A volleyball net separated the two, and Bai Xiaodu had never been so serious.
He had a solemn expression.
This time, he had staked all of his dignity.
Director-General Shen tossed the volleyball up and down with one hand.
“Here it comes.”
“Okay...”
Boom!
As soon as the words left her mouth, Bai Xiaodu felt his vision blur as a tri-colored meteor descended from the sky.
A hurricane-like wind flashed past his ear, making it ring with pain!
Without time to worry about his disheveled short silver hair, Bai Xiaodu quickly looked over.
He saw a massive crater, several meters in diameter, blasted into the golden sand, with terrifying spiderweb-like cracks spreading around it.
Layer upon layer, it was enough to make his scalp tingle!
He feared that even a Warrior Apprentice's full-strength strike would only be at this level.
Moreover, despite being subjected to such monstrous force, the volleyball before him was completely unscathed!
Forget blocking it with Mage Hand—he probably couldn't even take that kind of hit with his bare body, could he?
Bai Xiaodu turned his head and swallowed hard.
Director-General Shen smiled half-heartedly as the volleyball flew back into her hand of its own accord.
“It seems I won the first round.”
Bai Xiaodu gave a thumbs-up.
“OK, you win. I surrender, meow.”
A Mage Apprentice fighting someone with power far exceeding a Warrior Apprentice, and with his spells restricted on top of that. How the hell was he supposed to play?
Director-General Shen stroked her chin.
“Surrendering? That works too. You just need to strip off those extra clothes, and I'll walk you around the streets on a leash for a couple of laps. We'll call it even.”
Her silver, tassel-like long hair draped over her shoulder.
Her enchanting, exquisite, and calm face spoke words that sounded like the whispers of a demon from the abyss.
“Of course, our first stop will be the Sunshine Orphanage.”
Right, right, right.
Bai Xiaodu laughed in anger.
So that's how we're playing?
He grabbed the chef's coat he was wearing and flung it away with a swoosh.
To preserve his image in the kids' hearts, Bai Xiaodu was going all out!
“Again!”
Bang! Once again, he failed to react in time. The volleyball flashed past like a hurricane, leaving his ears ringing.
“Again!!”
This time, he barely caught its trajectory, but before his Mage Hand could even materialize, the volleyball had already hit the ground, blasting another deep crater.
“Again!!!”
The Mage Hand he had worked so hard to form had just taken shape to block the ball when it was instantly obliterated by the irresistible, monstrous force.
...
One by one, the clothes on Bai Xiaodu's body decreased.
He quickly went from a bloated, bulky ball back to his original slender frame.
To the point where his upper body was bare, leaving him in only a pair of black boxer briefs.
Director-General Shen's gaze swept over him from time to time, but Bai Xiaodu didn't bother covering up at all.
Hadn't he worked out for so long just to show it off anyway?
Though his build could only be described as a youthful physique with some lean muscle.
Bai Xiaodu stared intently at the volleyball howling through the air, a sharp gleam bursting from his eyes.
In his highly tense mental state, his Heart of Iron was rapidly activated.
Under his mental control, three deep-blue palm prints quietly appeared above, below, and in the middle of the fast-flying volleyball.
Retract!
Bai Xiaodu clenched his hand into a tight fist.
The top and bottom palms took a grasping stance, while the middle palm blocked, and his spell runes flared with light.
He actually managed to stall the volleyball, which was hurtling forward like a cannonball!
Seeing this, Bai Xiaodu pushed his limits again.
The three palms merged into one, transforming into a massive deep-blue palm print that slammed viciously against the volleyball!
Boom.
A white shockwave dispersed, and for the first time, the tri-colored streak of light shot from Bai Xiaodu's side toward the opponent!
Unfortunately, even though he had successfully returned the ball for the first time, Director-General Shen had no intention of going easy on him, catching it effortlessly with just a single finger.
Then, she tossed it back again.
Bai Xiaodu wanted to condense his spell runes again and repeat the trick to strike it back.
But a sudden, sharp pain shot through his brain as a wave of intense exhaustion washed over him.
Collapsing to the ground uncontrollably, Bai Xiaodu panted heavily as the volleyball hit the sand with a thud.
Using spells non-stop for an hour, even if it was Mage Hand which had an extremely low consumption rate, was too much for him to handle.
Director-General Shen slowly walked over and knelt on one knee.
Her teal-blue eyes observed his exhausted state, and she reached out to touch his forehead to check on him.
Seeing her like this, Bai Xiaodu couldn't help but feel a little touched.
Even though Director-General Shen had been acting like an absolute beast, bullying the weak with her high realm and suppressing him without restraint, and even threatening to walk him like a dog around the Sunshine Orphanage if he refused to play, judging by how she cared for her junior now, she still seemed like a decent president.
“Take it off.”
Bai Xiaodu: “...?”
Director-General Shen raised her brow slightly. Her overwhelming aura drew closer, practically pressing right against Bai Xiaodu's face.
“Are you trying to back out of our game? You didn't catch my volleyball just now.”
Bai Xiaodu fell silent for a moment before speaking with some difficulty.
“But Director-General, this is the last piece I have left.”
She said calmly, “What does that matter? I've only had these two pieces on me the whole time.”
This absolute beast!
Bai Xiaodu steeled himself, his hands slowly reaching for the waistband of his boxer briefs.
“Fi-Fine.”
But just as his fingers touched them, Director-General Shen pulled out a phone from who-knows-where.
She held it horizontally with a blank expression.
Recording started.
Hearing the prompt, Bai Xiaodu's expression instantly froze.
“Director-General Shen, what are you doing?!”
“Tsk, my mistake.”
“If it's your mistake, turn it off quickly!”
“I meant I forgot to turn off the sound effect.”
“You can't do this! This was just a game between us!”
Director-General Shen explained patiently, “It's only for my eyes. I definitely won't send it to anyone else, and I'll delete it right after watching.”
What a classic line.
Never in his wildest dreams did Bai Xiaodu think this kind of excuse would be used on him.
He used to work in nightlife, and every time he heard this line in a private booth, he couldn't help but laugh.
Because as long as it worked, a new batch of short videos would inevitably pop up on certain websites a few days later.
Dammit, he never expected this line to be used on him today!
He couldn't laugh anymore.
Bai Xiaodu crossed his arms.
“No way!”
Director-General Shen ignored him, expressionlessly executing the attitude a victor deserved.
Beep.
Pressing the pause button, Director-General Shen examined the recording closely before putting her phone away with satisfaction.
Lying on the ground, Bai Xiaodu wrapped himself tightly with his silver-white tail, his defense truly shattered.
Seeing him like this, Director-General Shen comforted him, “Admitting defeat is nothing to be ashamed of. Since you learned how to block it today, maybe you'll actually beat me in a few days. Besides...”
A hint of appreciation flickered in her teal-blue eyes.
“Little Xiaodu should really be called Big Xiaodu instead.”
...
Bai Xiaodu quickly scooped up his clothes in a messy pile, clutched them to his chest, and ran into the house.
Director-General Shen, however, was in no hurry to leave.
Finding a spot to sit down, she focused her attention on the short video she had just recorded.
Zooming in to inspect various details, Director-General Shen fell into deep thought.
“Strengthened tendons and bones, a natural talent for martial arts. No wonder he could work as a fitness coach before he was discovered.”
“Not only that, but his spellcasting speed and efficiency far exceed ordinary people's. He probably possesses some special magic talent as well.”
“And his size is... quite a pleasant surprise.”
Rate on N.U.
