The Road I Choose

Class One-Five's ambitions to rise to the top, charge into Class One, and even advance to higher grades through the Class Promotion Tournament had been crushed before they could begin.

Situ Xuan, that roadblock, stood like a mountain in Class Five's path.

Anyone could see that if Situ Xuan had not been such a freak, Class Five would have had the greatest chance of sweeping through the Eastsea Academy first-year Class Promotion Tournament.

Alas, fate had other plans.

In the C7 Training Room, Situ Xuan leaned wearily against a pillar and slowly sat down.

"Heroes are everywhere. I never expected that one moment of carelessness would actually let someone seize an opportunity and catch me off guard."

Although the wound on his shoulder had begun to scab over, Situ Xuan still had to admit that he had been too careless at the time.

"Hmph! Overconfident and arrogant. Do you think you can brush it off just by saying you were careless for a moment?"

Long Xiuyuan looked at Situ Xuan. Though the pride in his eyes was impossible to conceal, he kept a stern face as he reprimanded him. "Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. You know that principle. You're just too reckless and proud!"

Situ Xuan did not deny it. He grinned. "If you don't give a beast at death's door a chance to live, how can you witness the potential that erupts between life and death?"

He had never regarded anyone his age as worthy of his attention. What he needed was battle—battle that could awaken the fighting spirit in his bones and blood!

The kind of battle where his pain intertwined with his enemy's, where both sides wanted to smash each other's skulls!

"Your love for battle will get you killed someday."

Long Xiuyuan shook his head. He could see Situ Xuan's pride, that wild arrogance born from absolute confidence.

It was not the lofty disdain of someone looking down on others, but an extreme fighting spirit that regarded no one as a threat.

He had seen many people like that in the military. They fervently believed in their own strength, believed that individual might could accomplish anything, and believed that personal will could change everything.

"Maybe."

Situ Xuan understood what Long Xiuyuan meant, but he did not care. "But maybe I was a mad wolf in my last life, and I'm still one in this life. A leopard can't change its spots~"

Smack!

A bottle of mineral water traced an arc through the air. When Situ Xuan casually caught it, a fine layer of frost had already formed on the bottle. The moment he twisted open the cap, several drops of icy water splashed onto his wound, and the muscles beneath his left shoulder twitched reflexively twice.

"Teacher Long, pouring ice water on a student's wound counts as corporal punishment too, doesn't it?"

His Adam's apple bobbed as he tipped back the bottle and drank. Icy water ran down his chin to his collarbone, glittering faintly under the lights.

Long Xiuyuan stared blankly at this person who was both student and friend. Suddenly moved, he asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

Pfft!

The water that had just entered Situ Xuan's mouth immediately sprayed out. He looked at Long Xiuyuan as though he were absurd, then casually wiped his mouth.

"Seriously? Lao Long?"

Situ Xuan looked at Long Xiuyuan in disbelief. "Do you really have to dump the pressure of buying a house, buying a car, saving up a bride price, and getting married on a ten-year-old kid this early?"

Long Xiuyuan chuckled and shook his head. Without any courtesy, he kicked Situ Xuan in the shin. "Go walk down the street. Who would think you're a ten-year-old kid?"

It was strange. Whenever he was with Situ Xuan, it was always difficult to truly see him as a junior, as a student.

"Your temperament makes it hard to say what your future will be like."

Situ Xuan's reflection filled Long Xiuyuan's eyes. Though he was young as well, only twenty-eight or twenty-nine, his rich experiences had thoroughly sharpened his judgment. It was as if he could already see Situ Xuan's future. "Why not join the military after you finish the Intermediate Division?"

"While the little bit of connections I have haven't completely faded away with time."

Seeing Long Xiuyuan genuinely considering his future, Situ Xuan felt an emotion he had never experienced before.

The air in the Training Room suddenly froze.

The mineral water bottle rolled to the floor with a clatter, its remaining icy water winding across the ground like a twisted stream.

Situ Xuan's fingers remained curled in the shape of holding the bottle. That soft sound seemed to awaken them both.

"Forget it. I have my own road to walk."

Situ Xuan shook his head and said carelessly, "There are too many rule-bound hassles in the military. It doesn't suit me."

The fluorescent lights in the Training Room flickered between bright and dim, casting the two figures facing each other onto the metal wall and stretching them into twisted shapes.

Long Xiuyuan's smile froze at the corner of his mouth. He slowly crouched down, his military boots scraping against the floor with a dull sound.

"You little brat."

He suddenly reached out, pressed a hand atop Situ Xuan's head, and vigorously ruffled his unruly black hair. "Do you think I'd really send you into the military?"

"You'd only embarrass me there!"

Situ Xuan slapped Long Xiuyuan's hand away and muttered, "If you've got something to say, just say it. Why are you touching my head?"

After dealing with Class One-Five, Grade One Class Three charged ahead under Situ Xuan's lead and brutally beat up the triplets from Class Two.

They had now reached the final showdown against Class One-One.

This time was different from before. All the students from the first year's five classes had gathered, solely to witness the climax of this year's Class Promotion Tournament.

Director of Studies Long Hengxu had already stepped onto the competition platform. He first nodded to the homeroom teachers of both classes, then said in a deep voice, "Due to the typhoon, the Class Promotion Tournament was delayed. Today's match is the fourth Class Promotion Tournament match, with Grade One Class Three facing Grade One Class One."

The homeroom teacher of Grade One Class One was Ye Yingrong's older sister, Ye Yingluo, who had once been mercilessly rejected by Wu Zhangkong.

Ye Yingluo nodded at her, but her gaze was unconsciously drawn to the person opposite her. When she saw Wu Zhangkong, her eyes were complicated.

She had also witnessed Wu Zhangkong's battle with Guang Biao a few days ago, and it had left a deep impression on her mind.

However, none of that could erase the wound he had left in her heart.

What is it about me that wasn't good enough for you?

Wu Zhangkong, just wait. Today, I'll make you lose face and strip away that cold arrogance of yours.

Since the class you lead was defeated by Grade One Class Three, while my class defeats Grade One Class Three, that means I'm far better than you!

With such thoughts, Ye Yingluo could already imagine that after her class became the final victor of the Class Promotion Tournament, she would walk proudly up to Wu Zhangkong with her chin raised high and thoroughly humiliate the man who had rejected her!

Wu Zhangkong seemed to sense someone watching him and instinctively glanced in her direction. Although Ye Yingluo's heart was filled with resentment toward him, when he looked over, she unconsciously straightened her chest, wanting to display her most beautiful side.

But...

What kind of look was that?

Ye Yingluo was unusually furious.

When Wu Zhangkong's gaze fell upon her, it did not linger for even a moment. No emotion appeared in his eyes either. It was as though he had merely seen the most ordinary thing, sweeping past her with a glance.