"Next match, Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy!" The announcement drifted in from outside the passage. Gu Ling closed the notes in his hands and slowly stood.
The Qualifiers were already more than halfway over.
With the teams facing one another in match after match, everyone's strengths had long since been studied from every angle. Elephant Armor Academy's most obvious strength was defense; there was no need to even read their files.
As the seven hulking men approached from the opposite side, the once-spacious passage suddenly felt cramped.
Huyan Li led the way, his shoulders astonishingly broad, but there wasn't a trace of complacency in his eyes. When his gaze fell on Gu Ling, his steps even slowed slightly.
"Once we're out there, nobody gets separated. That kid loves sneak attacks," he reminded the teammates behind him in a low voice.
Dugu Yan heard him. Tilting her head toward Gu Ling, she smiled. "Planning to have us stand around again this time?"
"I'll open a breach. You follow through." Gu Ling flexed his wrists, then looked at the Shi Family Brothers with a faint smile. "You two guard the back line. Zhu Zhuqing, watch the flanks."
Everyone nodded and followed him out of the passage.
Cheers surged toward them.
Gu Ling swept his gaze over the stands and spotted someone he hadn't seen for half a month near the competing teams' seating area—Tang San.
The injuries on Tang San's face had healed. He sat beside Yu Xiaogang, staring in their direction without blinking.
"On the way here, I heard Shrek Academy earned another point today, and Tang San's back in the matches now. Looks like he's staying to take a good, long look at me?"
Gu Ling smiled at Tang San, then withdrew his gaze and walked straight