The Master’s Mask Unveiled Again
Chapter 986 - 985 The Coming of the New Instructor

Chapter 986: Chapter 985 The Coming of the New Instructor

Wang Shiwei’s words were like a hot water bottle in a heated room during winter.

Completely useless, and more than a little unnecessary.

Shu Shu didn’t even look at her. She quietly focused on tending to Lu Mian’s wound, her soft voice faintly saying, "So why didn’t you sound this righteous just now?"

Wang Shiwei’s expression froze, as if she’d been seen through, and appeared a bit guilty.

"You just didn’t hear me!" she muttered defensively, gripping her cup as she slunk away. Sitting down beside Qiao Yaning, she pouted in frustration.

"What the heck! It’s not like I told her to stick her neck out—why take it out on me?"

Qiao Yaning leaned against the tree trunk, her eyes closed in rest, ignoring her entirely.

——

The group of instructors lined up and headed for the infirmary.

There was a shortcut nearby, cutting directly through the small training ground behind the dining hall, saving some distance.

However, as the instructors helped Jiu Ping and the other injured man across the grounds, they suddenly spotted—

"Holy crap, what happened to the Strength Tester?!"

"Focus on getting Brother Jiu Ping to the infirmary first!"

"Wait a minute." The instructor who noticed it first stammered. "Take a closer look—someone smashed the Strength Tester!"

The group all turned their heads in perfect synchrony.

What greeted them was a row of steel-structured Strength Testers lined up neatly. At the center of each, a special, circular panel was designed for measuring force and explosive power—a professional apparatus.

Under normal conditions, punching the circular plate would yield a precise reading of one’s strength.

On the display screens of all the Strength Testers, the highest recorded result was clearly shown: 923.

These figures were meticulously calculated by the instruments, representing peak strength values.

Every disciple in Chixia Sect strove tirelessly toward higher numbers.

Take Jiu Ping, for example. His best record was only 758. While it seemed just moderately below Mo Fan’s 923, in truth, the gap between 800 and 900 was like crossing a major threshold—a steep mountain only conquered through relentless training.

Now, out of the original ten machines, nine remained intact. The last one bore deep damage—a fist-shaped dent in its Strength Tester plate.

Centered on that dent, cracks radiated through the circular panel and extended to the steel framework supporting the machine itself.

It was abundantly clear: someone had smashed the machine in one single punch.

"I’m not the most articulate, but I only have one thing to say: HOLY CRAP..."

"Mo Fan’s strength must have improved again! His previous score was already 923, and now this... How are we even supposed to survive knowing this?!"

"This is crushing—I’m done for this lifetime! If the Strength Tester hadn’t broken, his strength must have been over a thousand..."

"That thing’s made of steel! To destroy it like this... what kind of insanity is that?!"

Suddenly, they remembered hearing a massive sound earlier when passing by here at noon.

No one needed to think much before unanimously attributing the destruction to Mo Fan.

In all of Chixia Sect, nobody else could achieve this level of force.

The disciples stood somber-faced, awestruck. It was the ultimate reverence for strength! Respect and submission mingled with pride and envy—the quintessential male response to raw physical prowess.

Jiu Ping, his entire body aching, managed to squeeze out a painful whisper, "Mo Fan is the pride of Chixia Sect! No matter what, we must defend him. And... wasn’t Lu Mian caught learning Mo Fan’s secret technique? Everyone, stay alert!"

While the group found Lu Mian’s alleged act of theft unbelievable, what dominated their thoughts were feelings of disdain and rage.

"Mo Fan worked so hard to surpass himself and perfect this technique! If Mo Fan finds out Lu Mian’s been stealing it, he’ll surely want to strangle that girl!"

These were hot-headed young men—simmering with ambition from years of martial arts training at Chixia Sect. Fierce in their competitive spirits, yet utterly clueless.

They only remembered how Mo Fan had returned to the sect recently, both gloomier and stronger than ever.

Upon his return, he had tested his moves against them.

That reverse chokehold technique... it was simply lethal!

They had begged him for pointers for ages, but the senior Mo Fan remained unwilling to teach them.

At that moment, crouched in a remote corner of the grounds battling his constipation, Mo Fan suddenly felt a shiver pass along his back—a foreboding sense of unease.

Ugh... Could his stomach possibly get any worse...?

Meanwhile, the disciples continued to fume on his behalf.

"Nobody wants their skills stolen! Even we disciples who’ve trained here for years haven’t learned them—why should one girl get away with it?"

"Exactly! Brothers, let’s drag Lu Mian out and teach her a lesson—"

Jiu Ping raised his hand to interrupt, shaking his head and advising, "Don’t act rashly. It’s just a suspicion right now. We need solid evidence first."

"That’s easy—Lu Mian’s staying here to train for ten days. She’ll definitely slip sooner or later!"

The group nodded vigorously before carrying their two injured fellows off to the infirmary.

——

Over in Applied Physics, nearly an hour passed in rest.

Instructors from other classes gradually returned. Jiu Ping and the neighboring class’s instructor, however, remained sidelined with plastered limbs due to their injuries, forcing their withdrawal from overseeing training. Word was that replacements would soon arrive.

Lu Mian barely cared. Slouched lazily against a tree, her left leg bent slightly, her right hand casually scrolling through a game dungeon on her phone, utterly nonchalant.

Shu Shu leaned against her, nervously muttering, "I just hope the new instructor doesn’t stir up any more trouble..."

Though none of it was Lu Mian’s fault—Jiu Ping initiated the challenge in the first place—Shu Shu worried about how members of Chixia Sect might pull rank and gang up on her friend.

Her concern deepened.

"If there are more challenges... how on earth would we handle that..."

Lu Mian remained silent until she caught wind of the term "challenge." Suddenly, her interest sharpened. Her alluring gaze lifted, carrying a hint of eagerness as she exclaimed, "Really?"

Her attitude was like someone itching for action—ready to take on ten or even twenty more with no hesitation.

Shu Shu: ...

Soon, the neighboring class’s replacement instructor arrived—a young disciple from Chixia Sect. Fortunately, he refrained from causing trouble, although he couldn’t help sneaking glances toward Lu Mian’s direction every so often.

"When’s our new instructor arriving?"

Someone voiced curiosity.

Wang Shiwei lowered her head with worry, muttering, "Do you think our terrible performance made Chixia Sect abandon us?"

Beside her, Qiao Yaning stayed silent, but another girl from Class Two chimed in, "No way. Military training scores go into official records, and Chixia Sect wouldn’t just leave us."

"Huh?" Wang Shiwei gasped in surprise, sighing wistfully, "Actually... standing under the sun and soaking it all up doesn’t sound so bad. Honestly, I’m a little envious of the other classes now! If only Lu Mian hadn’t made such a fuss..."

She expected others to join in her complaints.

Instead, the Class Two girl looked at her with disbelief and chose to stay silent.

Wang Shiwei turned her gaze to Qiao Yaning.

Finally, Qiao Yaning couldn’t hold back. Her head shot up as she glared at Wang Shiwei, brows furrowing tightly, "If you’re so envious, then go join another class!"

Her voice snapped coldly in reprimand.