"How did you even become a provisional executor?" the fat woman asked.
"I passed a test."
"No wonder. There is no way someone like you would even be promoted to senior cadet."
This fat woman really knew how to hit hard where it hurt. Tianlei was tired of people undermining him just by looking at his body, but again, he was weak when it came to strength. There was no reason to fire back, only to accept the truth and find a way to change it.
"But still, I managed to become one. My body doesn't define who I am."
A smile crossed the fat woman's face.
"That is what you should have thought about before calling me fat. My fat body doesn't mean I can't achieve anything in life. I sit behind a desk, mostly doing nothing, yet get paid enough money to buy a small village."
"Once again, I apologize for my misconduct."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"That was minutes ago, and I've moved on. I can give you a tip so you don't look out of place in your uniform."
"I would be honored." Tianlei bowed his head slightly. He had to act disciplined, or things would spiral out of control.
"For me to tip you, you have to tip me first. At least five thousand merit points will do."
For someone who had just said she was paid more than enough, asking for five thousand was like begging for spare change. Luckily, Tianlei had more than sixty thousand merit points.
He was fortunate that the Feather Lady had bought him the Phantom Needle Gun, or he might have spent every point he had.
Two screens appeared in front of them. He completed the transaction without even reading her details.
"Alright. It's simple. When you're marching, make sure your legs are straight not curved unless you're walking. Your left hand should point to your right foot, and vice versa. Always clench your fists."
"Is that all?" Tianlei asked.
"For more information, tip me more. But the way I'm seeing things, you can't manage it. So, Provisional Executor, you may leave."
At that moment, Tianlei felt like strangling her. He had spent that many merit points on information he could have gotten for free from a talkative passerby.
He began walking, fists clenched, left hand pointing toward his right foot and right hand toward his left. It was a casual walk, so there was no need to straighten his legs fully.
Luckily, everyone else was moving the same way. The fat woman hadn't tricked him—though he still regretted it. He could have simply copied others.
The crumbling old building loomed in the distance. As he approached it, fear crept in. After all, someone inside was waiting to tear him apart.
The moment he opened the door and stepped in, the room went silent.
All the boys looked at him with controlled gazes, careful not to reveal emotion. That restraint didn't apply to Muyan. He was sharpening something resembling a dagger—something that could easily take Tianlei's life.
Muyan stood up, swinging the dagger loosely in his hand.
"See who's back. Want me to show you the urinary?"
Just by looking at him, Tianlei could tell he wasn't at the soldier-class level but at the vanguard level basically a three-star. Tianlei himself was only a three-star soldier-class master. That was an entire level of difference in strength.
"I've been waiting for you. I'm sure you were taken to a psychiatrist. Did you get therapy?"
Tianlei clenched his fists. He was, after all, a provisional executor. If Muyan was superior in strength, Tianlei was superior in military rank.
Still, he could do nothing.
Then a voice echoed from one of the beds.
"I know your eyesight is damaged, but look properly at his uniform."
Muyan narrowed his eyes, then staggered forward.
"Provisional executor? How?"
"I guess the kid is lucky," Xue Yuchen said, standing up from his bed.
"It seems we have another provisional executor. Muyan, you have a partner."
"Wait—you're also a provisional executor?" Tianlei asked.
"Haha, what did you think? Wait a minute… did you think that since you're a provisional executor, your rank is high enough for what happened to be forgotten?"
Tianlei gritted his teeth. There was no escaping this misfortune.
"What happened was just payback for what you did to me. Everything is fair in love and war."
Xue Yuchen let out a soft laugh.
"Well said."
Muyan snapped, turning toward the grinning Xue Yuchen.
"Yuchen, whose side are you on?"
"The side I'm always on—mine. Besides, you brought this upon yourself. Solve it."
Muyan turned back to Tianlei, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
"Since we're in a military branch, I can't act wild. But for someone like me, the gods favor me. I will destroy you, Provisional Executor Tianlei."
He stepped forward and swung the dagger toward Tianlei's heart. It struck his chest with a sharp sting but didn't pierce through.
"I can feel your heartbeat—bum bum. It's beating twice as fast."
Muyan leaned in close, locking eyes with him. Tianlei stood still, staring back. Muyan's blue eyes were surprisingly dazzling, the vivid pupils drawing Tianlei in too deeply.
Muyan held his gaze a moment longer—then felt his dagger pierce flesh.
Tianlei had moved closer, intentionally—too close—and had willingly inflicted harm upon himself.
Muyan pulled back, staring at the blood coating the dagger's tip.
"Inflicting harm on another provisional executor… isn't that a crime?" Tianlei said, grinning.
Hurting himself hadn't been his first plan, but it was better than being trampled by this fool.
"You… you did it intentionally!" Muyan shouted, pointing the dagger at him.
Tianlei stepped forward and grabbed the dagger. Its edges immediately pierced his flesh.
Muyan's eyes widened in shock. So did Xue Yuchen's—and everyone else's in the room.
Muyan tried to pull the dagger back, but Tianlei held it tightly. When Muyan yanked it free, the blade sliced through Tianlei's palm, blood dripping onto the floor.
"Let go of my dagger, you fool!"
"I'll only let go if you let go."
Tianlei didn't know where the surge of determination came from, but he held on despite the pain.
"Kill him."
A voice echoed inside Tianlei's head.
Muyan raised his foot and kicked Tianlei square in the chest. As Tianlei fell backward, one of his fingers was severed, the sharp edge of the dagger slicing cleanly through flesh.
The other half of the finger lay on the ground beside him.
Everyone froze, stunned by the sudden outcome.
When Muyan's eyes landed on the broken finger, his breath caught. Still, pride shone brighter than the fear of having injured another provisional executor.
He marched outside, slamming the door behind him.
Tianlei quickly covered his severed finger before veins could emerge and expose his secret.
Xue Yuchen stepped forward and offered him a hand. Tianlei took it—there was no time to determine who was friend or enemy.
"The military branch has many healers. You can—"
"I can heal myself."
Tianlei looked down at his severed finger, lifted his boot, and crushed it until it resembled mangled meat. Then he walked to his bed.
Surprisingly, it was still intact, unstained, just as he had left it.
Blood continued dripping from his hand, staining the floor crimson. He closed the curtains and sat cross-legged on the bed.
"Destiny Star, come out."