Mo Yuan announced the ten-day vacation, and the unexpected delight washed away everyone's exhaustion.
After getting themselves in order, they said goodbye to Mo Yuan, Yun Yan, and the other teachers, then headed back to the student dormitories at Spirit Hall Academy together, their steps weary yet wonderfully light.
The first thing everyone did upon returning to the dormitories was rush into the bathrooms to wash up.
Days of traveling and competing had left them coated in sweat and dust. A hot shower washed away their exhaustion, leaving them refreshed from head to toe.
Once they had changed into clean, tidy clothes, their stomachs began clamoring with hunger. They decided to head to the Academy cafeteria together.
At noon, the cafeteria buzzed with voices, and the aroma of food filled the air. Everyone collected their meals with practiced ease and gathered around a table, chatting as they ate. Naturally, the conversation turned to the ten-day vacation they had just been granted.
Their relentless days of intense pressure had finally come to an end. With so much free time at their disposal for once, everyone felt especially relaxed.
"We finally get a long vacation! Where are you all planning to go?" Tie Zhan asked eagerly, shoveling down a large mouthful of rice.
That question instantly opened the floodgates, and the table came alive with chatter.
"Home, of course! I've been away so long that I've been homesick for ages."
"I'm going back too. It's the perfect chance to spend a few days resting at home and keeping my family company."
The team members all shared their plans, and nearly everyone intended to return to their families and recuperate at home. They spent most of the year training at the academy or competing elsewhere, rarely getting such an uninterrupted stretch of leave