Forbidden Zone of the Human Race

The instructors were astonished by Xiang Ning’s talent.

“Does he already have an established career plan?” Qi Jiuming asked. Xiang Ning was a student that couldn’t be come by often, and he wanted to nurture an excellent student like him too.

“Don’t even think about it. Me and Old Dong already managed to make him promise us.” Lei Zhongyuan slyly answered. How dare you try laying a finger on such an excellent talent? You should be grateful to us for allowing you to even take a look at him. Even though Xiang Ning hadn’t officially given his answer, he did say he would consider their offers. Until then, Lei Zhongyuan was determined to not allow anyone to lay their hands on him.

Qi Jiuming merely nodded. It wasn’t a big deal, since it was his school. He would eventually be able to create a situation to obtain him.

Both of them were thinking about how to obtain Xiang Ning.

…...

In the wilderness, about eight kilometers from Fortress Three, there was a unique area. If someone were to look from above, it looked like an undeveloped industrial area with a few abandoned excavators. It must have been used to dig out the holes around the region. Now those holes were filled with rainwater and had become small lakes surrounded by lush vegetation.

“We’re lucky. To think there’s a safehouse here.” Li Zimo pushed through the orange door of the safehouse.

“Let’s reorganize and replenish our stamina.” Lu Shiyu and Fang Rou entered, both of them supporting Xiang Ning.

In reality, he had merely overexerted himself, but he wasn’t able to talk over the two girls so he had no choice in the matter. An injury in the wilderness was often fatal, and Fang Rou had been persuading him to drop out of the exercise.

Naturally, he refused to do so; it was only the first day. How embarrassing would it be if he were to drop out now. He vowed to never drop until he had earned enough Fury Points.

Additionally, he knew how minor his injuries were. It wasn’t too serious, and he could completely recover his stamina by resting in the safehouse. A dislocated wrist was no issue.

The safehouse didn’t have much food, but there was medicine; Xiang Ning was lucky. It also wasn’t large, only able to fit around ten people or two squads. To think that such a simple safehouse was capable of withstanding attacks from a Beast General.

Once the medicine was applied, Lu Shiyu sat beside Xiang Ning. Both of them looked like a couple in the eyes of everyone else, and Fang Rou was feeling a little jealous when she saw Lu Shiyu sitting so close to Xiang Ning.

“Xiang Ning, do you feel better?” Lu Shiyu asked. She had been quiet throughout the journey so far, even when Xiang Ning was hurt. Her cold demeanor had even discouraged him from talking to her.

“It’s better, but… I’m sorry,” Xiang Ning apologized.

When everyone heard his apology, they looked at him with puzzled expressions. Xiang Ning was embarrassed.

Fang Rou crossed her arms and stared at him. “Who do you think we are?”

“Yeah, no need to be so distant from us.” Li Zimo walked toward him.

“If it wasn’t for you, I think both me and Fang Rou would.…” Liu Ruoxue clutched her gun as she stood beside Li Zimo, her voice shaking from fear.

Xiang Ning still felt embarrassed until he saw Fang Rou squatting in front of him.

“Do you think you’re dragging us down? I’m only asking you to retire from this exercise because we’re worried about you!” She was shaking. Because of her, Xiang Ning had been injured. She had gone in too close without any defensive measures against a ferocious beast, just like an onlooker. That was a fatal mistake, and if another beast like the Night Cat were to pounce from the shadows, she would have lost her life.

That was why Fang Rou was ashamed of herself.

“Yeah, this was your fault.”

Fang Rou’s nose felt tingles when she heard that. It was the truth. But before she could say anything else, she felt soft hands patting her.

“That’s why we shouldn’t let our guard down next time.” Xiang Ning's voice softly reached her ears.

Lu Shiyu saw how Xiang Ning was patting Fang Rou, and her eyes mysteriously gleamed.

Fang Rou was touched by his words, but then she felt some weird gazes on her back and shot up to tell everyone she would go on patrol.

When Fang Rou left, Li Zimo and Liu Ruoxue told Li Shiyu and Xiang Ning that they would go on patrol with Fang Rou. “The safehouse is very secure, but we should still patrol nearby. We’ll be within range of our communicator, so call us if anything happens.”

“Alright, be careful,” Xiang Ning said.

Only Xiang Ning and Lu Shiyu were left in the safehouse.

Time flowed as both of them remained silent. After some time, Lu Shiyu finally asked, “Xiang Ning, do you love Fang Rou?”

“What?”

“Hmm… maybe? She’s a really good girl,” Xiang Ning hesitantly answered. “Plus, her brother treats me well,” he added. It was true, Fang Hao had used so much of the recovery fluid to heal him and didn’t even ask anything for repayment. He was a really good guy.

When Lu Shiyu heard him, she merely muttered, “Idiot.”

She promptly left the safehouse.

Xiang Ning was taken aback. But since everyone else had left, he could finally take his medicine. The pill he obtained from the system was extremely useful, and he could feel himself getting better. Items from the system were truly in another league,

Within five minutes, Xiang Ning was completely healed. He felt that he could easily take on the same two Boulder Boars. The only reason he had been injured was because of the Taunt skill.

He thought that it was a single target taunt, but to think it was an aoe instead. [1] Luckily, he had emerged with his life from the clash with the two Boulder Boars.

Just then, his communication device rang.

As Xiang Ning listened to the argument between Li Zimo and Zhang Hongyu, he steeled his eyes. Some people just deserve to get beaten.

He stood up, whipped out his class two sword, and ran out.

“Zhang Hongyu, do you want to die?” Li Zimo was angry.

“Hehe, let me tell you this, we’re here to intercept your beasts. But don’t worry, everyone else will suffer just the same fate, don’t even think of entering the top ten!”

“Xiang Ning will never forgive you!” Fang Rou gritted her teeth.

“Hehe, forgive us? That guy is already half dead, what can he do?” Zhang Hongyu coldly laughed. He wanted to regain his honor from being tied up and beaten by Xiang Ning.

1. Area-of-effect ☜