Zhou Yi Looks Around, the Recoiling Student

The first day's second match was already this spectacular.

While the other students silently prayed they wouldn't be matched against Lu Ran, their expectations were also raised to the skies.

It was a peculiar kind of psychology.

On one hand, they hoped to see a few more astonishing matchups, wanting to witness strength.

On the other hand, they prayed that the ones who stepped up would all be weaklings, so they could easily win their own assessments.

Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—the matches that followed

were mostly ordinary.

The students had no strong reactions, just watched carefully.

Until the eleventh match.

Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yun'er stepped onto the stage.

A classic combination of support, offense, and agility.

As expected, they won the match easily.

A small highlight.

Amid some people's excitement and others' anxiety, the first day's assessment ended.

The students returned to prepare

for the second day's assessment.

Night.

Wang Dong lay sideways on the bed, arm tucked under her head, staring at the white wall in front of her.

But in her mind, she was mulling over

whether she should take the initiative to apologize.

Thinking back, she really shouldn't have acted that way. She had been a bit rude, hadn't she?

He actually had a pretty good temper, right?

After all, he hadn't really resorted to violence.

That was Wang Dong's conclusion.

She quietly turned her head, sneaking a glance at the empty bed that wasn't Lu Ran's.

She had no idea where he'd gone.

Anyway, he still hadn't come back.

"..."

He's not even here, so why are you nervous?

Wang Dong suddenly realized this and silently scolded herself in her mind.

Steeling herself, she turned over completely, staring openly at the empty bed. The soft, large pillow was tilted diagonally, its white edges drooping. The bedsheet had a few faint creases...

"..."

She shifted positions, lying flat on her back, staring at the Soul Guiding Lamp on the ceiling.

Its cold metal was coated in a layer of bright yellow paint.

"..."

She turned over again, lying on her side.

"..."

Ah, what a hassle!

Forget it. I don't want to think anymore.

Sleep!

In the Small World, the planting area had doubled. The lush Blue Silver Green Wood Vine was growing vigorously. Sweet Honey Bees were gathering nectar from flowers that had grown ten times larger and turned white in color.

At the same time, they were pollinating.

In the end, they would brew a rich, mellow Sweet Honey, which would be collected from time to time.

Vaguely, in another patch of grass not far away, a small cluster of blades began to rustle and rub against each other unnaturally.

Emitting an almost inaudible rustling sound.

Looking closely, there are strange things moving as well.

"Gugu?"

"Gaga?"

Dozens of turtles of various sizes, black, white, green, and other colors, were quietly lying in the grass.

Through the gaps between the blades, they observed the endless field of Blue Silver Verdant Vine grass ahead, which they couldn't see over due to their short stature, drool streaming uncontrollably.

Under the sunlight, the patches of Blue Silver Verdant Vine were emitting a turtle-enticing luster, the leaves plump, the sap abundant, the stems just the right size, and the rich life force exuding an alluring turtle aroma, making it unimaginable how good the texture would be.

They were none other than the Turtle Exploration Team!

After crossing the entire small world, they had stumbled upon this promised land.

These turtles were all herbivores, and the vigorous life force contained in the Blue Silver Verdant Vine was extremely beneficial for their growth.

This was a great tonic, all benefits and no harm!

However, there was one thing—

they knew this was personally planted by Lu Ran, so they couldn't eat it.

Thus, they were all hiding in the grass, thinking they could conceal themselves and avoid being discovered by Lu Ran.

Now, they were undergoing the most severe test of their turtle lives.

In principle, as a group of principled turtles, they certainly couldn't steal a bite.

But principle wasn't as tasty as Blue Silver Verdant Vine, nor did it contain the life force that helped them grow.

Yet eating it would bring guilt upon their consciences.

The turtles, unsure of what to choose, were caught in a dilemma.

"Gara gara..."

A grass-element leaf turtle with grass growing on its back hesitated.

This wasn't about being unclean; grass just grew on their backs, and as they grew larger in the future, low plants like shrubs would sprout there too.

With their gentle nature, they even allowed small spirit beasts to live on their backs.

"Gugu..."

Another gray turtle also couldn't make up its mind, asking the turtle leader beside it.

They were all lying together next to a large black turtle with most of its shell exposed.

This big turtle was the leader turtle, leading the member turtles through water and earth.

And now, the leader turtle was silent.

As the oldest and self-proclaimed smartest turtle, it hesitated, gazing at the lush, juicy Blue Silver Verdant Vine field ahead, a few drops of drool dripping from the corner of its mouth onto the roots of the grass.

"Gaga, gaga!"

"Jiji... jiji.. jiji ji?"

The turtle beside him asked.

He looked up at the sky, at the familiar clear blue, then glanced around, confirming no Soul Beasts were active.

The Sweet Honey Bees didn't count;

even if they saw, they couldn't tattle.

And beneath the Sweet Honey Bees lay the Blue Silver Azure Vine, exuding a fragrance that tempted turtles, growing in thick, lush patches.

If he ate sparingly, taking just a little from each spot, he wouldn't be caught.

He looked at the crowd of turtles around him, their eyes full of anticipation.

The Big Turtle's gaze gradually grew heated.

He looked again at the Blue Silver Green Wood Vine Meadow, but hesitation crept in.

He glanced at the turtles, then back at the Blue Silver Azure Vine...

A painful struggle and indecision twisted his turtle face.

He closed his eyes, and buried his head in the grass.

The turtles waited in silence, letting the Big Turtle make his final decision.

A long time passed.

In the stillness, the Big Turtle slowly opened his eyes and let out a turbid breath.

At last, he shook his head slowly but firmly.

"Krikri..."

"Gugu?"

"Gagaga?"

"Ji..."

Some of the turtles seemed unwilling to give up, trying to persuade him.

"Krikri..."

The Big Turtle lifted his head, this time with no hesitation left in his eyes. His sharp, hooked beak opened and closed:

"Krikri."

A few turtles still tried to convince him.

"Gaga?"

But he took a deep breath, tilted his head back, as if expressing some kind of pride, and said with deep feeling, "Krikri, krikri krikri."

The Big Turtle looked toward the wetland several kilometers away, where the river was clear, the water plants lush, and dozens of turtles were lazily sunbathing on their shells, living a life of ease and comfort.

He took two steps forward, turned to face the crowd, flattening a patch of thick, tall grass.

With his short, stubby turtle finger, he pointed at the Blue Silver Green Wood Vine land beside him, then at the little turtle gnawing on a Frost-Condensing Apple.

"Krikri!"

The little turtle froze.

"Gugu gaga... gugu gaga!"

He explained that these were all picked up from the ground. The orchard was huge, and sometimes fruit would fall.

This time, he happened to spot a Frost-Condensing Apple that had dropped, big and round, plump and juicy.

He hadn't said anything earlier.

Focusing on eating.

The Big Turtle shook his head, looked around at the other turtles, and said, "Krikri, krikri?"

His gaze was deep: "Krikri?!"

The other turtles fell silent.

They gradually lowered their heads and stopped speaking. The atmosphere grew heavy.

After a moment, "Gala gala."

The Grass Leaf Turtle was the first to speak.

Hesitant at first, it seemed to have made up its mind about something.

It turned and crawled away.

"Goo... goo goo."

The Little Gray Turtle hesitated as it spoke.

It, too, decided to leave.

Then came the third, the fourth...

After a while, Only the leader, the Big Turtle, remained.

He calmly took one last look back at the Blue Silver Green Wood Vine Meadow.

Then he crawled away with determination.

He had made up his mind not to come back.

In the tall grass, only the scattered traces of their presence remained.

"What are you laughing at?"

Wang Dong sat in the audience, her big pink-blue eyes looking at Lu Ran with confusion.

The students on both sides were about equal in strength, all quite ordinary.

Why did he suddenly laugh?

"Nothing."

Lu Ran looked up at the sky.

It was a clear, pure blue, so clean it was beyond description.

On the field were the students who had gone through the assessment yesterday.

"I just suddenly felt relieved. In a good mood."