Malice
On the second day of the team competition, Mo Ying and Xiya once again struggled to claim victory. Many people were looking forward to a dark horse erging from this pair, since humans always enjoy seeing the unexpected happen.
On the third day of the team competition, Mo Ying and Xiya ran into trouble.
Their opponents this ti were much stronger than those from the previous two days.
Both of their Prism shield values had dropped to their limits—they could barely survive a single hit.
anwhile, their opponents still had three people left.
"Don't panic, they're already spent."
Facing Mo Ying in this state, the opponents still exercised a bit of caution.
"Better safe than sorry, after all, she's Mo Ying."
Even though it was three against two, and the two had nearly broken shields, their adversaries still didn't dare act rashly.
"Hmm... It's over,"
Liushu said.
He could see that these two girls had reached the end of the road.
Mo Ying, panting, looked at the three opponents in front of her as they closed in on them.
Indeed, there was no way to counterattack.
Was there still a chance to win?
Yes.
Mo Ying still had one trump card left.
That fragnt—the fragnt that could see the future.
As long as she used that, victory was hers.
Mo Ying reached into her pocket.
The rules of the match stated that no props were allowed.
Doing this would be against the rules.
It's fine, no one would know.
"....."
After a mont's hesitation, Mo Ying released her grip on the fragnt and picked her weapon back up.
Unfortunately, the two of them didn't make it to the finals, losing in the quarterfinals.
"Ah, it's so frustrating!"
On the morning of the fourth day, in the apartnt's breakfast hall, Mo Ying said in frustration.
"I warned you, told you to get your teammates together sooner, and now you're paying for it,"
Liushu replied, chewing on a bun.
"Two versus five was just too much pressure, and the other team also studied our strategies and moves,"
Xiya added.
"You two have already received high praise from the teachers—you'll be top students in the second year for sure, so there's nothing to worry about,"
Liushu said, sounding relaxed.
"But I just can't accept it!"
Mo Ying's personality was, indeed, very competitive.
"Alright, alright, calm down, it's early in the morning—don't bother everyone else."
Liushu patted Mo Ying on the head.
"Ugh..."
Mo Ying sat down and hugged her head, still looking unwilling to accept the result.
"What will happen to Shuang Yun?"
Xiya suddenly asked.
This question also quieted Mo Ying.
"She... she..."
Truthfully, Liushu wanted to say that Shuang Yun would not be coming back.
In Shuang Yun's situation, it was no different from death—she had been pulled into another tiline, and was essentially beyond saving.
"This is troubleso—since she didn't participate in the ladder tournant, her return evaluation will be really low. She'll have to build up her score bit by bit,"
Liushu said instead.
"Is that so."
Hearing this, Xiya breathed a sigh of relief.
She was afraid to hear any worse news from Liushu.
"Since our tournant is over, let's go back and get so rest. Tomorrow the ladder competition will be completely finished, and we'll be able to go ho."
"Shuang Yun will co back too, right?"
Mo Ying asked.
"... Yeah."
Liushu nodded.
Both girls fell silent.
"I'm going back to play gas."
Mo Ying changed the topic, picked up her breakfast tray, and stood up.
Just as she turned around, she saw a girl standing behind her.
It was a nun, a nun with short pink hair and pink eyes.
She was staring at Mo Ying.
"W-What... What is it?"
Mo Ying, unnerved by her piercing gaze, felt afraid.
"Shen Yiwei,"
Xiya identified her. She was the one who had surrendered in the ladder tournant in less than two minutes—Shen Yiwei.
The other girl's na was Yin Lin, who was...
......
Xiya's pupils dilated—she suddenly realized.
She couldn't rember what this Yin Lin girl looked like.
Clearly, she had just recently watched her match, but now, no matter how hard she tried, she could not recall Yin Lin's appearance.
She couldn't na a single feature, as if she had forgotten entirely.
"....."
As Yiwei drew closer, Mo Ying was forced to take a few steps back, cornered against the table edge, so much so that even the bowl and chopsticks in her hands fell to the floor.
The other students looked over.
Oppression—Mo Ying felt an overwhelming sense of oppression emanating from Yiwei, as if a re mortal was facing a behemoth. Mo Ying could even feel a stinging pain on her skin from the pressure.
"You've got the wrong person, yiwei."
Sitting at the table, Liushu spoke.
"Take a good look, she's Mo Ying, my student."
Liushu continued.
"....."
Yiwei stepped back a few paces and left.
"What was that about? So weird."
Mo Ying, who had just stood up, collapsed back into her chair.
"She has a relative she isn't close to—one with the sa constitution as you, the Light-Dark Chira."
Liushu took another bite of his bun.
"She probably sensed the magic in your body and mistook you for her."
"You know quite a lot, Liushu Sensei."
Mo Ying said.
"Well, I am a teacher, so I've looked over the student records."
Liushu gave a fairly reasonable explanation.
"Her eyes were so scary; it was like she wanted to skin alive. I thought my heart was going to stop."
Thinking of Shen Yiwei's terrifying gaze, Mo Ying still felt a lingering fear.
"You're just too timid,"
Liushu teased.
"That's not true at all!"
Mo Ying began bickering with Liushu.
☆☆☆
On the night of the fifth day, the ladder tournant ended and officially drew to a close.
Mo Ying ranked first in the individual competition, while the team that defeated her took first in the team event.
The students began to pack up their dorms and prepared to return ho.
Students from all over, after watching the ladder tournant, departed as well—Rain Master and Li Shihe included.
With the tournant over, Mo Ying and the others officially entered the second year.
Now, as second-year students, they would have to face sothing new.
The hunting grounds.
"Liushu Sensei, you said before that the hunting grounds are really dangerous. Why does the school still let us go there?"
On the way back, Mo Ying walked up beside Liushu and asked.
"Not all hunting grounds are full of danger. So are wonderlands—those are the ones that can provide you kids with so help. That's why Dreamscape Academy opens the hunting grounds for you."
"You have to rember, dreamscape Academy only enrolls the rich, the powerful, or geniuses like you. If any of you were to die in the hunting grounds, it would be a huge problem for Dreamscape Academy. Only after making sure it's safe will the Academy let you enter the hunting grounds."
"But you must rember: the hunting grounds are full of the unknown. Even a little misstep could cost your life, so no matter what, keep that in mind."
"Is it really that scary?"
Mo Ying still seed unconvinced.
"It is—but Dreamscape Academy has protection asures. The hunting grounds assigned to you are safe by comparison, and there will be a Forester to accompany you, so don't worry."
"Forester?"
"A strong adult who accompanies you to make sure you don't get into trouble—basically, your babysitter."
"Usually the academy will assign a strong teacher to go with you—a Forester. You are the hunters."
"No matter how much I explain, it won't help. Once you enter the hunting grounds yourself, you'll understand."
Liushu refused to say more.
Mo Ying didn't question further.
The students one after another stepped onto the teleportation array.
They didn't return to the first-year campus as before, but went to a new place.
The previous campus was on the south side of Tianqing City; the new campus was also to the south, but separated by a considerable distance. However, with a teleportation array, any distance could be crossed in the blink of an eye.
"Go find Director Wei to get your new dorm assignnts, and have a good rest. After the ladder tournant, there's a month-long holiday—sumr break. Once the holiday's over, you'll officially enter your second year. Then, the Academy will take you to the hunting grounds. I'm off to get a drink—see you."
With that, Liushu disappeared.
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