My stats are higher than yours!!

The strong will draw their guns against the even stronger!

Chapter Twenty-Two: Push Yourself Hard!

"clang!"

Old Bi raised his gun and launched an attack, but the moment the weapons clashed, his expression changed drastically when he felt the force from the other's gun.

That's not the force he used just now!

This is empowered by the power of "slow burst"!

When?

When did he finish charging up?

The past flashed through Lao Bi's mind. He remembered the smile on Bai Shuodong's face. That flamboyant smile wasn't because of excitement, but because he was using his expression to deceive him and then quietly using the "slow burst" to exploit the information gap?

You bastard!

Is she really that good at acting?

He's simply a top-tier combat genius!

"Hahaha!"

Old Bi smiled instantly. This was the genius he had always longed for! This was exactly what he wanted!

A combat genius!

'This guy is far stronger than me.'

After his attack was blocked, Bai Shuodong stood not far away, adjusted his breathing, and smiled again. He picked up his spear and rushed towards Lao Bi in a blur, the spear light shining once more.

'but...'

"Clang! Clang! Clang!..."

A series of collisions rang out. Bai Shuodong was suppressed in the head-on confrontation. His Lion Eyes moved rapidly in a short time, sweeping across Lao Bi's joints, muscles, and weapons, thereby predicting the opponent's attacks to some extent.

This was a technique he mastered during his battle with Xia Yanxin's projection, and it was also the best way to deal with stronger opponents whose attributes were higher than his own.

"Whoo~"

The standard-issue rifle whizzed past Bai Shuodong, the strong wind blowing against his face. His training rifle missed its mark, but his movements were slightly stiffer than before.

'Did you overexert yourself?'

Old Bi smiled and thought to himself.

The next moment, Bai Shuodong suddenly sprang up, kicking him squarely in the stomach, while mentally finishing the sentence: 'You're much easier to fool than that bastard Xia Yanxin!!'

"Bang!!"

Old Bi's body instantly staggered back several steps, and the expression on his face changed repeatedly. This was not his normal strength, but a straight kick after using [Slow Burst]. If any other student had taken this kick, they would have been lying on the ground and fast asleep.

When will it be this time?

How did he seize the opportunity to accumulate strength?

and many more...

His previous attacks were stiff. Could it be that he had anticipated that his attacks would miss, so he used inertia to feign an attack while dodging and pressing down to build up his strength, and then used the [Slow Burst] kick at the most unbelievable moment?

Is the pause after an attack a way to build up power?

What an ingenious idea!

Oh my god!

Such subtle maneuvers could never be improvised; they must be pre-planned and executed during combat, leaving anyone who witnesses them in awe.

"I was only 20% confident I could pull off that move just now. Looks like my trump card is gone," Bai Shuodong said with a smile as he withdrew his foot.

In the [Slow Burst] state, his agility is greatly reduced, but his strength is greatly increased. In simple straight attacks, the explosive speed brought by pure strength is far more useful than agility. This straight kick is fast and fierce, and it is very useful in fighting.

This technique, when used against Xia Yanxin, an intuitive monster, is often detected by her, allowing her to react immediately and make the best response.

That guy doesn't need a reason to change tactics; all he needs to do is "feel something's not right."

"Clap!"

Old Bi patted his clothes, brushing off the dust that had just been kicked onto him, and said, "Your understanding of talent and comprehension in actual combat is really strong, even stronger than I imagined, but your combat skills are still too weak."

"Oh?"

"Having the habit of holding back force when thrusting with a spear is very good and can play a significant role in subsequent exchanges. However, if you only know how to hold back force but don't know how to fully utilize that force, that's a flaw in your technique."

"Also, although your attacks are fierce, your footwork is too scattered. In long weapon combat, the foundation of your lower body directly determines how much force you can withstand and how fast you can attack. You should think about how to improve your footwork."

Old Bi paused, as if expressing disappointment, and said, "Finally, paying attention to your opponent in battle is indeed very important. This allows you to anticipate their actions and respond accordingly in battle."

"But the problem is, using Lion's Eye at full power, slow burst whenever you can find an opening, and then immediately canceling it afterward, is incredibly taxing on your stamina and energy! This kind of high-intensity combat style is simply not something a normal person can withstand!"

"Your physical strength should be nearing its limit by now, right?" Old Bi continued to ask.

"The consumption is indeed quite high, but it's not a problem at all. I can still continue fighting!"

Bai Shuodong smiled, his gaze returning to the head of the teaching department, and then continued:

Do you have goals?

Do you have a dream?

"Did you try your best to climb up? Do you know the difference between giving it your all and fighting to the death?"

"Now that she's already had an epiphany, I can't keep falling behind! This level... this is all I'm capable of... I can't accept the reality that my strength is only at this level!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Shuodong moved again, rushing towards the head of teaching at an extremely fast speed. His training spear danced gracefully in the battle, and he also used [Slow Burst] unexpectedly.

Sweat poured down like rain, completely soaking his clothes. Bai Shuodong's marksmanship and footwork were rapidly improving and becoming stronger in battle.

However...

Bai Shuodong's movements became unsteady, a result of excessive physical exertion and his body's inability to support him. His lion's eyes blurred, and his beast-like gaze was no longer focused. He also lacked the stamina to continue using slow burst attacks.

However, he continued to fight, battling the head instructor who was deliberately controlling his strength as he sparred with him, and his movements became increasingly skillful.

He began to think.

Without the Lion's Eye, how can I predict things using my own power?

Without a slow burst of growth, how can I create opportunities for myself? How can I take advantage of those opportunities?

He said my steps were unsteady and my foundation wasn't solid enough, but why didn't I feel much weaker after expending too much energy? Was it because I controlled my energy expenditure, so my stride changed? What part of it did I change?

"Clang! Clang! Clang!..."

The two resumed their fight, with Bai Shuodong being increasingly suppressed. He was even hit in the back by a gunshot and fell to the ground, barely managing to get up several times.

He was panting heavily, his unsteady gaze fixed on the distance. His mind was still racing, and his body subconsciously wanted to continue moving, but he had no strength.

Ah, I feel like I can't stand up, but at the same time I feel like I'm about to fly. This feeling is so strange, I can't describe it in words. I feel so free! My mind and body are more active!

and many more...

Is that so?

Is that so?

I think I understand!

[Hint: Your long weapon proficiency level has been upgraded to level 2]

Chapter Twenty-Three: Is This Still Human?

'Tch, this kid, he doesn't take care of his body at all. He's practically a tireless fighting machine, fighting to the death as long as he can move... That's really bad for his health.'

Old Bi sighed, feeling a mix of emotions.

He was an educator who loved talent. In his battle with Bai Shuodong, he would always intentionally or unintentionally use just the right amount of marksmanship to create barely noticeable openings, thereby helping Bai Shuodong break through the limits of his skills.

But this doesn't mean he lacks his own opinions.

Being able to move and being able to train are two completely different things. Excessive physical exertion in combat will deplete the body's potential. In order to prevent Bai Shuodong from depleting his physical potential, Lao Bi directly knocked him down.

He watched as Bai Shuodong gradually closed his eyes and lost consciousness, and murmured softly, "I've seen many geniuses. They do grasp their special skills very quickly, and breaking through the bottleneck of level 1 or 2 skills is also easy for them, but it still takes time to realize them. At least one or two months, right?"

"And this kid..."

"Isn't his skill improvement speed a bit too fast? The speed at which he accumulates skills and experience in battle is ridiculously fast, even two or three times faster than Xia Yanxin. After accumulating enough experience, he broke through directly without being blocked at all."

"Even if you're in good shape and your improvement speed is faster than usual, it shouldn't be this fast, right? This is not like a normal student!"

"..."

Old Bi was silent for a while. He suspected that the child might have been possessed by someone, but he didn't seem like it. However, if he was being guided by his grandfather, his fighting style was wrong and didn't seem like he had a master guiding him.

His fighting style is purely unorthodox, aiming to maximize his strength without any set patterns, and his flexibility in actual combat is also quite good.

It feels like simply being highly talented.

"Hmm, let's check him while he's sleeping; that's the safest and most reliable way."

...

The school clinic, in a private room

Soft lighting filled the room, and a pleasant fragrance permeated the air. This fragrance was no ordinary item; it was a spiritual treasure that could enhance self-healing speed and mental recovery efficiency simply by smelling it.

Bai Shuodong lay quietly on the hospital bed, his breathing long and steady, though his face was slightly pale and his muscles were habitually tense. Although he had entered the infirmary, his mind seemed to still be trapped in the battle he had just fought.

Even when he was asleep.

Old Bi stood quietly by the bed, looking at the school doctor not far away, and asked, "How is he? Is he really alright?"

“No problem, no problem, I’ve said it so many times. My senses are my yardstick. I can tell whether there’s a problem with his spirit and soul with just one glance. There’s no need to keep asking like this.”

The school doctor said impatiently.

The school doctor in the infirmary was not a woman as people might imagine, but a man in a white coat. He was tall and straight, with sharp eyes and a unique, indescribable air about him. He was extremely confident in his own judgment.

"I'm just worried about him. After all, a genius like him is one in a million, and what if something goes wrong..."

"Tsk!"

The school doctor smiled, tilted his head slightly, and asked, "So you injured someone?"

“This kid is reckless. If I don’t knock him out, what if he overexerts himself? His body has reached its limit. I have to stop.”

Old Bi helplessly spread his hands and said.

"Overdraft? Are you kidding me?"

The school doctor laughed even harder, pointing at Bai Shuodong and saying, "This kid's physical condition is much better than you said. He's far from overdrawing his potential! Are you getting old? You can't even tell when you're overworking yourself?"

"Ok?"

Old Bi frowned in confusion, then said firmly, "Impossible. I saw him fight until he was almost unable to move and could only move by willpower. His body couldn't possibly be that bad as you say. You can test it properly with instruments."

"Okay, okay, I'm really impressed by you."

The school doctor didn't argue with him; he simply took a portable medical testing device from the storage space. It looked small and might have some errors, but it was actually a high-level professional medical testing instrument, extremely accurate when testing students who hadn't yet reached the next level.

He then pressed the detection button, and a pale blue beam of light shot out from the device, scanning Bai Shuodong. The blue beam scanned back and forth, completely scanning three times, but it failed to detect even a single red dot.

There's nothing wrong with my health!

Immediately afterwards, the instrument projected a virtual projection screen, displaying Bai Shuodong's various physical data at that moment, and showing the changes in real time.

The school doctor glanced at the data, then turned to the others and said, "All physical indicators are normal. It's just simple muscle fatigue and excessive mental exertion. There are no other problems."

"Now, what do you have to say?"

"I have nothing to say."

Old Bi looked bewildered and lost.

During the previous battle, he really felt that Bai Shuodong's body was close to its limit, but why was there no problem at all?

This doesn't make sense, this isn't right!

The school doctor looked at Bai Shuodong, his casual gaze sweeping over him repeatedly. Although he appeared disdainful and unserious, he was actually quite meticulous, demonstrating excellent basic medical skills.

Shortly after, the school doctor's expression suddenly changed. He placed his hand on Bai Shuodong's body, closed his eyes to carefully sense and observe, and finally exclaimed in disbelief, "Holy crap! This kid absorbed the Laughter Factor! And he successfully suppressed it! Not a single drop leaked out!"