Free Web NovelChapter 83: Chapter 79: 3 Days Until the City League
The concrete ground beneath him was completely soaked, forming a puddle.
Less than a month ago, he had been a slender, greenhorn boy with a well-proportioned build.
"Quack..."
A Hao Waterfowl in a weighted vest lay opposite him, struggling to get up.
Tires, boulders, and other heavy objects were scattered around her.
Du Gang, whose muscles coiled like ancient dragons, slowly approached. He looked down on Liu Yuhang and his Pet Beast.
"Jing University’s core journal once published an article: ’When a Beast Tamer and their Pet Beast train together and suffer together, their bond deepens, unlocking a higher potential’... I was the one who wrote it."
"So, is this your limit?"
Du Gang glanced at his phone.
"32 minutes and 12 seconds. Honestly, that’s a pretty outstanding time. In this filthy city, you could even be considered one of the best."
He said it with a tone of sarcastic affirmation.
"But outside this city, you’re nothing."
"Your potential isn’t high. You’re destined to never reach the level of Shao Ya or Su Zhi. The only thing you can do is try your best to close the gap between you and them."
"I..."
Liu Yuhang clenched his jaw. He was so exhausted it was hard to even speak.
"You what? I can’t hear you."
Du Gang turned his head away. "If you can’t train, then stop. We’ll continue tomorrow. I’m leaving."
The moment he took a step, Liu Yuhang’s previously limp hand shot out and grabbed his ankle.
"What are you grabbing me for?"
Du Gang kicked his hand away.
"Just be content as a supporting character. Why make life so hard for yourself?"
"I won’t."
But Liu Yuhang’s hand immediately shot back, grabbing on again, impossible to shake off.
"Senior, I..."
Liu Yuhang planted his arms on the ground, pushing up his utterly exhausted body. His teeth ground together with a loud CRUNCH.
"...I can still go!"
Du Gang stopped walking. His voice suddenly rose. "Then stop lying there like a coward and get up!"
"HRAAAGH!"
The young man’s furious roar echoed in the dark night.
Liu Yuhang pushed forward with his arms, core tightened, and raised his body inch by inch.
Lying opposite him, Xue Li watched the sweat fall like rain, and her eyes suddenly grew moist.
Xue Li forcefully wiped the tears away with her wings.
"...Quack!!"
She was wearing a thirty-three-pound weighted vest and using a stream of Water to lift a total of two hundred and twenty pounds of tires, boulders, and other heavy objects. She struggled to her feet and leaped onto Liu Yuhang’s back.
Liu Yuhang’s body wavered for a moment, but he managed to maintain his balance and didn’t fall.
Xue Li’s tears kept falling. She was a natural crybaby; once she started, she couldn’t stop.
But she had no time to wipe her tears.
Nor did she have time to dwell on her weakness.
All she could do now was roar!
"QUACK!!!"
’I won’t give up!’
’I WON’T!!!’
"27 minutes and 48 seconds left! You’re not holding on for me! Hold on for yourselves!"
Du Gang placed his phone with the timer in front of Liu Yuhang.
"If you can’t hold on any longer, ask yourself: what is your choice?" ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
"I’ll emphasize this one last time: you don’t have that kind of talent! You’re no genius, and you’re destined to not go far!"
"Tell me, you ordinary person! Stop or move forward? Which do you choose?"
Liu Yuhang fought against the stinging downpour of sweat and forced his eyes open.
He saw the time counting down on the screen.
In that moment, a light appeared in his eyes.
"Forward!"
"Forward!!"
"FORWARD!!!!"
...
...
Wudu New Village, Building 6, Apartment 502.
Bedroom.
A white-haired girl sat upright on her bed, puffing out her cheeks, staring intently at her phone.
Before long, the phone chimed with the pleasant sound of an incoming WeChat call.
The girl’s expression brightened, and her eyes instantly reddened.
She quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe them, then vigorously rubbed her cheeks with both hands, trying to scrub away the sense of being wronged and all other negative emotions.
She fixed her hair.
And her shirt.
Took a deep breath, checked the mirror.
After confirming that she looked positive and full of energy, Shao Ya confidently pressed the answer button.
The camera turned on, and a man in a light gray Alliance Member uniform with faint wrinkles on his face appeared on the screen.
"Dad!"
Shao Ya put on a perfectly cheerful act and waved at him.
"Long time no see, Xiaoya."
Shao Xuezhi wore a self-reproachful expression and sighed deeply. "The situation in the Hundred Rivers Disaster Area is severe. We’ve been working nonstop since that day. The rescue efforts are mostly complete now, so I finally have a little free time..."
"I’m sorry, Xiaoya. Dad didn’t even call you for so many days. I made you worry."
"It’s okay! I understand. You just focus on your work. Don’t worry about me."
Shao Ya smiled, her eyes crinkling to hide her sorrow.
"All my classmates are so jealous of me for having such a great dad. You’re my pride!"
"Is that so? Hahaha."
Shao Xuezhi scratched his head, embarrassed.
"That’s good. Seeing you so positive and optimistic, Dad can rest easy."
"You should be preparing for the city league right now, right? Dad won’t disturb you. You should get back to it."
"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Don’t worry about your rank, just perform at your best..."
"You’re Dad’s pride, too!"
"Okay, bye Dad!"
...
The girl stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long time, then sighed with a smile.
She walked into the spacious living room—it was decorated in a natural jungle style, personally crafted by Xiaoyue using Vine Fury.
Xiaoyue was sitting by the window, gazing outside alone.
Shao Ya gently placed a hand on Xiaoyue. "Practicing that move again?"
"Meow."
Xiaoyue nodded. The bright moon made his light green pupils, tinged with red, shine.
Xiaoyue had always been the efficient type, completing an excessive amount of training within the allotted time.
But in the process of preparing for the city league, Xiaoyue had become the ’burn-your-life-away’ efficient type.
"You’ve trained more than enough for today. Go to sleep, okay?"
Shao Ya stood behind Xiaoyue and gently wrapped her arms around him.
But then...
Xiaoyue, who had been completely focused on training just a second before, suddenly went limp and fell asleep on the spot with a soft purr.
"If you’re so desperate to rest, then stop trying to act tough like a big brother."
With a resigned smile, the girl picked up Xiaoyue, carried him back to the bedroom, and gently placed him on the bed.
Xiaoyue lay on his back with his limbs in the air, little puffs of air coming and going from his pink nose.
After settling her Pet Beast, the girl’s lips curled into a slight smile as she opened her phone—
[Shao Ya]: You’re coming back tomorrow, right?
[Su Zhi]: Er, "returning to school" might be a more appropriate term...
[Shao Ya]: Ahaha, all the students of Class 10 welcome the return of the God of War, Su Zhi!
[Su Zhi]: Trying to pump up my reputation, huh?
[Shao Ya]: Going to sleep, see you in the morning!
[Su Zhi]: Mmm, goodnight.
...
Phone off, lights out.
The girl lay on her side, her gaze drifting toward the vast sea of stars in the night sky outside her window.
In that moment, a light appeared in her eyes.
"Let’s do our best. We all have to do our best!"
...
...
Building 9, 1st floor, study.
Su Zhi watched the lights go out in the fifth-floor bedroom across the way, then tapped on another chat icon.
[Zhou Shengfa]: Your suspension from No. 1 High ends at midnight tonight. You can come back to class tomorrow morning.
[Su Zhi]: Can I just not go back? Not going to school is pretty nice.
[Zhou Shengfa]: ...What do you think?
[Su Zhi]: Ehehe.
[Zhou Shengfa]: It’s not like you’re coming back for classes anyway. There’s a school-wide flag-raising at 8 AM, and the qualification matches officially start at 9. You need to come find me early to get your certificate.
[Zhou Shengfa]: The time has come to hold your head high! I want you to crush every single opponent! You hear me!
[Su Zhi]: Mmm-hmm.
[Zhou Shengfa]: Ahem, you’re supposed to say, "Understood."
[Su Zhi]: Understood.
Su Zhi pushed his keyboard away, shaking his head with a laugh, and turned his gaze out the window—
[Pet Beast: Yu Bao (Yu Dian Dog)
Power: 1.20
Agility: 1.60
Intelligence: 1.75
Constitution: 1.20
Perception: 1.70
Assignable Attribute Points: 0.00]
[Real-time Energy Value: 1056]
This was the progress Yu Bao had made during the two-week suspension.
At this moment, Yu Bao was sitting quietly on the community green, resting his chin on his paw.
Before him floated a Furious Sand Blade, a Sandstorm spinning in place, and several Yellow Earth Walls arranged in a peculiar formation.
Yu Bao had been like this for days. After finishing his routine training, he would just sit there, lost in thought.
Even with the city league only three days away, Yu Bao continued to train at his own pace. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Not chasing after anyone, nor slacking off because of some small advantage.
It was as if the doubt and condemnation he had experienced before getting his Attribute Points, and the discipline and punishment he had suffered after, had never existed at all...
But that wasn’t the case.
After two weeks of biding their time, Su Zhi and Yu Bao were more eager than anyone for the upcoming qualification matches and the city league.
It wasn’t a desire for victory and glory.
It was the desire to prove that their choices had not been wrong!
Su Zhi turned his gaze back to the document on his screen—
"Yu Bao’s Specialized Skill Path 10.4.13"
In that moment, a light appeared in his eyes.
’An unorthodox path? No, this is getting back on the right track!’
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