201: Chapter 201 Bluestone Camp

Wang Lin thought for a moment and said, "No need to apologize. You don't owe me anything."

"You say you don't think highly of me; that is your opinion. You talk about whether I am a match or not; that is your standard."

"I don't need you to think highly of me, nor do I need you to change your standards."

"So, there is no need to apologize."

Qiao Shuwan fell silent. She had intended to get closer to Wang Lin, but she hadn't expected that Wang Lin had never cared about her at all.

It seemed that whether she, Qiao Shuwan, apologized or not made no difference to him.

This feeling was even more uncomfortable for her than being mocked.

At this moment, Su Wanqing walked over and said to Wang Lin, "Wang Lin, for tomorrow in the Mist Forest, I ask for your care."

Beside them, Zhou Zhenghao looked stunned. He turned his head, looked at Wang Lin, then at Qiao Shuwan, and then at Su Wanqing, his mind in a complete jumble.

What was going on? Qiao Shuwan apologizing and saying she had misunderstood Wang Lin's strength?

Wasn't this Wang Lin a freshman? What kind of strength could he have?

Even if he had strength, it was impossible for him to be stronger than you, Qiao Shuwan.

Qiao Shuwan was, after all, the champion of the Inter-school League and one of the strongest fighters among the freshmen.

A freshman breaking a physical fitness test record was impressive? Could he really be stronger than Qiao Shuwan?

As for Su Wanqing asking Wang Lin to look after her, that was even more unthinkable.

The eldest daughter of the Su Family, participating in training across departments—even the school board had to give her father face. And she was asking a freshman to look after her?

These questions kept spinning in Zhou Zhenghao's mind. The more he thought about it, the less he understood, and the more he felt something was wrong.

He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Wang Lin glanced at Su Wanqing and said, "Senior Zhou is leading the team tomorrow. You should ask Senior Zhou to look after you."

Upon hearing this, Su Wanqing walked up to Zhou Zhenghao and bowed her head slightly, "Senior Zhou, please take care of us tomorrow."

Zhou Zhenghao coughed, straightened his back, and his voice regained its confidence, "Rest assured, with me here, I won't let anything happen to you."

Zhou Zhenghao glanced at Wang Lin with a look of satisfaction, as if to say, "Good thing you know your place."

Wang Lin was expressionless. He turned around and walked out of the playground.

...

The next day, 5:00 AM.

Before dawn, Wang Lin woke up.

He got up, washed up, and put on a black tactical suit.

This outfit was for wearing in the Mist Forest; it was wear-resistant, waterproof, and had many pockets.

Wang Lin put his laser blade into his space ring, put his spare ordinary blade in as well, and checked the items inside the ring.

Medicine, bandages, water, food. Everything was ready.

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

The morning breeze blew over, carrying the chill typical of autumn.

The lights on the playground were already on, and several buses were parked on the side of the field, their headlights illuminating the ground bright white.

Students arrived one after another; some carried backpacks, some carried luggage, and some were so sleepy they couldn't even open their eyes.

After a while, several teams arrived as well.

Qiao Shuwan had changed into a dark blue combat suit, and her hair was tied into a high ponytail, making her look even sharper than usual.

When Qiao Shuwan saw Wang Lin, she nodded, and Wang Lin nodded back; neither of them spoke.

Zhou Zhenghao arrived, wearing the latest style of tactical suit, carrying a large backpack, and with a dagger tucked into his waist.

He walked to the front of the team, glanced at the four people, and nodded, "Everyone is here, right? Alright, let's get on the bus."

The five of them boarded the bus and found their seats.

Wang Lin sat by the window, and Su Wanqing sat next to him, holding her tingtao sword.

Zhao Meng sat in the row behind, Qiao Shuwan sat on the other side of the aisle, and Zhou Zhenghao sat at the very front.

At 6:00 sharp, the bus started. The vehicle drove out of the school gate, onto the highway, and headed in the direction of the Mist Forest.

After about two hours, the bus stopped at the entrance of a camp.

The name of the camp was written on a huge wooden sign, with a few large characters carved onto it— "Qingshi Camp".

The characters were somewhat blurred, weathered and mottled by sand and mist, but still legible.

Hanging below the wooden sign was a smaller plaque that read "Holy City Academy Training Base".

The camp was not large: a few rows of wooden houses, a playground, a canteen, and a medical room.

It was surrounded by iron fences, with sensors and alarms hanging on them.

On the edge of the camp was a watchtower with someone on guard duty; their face couldn't be seen, only a figure swaying in the mist.

After the bus came to a stop, Director Fang was the first to get off. He stood at the bus door, holding a folder, with a serious expression.

"Everyone get off, assemble by group, and do not run around."

The students filed out one by one, some looking around excitedly.

Wang Lin got off the bus, stood in the formation, and looked at the wooden sign of the camp.

Wang Lin had heard of this place—a training base established by Holy City Academy on the outskirts of the Mist Forest, specifically used to organize students for combat training.

It was very close to the Holy City, only a little over two hours away by car.

The Mist Forest near Qingshi Camp did not have very high-level Mist Beasts.

The strongest were LV6, with most being LV3 or LV4 Mist Beasts, and small LV1 or LV2 Mist Beasts could be seen everywhere.

"Group A13, follow me."

Zhou Zhenghao's voice came from the front; he waved his hand and walked into the camp.

The five of them passed through the camp gate and arrived in front of a row of wooden houses.

Zhou Zhenghao stopped in front of a door and looked at the number on it. "A13, this is the one. Boys stay on this side, girls stay next door."

Zhou Zhenghao pointed to the wooden house next door and then pushed the door open and walked in.

The inside of the wooden house was not large, with three bunk beds and six beds in total, but only three people were staying there: Zhou Zhenghao, Zhao Meng, and Wang Lin.

Wang Lin chose a bottom bunk by the window, placed his bag at the foot of the bed, and sat down.

Zhou Zhenghao stood in the middle of the room, hands on his hips, looking at the layout of the room, and nodded with satisfaction.

"The conditions are not bad. Better than I imagined." He looked at his watch.

"It is 8:30 now. Assemble at 9:00; the team leader will go over safety protocols and precautions. We depart at 10:00 for our first entry into the forest."

Wang Lin didn't speak; he leaned against the headboard, watching the mist outside the window.

At 9:00 sharp, all students assembled by group on the camp's playground.

The team leader stood at the front—a man in his thirties, wearing the uniform of a Night Watcher, with a pistol hanging at his waist and a serious expression.

"My name is Chen Fang, and I am the safety officer for this training exercise."

"In the camp, you listen to Director Fang."

"Once you leave the camp, you listen to me."

"I know you think you are very strong and that the Mist Beasts are nothing to be afraid of."

"But I am telling you, every year people die in the Mist Forest—not killed by Mist Beasts, but killed by their own arrogance."

"I hope you are not the next ones."

Wang Lin stood in the formation, his expression indifferent; he didn't take a single word to heart.

He shifted his gaze away from Chen Fang and scanned the people on the playground nonchalantly.

Then, Wang Lin's gaze stopped.

In the northeast corner of the playground, five people stood.

The person leading them was wearing a black tactical suit with a sword hanging at his waist.

The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, carrying a condescending smile; it was none other than Shen Junlin.

Wang Lin felt a surge of joy in his heart. Shen Junlin had indeed come, so your [Sword God] Superpower would be his.