On the second day at Nightwalkers, Zhao Xiaokui physically understood Su Mingyue’s statement:
“If you have the time.”
Her imagined training involved casually strolling into the classroom with buns at 9 AM, leisurely attending classes, and finishing at 6 PM with enough time for a swim in the pool.
Then she realized how naive she was.
“Physical training, tactical coordination, field cooperation, fine, but why do we have strange things like Political Theory and Maoist Ideology?” Zhao Xiaokui asked while holding the course schedule.
In charge of Zhao Xiaokui’s training was Lin Bai, who held the dual roles of Nightguard and Nightwatcher. He pushed up the black-framed glasses on his nose and said, “By the way, in these next few days, find some time to write your party admission application.”
Zhao Xiaokui: “…”
Regret filled her, and she regretted it a lot.
Zhao Xiaokui was willing to participate in the training for three main reasons: firstly, to show her sincerity to the Nightwalkers; secondly, to adapt to the work of the Nightwalkers; and thirdly, to gradually reveal her true abilities, at least the ones beyond controlling souls, to the country.
Her earlier concealment was a consideration for the objective situation, not wanting to arouse suspicion about her identity among the Nightwalkers. However, she couldn’t maintain powerful abilities forever while pretending to be weak.
That didn’t align with her interests.
Nightwalkers had a well-organized resource acquisition mechanism, and she needed to earn as many extraordinary resources as possible for herself and Shen Zhifei.
The more powerful she appeared, the more opportunities for high-difficulty missions she would get, increasing the likelihood of earning points.
Her original plan was to gradually reveal her true strength under Nightwalkers’ training, making it seem like she truly mastered the awakening of extraordinary powers within her body step by step.
However, she underestimated Lin Bai.
In the matter of training her extraordinary abilities, Lin Bai’s enthusiasm and seriousness surpassed her imagination.
Before the training began, Zhao Xiaokui learned that to help her quickly master the extraordinary energy within her, Lin Bai had almost organized information about every material-manipulating extraordinary individual within the entire Huaxia. This allowed him to tailor a comprehensive extraordinary energy training program specifically for her.
This program underwent constant modifications from the first day of training.
Whenever Zhao Xiaokui showed any sign of remaining strength, it would be thoroughly squeezed out the next day.
Whenever she couldn’t get up, and her fingers were so tired she couldn’t move, it was her day for humanities classes.
Heaven knew how much Zhao Xiaokui hated those theoretical subjects.
Back in high school, she chose the science stream precisely because she couldn’t stand politics and history, getting drowsy whenever those classes were on.
Who would have thought that at the age of twenty-three, she would have to relive the nightmare of high school? Even scarier was that, at least in high school, she was healthy, sitting in the classroom studying. But now—
Zhao Xiaokui, lying on the desk, grumbled, “I’m just a lazy fish. How can a lazy fish study? Lazy fish only lie on the shore and sunbathe. Lazy fish don’t study.”
However, Lin Bai didn’t understand her crazy implications at all.
At this moment, he was looking at the data analysis related to Zhao Xiaokui on the tablet.
It had to be said that, among all the extraordinary individuals he had encountered, Zhao Xiaokui was the most talented student he had ever met.
This talent not only referred to her innate strength during awakening but more importantly, her post-awakening control over the power.
In the past, they had encountered awakeners with A-level or even super A-level potential.
But these people often only burst out powerful forces initially to prove their potential, and then they become obscure.
Even though powerful energy lay dormant in their bodies, and everyone knew they had the potential to become experts, this energy couldn’t be developed. No matter how they trained, the amount of energy they could control always remained minimal.
Zhao Xiaokui was different.
In Lin Bai’s words, she was a born extraordinary individual.
“If we liken extraordinary power to a knife, we all receive the knife and then learn how to use it. But she’s different; her knife grows out of her flesh and blood, inherently belonging to her body. She instinctively knows how to use it from birth. What I need to do is simply develop this innate body instinct, make her aware of the existence of this knife, and then enable her to actively control it.”
When Yu Youmin inquired about Zhao Xiaokui’s training situation, Lin Bai spared no effort to express his high praise for her.
“So powerful?” Yu Youmin was taken aback. He knew Zhao Xiaokui had decent talent, but he hadn’t expected her to receive such high praise from Lin Bai.
Now, his expression became eager. “Tell me, how does she compare to those in the Alliance of Gods and the Freedom Tower?”
After saying this, he felt his question was somewhat amusing, patting his head in self-mockery. “Hey, what am I thinking? The Alliance of Gods and the Freedom Tower train their extraordinary individuals from childhood. How can we compare to them?”
Unexpectedly, Lin Bai turned his head and said word by word, “Surpassing them in every aspect.”
This statement left Yu Youmin stunned for quite a while before he regained his composure.
His lips moved for a while before he dryly said, “You must be joking. How is that possible?”
Lin Bai presented the data related to Zhao Xiaokui that he had recorded over the past few days to Yu Youmin.
Yu Youmin had seen the rising curve before, but this time, his gaze fell on the numbers on the left.
Yu Youmin uncomfortably swallowed some saliva. As a first-tier extraordinary individual, he naturally understood what this number meant.
He couldn’t help but ask Lin Bai, “How long has Zhao Xiaokui been awakened?”
“Less than three months,” Lin Bai replied.
Yu Youmin murmured, “Less than three months…”
To Lin Bai, Zhao Xiaokui’s astonishing talent was evident, progressing from the state of initial awakening to the verge of reaching the first tier in less than three months.
On the other hand, Zhao Xiaokui, who was already at the first tier but could only be considered a pseudo-first tier due to her body’s inability to keep up, remained silent.
“I’m just a poor and helpless salted fish.”
Zhao Xiaokui only realized that her strength seemed to have already placed her among the powerful in the human world when she heard the exclamations of others.
This wasn’t entirely her fault.
In the merfolk world, being at the first tier was truly nothing to boast about. At a time when many could reach the second tier or even higher simply with time, first-tier cultivation was considered worthless. Zhao “Trash” Xiaokui had been mocked for many years, and after returning to the human world, she hadn’t yet adjusted to her suddenly impressive life.
Zhao Xiaokui thought she had reached her limit and that Lin Bai would finally let her off. However, to her surprise, after confirming that her extraordinary abilities had reached a crucial point, Lin Bai said, “Alright, let’s finish the training for extraordinary abilities. Next, we’ll start hand-to-hand combat, weapon combat, and training on the use of modern weapons.”
Though there were only three major categories, there were actually over ten different types of courses.
Reading through the list of names, Zhao Xiaokui’s eyes sparkled with confusion.
“What?”
She was stunned. Wasn’t she just an ordinary and mediocre extraordinary individual? Didn’t she just need to stand there and use her extraordinary abilities like a mage? Why did she have to learn so many strange things?
“Why are there so many topics? Wasn’t it agreed at the beginning of the training that it’s just to help me master my extraordinary abilities and, incidentally, understand some essential knowledge for Nightwalkers?” Zhao Xiaokui questioned.
Lin Bai smiled innocently, “All of these are essential knowledge that you need to understand.”
Zhao Xiaokui refused to believe his nonsense. After all, she had spent so many days in the Night Walker base, and she thought she knew everything she needed to know. “You’re obviously a weakling. Out of all the things mentioned, is there anything you actually know?”
Lin Bai admitted frankly, “I don’t know, but I’m not a combat-oriented extraordinary individual.”
Zhao Xiaokui: “…”
Unwillingly, she said, “You go call Gou Rixin, he’s a combat-oriented extraordinary individual. I don’t believe he wouldn’t know.”
Lin Bai nodded crisply.
Unnoticed by Zhao Xiaokui, a mysterious smile played on his lips.
Gou Rixin, who wasn’t currently on a mission, was soon summoned by a phone call.
Facing Zhao Xiaokui’s questioning, Gou Rixin smiled innocently, “I’m in charge of teaching you these projects.”
Hong Ying, who was well-versed in the inside story, thought to herself, “Did the young girl ever consider how Gou Rixin, an extraordinary individual with a unique nose, made it into the Night Watcher team?”
Human energy is limited, even among Night Watchers. Everyone just needs to master their extraordinary abilities and excel in one combat skill. Gou Rixin learned a variety of skills because his extraordinary ability was weak, and he needed to enhance other aspects to go on external missions.
Lin Bai inviting him to teach Zhao Xiaokui indicated that he wanted the young girl to be more than just “somewhat familiar” with these projects.
Remember, Zhao Xiaokui is just an auxiliary member?
Why does she feel like her teammates have unearthed her sadistic attributes during the training?
When Shen Zhifei came to pick up Zhao Xiaokui for a commercial shoot, she had already started combat and weapon training for two days.
Upon seeing Shen Zhifei, she pounced into her girlfriend’s arms, like a chick finding its mother hen, too overwhelmed to speak.
“Wuwuwu…”
Shen Zhifei playfully patted her head and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Is the training too tough?”
Zhao Xiaokui sniffled, “Wuwuwu, they are inhumane, they are abusing children, and I’m just a baby.”
Her perception was very keen.
Just like the first time she fought against vampires, even without any experience, solely relying on her sharp senses, she managed to defeat the opponent.
But that battle was essentially a clash between rookies.
She acted on instinct, having been pampered for many years. Although Mr. Shi, the patriarch of the Shi family, became a vampire overnight, he hadn’t fully developed the vampire abilities to the extreme.
It could be said that he died before achieving victory, stumbling into a shallow pit and feeling quite aggrieved.
If he had taken a couple of years to settle and mature, Zhao Xiaokui might not have been able to subdue him.
And what about Gou Rixin?
Born with deficiencies, make up for them in later training—that’s him.
Zhao Xiaokui could sense his movements, but her body couldn’t react before he launched an attack.
If not for concerns about her upcoming photo shoot, Shen Zhifei might not have seen an intact face today.
Shen Zhifei felt that Zhao Xiaokui’s muscles had become noticeably more robust just by touching her.
These were the tangible results of real training.
After praising her for a bit, Zhao Xiaokui’s attention shifted, and she clamored to show off her abdominal muscles and vest lines.
“Wait until we change clothes later; you can show me then,” Shen Zhifei intervened to stop her.
Only then did Zhao Xiaokui snap out of her excitement at seeing her girlfriend. She realized that the reason she could leave the gates of that devilish base today was because she had work to do.
Seeing her dazed expression, Shen Zhifei chuckled, “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything. Just go there later, and you can focus on taking photos.”
Looking at the person who was talking, Zhao Xiaokui suddenly reached out and hugged her.
With a soft and tender voice, she said, “Shen Zhifei, I miss you so much.”
