Chapter 404: An Interesting Instance

The moment the shot rang out, the surrounding trainees immediately scattered, seeking cover.

The results of their previous training were on display. Most trainees quickly found suitable cover, leaving only the two involved parties behind.

Blowing on his index finger, Duan Fei turned his head and saw the instructor, his face ashen, approaching with a few other trainees, holding up a riot shield.

The instructor had imagined many ways Duan Fei might retaliate. Whether it was a direct confrontation or a plea for help, he was confident he could crush him.

If Duan Fei dared to resist, they would beat him to a pulp.

If he reported them, they would mock him for it and then bury the whole affair.

If he swallowed his anger and said nothing, even better. They would just keep testing his limits until he finally snapped.

Unfortunately, the instructor never expected Duan Fei’s combat prowess to be so outrageously strong. He had even used unbelievable Eastern Martial Arts to defeat a much stronger trainee.

Holding the riot shield steady, the instructor shouted at Duan Fei, “Duan Someone, drop your weapon!”

But Duan Fei just tightened his grip on the Crowbar in his hand and walked toward the instructor.

A shield is an unbeatable defense in close combat.

This was especially true for this kind of plastic shield. Its lighter weight allowed it to be made as large as possible, and its blend of strength and resilience meant it could resist bullets and impacts, making modern shields even more difficult to overcome.

Normal attacks couldn’t break through, and the shield’s wielder just had to put their full body weight behind it to render an opponent helpless.

Therefore, the instructor holding the shield didn’t take Duan Fei seriously at all. He just kept yelling, “Drop your weapon and prepare to reflect on your actions!”

“I refuse,” Duan Fei flatly rejected him.

“What, are you trying to start a rebellion?!” the instructor roared. “If you’ve got the guts, then hit me!”

“I accept your request.”

Accepting the other’s request, Duan Fei felt himself fill with Power.

The instructor with his shield was nothing before him. The next moment, he appeared in front of the man and brought his Crowbar crashing down.

The instructor immediately dropped into a low stance, forming a triangle with his shield and body to brace for the impact.

But to his horror, Duan Fei’s first strike cracked the shield. The terrifying impact seemed to travel through the shield and into his body, making his shoulder ache as if it were broken.

The second strike shattered the already cracked shield, leaving him completely exposed to Duan Fei.

With the third strike, the instructor was sent flying again, his condition unknown.

If the last time could be considered an accident, then this time, Duan Fei had proven his strength with his actions.

A few trainees fearfully raised their heads, only to see Duan Fei standing amidst the shield fragments, a nonchalant expression on his face.

Several of the instructor’s subordinates stared at Duan Fei, dumbfounded. They couldn’t believe their eyes, even wondering if they were still dreaming.

Pulling up one of the “involved parties,” Duan Fei asked with a smile, “Come on, how about we discuss the matter of compensation?”

“Okay.” The person nodded immediately.

After compensating Duan Fei for his losses, the instructor and the involved parties disappeared that very day.

No one knew where they went, but everyone believed they weren’t coming back.

Although this small conflict was quickly suppressed, its repercussions were not so easily dispelled.

Some trainees who had long suspected something was wrong with this place began to observe Duan Fei. They cautiously exchanged information, trying to determine if Duan Fei was an ally or a hidden spy.

That afternoon, a new instructor was brought in to begin training.

After the regular training session, he invited Duan Fei into his office alone and offered him a fruit pudding as a welcome gift.

Watching Duan Fei eat the pudding, the new instructor said gently, “My predecessor has been transferred. I am his successor.”

“Why was he transferred?”

“He was defeated by a trainee—twice. His performance proved he wasn’t fit for this position. So, I’m his replacement. Duan Someone, I know you’re very dissatisfied with this place, and I also know…”

“I’m guessing your next line is ‘and I also know you want to take down Triss’,” Duan Fei said, reading the prompts on the man’s face.

“And I also know you want to take down Triss…”

The new instructor finished the sentence out of habit, then fell into an awkward silence, embarrassed that Duan Fei had seen right through him.

After a long moment, the new instructor wiped the cold sweat from his brow and continued, “I actually…”

“You actually resent Triss too, so you’re planning to team up with me to take him out. To show your sincerity, you’ve decided to use some of Triss’s secrets to gain my trust, then slowly lure me into an Abyss of despair before dealing me the final, fatal blow. It’s a pretty mediocre script.”

“I…”

The new instructor wanted to argue, but Duan Fei had already picked up a second fruit pudding and raised a hand to stop him.

A person’s actions subconsciously betray their inner thoughts. However, the human psyche is like an iceberg; only a small part is visible on the surface, while the vast majority is submerged in the sea of the subconscious.

However, Duan Fei’s extraordinary observational skills were close to a Master Level [Mind Reading Technique]. This allowed him to see through others’ thoughts so clearly that they materialized as bullet comments and tags.

Just then, Duan Fei saw a stream of bullet comments fly across the top of the new instructor’s head, the screen filled with “HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT SHIT.”

After watching for a moment, Duan Fei continued, “You said you resent Triss, and that’s not a lie. You are dissatisfied with him. But subconsciously, you’re terrified of him, because you know he’s a madman with an iron will who sees everyone as cargo. You fear him, yet you revere him. You don’t dare admit you’ve already been subjugated by him, so you wrap that feeling up and hide it from the world. What a pathetic inferiority complex. You’re not even as good as your predecessor. At least he wasn’t as twisted or as servile as you.”

“…Please get out,” the new instructor said icily.

“Can I take a few of these fruit puddings with me, then? They’re pretty good, and I haven’t tried the mango one yet.”

The new instructor threw the entire box of fruit pudding he had brought at Duan Fei, then silently drove him out.

Cradling the fruit pudding, Duan Fei had only taken a few steps when a gunshot rang out from the instructor’s office.

The guards at the door went into the room. A moment later, they came out and called for the morgue to come collect the body.

‘Are all these manipulators so fragile?’

Shrugging, Duan Fei turned to head back with his fruit pudding, but looked up and saw Triss standing on a high platform, watching him through bulletproof glass.

Raising his hand, Duan Fei aimed at him and made a shooting gesture, then broke into a brilliant smile and went back to eat pudding with his roommate.

‘Having a guy like Triss as an opponent… this dungeon is actually pretty fun.’