A cross-country run was lined up for the evening’s military training. The group of students looked especially spectacular in their camouflage uniforms under the night sky. They had to run twenty kilometers in two hours. Those who could complete this task would be given extra credits, which could be used in selecting outstanding students.

  The girls ran in a pretty neat line at first, but as time passed, they became scattered. Some students found it hard to catch up with the rest of the pack and ended up at the back of the group. Other girls from behind, thus, overtook them. Gu Mang followed the rest of the team, running in an unhurried but constant pace. One by one, the girls beside her ran ahead and overtook her.

  Li Mu carefully observed her. Seeing how she had easily managed to complete a hundred push-ups, albeit a little slowly, and had done her sit-ups while carrying a log, he reckoned that her stamina should not be too bad. He could not help but knit his brows together, however, when he noticed that she was falling to last place.

  Meng Jinyang and Qin Yaozhi were equally baffled to see this when they caught up to her.

  “Sister Mang, are you no good at running?” asked Qin Yaozhi incredulously.

  Meng Jinyang looked at Gu Mang, only to see her poking at her cap as she ran ever so slowly and answered nonchalantly, “I’m okay.”


  The two quietly glanced sideways to see other girls overtaking them. The law students who previously had a spat with them at the school gates smirked when they saw this. They ran past the trio.

  Licking her lips, Gu Mang calmly lifted her chin. “You girls go ahead.”


  “Oh…… okay.” Qin Yaozhi and Meng Jinyang threw her uneasy looks before they left. “Try to speed up.”


  Those who failed to complete the task in time would get scolded by the instructors.

  Gu Mang gave them a lazy hum of acknowledgment.

  Meanwhile, the sight of Gu Mang running slowly reminded Sang Xue of how she had gotten a water bottle thrown in her face just the other day. Half of her face still hurt even now.

  “I thought she was quite the capable person.” Her friend shot a look at Gu Mang.

  Smirking, she responded, “Being good at academics doesn’t mean that she’ll be good at everything.”


  Her friend nodded and laughed. “That’s true.”
……

  By the time the students finished running the entire twenty kilometers and arrived back at the starting point, they were all dead on their feet, collapsing as soon as they reached the training ground. Unexpectedly, Gu Mang was in last place, which earned her looks from other classes’ instructors.

  Leaning against the railing in front of the main office was a group of men in unique black camouflage uniforms. They monitored the training ground.

  One of the men nudged his comrade. “Miss Gu doesn’t have the best stamina.”

  The comrade shared his sentiments as he recalled a certain memory. “Well, some people aren’t good at sports. Last time we were in Young Master Lu’s office, her darts all landed in the outermost ring and she nearly missed the board entirely.”


  The memory was fresh in their mind because they had never met anyone with such poor precision. He could not imagine just how unforgettable the image would be when it came to shooting later.

  The comrade added, “I think Li Mu should go slightly easier on her. If she trains too much and ends up hurting herself, Young Master Lu will surely skin us alive.”


  The man nodded after giving it a thought……

  After training, the doctors, who were based at the reserve base, asked the students about their physical conditions. Only after ascertaining that the students were fine did they dismiss them.

  Gu Mang was among the last group of students to enter the shower rooms, which were shared amongst all students of a single gender. It was partitioned by wooden boards and there were not many people inside at this time. Once she was done showering, she exited the shower room, feeling especially refreshed when the cool night breeze blew on her.

  Clutching her towel in one hand while smoothing her semi-dried hair with the other, she headed back to her dorm. When she passed by a certain narrow space between two wooden huts, she suddenly halted, her eyes narrowed. Before she could react, however, a powerful arm swiftly grabbed hold of hers and yanked her toward the narrow space, which was only one-meter in width.

  She twisted her wrist, hoping to pull the person out instead, but it was to no avail. The other party was far stronger than her and she stumbled right in thereafter. A soft

  was heard as she was pinned to the wall with her wrists pressed on both sides of her head.

  A dark shadow towered over her as a familiar tobacco scent assailed her nose in strong waves and before she knew it, her body relaxed. The next second, warm breaths tickled her ear as a low, raspy voice ringed in it. “Do you want to lose your money or be s*xually assaulted?”