Strategizing Every Step

"Move aside, move aside."

Sun Zheng walked through the door and saw Luo Da Niu standing in the middle of the dormitory. His brows immediately furrowed as he barked at him.

Luo Da Niu was instantly speechless. It was not as though people could not walk around him on either side.

Though disgruntled inside, he still stepped aside. After all, he was not Jiang Ping and truly did not want another conflict with that idiot.

Seeing Luo Da Niu obediently lower his head and scram, Sun Zheng looked satisfied and strode toward his bunk.

But when he happened to glance upward, he discovered that the youth brimming with heroic spirit was calmly sizing him up.

Sun Zheng's gaze shifted slightly. He hurriedly lowered his head, even quickening his steps toward his bed.

A moment later, Qian Dele returned from outside as well.

The moment he entered, his eyes involuntarily darted toward Jiang Ping. Unfortunately, the other man had already lain down, turned toward the wall, and showed no reaction even though he seemed to have heard the movement.

Luo Tiegen, on the other hand, hurriedly sat up from his bed and showered him with congratulations.

"It's nothing. Even though I've broken through, it would still be hard to enter the Top Five." Qian Dele waved a hand.

"That may not be so. What if Brother Qian has been accumulating strength in silence and suddenly charges into the Top Three?" Luo Tiegen praised him without pause.

Seeing Qian Dele return, Sun Zheng suddenly had someone to lean on, and even his voice became louder as he declared with certainty:

"The Top Three may be difficult, but getting back into the Top Five will be easy. Think about it—the Fifth Place is only ten jin of Fist Force ahead of you after your breakthrough."

As he spoke, he formed a "ten" with his hands and pointed toward the upper bunk before continuing:

"They have already reached their limits. If they do not enter the Third Layer, they will make no further progress. But you still have plenty of room to improve. If your Fist Force rises by another ten-odd jin in these next two days, returning to the Top Five will be as easy as turning over one's hand."

It turned out that in yesterday's Fist Force test, none of the top four had improved. Whether it was Fang Yong, famed as a genius, or Sun Qi, who had declared he would break through within days, neither had managed to break through another barrier.

Jiang Ping, who had always held the position of Under One Person, had likewise slowed the pace of his "improvement." As a result, he had been surpassed by the newly advanced Fifth Place and fallen to fifth himself.

As the sixth-ranked Qian Dele, he naturally had his chance. His initial Fist Force had been twenty jin higher than Jiang Ping's. Even though he had only just entered the Second Level, the gap between them was merely ten jin.

As long as Jiang Ping did not break through to the Third Layer, Qian Dele had a strong chance of surpassing him!

"That may be true, but there are always unforeseen twists and turns." Qian Dele sighed, though his eyes kept flicking toward the upper right.

Yet That Person did not give him the reaction he wanted, seeming to have fallen asleep. This left him somewhat disappointed.

The next morning.

Everyone at the Training Ground was drenched in sweat when quite a few suddenly felt a fierce gust of Wind Force sweep past them.

"Fang Yong, have you broken through to the Fourth Level?!" Someone sharp-eyed and quick-witted found the source of the Wind Force and understood what had happened.

Fang Yong was ordinary-looking, yet at this moment he seemed dazzling. Standing in the middle of the crowd, he nodded with a smile.

"I got lucky and barely took that step."

His words carried humility, but no one else saw it that way. They all revealed stunned expressions.

This was absolutely not luck. The Escort Agency had allowed half a year to break through to the Fourth Level, yet This person had completed the assessment in only half a month, even counting every last day.

His talent was simply terrifying beyond measure!

"Could Fang Yong become a martial artist within half a year? That would truly be ascending to heaven in a single step and changing his fate." Someone clicked his tongue, with jealousy outweighing admiration.

"Brother Sun, have you made any progress?"

Qian Dele acted old and arrogant in the dormitory and refused to submit to anyone, but before Sun Qi, he seemed innately a head shorter. He asked respectfully.

"No." Sun Qi shook his head helplessly.

He no longer had his former swagger. His gaze was somewhat gloomy as he watched Fang Yong being surrounded by everyone and tasted the bitterness of being left out.

Especially since the brothers who had once drunk from huge bowls and eaten meat by the mouthful were now almost all gathered around Fang Yong, calling him "Brother" with every other word.

A pack of snobs who only knew how to lick people's asses!

Fortunately, true feelings were revealed in adversity; Qian Dele still stood by his side.

But in the next instant, Sun Qi noticed that Qian Dele had visibly relaxed. He even muttered, "Brother Qi hasn't broken through, so Jiang Ping definitely won't break through before tomorrow's Fist Force test either," before scampering over to Fang Yong to call him Brother.

"That little bastard." Sun Qi's face turned livid with rage.

Elsewhere.

Liu Wensheng nudged Jiang Ping's arm with his elbow and said gravely, "This person truly is a genius. It will not be easy for us to catch up to him."

"Mm." Jiang Ping showed little reaction, but inwardly he pondered, Since Fang Yong has already broken through to the Fourth Level, I can reveal my Third Layer strength as well.

First, secure my place in the Top Five. Second, strategize every step and gradually reveal my edge, until I successfully become an escort.

Time flowed on until the following morning.

Head Escort Liang and Escort Huang arrived right on time. Both were in good moods, and their eyes occasionally drifted toward Fang Yong.

Clearly, the two of them had also heard that Fang Yong had broken through.

Before the test, the two escorts even specifically called him out by name and praised the genius, making everyone else green with envy.

Head Escort Liang also mentioned that, including this time, Fang Yong would no longer participate in Fist Force tests or be included in the rankings.

Of course, he would still receive the rewards. Moreover, the Head Escort paid out of his own pocket to give him an additional portion of Nutritious food—meaning four portions at every meal!

Everyone's mouths watered at the news. Many others could only eat one portion, while some had none at all and had to pay for it themselves if they wanted any. Yet Fang Yong could monopolize four portions for free.

This treatment was far too good.

Though everyone felt uncomfortable, they could only sigh helplessly. Who could blame them for having such talent and being so beloved by the Head Escort?

And this fellow, having gained an advantage, still acted as though he had suffered a loss. With a worried expression, he asked, "Master Liang, won't eating four portions make me too full and affect my training?"

"Don't worry. You've broken through to the Fourth Level, and your physical constitution has improved. It won't affect you in the slightest." Liang Sheng shook his head.

"Then this younger generation is relieved."

After saying that, Fang Yong clasped his fists. Under the envious or jealous gazes of the crowd, he walked alone toward the dining hall.

"Head Escort, if Fang Yong isn't included in the rankings, will the ranking rewards still be calculated for Five people?" someone asked curiously.

"They will be calculated for Five people," the Head Escort replied.

At once, the crowd stirred restlessly.

If that was how it worked, then once everyone ahead of them broke through to the Fourth Level, would those behind them not also have a chance to fight their way into the Top Five?

"What a pity." Sun Zheng wore a regretful expression. He had wanted to see Jiang Ping's humiliated face.

"Yes, count this person lucky." Qian Dele gave a cold snort. Last night, he had shamelessly sought out Escort Huang to test his Fist Force. With his current strength, he was afraid he had already surpassed Jiang Ping.

Yet with Fang Yong no longer included in the rankings, there was now an extra spot in the Top Five. Jiang Ping had still stepped in dog shit and gotten lucky.

Before long, the testing began.

The vast majority performed normally and could not draw anyone's attention. Only changes in the strength of the Top Five could stir everyone's interest.

Very soon, it was the turn of the former first person in Fist Force.

"Two hundred seventy-three jin. Keep working hard."

Escort Huang spoke blandly. The other man had made no progress for six days.

Yet he did not show disappointment. Seeing that Sun Qi was somewhat upset, he instead comforted him, "This is the normal state of affairs. You cannot compare yourself to Fang Yong. The difficulty of the Nourishing Life Technique is for ordinary people; geniuses are hard to restrain."

"Yes." Sun Qi responded obediently, but he became even more unhappy, because this also indirectly showed that he, Sun Qi, was not a genius!