In the afternoon, everyone got back to their lessons, and this time, the instructor seemed a bit more down-to-earth.
He was a middle-aged guy, not particularly tall but built like a tank.
With a rugged beard and a steely look in his eyes, he gave off the vibe of someone who's seen and done it all.
Compared to Luo Qingxin and Xiong Tianguang, this man seemed a lot older, probably in his thirties. He stood tall, like a soldier, which made it clear that he likely had a military background.
The moment he stepped onto the platform, he didn't waste a second.
His sharp gaze swept across the room, and the air filled with the intense presence of a fourth-tier psychic mixed with a raw, violent energy.
Meeting his eyes felt like locking eyes with a wild beast, making a deep, primal fear rise in anyone who dared to look back.
"Listen up, everyone! My name is Li Xiaoru,* Captain of Team Vanguard. But I don't like being called Captain. If you're going to call me something, call me General Li. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!" many psychics quickly replied, feeling like they were facing a drill sergeant.
"Louder!"
"YES, SIR!!"
"Good. I'm very busy, so I don't have time to teach you rookies everything. I'll just give you a few pointers on handling Specters. Pay attention because these tips come from life-and-death experiences."
Everyone leaned in closer, hanging on his every word. Despite his rough demeanor and the odd contrast between his name and his tough personality*, he radiated an air of competence.
Li Xiaoru nodded, satisfied. "Remember this: the most important thing when facing a Specter is to be fierce!"
'Fierce?' _
Everyone looked confused.
"That's right! Be fierce! As the ancients said, a true warrior dares to face a Specter head-on, dares to charge into the Specter Zone! What fear has a Class-S Specter ever shown? A true warrior lives fierce and dies as a fierce Specter!"
At first, his words felt inspiring, but as he continued, things started to sound a bit off, and everyone's expressions grew increasingly awkward.
"Why do I feel like this General Li is somewhat educated but not too much?" Xiao Chuxia whispered.
Yang Ming and the others nodded, sharing the same feeling.
So, the class turned into a long session of listening to Li Xiaoru's intense, yet sometimes nonsensical, rants.
He didn't seem to notice, though, and he was quite pleased with himself.
The more he spoke, the more fired up he became, as if he was ready to run out and take on a few Specters right then and there.
An hour later, the staff finally had to drag the overly enthusiastic General Li off the stage.
Next up was an old acquaintance of Fang Xiu, Yan Changshou.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored tuxedo and carrying a gold-embellished cane, Yan Changshou walked onto the platform with a calm, elegant demeanor.
Compared to the previous instructors, Yan Changshou definitely seemed more normal. After all, the last ones were an Ice Queen, a nerd, and a guy who seemed a bit full of himself. Yan Changshou, however, looked like a proper gentleman.
But Fang Xiu knew better. People who try too hard to look normal often have the most to hide. Yan Changshou was exactly that type.
This class, though, was different. Yan Changshou stuck to teaching, and the knowledge he shared was genuinely interesting.
He taught about Specters, covering everything from their appearances to their anatomy. He listed various types of Specters and shared the findings from his dissection experiments.
Even though many psychics had dealt with Specters before, today, they felt like they were truly learning about them for the first time.
Yan Changshou's class was packed with valuable information.
The final class was supposed to be a big deal—taught by Fang Moli, the psychic hailed as the strongest in Asia.
But something odd happened. Fang Moli didn't show up.
Not long after, a staff member walked in, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry, everyone. Captain Fang had an urgent matter to attend to, so this class is canceled for now. You all get a one-hour break, and then the Director of the headquarters will wrap things up with a closing speech."
Hearing this, a lot of people started grumbling. Many had shown up just to see Fang Moli in action. After all, the title of the strongest psychic in Asia isn't something you hear every day.
This news made Fang Xiu frown. He wondered, "What happened? Or is this a deliberate move by the headquarters?"
With the upcoming award ceremony, the top priority was protecting Yan Changshou, and Fang Moli was the ideal person for the job.
With the Xuanyuan Sword in his hands, Fang Moli was the mightiest force in the headquarters and possibly all of Asia. If he were on duty, nothing could go wrong. But now, he hadn't even shown up for his class.
Fang Xiu considered the situation for a moment, then let it go. Whether Fang Moli was there or not didn't really affect him. If things went sideways, Fang Xiu knew he could always reset the situation and devise a new plan.
With the class canceled, the trainees headed outside to the playground to take their break.
As Fang Xiu was about to head out, Yang Ming walked over. "Xiu, let's go. I need a smoke."
Fang Xiu nodded. Maybe a walk would give him a chance to pick up on something unusual.
Just as they were about to leave, they heard a shaky voice from behind. "W-w-wait for me!"
They turned to see Zhao Hao, who had just recovered from being frozen earlier. He looked pale, his whole body trembling, and even his hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes were still dusted with white frost.
Seeing his sorry state, Xiao Chuxia and the others burst out laughing.
But to their surprise, Zhao Hao started laughing too, and he actually seemed pretty pleased.
"Hao, did the cold scramble your brain? Why are you so happy?" Yang Ming asked, baffled.
Zhao Hao, still shivering, replied with a grin, "Look, both Lin Tianhe and I were frozen, but I stayed frozen longer. That means Qingxin cares more about me."
Yang Ming shook his head, amused. "He's lost it. The cold really messed him up."
"He's beyond saving now," Xiao Chuxia added with a smirk.
"You guys just don't get it. Being trapped in an ice block filled with Qingxin's scent—it's the best thing ever," Zhao Hao said, still smiling like he was on cloud nine.
Everyone was speechless.
They couldn't figure out how Zhao Hao could even smell anything through solid ice.
Thankfully, they already knew Zhao Hao was a bit of an oddball, so they didn't put much stock in his wild claims.
Time flew by, and soon it was time for the award ceremony.
But instead of the usual lecture hall, the ceremony was held in a massive venue that Headquarters had specially prepared.
Security was tight—soldiers were everywhere outside, armed with guns loaded with Spiritual Energy bullets.
And that was just the security you could see. Thanks to Fang Xiu's earlier warning, The headquarters had also set up plenty of hidden defenses.
The psychics filed into the venue and, following the staff's directions, took their seats.
After being put through the wringer by the various captains, the psychics were now on their best behavior.
The solemn atmosphere of the venue made everyone sit up straight, fully aware of the gravity of the moment.
This serious mood hit its peak when the captains made their entrance.
Luo Qingxin, Xiong Tianguang, Li Xiaoru, and Yan Changshou were all there, but Fang Moli was still nowhere to be found.