Chapter 65

Chapter 65 After speaking, she quickly recalled the information and called out, "Wu Jin, Su Bei, Li Shu, Si Zhaohua, Zhao Xiaoyu, Lan Subing, and Wu Mingbai, you’ll be in one group, with Si Zhaohua as the captain. The rest of you will be in the other group... Jiang Tianming will be the captain." It was clear that she had done her research. This grouping effectively broke up many of the smaller cliques. Jiang Tianming’s group, Si Zhaohua’s group, Feng Lan and himself—they were all separated. However, Su Bei noticed something interesting: the teachers had definitely gone easy on Wu Jin. The only two people he was somewhat familiar with in the class were himself and Zhao Xiaoyu, and coincidentally, both of them were in his group. As expected of someone with connections. As they talked, they arrived at their destination. It was a small inn with a somewhat unique exterior. The building wasn’t large, but it was quite tall, with the top floor resembling a clock tower. Stepping inside, the interior was surprisingly well-designed. This "well-designed" didn’t refer to lavish decorations but rather the clever use of space. A narrow building like this would typically feel cramped with just a few pieces of furniture, but this place avoided that entirely, instead giving off a cozy vibe. The wooden clock on the wall ticked away, the mahogany-red round chair stood quietly, and an elderly man in a Tang suit with gold-rimmed glasses sat behind the counter... Everything exuded a sense of antiquity. "Old Yang, I’ve brought you some guests!" the man called out cheerfully, then turned back to Ye Lin with enthusiasm, "Don’t let the size of this inn fool you. It’s full of character, and the rooms are kept very clean. The price is also negotiable." The man referred to as "Old Yang" adjusted his glasses and walked out from behind the counter. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a sturdy build, "How many people do you have?" "Fifteen," Ye Lin replied politely. "That’s manageable," Old Yang said with a smile, patting the man on the shoulder, "You’ve done well, kid! I haven’t spoiled you for nothing!" He then turned back to Ye Lin, clearly recognizing her as the person in charge, "Shall I show you the rooms?" While they went to inspect the rooms, Jiang Tianming turned to Ling You. Although she was also in the S-Class, he hadn’t spoken much to her before, nor had he seen her use her ability. So, even though she had mentioned her ability was [Plague], Jiang Tianming had no idea how it actually worked. "Ling You, how does your ability function?" "There are many ways—poisonous liquids, toxic gases, and so on. I’m not really suited for the frontlines," Ling You’s voice was as cool and detached as her demeanor, but she didn’t refuse to follow orders. Hearing this, Jiang Tianming had a better idea and took his team aside to discuss. After they left, Si Zhaohua, who had been appointed as the team captain, naturally didn’t rest either. He gathered the members of his team, "Let’s arrange our formation. We’ll form a circle, with the less combat-oriented members in the center." "So, Li Shu, Wu Jin, and Zhao Xiaoyu will stay in the middle. I’ll take the front, and Su Bei, you’ll cover the rear. Lan Subing and Wu Mingbai will take the left and right flanks." From his arrangement, it was clear that Si Zhaohua was a decisive leader, not giving much room for discussion. However, his plan was reasonable, so no one objected. Wu Mingbai and Lan Subing walked together, with Wu Mingbai quietly joking, "If this were before, I’d definitely have caused some trouble for him." Their relationship had been tense in the past, and if Si Zhaohua had made a decision back then, Wu Mingbai wouldn’t have missed the chance to stir things up. Lan Subing, who was well aware of their history, chuckled, "If things were still like before, this class would be a lot more lively." Su Bei, who had no objections to the formation, idly observed the inn. The place felt more like someone’s home than a hotel. The only slightly out-of-place item was a magazine rack filled with various publications. In an era dominated by smartphones, few people read magazines anymore. But for travelers staying at a hotel, they might still be worth a glance. Thinking this, Su Bei raised an eyebrow and walked over to the magazine rack. The teachers quickly decided to stay at this inn, booking one triple room and six double rooms. The triple room was for the three teachers, who had been friends for years and often ventured into alternate spaces together, so they didn’t mind sharing. Accommodation and activities were different, especially since this was their first time staying outside. Ye Lin didn’t want any late-night disturbances, so she paired up people who were familiar with each other. Unsurprisingly, Su Bei and Feng Lan shared a room. The two of them went to inspect the room for any issues. Feng Lan first examined the oil painting on the wall, then stood by the window to admire the view outside. Su Bei sat on the bed, watching his actions with amusement, "Do you like this room?" "Yes," Feng Lan nodded. His room at home was a thousand times more luxurious, but it lacked the liveliness of this place. He genuinely preferred it here. However, he also knew that staying here for a day or two was a nice experience, but living here long-term might not be something he could adjust to. "It’s not bad," Su Bei said, glancing around. The room, though small, was clean and tidy. When staying at a hotel, that was the most important thing. After putting their belongings away, the entire group gathered outside. Old Yang had seen all kinds of travelers. While others might only see this group as teachers from the Ability Academy leading students on a training mission, he could see deeper. For one thing, none of the three teachers seemed ordinary. The students’ abilities were likely not weak either, otherwise, such skilled teachers wouldn’t be leading them. Old Yang smiled leisurely, sitting back in his armchair. He picked up the book that had been lying face down on the table, flipped it over, and continued reading. In the blink of an eye, Su Bei and the others arrived at the square in front of the alternate space entrance. The entrance to the alternate space was a black hole-like void, about two meters tall. It appeared against the side of a mountain, making it look like a tunnel had been carved into the hillside. The area in front of the entrance was tightly cordoned off with barriers, guarded by security personnel. Only after completing registration and paying the fee could anyone enter. Lei Ze’en went to handle the payment, while Meng Huai and Ye Ling stayed with the students, waiting. Su Bei idly held his phone, not really using it, just spinning it in his hand. Shouldn’t something happen by now? he thought. The protagonist group is all here. This is a perfect opportunity for trouble. It’s been too quiet for too long. Just as he was thinking this with a hint of mischief, another group suddenly arrived at the square—two teachers leading a group of students. Well, well! Things are about to get interesting! Su Bei immediately perked up, subtly stepping back a few paces to blend into the group, avoiding any potential fallout. Jiang Tianming caught Su Bei’s movement out of the corner of his eye and felt a bit puzzled, but since they were in public, he didn’t ask. As mentioned earlier, there were only three supernatural academies in the country, so the teachers generally knew each other. Ye Lin, as the school nurse, often attended various events, and the middle-aged teacher leading the other group recognized her immediately. With someone like that, how could he stay calm when insulted by students from another academy? Hearing Zhao Xiaoyu’s question, Li Shu tilted his head, his pink hair making him look quite cute, "Why would I get angry?" While Zhao Xiaoyu was puzzled, Su Bei understood and asked, "What did you do?" Only someone who had already taken revenge wouldn’t be angry. Li Shu smiled sweetly, "Su Bei, you really understand me. I just gave them some nightmares, that’s all." His [Illusion] ability had a wide range of applications—suggestion, creating illusions, projecting images—and one of its developed uses was altering people’s dreams. Is that all? Su Bei thought, giving him a thoughtful look but deciding not to press further. He didn’t want to hear Li Shu say "You really understand me" again—it was kind of gross. Under Su Bei’s scrutinizing gaze, Li Shu maintained an innocent expression. He really had only given them nightmares, but nightmares didn’t have to happen at night, did they? On the other side, the lead teacher from "Tianqiong Abilities Academy," Teacher Li, looked at his disheveled students and sneered, "When we get back, each of you will double your training. Provoking others and still losing the argument—how embarrassing!" The younger teacher next to him was also angry but tried to calm Teacher Li down, "Teacher Li, don’t be too upset. The real test will be inside the alternate space." The girl from the group quickly added, "I’ve already marked their scent. We can track them down as soon as we enter the alternate space." The tall team captain clenched his fists, his expression fierce, "They’re all talk. Once we face them in the alternate space, they’ll learn what real strength is." Teacher Li didn’t refute this. He also believed they could win. After all, age was on their side—an extra year of training couldn’t be for nothing, right? What worried him more were the three teachers on the other side. With the advantage in numbers, their two teachers might not be able to handle them. "Teacher Wang, do you know them? Besides Ye Lin," Teacher Li asked. Unlike other teachers, he had come from an unconventional background and hadn’t received systematic training at an abilities academy when he was younger. This wasn’t uncommon. Some people who awakened abilities didn’t realize it immediately, and by the time they did, it might be too late to enroll in an academy. Ability users were a minority, and some uninformed ordinary people didn’t even know the ability world existed, let alone how to find an Abilities academy. Teacher Li was one such case. He had discovered his ability at the age of twenty. At that point, it was too late to go back to school, so he spent a fortune to apprentice under an ability user. It was also because his abilities were indeed impressive, and he had trained diligently over the years, which allowed him to successfully become a teacher at "Tianqiong Abilities Academy" two years ago. For this reason, he wasn’t very familiar with teachers from other academies. Among the three teachers, he only recognized Ye Lin, whom he had met a few times. However, Teacher Wang wasn’t sure either, "The heavier-set teacher probably teaches third-year students. I’m not sure why he’s leading this group. The other teacher, I’ve never seen before." "Then he probably isn’t well-known," Teacher Li sighed in relief and turned to the team captain, "If we run into them later, I’ll make sure they don’t interfere. You can teach those students a lesson, but don’t go too hard. We’ll just call it a friendly spar." "Don’t worry, Teacher," the captain patted his chest confidently, "We’ll make them pay." Back to the main group, while they were arguing earlier, Ye Lin had efficiently completed the registration and payment. Hearing Meng Huai’s words, she shot him a glare for encouraging the students to stir up trouble, "The tickets are ready. Follow me to the queue now. Once we’re inside, follow instructions. If you encounter danger, don’t panic. The teachers will always be there." "I thought Teacher Ye would scold Teacher Meng," Lan Subing whispered to Ai Baozhu. Ai Baozhu nodded in agreement. They had both seen Ye Lin glare at Meng Huai, but she hadn’t contradicted him? Ability users had excellent physical abilities, including sharp hearing and vision. Even though they spoke softly, Ye Lin still heard them. She turned and explained gently, "While it’s wrong for him to encourage you like that, the world of ability users is never short of conflict. Since the students from 'Tianqiong Abilities Academy' have already targeted you, you need to face the challenge head-on and fight back." Lei Ze’en, walking beside her, added casually, "Don’t worry. Go all out—we’ve got your backs! You’ll only have someone to back you up like this for a few years in your life." In front of familiar people, Lan Subing couldn't hold back his urge to complain: "It really feels like Teacher Lei just said something heartbreaking in a cheerful way." As they joked, the group lined up and entered the alternate space. This semi-open alternate space was different from the one they had visited before. Here, the entry point was fixed. Stepping out of the black hole, they found themselves in a desert-like world. However, the area they were in had a large canopy set up to block the wind and sand. This was a base established by professionals to prevent nightmare beast attacks upon entry. The canopy was filled with ability users—some resting and chatting, others selling supplies. "Usually, the entrance to a developed alternate space has a rest stop. Every time you leave and re-enter, you need to queue, register, and pay again. So, if you don’t want to do that, you can restock here, but the prices are much higher than outside," Ye Lin explained as she led the group forward. She glanced at the surroundings, "You might want to buy some face masks or scarves. They’ll make things more comfortable later." "I brought masks," Lan Subing said softly, pulling out a pack of medical masks from her bag, "Will these work?" Ye Lin, unaware that Lan Subing had prepared these due to her social anxiety, patted her head, "Very well-prepared. These will do just fine." With a legitimate reason to wear a mask now, Lan Subing happily narrowed her eyes. After taking a blue one for herself, she handed out the remaining colorful masks, "Does anyone else need one?" Naturally, no one wanted to refuse her. Su Bei quickly grabbed a black one. Black and white were universal colors—he refused anything too flashy. After buying masks, they went on to buy headscarves—headscarves were necessary for traveling in the desert. Otherwise, the scorching sun could practically make their heads smoke. Seeing Jiang Tianming and the others wearing pink floral-patterned masks while being pressured by Lan Subing to buy matching headscarves, Su Bei couldn't help but smirk with schadenfreude. But soon, his smile faded, and his expression turned serious. Something’s off? Why was everyone around them as if they were watching a good show? A cup of coffee