Chen Zili perked up again in school. His lackeys were still the same few people, but the number of hangers-on behind Zhao Ergou had drastically decreased, nearly matching his own.
After that "open class" session, it became clear to anyone with discernment that it wouldn't be long before Zhao Zhenhuai was kicked off the so-called "focused training list."
In the meantime, Chen Zili and Zhao Ergou had an encounter in the cafeteria. Chen Zili, however, didn't try to reclaim his seat; he just got into a quarrel with Zhao Ergou. No matter what Zhao Ergou said, Chen Zili had only one retort: "Your old man got beaten by my idol!"
Zhao Ergou was so utterly humiliated that he fled in a panic.
Chen Gu, on the other hand, remained very quiet and low-key. Everyone had been dumbstruck by the entire fight, and Chen Gu had always stood at the very back of the class. Consequently, no one even noticed his "disappearance" during the battle.
Only a week later did the buzz about this incident begin to slowly die down. This was only because the military hadn't announced the impact of the "Heaven Pillar Overturn" tactic in combat against the Alien Insect Race; otherwise, it would have dominated the headlines for several more days.
After a week of training, Chen Gu felt himself eating more and more. His physical abilities in all aspects had seen significant enhancement.
Indeed, all aspects of his abilities had improved.
On the surface, Chen Gu was a seventeen-year-old boy. So sometimes, being this strong is pretty damn uncomfortable, he thought.
That afternoon's lesson was another practical combat class, but Old Man Xu, the tactics teacher, still hadn't shown up because this time the exercise was a "combat exchange."
Old Man Xu had made his opinion clear: What's the point of watching a bunch of little brats fight?
Today's combat exchange was between Class Nine and Class Four of the senior year. After a long wait, Class Four still hadn't arrived. The physical techniques teacher frowned and stepped aside to make a phone call. The students waited listlessly. The boy scheduled to go first had already put on his protective gear, but now, complaining about the heat, he took it off again.
The teacher hadn't returned, but whispers started spreading among the students; it seemed everyone was quietly passing on some news. This time, Chen Gu didn't need to go out of his way to find out. He simply stretched his neck and saw:
Everyone was sneakily looking at a piece of news on the "Lubei Dark Web." Don't doubt it; Lubei Middle School really had its own dark web. The students who had set it up had long since graduated, but they responsibly continued to maintain the network.
A new piece of information was "for sale" on the dark web, priced at one "Gold Shield" per view. Chen Gu smirked. What a load of crap these "Gold Shields" are. He'd managed to see it when a classmate was looking, saving himself a hundred million.
However, Chen Gu's expression darkened when he saw the content. A terrible incident had just occurred in the restroom: Zhao Junzhi and Chen Zili, who had been feuding recently, had clashed again. Reliable sources indicated that Zhao Junzhi was the one who had strutted out triumphantly.
There was also an unverified claim that Chen Zili's head had been shoved into a toilet, though whether the bowl contained only water was unknown.
This outcome wasn't unexpected. After all, Zhao Junzhi was big and brawny, his face full of fierce muscle.
So, you guys go off to fight, and we're just left here twiddling our thumbs? Chen Gu thought. Zhao Junzhi was from Class Four, and their entire class's delay was naturally due to him and his cronies.
Someone like Zhao Junzhi was bound to receive some "privileges" at school; even some teachers would secretly try to curry favor with him.
Chen Gu rolled his neck. He hadn't planned to take part in the combat exchange, but suddenly he felt interested.
"Sorry for the delay." Class Four eventually made their belated appearance. The teacher in charge offered the apology with a clearly insincere smile, and then the combat exchange quickly got underway.
The first male student from Class Nine geared up once more, while Class Four erupted in cheers. A spirited girl with a ponytail, long legs, and a face glowing with youthfulness confidently strode onto the stage.
The girl's eyes were dark and lustrous like lacquer, clear yet lively. She had a perky nose and cherry-red lips that were slightly pursed as she bowed to her opponent.
Chen Gu heard several of his male classmates gulp.
"The top girl of Class Four, my goddess Liu Shichan!"
"The Overlord Flower of Lubei, ah! She's not to be trifled with. Better steer clear..."
"To die for the Overlord Flower, a dashing fate even in the afterlife!"
"Who came up with such a cheesy slogan?"
Chen Gu listened to the discussions, watching Liu Shichan from a distance. The girl's features were exquisite, her small face like flawless fine porcelain.
But Chen Gu's real attention was fixed on the one he mentally dubbed 'Zhao-Junzhi-Ergou-Must-Die.' That guy was hiding behind his classmates, whispering about something with a few of his lackeys.
On the stage, the moment the teacher announced, "Begin!" Liu Shichan's entire aura instantly transformed. Her chilling demeanor was almost palpable. With a frosty expression, her long legs moved in swift, short steps. She changed directions twice en route, completely baffling the first combatant from Class Nine.
Then, Liu Shichan feinted with a front kick from her right leg. Having calculated the first combatant's evasion path, she spun and delivered a heavy elbow strike to his face.
Even with protective gear, the first combatant crumpled to the ground on the spot.
The teacher hurried onto the stage. The icy aura around Liu Shichan dissipated, and she reverted to the graceful, long-legged beauty. She bowed slightly to her opponent and walked off.
Class Four erupted in cheers, with both boys and girls shouting, "Liu Liu, I love you! That was amazing!"
Liu Shichan sat down cross-legged in her spot. Immediately, a group of female classmates rushed over. One massaged her shoulders while another kneaded her legs, exclaiming, "Our Big Sister is mighty! A victorious start, utterly invincible! No man can last a single round against her!"
A round of enthusiastic applause and cheers also arose from Class Nine, all congratulating Liu Shichan.
The first combatant was furious. You shameless, looks-obsessed sycophants! he fumed internally. Have you all fed your collective honor to the dogs?
The following matches were quite bland, resembling a clumsy brawl. They utterly lacked the crisp efficiency and flair of Liu Shichan's earlier performance. Suddenly, Chen Gu's ears twitched; he caught snippets of a hushed conversation between Zhao Ergou and his lackeys, who were hiding amongst their classmates.
During this period, Chen Gu had been steadily engaging in the "Star Battle Instructor" preliminary training, significantly bolstering his physical fitness, along with sharp improvements in his hearing and vision.
"...Boss, the timing is about perfect! Once you make your entrance, you'll sweep through the competition. Liu Shichan will surely see you in a new light then. In all of Class Four—no, in the whole senior year—only you and she possess such overwhelming strength. You're a match made in heaven!"
But Zhao Junzhi was being shrewd, his eyes fixed on Chen Gu. "Who is that kid? I know the strength of everyone else in Class Nine; none of them are my match. Make sure no meddler pops up at this critical moment!"
"Him?..." One lackey glanced at Chen Gu. "Don't worry, Boss. I've specifically gathered intel. He's a new transfer student, pretty average in all aspects. Handsome, but good for nothing else."
This lackey isn't half bad, Chen Gu thought with an internal smirk. I'll spare him this once!