

Yu Jing's replies throughout the exchange were crisp and decisive, and Lu Chuan did not notice anything unusual.

"Although Commissioner Liang wasn't a commissioner of the Mechanical Academy when I was a disciple, he gave me substantial help. Since you're his student, remember to walk at the very back when you line up to enter the teleportation point later. I'll tell you something confidential. It might cost me half a month's salary, but it will also count as repaying Commissioner Liang a small favor."

Lu Chuan transmitted his words to Yu Jing alone through a special method. There were still plenty of rookies behind them waiting to submit their team registrations, so it would not be appropriate to talk for too long.

When the time reached midnight, the central circular platform, which had been used to register points cards, automatically descended into the floor. In its place appeared a precise circular teleportation device, signifying the official start of the physical training.

Everyone lined up by team. After their carried belongings were searched and confiscated one after another, they entered the teleportation array and were sent to the mountainous region where the physical training would take place.

"Miss Yu, I'll be going ahead."

The white-haired rookie was on his own. As he said goodbye, he deliberately greeted Yu Xiaoxiao, then walked into the teleportation device with both hands in his pockets and an easygoing air about him. Following Commissioner Lu Chuan's instructions, Yu Jing and Yu Xiaoxiao's two-person team remained at the back.

As the two of them walked toward the center, Lu Chuan quietly transmitted his voice to them:

"One commissioner from each academy has selected a low-level ghost to release in the mountains. Most of them considered the number of this year's rookies and chose ghosts that are easy to deal with, not very intelligent, and whose abilities we have suppressed to a certain extent. But one stubborn fellow among us refused to do that, resulting in a ghost with intelligence existing in the mountains—one that is extremely deadly to you."

"If you two discover a building resembling an inn in the mountains, don't stop for even a moment. Flee the area as quickly as possible—the faster, the better. The current building is monitoring everything I do. If I say any more, Di Hua will accuse me of favoring disciples. In any case, do your best to survive."

After Lu Chuan finished speaking, he placed a hand on Yu Jing's shoulder and noticed the solemn expression on his face.

"The Deep Mountain Inn? And bells..." Yu Jing unconsciously muttered four words.

"Did Commissioner Liang tell you?" Lu Chuan was slightly surprised that Yu Jing knew about them.

"No. I experienced it while I was riding to Di Hua..."

At that moment, the alarm in the abandoned building rang out, interrupting Yu Jing's words. "The person in charge of physical training, Lu Chuan, is suspected of violating the rules and is hereby issued a warning."

Lu Chuan's expression turned rather unpleasant. He waved for Yu Jing to hurry into the teleportation point.

The instant the teleportation activated, Lu Chuan transmitted one last sentence: "Have you already been targeted? If you survive, Di Hua will value you highly. Go and fight to change your fate."

"Buzz!"

The sound of spatial teleportation stirred beside his ears. This was Yu Jing's first time passing through a spatial teleportation array, and his body felt as though it were being torn apart. In the end, he endured it without crying out.

When the teleportation ended, a pitch-black mountain forest lay before them. Torrential rain continued to pour from the sky, as it had at noon. It seemed this downpour would never stop and might even continue throughout the seven days of physical training.

"Where is this?!"

Yu Jing braced his palm against a tree so large that five people could have joined hands around it. When he turned to look, lights shone from the mountainside several hundred meters away. The firelight also revealed wisps of cooking smoke in the night. The scene matched the one in Yu Jing's memories perfectly, except that Yu Xiaoxiao was now beside him.

"Let's go up there and take shelter from the rain," Yu Xiaoxiao said softly.

"Up there is..."

"The inn Commissioner Lu Chuan mentioned, right? Human limits can only be broken through in danger. I have to become stronger than Mother."

Just as Yu Xiaoxiao was about to walk up, Yu Jing grabbed her arm.

"Wait. I didn't say we weren't going. I just want to conduct a test. Judging from the tone and content of Commissioner Lu Chuan's final words, it seems I won't be able to escape all this. So I want to use this as a test."

"All right. I'll go with you." Yu Xiaoxiao did not resist at all when Yu Jing took hold of her arm.

Yu Jing walked through the mountain forest in a direction parallel to the inn, leaving a mark on the nearby trees at roughly five-meter intervals.

It was currently midnight. Although faint firelight came from above, there was still a feeling of being wrapped in darkness and liable to be swallowed at any moment. Rain chilled with an icy bite dripped over his body, and Yu Jing forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart.