Chapter 279 – Spotlight
Her words were noted down by the other instructors observing the match, and a specialized training plan would be created for that student’s abilities.
“Who’s next? Who else is willing to step up?” Ye Hongci looked around.
It was evident that the originally high spirits of the crowd had been extinguished by Tang Ying’s mercilessness.
Although it was an honor to receive guidance from General Ye, being sent to the infirmary was undeniably painful.
Ye Hongci noticed this as well; she pursed her lips and smiled lightly, helplessly easing the conditions. “How about this, let’s form teams of two.”
She added an extra reminder to Tang Ying, “Instructor Tang, please go easy on them; these are all new students.”
Tang Ying nodded.
With the option to team up, everyone was on board.
Pairs stepped forward to spar against Tang Ying.
Unfortunately, even with two people, they barely managed a few exchanges under Tang Ying’s skill.
However, with Ye Hongci’s admonition, Tang Ying held back and there were no further incidents of sending anyone to the infirmary.
Ai Meigui was quite enthusiastic and looked at Tu Ran, saying, “Sister Tu Ran, should we team up and give it a try?”
Tu Ran wasn’t keen on joining in, replying, “My stomach hurts.”
“Ah? Do you need to go to the infirmary? I know where it is; I can take you,” Ai Meigui said, gripping her hand tightly and looking anxious.
Tu Ran felt a moment of guilt and shook her head. “No need, I’ll be fine soon. Once I’m better, I’ll accompany you.”
“No, no, your health is the most important thing. I can find someone else to go with me,” Ai Meigui asked with concern, “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the infirmary?”
“No need,” Tu Ran said, smiling and shaking her head.
Ai Meigui finally relaxed and looked around, hoping to find a partner.
In the end, she teamed up with Xiang Hou, both being from Hope Star.
Unfortunately, neither of them had much ability; Xiang Hou wasn’t as strong as his brother, and Ai Meigui simply wanted to draw attention to herself so that Ye Hongci would notice her. Within three minutes of stepping up, one of them was kicked down by Tang Ying, while the other was slapped in the face.
Ai Meigui was the one who got kicked down, landing hard on her backside.
She covered her bottom as she returned to the stool, and as soon as she sat down, she gasped in pain, nearly bouncing back up.
If it hadn’t been for Ye Hongci explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each student’s techniques, Ai Meigui would have jumped up without a second thought.
Now, she could only endure the pain, maintain a composed smile, and perk up her ears, ready to listen attentively to Ye Hongci’s praises.
In the end, Ye Hongci looked at her several times, struggled to find the right words, and finally said, “Your courage is commendable; this spirit is something everyone should learn from.”
Ai Meigui felt like crying without tears. “Thank you for your guidance, General Ye.”
Ye Hongci quickly shifted her gaze to the next group.
Ai Meigui nearly buried her head in her knees, her two ponytails hanging down to cover her face. She dug her fingers into the ground, creating a small hole, and weakly asked, “Sister Tu Ran, did I perform poorly just now? General Ye didn’t praise me at all.”
Tu Ran comfortingly patted her back. “You did fine; didn’t General Ye say your spirit was worth rewarding?”
“That’s only because she couldn’t find anything else to praise,” Ai Meigui replied.
“Of course not,” Tu Ran said, as if soothing a child. “Right now, what the entire Haenden star system lacks most is your kind of optimistic spirit. While the capabilities of an army are important, a vigorous and challenging spirit is also worth encouraging. You just happen to possess that spirit, which is why General Ye pointed it out to praise you.” She added, “The fact that she didn’t praise anyone else but you shows that you are special in General Ye’s eyes.”
Ai Meigui seemed to be swayed by her words, lifting her head slightly from her knees to reveal her big, bright eyes. “Sister Tu Ran, you really know how to flatter people.”
Tu Ran smiled. “I’m just stating the truth. Don’t sit there sulking; keep watching, learn more, and one day you’ll be able to take Tang Ying down and make General Ye see you in a new light.”
Ai Meigui glanced at Tang Ying and sighed, “She’s just too strong. I’m afraid no one can beat her, except for General Ye.”
Tu Ran turned her face towards her, remaining silent.
As Ai Meigui had said, so far, no one had been able to defeat Tang Ying, and even sparring with her for ten minutes was a rare occurrence.
In contrast, Tang Ying had fought against different opponents for so long without showing any signs of fatigue.
Ye Hongci’s initial hopes had been dashed.
She had always hoped to find a few outstanding individuals among this batch of new recruits, as she planned to form the most elite squad, becoming the sharp edge of the human army in the Haenden star system. This proposal had already been approved by her superiors, and she personally joined the training program, partly to select elite talents for focused training.
Unfortunately, up to this point, there had been no standouts.
She sighed inwardly, her gaze falling on the faces of those who had yet to take the field.
In the eyes of the majority, there was admiration and respect for Tang Ying; it was human nature to be in awe of the strong. However, there were also some who displayed hesitation and struggle, wanting to challenge Tang Ying but hesitating for various reasons.
Not a single person showed the emotions she desired to see.
Until she caught sight of Tu Ran.
Sitting carelessly on a small stool, propping her chin on her hand, her fingers tapped a rhythm. If the stool hadn’t been so low, preventing her from crossing her legs, she surely would have adopted a relaxed posture.
Her gaze was nonchalant, occasionally glancing down at the ground, then up at the sky, sometimes lost in thought. She only looked at the fights on the ground occasionally, and even then, her expression lacked any excess emotion, as if she were watching a routine performance.
“What’s her name?” Ye Hongci asked a nearby instructor.
The instructor followed her gaze, and at that moment, Tu Ran seemed to sense them, looking directly at the two of them.
Ye Hongci’s heart skipped a beat; that kind of keen intuition was not something ordinary people possessed.
The instructor recognized Tu Ran and replied, “Her name is Tu Ran, and she’s from Wasteland Star One. She escaped from there not long ago and arrived at Area 999, where the head of the mobilization department introduced her.”
“Wasteland Star One?” Ye Hongci frowned and suddenly looked up. “Someone who could escape from that place is not an ordinary person.”
“Right,” the instructor nodded, gazing at Tu Ran with appreciation. “Her physical fitness is excellent, and she improves quickly. Initially, she was only average among the new members, but after just five days of training, she ranked at the front, and the specified fitness standards are a piece of cake for her.”
Ye Hongci looked at Tu Ran, formulating a plan in her mind.
After Tang Ying had kicked two more people out, no one dared to step up again.
Everyone was a new member and hadn’t undergone systematic training, so it was clear they couldn’t defeat Tang Ying. There was no need to seek out suffering.
“Is there anyone else willing to step up?” Ye Hongci asked.
No one responded.
Tu Ran sat up straight below, realizing that the morning’s training was about to conclude.
She should start thinking about what to eat for lunch.
“Then I’ll call a few people up to have a match.”
Tu Ran’s shoulders quickly slumped. It was a conditioned reflex developed over many years of schooling; whenever a teacher called on someone, she instinctively tried to shrink her presence.
Unfortunately, Ye Hongci intended to call her.
“Tu Ran, why don’t you come up and give it a try?”
Tu Ran, who had been called: …
She glanced at Ye Hongci, who was smiling warmly at her, the expression kind and encouraging.
Tu Ran realized: So, Ye Hongci and the instructor were indeed talking about her earlier; it wasn’t just her imagination.
“Go for it, Sister Tu Ran!” Ai Meigui cheered from the side, whispering, “It doesn’t matter if you lose; everyone else has lost too, and no one will laugh at you.”
Tu Ran stood up, moving slowly as she walked toward Tang Ying.
To others, her slow pace seemed like a sign of lack of confidence, portraying her as someone unwilling to fight Tang Ying but forced to step up bravely.
In reality, Tu Ran was contemplating at what point she should concede in order to avoid suspicion.
She just wanted to bide her time in this place until the “gate” opened and she could quietly leave. Even if it caused a stir, her sudden disappearance as a probationary reserve member wouldn’t have much of an impact on this world.
Tu Ran walked up to the cart, still lost in thought as she selected a weapon.
In the end, she decided to let Tang Ying kick her out of the match.
Tu Ran chose a stick.
After some hesitation, she finally stood before Tang Ying, who routinely asked, “Are you ready to start?”
Tu Ran nodded.
Tang Ying charged straight at her.
Having sat on the sidelines and observed earlier, Tu Ran had already figured out Tang Ying’s tactics.
She started with a big move, intending to finish off her opponent as quickly as possible.
Tu Ran sidestepped and narrowly avoided a punch, but then Tang Ying followed up with a sweeping kick.
Her movements were swift, and Tu Ran didn’t have time to retreat, so she leaned back as Tang Ying’s leg brushed past her nose.
Before Tu Ran could regain her balance, Tang Ying was already launching her next attack, this time with a split kick.
From her previous observations, Tu Ran knew that Tang Ying had powerful leg strength; if that kick landed, it would likely injure her waist.
Simply dodging wasn’t going to work, so for the first time, Tu Ran raised the stick and took the initiative to strike. Tang Ying quickly reacted, moving her leg to the side, and Tu Ran finally managed to stand upright, putting some distance between them.
Tang Ying looked at the person before her and sensed that she was different from the others she had faced earlier, prompting her to pay closer attention.
Tang Ying launched another all-out attack, using both arms and legs without leaving any room for her opponent to breathe. With her speed, anyone else would have already been kicked out of the match by now.
Unfortunately for her, Tu Ran was a person with special abilities, and in terms of speed, she was more than twice as fast. Tang Ying’s movements were still not quick enough in Tu Ran’s eyes.
As Tu Ran circled around her, she absorbed Tang Ying’s attacks while looking for the right moment to make her exit.
That moment was proving to be elusive. Every strike from Tang Ying was fierce, each one generating a slicing sound through the air, indicating the force behind them.
Tu Ran struggled to keep up; every time her brain decided to retreat from a particular attack, her body would instinctively respond and absorb it instead.
As Tang Ying’s expression grew darker and the onlookers became increasingly shocked, Tu Ran realized that she couldn’t keep playing this defensive game for much longer.
Ye Hongci watched Tu Ran’s every move with admiration. This kind of reaction speed could only be achieved with a powerful mental ability. Having strong mental abilities meant better control over mechas, potentially reaching a level where the pilot and the mecha became one.
