Chapter 39: Sun Dehai's Assist

In the fourth round of the four-to-two matches, apart from the clash between Shen Ye and Sun Hongshan, there was one more battle: Ma Nuonoo versus Li Linyi.

Li Linyi was merely a mid-stage fourth-tier martial artist whose strength paled in comparison to the broadsword wielder Li Da. That he had advanced to the final four was purely a stroke of luck with the draws. Consequently, the match between Ma Nuonoo and Li Linyi held little spectacle. Utilizing her exceptionally agile dual swords, Ma Nuonoo easily defeated Li Linyi.

Next came the intermission.

The grand finale of this tournament would commence after a one-hour break. This hour was meant for rest and relaxation.

Shen Ye had consumed very little energy during his fight with Sun Hongshan, so he felt no need for specialized rest. Instead, he simply sat beside the ring, pulled out a cigarette from the pack Lv Yi had bought for him, and lit it.

By this time, Hu Qi had already sat down beside Shen Ye, his face full of admiration. "Brother Shen, Brother Shen, could I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" Shen Ye asked.

"Brother Shen, how many hours a day do you usually spend practicing martial arts?" Hu Qi inquired.

"Well, about four hours a day. Why do you ask?" Shen Ye retorted. To be honest, he actually only practiced internal energy for about two hours a day. After all, the bulk of his power didn't come from practicing inner strength, but rather from purging evildoers through hunting. Still, figuring that other martial artists wouldn't be quite so slack, he simply blurted out four hours.

"Only four hours?" Hu Qi couldn't help looking surprised. "Then how many years have you been practicing martial arts?"

"Me?" Shen Ye certainly couldn't say that he had only been exposed to martial arts for a year and a half, as that would seem far too brief. "I've been practicing for ten years."

Having said that, he felt as though this span of ten years sounded quite substantial.

Hu Qi, however, was left utterly speechless. "Brother Shen, you are insanely awesome. You've only practiced for ten years, putting in just four hours a day, and yet you've reached the upper-tier of the fifth tier. I started training when I was five, and it's been eighteen years since then. What's more, I train eight hours a day, yet I'm only at the lower-tier of the second tier. I never used to understand what a difference in talent meant, but now I finally get it. Alas, it looks like I'd better honestly stick to logistics in the future."

Before they knew it, Li Da had also sat down beside the two of them. "I was considered quite talented since childhood. I started practicing martial arts at age seven and am now twenty-foursquare. In total, I've trained for twenty-two years, eight hours a day, and I'm currently just at the upper-tier of the fourth tier. Comparing oneself to others is truly infuriating."

Meanwhile, Feng Leng and Deng Xiaozi also gravitated over at some point, joining the conversation on this very topic.

Hearing that Shen Ye had reached this level with only ten years of practice at four hours a day, they were completely and utterly convinced of his prowess.

The selection match for the Eighth Squad's leader had progressed to this stage, leaving only two contenders: Ma Nuonoo and Shen Ye.

Furthermore, the reactions, imposing aura, ruthlessness, and dominance Shen Ye displayed during his fight with Sun Hongshan remained fresh in everyone's minds. Consequently, the majority believed that Shen Ye was the most likely candidate to become the next squad leader—in other words, their direct superior.

Yet this prospective squad leader had been a complete newcomer upon joining the squad, with no pre-existing friends among them.

Now, making overtures to such a person would certainly be a safe bet under any circumstances. Having racked their brains for a way to get closer to him, everyone naturally capitalized on the conversation once Hu Qi broached the subject.

Shen Ye also knew that once he assumed the role of squad leader, he would likely need these people's assistance. Therefore, he was more than happy to mingle and fit in with them.

Watching the group chatting away not far off, Tang Mo felt like weeping bitter tears. At the time, he had merely regarded Shen Ye as a strong fourth-tier martial artist who stood no chance of becoming squad leader, and he had wanted to defeat Shen Ye himself. Consequently, he had accepted Sun Hongshan's Seven-Wonder Pill, allowing himself to be used as a blade by Sun Hongshan to probe Shen Ye's true strength.

Now that Shen Ye was the frontrunner for squad leader, if Shen Ye really took the position, he reckoned he wouldn't come out of it with any favors. Tang Mo was now consumed by regret, wishing he could turn back the clock.

...

The one-hour break came to an end.

Next was the fifth round—the grand finale.

Shouldering his Tiger Zen Saber, Shen Ye walked onto the arena.

With her nimble, slender dual swords strapped to her back, Ma Nuonoo stepped onto the platform as well.

The referee announced, "You have three minutes to speak with each other."

Ma Nuonoo's hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her smooth, clear forehead. She wore a white athletic martial outfit that outlined her exceptionally graceful figure. Resembling an agile female leopard, she gripped her sword hilts tightly with both hands. "Your fight with Sun Hongshan showcased immense strength. Right now, almost everyone believes you are the most likely candidate to ascend to the position of squad leader of the Eighth Squad. However, I will not give up."

"In this battle, I will hold nothing back."

"Good." Shen Ye nodded, his composure tinged with dominance. "I will make you accept your defeat wholeheartedly."

The three-minute mark ticked away, second by second.

Finally, the time was up.

The referee made a hand gesture and blew a whistle, signaling the start of the match.

The battle was about to erupt.

At that exact moment, Ma Nuonoo's expression abruptly shifted. Although her right hand still grasped her sword, her left hand had already flown to press against her abdomen, and her expression twisted into one of extreme pain.

Institute-grade confusion flashed across Shen Ye's mind. "What is going on?" Ma Nuonoo's expression right now was thoroughly bizarre. Could this be some sort of tactic to lure the enemy? Knowing she was no match for him, had Ma Nuonoo laid a deceptive trap for him?

If so, he would simply wait and see.

Yet, the pain in Ma Nuonoo's stomach seemed to persist.

The referee walked over to Ma Nuonoo's side. "How is it? Are you alright? Can you still continue the fight?"

"I... can still fight," Ma Nuonoo said through clenched teeth, beads of sweat dotting her brow.

"Are you certain you can fight in this condition?" The referee still harbored doubts. "Shall I fetch a physician to take a look?"

A moment later, a doctor stepped onto the platform, examined her briefly, and shook his head. "It's strange, but I can't detect any physical issue."

Ma Nuonoo's agony continued unabated.

Realizing that Ma Nuonoo was not faking it, Shen Ye clutched his Tiger Zen Saber and sat down at a spot far away from her. "Something is clearly wrong with your body. How about we postpone our showdown?"

The referee shook his head. "This selection for the Eighth Squad's leader must be officially documented and submitted upward. It cannot be postponed. We can wait at most another hour."

An hour later, although the pain had subsided slightly, Ma Nuonoo remained unable to perform at her normal capacity. In the end, she had no choice but to concede defeat. By this point, she had also figured out the truth: she had been plotted against.

There were two primary suspects who could have engineered this sabotage against her.

The first was Sun Hongshan. Logically speaking, Sun Hongshan should have defeated Shen Ye, after which it would be Sun Hongshan's turn to face her. When the time came, if her stomach acted up, the beneficiary would be Sun Hongshan. Therefore, Sun Hongshan bore a heavy suspicion.

The second was Shen Ye. However, Shen Ye's strength was genuinely at the upper-tier of the fifth tier, making such despicable methods unnecessary to deal with her.

Thus, after much deliberation, it seemed most likely that Sun Hongshan had poisoned her beforehand or employed some similar scheme.

Sitting in the monitoring room and watching this scene unfold, Sun Dehai flew into a rage, slamming his fist onto the table.

Boom! The wooden table instantly splintered into several pieces.

The poison had been administered by him in advance. Originally, it had been prepared to ensure Sun Hongshan's victory, as he had felt absolute certainty that it would help Sun Hongshan secure the squad leader position.

Yet, in the end, it had simply benefited his sworn enemies, Shen Shipeng and his grandson.

"Damn it!" Sun Dehai gnashed his teeth, his hatred reaching the heavens.

...

The selection for the Eighth Squad's leader finally reached its conclusion.

Squad Leader: Shen Ye.
Deputy Squad Leader: Ma Nuonoo.

Among the eight squad leaders of the Second Special Operations Group, the youngest squad leader had finally been born.

(Seeking recommendation votes!)