Chapter 9: Night Assault

Surrounding Qianye were several older children, who had been transferred from other squads to this class. They often walked together.

A tall, curly-haired child approached Qianye, scrutinizing him as if he were prey.

This child was named Chen Lei, known for his fierce and bold nature. His physical fitness scores consistently ranked in the top ten, but his academic performance was always barely passable. As a result, his overall ranking had recently been surpassed by Qianye.

Chen Lei leaned in closer, their noses almost touching.

He lowered his voice, growling, “Listen up! From now on, you better lower your grades in the knowledge classes! ‘Crimson Blood’ is completely wasted on a weakling like you. If you dare defy me, every combat class will be hell for you. Before you go to sleep, I’ll give you a little extra treatment. This is just the beginning!”

Before he finished, Chen Lei slammed a vicious punch into Qianye’s stomach!

The blow was brutal, nearly using all of his strength!

Qianye’s stomach convulsed, and a strong urge to vomit surged through him, but his throat was clamped shut, preventing him from throwing up. In an instant, his face turned a deep purple!

Chen Lei pulled out a piece of tape and slapped it over Qianye’s mouth, then said, “There, he can’t call for help now! Hit him hard!”

In no time, Qianye was knocked to the ground, with seven or eight children surrounding him and kicking furiously. One of the courses paired with combat training was called Biological Structure, which first explained the human body. The children, already familiar with human anatomy, aimed their blows at vital organs, avoiding the head and face where injuries would be easily noticed.

If they continued, Qianye would suffer permanent damage, unable to withstand intense training, and would soon become a corpse. Chen Lei and his group did not merely intend to teach Qianye a lesson; they wanted to disable this bothersome orphan from the garbage planet!

The other children in the dormitory watched coldly, none stepping in to stop them or reporting to the guards or instructors. A few of the children, even stronger than Chen Lei, cast wary and chilling glances at him.

Fighting outside the combat arena was forbidden, but most knew why Chen Lei targeted Qianye: he was an orphan from the lowest garbage planet. Since the start of the knowledge classes, each student’s background had been leaked, and those who paid attention knew each other’s origins and identities.

Chen Lei set a dangerous precedent. Every child began to reevaluate their relationships and positions.

Qianye felt as if he were back in the garbage dump, surrounded and beaten by older children. He had refused to bow down, so he often faced such beatings.

He tried to protect his vital areas, waiting for an opportunity. The pain was excruciating, but the more he hurt, the calmer he became.

“Stay calm! Stay calm! Only get angry when needed, and express that anger in a more controlled way!” The instructor’s roar echoed in Qianye’s mind.

At that moment, Qianye felt the blows becoming lighter. The children, fearing they might leave obvious injuries, started to hold back.

“In the future, you will have plenty of chances to fight among yourselves, but not now! Whoever dares to fight now will die first!” This was Long Hai’s oft-repeated warning.

Chen Lei also thought it was enough. He waved his hand and said, “That’s enough! A garbage dump whelp thinks he can compete with us…”

But before he could finish, Qianye suddenly leapt up like a cheetah, ramming into one of the larger children and grabbing his crotch with his right hand!

All the children froze, and the one with his crotch seized dared not move.

Qianye used his left hand to tear off the tape. His movements were slow, and it was clear he was struggling to stand.

With the tape removed, everyone waited for Qianye’s next move. Chen Lei’s face hardened again, and he gave signals to his companions, ready to accuse Qianye of starting the fight if he called for the guards. According to the camp’s rules, both parties would be punished without direct evidence.

Qianye looked calmly at Chen Lei, his eyes still clear, devoid of anger or resentment, staring icily and expressionlessly.

“I won’t call,” Qianye said softly.

Chen Lei felt a chill run down his spine, experiencing true fear for the first time.

Qianye’s right hand suddenly tightened, slowly squeezing!

The face of the child whose crotch was seized turned deathly pale, his mouth wide open. He gasped for air, but everyone knew the next sound would be a scream!

Suddenly, all the children understood! The first to scream would be severely punished for violating the noise ban after lights out. In the training camp, seeking help came at a cost!

The child clearly knew the consequences of screaming, desperately trying to hold back. But Qianye’s grip was relentless, as if he were squeezing a rag.

The child realized Qianye would indeed crush his testicles! This delicate-looking garbage dump boy was, in fact, a madman!

“Aaaaah!!” The scream reverberated throughout the camp.

The pain and terror made the child collapse, screaming hysterically. He had no strength left to resist or attack Qianye, overwhelmed by unbearable agony.

The screams abruptly stopped as the child fainted from the pain. Qianye released his grip, letting him fall to the ground.

With a bang, the dormitory door was kicked open.

The guard who rushed in frowned at the scene, his face turning grim. He drew a whip, looking menacingly at the boys and girls in the room.

Three minutes later, Long Hai, wearing only leather pants, entered. He glanced around, and when he saw Qianye bleeding from his mouth and nose but still standing, he frowned. He suddenly lashed Qianye with the whip, knocking him to the ground.

The whip left Qianye limp, his body completely numb. The pain was intense, but the elemental force in the whip dispersed the accumulated blood in his body, making him feel much better.

A burly man approached the unconscious child, bent down, and checked his pants, then shrugged, “They’re crushed.”

Long Hai paused, then nodded, “Drag him away.”

He flicked the whip lightly against his palm, “Now, who will tell me what happened here?”

Chen Lei hung his head, but his eyes swept over the other children, a threatening glint in them.

Suddenly, Long Hai’s whip lashed Chen Lei’s back, sending him to the ground. This blow was far more vicious than the one to Qianye, tearing his shirt and flesh, causing excruciating pain. Fortunately, he bit his lip, suppressing any sound, nearly passing out.

“Playing tricks in front of me? Looking to die?” Long Hai snarled, but did not strike again.

Not every child feared Chen Lei. Two stronger ones recounted the events. Not only Chen Lei but all the children who had beaten Qianye paled.

Long Hai kicked the unconscious child, “So that’s it! This unlucky fellow not only failed to bully anyone but got crippled himself? What a waste! We don’t need waste here, drag him away!”

His cruel handling extended to the others. All the children who participated in beating Qianye, except Chen Lei, were suspended in the playground, each receiving ten lashes. Ten lashes were enough to nearly kill them, but the next day’s training would not be reduced.

This meant they would struggle to rank in the top fifty in the coming weeks and would have to endure the pain, lest they be disabled in combat class.

It was clear that many of the bullies would be eliminated soon.

As the screams continued, Chen Lei stood in shock, not believing Long Hai had spared him. Only when Long Hai left with the guards did he realize the incident was over.

Qianye slowly stood, still wobbly. The lingering force from the whip left him weak, but his internal injuries had improved significantly.

Chen Lei suddenly walked up to Qianye, grabbing his collar, and snarled, “This isn’t over!”

Qianye looked at him calmly, “It’s not over. Either you kill me now, or you’d better be careful when you sleep. You might end up like that unlucky fellow one day.”

Qianye’s tone and expression were natural, as if in casual conversation. But the cold, calculating danger behind his words made all the children shiver.

Thinking of the child’s fate, the boys instinctively squeezed their legs together.

Chen Lei’s face twisted, not wanting to risk being incapacitated in his sleep. Even killing Qianye afterward would not undo the damage. Should he kill him now?

It was a difficult decision, and Chen Lei couldn’t bring himself to do it. The pain from his lashes seemed to intensify.

The incident seemed to be over, and no one dared challenge Qianye. The children sensed that failing to eliminate Qianye would lead to endless nightmares.

Thus, a month passed in relative peace. Qianye maintained his position, helped by the decline of Chen Lei’s former allies.

With the aid of “Crimson Blood,” Qianye’s cultivation sped up. The impact of the elemental tide grew, like waves crashing against the shore.

In his lower abdomen, Qianye felt the presence of the elemental node.