377: Chapter 377 The Mysterious Delivery!

For the rest of the journey, the atmosphere between the two of them lightened considerably.

They strolled side-by-side down the campus's tree-lined paths, chatting casually as they went.

Qin Yan shared some inconsequential anecdotes and descriptions of the peculiar geography he had encountered in Canglin Ancient Peak;

Lu Youyou, in turn, told stories about the various eccentric quartermasters and wounded soldiers she met at the Alchemy Department of the Zhenhai Defense Line.

The afterglow of the setting sun lengthened their shadows, which sometimes intertwined and sometimes drifted apart.

Qin Yan tilted his head slightly, listening intently to Lu Youyou's crisp voice with a gentle smile playing on his lips;

Lu Youyou gestured animatedly as she spoke, occasionally covering her mouth with a light giggle, her posture lively and natural.

To an unknowing outsider, this scene looked quite like the picture of youth—harmonious and even slightly intimate.

At that moment, they happened to encounter a group of New Students who had just finished their afternoon training or classes, walking in small groups back to the dormitory area.

"Look! Isn't that Senior Lu Youyou? She's so pretty! And the guy next to her... Oh my god! It's Senior Qin Yan!

The Senior Qin Yan who single-handedly crushed Jingdu University of Martial Arts's 'Twin Stars' in last year's Global Academy Exchange Competition!"

"Wow, they look so good together! One is handsome and steady, the other is agile and cute—they're practically a divine pairing!"

"Don't talk nonsense! I heard they're fellow disciples, both under Instructor Xiao Huo."

"What's wrong with being fellow disciples? What era is this anyway!

An excellent Senior Sister and an even more excellent Junior Brother, a power couple moving forward side-by-side—isn't that even more romantic? This is the ultimate 'Older Woman, Younger Man' romance!"

"Quiet, quiet! Let me take a photo! This is big news!"

The New Students lowered their voices, discussing excitedly while frequently casting glances at Qin Yan and Lu Youyou, their eyes filled with curiosity, admiration, and the fire of gossip.

Qin Yan's stunning performance in the Exchange Competition had long since spread among the New Students, making him a role model and idol.

The fact that many top-tier College Entrance Examination candidates applied to Modu University of Martial Arts this year was inextricably linked to Qin Yan's outstanding performance in the Exchange Competition.

Seeing their idol in person now, and walking with Senior Sister Youyou, naturally sparked countless imaginings.

The whispers of the many surrounding New Students reached their ears.

Both Qin Yan and Lu Youyou had keen senses, so they naturally noticed the looks and the faint sounds of discussion.

The two glanced at each other, both feeling a bit caught between laughter and tears.

Lu Youyou made a face at Qin Yan and whispered, "See, Little Junior Brother? You're a big celebrity now; people even watch you just walking down the street."

Qin Yan shook his head helplessly. "Senior Sister, please don't tease me.

We have nothing to hide."

Even so, being scrutinized by so many people with such 'ambiguous' looks still made Qin Yan feel a bit uncomfortable.

He quickened his pace slightly, and Lu Youyou followed suit in silent understanding.

They soon passed through the area, leaving the curious gazes and excited whispers behind them.

Arriving at the fork in the manor's path, Qin Yan waved goodbye to Lu Youyou.

After walking a bit further, Qin Yan returned to his manor villa.

Just as he reached the third-floor training room, the personal terminal on his wrist vibrated slightly with a notification.

He looked down and found an encrypted file sent by his teacher, Xiao Huo, with a concise title: 'Overview and Precautions for the Zhenhai Battlefield Defense Line (Internal Reference)'.

Qin Yan's heart stirred; he immediately realized the importance of this information.

His teacher would never send detailed information about the battlefield for no reason, especially right after they had discussed battlefield support matters.

This was clearly a subtle reminder and advance preparation—given Modu University of Martial Arts's traditions and the strength he currently displayed, being conscripted to the Zhenhai Defense Line for support or experience was almost a certainty.

"It seems the day I head to the battlefield won't be too far off."

Qin Yan muttered to himself.

He downloaded and properly saved the file but did not study it carefully right away.

It was already afternoon, and his training plan was not yet complete.

He set the data aside for the moment, gripped his long spear once more, and walked into the dedicated training room on the third floor of the villa.

"It's still early. If I hurry, I can still gain 2 Skill Points today."

Qin Yan estimated, his gaze returning to a focused state.

Immediately, the wind from his spear rose again in the room, whistling and snapping.

Over the next few days, Qin Yan's life was disciplined and efficient.

Daily, unwavering Spear Technique training accumulated crucial Skill Points.

In his spare time, he carefully studied the materials sent by Xiao Huo. Combining them with Lu Youyou's previous accounts, he gained an increasingly clear understanding of the battlefield behind that high wall.

Qin Yan read these materials very thoroughly; he knew this information could be a lifesaver at a critical moment.

Regarding the Dragon Whale Clan in particular, he focused on memorizing their innate abilities, combat characteristics, and known weaknesses.

The materials also mentioned the logistics support system behind the defense line.

This included the locations and operations of the Alchemy Department, Medical Department, and Forging Workshops, which gave him a more concrete understanding of Lu Youyou's suggestions.

Time slipped by quietly amidst focused cultivation and study.

In the blink of an eye, it was July 28th.

Early morning.

Just as sunlight filled the manor's courtyard, Qin Yan finished his routine morning exercise and was preparing to go inside to wash up.

Suddenly, the smart doorbell system at the manor gate emitted a soft chime.

"At this hour... who would be looking for me?"

Qin Yan was somewhat surprised.

He didn't know many people at the school, and his teacher or Senior Sister would usually contact him directly via communication device if they had business.

With a hint of doubt, he went to the manor entrance.

What met his eyes wasn't a familiar face, but a standard campus logistics service smart robot.

It stood quietly outside the gate, with a storage compartment on its chest.

Qin Yan grew even more puzzled.

He hadn't ordered any items or services recently.

"Could it be a wrong delivery?"

He thought to himself, but following the procedure, he opened the smart robot's storage compartment through dual fingerprint and pupil verification.

With a soft 'click', the storage compartment popped open.

Inside lay a simple, ancient-looking Storage Ring!

Qin Yan was slightly stunned as he stepped forward and took out the ring.

The ring felt slightly cool to the touch, with a peculiar texture.

He double-checked the task information displayed by the robot—Recipient: Qin Yan; Address: Villa No. 11, Modu Martial Arts Manor District; Pickup Verification: Biological information check passed.

The information was perfectly correct; it wasn't a wrong delivery!

"This..."

Qin Yan's heart suddenly skipped a beat as a possibility instantly flashed through his mind!

He didn't stop to study the ring's appearance closely, but immediately turned and hurried back into the villa, heading straight for the third-floor training room.

After locking the training room door behind him, only then did Qin Yan, with a mix of anticipation and excitement, carefully probe his Mental Energy into the dark silver Storage Ring in his hand.

In the next moment, his consciousness 'saw' a storage space about ten cubic meters in size.