Chapter 209

Chapter 209

With his spot coveted, Si Zhaohua fought back. Lei Ze’en settled it, sticking to the original plan.

Early next morning, we used Lei Ze’en’s teleportation array to reach the hotel by the competition venue. Today was for settling in; the matches started tomorrow.

We arrived early, first among the three schools. The hotel, owned by the Ability Government, had Ability user staff.

Even during the competition, it wasn’t exclusive to participants. Spectators could pay to stay. Feng Lan and others chose this hotel.

Unlike them, we didn’t pay and got top-floor rooms with great views and privacy—a solid choice.

Meng Huai’s room assignments weren’t as meticulous as Ye Lin’s. We got double rooms. Though only Lan Subing, Ai Baozhu, and Qi Huang were competing females, Zhao Xiaoyu, the host, made four, split into two rooms. The boys’ rooms were randomly assigned.

After announcing the assignments, Meng Huai and Lei Ze’en left to draw lots for tomorrow’s match order—a key task.

The country had three Ability Academies: Endless, Houde, and Skydome. Endless was implicitly the top ranking, with the most well-rounded students.

Most applicants there had Body Enhancement Abilities like Mu Tieren, with fewer strong Abilities.

Houde ensured a high baseline—even Ability users with weak abilities, like my initial [Gear Creation], could shine there by relying on their body, not Ability.

Honestly, both Mu Tieren and I should’ve gone to Houde. Compared to Endless, it suited us better.

I chose Endless because, as a former ordinary person, I knew little about the academies. I only knew Endless was the best, so I applied.

But if I’d known Houde’s ethos, I might’ve chosen it. Sometimes I wondered if I’d have avoided all this by not coming to Endless.

Mu Tieren chose Endless because his parents and Boss Sun graduated from it. Despite knowing Houde suited him, he picked his family’s alma mater.

Skydome Ability Academy, opposite Houde, believed Ability users should maximize their Abilities. A strong Ability could overpower human bodies.

They focused on Mental Energy and Abilities, holding the most Ability skill books. Less emphasis on physical training attracted those who disliked exercise.

People joked Houde produced warriors, Skydome mages, and Endless Ability users.

Meng Huai preferred facing Houde first. Their physical combat rarely caused severe injuries, easily healed by our hired healer, ensuring no impact on later matches.

Facing Skydome first risked heavy injuries, potentially sidelining players for the next school’s individual battles—a loss.

But with our competitors—[Angel] Si Zhaohua, [Word Spirit] Lan Subing, multi-Ability Jiang Tianming, Destiny-type me—Meng Huai and Lei Ze’en weren’t worried. Not arrogance—our Class S was just that strong.

Each could lead at other schools, yet we were all in one class.

Their combat experience, honed by “Black Flash” schemes, rivaled adult Ability users, let alone peers.

Schools scouted each other’s competitors. From what we knew, other schools’ participants were strong but fell short of ours.

Thus, Meng Huai, Lei Ze’en, and Wu Di weren’t worried. They even considered a one-versus-five sweep in individual battles, depending on our performance.

Mo Xiaotian and I shared a room. He eagerly opened the window: “Wow! Tomorrow’s venue is huge!”

I joined him, looking down. The venue was massive, like an open-air stadium, with a large platform for individual battles. I wondered if team battles used the same size.

Mo Xiaotian, ever excited by novelty, looked around before flopping on the bed: “You think we’ll get to fight tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” I answered vaguely. I hadn’t paid attention—honestly, I hoped I wouldn’t. Why bother when I could coast?

Oh, right. The protagonist group loved finding trouble.

Not getting a clear answer, Mo Xiaotian didn’t mind, rolling on the bed like a washing machine: “So boring. Why doesn’t it start today?”

Our phones pinged—a message from Meng Huai. Tomorrow’s match order was set, and it wasn’t ideal.

First, Endless versus Skydome, an hour’s rest, then Skydome versus Houde, and finally Endless versus Houde.

“Opening match tomorrow…” I chuckled. “Si Zhaohua’s gonna steal the show.”

First match, handsome, from a prominent family, with a grandiose [Angel] Ability—I could imagine his popularity surge. He’d definitely be voted for the entertainment match.

But would the Tri-School Competition go smoothly?

Not me worrying needlessly—the setting was too perfect for chaos. “Black Flash” always targeted domestic Ability users. With us gathered, missing this chance to strike would be unlike them.

The year-end international competition was harder for “Black Flash” to disrupt, with multiple nations involved. If they succeeded there, they might as well rule the world.

“I wanna go first too,” Mo Xiaotian said glumly, but perked up. “As long as I get to fight! I've never faced other schools’ students. How strong are they?”

Good question! My eyes lit up. To know if “Black Flash” would act, just check the other schools’ competitors’ strength.

If they were strong, the matches would be exciting, and the author might not involve “Black Flash.”

But if they were weak, letting Si Zhaohua sweep three or five, the author might have “Black Flash” stir things up. Otherwise, Endless crushing everyone would make the competition dull.

I stood up: “Bored? Let’s go explore.”

“Yay!” Mo Xiaotian cheered, hopping up to follow.

Leaving the room, I didn’t seek other competitors but knocked on Jiang Tianming’s door. When he opened it, I asked casually: “Wanna stroll around the hotel?”

Mo Xiaotian chimed in: “Yeah, it’s boring in the room. Let’s go!”

Jiang Tianming and Wu Mingbai, his roommate, exchanged suspicious looks, asking in unison: “You’re inviting us out?”

Was this still Su Bei? Since when did I have such leisure?

I just smiled. Going with Jiang Tianming’s group was perfect—protagonists attracted events. I could observe opponents’ strength.

Unsure of my motive, they wanted to explore too. After brief hesitation, Jiang Tianming nodded: “Sure, let’s go. Should we call the others?”

Fine by me—two protagonists were enough to attract events. I shrugged: “Up to you.”

He led us to knock on Lan Subing’s door. Ai Baozhu, unpacking, opened it: “What’s up?”

“We’re gonna stroll around in the hotel. You coming?” Jiang Tianming asked.

Ai Baozhu considered, then shook her head, frowning: “Nah, gotta change these sheets. Why can’t the Ability Government let me bring a maid?”

“I’ll go,” Lan Subing said softly, stepping out with a bright smile.

Noticing her cheer, Wu Mingbai asked: “Something good happen?”

“My parents are here,” Lan Subing smiled. “They just called me.”

Most spectators were Ability users, but some weren’t—competitors’ families or big shots.

Her parents were busy, so their presence thrilled her: “Mom said security’s good here. Their bodyguard felt someone watching them several times.”

Bodyguards were hyper-sensitive to gazes, so feeling watched meant solid security.

But I frowned. Frequent surveillance felt odd. The hotel and venue had vetted lists—why the covert watching?

It didn’t feel official—more like a villain’s move.

My reasoning? With three protagonists together, heading out, this was likely manga-worthy. Lan Subing’s sudden mention of her parents and the bodyguard’s surveillance wasn’t random.

As a character, it seemed fine, but from my omniscient view, something was off.

Maybe I was overthinking it, but better over than under. If “Black Flash” had infiltrated, when would they act?

—During the competition, likely the entertainment match.

Outside matches, the venue was tightly guarded by countless strong Ability users, making it hard to cause trouble.

During matches, to prevent cheating, only competitors could use Abilities on the arena, giving schemers an opening.

Of the three days, individual and team battles were one-on-one, not ideal for wiping out top students. The entertainment match, per Lei Ze’en, was a chaotic game with all schools’ chosen students.

From “Black Flash”’s past moves, they targeted students, not adults. If they intervened, the entertainment match was their best shot.

Verifying “Black Flash”’s involvement was simple, as I’d thought: check opponents’ strength.

The hotel had eighteen floors, with competitors on the top three, one floor per school. Without special keycards, elevators couldn’t reach those floors, ensuring rest.

At the ground floor, though matches started tomorrow, many had checked in. Good thing we’d ditched our uniforms, or we’d be mobbed. Non-uniformed students could be spectators, but uniformed ones were competitors.

As we headed out, we ran into a team in Skydome Ability Academy’s sky-blue uniforms, flashier than Endless'. Houde’s were light brown.

Their vivid uniforms drew a crowd. Top competitors were always a curiosity for ordinary Ability users.

“Good thing we’re not in uniform,” Lan Subing said, hiding among us, relieved.

She couldn’t imagine being mobbed—it would be social anxiety hell, even with her improved confidence.

Seeing Skydome’s team gawked at like monkeys, she felt smug for avoiding it.

Wu Mingbai mercilessly burst her bubble: “We’ll wear them eventually.”

Even if dodged today, tomorrow’s uniformed exit would draw eyes. No escaping the spotlight.

Imagining it, Lan Subing turned gray, slumping against Jiang Tianming, drained.

He steadied her, his dark eyes smiling at Wu Mingbai: “Stop teasing her. They’re coming.”

As he said, Skydome’s team broke through the crowd. They cared about face, maintaining composure and neat formation.

If it were Endless' Jiang Tianming and co., we’d have scattered. Houde’s students would’ve bulldozed through with sheer physicality. Skydome took the longest.

As they entered, we saw the ten competitors. Surprisingly, at the team’s end was a “familiar” face.

He was from the team that provoked us during our first training mission.

We remembered him because, after that mission, Si Zhaohua used family influence to teach them a lesson. His butler asked if the lone first-year, Zhao Hanwen, should be included.

Learning Zhao Hanwen was the only first-year in that third-year team, Si Zhaohua shared it, and we spared him, leaving an impression.

Didn’t expect to see him in Skydome’s Tri-School team—clearly talented, though likely a substitute at the back.

Zhao Hanwen recognized us too. That encounter wasn’t pleasant—they got the short end, and his teammates faced consequences. Knowing it was Si Zhaohua’s doing, he’d been cautious, making his memory vivid.

“It’s you!” He gaped, then told his teammates: “They’re probably Endless Ability Academy’s competitors!”

First-years on missions were prodigies. A group like us here screamed competitors.

At his words, everyone turned to us. Lan Subing nearly fainted—retribution came fast. She regretted joining the spectacle.

Skydome’s leader was a tall, handsome Yellow-Haired Boy with long, wavy hair, like a golden lion.

“Endless Ability Academy’s competitors?” He raised an eyebrow, scanning us, then lifted his chin arrogantly: “Don’t look like much.”

We weren’t the type to get mad over taunts anymore. On missions, we often faced disdain for age, looks, or gender, knowing strength spoke loudest. Lan Subing even quipped: “Kinda like early Si Zhaohua…”

Her jab was sharp. The Yellow-Haired Boy’s rich attire, haughty air, and sharp tongue mirrored early Si Zhaohua, though more brazen. Si Zhaohua was subtler, despite the same arrogance.

I couldn’t hold it in, laughing: “You should let Si Zhaohua hear that.”

I wanted to see his face then.