The Day of Despair for Long Yuan

Come to think of it, Xia Mu had shown a complete lack of interest in any exams or class competitions since he first enrolled.

However, was he really just here to play?

Everyone had their own reasons for coming to this school; perhaps Xia Mu simply wasn't willing to confide in her.

Sakura rested her hands on her knees, her heart heavy.

Did Xia Mu not trust her?

But her sorrow was quickly masked by the aroma of grilled fish and seaweed.

Just as the two had finished grilling the fish and were about to feast, a voice called out from deep within the forest, "Xia Mu, Sakura!"

"Are you there?"

The voice was all too familiar to Sakura. "Ayanokoji?" She looked toward the path leading to the campsite in astonishment.

Ayanokoji and Suzune Horikita emerged from the path, walking side by side.

Suzune Horikita's complexion was even worse than yesterday; clearly, her illness had worsened.

But now was not the time to help her. This woman had a stubborn personality; only when she was pushed to the brink would she learn to be grateful, listen to the advice of others, and make a change.

Seeing the food the two had set over the fire, Suzune Horikita immediately understood what had happened.

"We were worried something had happened to you and came out to look for you, yet you're here leisurely eating grilled meat." Suzune Horikita frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Xia Mu's behavior.

"Do you want some?" Xia Mu handed over a piece of grilled Sea Cucumber. "Caught too much, can't finish it."

"Are you trying to bribe us with food?" Suzune Horikita stared at the fragrant Sea Cucumber, but in the end, her appetite overcame her reason.

After all, she was sick and in dire need of nourishment.

She said no more, took the Sea Cucumber, and sat down. Ayanokoji sat down as well; he had always been someone who could adapt to any situation.

Unexpectedly, they had now become 'accomplices'.

Sakura's anxious heart gradually calmed down; she had been worried about being scolded.

To think things would turn out this way—was she just too rigid in her ways?

The group sat around the campfire, finished the food, and returned together.

After arriving back at the camp, they tacitly agreed not to tell anyone else what had happened.

Although everyone was full of suspicion, they had no evidence and could do nothing about them.

As night fell, Xia Mu taught Kei Karuizawa the art of grappling, as he did every day.

Kei Karuizawa was gifted, her body as supple as a willow, and her comprehension was extremely high. She grasped the moves Xia Mu taught her quickly, understanding them the moment they were explained.

Though she didn't understand why Xia Mu was helping her, her heart was filled with gratitude, and the resentment of the past had long since vanished.

Now, even without Hirata's protection, she had a certain ability to defend herself.

And Xia Mu had also obtained what he wanted—the Correction progress, which translated into Skill Points.

Although he had only corrected twenty percent and gained ten Skill Points, for Xia Mu, it had cost him almost nothing.

Moreover, he still needed Kei Karuizawa to assist him with a few things in his subsequent plans.

Admittedly, he could handle them himself, but if he could save time and effort, why do it personally?

Judging by the comparison between the Correction progress of Kei Karuizawa and Sakura, correcting Kikyo Kushida and Suzune Horikita would be no easy task.

Shaking their inner resolve would not be that simple.

But it didn't matter; there was plenty of time. With three years ahead, there was no need to rush.

It was just like playing a game: he would treat them as main quests, while treating small problems like Kei Karuizawa as side quests.

As long as he kept improving his skills, he believed there was nothing he couldn't achieve.

Not to mention anything else, even if he left the school right now, he had plenty of paths open to him.

He could become a psychologist, interrogate criminals for the government, open a martial arts gym, or represent the country in various combat competitions.

Or in fields like Diving, Swimming, or hacking, he was a top-tier expert.

However, he wasn't in a rush for success. He would first accumulate Skill Points at this school; having more skills never hurt.

After all, he was still helpless against heavy weaponry.

So, he had to keep making himself stronger.

To become stronger, he had to work hard to correct these problematic students to earn Skill Points.

In any case, there was a new intake every year; he believed the supply of problematic students would be endless.

In the days that followed, Xia Mu spent his time hunting and Diving with the cute and funny Sakura, the time passing by with ease.

It wasn't until the dead of night on the fifth day.

A dark shadow moved like a ghost, silently sneaking into Suzune Horikita's tent. After coming out, it headed deep into the jungle, moving further and further away.

"So this is the Key Card needed to occupy the base?" Deep in the jungle, Xia Mu examined the green card under the bright moonlight, with the name Suzune Horikita clearly engraved upon it.

That's right, the shadow that had just infiltrated the tent of Suzune Horikita was none other than him.

He carefully tucked the card away and began to stride slowly in a specific direction.

Stealing the card was merely the first step of his entire plan, and the truly spectacular part was about to unfold.

"Based on my reconnaissance of the island over the past few days, Long Yuan should be in that location." Xia Mu pulled out a compass and, aided by the faint moonlight, walked confidently toward his destination.

The area was overgrown with weeds, acting like a natural barrier that provided excellent concealment; ordinary students would never venture here. This was the location of the base occupied by Class A.

What surprised Xia Mu slightly was that Class A had actually arranged for people to stand guard even at night.

It had to be said that compared to Class D, Class A was indeed much stronger, practically achieving an impregnable defense.

However, what did the weakness of Class D have to do with me, Xia Mu?

Using tree trunks as cover, he wove nimbly through the bushes, closing in step by step on the makeshift shed. The figure behind him followed closely, moving with such speed that the drowsy student on guard duty for Class A didn't notice a thing.

"Not bad, Ayanokoji." A smug smile spread across Xia Mu's face; the sleeping incense he had meticulously crafted hadn't managed to put Ayanokoji into a deep slumber.

Once close, he walked toward the tent—constructed from banana leaves and countless weeds—without a hint of hesitation.

"Whoosh!" Before he could even get close, a metal tin can was hurled from inside like a cannonball.

Its target was none other than the approaching Xia Mu.

"Clack." However, this seemingly fierce attack was caught firmly by Xia Mu's hand, which had shot out with the speed of a gale. With a slight exertion of force, he tossed it onto the ground like trash. The tin can had already been crushed into a flat disc.

Immediately following this, a figure, disheveled to the extreme, crawled out of the shed as slowly as a snail.

His mouth was surrounded by a wild, unkempt beard, and his hair looked so greasy it seemed as if a bucket of water could be wrung from it; he clearly hadn't washed or groomed himself in days.

"It's truly unbelievable. Even with my tracks hidden so flawlessly, you were still able to find me." A strange smile appeared on Long Yuan's face as he spoke with a hint of surprise.

"Can't help it. The stench on you is so strong that it can be smelled from kilometers away; it would be hard not to notice." Xia Mu shrugged helplessly, a faint smile on his face, though his gaze was as cold as ice as he stared directly at Long Yuan. "I told you, didn't I? I will make you fall into despair."

Xia Mu's voice echoed in the air, sharp as a blade and carrying a bone-chilling coldness, as if he were declaring to Long Yuan: "And today is the beginning of your day of despair."