Chapter 114: Xiao Lei’s Growth (Part Two)

Before Xiaolei could bring down her clenched fist, Kong Zhe appeared before her like a bolt of lightning, his own fist striking toward her wide-open chest. Yet, just before the blow landed, he relaxed his hand, transitioning from a fist to an open palm. Softening his strength, he pressed it firmly against her shoulder.

"Ugh..."

Xiaolei was sent flying, landing on the ground with a muffled grunt.

*He’s so strong, indeed!* Xiaolei marveled to herself. Even though he was constantly going easy on her and she was attacking with everything she had, she couldn't even graze him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine!"

Xiaolei scrambled up from the ground. Despite her body aching all over, she didn't complain. Shedding her former timidity, she gave Kong Zhe a smile and resumed her stance.

"Watch your defense!"
"Put more power into your shoulder!"
"Don't hoard your mana; use it to accelerate when the moment calls for it!"
"Never, ever close your eyes during a fight!"

...

Throughout the night, Kong Zhe trained with Xiaolei incessantly. This time, he held nothing back, continuously ratcheting up the difficulty to ensure she mastered as much as possible in the shortest time. To his surprise, despite this grueling "demonic" training, Xiaolei never uttered a single complaint. Even as she panted for breath with her muscles screaming in agony, she persisted without a word.

This girl might be timid by nature, but when she became stubborn, she was unlike anyone he had ever met.

Xiaolei’s base attributes were ridiculously high to begin with. Even for Kong Zhe, bolstered by various rewards and a full set of equipment, his total stats were only eight points higher than hers. In terms of physical potential, the gap between them was virtually negligible. More importantly, her Elven lineage allowed her to manipulate mana with ease. The Elves were known as the favorites of nature, and their extreme sensitivity to mana was something Kong Zhe witnessed firsthand today.

In just one night, Xiaolei’s application of mana surpassed the vast majority of Awakeners, nearly catching up to Kong Zhe, who had spent three years honing his skills in the apocalypse. She grasped the timing of mana release and the optimal amount to channel with uncanny intuition.

After a few hours, Xiaolei’s form became refined. By the end, she could even trade blows with a full-force Kong Zhe for a short time without faltering.

Around four in the morning, the two finally stopped. The moment Kong Zhe called for a break, Xiaolei’s legs gave out, and she slumped against the wall, utterly exhausted. In truth, Kong Zhe was far more tired than she was. Her growth rate had been unexpected. As the trainee, she could attack without hesitation, but Kong Zhe had to constantly calculate his force, angles, and precision to avoid hurting her.

As the gap in their strength narrowed, Xiaolei’s movements became faster and faster, making it increasingly difficult for Kong Zhe to maintain his instructional sparring while concentrating all his focus. By the time they finished, he was completely drained. Without a word, he leaned against the corner and closed his eyes. His breathing deepened rapidly as he fell into a profound slumber.

Xiaolei quietly walked over, sat beside him, and rested her chin in her hands, staring blankly at his face. The Kong Zhe before her no longer looked like the calculating, sharp-eyed man from the day; he looked like a defenseless infant in deep sleep. Watching him, a soft, happy smile blossomed on her face. Unable to help herself, she reached out, lifted his right hand, and placed it atop her own head.

*As expected, this is where I feel most at peace...*

Feeling the warmth of his palm, Xiaolei squinted her eyes like a kitten that had finally caught its fish. *This is fine. As long as I can stay by Brother’s side like this...*

...

Although both were exhausted, they were Awakeners, and their physical constitutions could not be judged by normal standards. After resting for a few hours, their fatigue was swept away. Around seven or eight in the morning, Kong Zhe woke up and roused the sleeping Xiaolei.

They left the area. He had promised Xue Feifei and the others that he would return by today, and since the purpose of their trip was fulfilled, they needed to head back as quickly as possible. Along the way, Kong Zhe didn't remain idle, killing monsters to help Xiaolei level up. Having just awakened, her progress from level one was rapid.

They were in a party, which meant experience points were split equally. Xiaolei barely needed to attack, only focusing on healing Kong Zhe from behind. Kong Zhe dug through the gear in his ring to find a set best suited for her. While they were all common white-tier items, the combined stats of a dozen pieces were not to be underestimated; her total attributes now even slightly surpassed his.

The results of yesterday’s training became immediately apparent. Though she still seemed a bit flustered when facing monsters, she performed every necessary task and remembered every detail she had been taught. After a short period of adjustment, she began to perform like a veteran, taking a significant burden off Kong Zhe.

"Wow, this is amazing! It’s like I can hear Brother Kong Zhe’s thoughts!"

As they traveled, Xiaolei exclaimed with delight. Ever since Kong Zhe taught her "Mana Transmission," she had been in high spirits. Mana Transmission involved condensing mana into waves to silently convey information. Once mastered, one could speak directly into another’s mind without even moving their lips. This method of communication would only be discovered by Awakeners half a year into the new world, but it would eventually be widely used, especially in small-team combat, to keep tactics from being overheard by enemies.

The scenery blurred as they moved. Watching Xiaolei bloom like a flower, Kong Zhe couldn't help but smile. Since waking up, she hadn't mentioned yesterday’s events. It seemed the girl had completely resolved her inner turmoil, which brought him a sense of relief. Furthermore, to his surprise, her "luck" effect seemed to have amplified significantly after becoming an Awakener. He no longer needed to be pressed against her; as long as he held her hand or kept the distance within a meter, his curse remained completely suppressed.

"Squeak!"

With a single strike, Kong Zhe felled a gnoll and pulled up his interface. His experience had finally crossed the threshold of level six. Leveling from five to six required 1,600 points. His previous "Samadhi Card" had depleted his stored experience, but the subsequent slaughter of a rat horde had provided a massive influx, leaving him nearly ready to level up. After this morning's efforts, even with half the experience going to Xiaolei, he crossed the threshold with ease.

This time, Kong Zhe didn't hesitate and tapped the upgrade button. With Xiaolei’s healing and his own water-wave card for mana restoration, he didn't lack for recovery, so he no longer needed to be so frugal.

Xiaolei also leveled up to three during this time. Beyond upgrading her "Heal" to level two, she learned a new skill:

*Shield of Truth: Creates a magical shield for a unit, providing 200 health points. The unit takes no damage until the shield is depleted. Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown: 5 seconds.*

It was an incredibly practical defensive skill. Unlike healing, which restored lost health, this effectively increased a unit's health pool. Two hundred health points wasn't much, but it was enough to protect against a surprise attack from a stealthy assassin. And since it was only level one, the value would become quite significant as she grew stronger.

"What’s wrong, Xiaolei?"

Kong Zhe noticed the expression on her face had turned pale. She clutched her chest, her eyes scanning the road ahead with an anxious look.

"I... I don't know..."

Xiaolei was confused herself. As they drew closer to Jincheng University, she felt an increasingly intense sense of unease.

"Brother Kong Zhe, I... I feel like something is about to happen..."

"Oh?"

This puzzled Kong Zhe. Was there an ambush waiting for them?

"No, not us!"

To his surprise, Xiaolei denied his theory. She looked at him with worry etched across her face, as if she had finally grasped the source of her anxiety: "It’s Tuan Tuan and Sister Feifei. They’re in danger!"

"Them?"

Kong Zhe frowned. The two sisters were in the safe zone, protected by the Hydra. Within the safe zone, no Awakener could use their abilities, making the Hydra virtually invincible. He couldn't imagine what danger they could possibly face. However, he couldn't ignore her premonition; her intuition had saved his life before. Deciding to act, he abandoned the idea of hunting monsters and set off at full speed toward Jincheng University.

*Beep, beep, beep...*

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent alarm sounded from Kong Zhe’s chest. He gasped in shock, instinctively reaching for the metallic object resting against his heart.