77: Chapter 77: The Expedition Begins! The Target is That Bed Sheet!

The atmosphere in the central square was all wrong; it was stiflingly heavy.

This wasn't just an ordinary spar; the Hundred Clubs Battle was a place where real weapons were used and blood would be shed.

For this competition, every club had brought out their best treasures.

Looking around, glowing armor and freezing cold weapons were everywhere.

The Elite Martial Arts Society's side was the most conspicuous; everyone wore the same Third-Order Refined Black Iron Armor, which reflected a cold light under the sun.

Zhao Tiezhu stood at the very front, his large bald head reflecting the sunlight with a blinding glare.

The two-meter-long great axe in his hand had a blade that looked freezing cold, and his eyes searched the crowd like knives, clearly looking to settle a score with someone.

"Listen up, everyone!"

Zhao Tiezhu barked at his members through gritted teeth. "In this competition, besides capturing the flag, our primary target is that bullshit Lying Flat Society! When you see Gu Fan, don't waste words—go straight for the kill! Whoever can cripple him, I will personally reward with ten thousand academic credits!"

"Yes, President!"

Their roar shook the heavens, filled with Killing Intent.

But amidst this murderous atmosphere of iron-clad warriors, an out-of-place vibe forced its way in.

"Make way, make way. Please watch your step; don't step on my pot."

The crowd fell into a slight commotion as the owner of the voice actually managed to squeeze a path through.

Gu Fan appeared wearing a yellow spongebob SquarePants onesie pajama, with pink flip-flops on his feet and a ridiculous sleeping cap embroidered with the words "Lying Flat" tilted on his head.

He had no sword or saber on his back; instead, he carried a soot-blackened large iron pot.

In his left hand, he held two bags of Spirit Rice, and in his right, a large five-liter jug of "Golden Dragon Carp" Spirit Oil.

Behind him, although Xiao Fan carried a giant sword, he was also wearing a matching Patrick Star pajama and clutching a bundle of dry firewood for starting a fire.

His head was lowered, his face incredibly red, wishing he could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground to hide in.

Although he felt this approach was humiliating to the extreme, his past experience told him that the more ridiculous the President's behavior, the more unexpected the final result would be.

Lin Xue had wrapped herself up tightly.

With sunglasses, a mask, and her hoodie pulled down as low as possible, she carried a woven bag full of pots, pans, and bowls, walking with the steps of a secret agent infiltrating enemy lines.

At the very back of the group, Wangcai carried a shrunken golden bean bag sofa on its back, with a string of evil-warding purple-skinned single-clove garlic hanging around its neck, sauntering along slowly.

How was this a team going to war?

They looked exactly like refugees who had just escaped a disaster area.

"Pfft..."

Someone was the first to lose it and burst out laughing, and then, laughter erupted across the entire square, with people laughing everywhere.

"Hahaha! I can't take it! This is that Lying Flat Society?"

"Are they here for a picnic? Going to the battlefield in pajamas? Is that pot a treasure or for cooking?"

"Heavens, that spongebob... it's such an eyesore!"

Facing this massive wave of ridicule, Gu Fan's expression didn't change at all.

He set the iron pot on the ground and even politely said to a nearby student who was laughing the hardest:

"What are you laughing at? Haven't you seen a good man of the Gu Family? This is called quality of life; you wouldn't understand."

Seeing this scene, Zhao Tiezhu had a stomach full of rage but didn't know where to direct it.

It felt like you had donned heavy armor ready for a life-and-death struggle, only for the opponent to show up in crotchless pants holding a baby bottle.

Even winning would feel embarrassing.

"Gu Fan!"

Zhao Tiezhu roared with a darkened face, "Can you show some respect for the battlefield?!"

"I am being very respectful."

Gu Fan pointed at the firewood in Xiao Fan's arms. "See, I've prepared plenty of fuel. If we get hungry halfway through the fight, how will we have the strength to keep going?"

"You..." Zhao Tiezhu was momentarily speechless.

Just then, on the high platform of the square, several powerful auras descended.

Dean of Students Wang Gang (wearing sunglasses to try and hide his dark circles) stepped onto the stage and cleared his throat.

"Silence!"

The pressure of a Grandmaster suddenly spread out, and the entire field instantly fell silent.

Wang Gang spoke very simply, getting straight to business:

"For this Hundred Clubs Battle, there is only one rule: survive without limits and capture the flag!"

"All clubs will be randomly teleported outside 'Thunder Roar Canyon.' Your goal is to cross the Vicious Beast zone, the minefield, and the trap zone to reach the 'War God Platform' in the middle of the canyon."

"Whoever can be the first to pull up the war flag and hold it for ten minutes will be the final champion!"

After speaking, Wang Gang gave a large wave of his hand.

A staff member carried a beautiful long brocade box onto the stage and opened the lid.

A snow-white flag lay quietly inside.

The flag glowed all over, made of no ordinary material; even from a distance, one could sense that special jade-like texture.

It was the legendary Cloud Brocade Heavenly Silkworm Silk.

Instantly, many people's eyes turned red with desire for the supreme honor.

But in a corner of the crowd, one gaze was more fervent than any other—a longing that was almost turning into greed.

The staff member holding the box shivered for no reason, feeling a chill on the back of his neck, as if he were being watched by some top-tier monster.

He instinctively looked toward the source of the feeling and met Gu Fan's eyes, which were glowing green.

That look... wasn't looking at a flag at all.

It was the look of someone seeing a lover lost for years, or a wolf that hadn't eaten for three days seeing the fattest lamb.

Gu Fan stared intently at the flag, his mouth splitting into a wide grin. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, the sound loud enough for those nearby to hear.

"What a treasure..." Gu Fan muttered to himself. "That luster, that texture... legends say a bedsheet made from it can make someone fall into a deep sleep the moment their head hits the pillow, without dreams or being woken up, where one hour of sleep is worth eight. This is the true Lying Flat Divine Artifact!"

He continued calculating:

"If I cut it up, it'll make a perfect super-sized bedsheet. The leftover material can be made into a pillowcase, and the scraps can even be sewn into a bib for Wangcai. Sleeping on it would definitely be more comfortable than sleeping on the clouds."

Standing nearby, Lin Xue's scalp tingled.

That is the academy's sacred object, a symbol of honor!

Why is your head full of bedding?!

"President, calm down. Your drool is about to hit your shoes."

Xiao Fan kindly handed over a tissue.

Gu Fan gave it a casual wipe, his eyes still fixed on the prize:

"Xiao Fan, do you remember what that flag looks like?"

"I remember!"

"That's not a flag!"

Gu Fan's tone was incredibly serious. "That is our guarantee of seven extra hours of sleep every day! Anyone who dares to snatch it is cutting off our sleep and is our sworn enemy! Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Xiao Fan was convinced by this strange logic, and his gaze turned fierce. "To the death, I will protect the President's sleep time!"

On the stage, after Wang Gang announced the rules and saw the students filled with Battle Intent, he waved his hand toward the giant light gate behind him:

"The teleportation gate is open! Set out!"

boom！

The various clubs, who had long been unable to restrain themselves, all rushed toward the light gate at once.

"Iron Brotherhood! Charge!"

Zhao Tiezhu was the first, leading his people as they rampaged through.

"Magical Girl Society! For love and justice!"

A group of muscular men wearing princess dresses also shouted as they charged in.

Only Gu Fan's side was in no hurry.

He even directed Xiao Fan to tie the pot more securely.

"What's the rush? This is called strategy."

Gu Fan looked at the backs of those rushing in and sneered. "I've heard about that Thunder Roar Canyon; it's full of Thunder Grass that self-destructs. The faster you charge, the more miserably you'll die."

Once most people had disappeared into the light gate, Gu Fan straightened the sleeping cap on his head so the words "Lying Flat" faced forward, then gave a grand wave of his hand:

"Boys! For our silk bedsheet! For a future of winning while lying down! Set out!"

With that, he led the three people and one lion, carrying their pots and pans, and walked into the light gate with an arrogant swagger.