As Mo Guanguan stepped forward, the surrounding students instinctively made way for her.
Among the new batch of recruits, there were only two individuals recognized as A-Rank talents.
One was Lu Yan—quiet, reserved, and largely unremarkable in terms of academic performance.
The other… was Mo Guanguan.
Unlike Lu Yan, she drew attention wherever she went.
It wasn't just her appearance, nor her strength.
It was her presence.
There was something about her—an invisible pressure, a noble aura that seemed ingrained in her very being. Even without speaking, she inspired a certain level of awe.
It was clear she came from an extraordinary background.
Mo Guanguan stopped in front of Zhao Mu.
She smiled brightly—but her tone carried unmistakable sharpness.
"I'll pair with you," she said, baring her teeth slightly. "You don't have any objections, right?"
Zhao Mu rubbed his nose helplessly.
"To be honest, even if you didn't choose me, someone else would've ended up sparring with you anyway."
Mo Guanguan narrowed her eyes.
"What? Are you scared?"
Her voice was filled with provocation.
Zhao Mu chuckled softly.
"If you really want to spar with me… I'll gladly accompany you."
After collecting their equipment, the two walked to an empty section of the training ground.
The rules were simple—but deceptive.
A hammer and a protective hat were placed on the ground between them.
Both participants had to play rock-paper-scissors.
Only after the result was revealed could they grab their respective tools—attack or defend.
Speed.
Precision.
Reaction.
Control.
All of it mattered.
Mo Guanguan sat down across from Zhao Mu.
Her long, fair fingers stretched out gracefully.
She interlocked them, flexing them lightly.
The motion was fluid—almost hypnotic.
Like a pair of spirit snakes dancing.
Zhao Mu observed calmly.
With just a glance, he could tell—
She was highly skilled.
Not just in combat…
But in control.
"Ready?" she asked with a smile.
Zhao Mu nodded.
"Anytime."
Mo Guanguan leaned forward slightly.
"I won't go easy on you," she said.
"Every step of this Boot Camp is recorded and graded. Even a game like this—I'll give it everything I've got."
Her gaze shifted subtly—
To the top of Zhao Mu's head.
As if imagining the satisfying thud of a hammer strike.
Zhao Mu smiled faintly.
"Alright… let's begin."
Their eyes locked.
The air tightened.
"Scissors… rock… paper!"
Both moved at the same time.
Zhao Mu—paper.
Mo Guanguan—scissors.
She won.
Her eyes lit up instantly.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the hammer.
Zhao Mu reached for the hat.
The moment she picked it up—
Spiritual energy surged.
The hammer swung down.
Fast.
Precise.
Brutal.
She aimed straight for his head.
Dong!
The impact echoed.
But—
The hammer didn't land.
Zhao Mu had already raised the hat.
Blocked.
Perfectly.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Mo Guanguan's face.
Then—
Her smile returned.
"Again."
The game continued.
Faster.
Sharper.
More intense.
"Scissors, rock, paper!"
"Scissors, rock, paper!"
At first, Mo Guanguan was confident.
With her superior Combat Rank—Dou Rank 12—and her elite training, she believed victory was inevitable.
But as the rounds went on—
Something felt… off.
No matter how she attacked—
Zhao Mu always defended in time.
Every swing—
Blocked.
Every strike—
Neutralized.
"Dong!"
"Dong!"
"Dong!"
The repeated collisions drew attention.
Students nearby turned to look.
Even the instructors paused.
Zhang Biao burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Look at that girl's expression—she looks like she wants to eat him alive!"
He crossed his arms, clearly amused.
Xu Zhixiong, however, frowned slightly.
"But their performance… is exceptional."
"Especially Zhao Mu."
"He's not falling behind at all—despite the gap in Combat Rank."
The pace increased.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Mo Guanguan deliberately accelerated the rhythm.
Her goal was simple.
Overwhelm him.
Force a mistake.
After all, in theory—
Higher rank meant faster comprehension, better reaction, stronger control.
Zhao Mu shouldn't be able to keep up.
But—
He did.
Perfectly.
Instructor Xie Yingxue watched closely.
Then she took a slow breath.
"No… that's not the surprising part."
"Zhao Mu is."
If Zhao Mu's spiritual energy was a cup—
Then Mo Guanguan's was a basin.
Yet—
Within the same time frame—
Both were infusing their tools with energy.
That meant only one thing.
Zhao Mu's control…
Was far more precise.
However—
Xie Yingxue smiled faintly.
"This won't last forever."
Because no matter how precise—
Quantity still mattered.
Zhao Mu's reserves were limited.
Eventually—
He would run out.
Zhao Mu understood this as well.
Each time, Mo Guanguan infused maximum energy.
Relentless.
Unyielding.
No room to recover.
"Student Mo Guanguan," Zhao Mu said calmly, still blocking another strike.
"Aren't we going a bit too fast?"
"Should we take a short break?"
Mo Guanguan grinned.
"No need."
"I can keep going."
Zhao Mu sighed lightly.
"But I'm getting tired."
"No breaks," she replied immediately.
"Unless you surrender."
Her smile turned mischievous.
She wanted to win.
Just once.
Cleanly.
Zhao Mu chuckled.
"It's just a game… letting you win wouldn't matter much."
He paused.
Then his gaze sharpened.
"But this is training."
"In that case…"
"I can't hold back."
Something changed.
Subtly.
But clearly.
Demon Clown… activate.
[Rock-Paper-Scissors] – Proficiency: 30.
Mo Guanguan noticed immediately.
His expression.
His focus.
Something… was different.
But she wasn't worried.
"I don't believe you can beat me."
Zhao Mu said nothing.
The game continued.
Faster.
Sharper.
More intense than ever.
With each round—
His proficiency increased.
Rapidly.
Gradually—
The momentum shifted.
Zhao Mu began winning more often.
He picked up the hammer—
Again.
And again.
And again.
Mo Guanguan—
Was now defending.
And defense—
Consumed more energy.
Because she couldn't predict his output—
She had to use maximum power every time.
Meanwhile—
Zhao Mu conserved.
Controlled.
Optimized.
As long as he wasn't hit—
He remained in an invincible position.
"Student Mo Guanguan," Zhao Mu suddenly said.
"Hm?" she responded, slightly distracted.
Zhao Mu looked directly into her eyes.
Calm.
Steady.
Unshakable.
"In the next round…"
He paused.
"I'll throw rock."
Silence fell.
And the game—
Reached its turning point.
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