Chapter 324 Losing One’s Way in Darkness
Zhang Yanzong’s mood became worse. He felt like he had just stepped into dog s.h.i.+t.
“Student Ziqi, please consider our suggestion for everyone’s sake. The result of this compet.i.tion wouldn’t only affect everyone’s future, but it would also affect the Central Province Academy and your teacher!”
Zhang Yanzong started to use words like ‘everyone’s future’, ‘the school’s reputation’, and ‘Sun Mo’ to pressure Li Ziqi. “I said before, I won’t forfeit!”
Li Ziqi stared straight at Zhang Yanzong’s eyes, showing no signs of backing away. “You are resenting the fact that I walk too slowly, right? I can resolve it tonight!”
“Why should we wait for the night?” Zhang Yanzong questioned, “Wouldn’t that be a waste of time?”
“Because we will pick up the pace now!”
After Li Ziqi spoke, she gritted her teeth and continued walking forward.
Lu Zhiruo ran over to help her up but was pushed away by her.
“Ziqi, I will carry you on my back!”
Xuanyuan Po leaped a few times and came over. He admired Li Ziqi’s decision. An unwillingness to admit defeat and settling the problem directly when the problem came outthis was how the eldest martial sister should act.
If Li Ziqi gave up, Xuanyuan Po would never acknowledge her as the eldest martial sister ever again.
“No need for that!’
Li Ziqi racked her brains to think of a solution. She already had a general direction, but she needed to consider the specific method of execution a little more.
“We are moving out, group leader!”
Tantai Yutang urged.
Zhang Yanzong clenched his fists as cracking sounds rang out when he looked at these people. How preposterous. (Do you guys have me, the group leader, in your eyes at all?)
“Let’s just give her one more night of time!”
Chu Jian persuaded him. It wasn’t because he admired Li Ziqi, but it was for the sake of giving Sun Mo’s face.
At the student recruitment meet, Sun Mo had offered to recruit Chu Jian as his student. But at that time, Sun Mo was still an intern teacher with no fame, hence, Chu Jian rejected it.
During these days, Chu Jian would be filled with some regret whenever he thought back to it.
It was time for the group to move out again. Because of this mini-episode, the atmosphere of the group felt a little estranged. Li Fen was very worried. This time around, it was Li Ziqi. What about the next time?
Zhang Yanzong was capable, but he was too pragmatic. For the sake of getting a good result, he could abandon anyone.
The sun set and twilight approached, its glow enveloping the hills.
“Prepare a torch, let’s continue moving forward!”
Zhang Yanzong gave the command.
The group was silent, and the people in the group neither agreed nor objected. “Group leader, this is just the first day. Is there a need to strive so hard?” Tantai Yutang chortled. “Also, we have traveled the entire day. Why don’t we take a break?”
“When you are taking a break, Mingshao and Haizhou might have reached the endpoint.”
Zhang Yanzong’s expression turned solemn. “If you want to win, we have to put in more effort than our opponents.”
“You can say that, but everyone needs to rest. If not, it would affect our conditions tomorrow.”
Li Ziqi panted as she offered a different opinion. “I think you are the one who wants to rest, right?”
Zhang Yanzong mocked.
“My eldest martial sister isn’t that type of person.”
Lu Zhiruo spoke out. She felt that Zhang Yanzong’s heart was covered in darkness.
“What should I do? Should we stop the
quarrel?”
Lu Qi jabbed Peng Kunqi who stood beside him. As the compet.i.tion proceeded on, their relations.h.i.+p improved greatly as they chatted. They were about to become friends.
“Do you feel that your words would be useful?”
Peng Kunqi had a self-mocking smile on his face. “Forget about it, just let them quarrel until they are done!” Peng Kunqi was a clever person and could tell where the crux of the problem was.
The situation of the group was very clear. Zhang Yanzong wanted to establish his prestige, uniting all twenty in the group as one.
Li Ziqi didn’t trust Zhang Yanzong. Or more accurately, Li Ziqi only believed in her own judgment. Maybe, she had never thought about becoming the group leader, but she wanted Zhang Yanzong to respect her opinion and do things according to her plan.
However, Li Ziqi’s motor nerve was too inferior, and thus Zhang Yanzong basically looked down on her. This caused such a great conflict between them.
As for the others, none of them wanted to be the group leader. They were drifting along with the waves.
Upon thinking of this, Peng Kungi felt that things were actually quite sorrowful. Zhang Yanzong was capable, but he was too selfish. Would he abandon some of them during crucial moments?
However, other than him, no one else could be the leader. The others were not confident in themselves at all. Hence, they were willing to hand their futures to Zhang Yanzong.
Speaking of this, although Li Ziqi was weaker, she had her own opinions and was very confident in herself.
“I heard that many students in the new student group of Mingshao are capable enough to be the group leaders if they were in other schools. Sadly, all of them are suppressed by Nangong Dao!”
Peng Kunqi trembled.
“Is that Nangong so impressive?”
Lu Qi marveled.
“He’s a direct descendant of the Nangong Aristocrat Clan of Daliang. What do you think?”
Peng Kunqi felt that even five, no, ten of Zhang Yanzong, wouldn’t be able to be compared with Nangong Dao.
“Go and collect firewood and prepare a torch!”
Zhang Yanzong didn’t want to quarrel anymore. Since he couldn’t convince the other party with words, he had no choice but to use his fist then!
Whoever fists were stronger would be the one making the decision!
“Group leader. Given our current speed, we will reach the human-faced canyon tomorrow noon. At that time, our energy might not be sufficient because we are traveling through the night, and this might lead to there being casualties.”
Li Ziqi suppressed her anger. She was truly not fond of people who always wanted to decide and act alone.
“The human-faced canyon?”
Everyone started. What the h.e.l.l was that? Just the name alone was so terrifying!
“For the sake of having a more comprehensive test of each new student group, the Saint Gate sealed many places. Entry would only be permitted into these places when there’s a league tournament. The human-faced canyon is one of such places.”
Li Ziqi explained.
Although there wasn’t much information about these areas, a sealed region was by itself a piece of information. There was no harm to pay more attention to it.
Before Li Ziqi came, she had studied a map of the first level of Darkness Continent. With regard to all these sealed places, she had memorized them all.
“You have never seen the map before, how do you know this?”
Tantai Yutang pretended to be curious.
Li Ziqi rolled her eyes. (Do you really have to act like the fall-guy.)
“Eldest martial sister has a photographic memory!” Lu Zhiruo felt very proud and boasted. She didn’t forget the shocking performance of Li Ziqi when she instantly memorized the Wind King Divine Art the first time the Wind King uttered them. At that time, even the Wind King itself was shocked.
Zhang Yanzong’s expression fell. He took out the map and opened it up for a look. When the words ‘human-faced canyon’ appeared in his vision, his expression grew extremely unsightly.
“What’s wrong? Could it be that Li Ziqi was wrong?”
Tantai Yutang started again.
Zhang Yanzong’s chest heaved. He was someone with ability, hence, he could judge that given their current speed, they would pa.s.s by the human-faced canyon tomorrow noon at the latest.
s.h.i.+ Qiao stretched his neck and glanced at the map. He involuntarily drew in a breath of cold air.
Red words were marking the location of the human-faced canyon. It stated, ‘The danger level was set at 4. If you encounter dangerous situations, you are suggested to quickly seek help from your teachers. Do not hesitate!’
The students had to sign a life-and-death agreement when they partic.i.p.ated in the league tournament. After all, there were many deadly accidents in such league tournaments.
“Let’s rest here for tonight. Lu Qi, s.h.i.+ Qiao, Peng Kunqi, the three of you are to gather firewood and hunt some animals for food if you find them. Li Fen, Li Ziqi, Lu Zhiruo, the three of you are to go pick wild fruits and search for a water source, as well as the camping locations of the other group.”
Zhang Yanzong gave a new order. After that, he turned and left. Changing his order caused him to feel very embarra.s.sed.
“This fellow actually isn’t that stubborn after all?”
Tantai Yutang was surprised.
“He wants to win more compared to losing face!”
Li Ziqi felt somewhat impressed by Zhang Yanzong. Those who could endure would surely be able to accomplish great things. “You really have a photographic memory?” Li Fen was curious. “It’s not worth mentioning!”
Li Ziqi’s sharp senses detected that Li Fen was apprehensive. Very good, she might have found her first reliable supporter. For partic.i.p.ants, other than the uniform and weapons, they were not permitted to bring any of their personal stuff.
After that, the Saint Gate would also prepare similar supplies for each partic.i.p.ant.
Three days’ worth of water and dry rations, a signal tube, and an emergency bag.
The things in the emergency bag were spa.r.s.e. Other than an antidote, homeostasis powder, a scissor, and a roll of bandages, there were no other items.
The meaning was clear. The students not only had to hasten their journey, but they had to collect medicinal herbs on their way too.
were som
Naturally, it was fine if they didn’t do so. But once a group member was injured and there were no medicinal herbs for emergency treatment, that group member could only blame it on his bad luck. Other than these, there were some other minor items. For example, a spirit rune master could apply to bring along spirit rune papers and their spirit rune brush, and alchemists could apply to bring a small refining cauldron along. But usually, even when people applied to bring such items in, they wouldn’t have the time to use them. After all, this was the death race compet.i.tion. Time was very tight. “Xu Dingjiang, you are eating too much.”
Zhang Yanzong criticized.
They didn’t manage to find any prey, and this lousy forest also didn’t have much wild fruit. Hence, everyone was eating the dry rations prepared by Saint Gate. There was only three days’ worth of food, so they had to be more thrifty.
“If I don’t fill my belly, how would I have the strength?”
Xu Dingjiang was indignant and grumbled in a low voice. “Also, we might be able to find prey tomorrow.”
Xu Dingjiang was from a well-to-do background, and he had never suffered hunger before. As they had rushed through the entire day, he was tired and thirsty. This was why he ate more now.
Zhang Yanzong pretended that he didn’t hear it. After that, he silently regarded the others. Lu Zhiruo and Li Ziqi were eating their buns and drinking their water according to the rationed amount. Their endurance wasn’t bad.
“Ziqi, eat this!
Ying Baiwu pa.s.sed her bun over. The little sunny egg’s energy consumption today was considerably more than the others.
“No need!”
Li Ziqi rejected.
“Eat!”
The iron-headed girl pa.s.sed a bun to Li Ziqi. “In any case, it’s fine even if I starve for a few days!”
It wasn’t that Ying Baiwu was modest, but this was truly not a problem. She had suffered hunger for years. Or more accurately speaking, the days when she was not hungry could be counted with her fingers.
Even on new year’s eve, Ying Baiwu had never truly filled her belly before.
“Ying Baiwu, take your food back!”
Zhang Yanzong ordered. “Can you control me?” Ying Baiwu frowned. “I’m the group leader!” Zhang Yanzong’s tone was filled with rage. Why were there so many thorns in the group? It seemed like a fight was inevitable.
“Stop quarreling!”
Li Ziqi stood up and pa.s.sed the bun back to Ying Baiwu. “I might not return tonight, so there’s no need to look for me!”
“Ah?”
Lu Zhiruo panicked. “What are you going to do?”
“To solve the problem of transportation.”
Li Ziqi already had a plan.
“I’ll accompany you!”
Ying Baiwu and Lu Zhiruo both stood up.
“No need. This is a tempering exercise for me!”
Li Ziqi left the camp.
(I hope you won’t return forever!)
Zhang Yanzong’s gaze was ice-cold. After that, he instructed the others, “I will take the first half of the night watch. Xuanyuan Po will take the second half. As for the others, quickly go to sleep.”
After he ate, Zhang Yanzong sat by the bonfire and a.n.a.lyzed the map, wanting to find a shortcut. All of a sudden, a subtle sound drifted over.
“Who?”
Zhang Yanzong shouted. A clanking sound rang out as he drew his curved blade.