Chapter 69: Push The Limit

Chapter 69: Push The Limit Lethia arranged her things inside the locker room at the Lykon Haven sports building. She pulled out a small cake box filled with slices of marble cake that Renar had bought for her two days ago. After stashing her bag, she stepped back a few paces and sat down on the bench nestled between the rows of lockers. Tuffy had already made her chicken soup for breakfast earlier, but Lethia decided to eat the marble cake anyway—for good luck, they said. "Whoaa... is that marble cake?" Chasey’s eyes practically drooled over the sight as she approached and plopped her butt down right beside Lethia. "Hm." Lethia only hummed mid-bite, her mouth full of the sweet, buttery fluff. "Is that for some good luck superstition? Who gave you that? Caelum? Or that hot doctor?" Lethia stared at the locker in front of her, exhaled slowly, then glanced sideways at Chasey, who blinked her eyes all excited with a huge grin across her face. Honestly, Lethia was impressed by how consistently bright and bubbly Chasey was. Even through their chats, Lethia could hear her voice in the exact same tone she used in real life. She chuckled, kind of in awe, because Chasey right now looked exactly like the sticker avatars she always put at the end of every message. Lethia couldn’t help but wonder if she ever got sad—or if she just beat sadness by constantly being happy. "It’s from... a flash discount at the mall. I went shopping for clothes," Lethia said, chuckling to herself because she shamelessly used Renar’s excuse to dodge the truth. "And who bought it?" Chasey wasn’t giving up that easily. Lethia scooped one last big spoonful into her mouth and snapped the cake box shut. She wriggled out of Chasey’s side-hug and stood up to fix her locker before locking it in place. Then, still chewing, she glanced at Chasey—those sparkly eyes still waiting for an answer Lethia had no plans to give. After swallowing the cake in her mouth quickly, Lethia jerked her head toward the exit, glancing at her watch. "We’re late. We should be out now. C’mon!" With a dead-serious stare aimed at Chasey, Lethia strode out of the locker room, picking up into a light jog as she neared the door. Chasey, clearly catching on to the deflection, sprinted after her with a shout, "Late my ass! We still have half an hour!" Lethia laughed like a little sly fox, glancing back at Chasey jogging behind her. She still didn’t feel entirely ready to spill the more intimate or personal things to Chasey. So for now, she’d stay cautious and guard her secrets well. But deep in her gut, Lethia knew Chasey was a good woman, reliable even. She just needed more time to fully trust her. A few heads turned with sideways glances and hushed whispers as Lethia stepped into the hall, where the candidates for the executive aide selection were gathering for the physical test. Nothing new. This was something she’d gotten used to the second she first set foot in Lykon Haven. Because even now, her viral video still holds a place in the top 10 trending. Without reacting to the stares clawing at her gut, Lethia kept walking and tied her hair into a ponytail. Adam waved at her from across the room, and she smiled, making her way over—Chasey trailing behind, already winded from the run. "The test hasn’t even started yet. Why are you already gasping, Chasey?" Adam asked. "Oh, don’t get me started. You know the last time I worked out was before my wolf awakened. That was like, five years ago." Lethia only gave a faint smile, watching Adam and Chasey tease each other. She was feeling a little nervous herself about today’s test—her physical condition had been unpredictable lately. Even after taking the meds from Doctor Rue, Lethia still asked Whisney for help to protect her baby. Whisney gave her assurance that as long as she was inside Lethia’s body, her energy would shield the unborn child, since she had entered through the wound in Lethia’s womb. The fox promised her that when it came to physical strength, she could boost Lethia’s stamina with ease. "Do you happen to know the theme for today’s test?" Adam looked at Lethia, like he was trying to fish for an answer. Lethia just shook her head slightly. Callista had told her that every executive aide selection came with a different theme, and even she couldn’t give a definite answer—she wasn’t part of the selection committee. The booming sound of metal doors swinging open from the east side cut through the air. Four figures stepped into the hall, clad in gray uniforms with the Lykon Haven pin pressed proudly on their left chests. The way they walked—commanding, calculated—pulled the entire room into a thick silence, every eye tracking them with growing anticipation as they drew closer. "Attention!" The sharp voice came from the only woman among the four, snapping the whole room into stillness. "Please follow the instructions of the trainers in front of you and line up properly!" she continued. The loud shuffle of quick footsteps echoed as the three male trainers stepped forward, directing the crowd into order. "She’s Amelie. The turned-wolf who just recently became a VIP Aide," Chasey whispered from behind Lethia. "Turned?" "Yeah. It’s hard to stay human once you’ve joined Lykon Haven." "I thought Lykon Haven didn’t discriminate?" "It’s not about discrimination. They just can’t resist the taste of being superior." Lethia glanced toward Amelie, curiosity flaring. What kind of woman had climbed from human to a respected figure in Lykon Haven—the wolves’ den? Once the candidates finished lining up into three rows, each consisting of twenty-five people, they were given chest numbers, meant to help them call each other out more easily during the game. Lethia recalled what Callista had mentioned—the second session of the physical test was a game designed to showcase teamwork, and it was supposed to be quite thrilling. Seven years ago, the test involved a rafting mission and navigating through a man-made forest. This time, it would surely be different. After all, every leadership period came with its own unique challenges. "The theme of the test this year is ’Push The Limit’. As you all know, there are two phases in this physical test: the individual and the team phase. No one will be eliminated in the individual phase. It’s meant to measure your physical fitness, and like the theme said, the only rule in this phase is—push the limit. Push your limit! " Amelie turned to one of the male trainers and gave a quick gesture. Not long after, the three male trainers wheeled out large, suitcase-like boxes and placed one in front of each row. Then suddenly, after pressing something on the suitcases, they transformed into small tables, each topped with rows of clear, sealed containers. Inside them were tiny tubes that looked like fine needles. "These are protein chips, which will be implanted into your tissue through an injection in your wrist," Amelie explained. "The chip’s function is to track your metabolism, so during the individual phase, the trainers will know exactly where your limit stands, and should you break past that limit. Are there questions?" "Is that not dangerous for the body?" Candidate number 67 asked loudly. "No. It’s just a protein substance that’s safe for our body," Amelie answered confidently. "Will the chip be removed later? Can it also track our location and invade our privacy?" Candidate number 43 asked, visibly anxious. "Don’t worry too much. This protein substance will deactivate within 72 hours after entering your system. It’ll dissolve in the bloodstream, get filtered through the kidneys, and be flushed out with your urine." "Seventy-two hours? Why does it take that long?" Candidate number 35 asked with an annoyed tone. Amelie gave a faint smile, her eyes gleaming with intent. "And unlike the previous tests, which were wrapped up in a day, this time the physical test will be divided into two days—today for the individual phase, and tomorrow for the teamwork phase. The 72-hour window is just a precaution, in case the team phase runs longer than expected. Don’t worry too much—there won’t be a bloodbath, but it will be far more interesting... and fun." That last part—interesting and fun—echoed in Lethia’s head. What the hell was so fun about an exam? Lethia stepped forward, inch by inch, as the male trainers called up the people in the front row one by one. She saw how each person who stepped up got injected with one of the tubes from the containers. Each individual was injected with a single tube, then it was discarded. So each suitcase held exactly twenty-five tubes. A sharp sting made Lethia flinch. She rubbed the injection site, trying to soothe the lingering burn. "I wonder if the sudden changes from previous years are because we’ve got a pregnant Wolfless this time." "Could be. It’s no fun if there’s no elimination right from the individual phase. Well, the weaklings should be thankful then." "As long as she’s not on our team in the next phase, we’ll survive." Lethia clenched her fists as their mocking laughter sounded disgusting—the jab had been deliberate, loud enough for her to hear. And they damn well knew it.