However, Zhou Haimei turned out to be even more formidable, her every move sharp and decisive, laced with lethal intent.
Zhou Haimei released her grip on Xu An, smiling. Xu An, drenched in sweat but exhilarated, laughed heartily.
Cheers erupted from the surrounding onlookers.
“Sister Mei is awesome!”
“Sister Mei is mighty!”
“Where did this new sister come from? Although she lost to Sister Mei, her skills are impressive.”
“……”
More and more discussions filled the training hall. Xu An, sensing the atmosphere, knew this was her chance to quickly integrate and gather intel on other contestants. Without hesitation, she smiled openly at the crowd.
“You’re very skilled; I lost,” Xu An said with a smile.
Admitting defeat to the woman before her wasn't as difficult as she had imagined.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Haimei wrapped an arm around Xu An’s neck and announced to the onlookers, “From now on, Xu An is my sister. Please look after her!”
Suddenly, Zhou Haimei’s demeanor shifted. Her once charming eyes turned sharp as she continued, “But if anyone is foolish enough to bully her, or gossip behind her back, don’t blame me, Zhou Haimei, for showing no mercy.”
Zhou Haimei was a veteran of the training hall. Anyone who had trained there for a considerable time knew her. It was rumored she had powerful connections, but even without them, Zhou Haimei’s personal strength was enough to command respect.
The reason was simple: Zhou Haimei was the only woman to survive all her arena matches. Her opponents, before facing her, had won three consecutive matches, each ending with fatal blows. Every fighter carried off the stage was confirmed dead.
Among those who died was Zhou Haimei’s younger brother.
“And then?” a man asked, looking curiously at the person beside him.
“Then Sister Mei challenged that person to a death match. In the end, Sister Mei crippled one of his legs and one of his arms. I heard he’s barely clinging to life in the relief ward, not even welcome in the back alleys anymore.”
“They say he used to live in the most high-end apartments within the light screens, but now he’s fallen to such a tragic end. So,” the man concluded, “it’s best not to provoke Sister Mei or anyone close to her here.”
The man nodded in understanding, casting a fearful glance at the red-haired woman on the arena stage.
Xu An, oblivious to the conversation below, was surprised by Zhou Haimei’s high standing in the training hall.
To integrate quickly, Xu An didn’t resent Zhou Haimei’s actions; in fact, she felt a sense of gratitude.
Zhou Haimei led her off the stage and towards another training area.
Xu An nodded without speaking, following Zhou Haimei. They passed behind the arena and entered a narrow corridor with black and gold decorations. A few men were training there sporadically.
Xu An estimated that the dumbbells in their hands weighed at least 35-50kg each, whereas a normal man typically lifted 10-20kg.
Her sharp eyes caught sight of military uniforms laid out nearby, leading her to a guess.
“All the equipment in this area is state-of-the-art, and there’s no waiting. Even the bench press machines are smart, much better than the ones outside. There’s also a lot of new training equipment developed by the Lighthouse,” Zhou Haimei explained as they walked.
The men with military uniforms near them, upon seeing Zhou Haimei, reacted differently than the men outside. They simply nodded calmly in greeting.
Zhou Haimei, however, was all smiles, calling out greetings: “Brother Wang…”
Afterward, she led Xu An to the very end, where a pink exercise bike was parked, clearly custom-made.
“What do you think, isn’t Sister’s bike cool!”
Xu An: “……”
“Hahahaha, that person just now was the second-in-command of the enforcement department, his surname is Wang. We all call him Brother Wang here. You know, building good relationships here is more useful than hiring a coach.”
“When we sparred just now, I noticed that although your moves are fierce and deadly, they lack systematic training. You probably just trained on your own, right?”
Xu An couldn’t refute the statement; it was the truth. Although Xu Yan also trained, their skill levels were too different, and Xu An feared injuring her mother if they sparred. Therefore, Xu An’s guidance had always been the primary focus.
Having a vigorous spar like the one with Zhou Haimei was an experience she hadn’t had in a long time.
“Everyone here has received official, systematic training. Even the judges and instructors for this expeditionary force were trained by these men you see ahead. Even a few pointers from them would be enough for you.”
Zhou Haimei whispered into Xu An’s ear, only to find Xu An remaining silent.
She looked down and noticed Xu An frowning, her expression one of resistance.
“I’m not asking you to fawn over them,” Zhou Haimei sighed deeply and continued, “It’s no use trying to curry favor with them here. You just need to showcase your own strength. If they recognize your abilities, they’ll naturally treat you as an equal and a friend.”
Zhou Haimei added with a smile, “Otherwise, why do you think I made such a fuss about that spar when I brought you over?”
Xu An suddenly realized she had misunderstood Zhou Haimei. She had to admit that the woman was truly adept at navigating social dynamics. Not only was she beautiful, but she also possessed a fiery personality.
She knew when to yield and when to assert herself, something Xu An felt she couldn’t emulate – balancing all interpersonal relationships with such finesse.
“I’m sorry, Sister Mei, I misunderstood you.”
“It’s okay, beautiful women always get misunderstood. I’m used to it, hahahaha.”
Listening to Zhou Haimei’s hearty laughter, Xu An felt a rare sense of shame.
Soon, after learning that Xu An primarily used long blades and daggers, Zhou Haimei arranged for a skilled swordsman to teach her systematically.
Afterward, she took Xu An to the shooting range.
“Sister Mei, I know how to shoot.”
“Then show me a few shots.”
Xu An didn’t hesitate and was about to pick up a gun to shoot when she discovered that the table was covered with scattered gun parts.
Xu An: “……”
She knew how to shoot, but she didn’t say she knew how to assemble a gun! Xu An looked embarrassed and turned to Zhou Haimei, only to see her smiling.