Once More

"You know medicine?"

Jian Congsheng, who was beside him, asked in surprise.

"I know a little!"

Zhao Rui was telling the truth. He didn't have much talent for medicine, but since he'd taken a teacher skilled in the healing arts, he ought to know a thing or two.

Over the years, he'd learned a few rudimentary ways to use Internal Energy to treat injuries and illnesses, and perform emergency first aid.

"Sorry for the trouble, student!"

Counselor Liu Jie had only just graduated from college. She had a delicate face and slender figure, the sort of petite, demure beauty you might find in the south.

The sudden sight of a student fainting had left her a little flustered.

As soon as she heard that a student knew medicine, she immediately latched onto him like a lifeline.

"Mm, I'll do my best! Could you contact the medical staff accompanying us first?"

"I'll call them right now!"

Liu Jie hurriedly took out her phone and made the call.

Seeing her contact the school doctor, Zhao Rui crouched down and gently raised the girl's pale wrist. He placed his fingers lightly against her pulse, his swordlike brows knitting together. A moment later, he supported her back and swiftly tapped several points on her body with his fingers.

Then he struck her between the shoulder blades with his palm.

The sight startled the counselor, who was still on the phone. She was just about to ask anxiously what he was doing when the instructor stopped her, silently mouthing, "Martial Arts Student!"

The counselor froze, then held still.

After Zhao Rui struck her, it took only a few breaths for the girl's lashes to flutter twice. Then she slowly opened her eyes, dazed.

"She's awake! She's awake!"

The students gathered around them cried out in surprise.

"Thank you, student."

The counselor finally breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't just woken the girl; he'd also lifted the weight from her heart.

She'd only just become a counselor. If anything happened to a student, she'd be disciplined too.

"You're welcome, ma'am. She's a little weak, so she might not be able to handle such a long journey. She needs some rest."

Zhao Rui said with a smile.

"Mm, thank you. Which Martial Arts class are you in?"

The counselor tucked the loose hair behind her ear and asked.

"Um, I'm in your class!"

Zhao Rui scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

"Ah!"

The counselor's small, cherry-red lips parted. Her delicate eyes widened in surprise. She'd thought Zhao Rui was a Martial Arts Student who happened to be passing by.

"You're not a Martial—"

Before she could finish, someone nearby called out, "The school doctors are here!"

Everyone hurriedly made room. Two doctors accompanying the group came jogging over and quickly crouched down to give the girl a basic examination.

The examination confirmed what Zhao Rui had said: she was simply weak.

Afterward, the school doctor prescribed two bottles of nutritional supplements, gave a few instructions, and left.

Once the doctor had gone, both the counselor and the instructor breathed a sigh of relief.

"What are you all standing around for? Get moving!"

The instructor gave the boys who'd gathered around a couple of light kicks to the backside, then reorganized the formation.

Zhao Rui was about to rejoin the group when Counselor Liu Jie called him over. "Stay here a moment. I need you to help with something."

At her call, Zhao Rui stopped and walked over.

Liu Jie said, "The instructor said you're a Martial Arts Student. Well..."

As she spoke, she glanced awkwardly at the faint girl beside her, whose steps were still unsteady.

Zhao Rui immediately understood. He smiled and said, "Sure, I'll carry her."

Liu Jie's face brightened. "Thanks for the effort. I don't want anyone in the group falling behind."

"It's nothing!"

Zhao Rui smiled, then walked up to the girl and crouched slightly.

The girl's cheeks flushed pink. After a brief hesitation, she leaned onto Zhao Rui's back and lightly wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm not trying to take advantage of you, you know!"

Zhao Rui didn't get up right away. Instead, he said it plainly.

The counselor heard him and couldn't help laughing. "I'll vouch for you."

"Then we're good!"

Zhao Rui reached out and held the girl's plump thighs, then stood up with ease and hurried a few steps to catch up with the group.

"Mm..."

The girl felt a pair of warm hands against her legs through the thin military training uniform. Her cheeks grew even redder.

Seeing Zhao Rui carry her as lightly as if she weighed nothing, Liu Jie felt reassured. She hurried after him, and the group resumed its journey toward their destination.

"What level Martial Artist are you?"

As they ran alongside each other, Liu Jie couldn't help asking about Zhao Rui.

"Level Five!"

"Ah? Why didn't you apply to the Martial Arts Academy?"

"My grades weren't good enough!"

"Oh, what a pity. I've only just taken over, so I don't know you all very well yet. Which dorm are you in?"

Liu Jie didn't press the subject, since it involved personal matters. Instead, she asked a few casual questions.

But she didn't get far with those either. She was too tired. Before long, she was panting so hard she could barely speak.

Still, as the counselor, she had to set an example. She had to keep going. She couldn't let the students hold up when she was the first to fall behind.

"Um, ma'am, I actually have a way to make running easier for you!"

Zhao Rui noticed her running with one hand pressed to her stomach, her breathing ragged, and couldn't help speaking up.

"What way?"

Liu Jie perked up at once. Even the girl on Zhao Rui's back pricked up her ears, eager to hear the answer.

"I could hold your hand and pull you along while we run!"

"..."

Liu Jie stared at him for a moment, then shot him a reproachful look. "What kind of idea is that? You're even teasing your teacher."

Zhao Rui couldn't help laughing. "It's a serious suggestion. Ask the instructor if you don't believe me."

Liu Jie glanced at the long line of students and firmly rejected Zhao Rui's offer. Even if it worked, she wouldn't do it. A teacher holding hands with a student? What would that look like?

"Ah! Instructor, I twisted my ankle!"

They hadn't run much farther when trouble struck again. A girl fell to the ground, clutching her ankle and grimacing in pain.

Despite her exhaustion, Liu Jie hurried over. After a quick look, she turned to Zhao Rui.

"You're the capable one, so you do the extra work. Can you treat this?"

Zhao Rui put down the girl he was carrying and walked over. He crouched beside the fallen girl and examined her ankle. It wasn't swollen; she'd only twisted it slightly.

"Relax," he told her.

Then he took her foot and gave it a slight turn with a deft touch. He kneaded the ankle with his fingers and said, "All better. You can walk now, but take it slow."

The girl on the ground quickly tested her ankle. Sure enough, it no longer hurt.

She looked both happy and resigned. "I don't know whether to thank you or not. Now I have to run again!"

Hearing that, Zhao Rui smiled. "I could twist it even worse for you. Want to give it a try?"

"Not a chance! Hehe, thank you!"

The girl hurriedly got to her feet with a smile, then walked briskly ahead with help from her roommates.

The students around them were astonished to see her back on her feet. When they heard Zhao Rui had cured her twisted ankle with nothing more than a gentle pull and a massage, they clicked their tongues in admiration.

Meanwhile, once the girl had rejoined the group, Zhao Rui picked up the girl beside him and started jogging again.

Liu Jie watched Zhao Rui's carefree figure and smiled. She hadn't expected to have such an interesting student in her class.

A Level Five Martial Artist!

Students like him rarely chose ordinary majors. They either applied to a lower-tier Martial Arts Academy or chose a research field related to martial arts.

There really weren't many like him.

She wondered what he planned to do. Had he given up on the path of martial arts?

Well, either way, once military training was over, she'd make him class monitor and give him more responsibility!

Zhao Rui had no idea that his counselor had already marked him down as a future class monitor.

At that moment, he was enjoying the girl's delicate touch—or rather, her wiping away his sweat.

He hadn't even sweated much. If he hadn't been training his body, the circulation of his Internal Energy would have kept him from sweating at all.

But the girl behind him felt she ought to do something, so she kindly used the handkerchief on her wrist to dab his forehead.

"Psst!"

The students running behind them saw the scene and immediately started teasing.

They didn't know Zhao Rui was a Martial Artist. They only knew he could practice medicine and had treated two classmates.

Seeing this, they shouted, "Ladies, rent out your backs! Anyone who wants a ride gets a sweat wipe every ten minutes! Special low prices!"

"Sure, let's see you carry someone and run!"

"Of course I can! Am I not petite?"

A mischievous girl immediately called out the loudest-mouthed boy and insisted he carry her.

With everyone watching, the boy had no choice but to give the girl who'd taken him up on his words a piggyback ride.

The girl wasn't heavy, but carrying her while running was another matter!

Gritting his teeth, the boy managed a few dozen meters before his legs gave out. He nearly dropped her.

"What are you two messing around for? Get to the roadside and do ten push-ups before you come back!"

The instructor, who'd been away taking care of something, happened to return just then. Seeing the scene, he immediately shouted and put an end to their antics.

The incident soon passed, but the students looked at Zhao Rui differently now.

He'd carried the girl while running as if it were effortless.

"An unsuccessful Martial Arts applicant!"

The thought popped into everyone's minds.

Over the next stretch, two more girls fell behind: one had a leg cramp, and the other had low blood sugar.

Zhao Rui used his Internal Energy techniques to ease both their symptoms.

Before long, the girls were looking at him with stars in their eyes.

The five-kilometer run wasn't the end of the hike to military training. The school was fifteen kilometers from the mountain camp.

The five-kilometer run had only been an appetizer. They still had to walk the remaining ten kilometers.

The long line of students wound along like a giant, endless dragon.

With so many people, it was only natural that quite a few students fell behind. The army medics and logistics staff following at the rear gathered them together and took charge of them.

Unless you had a special reason, you had to crawl there if you had to.

Time passed, the distance dwindled, and the blazing sun began to sink in the west, its usual arrogance fading.

"Stand by! Rest where you are!"

At the instructor's whistle, the five-kilometer run finally came to an end.

The students collapsed onto the ground with no regard for appearances, panting heavily.

Many of the girls' military training uniforms were already soaked through, revealing the different colors of their undergarments. Sweat dripped from their hair and foreheads, leaving them looking utterly bedraggled.

"Zhao Rui, thank you!"

Now that they didn't have to run, the girl no longer needed Zhao Rui to carry her.

She lowered her head slightly, looking a little embarrassed.

"It's nothing. We're classmates."

Zhao Rui smiled broadly, then told the instructor and counselor before jogging back to his place.

As soon as he arrived, a boy beside him leaned over enviously and whispered, "How was it?"

"How was what?"

Zhao Rui stared at him blankly.

"Was she soft?"

"..."

After less than ten minutes of rest, the group set off again. They didn't need to run the remaining distance, so it was relatively easier.

But they'd already run so far, and the students had long since exhausted their strength. Every one of them was worn out.

The group crawled toward the base like a giant worm.

It was past four in the afternoon when Zhao Rui and the others finally reached the open-air military camp built on the mountain.

"Stand by! At ease! Attention!"

At the instructor's commands, all the students reorganized into square formations by company.

"Next, you'll line up and take turns going to the shooting range. Each person gets two bullets. Nobody moves without permission; follow the instructions!"

The instructor gave the order with a stern expression. Live-fire practice was no joke.

The group waited in place for about an hour. At last, it was their company's turn.

"Great! We finally get to hold a gun!"

Everyone was thrilled. These were real guns, not the toy guns they usually played with.

One by one, they excitedly stepped forward, picked up their rifles, and followed the instructor's lead, doing their best to shoot at the targets.

As the gunshots rang out one after another, the shooting range was instantly filled with tense solemnity.

"Missed! Missed! One ring..."

"You're really making me look bad."

Seeing everyone's scores, the instructor was so angry he picked up a rifle and fired twice. Two bullseyes appeared before them in an instant.

"That was amazing, Instructor! And you're handsome, too! Love you, Instructor!"

With so many girls around, they might have been at a disadvantage in competitions, but they more than made up for it when it came to team-building events.

Before long, it was Zhao Rui's turn to shoot.

He grabbed the rifle laid out in front of him. Feeling its chill against his hands, he was suddenly seized by the urge to spray bullets everywhere.

Damn it, do I have violent tendencies or something?!

Zhao Rui's heart gave a little jolt. Maybe it was because he'd watched too many movies like this in his previous life. It was just so satisfying!

In this life, guns weren't tightly regulated. He'd have to find a chance to give it a try.

What did it mean to lay down suppressing fire?

Composing himself, Zhao Rui followed the instructor's directions, aimed at the center of the target, and gently squeezed the trigger. A powerful recoil immediately surged through his shoulder.

Zhao Rui adjusted the force in his arm slightly, counteracting the kick and keeping the barrel steady, pointed straight ahead.

With a sharp crack, the bullet shot from the chamber and flew straight toward the target a hundred meters away!

"Nine ring!"

As the score appeared, the students around him began cheering. The girls who'd been helped by Zhao Rui were especially thrilled.

"One more!"

The girls clamored for another shot, each finding a good spot to watch Zhao Rui fire.

It was hard to refuse their enthusiasm, and he had one shot left anyway. Zhao Rui raised the rifle and followed the instructor's directions from before. With a bang, another bullet flew out.

"Ten ring!"

This time, his score was even better.

The girls went wild, while the boys fell silent!

Without comparison, there was no pain.

The instructor looked a little awkward, cleared his throat, then walked over and took the rifle from Zhao Rui's hands. "Not bad! Getting a score like that on your first try."

Then he raised the rifle, aimed at the center of the target, and fired several times in quick succession.

"Ten ring, ten ring, ten ring!"

"The instructor's amazing! He's so amazing!"

This time, the boys and girls alike joined in the cheering.

The spotlight had shifted back to the instructor in an instant. After all, he was a man who wasn't even twenty yet.

Zhao Rui rubbed his nose and quietly took two steps back.

"Nice work!"

Liu Jie came over, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled.

"Just luck. Pure luck."

Zhao Rui smiled. It really had been luck. At most, he'd had a good grasp of lining up the sights in his previous life, and with his inner cultivation as a foundation in this life, maybe it had been easier to get the hang of it!

The End