Chapter 46: Honor!

On the playground, their usual spot.

Jiang Ruyi watched Lu Ran sprinting over and asked curiously, “What’s the rush?”

Lu Ran looked furtive, ducking behind Jiang Meiren and glancing toward the school gate.

Only when he saw no one was chasing him did he exhale: “Nothing. Just my morning workout.”

“Lu brother, congratulations!” Deng Yu clenched his fist and leaned over. “You took first place.”

Lu Ran bumped fists with Deng Yu: “Same to you—you nearly made the top ten.”

Jiang Ruyi looked at her two teammates: “Our scores are all good. Tian Tian and Yu Tang tied for twelfth.”

Unexpectedly, Deng Yu showed no joy: “I don’t deserve it.”

Seeing this, Lu Ran couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

In his memory, Deng Yu had always been proud, even somewhat flamboyant.

But now, this wealthy young master’s mood was unusually low.

Jiang Ruyi, more perceptive, had already sensed something was off with Deng Yu.

Now that Lu Ran had arrived, Jiang Ruyi spoke up: “Yu Tang, our squad was stationed outside the building to guard, and we completed the mission properly—we killed many demons.”

Lu Ran suddenly said: “I know what you’re thinking—you think I carried you.”

He paused, then continued: “I don’t think that’s true.

Team leader Zhang Feng said that after I was captured, all three of you performed admirably.

Brother Zhang specifically mentioned two things: first, how you quickly adapted and properly applied tactics; second, your mindset—you regrouped and faced the demons head-on.”

Jiang Ruyi nodded thoughtfully, openly admitting: “After you were taken, I did lose focus.

Yu Tang was the most like a true warrior—he kept boosting morale and steadying our spirits.”

Hearing this praise from their captain, Deng Yu blushed for the first time ever and explained:

“I just believed Lu brother would come back.”

“Why?” Lu Ran chuckled. “The one who took me was a River Realm—Yanzhi Person!

I didn’t even believe I’d survive. Why did you?”

After a long silence, Deng Yu finally muttered: “Male intuition.”

Lu Ran: “...”

“Hehe~” Jiang Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh softly.

The slightly somber mood eased a little after a few jokes.

Mostly because Deng Yu had adjusted his mindset.

Deng Yu was undoubtedly proud—but his performance didn’t match his own expectations.

Yet in this exam, his personal score rose dramatically, shooting straight to twelfth place!

This gave Deng Yu a nagging sense of being unworthy of his rank.

Now, hearing Jiang and Lu’s analysis,

Was it really like that?

With all three of Jiang Tian and Deng’s scores so high, it’s likely their collective actions after the squad’s mishap earned them a big bonus!

“Congratulations on getting back into the top three,” Lu Ran smiled at Jiang Meiren.

“Hmph.” Jiang Ruyi gave Lu Ran a light, dismissive glare.

Oh?

So sassy!

Lu Ran complained: “I’m congratulating you, and you glare at me?”

Jiang Ruyi’s lips curled with a faint smile: “Yes, I’m back in the top three, Ma Tianchuan has been dethroned—but

Now there’s someone even harder to surpass.”

Lu Ran grinned: “Hey, who gets first between us really matters?”

Jiang Ruyi: “Hm?”

Lu Ran said solemnly: “The honor belongs to all of us!

I couldn’t have claimed first place without the support of my good brother and my wise helpmate… oh!”

Jiang Ruyi blushed slightly and stomped on Lu Ran’s shoe: “Nonsense!”

Stepping on toes?

Ha, childish games.

Lu Ran immediately stepped back: “Act like a lady—there are so many people on the playground, everyone’s watching.”

Jiang Ruyi glared at Lu Ran, her beautiful eyes nearly blazing with fire.

In the summer breeze, a few strands of the girl’s hair brushed across her forehead.

Lu Ran’s heart skipped a beat!

Jiang Ruyi lowered her gaze slightly, averting her eyes.

Damn guy!

The playground was indeed crowded; students waiting for assembly all glanced over, stealing furtive looks.

In contrast, Deng Yu openly stared at the two, his expression oddly twisted.

In Deng Yu’s eyes, Class Leader Jiang was gentle and demure—always so ladylike.

But with Lu Ran… hmm, interesting.

“Like Yi-jie.” Tian Tian ran over.

“Mm.” Jiang Ruyi replied softly.

Tian Tian stepped beside Jiang Ruyi and asked timidly: “Jie, why is your face so red?”

Jiang Ruyi: “...”

Sensing her sister’s silence, Tian Tian realized she’d said the wrong thing and quickly changed the subject: “Jie, did you advance?”

Jiang Ruyi gave a slight nod.

“Fog Realm—Third Stage?” Lu Ran’s eyes lit up.

Believers can learn a divine art at the First and Third Stages of each major realm!

For the Yu Fu Sect, the divine art granted at Fog Realm Third Stage is “Explosive Flame Talisman.”

This talisman is no small thing!

The noble mage is finally showing off her immense output potential!

“Mm.” Jiang Ruyi’s pale hand hung naturally; suddenly, tiny sparks flickered from her fingertips.

Lu Ran watched, envious.

It wasn’t that he was fickle—he just couldn’t ignore the power of his white moonlight.

The Divine Yu Fu was the deity Lu Ran had worshipped since childhood alongside his father.

Though too young to be a true believer, he’d always thought of himself as an “unofficial disciple.”

Thinking of this, Lu Ran’s admiration slowly changed flavor.

Back then, on the altar of worship, all the gods abandoned him, leaving him to die alone.

Especially Yu Fu—the deity he’d worshipped for years—refused to appear, offered not a single blessing…

The knot in Lu Ran’s heart could never be untied.

A person cannot change the past.

Lu Ran’s youthful devotion and boundless reverence were now fixed facts.

But now,

It was time to let go of all those old feelings.

“Now our squad’s output is even stronger!” Deng Yu sounded excited.

Jiang Ruyi wasn’t particularly joyful.

In fact, she blamed herself for not advancing before the fifteenth day of the lunar month.

If she had, she could have ignited the Fog Shadow Person—or even detonated it—and the others wouldn’t have suffered so much.

“How about you, Deng Shao?” Lu Ran asked Deng Yu.

“Almost there.”

Lu Ran remembered their previous conversation on the training ground and burst out laughing: “Don’t ask—just say ‘almost there,’ right?”

Deng Yu grunted and fiddled with the red sash on his head.

People do act busy when embarrassed, don’t they?

“You should work hard too,” Jiang Ruyi said gently, placing a hand on Tian Tian’s shoulder.

“Mm-hmm!” Tian Tian nodded eagerly. “I’m almost ready to advance too.”

This scene was quite amusing.

In this four-person squad, Lu Ran and Jiang Ruyi each cared for one?

“Shhh~~~”

A shrill whistle pierced the air, followed by the teacher’s voice on the podium: “Everyone, assemble!”

The students quickly lined up.

Within seconds, the playground fell utterly silent.

On the podium, the male teacher spoke gravely: “Congratulations—you survived.”

Although the words were congratulations, the atmosphere within the school grew increasingly oppressive.

“For this year’s Fifteenth Night city guard duty, our school’s second-year believers total 399. Injuries occurred, but no deaths.”

The male teacher reported the results: “One student received an exceptional score of 91.2 from the Divine People’s Bureau—unprecedented.”

At that moment, Lu Ran felt dozens of eyes settling on him.

“Not only is he the top student at Yuxiang No. 1 High, he is also the only student across Yunshan City and its five subordinate county-level cities to surpass the 90-point threshold.”

The male teacher adjusted his glasses and said gravely: “Xiang Xianyang believer, Lu Ran!”

Lu Ran wasn’t sure whether he should respond “Here!”—he felt as if he’d been thrust into the center of a vortex.

Dozens of eyes turned sharply toward him.

Envy, jealousy, curiosity, doubt.

After the last assessment, Lu Ran had also become the center of attention within his small class circle.

But compared to this, it was nothing.

The male teacher continued: “Among all students, Lu Ran received the most evaluation forms.”

Including your team leader, three Moonwatcher squads, totaling five Moonwatchers, submitted reports on your mission performance.”

After comprehensive review, Yunshan City’s Divine People’s Bureau has issued you a special document.”

As he spoke, the male teacher lifted his papers and read aloud:

“While new believers are still gathering courage to grasp the dangers of the Fifteenth Night, you already know how to handle crises.”

You already know what attitude to adopt when facing unshakable demons.”

Face death to live. Save others to save yourself.”

May this courage in confronting life and death not be a fleeting bloom.”

Maintain this momentum—next month’s lunar fifteenth, we offer you a special bonus opportunity.”

We will recruit you into the Patrol Unit as a one-night Moonwatcher.”

“Huh?”

“Moonwatcher Patrol Unit?”

“Is this some kind of special test just for him?”

“Shut up! Students have always been given bonus trials by the Divine People’s Bureau! But never this early—usually not until the second semester of senior year?”

“Are you idiots? What’s there to envy? Next month is the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month! The fifteenth of the seventh month!”

“Damn! Right! Next time is the fifteenth of the seventh month! Can Lu Ran even survive that?”

The playground erupted into chaos; students burst into uproar!

This evaluation was absurdly high!

And the message conveyed by this document left everyone stunned.

Jiang Ruyi’s expression hardened.

She had just been happy that Lu Ran was being praised.

But patrol on the fifteenth of the seventh month?

This…

Among the crowd, Ma Tianchuan frowned deeply, lost in thought.

Behind Ma Tianchuan, Wu Shanshan’s expression was complex.

Who would have thought Lu Ran could earn such an honor?!

Undoubtedly, the bonus opportunity offered by the Divine People’s Bureau was reserved only for the top few students of each cohort.

And it was typically granted only after students entered the second semester of senior year, based on circumstances.

Wu Shanshan sighed inwardly.

Had her decision to switch teams been wrong?

Even the Divine People’s Bureau held him in such high regard.

Hmm…

Time is short, but the road is long.

Let’s wait and see.

“Xiang Xianyang believer, Lu Ran!” The male teacher suddenly raised his voice.

Lu Ran had no choice but to respond: “Here!”

“Bring your team up on stage to receive your deserved rewards and honors.”

(End of Chapter)