The next day, Xuan Mo headed off to the competition in a fantastic mood. The Sports Fest lasted for only two days, so the schedule was really tight. The preliminary round was completed on the first day, the second day was the actual competition. The venue was packed with people in high spirits.
Xuan Mo pressed her chest. The wound at her chest had already gradually healed under the nourishment from her mental energy, but she could still feel the injury. Eyes squinting, she smiled. Regardless of whether that person was a friend or foe, she finally managed to contact someone from the Coalition. She had still been concerned that the little gold stone was insufficient to cast any ripples. The larger troops would definitely make an appearance now that there’s suddenly an Elge popping up just when she needed the attention.
She couldn’t help but feel relieved and elated that her two hundred million years of wait was finally coming into fruition. With the excitement however was a thicker sense of unease. So many years have passed, was her presence even of relevance to them any more?
The next item that was about to begin was the four-person hundred-metre relay. These kinds of items were usually placed as the last item during Sports Festivals. To hype up the crowd however, this item was shifted forward to the morning.
The male category item was currently ongoing. The crowd was incredibly excited, everyone was screaming their lungs off, amid the shouts, several female high-pitched shrieks could be heard. The blue planet had always been very peaceful, such a blood-boiling activity was really too rare an occasion. Xuan Mo basked in this remarkable atmosphere.
Xuan Mo was queuing with the three other girls from her class for the check-in for the item they were competing in. The three of the girls were chatting away, but none of them would claim that they were good at running. Though they hadn’t practised with Xuan Mo before, they synonymously reserved Xuan Mo for the most important position, the fourth runner — the sprinter.
The problem right now though was the remaining order. Though the strongest runner was usually placed at the last, the first few runners were still very important. If the gap was too large, the last runner wouldn’t be able to catch up even if she were to fly. Even if the runners themselves knew who slipped up, it was usually the last runner shouldering the blame if they lost.
The three girls had no idea what Xuan Mo would prefer. And so, the three of them sent one over to discuss with her: “Xuan Mo… shall we discuss our order?”
“You guys can settle it.” Xuan Mo didn’t get her gist at all.
“You must be the fastest runner among us, we were thinking of putting you as the fourth runner… if we’re too slow, if you can’t catch up, don’t stress about it, it’s not your fault.”
“…can’t catch up to what?”
“I mean, if we are the reason that made you lag behind, the others might blame you for it, it wouldn’t be your fault though, so don’t be pressured about it…”
It seemed like they were trying to mentally prep her. Xuan Mo found their worry unnecessary. She waved her hand and frowned: “I’ll take the last position then…” When she noticed that the girl was still uneasy, Xuan Mo comforted her in a rare, gentle tone: “As long as you guys try your best, I won’t let us lose!”
The girl was overwhelmed by Xuan Mo’s majestic and empowering aura in that moment, and could only manage a wooden nod. When she reconvened with the other two girls afterwards, her eyes glowing. Xuan Mo could vaguely hear them gasping at how domineering and handsome she was…
Lu Yu Chen came again. He didn’t bring Melatonin this time, he brought along a few cans of redbull instead. He gave a can to Xuan Mo and the rest to her three teammates, before smiling: ”Mo Mo! Yesterday was insane!”
“Was the car found?” After the car in front of the Golden Stone building was driven away this morning, the mental shield that had been crafted didn’t last very long. It was quite a funny sight indeed — when the day brightened, the three guards on patrol were frightened out of their skin when a car suddenly appeared in front of them.
This was also why Xuan Mo was in an amazing mood today.
“I don’t know, all I know is that my teacher isn’t here today, ahahah!” Lu Yu Chen grabbed Xuan Mo’s hands and swung it around, “don’t just stand here, you need to do some warm ups and relax, so that you don’t cramp later!”
Xuan Mo took a few sips of Redbull and left Lu Yu Chen to swing her arm around, before suddenly asking: “You don’t have class?”
Lu Yu Chen froze, before relaxing: “It’s fine… that class is pretty meaningless.”
“You’re skipping class?”
“…”
“Aye, I’ve done it before too, we’re all students aren’t we.” Someone laughed, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Xuan Mo finished the Redbull and handed the can to Lu Yu Chen as she spoke sternly: “I’m starting now. And, I’ve never skipped a class before, especially given your major, every class you attend could increase your chances of surviving!”
Split, Lu Yu Chen looked at her retreating silhouette. He’d gotten very used to getting thrown off by her words, but this time, his dilemma was accompanied with a weighted gravity. He didn’t disagree that becoming a policeman wasn’t exactly a safe occupation, but it wouldn’t be as dangerous as a special forces soldier that she had been referring to right… increasing your chances of surviving and all… she’d really given him a good scare right there, he’s even breaking out in cold sweat now!
After the gunshot sounded, Xuan Mo saw the first runner dashing forward with all her might. She had been neck-to-neck with the other runners. When the first runner handed over to the second runner however, the second runner was gradually overtaken by the rest. It seemed that the second runner wasn’t good at sprinting. When it was the third runner’s turn, they were already lagging behind, and were among the last few… It was only then did Xuan Mo realise that the other girls were much taller and heavier-built. Their team was the only one that was filled with petite “loli”s, with Xuan Mo actually being the tallest among them.
Xuan Mo was the third last among the other fourth runners to get the baton. Upon receiving the baton, Xuan Mo required no warming up stage. The moment she sped off, she was dashing forward at a high speed. The fastest fourth runner had already completed one-third of the route. To Xuan Mo however, their gap was negligible. Expressionless, Xuan Mo continued forward with large steps, and caught up with the fastest speed that her current body could manage. With the roars and cheers in the backdrop, Xuan Mo managed to overtake the fastest runner’s speed. After which, she discreetly balanced her speed to match the fastest runner, and made a deliberate attempt to appear as though she was trying her best to keep up. This time, her speed wasn’t as fast as when she had been trying to catch up earlier. She kept herself within a five to six metre gap ahead of the previously fastest runner, and easily finished the race.
She didn’t break the school’s records, nor did her actions elicit any suspicion. There were only a handful of students that were discussing how her earlier sprint was almost as fast as Usain Bolt, but they didn’t understand how her timing didn’t break any records.
In the eight-hundred metres baton relay afterwards, Xuan Mo was also the last runner. When it was her turn, she employed the same tactic — dashing forward to catch up before leisurely maintaining at a normal pace to keep ahead of everyone until she finished the race.
That had always been her strategy, get herself in the best position, and remain ahead of everyone else!
She finished the individual items that she participated in later in the afternoon with flying colours. Though her major didn’t win the most medals among the others, she was the person that won the most medals.
According to their class rep, as long as Xuan Mo made an appearance during their sports fest, the academic points accumulating towards the school scholarship she’d be able to earn from winning the sports items would be simply insane.
But Xuan Mo wasn’t one to bother herself with the scholarship or whatnot. She was pulled out that night by Lu Yu Chen again to go out to play. After the Sports Fest, they would have three days off, and she didn’t really want to guard the Golden Stone building throughout.
That little Elge was only a tiny threat, she didn’t find it too much of a problem.
Lu Yu Chen had already given up all hope on getting to hang out with Xuan Mo alone. This was the pain of being too known, he’d have a bunch of friends following him around no matter where he went; and he wasn’t one to say no to his bros, so he let them bring along their girlfriends to hang together.
They chose an affordable but delicious BBQ buffet place; it was a good place for friends to gather, and the shop had a good atmosphere too, and they could go dutch with the payments so there wasn’t any issues with the money.
Xuan Mo sat in the corner-most seat. Beside her sat Lu Yu Chen; Ah Kah, Lu Yu Chen’s baby-faced good friend sat down across from her, the two of them made sure that she’d be taken care of throughout their dinner. The seat next to Lu Yu Chen was free, but when the others streamed in, everyone avoided the seat next to Lu Yu Chen deliberately with a strange smile on their faces.
“Hey, why aren’t you guys sitting beside me?” Lu Yu Chen was confused and glum.
“Hehehe…”
The door chime sounded again, someone had entered the shop. Lu Yu Chen frowned after turning to look. There was only one seat left at the long table that he had booked, and it was the seat beside him. The person that had just arrived could only sit beside him. When Xuan Mo realised Lu Yu Chen was a little off, she turned around to look too. The person that had arrived was a girl, she figured that she was supposed to be what the blue planet beings would see as pretty. Wavy maroon hair and a fair, oval-shaped face, the stylishly dressed girl walked towards them, smiling. She spoke gently: “Aye, sorry I’m a little late.”
“It’s fine, all’s good, sister Ying Xi, come sit!” Ye Zhen Zhen sitting on the side patted on the empty seat.
“Thank you.” Ying Xi sat down, smiled and nodded at Lu Yu Chen. When she saw Xuan Mo sitting beside him, she stretched out her hand, “hello, you must be Xuan Mo, I am Yuan Ying Xi, your brother’s friend.”
Xuan Mo swept her a glance before turning: “We should wash our hands before eating.”
“…” Yuan Ying Xi retracted her hands, ill at ease. When she noticed the strange looks from the other people at the table too, she smiled, “Do you know where the toilet is?” She spoke in Xuan Mo’s direction, very evidently directing the question to her.
Xuan Mo shrugged: “It’s my first time here.”
“…” Ye Zhen Zhen was the one that pointed her in the right direction of the toilet in the end. Yuan Ying Xi kept her forced smile on as she walked off.
Very softly, Ye Zhen Zhen’s conversation with her boyfriend could be heard: “Brother Yu’s sister is too much really, are all sisters a bro-con*?”
An aloof personality to begin with, Xiao Wu replied, sounding rather impatient: “Eat your food, don’t gossip when you can’t even figure out if it’s bro-con* or sis-con* between them.”
Ye Zhen Zhen was shocked: “What?! Brother Yu is the sis-con*?!”
Xiao Wu didn’t want to reply to her.
*sis-con (sister-complex) or bro-con (brother-complex): extreme (usually non-romantic) attachment and obsession to one’s sister or brother respectively
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