The Aftermath of the Illusion
Headmaster Xuan Ji waved his sleeve, and the space shimmered. All squads still clinging to survival within the Illusion Matrix were instantly whisked back to the Hall of Initial Illumination. Some members bore the dazed exhaustion of intense combat, quickly replaced by the relief of success or the shame of failure. Those who hadn't endured the required time had already been ejected, their faces etched with the bitter reality of the ten Contribution Points deducted.
Standing on the high dais, Headmaster Xuan Ji's profound eyes surveyed the thousands of students. His amplified voice, soft yet carrying undeniable authority, echoed across the vast hall.
"Look around you, students. Some stand exhausted but successful; others stand intact but defeated. This is the true importance of cooperation that Dragon's Zenith must teach you. The solitary master often fails where a united team prevails."
He paused, letting the students internalize the lesson. "I will once again emphasize the critical nature of cooperation. Your individual strength means nothing if you cannot function as a unit." He gestured toward the recovering groups. "You may now take a moment to recuperate and review your performance."
Li Shulai, He Lingxuan, and Chen Ruipeng found solid ground beneath their feet, returned to reality. Their Mana fluctuations hadn't fully subsided, and their breathing was still ragged. But their eyes immediately locked onto the pale, robed figure beside them.
The scenes from the Matrix were still churning in their minds: the Iron Sentinel's brutal assault, the suffocating pressure, and that sharp, desperate voice that repeatedly pointed the way in the nick of time.
"Swordsman, strike its right eye node, the Mana is fluctuating abnormally there!"
"Axewielder, one step forward, cleave the knee joint!"
"Alchemist, lock down its right foot for three breaths!"
These commands were precise, direct, and stripped of all excess, yet they hit the vital spots every single time. They had miraculously woven the three fighters' strength into an impossible rope, allowing them to collectively resist an attack far exceeding their individual abilities.
Li Shulai violently shook his head, as if trying to clear the lingering shock. "Damn," he muttered under his breath, his eyes wide and glued to Lin Yan's pale face. "I won't lie, you've got some serious moves." He stared at Lin Yan, his eyes wide with incredulity. "You…" The swordsman, known for his direct nature, strode forward and stopped right in front of Lin Yan, examining him openly. The disbelief in his gaze was palpable. "How did you even do that? The Golem's joint weaknesses, its energy nodes—you looked like you just knew them. That's not something simple Augury can calculate!"
He Lingxuan drew a deep, steadying breath, forcefully calming the slight tremor born of Mana depletion and mental strain. Her gaze was as sharp as a scalpel, scrutinizing Lin Yan. "Your Mana capacity, from my observation, is indeed far below the standard for front-line action. But your insight and instant judgment defy every current cognitive model. This is beyond typical divinatory arts."
Chen Ruipeng remained silent, simply re-slinging his great axe onto his back. His eyes, however, were completely different. In that brief but brutal engagement, it was Lin Yan's guidance that had allowed every block and every swing to execute with effects far exceeding his normal training level. This feeling of being precisely 'utilized' forged a respect in him based purely on combat efficacy.
The Price and the Blueprint
Just then, Lin Yan swayed almost imperceptibly, his face becoming even paler. He instinctively raised a hand to adjust his glasses, but felt a sudden warmth on his nose—a slow, viscous liquid was trickling down.
A single drop of bright red blood landed on his plain robe.
It was the cost of pushing his 'Micro-Perception Sight' capacity to the absolute breaking point, the backlash of mental overdraft. I should have listened to Grandpa and done more physical conditioning, he thought with a wry internal sigh.
Just as he was preparing to wipe the blood away with his sleeve, slightly embarrassed, a neatly folded, coarse white cotton handkerchief was silently extended toward him.
Lin Yan looked up. The offering came from Chen Ruipeng. The massive Axewielder's face was expressionless, maintaining the simple gesture.
"...Thank you," Lin Yan murmured, taking the handkerchief and pressing it to his nose. He immediately added, "I will clean and return it to you properly." He was meticulous about etiquette and preferred not to owe even a small debt.
Chen Ruipeng simply nodded, saying nothing further.
The small moment of connection eased the tight, post-battle atmosphere. Lin Yan held the cloth to his nose, tilting his head to stop the bleeding, then turned back to the trio to formally introduce himself.
"Lin Yan, The Scrying Institute, Discipline of Augury." He paused, offering a concise explanation. "Facing telling isn't just about people's faces. Everything possesses 'Qi' (vital energy) and operates on discernible laws. The Iron Sentinel was an illusion, but its energy flow, structural weak points, and attack patterns—all left traces. I merely… see those traces more clearly."
He Lingxuan pressed him further, her intellectual curiosity overcoming her caution. "What level of clarity? When you ordered the strike on the Golem's ribcage, the flaw only existed for a fraction of a second before the Golem's attack sequence initiated. Were you seeing the present flow, or the immediate future?"
Lin Yan sighed inwardly. Explaining Micro-Perception Sight to a scientific mind like He Lingxuan was difficult. "The present is merely the confluence of many possible futures. I see the current convergence of energy lines. The Golem, as a construct, must obey the laws of physics and Mana circulation. If I see the Mana about to pool in one area, its attack must follow that path to transfer momentum. I am observing the cause, before the effect is fully manifested."
Li Shulai rubbed his chin, nodding slowly as the pieces clicked into place. "So you're not guessing. You're just reading the blueprint before the building is finished. Damn." He suddenly looked mortified, stepping back slightly. "Look, Lin Yan. About what I said before... calling you a liability. It was an idiot move. I apologize. Without your... blueprint reading, we'd be standing with ten points deducted and a massive failure on our first day." His public, sincere apology was a profound step for the proud swordsman.
Lin Yan simply nodded, accepting the apology without dwelling on it.
The New Unity
"Li Shulai, Martial Arts School, Sword Adept! If there's a fight, count me in!" The words now carried the weight of respect and camaraderie.
"He Lingxuan, Alchemy School, Toxicologist." The girl's voice was still cool, but her gaze was serious. "Your observation skills are highly valuable for team operations." This was her measured acceptance of his authority.
"Chen Ruipeng, Martial Arts School, Heavy Weapons." The Axewielder was concise. But after giving his name, he met Lin Yan's eyes and gave a heavy, definite nod. The acknowledgment spoke volumes.
Li Shulai, though still buzzing with the adrenaline of combat, felt a sober sense of responsibility settle over him. He was the strongest hitter, Chen Ruipeng the anchor, and He Lingxuan the silent, lethal support. But they had all just learned that the fourth position, the Augur, was the true linchpin.
He scratched his head again. "Okay, Lin Yan. We get it. You're the brain. But this is the first day. We're going to be facing far worse than an Iron Sentinel. We need to formalize this." He looked serious. "How exactly do we plan to operate? My job is still to lead the charge, but yours is to command the flow."
Lin Yan pressed the handkerchief to his nose one last time, then tucked it into his sleeve. The lingering mental strain gave his voice a rare edge of intensity. "My Augury requires extreme focus. In combat, I cannot spare Mana for attacks, nor can I take a direct hit. My role is pure command and predictive defense. Li Shulai, your speed and versatility make you the vanguard and primary executioner of critical flaws. Chen Ruipeng, your Heavy Weapons discipline gives us the defensive wall and the breaking force; you protect the rear and absorb the necessary damage."
He looked at He Lingxuan, who waited patiently. "He Lingxuan, your toxins are useless against simple constructs, but deadly against biological threats and cultivators. You are our long-range disruptor and silent counter-measure. You will operate behind me, guarding my blind spot, ready to neutralize threats that slip through the line or that my sight fails to catch."
He Lingxuan nodded slowly, acknowledging the logic. "A fair and efficient distribution of roles. And my toxic knowledge base will also handle threat assessment for the terrain."
"Exactly," Lin Yan confirmed. "My sight can tell us how to win a fight. But your knowledge, He Lingxuan, will tell us which fights to avoid, and which resources to target." He paused, looking at the newly formed team, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and fierce determination. "We are a team built on flaws, but held together by precision. If we adhere to this structure, four thousand points will be trivial."
Li Shulai grinned, a genuine, easy smile replacing the earlier sneer. He clapped Chen Ruipeng on the shoulder. "Heard that, Axewielder? We're not the misfits anymore. We're the scalpel."
Chen Ruipeng gave a grunt that might have been amusement.