Outside the City

Song Chen looked at Lin Qingxue's fair face. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he swallowed the words back down.

He understood many things; he simply did not want to think about them.

He had not wanted to before. Now that he was about to face mutated beasts, he had even less mind for romance.

He sheathed the saber and slung it across his back.

"Thank you."

"I'll return it when I get back."

"No need."

Lin Qingxue's voice suddenly dropped. "You... just make it back alive."

"I will. Definitely."

Song Chen answered with a smile.

"Well, well. Getting all lovey-dovey so early in the morning?"

A piercing voice suddenly cut in.

Zhao Wei approached with two lackeys, a nauseatingly mocking grin hanging on his face.

Today, he wore a brand-new black-and-red Combat Suit, with a Small Energy Shield Device mounted on his chest.

A Wide-blade Alloy Saber was strapped to his back, its hilt set with a red Psionic Crystal. One look told anyone it was worth a fortune.

"Qingxue, that's not very fair of you."

Zhao Wei stepped closer and stared at the saber on Song Chen's back. "Your family has several C-grade Sabers. I begged you for one so many times and never got one, but you turned around and gave one to this piece of trash?"

Lin Qingxue shot him a cold glance. "My family's things are mine to give to whoever I want. And don't call me Qingxue."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say."

Zhao Wei raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, then turned to Song Chen, his gaze sweeping over him from head to toe.

Song Chen was not wearing a standard-issue Combat Suit, only an ordinary jacket washed so many times it had faded white.

Zhao Wei immediately burst out laughing, clutching his stomach exaggeratedly. "Song Chen, Song Chen, you're going out of the city dressed like that?"

"Are you going for field training or begging for food? You don't even have a Combat Suit, just this bargain-bin trash. If a mutated beast takes one bite, what can that block? The wind?"

The two lackeys instantly joined in with jeering laughter.

Song Chen stared at him expressionlessly and said nothing.

After Zhao Wei had laughed enough, he stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Oh, right. I forgot to tell you—I signed up for this field training too."

Song Chen's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Zhao Wei grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Surprised?"

"My dad said that if I perform well in this field training, he'll buy me three bottles of Blood Vitality Potion outright."

"Once I get into a top Martial Arts University, we won't even be in the same league."

"By then, trash like you won't even be worthy of carrying my shoes."

Song Chen looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"That's good, then. Outside the city is the perfect place for another spar."

"I'd like to see just how much your strength has improved."

His voice was soft, but it carried a thick, unmistakable threat.

Zhao Wei's expression darkened instantly.

That last sparring match had been the greatest humiliation of his life.

In front of the entire class, he had been beaten flat by a piece of trash with 0.6 Blood Qi. He had remembered that grudge for three months.

He gritted his teeth. "Song Chen, don't get smug."

"Outside the city isn't school. It's a life-and-death arena with real blades and real guns. If your luck runs out and a mutated beast locks onto you, no one will save you."

"Don't worry. I won't die."

"You..."

"Assembly!"

A stern shout came from the distance.

A middle-aged man in an official Martial Artist uniform stood at the center of the field, holding a loudspeaker.

"All field-training students, assemble immediately! Anyone absent within three minutes will be disqualified!"

The crowd instantly surged toward the field.

Lin Qingxue tugged at Song Chen's sleeve. "Ignore him. Be careful in everything."

Song Chen nodded and strode toward the assembly point.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly looked back.

Zhao Wei was leading his lackeys toward the equipment area. His brand-new Combat Suit gleamed beneath the sunlight, utterly out of place among the surrounding students.

Song Chen withdrew his gaze, touched the saber on his back, and clenched his fist.

It was enough.

Years of bitter training had all been for this moment.

Song Chen strode toward the assembly formation.

On the field, the Martial Artist leading the group was calling roll.

"Song Chen!"

"Here."

The Martial Artist looked up at him, his gaze lingering on him for a second before he continued with the next name.

In the distance, Lin Qingxue stood outside the crowd, watching him from afar.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she made no sound. Her eyes were filled only with worry.

The sun rose higher and higher, coating the entire field in a layer of gold.

Three minutes later, everyone had assembled.

Three Armored Vehicles drove in from outside the school and stopped at the edge of the field.

Their bodies were covered in heavy alloy armor, protective grates welded over the windows, and two Psionic Machine Guns mounted on each roof.

"Board!"

The Martial Artist gave the order loudly.

The students lined up and boarded one after another.

Song Chen stood in the middle of the line and looked back toward the school gate.

Lin Qingxue was still standing where she had been. Seeing him turn around, she waved hard at him.

Song Chen did not wave back. He only nodded lightly, then turned and boarded the vehicle.

The door slammed shut behind him.

The Armored Vehicle started up and slowly drove out through the school gate toward the city wall.

The cabin was silent, with only the engine's roar filling the air.

The Armored Vehicle traveled through the city streets.

Through the protective grating, Song Chen watched the scenery outside.

Anning City was enormous, with skyscrapers rising like a forest of steel.

Every building's exterior was covered with giant holographic advertisements, repeatedly playing promotions for martial arts training institutions and genetic potions.

Traffic flowed endlessly along the streets. Psionic Hovercars raced through the low sky, while Martial Artists occasionally leaped over vehicle roofs, moving so fast that only afterimages remained.

The closer they drew to the city wall, the more solemn the atmosphere became.

The skyscrapers gradually dwindled, replaced by low military buildings and dense inspection checkpoints.

There was a guard post every few hundred meters. Fully armed soldiers patrolled back and forth, while the number of drones overhead multiplied.

There were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the streets until, in the end, only soldiers and Martial Artists remained, hurrying along.

"First time outside the city?"

A voice came from beside him.

Song Chen turned and saw a thin, tall boy with glasses flipping through a handbook.

The boy had refined features and a friendly tone. "It's my first time too. I'm Zhou Ming, Class Seven, Vitality Value 1.1. What about you?"

"Song Chen, Class Three, 0.6."

Zhou Ming's smile froze instantly, and he repeated reflexively, "0.6?"

He immediately realized his lapse and hurriedly waved his hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just..."

Song Chen remained calm. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

Zhou Ming closed his mouth awkwardly and lowered his head to continue reading the handbook.

Song Chen glanced at it. The cover was printed with Survival Guide Outside the City.

The cabin fell silent once more, leaving only the roar of the engine and the rattling of the vehicle's jolts.

About twenty minutes later, the vehicle gradually slowed.

"We're here!"

Someone shouted from up ahead.