Run Until Suffocation

Tang Jian ran nearly three kilometers from home to school in about ten minutes, and even then, he had found it quite taxing.

But now, with a single shout from Sun Yiying, they had to run eight kilometers within twenty-five minutes.

This was practically murder.

It was equivalent to asking Tang Jian and the others to maintain their ten-minute-for-three-kilometers pace for the full eight kilometers.

The speed might have been the same, but the distance was different.

Everyone knew that a speed capable of covering a hundred meters in ten seconds could never be maintained for four hundred meters. After all, people were neither machines nor race cars.

"What are you standing around for?! Timing starts now! Run!"

Sun Yiying stood on the steps opposite the track and snapped sharply. Her dress swayed in the wind, making her look valiant and imposing.

Perhaps encouraged by her, Liu Kun was the first to charge out, and he was quite fast, completely fearless.

Seeing this, Gao Yang and the others followed suit.

"Damn it, let's run." Yang Mao greeted Tang Jian before dashing ahead.

Tang Jian hurried after him.

The chubby Jia Ling and Wang Lele followed behind Tang Jian, but they quickly overtook him. They were incredibly fast and were even closing in on Yang Mao.

Running that fast?

Tang Jian grumbled inwardly, but his own pace neither increased nor slowed as he continued steadily onward.

As he ran, the pain that had been nearly numbing his body gradually began to weaken again under the intense movement.

There were also plenty of students from other classes on the field, all doing long-distance runs.

It seemed the school's intensified training program, promoted by the instructors this time, applied to the entire grade.

Classes had just ended, and many students from the first and second years had gathered in the corridors of the school building, watching the main field below.

The afternoon sunlight was brilliant, the grass on the field lush and vibrant, and a gentle breeze blew by.

Many younger girls covered their mouths and giggled as they watched the older boys sweating their way across the field, judging who ran fast and who looked like a turtle crawling along.

"Teacher Sun, Liu Kun from your class is as impressive as ever. I heard from Lord Le that after using a Brute Strength Card, that kid can already throw a punch with five hundred pounds of force."

Just then, a tall, thin teacher in sportswear walked up beside Sun Yiying and smilingly tried to strike up a conversation.

"Teacher Sun, you really know how to teach. Your class actually managed to select seven students this time. I'm sure two or three of them will join the Rocket Class sprint program later."

Another young male teacher with a sturdy build also stepped up beside Sun Yiying. His eyes were smiling, and his manner was especially attentive.

Sun Yiying had been temporarily assigned to Xicheng No. 1 High School for teaching practice. She herself was a student from a prestigious university, and despite her young age, she already possessed the strength of a five-star card apprentice. Most importantly, she also possessed card-making abilities befitting that level.

Thus, during her short year as a card apprentice instructor at Xicheng No. 1 High School, Sun Yiying had become quite popular among the school's young male teachers.

After all, whether it was her appearance, temperament, or ability, Sun Yiying was a true beauty in every sense of the word, aside from being somewhat young.

But being young was actually an advantage. In many people's eyes, she was a highly desirable catch.

Yet Sun Yiying remained wholly devoted to teaching and gave no one's pursuit the slightest encouragement. This time was no exception.

"If you have the time to flatter me, you might as well think about how to train your own students. Have you forgotten what I said before?"

Sun Yiying did not even look at the two teachers who had approached her. Her gaze remained on Liu Kun, who was leading the runners on the field.

The two teachers' expressions changed slightly, and they looked rather awkward.

Three months ago, Sun Yiying had made a declaration.

She had said that anyone who wanted to get close to her did not need to be a graduate of a prestigious university or a Card Master.

They only needed to cultivate a student capable of getting into a prestigious university. Then they would be qualified to approach her.

The moment that declaration was made, many young male colleagues lost their momentum.

However, some colleagues had also thrown themselves wholeheartedly into reaching that goal.

It was no exaggeration.

After all, Sun Yiying came from a prestigious university. If she had not been injured during a trial mission a year ago, she would not have returned to her hometown high school to teach while recovering.

It could be said that once Sun Yiying recovered, it would be the moment of her rebirth from the ashes.

When she returned to the prestigious university for further training and eventually graduated, she would at the very least become a two-star or even three-star Card Master.

Therefore, Sun Yiying was like a phoenix temporarily fallen on hard times. If they did not pursue her now, they might not get another chance after she flew away.

The leadership of Xicheng No. 1 High School naturally loved seeing such a situation. It could motivate many teachers to cultivate students more diligently while also resolving some people's singlehood. Why not?

"Teacher Sun, both Teacher Li from Class One and Teacher Xu from Class Two might be able to meet the requirement you set back then. How about we use this little intensive training session for a wager today?"

The tall, thin teacher in sportswear smiled at Sun Yiying.

"Oh?" Sun Yiying raised her brows slightly.

At that moment, Liu Kun had already completed his first lap.

"What wager does Teacher Gao have in mind? Let's hear it." The sturdy young teacher beside them, He Yu, spoke up.

Teacher Gao turned toward the field and pointed with a composed air. "I bet that among the seven students Teacher Sun selected, only one can finish eight thousand meters within twenty minutes, and only three can finish within twenty-five minutes. I'll wager a White Jade Flying Serpent Card."

As Teacher Gao spoke, he smiled at the slightly moved Sun Yiying. "If I lose, I'll give this White Jade Flying Serpent Card to Teacher Sun. If I win, I only hope to have dinner with Teacher Sun tonight."

"You rich bastard! You damn rich bastard!"

Watching the smiling Gao Shang, the young teacher He Yu cursed inwardly through tearful eyes.

A White Jade Flying Serpent Card!

It was a white-quality, seven-star Pet Card worth at least twenty thousand Federal Currency.

Though it was only an entry-level support Pet Card, it was still equivalent to several months' salary for an ordinary instructor like him.

Gao Shang smiled as he looked at Sun Yiying's slightly changed expression, then glanced at He Yu's stiff face and sneered inwardly. You need money to pick up girls. If you don't have money, go pick up Oreo instead.

"How about it, Teacher Sun? Do you dare accept this wager?"

Gao Shang looked at the slightly frowning Sun Yiying, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Even if Sun Yiying refused, it would not matter. He had long disliked her lofty, cold attitude. If she did not accept this time, it would be a perfect opportunity to knock her down a peg.

Wasn't there a saying?

If you wanted someone to like you,

you first had to make an impression on her.

It did not matter whether it was a good impression or a bad one. Only after making an impression would you have the key to opening her heart!

If she had no impression of you, then you had no chance at all.

By the time Gao Shang proposed the wager, Tang Jian had also completed one lap, while Liu Kun had already completed his second and still looked completely at ease.

"What? Teacher Sun doesn't have confidence in the students she trained?" Gao Shang smiled at the frowning Sun Yiying.

Being able to make the normally aloof and proud Sun Yiying suffer a setback might not have been a good thing, but Gao Shang still found it immensely satisfying.

There were plenty of people trying to please a beauty, yet the beauty would not even spare them a glance.

Now, Gao Shang was doing the opposite, and instead he was making the beauty hate him.

If he could not make her love him, then he would make her hate him. Hatred buried deep in her bones was also a wonderful feeling.

He Yu, standing nearby, was already dumbfounded. He could not understand Gao Shang's approach at all.

If you wanted to pursue a girl, then show her some consideration.

Why were you going against her at every turn, refusing to stop until you had offended her beyond repair? What kind of tactic was this?

Am I too young? I can't even understand the current tricks for getting close to people. He Yu felt rather depressed.

Sun Yiying cast a sidelong glance at the aggressive Gao Shang with her beautiful eyes. "Fine. Since you're so eager to give me your White Jade Flying Serpent Card, I'll accept this wager."

"Haha, good! Teacher Sun truly has courage. Even if I happen to win this wager, I am still willing to offer the White Jade Flying Serpent Card as a meeting gift."

Gao Shang clapped his hands, delight written across his face.

In his view, as long as Sun Yiying could not withstand his provocation and agreed to the wager, his victory was assured. Tonight's dinner with the beauty was practically guaranteed.

And even if he could not win her over, so what?

At the very least, Gao Shang would be the first to go on a date with Sun Yiying. That alone would make the other teachers look at him differently and leave his rivals jealous and envious.

Sun Yiying could not even be bothered to glance at Gao Shang's delighted face. It was only a White Jade Flying Serpent Card. With the proper materials prepared, she could make one herself. Did he really think she would covet it?

Still, people fought for pride. Since Gao Shang was pressing her so aggressively, she naturally would not weaken her own side by refusing the challenge.

"Liu Kun, Gao Yang, Yang Mao, Tang Jian. Listen carefully! Every one of you has to hold on and finish the full course within twenty-five minutes today. Whoever finishes the full course within twenty minutes will receive a reward of five thousand!"

Her black dress fluttering, Sun Yiying took out an Amplification Card and activated it, then stood atop the platform and called out the names one by one across the field.

A horn-shaped card, somewhere between illusion and reality, appeared in her hand, causing Sun Yiying's voice to ring clearly through every corner of the field.

All the students running on the field were startled. Some even stopped and kept looking toward the source of the voice.

Gao Shang's face darkened, and he nearly started swearing.

She was going this far? That put him in an awkward position.

Under a heavy reward, brave men would surely emerge. If those students really ran like they had been injected with adrenaline, he might not necessarily win this wager.

"Hehe, Teacher Sun certainly knows how to make a grand gesture." Gao Shang forced an unnatural smile as he flattered her.

The corners of Sun Yiying's glossy lips rose slightly as she glanced at Gao Shang. "It's nothing. If they can earn that reward, then I'll win Teacher Gao's Flying Serpent Card. Even if I sell it, it'll fetch at least fifteen thousand Federal Currency, enough to pay their bonuses."

Gao Shang's face turned black as the bottom of a pot.

He Yu nearly burst into pig-like laughter beside them.

On the field, Liu Kun had originally wanted to conserve his strength and slowly finish the full course within twenty-five minutes. But after hearing Sun Yiying's shout and seeing that she did not look like she was joking, he immediately sped up by fifty percent and charged forward as if injected with adrenaline.

And it was not just Liu Kun.

At that moment, even Gao Yang, He Chong, and the others felt their hearts leap in shock. They picked up their speed as well, excitement filling their faces.

"Is that for real? Five thousand for finishing within twenty minutes? Why does this feel like a trap?"

As Tang Jian ran, he turned his head to look toward Sun Yiying on the distant steps, suspicion written across his face.

Up ahead, Yang Mao had already thrown himself into a full sprint, so excited that he was practically shouting.

A five-thousand reward was extremely tempting even to Yang Mao.

"This... this probably isn't a joke. Is she really giving five thousand?"

Seeing Sun Yiying constantly waving and encouraging them in the distance, Tang Jian's heart began pounding fiercely as well.

He knew Sun Yiying's identity clearly. She was a student from a prestigious university and possessed the strength of a five-star card apprentice. Her future was limitless.

By the time he became a Three-Star Card Master in his previous life, this teacher of his had already become a Five-Star Card Master. A seedling with the potential to become a Card God, she had long become an Interstellar Citizen and emigrated to live outside the Solar System.

Five thousand was a lot for him now, but to her, it might really have been nothing. It was entirely possible that she would use it as a reward to motivate them.

"Ahhh! My inner universe is about to explode!"

Tang Jian roared and abruptly picked up speed, chasing after Yang Mao and the others ahead.

If he completed ten laps, eight thousand meters, within twenty minutes, he could get five thousand.

That generous reward was now waiting at the finish line for someone to claim it.

Tang Jian felt as though his entire body no longer hurt. It was as though a flame was burning inside him. He shouted repeatedly and became a human rocket, running faster and faster.

Around them, many students from other classes were already running weakly. They watched the wildly excited Tang Jian and the others with resentful, jealous eyes, then looked at their own teachers and at Sun Yiying in her little black dress. They felt utterly miserable.

This was what other people's teachers were like.

Beautiful, rich, and so considerate. Five thousand as a reward—damn it, that was enough to buy a good green card.

"Ahhh! You bastard... damn it, wait for me."

Yang Mao felt that he was already giving it everything he had, nearly running with all the strength he could muster. If he went any faster, he would struggle to finish even five laps, let alone the whole course.

Yet in the blink of an eye, Tang Jian, free as the wind, had overtaken him.

"Run, go ahead and run. Your card energy is lower than mine, and your stamina is worse. Let's see whether you still have the strength later." Yang Mao cursed inwardly as he watched Tang Jian's back grow farther away.

Tang Jian's inner universe had completely erupted. He overtook Yang Mao, Wang Lele, and Jia Ling. After completing the third lap and entering the fourth, he began closing in on He Chong and Gao Yang.

By then, eight minutes had passed.

Wang Lele and Jia Ling had only just completed their third lap when Tang Jian had already begun his fourth. Watching him rush past them, both of them were sweating from the nose and staring blankly.

"That guy really was playing the pig to eat the tiger. His card energy has definitely exceeded forty." The chubby Jia Ling panted indignantly.

Wang Lele clenched her fists and chased after Tang Jian from behind. "Tang Jian, slow down! If you run that fast, you won't have any strength left later."

By the time she finished speaking, the distance between Tang Jian and her had already widened further, making her so angry that she wanted to punch him.

"Hehe, Teacher Sun, it seems your reward has backfired. Your student is running so desperately that whether he can even finish the entire course later is questionable."

Gao Shang glanced at Tang Jian, who was sprinting hard, then sneered at Sun Yiying.

At that moment, Sun Yiying was frowning as well. Looking at Tang Jian's desperate sprint, she silently thought that this was troublesome.

The reward she had set might have been too high. Tang Jian's family was poor, so perhaps he had truly lost his head and charged forward in the heat of the moment.

But once Tang Jian ran out of strength and lost his breath, he might not even be able to finish ten laps.

"My chest feels so tight. I'm suffocating."

At that moment, Tang Jian, who had drawn everyone's attention, was already running with his face twisted and his legs weak. He inwardly realized that things were not looking good.

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