Chapter 148: Give Me a Golden Pardon

"Say one more word, and I'll add an hour to your evening training."

"Oh, oh, oh, I didn't see anything at all..." Upon hearing that the evening training would be extended, A-Di decisively acted as if nothing had happened, turned around, and walked downstairs.

"I didn't see anything either."

"Me neither, me neither."

Qin Sheng shook her head helplessly. The moment evening training was mentioned, not a single one of them was willing to stick around for the gossip.

It seemed the intensity of the training was quite high. Given how resistant they were, Qin Sheng felt it was necessary to observe them closely that evening and determine if each of them required specialized training.

"Wang Qiang, wait a moment." Having reached this thought, Qin Sheng called out to Wang Qiang; the others, not daring to linger for the excitement, had already retreated early.

"Captain, is there anything else you need to instruct me on?"

Qin Sheng crossed her arms and pursed her lips, looking worried. "How did everyone do during this morning and evening's training?"

Wang Qiang reported accurately, "Lin Xing, Chu Xingyu, and Jiang Miaomiao are all equally self-disciplined. Xiaoxiao and Xiaonuo still have plenty of room for improvement. Shen Shi and Shen Mei probably don't need to worry, but A-Di is the only one..."

It was roughly as Qin Sheng had estimated. Shen Mei and Shen Shi already had a foundation, so the morning and evening training sessions were within their capacity. A-Di, however, had almost no foundation, and keeping up with those who had even a slight head start was perhaps rather difficult for her.

"A-Di can't keep up, is that it?"

Wang Qiang nodded gently, confirming Qin Sheng's assessment.

"A-Di lacks a foundation; excessive training might do her more harm than good. Let me think about specific training measures, and I'll make arrangements then."

"Very well, Captain. I'll go prepare things for Brother Song."

Qin Sheng waved her hand. "Go ahead."

As Qin Sheng returned to her room, she was still thinking about the individual training measures for A-Di. She was so lost in thought that she seemed to have forgotten there was another person in the room.

Song Qing'an had been observing Qin Sheng the entire time—watching her instruct Wang Qiang on specific matters, then watching her walk back to the room step by step, without her ever sparing him a single glance.

Thinking of this, Song Qing'an felt a bit aggrieved. How could such a handsome man sitting right here go completely unnoticed by Qin Sheng?

"Hey, am I so invisible to you that you won't even look at me?" Song Qing'an stood up, picked up his stool, and sat down in front of Qin Sheng like a child, fearing she might not see him.

The moment Qin Sheng snapped out of her thoughts, Song Qing'an was already sitting before her, his peach-blossom eyes filled with affection.

"Why are you sitting so close?" Qin Sheng swallowed, feeling a bit flustered, and shifted her position backward.

Song Qing'an smiled helplessly. "If I didn't sit this close, how would I know what kind of worries you're hiding that I'm not allowed to know?"

So, it was because he wanted to know what she was thinking that he had come so close.

"I wasn't thinking of anything..."

"Thinking about how to help those team members improve?" Before Qin Sheng could instinctively refute, Song Qing'an spoke as if he had already anticipated it.

"How did you know?" Qin Sheng looked at Song Qing'an in surprise. Having her thoughts read so clearly by him brought her both astonishment and a sense of comfort.

Song Qing'an moved a few steps closer to her.

"I have a way." Song Qing'an’s peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, filled with a mix of playfulness and pride, his lips curved as he stared expectantly at Qin Sheng’s petite face.

Qin Sheng naturally knew it wouldn't be that easy, so she stopped guessing and asked directly, "Speak. What do you want?"

***

Upon hearing Qin Sheng's question, Song Qing'an pursed his lips. "What do I want? I don't seem to lack anything, so naturally, there's nothing I want."

Qin Sheng was stumped. Her space contained nothing but food and usable supplies; there was nothing she could possibly give to Song Qing'an.

Song Qing'an did not miss the look of struggle on Qin Sheng's face and found it quite amusing, watching her for a long time.

Seeing her expression, Song Qing'an knew she hadn't come up with anything, but it didn't matter; he truly lacked nothing.

"How about this: promise me one condition, and I'll tell you," Song Qing'an said gently.

The struggle on Qin Sheng's face faded, replaced by a touch of suspicion. She countered, "What condition? It can't be anything too excessive."

Hearing this, Song Qing'an arched an eyebrow and leaned in closer once more. The distance between them shrank until their noses were only a fist's width apart.

The closer Song Qing'an got, the more clearly Qin Sheng could see those peach-blossom eyes. Every time she met them, she fell into them without fail.

Those eyes were like a whirlpool in a lake; once you got close, you were drawn in, with no power to escape.

Qin Sheng was stunned, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Her fingertips curled slightly. As they locked eyes, both of them forgot everything else.

Song Qing'an was no exception; his peach-blossom eyes were filled with intensity, but the slight redness at the tips of his ears betrayed his own nervousness.

"Hiss."

It wasn't until her leg went numb that Qin Sheng regained her senses and pushed Song Qing'an away, despite him being only a fraction of an inch away.

"Is your leg numb?" Song Qing'an instantly returned to his original position, putting away the previous ambiguity, and as if treating her like a precious treasure, he gently placed her numb leg onto his own and began to massage her muscles.

Qin Sheng did not refuse. She obediently let her "free massage assistant" work on her leg until the tingling sensation faded, at which point she pulled her leg back.

"Feeling better?" Song Qing'an looked at her comfortable expression, a smirk playing on his lips, full of doting amusement.

Qin Sheng bit her lip in embarrassment and smiled. "Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly."

Song Qing'an chuckled helplessly and shook his head without saying a word.

"So, what is your condition?" Qin Sheng turned back to look at Song Qing'an again.

Song Qing'an narrowed his eyes, looked at her, and said with a faint smile, "How about you grant me a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card? In case I accidentally waste your time again in the future, at least I'll be able to keep my head."

As Song Qing'an joked, it reminded Qin Sheng of the time he had stood her up, and how they had engaged in a fierce fight upon his return before calling it even.

Qin Sheng nodded. "I promise you."

"But keeping my head was just a joke; a 'get-out-of-jail-free' card naturally has its own uses," Song Qing'an explained softly.

Qin Sheng nodded gently, leaving a soft, pleasant sound behind. "Hmm."

Having secured the card, Song Qing'an’s peach-blossom eyes deepened with a smile.

"Xun Feng." Song Qing'an called out toward the door, and Xun Feng appeared at the entrance of the room instantly.

Qin Sheng was not surprised at all; after all, Xun Feng was practically inseparable from Song Qing'an, and both of them possessed unfathomable strength that she could not yet gauge.

"Master, here is what you wanted." Xun Feng nodded toward Qin Sheng, walked in, and handed a few books to her.

Qin Sheng flipped through them briefly. Just as Song Qing'an had said, they were indeed introductory books on ancient martial arts training, perfectly suited for someone at A-Di's stage.

"Thank you." Qin Sheng’s thanks were directed at both Song Qing'an and Xun Feng.

Xun Feng, seeing that there was nothing left for him to do, tactfully withdrew.

"Has your ability had any unusual reactions lately?" Song Qing'an's expression turned uncharacteristically serious.

At his question, Qin Sheng thought of the time her ability had protected her, and she recounted the entire incident to him.

After listening, Song Qing'an's expression didn't change much, and he didn't seem overly anxious. "It's not a bad thing that your ability can protect you, but if you have any other reactions, remember to tell me."

Qin Sheng nodded gently, taking his words to heart.

"Captain, it's bad! Shen Shi and Chen Er from the first squad are fighting!" Following the sound of the doorbell ringing, Lin Xing's hurried voice came from outside the door.

Upon hearing that Shen Shi and Chen Er were fighting, Qin Sheng stood up immediately. "Where? Take me there."

"Follow me, boss."

Qin Sheng looked back at Song Qing'an, nodded, and ran out after Lin Xing.

Song Qing'an sat in the chair for a moment before following them at a leisurely pace.

Qin Sheng followed Lin Xing to the guard team's training ground. It was rarely used and had no equipment, just a large open space. In the safe zone, there was a rule: if anyone felt they had the strength to challenge a captain, they could apply for a duel, and the winner would become the new captain.

Of course, those who fought here had to sign a death warrant.

As long as the match was not over, the party with the upper hand held power over the other's life. That Shen Shi and Chen Er were dueling here surely had a reason.

Chen Er was one of Guo Jun's men, and Shen Shi had also been part of Guo Jun's team before joining the seventh squad. This fight was likely caused by more than just a simple provocation.

When Qin Sheng arrived, Chen Er and Shen Shi were indeed signing the death warrant.

"Shen Shi." Qin Sheng called out to him, shaking her head slightly to signal him not to be so reckless as to walk straight into the trap Chen Er had set.

Shen Shi only glanced at Qin Sheng before turning back to sign his name on the document.

"Boss, what should we do?"

"Once they step onto that platform, they'll have to fight with their lives on the line."

Compared to the nervous state of Lin Xing and Chu Xingyu, Qin Sheng appeared far too calm.

She knew Chen Er's strength; Shen Shi was entirely superior to him.

But since they had come here, Chen Er must have prepared some kind of trick. After all, Guo Jun wouldn't want to sacrifice his own right-hand man.

Qin Sheng was worried, of course, but she was more concerned with figuring out what method Guo Jun had used.

"Be careful. This fight isn't that simple."

As Shen Shi passed her, Qin Sheng, unable to discern Guo Jun's conspiracy, could only offer a warning to keep him on his guard.

"Hmm."