Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

“Master, is there a way to crack this curse?” Jiang Xiao asked while staring at Hai Tianqing's peculiar expression.

After thinking about it, Hai Tianqing shook his head and said, “No idea.”

 “Outrageous. I, Jiang Xiao, actually got robbed in broad daylight by a big cat!” Jiang Xiao barked in anger and disdain. “Do the laws still exist!?!”

“Did you change your name on your own? Jiang Xiao? That's how Second Last addresses you too,” Hai Tianqing said curiously.

“Uh…” Jiang Xiao pouted and continued, “The name my family gave me is too random. I'm going to change my name when I get the chance too. What do you think of using this chance to now that I'm in college?”

“If you really want to go to school, then you have to be excellent and outstanding amongst the elites,” Hai Tianqing said, before continuing to put forward a suggestion that didn't seem to be a question. “Make more colleges and universities notice you.”

 Jiang Xiao asked, “What do you think of this matter? A rookie in the Stardust Stage joining the Guardians Of The Night?”

Hai Tianqing looked out of the window and remained silent for a while before saying, “She's not impressed by your strength but your potential and quality.”

 “What do you mean?” Jiang Xiao asked with raised brows.

“She likes the way you deal with problems, from the decisions you make in a battle to the details.” Hai Tianqing sighed softly and continued, “She also saw the qualities in you that ordinary people don't possess.”

“People always see what they want to see.” Jiang Xiao shook his head. “Everything happened just in time. I'm not as good as she thinks.”

Hai Tianqing was slightly stunned as he never expected a kid like Jiang Xiao to say those words.

“She should be most satisfied with the fact that I risked my life to guard her ‘corpse', healed her, and pulled her back from h.e.l.l. But if I didn't do that, where else could I have gone? Without saving her, how could I have left the snowfield safely?” Jiang Xiao said helplessly.

 Hai Tianqing said, “You may think that there's only one route to choose, but in the eyes of others, you have ten million ways to choose. These are not reasons. If you really want to persuade her to give up, don't say those words to her.”

Jiang Xiao pursed his lips and hesitated for a while. He said, “Do you think I should follow her? Should I join the Guardians Of The Night?”

 After all, Hai Tianqing still cared for his former teammates. He said, “Captain and Second Last are indeed the teammates you need.”

Jiang Xiao looked at Hai Tianqing and knew that he was the former No. 4. “Why did you get expelled from the team?”

 Hai Tianqing smiled bitterly and did not respond.

 Jiang Xiao then changed the subject by asking, “Tell me about Third Last.”

Hai Tianqing asked curiously, “Why are you interested in someone who has never appeared in your life?”

 Jiang Xiao shrugged and answered, “I can tell this team means a lot to you and you objectively hope for me to join the team, so I have to find out more about this team. Since you won't tell me anything about your situation, I'll have to ask about Third Last.”

Hai Tianqing looked at Jiang Xiao silently and finally sighed without responding.

Jiang Xiao said, “Why? What is it that you can't say? I can tell that Third Last is the one who betrayed the team since you get along well with Second Last.”

Hai Tianqing asked, “Huh?”

 “Second Last is crazily obsessed with her desire for loyalty. It's so crazy that she actually wants a high school student to join the Guardians Of The Night, a top team in China. That's absurd,” Jiang Xiao said as he shrugged his shoulders.

Hai Tianqing said, “She won't make you one of the Guardians Of The Night. She's just going to accept you as an apprentice, and you will start as an apprentice.”

 Jiang Xiao said, “So you admit.”

“In a way, it's considered a betrayal.” Hai Tianqing looked at the scenery outside the window as his eyes turned gla.s.sy behind his gold-framed gla.s.ses, seemingly slipping into a trance.

“After all, the Guardians Of The Night belong to the government and are very disciplined. Third Last is a very opinionated person and she made the decision that she thinks is correct,” Hai Tianqing said with a bittersweet smile.

“After the investigation, I left the Light-chasing team too,” Hai Tianqing said calmly.

“You did not disobey the military order, but you chose to support her during the investigation?” Jiang Xiao asked curiously.

Hai Tianqing nodded and shook his head again without speaking.

 Jiang Xiao asked curiously, “How great of a mistake did she make?”

 Hai Tianqing answered, “She…”

Hai Tianqing pushed the gla.s.ses up his nose bridge and got a grip on his emotions. He patted Jiang Xiao's shoulder with one hand and ended the topic. He then smiled and said, “Second Last's real name is Luan Hongying, remember it.”

 Uh… 

What a forced and blunt change in subject. But since Teacher Hai doesn't want to mention it again, I'd better not ask anymore.

“Second Last once told me her name, but her voice was too hoa.r.s.e, so I didn't hear it clearly and didn't dare to ask… What do you call her?” Jiang Xiao said feebly.

“Luan Hongying,” Hai Tianqing answered, staring at Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao scratched his head and said, “Luan Hongying, uh… I'd better call her Luan Hongying. Her name sounds scary…”

“Her character is indeed a little extreme, and her behavior is also radical. If you encounter something unexpected after meeting her, call her by her real name and she will wake up a little,” Hai Tianqing said with a smile.

Jiang Xiao panicked and wondered, What does this mean?

 He could not be bothered to get to the bottom of the truth, and after hearing Hai Tianqing's words, he reckoned that Second Last would be coming to look for him in the near future.

“You have been back from the snowfield for more than a month. Have you learned any conversational foreign languages?” Hai Tianqing continued to ask.

 Jiang Xiao's Adam's Apple moved again.

 Oh my G.o.d, something's going to happen for real! 

“Come on, go back. I do have something to announce to your team today,” Hai Tianqing said as he put an arm around Jiang Xiao's shoulders and walked towards the training room while secretly announcing, “You'd better take some time to practice conversational languages. It will do you no harm.”

 Jiang Xiao was speechless.

“You guys, stop.” Hai Tianqing took Jiang Xiao back to the training room again and looked at the remaining three students.

Xia Yan and the rest stopped training before turning to look at him.

“The expectations that the authorities have of Jiangbin High School are very high, and I don't want us to be at the bottom of the ranks again like last year,” said Hai Tianqing.

Han Jiangxue asked calmly, “Teacher Hai, are you referring to the National High School League?”

Hai Tianqing nodded and said, “Yeah, the National High School League.”

Xia Yan chuckled and said, “We haven't even pa.s.sed the Provincial league yet. Isn't it too early to talk about the National High School League now?”

 “No.” Hai Tianqing shook his head and said, “It's not too early. As far as we know, your team is quite outstanding in all the high schools in Beijiang Province.”

 “You have a reasonable combination of careers, an excellent commander, and relatively good team strength. I believe your goal is not only the 10 bonus points in the Beijiang Province League but also the 20 points awarded in the National High School League.” ‘

 “In fact…” Hai Tianqing glanced at everyone and said, “If your team's performance is exceptionally outstanding, it may be possible to skip the college entrance examination. You might just get recruited by the elite colleges directly.”

“These are all possible,” Hai Tianqing looked at the four students with a trace of admiration in his eyes.

 A loyal and fearless s.h.i.+eld Warrior.

A quick and sharp Sword Warrior.

A calm, smart, and powerful Rules Commander.

And a toxic healer who looked mischievous but was abnormally reliable.

 This lineup was perfect.

 Any kind soul would never be willing to break up such an overpowering team.

 Jiang Xiao, the mischievous person whom Hai Tianqing was most worried about, actually impressed him in the snowfield.

The truth and results were all proof.

Regardless of how mischievous he was usually, he did save his team and bring them out of danger time and time again.

He was a kid who was good at creating miracles, and he had a strong heart, which was the reason for his unexpected behavior.

Physical weakness was never a sin, but mental weakness was.

 “The school will focus on cultivating 3 teams. Your team is one of them.” Hai Tianqing looked at them and continued, “There are more than two months to go before the provincial league. In these two months, the school will be organizing trips to the a.r.s.enal for you guys to train and adapt to the environment while getting familiar with the different creatures of other dimensions, their habits, fight styles, characteristics, and tactics.”

Jiang Xiao sighed and thought, The real purpose is probably to let us overcome our psychological obstacles and be familiar with killing “humans”.