Volume 1, Chapter 134: Two Requests

Mo De sat quietly, nursing his coffee cup in silence as he listened to Ning Chengfeng’s account.

An accident during the awakening phase—that was exactly the kind of outcome that led to such severe consequences. It seemed that Miss Ning was truly a pitiable person.

As if he could see through Mo De’s thoughts, Ning Chengfeng shook his head.

"I’ve told you so much about my sister, Mo, not because I’m looking for your forgiveness."

Mo De looked at the young man across from him with some surprise.

"Being pitiable does not make one any less detestable," Ning Chengfeng said softly, finishing the milk tea in his cup. "How could the trouble and harm caused to others ever be excused simply by citing a ‘mental illness’? I feel for my sister, but I would never use that as a reason to tell those she has hurt to be more magnanimous."

"The pain we bear is no justification for the pain we inflict on others."

Mo De stared at him in silence, a sense of genuine respect rising for the young man before him.

"I apologize on behalf of my sister for the trouble she has caused you. But you don't need to forgive her; after all, she still doesn't believe she has done anything wrong." Ning Chengfeng smiled bitterly.

"There’s no need for that," Mo De said, waving his hand dismissively. "But Chengfeng, what exactly did Miss Ning misunderstand about me?"

"It’s the ranking from the Great Assessment," Ning Chengfeng sighed.

"That, huh..." Mo De scratched his head. It seemed that this particular blame could be traced all the way back to those two old guys, Cheng Shanhai and Feng Shichu.

"At first, I didn't believe it either. But after talking with Yan Ruoting, I don't think you’re the type of person who needs to cheat to get into the winter camp," Ning Chengfeng said, locking eyes with him.

"It was just some tests. I got lucky with a high score, just luck..." Mo De replied with a sheepish grin.

"I have two requests. I wonder if you would be willing to grant them?" Ning Chengfeng suddenly turned serious.

"Huh?" Mo De was caught off guard by the sudden request.

"Don't worry, it won't put you in a difficult position, and it’s not an unreasonable demand. I will take responsibility for all the consequences."

Mo De studied him again. This young man seemed far more mature than his peers, as steady and reliable as an adult who had seen much of the world.

Having grown up protecting Ning Muyu, Ning Chengfeng had naturally weathered many storms. The book of life's hardships is the best teacher.

"Let’s hear them," Mo De said, choosing not to commit immediately.

"The first request is for you to spar with me," Ning Chengfeng said, his expression grave, not at all like a joke.

"Huh?" Mo De was puzzled. Why, in the middle of a pleasant conversation, did he suddenly want to trade blows?

"This is also a prerequisite for the second request. If you don't agree to this, there is no need to speak of the second." The earnest look on Ning Chengfeng’s chubby face left Mo De in silence.

Knowing Ning Chengfeng’s character, this challenge was definitely not about trying to settle a score for his sister; there was something deeper at play.

"Your hand, Chengfeng..." Mo De shifted his gaze to Ning Chengfeng’s left hand. He didn't recall seeing those bandages and gauze earlier.

"A minor injury, it won't be a problem." Ning Chengfeng looked pleased at the question, knowing that if Mo De was asking about his injury, it meant he was leaning toward agreeing. "So, Mo, do you agree?"

"You’ve put on such a sincere expression; how could I refuse?" Mo De sipped his coffee, sighing helplessly. "When and where?"

"There’s no time like the present. Let’s do it now." Ning Chengfeng pulled out his phone and made a call. After a few brief words, he hung up and turned to Mo De. "There’s a spot open in the training gym. Let’s head over."

"Right now?" Mo De was surprised by his efficiency.

"My sister will be waking up from her nap soon. If she sees us together, I expect there will be quite a commotion." Ning Chengfeng offered an apologetic smile.

*Every family has its own troubles to endure,* Mo De thought to himself with a quiet sigh. Compared to Ning Muyu, the troubles in his own house suddenly seemed far less agonizing.

Back at the apartment, in Mo De’s room, Mu Qing, who was hogging the large bed, suddenly let out a massive sneeze in her sleep.

***

Using the convenient access of his wristband, Ning Chengfeng and Mo De successfully secured a training room in the combat facility.

Unlike their high schools, the superpower university was transitioning from pure theory to a combination of theory and practice. For those cultivating combat-oriented abilities, sparring was the fastest way to improve. Thus, "training gyms" were a staple of every such university.

Mo De followed Ning Chengfeng into the room. He tapped the wall, noting that the perimeter was built of a specialized alloy. While not as formidable as high-grade alien metals, it was far superior to ordinary steel or stone. Its toughness rivaled the alloy doors he had seen in the ruins beneath the desert.

Ning Chengfeng hopped around to warm up, his heavy frame surprisingly agile. "Don't worry about my left hand, Mo. Just give it your all."

*That wouldn't be right,* Mo De thought. *Even if your hand were perfectly fine, I couldn't really let loose.* It was only a spar; it wouldn't be good to damage the camaraderie between classmates.

Mo De simply smiled and gestured for him to attack first.

"Excuse me." Before the words had even finished, Ning Chengfeng’s figure blurred like a breeze, lunging toward him.

"Wind Bullets!" Three compressed spheres of wind, each the size of a fist, were launched from different directions.

Mo De stepped back, dodging the two flanking shots and swatting the third head-on projectile aside, then reached out toward the empty space behind him.

Ning Chengfeng let out a soft exclamation, using the wind to halt his momentum and avoid walking straight into Mo De’s grasp. *This Mo fellow is truly formidable.*

Extending his hands to manipulate the surrounding air, Ning Chengfeng conjured wind blades, hurling them one after another at Mo De while constantly circling the arena to find an opening.

Mo De decided to grant his opponent some face. Instead of shattering the blades with his bare hands, he channeled his ability, coating his hands in a thin layer of golden light. Standing his ground, he swiped his hands gently, effortlessly shattering every incoming blade from all directions.