Dewdrops dripped from trampled leaves onto the soil. With Nathan Lockwood in the open and Zoe Pierce in the shadows, their spiritual powers swept across the ground, identifying the lingering footprints in just a few seconds.
Ethan Grant had never witnessed such efficiency. Many parts of the ground were covered with weeds and even unfamiliar flowers, which should have made spotting footprints nearly impossible.
Yet Nathan Lockwood only needed a single glance, two seconds at most, before coming to a conclusion and moving forward.
On the rare occasion he hesitated, he would simply exchange a look with Zoe Pierce. Once he saw her affirmative nod, the rest of them would follow.
Along the way, they even encountered a few Xenobeasts, but Erin Xavier and Chase Shaw took care of them in under three minutes, securing the points.
Ethan Grant was in a daze.
He recognized those types of Xenobeasts—they weren’t worth many points but were a pain to kill.
Not worth the effort, but a waste to ignore.
But with their teamwork, it required hardly any ti or energy. It was as effortless as drinking water.
The gap between people could sotis feel so demoralizing.
He decided to just lie low and followed quietly behind the others.
Zoe Pierce and Nathan Lockwood walked at the front. "Yesterday, Victor Vance thought I was with you," she said as they moved. "When he saw Miles Sherman, the look on his face completely changed."
The deeper they went, the narrower the path beca.
Nathan Lockwood moved to the very front, letting Zoe Pierce follow behind him. "He probably realized that you knew he was there," he comnted.
’Anyone who didn’t know about Zoe would instinctively assu the sa thing.’
’No wonder.’
’Still,’ Zoe thought, ’even if they knew about Miles, Victor Vance’s team would have co anyway. They have way more people, but they don’t have an Alpha with Perception like Nathan. Farming Xenobeasts would be much harder for them, so they’d still need to raid the supply point.’
"The tracks are gone," Zoe said suddenly, looking up at Nathan Lockwood.
Her gaze swept over the dense forest. It was just like the rest of the mountain range—towering trees, thick undergrowth, and a winding sea of green with no visible way out. It felt as if they could walk forever and still be trapped here.
The trail of footprints ended here.
"This ans we’re going in the right direction," Nathan Lockwood said slowly, after sweeping the area with his spiritual power. "They’ve started covering their tracks."
’Why cover their tracks?’
’Because they want to hide.’
’Just like how Miles Sherman and Zoe Pierce hadn’t wanted to be found the night before.’
’And the only thing they’d be trying to hide right now... is their team’s Oga.’
Nathan Lockwood glanced at Zoe Pierce. She hadn’t rested at all since waking up and eating breakfast, keeping pace with a group of Alphas for over an hour. "Are you tired?"
Zoe narrowed her eyes and grabbed his training uniform. "I’m not tired. And hiding would be a rotten idea."
’Yesterday’s situation was different. She had no intention of hiding away in a corner by herself this ti.’
"Let’s have Zoe eliminate a few more this ti," Erin Xavier chid in at the perfect mont. Having learned what Zoe did yesterday, he chuckled as he spoke. "Let those other Ogas find out just how formidable our Zoe is."
Zoe: "..."
’That was definitely passive-aggressive.’
She couldn’t help but turn back and shoot Erin a glare.
"It was a real sha about yesterday. We didn’t get to see you in action," Erin Xavier said with a sigh of feigned regret. "You have to let us see the results of your training. What a perfect opportunity!"
Erin had been genuinely surprised when he heard that Zoe, an Oga, could actually eliminate other contestants.
He just hadn’t expected her to make a move so soon.
"Next ti, everyone will definitely be on guard against you," Erin analyzed objectively. "The Alphas won’t go easy on you just because you’re an Oga anymore."
The military academy Alphas watching the livestream couldn’t help but nod in agreent.
After seeing Zoe’s actions, they knew that if they ever encountered her in a similar joint exam, they would eliminate her on sight.
She was too much of a threat.
To have your own team’s Oga eliminated from right under your nose... there wasn’t even anything you could say.
She was a total wild card.
Hearing this, Zoe didn’t seem the least bit angry. She replied with nonchalance, "It’s fine. If I’m weak, I’ll just train more."
’It wasn’t like she was going to stagnate. She would continue to train after the joint exam—both her spiritual power and her physical stamina. She would beco much stronger than she was now.’
Chase Shaw ca up from behind, his large, rough hand ruffling her hair. "Good attitude."
But he quickly moved past her. "For now, though, leave it to us."
He looked at Nathan Lockwood. "Let’s go. I’m getting impatient."
Chase Shaw knew there was another S-Class Alpha on Victor Vance’s team.
Nathan Lockwood wasn’t surprised. Chase had always been like this; it was just rare for anyone to stir his desire for a fight.
"Their team also has an A-level Alpha who can accelerate the chaos in a spirit sea," Nathan Lockwood added. That ability was a hard counter to Chase Shaw, just like that one Xenobeast.
Chase Shaw’s gaze fell on Erin Xavier. "Erin," he called out in a low voice, "that one’s yours."
’The difference between people and Xenobeasts is that people can be controlled, but Xenobeasts can’t.’
’The A-level’s acceleration ability was concerning, but not a complete deal-breaker.’
Zoe filed away another piece of information.
Even without spiritual power or visible footprints, they could deduce where the First Military Academy students would choose to hide just by looking for clues.
Sowhere with a water source, a clear view of any approaching danger, and ideally, natural cover...
Relying almost purely on this environntal analysis, twenty minutes later, Zoe’s Perception picked sothing up. Less than fifty ters away, people were talking.
"What do we do now?"
"Do we send soone to the supply point again today? Or do we go straight for eliminating their people?"
The man speaking had a buzz cut. His expression was stiff and his tone was sour.
And understandably so. No one could have predicted this. What was supposed to be a sure thing had ended with him being the only fighter left with their Ogas. Their team’s score was pitifully low. If things kept on like this, even if he was eliminated during the raiding phase, their final score would be humiliating.
The man standing opposite him was clearly much calr. "Who are you going to eliminate? Calm down."
The man with the buzz cut was running around like a headless chicken, completely irrational.
"Eight of us went out, and only two ca back." Who could stay rational after that? The man with the buzz cut originally thought that joining this team guaranteed he would last until the end. But this outco, on just the first day, was already too much for him to accept.
"Miles Sherman and his group are likely on their way here. We need to leave, now," the calr man said. "Are the Ogas done packing?"
The man with the buzz cut glanced behind the other. "They’re done."
’They were ready to leave at a mont’s notice.’
"We’ll plan once we’re gone. For now, we move. Find a new spot." To be safe, the man had wanted to leave the mont the rain stopped.
But it had still been dark, and they wouldn’t have been able to find a new spot, so he settled for the next best option and waited until now.
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