Chapter 54: "Do You Deserve to Lead?"

The Dongting Lake Plain, part of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, lies in the northern region of Hunan Province.

Dongting Lake is not just any famous scenic spot. Covering nearly 40,000 square kilometers, it is one of the top three most dangerous lakes in the Great Xia Dynasty. This enormous lake hosts a diverse ecosystem, teeming with countless monsters and demons. Among them, the notorious Lizard Skull Giant Demon tribe, which has claimed Jinlin City as its lair, is based in Dongting Lake.

After flying to Kangning City, the closest city to Jinlin, the 17 students from both Pearl Academy and Imperial Capital Academy had to proceed on foot. Along the way, the exceptionally knowledgeable Jingjing began explaining the surrounding areas of Jinlin City and the demon tribes that inhabited the region.

Mo Fan was already familiar with these details, so he didn't ask further. However, Jingjing's explanation didn't last long before it was interrupted by Liao Mingxuan, who felt that they weren't here for another lecture.

By this point, they had already traveled about 50 kilometers beyond the safety zone. There were still law-enforcement mages patrolling this area, and no monsters had shown up. But as they ventured deeper into the wilderness, the chances of encountering danger increased.

"We should follow this abandoned railway." said Song Xia, holding a map as she glanced at Mo Fan. She pointed to the rusted railway tracks, overgrown with moss.

The rails, now thoroughly rusted and covered in weeds and moss, stretched straight toward a distant forest. At the point where the tracks entered the forest, they were completely hidden by dense undergrowth and brambles. If you weren't paying close attention, you wouldn't even know this was once a railway.

This railway used to connect to the safety zone. But since Jinlin City's destruction, it became part of the demon-occupied territory, and it's no surprise that it had fallen into such disrepair.

At least it serves as a natural guide. Following the tracks would eventually lead them to Jinlin City.

"Let me make something clear. I've always been the leader in teams like this." said Lu Zhenghe, stepping forward with an air of authority. "Since the school requires us to work together for this trial, someone has to be in charge. I'll be making the decisions—how we move, how we handle monsters, when we rest. You can offer suggestions, but I'll make the final calls."

"Do you even deserve to lead?" Mo Fan interjected casually.

He wasn't particularly interested in leading, but Lu Zhenghe's arrogant attitude rubbed him the wrong way.

"You…" Lu Zhenghe was visibly annoyed.

"We'll follow Mo Fan's lead on our side." Zheng Bingxiao spoke up. "You two can discuss the specifics, but overall, we trust Mo Fan's decisions."

The students from Pearl Academy had no objections. They knew Mo Fan's experience in the wilderness far surpassed theirs. Even Lu Zhenghe, though displeased, realized it was unrealistic to expect full control and begrudgingly accepted the arrangement.

With their course decided, the group continued along the abandoned railway.

The railway, unused for fifteen years, was now practically swallowed by the wild. Today, it saw visitors not in the form of trains but as a team of students from prestigious academies, braving the dangers for their trial.

On the open plains, the railway was still passable—unless some monsters had decided to nap on the tracks. But as they entered the mountains and neared overgrown tunnels, the atmosphere grew more tense.

"I looked at the map. This tunnel is about two kilometers long. Given the frequency of monsters we've encountered, there's a good chance some are living in the tunnel. I suggest we bypass the mountain rather than risk fighting unknown creatures in the dark." Song Xia advised Mo Fan.

Before Mo Fan could respond, Lu Zhenghe cut in, "You're being way too cautious. Who cares what's in there? We just fight our way through. Climbing over the mountain would waste way too much time."

The others seemed to agree.

Mo Fan, however, warned, "There will definitely be monsters inside. This tunnel is big enough that it could house an entire demon tribe."

"If you're scared, you can hang back." Lu Zhenghe sneered.

"Since you're so brave, why don't you go in first?" Mo Fan shot back.

"You…"

Before they could argue further, Mu Ningxue stepped in. "Enough. Stop fighting."

At her words, Lu Zhenghe fell silent. Zheng Bingxiao then offered, "My Rock Golem will lead the way. If anything happens, it can hold off the monsters for a while."

Seeing that the majority wanted to take the tunnel, Mo Fan agreed.

The Rock Golem, standing three meters tall and covered in tough stone, moved slowly but served as an excellent shield and bulldozer. It cleared brambles and vines as it pushed forward, making it an ideal vanguard.

Lu Zhenghe added, "Whoever takes up the rear also needs to be strong enough to react quickly in case of an attack. A summoned beast won't cut it."

"I'll take the rear." offered Song Xia.

"No, it should be one of us guys." Xu Dalong volunteered eagerly, wanting to impress. Since his main element was Earth, he could also provide extra protection for the group.

No one objected. Xu Dalong and Song Xia took their positions at the rear, while Liao Mingxuan and Shen Mingxiao, both Wind Mages, took the lead, prepared to react quickly to any threats. Zhao Manyan and Song Xia, who had Light spells, conjured floating light orbs to illuminate their path.

Soon after entering the tunnel, they were ambushed by several hunched, grotesque creatures. Though they were quickly dispatched, more kept emerging.

"It's Cave Slaves!" Jingjing, the academic genius, recognized the monsters hiding behind the vines.

The group found themselves under attack from all sides. Though they were all Mid-tier Mages, the cramped tunnel made it difficult to fully unleash their spells.

"Kill them all! Don't let them get close, or we're all dead!" Lu Zhenghe yelled, frustrated that his summoned wolf couldn't fight effectively in the narrow space.

"Step aside." Mo Fan ordered, shoving him out of the way as flames began to coil around him.

"Fiery Fist: Exploding Heavens!"

With a roar, Mo Fan unleashed a massive fiery punch that shot down the tunnel, incinerating dozens of Cave Slaves.

Boom!

The explosion caused the entire tunnel to tremble slightly, as if about to collapse.

"Don't fall behind! Keep moving!"

"Earth Mages, use Ground Wave! Wind Mages, deploy Wind Track!"

"Lightning Mages, watch the sides!"

Following Mo Fan's instructions, the group swiftly worked together, cutting through the monsters and racing toward the exit.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: I am thinking about translating another fic. The update schedule for the current project will not be affected by this. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section.