As Lei Hao was being swarmed, Wang Yun stayed as far away as possible, conserving his strength.
Suddenly, he sensed something was off and bolted.
Another student moved just as quickly, but unfortunately, they weren’t strong enough and got yanked back by a teammate.
If I can’t get in, neither can you!
With Lei Hao at the center, a wave of spiritual energy erupted, accompanied by an ear-splitting roar that shook the skies.
ROAR—
Even Xia Qingqing and the other two covered their ears, their faces twisting in discomfort.
Since Lei Hao’s attack was directed at the seven-person group, they suffered the worst of it—three passed out on the spot, while the remaining three staggered, barely able to stay on their feet.
Only Wang Yun, who had predicted the move in advance, escaped relatively unscathed, though his face was still pale as he clutched his ears.
Lei Hao panted heavily, clearly drained. “Damn, that felt good…”
With the outcome decided, there was no need to continue.
Su Mo announced the final selection results:
Xia Qingqing, Luo Xiu, Huo Jingshuo, Lei Hao, and Wang Yun had earned the right to train at the ruins.
Though some questioned Wang Yun’s tactics, Su Mo defended him impartially: “I don’t see anything wrong with what Wang Yun did. He didn’t betray anyone or launch a sneak attack—he simply used his wits to win. Besides, weren’t the rest of you also scheming in your own ways? You just didn’t have the strength to pull it off.”
“This was a selection, not a game. No one cares how you feel—they only care about the final result.” Su Mo’s expression turned stern. “Of course, the one rule is that you can’t cross moral boundaries. If you do, you won’t get my approval, at the very least.”
No one raised further objections. His words were fair.
Wang Yun shot Su Mo a grateful look.
He had assumed Su Mo still held a grudge over their past conflicts. Turns out, he’d underestimated him.
Su Mo didn’t even care.
In his eyes, Su Mo was looking more and more… beautiful.
Over the next few days, Su Mo trained the group, mainly on theory and basic regulations.
During this time, he received one good news and one bad news.
Good news: Yang Jie agreed to send someone else along.
Bad news: Su Mo was still the team leader.
Which meant their group would have one additional member.
On the day of departure, the team met at the train station entrance.
From a distance, Su Mo spotted a familiar figure.
A young man in black-and-white overalls, sporting a middle-parted hairstyle that turned heads wherever he went.
Su Mo’s lips twitched as he walked over. “Why is it you?”
“Surprised? Shocked? I just happened to qualify for the Longshan Ruins training too, so Commander Yang assigned me to your team.”
It was A’Kun—the most active chatterbox in the Special Operations Group’s work chat.
“Is it really that hard to get in? Why are you the only one?”
A’Kun rolled his eyes. “You think everyone’s like you, racking up merits like it’s nothing? Luck plays a part too, you know.”
Su Mo coughed awkwardly. “I just figured with so many of us going, I was getting scammed. Guess the Longshan Ruins are a bigger deal than I thought.”
“It’s not the same. They’re part of an organization-approved training program—there are groups like this all over the country. Us old-timers can’t compete.”
So that was it. Yang Jie hadn’t mentioned any of this, making Su Mo think his own influence had secured the slots…
Tch. How embarrassing.
A’Kun was a true social butterfly, quickly blending in with the group. Except for the quiet Huo Jingshuo, who rarely spoke unless addressed, the others treated him like an old friend.
They set off in the morning and arrived at their destination by afternoon, checking into a pre-booked hotel.
A’Kun suggested a group dinner, but Su Mo wanted to visit his parents, Huo Jingshuo and Luo Xiu had training, and Xia Qingqing lost interest once she saw Su Mo and Luo Xiu weren’t going. The plan was scrapped.
After dinner, Su Mo walked home alone, the streets feeling both familiar and foreign.
The scenery was the same, but the people had changed.
No one greeted him, and he had no reason to strike up conversations with old acquaintances.
As he walked, he stood out like a sore thumb—as if he were a stranger visiting for the first time.
Early winter had brought a chill, and elderly neighbors huddled in thick coats, chatting and laughing with visible puffs of breath.
Nearby, a small stage was set up in the square for amateur opera performances. Anyone could take the mic, and the audience was just there for fun.
The musicians weren’t professionals either—just locals who played for the love of it, not for profit.
Without realizing it, Su Mo found himself drawn to the performance, pulling up a stool to watch as the actor playing Emperor Xian of Han secretly cursed Cao Cao.
He wasn’t an opera enthusiast, but having grown up around it, he didn’t mind listening.
“That Cao thief gnashes my teeth with rage…” The actor sang with fervor, and Su Mo gradually lost himself in the performance.
Then, a middle-aged woman approached and handed him a cup of hot water. “Here, warm yourself up.”
Su Mo instinctively accepted the cup, blowing on it before raising it to his lips—only to freeze in shock.
He didn’t need to look to know who she was.
This woman was his mother, a regular at these opera gatherings. The only reason he’d come here was to see her.
But the thought of having to call her “Auntie” left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Thank you, Auntie…” He forced a polite smile, offering her his stool.
Somehow, he desperately didn’t want his current identity to leave a bad impression on her.
“No need, no need! There are plenty of stools—I’ll grab one myself.” She fetched another and sat beside him. “Whose family are you from, dear? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”
“Oh, no, I’m not from here. I was just passing by and thought I’d watch for a bit,” Su Mo hurriedly explained.
“Ah, I see. You look young—must be in college, right?”
“Mhm…” Su Mo had never felt so awkward in front of his own mother.
“My son’s in college too. He got into a great school down south—just a bit far from home.”
At this point, Su Mo knew exactly where this was going. She was about to launch into a long, proud monologue about him.
Sure enough, an hour later, she finally paused.
“Oh dear, I’ve been rambling, haven’t I? Must’ve wasted your time…”
Su Mo quickly assured her it was fine.
Several times during their chat, she refilled his water, saying she felt a strange connection to him—like he reminded her of her own child.
Su Mo knew what this meant.
She missed him.
From the day he was born, he’d never been apart from her. Going to Jingcheng for university was his first time leaving home, his first time living alone.
Before leaving, Su Mo took an apple from his bag and pressed it into her hands. “Auntie, please take this as a small token. Remember to eat it when you get home.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
As she watched his retreating figure, his mother’s gaze grew distant. “She’s a girl… so why does she remind me so much of our Xiao Mo?”
Clutching the apple, she returned to her seat—only to notice a folded paper cup tucked into the corner of the table.
Her eyes flicked to the nearby trash bin, where an identical folded cup lay discarded.
One with her teeth marks still on it.