Chapter 19: Practice and Getting Beat

"So this is why you interrupted my beauty sleep and brought me to this remote place alone?" Xi Ya said lazily, with a hint of allure.

In the afternoon, after Lei Kedun obtained a gun and a dagger from the captain, he went to Xi Ya and asked her to help train him, hoping to quickly master the use of the gun and dagger, as well as basic combat techniques.

"Um, ma'am, this is just a training ground," Lei Kedun couldn't help but retort.

"Is this what you call returning, ma'am? Isn't this the time you're begging me? And a training ground doesn't count as a remote place? Do you, big boy, prefer the wilderness?" Xi Ya said, suddenly moving close to Lei Kedun's face.

"Sister Xi Ya, could you have a little mercy on me? That crazy clown at the hospital might go full‑blown on me tonight, and if something happens I won't be seen tomorrow," Lei Kedun, forced to lower his head under the eaves, skillfully pretended to be pitiful and begged.

"You're really practiced!" Xi Ya was speechless at Lei Kedun's practiced act of feigned helplessness.

Xi Ya didn't mind much; she actually found this teasing Lei Kedun more entertaining than the other book‑ish, emotionally‑inept members of the squad.

"Fine, but combat skills aren't something you can master with a few drills; they require real blades and guns, and the time is too short. I can only teach you how to use firearms and daggers, and how to avoid your own vital points in a fight—this won't help much, at most it'll buy you a few extra seconds. The Extraordinary Being of the Thief's Path is too bizarre," Xi Ya warned Lei Kedun, lest the kid think himself invincible after learning a trick and charge straight into a duel.

"I'm not that stupid; I've already experienced the weirdness of the Extraordinary Being of the Thief's Path. I just want to struggle a bit longer when I meet the enemy, not go down too fast," Lei Kedun explained.

Xi Ya stared at Lei Kedun for a while, confirming his intent, then said, "Your thinking is truly plain and unadorned! Alright, let's make the most of the time, and with sister together, really feel it!"

After that single serious sentence, Xi Ya reverted to her nature. She then personally demonstrated gun‑handling techniques, loading and chambering.

"A beginner's accuracy can't be guaranteed; I can only teach you some techniques. In real combat you can use rapid thinking to boost your shooting, which greatly improves your level, though it also depends on how much related knowledge you have and your physical condition," Xi Ya explained, then let Lei Kedun practice his shooting feel on his own.

Xi Ya dragged two chairs aside, sat down, then took a bunch of strange materials from a black leather satchel, placed them on another chair, and began concentrating on mixing a potion.

Lei Kedun only glanced once and then stopped watching. Recalling Xi Ya's stance, he gripped his pistol, aimed at the stacked targets, and began firing.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" three gunshots rang out, all missing the target.

He continued loading, chambering, repeatedly practicing his shooting.

Until Xi Ya came over and called a stop, Lei Kedun realized his hands were already sore.

"Sss!"

"Boys need moderation! Not too many times a day, or your hands won't handle it!" Xi Ya said, almost slipping into a driving mood.

"My aim is terrible; I need three or four shots to hit once," Lei Kedun said, unfazed by Xi Ya's driving skill; as a 21st‑century internet veteran, he considered himself an old driver.

"Tsk tsk! Your aim really is poor; you need more practice, otherwise what will you do when you have a girlfriend? But don't rush, or your body won't take it," Xi Ya's rhetoric was skillful, turning a normal remark into something wildly suggestive.

Lei Kedun stared at Xi Ya wordlessly; Xi Ya returned the gaze unbothered, and it ended when Lei Kedun couldn't bear the sideways glance.

"Is your potion mixture finished?" Lei Kedun shifted the topic uncomfortably.

"Tsk tsk! Of course, it's just ordinary healing potions; I could brew them with my eyes closed," Xi Ya said, handing the two bottles of potion to Lei Kedun.

"For me?" Lei Kedun said, somewhat surprised.

"Compared to guns and combat, popping pills suits a rookie like you better! These two potions aren't very strong, but as long as you're not dead they'll let you catch a breath and live a few more minutes; you can apply them topically or ingest them," Xi Ya teased as usual, then explained how to use the two healing potions.

"Thanks!" Lei Kedun took the potions, bowed sincerely, and expressed gratitude.

This was Xi Ya's personal aid; for someone who had only met a few times and been a teammate for less than two days, it was a heavy gift. Though Xi Ya spoke casually, the fact that the effect kept you breathing as long as you weren't dead shows the potions aren't as simple as she claimed.

"Don't rush to thank me; we should move on to the next lesson—how to use a dagger and avoid your own vital points. I won't hold back!" Xi Ya laughed flamboyantly.

Lei Kedun had an ominous feeling: "Sister Xi Ya, you're not going to spar with me personally, are you?"

"Of course not." Xi Ya denied.

"Phew!" He exhaled, about to speak when Xi Ya's next words reached him.

"You're only dodging my attacks unilaterally; you don't think you have the ability to strike back, do you?" Xi Ya's voice was full of teasing.

He swallowed, feeling he might have to crawl out of the training ground today.

Xi Ya gave Lei Kedun no chance to back out; after pulling him onto the field, she lifted her foot without a word and kicked him flat onto the ground.

"Sss—ah! How come there's still a sneak attack!" Lei Kedun said angrily.

"Do you think the enemy would agree to count down three‑two‑one before striking?" Xi Ya replied, then drew a dagger from her waist, aimed at Lei Kedun's heart, and thrust.

Xi Ya's decisiveness made Lei Kedun's scalp tingle; he barely had time to roll his body and dodge the blade.

"Not bad, quick reaction; keep it up, aim to give sister a full‑blown thrill." Xi Ya, dagger in hand, walked toward Lei Kedun with utmost elegance.

"You slipped up! You're doing this just for fun!" Lei Kedun shouted furiously.

The earlier gratitude vanished at that moment. Xi Ya ignored Lei Kedun's shouts, advancing step by step while Lei Kedun retreated with each step.

The pressure Xi Ya now exerted on Lei Kedun was unprecedented; if last night's clown gave him bone‑deep fear and weirdness, Xi Ya's current display was cold, blood‑thirsty intent with no escape. At that moment Lei Kedun truly grasped what it was like for Xi Ya to slaughter an entire pirate crew.

No avoidance, no escape. A flash of cold light struck before Lei Kedun could sidestep; a chill ran up his arm, followed by spreading pain.

Lei Kedun's vision blurred as Xi Ya appeared right in front of him; she stepped down, kicking him onto the ground where his body kept rolling. The dizzy Lei Kedun hurried to steady himself, preventing a roll into the wall. Before he could rise, a dagger flashing cold light was lodged in the floor about an inch in front of his neck.

At this point Lei Kedun's head was still fuzzy; he knew the gap between him and Xi Ya was huge—perhaps too huge—and although Xi Ya is an Extraordinary Being of the Reader's Path, her skill looked more like that of an assassin or hunter.

"What a fragile, easy‑to‑push‑over boy!" Xi Ya sheathed the dagger, reverting to her usual lax, seductive, instantly‑driven demeanor.

"Sss—Sister Xi Ya, you're too ruthless; I feel my ribs are about to be broken by your kick," Lei Kedun rolled onto the ground like a salted fish that lost its dream.

"Don't worry, I know what level of attack you can withstand, and you've avoided the vital points; you should understand something now, right?" Xi Ya flicked her hair and said.

"Understand what?" Lei Kedun asked, puzzled.

"Of course, boys can't be so fragile that a single push knocks them down; otherwise bad women will take advantage!" Xi Ya crouched close to Lei Kedun and said.

Crimson hair fell onto Lei Kedun's face, a faint scent of night‑herb lingering at his nose.

"Ah! I listened so seriously, and that's what you say?" Lei Kedun was speechless.

"Do you think I wasn't serious?" Xi Ya said, pulling Lei Kedun up from the ground.

"Ah! Ah! Sss—pain!" Lei Kedun's body was yanked up, and the wounds on him made him grit his teeth.

"You'll get used to it; when enemies strike later you'll endure the pain and counter‑attack or flee." Xi Ya even pinched the slash on his arm, making Lei Kedun grit his teeth again.

Xi Ya ignored Lei Kedun's protests and tormented other wounds on his body. Lei Kedun's eyes welled with tears from the pain before Xi Ya finally stopped. She stepped back, her eyes flashing blue‑white; before Lei Kedun could comprehend what was happening, green specks of luminescence rose from Xi Ya's hand, solid‑like, and were pushed toward Lei Kedun's body.

It felt as if he returned to his mother's embrace—warm, reassuring—spreading through Lei Kedun's whole body, and he instinctively closed his eyes. Soon he found all his pain vanished, and the stabbing sensation in his left arm was gone.

Lei Kedun opened his eyes, first glancing at the wound on his arm; unsurprisingly, the original cut had healed, leaving only some dried blood stains and torn clothing, evidence of the recent injury.

"How amazing!" Lei Kedun couldn't help exclaiming.

"I learned this healing ability from a Harvest Priest of the Earth Mother Church; now that your wounds are healed, let's begin the next round of practice," Xi Ya said, revealing a clear, devil‑like smile.

Ah? Leiketon was just about to say what, but then suddenly stopped, and then quickly retreated.

(End of chapter)