Chapter 930: Chapter 930

Wang Zixuan let out a cold snort, "We can find all that knowledge on the internet, and we have a compass to determine direction. As for identifying herbs, Lin Chen is an expert. Why waste time on these unnecessary things?"

Lan Xingyue's gaze sharpened as she strode directly to Wang Zixuan, speaking in an icy tone, "The internet? Do you really think there's a network in the secret realm? The compass? In the magnetic fields of the secret realm, it's completely useless! Let me tell you this: once inside, everything depends on yourself. If something goes wrong, when you're alone facing this unknown world, it's the so-called trivial knowledge that will save your life—telling you what can and can't be eaten in the jungle, how the growth patterns of plants and the sky can guide you, how to find water sources, and where to set up a safe campsite at night. If you can't master these things, I'll tell you right now, you won't survive even a single day in the secret realm."

"And one more thing: you might have been a young lady of privilege in the past, but let me remind you, here you are just a soldier. You must follow all of my orders without question, or get out!" Lan Xingyue said sternly.

"You!" Wang Zixuan, who had always been treated like a princess, had never been reprimanded so harshly. Her face flushed bright red, and her eyes seemed ready to shoot fire.

"What's the matter? Not convinced? I'll give you a chance to challenge me," Lan Xingyue said flatly.

Wang Zixuan finally couldn't hold back anymore. She threw a punch directly at Lan Xingyue's head.

Lan Xingyue's lips curled into a cold smile. With a slight tilt of her body, she dodged the punch. In the next instant, her right hand shot out, lightly grasping Wang Zixuan's wrist. She pulled Wang Zixuan into her arms while using her shoulder to forcefully bump her backward, causing Wang Zixuan to stumble several steps.

Before Wang Zixuan could steady herself, Lan Xingyue was already upon her, delivering a sidekick squarely to Wang Zixuan's abdomen.

Wang Zixuan's body flew backward, landing directly in a rocky area.

Lin Chen leaped forward, catching the airborne Wang Zixuan.

"Captain Lan, don't you think you went a little too far?" Lin Chen's gaze turned cold as he stared at Lan Xingyue.

Just now, there were sharp stones behind Wang Zixuan. If her head had struck one of them, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Lan Xingyue hadn't noticed the rocks behind Wang Zixuan until after she made her move. By then, it was too late. Upon seeing Lin Chen catch Wang Zixuan, she let out a small sigh of relief, though her expression remained frosty. "I just wanted to make it clear to her—whatever she was before, here, she is nothing. She must follow orders unconditionally. Lin Chen, do you have any other objections?"

At that moment, the sound of clapping suddenly echoed. A burly man in military attire walked over.

"Xingyue, are these the elites you've chosen? They don't seem all that impressive," the man sneered.

Lan Xingyue glanced at the man and said coolly, "Zhan Xiong, they're my soldiers. In my eyes, they're the best—your judgment isn't necessary."

"Haha, is that so? The best soldiers? Then I'd like to see just how strong your 'best' soldiers really are." Zhan Xiong laughed as he approached, his gaze filled with disdain.

"I'm not one to hit women. You're the only man here. Let's see what you've got," Zhan Xiong said, curling a finger at Lin Chen.

Seeing that Zhan Xiong was challenging Lin Chen, Lan Xingyue's eyes narrowed as she stepped forward to stop him. "Zhan Xiong, I'm the team captain. If you want to challenge someone, you'll have to go through me first."

"I already said, I don't like hitting women. Don't worry, I'll go easy on him," Zhan Xiong sneered.

Lin Chen stepped forward, smiling faintly at Lan Xingyue. "I've heard that Zhan Long's instructors are some of the best special forces soldiers in China. I'd like to see just how good they really are."

"Lin Chen, stand down!" Lan Xingyue furrowed her brows and barked at him.

Zhan Xiong was one of Zhan Long's ace instructors, at the mid-stage of the Divine Vein realm, with exceptional combat skills. Even she wasn't his match.

Though Lin Chen was strong, against such an opponent, he would almost certainly lose.

Despite the recent tensions between her and Lin Chen, in her heart, Lin Chen was still her team member—someone she had a responsibility to protect.

"Zhan Xiong, as the captain of this team, if you want to challenge one of my members, you'll have to get through me first," Lan Xingyue said coldly.

Lin Chen, who had been displeased with Lan Xingyue earlier, felt a warmth in his heart upon seeing her unhesitatingly stand up for him.

"Captain, let me handle this. This is a matter for men," Lin Chen said calmly.

"In Zhan Long, there's no distinction between men and women. Here, there are only warriors. Lin Chen, follow orders," Lan Xingyue said solemnly.

Seeing the seriousness in Lan Xingyue's expression, Lin Chen realized that insisting further might embarrass her. He decided to step back.

Zhan Xiong nodded. "Very well, Xingyue. Since you insist, I'll oblige. Don't worry—I'll be gentle."

"Not necessary!" Lan Xingyue scoffed coldly. She suddenly launched a kick directly at Zhan Xiong's face.

Zhan Xiong snorted dismissively as he leaned backward to dodge, reaching out to grab Lan Xingyue's ankle.

However, Lan Xingyue quickly retracted her leg and struck towards Zhan Xiong's chin with her fist.

Zhan Xiong let out a disdainful snort, countering her punch with one of his own.

Just as their fists were about to collide, Lan Xingyue suddenly pulled back her punch, transforming it into an open palm to chop at his neck.

Zhan Xiong, unable to dodge in time, had to raise his arm to block.

Lan Xingyue's wrist flicked, and she landed a punch on Zhan Xiong's shoulder.

To her surprise, Zhan Xiong didn't budge an inch. Instead, he extended both arms and trapped Lan Xingyue in a bear hug.

Lan Xingyue's eyes narrowed. She lifted her leg high, her booted toe slamming into Zhan Xiong's forehead.

At the same time, her elbow swung back fiercely, striking Zhan Xiong in the stomach.

Feeling the pain in his abdomen, Zhan Xiong's grip loosened slightly. Lan Xingyue seized the opportunity, twisting her body to free herself from his hold.

The battle between the two raged like lightning. Lan Xingyue focused on agility and precision, launching a flurry of attacks at Zhan Xiong.

Zhan Xiong's fighting style was simple yet brutal, relying solely on overwhelming strength to crush his opponents.

While it looked like Lan Xingyue had the upper hand, Lin Chen could tell that Zhan Xiong's strikes were far more lethal.

For every ten attacks Lan Xingyue landed, Zhan Xiong seemed hardly affected. But if Zhan Xiong managed to land a single blow on Lan Xingyue, it could be devastating.

"What's the deal with this Zhan Xiong? He's practically getting beaten up by our captain," An Xiaodi said with a laugh.

"Hmph, of course! Our captain is the iron rose of Zhan Long—naturally, she's incredible," Yue'er said proudly.

Lin Chen, however, shook his head. "The captain is going to lose."

"What? That's impossible! The captain clearly has the advantage!" Yue'er protested indignantly.

Just then, the tide of the battle shifted. Zhan Xiong suddenly picked up the pace, his moves growing faster and more aggressive.

Finally, Lan Xingyue failed to dodge and took a brutal elbow strike to her shoulder.

She felt the force surging into her body and staggered back several steps before she could steady herself. Her face turned slightly pale as she clutched her injured shoulder, her brows furrowing in discomfort.

Just as Lan Xingyue was about to charge forward again, a pair of hands landed firmly on her shoulders. "Captain, let me handle this!"