Chapter 24
He flashed in front of Ye Xuan again and again, throwing punches at him, yet every single one was dodged by Ye Xuan.
Just a little more. Why was it always just a little more?
Quan Guanxi braced his hands on his legs, panting heavily. He could not use his ability for too long. After holding out until now, he had already overdrawn quite a lot.
But this guy in front of him—why could he dodge his fists so easily? Clearly, three days ago, this guy had been trash he could pin to the ground and beat however he wanted.
“Too slow. You’re not my opponent.”
Ye Xuan gave Quan Guanxi, who was in an utterly miserable state on the ground, a faint glance, then walked toward Nan Yunzhou. “Time to go back and train.”
“Oh.” Nan Yunzhou hooked an arm around Ye Xuan’s shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up. “Ye Xuan, you were so cool just now.”
“I told you, stop always hooking your arm around my shoulder.”
“Before eating, you told me I could do whatever I wanted. Are you a goldfish?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Quan Guanxi, who had been forgotten behind them: “…”
“Ye Xuan, you just wait,” Quan Guanxi threatened from behind them.
Ye Xuan glanced sideways. “Anytime.”
Nan Yunzhou, still leaning on Ye Xuan’s shoulder, made an internationally friendly gesture at Quan Guanxi again.
The two returned to the training field. This time, most of the gazes cast toward Ye Xuan contained fear. Quan Guanxi had aggressively overturned Ye Xuan’s tray, and yet the victim had appeared here unharmed so quickly. Who had been beaten was already self-evident.
Those who had wanted to use Quan Guanxi’s power to pressure Ye Xuan now also suppressed the dirty thoughts in their hearts. If even Quan Guanxi could not handle him, what ability did they have? Not to mention, beside Ye Xuan was an ability user they knew nothing about except his name.
Ye Xuan acted as if nothing had happened and pulled Nan Yunzhou back into training, ignoring those fearful and probing gazes.
Before long, news spread through the team that Quan Guanxi had been seriously injured and dragged to the hospital, and that he had been punished for violating the base’s training rules. Although Quan Guanxi’s punishment was not heavy—twenty-four hours in solitary confinement, because the base needed ability users and no one besides Quan Guanxi had been injured—the way everyone looked at Ye Xuan became even more complicated after hearing the news. If they accidentally met Ye Xuan’s gaze, they immediately looked away, afraid that if they looked for even one second longer, they would be the next one locked in solitary.
This result was not what Ye Xuan had expected beforehand, but he was happy to accept it. The fewer brainless idiots who came to bother him, the better.
“Ye Xuan, I might have to go on a mission in two days. I won’t be able to train with you then.” Nan Yunzhou naturally noticed the changing gazes around them too. He did not care about this mob, but he had other worries in his heart.
Ye Xuan looked at him and thought about what to say. After thinking it over, he said, “Okay. I wish you safety and a smooth journey.”
“No, that’s not what I…” Fine, thank you for the blessing. What I mean is, that dog Quan Guanxi is very likely to come trouble you while I’m not here.”
Nan Yunzhou’s brows were tightly furrowed. If it was an open fight, Ye Xuan could go back and forth with Quan Guanxi. What he was afraid of was that Quan Guanxi, that dog, would use dirty tricks.
Ye Xuan asked Nan Yunzhou in return, “You don’t trust me?”
Nan Yunzhou kept his mouth shut. From his expression, he might as well have written the three words “I don’t” across his face.
Ye Xuan crouched down beside him. “Relax. I’m not as weak as you imagine, and I’m not as stupid as you imagine either. I won’t fight him head-on.”
Nan Yunzhou interrupted him. “He’ll play dirty.”
Why was Nan Yunzhou getting anxious when even he himself was not? In Ye Xuan’s eyes, this was like the emperor not being anxious while the eunuch was. He smiled. “Since it’s already come, we might as well face it. I can’t be considered very strong, but protecting myself definitely won’t be a problem.”
Even though he said that, Nan Yunzhou still did not feel reassured.
“How about I ask for leave for you during the two days I’m out on a mission?”
Ye Xuan shook his head and said seriously, with a faint solemnity, “A person can’t be a turtle hiding in its shell forever. What if I don’t become an ability user? Are you going to come to the mine and protect me there too?”
Nan Yunzhou wanted to say yes, but after thinking about it, he realized he did not have that right at all. So he could only lower his head helplessly.
“There’s no need to feel sorry. You’ve already done a lot for me. From now on, just do what you want to do.”
Even if Nan Yunzhou had approached him with ulterior motives, even if Ye Xuan did not like the feeling of being monitored, he still knew clearly that this was an order given by the base. Nan Yunzhou was innocent. From Nan Yunzhou’s personal standpoint, he had already helped him a lot.
The help of an outstanding Team One member was enough to offset the negative influence he had brought.
They had known each other for less than four days.
“Can I add you as a friend? I wanted to ask last time, but I felt like you didn’t want to talk to me then.”
Nan Yunzhou raised his wristband, his eyes shining with a plea.
“Sure.”
Ye Xuan fiddled with his wristband, recalling how the registrar had helped him add Xia Chenxi as a friend last time. It required a number, but numbers were relatively private and sensitive for Team One members.
His gaze landed on Nan Yunzhou’s face.
“No need for it to be that troublesome.”
Nan Yunzhou touched his wristband against Ye Xuan’s, and the virtual screen suddenly displayed: Nan Yunzhou has requested to add you as a friend.
So it could be done like this. Ye Xuan still only half-understood how this wristband worked.
Nan Yunzhou: (^?^)
Ye Xuan did not reply. He turned his head and asked Nan Yunzhou beside him, “If I send messages while someone is on a mission, will it disturb the person receiving them?”
Nan Yunzhou narrowed his eyes and grinned. “Are you going to send me messages when I’m on a mission?”
Ye Xuan avoided the main point. “Just tell me whether it’ll disturb you or not.”
“No. Once someone is out on a mission, the wristband automatically activates shielding mode. Aside from team messages and superior-level notifications, all other messages are blocked. Of course, the person receiving messages can choose to remove the block for a specific person, but most people won’t do that. It’s easy to disturb their focus.”
Nan Yunzhou moved his fluffy head close to Ye Xuan’s face. “If it’s a message from you, even if there’s a group of zombies right in front of me, I’ll still reply.”
Ye Xuan pushed his head away with one finger.
“Do you know what you look like right now?”
“I don’t know.” Nan Yunzhou’s eyes were too clear, like those of a child ignorant of worldly affairs.
Then why were the words he said so slick?
Ye Xuan stood up, patted his butt, and bits of dried mud fell from his pants.
“Right now, you look like a fickle scumbag, casually making promises that carry no weight.”
Nan Yunzhou quickly stood up after him and explained, “I’m not that kind of person.”
Ye Xuan glanced at him and nodded. “Yes, you’re not that kind of person. You’re a cheerful little dog.”
The last sentence was too soft, and Nan Yunzhou did not hear it clearly. He only heard the word “dog.” His head drooped dejectedly, even the corners of his eyes lowering.
“I’m so good to you. Why are you still calling me a dog?”
Ye Xuan gave a faint smile that was barely visible.
Now he looked even more like one.
Like a sad little dog.
The break ended, and the two threw themselves into training again. Ye Xuan trained with great focus until night fell, until darkness covered everything and only a handful of people remained on the training field.
He kept feeling that something had changed in his body.
But it was not enough.
Far from enough.
He was still a tiny distance away from becoming a true ability user.
Yet that threshold, that tiny distance, had become a chasm between him and a real ability user.
