C39 Chu Yi and I will be on the Same Team!

The voice wasn't particularly loud, but in the stillness of the room, it rang out with unmistakable clarity. Instantly, all the students turned their attention in its direction. Yet, it wasn't the student who had spoken that they were looking at, but rather the instructor leading the session.

The instructor slowly turned to face the speaking student, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "What are you getting at?" he asked.

With a light smile, Zhu Yu stepped forward from the crowd. He wasn't intimidated by the teachers, who were clearly no ordinary instructors.

"Teacher, we now have fifty students, making ten groups. So, where should Chu Yi fit in?" he inquired.

"And another thing..." Zhu Yu's gaze landed on Chu Yi with a hint of disdain. "Who knows how capable he is? Could he potentially compromise the group's performance?"

Indeed, the ten groups would ultimately be ranked, with the top teams receiving rewards. But at this point, the students were driven less by the prospect of rewards and more by the value of the experience itself. Zhu Yu's challenge, cloaked in concern for the group's performance, left little room for argument. Maybe he was just someone who thrived on competition.

"And furthermore..." Zhu Yu's eyes lingered on Chu Yi, still looking down on him from his perceived higher ground. "Even if he does have the skills and didn't just get in through connections..."

"Who's to say he won't endanger the rest of us, having never undergone the specialized training we have?" Zhu Yu's final point hit home.

If the other students had been indifferent to his words before, they were certainly shaken now. Indeed, even if Chu Yi possessed strength comparable to theirs, how could he ensure he wouldn't hold them back without any prior wilderness training? Many accidents in past years were not just due to confrontations with the fearsome Demon Kings but also resulted from students' reckless actions or inexperience. That's why the school conducted a month of intensive training before venturing into the wild.

All eyes were on Chu Yi now, reflecting a mix of contemplation and resistance. Chu Yi could sense the reluctance among them.

He let out a quiet sigh. It wasn't as if he could announce that he'd operate solo in the wilderness, ensuring he wouldn't slow anyone down. To make such a statement would undoubtedly lead to the instructors barring him from participation, regardless of the students' opinions.

After a quick glance at Zhu Yu, Chu Yi turned his attention to Lee Zi, who was silent and clearly unhappy. He couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

In his past life, when he read novels, he thought it was a joke that involvement with a beautiful woman would lead to endless trouble. But now, it seemed all too real.

Without a doubt, Zhu Yu was one of Lee Zi's admirers. If he hadn't grown up with Lee Zi, or if he were just a bit less attractive—well, significantly less attractive—then he wouldn't be in this mess.

He could only blame his own excellence for the predicament.

Initially, the instructor had a playful look in his eyes, but now he was silent, lost in thought. He was well aware of the students' ulterior motives, yet he found some merit in Zhu Yu's concerns.

Chu Yi had no formal training. What would happen if he acted impulsively in the wild or his lack of experience led to trouble? Of course, there would be skilled individuals from the school and government covertly protecting them. But could they guarantee absolute safety? They were experts, not deities, and couldn't ensure that everything would go off without a hitch.

The thought of potential problems weighed heavily on the instructor's mind.

For Chu Yi alone, a simple waiver would suffice. But if his presence caused the whole team to falter, that was a responsibility too great to bear.

"Chu Yi, have you ever had any wilderness survival experience?" the instructor asked.

Chu Yi met the instructor's gaze and shook his head. If it really came down to it, he would simply opt out. Lacking combat experience wasn't a dealbreaker; he could always gain it later. There was no pressing need for him to go.

Understanding the situation, the instructor nodded thoughtfully. He decided to put it to a vote. "Who would like to team up with Chu Yi?" he inquired, surveying the fifty students around him.

Zhu Yu was smiling, but the others averted their eyes, clearly apprehensive about being paired with Chu Yi.

Indeed, as Zhu Yu had previously pointed out, no one was certain of Chu Yi's capabilities. And even with that knowledge, would someone with no wilderness survival experience truly be an asset to the team?

It must be tough!

Before their training, these students might not have seen it that way. They believed that if their strength was sufficient, wilderness survival skills—or lack thereof—wouldn't matter. They thought they could bulldoze their way through any challenge!

But the reality was different.

Only after they had learned and understood everything did they truly grasp the importance of those experiences. Without them, even if their strength doubled, they would likely meet a grim fate.

As a result, no one dared to partner with Chu Yi.

Chu Yi understood the situation based on the students' attitudes. Honestly, he didn't hold it against them. Everyone was here to better themselves through training, not to court death.

He gave the crowd a look and shrugged helplessly. Chu Yi was confident in his abilities to handle most situations, and with his exceptional origin soul, he felt he had far greater control than those with so-called experience. But these were thoughts he kept to himself.

Now, all he could do was stay home and focus on his cultivation. A little less experience wouldn't hurt.

Chu Yi breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"So, Chu Yi, about this trial..."

The instructor looked at Chu Yi with a regretful expression. The school only had so many instructors, and the government wouldn't send many experts. Five to a team was the maximum they could manage. Allocating individuals to look after Chu Yi would leave them short-handed.

After all, Chu Yi wasn't a top-tier prodigy like Lee Zi, who could expect individual attention. Chu Yi hadn't proven himself yet, so that was out of the question.

Chu Yi understood the implications before the instructor could finish speaking. With a slight nod, he turned to leave. But just then, a voice broke the silence.

"Let Chu Yi join my team..."

At the sound of this voice, the students froze, their gazes snapping in its direction. They were eager to see who was brave enough to take a risk on Chu Yi without consulting their teammates.

But upon seeing who it was, many fell silent, their eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.

It was Lee Zi.

Indeed, at that moment, it was only Lee Zi who had stepped forward.

She gave Chu Yi a cold look before turning her attention to the instructor.

"Teacher, could you please let Chu Yi be on my team?"

Under normal circumstances, such a request might pose a dilemma.

A team, after all, is comprised of five individuals.

But when Lee Zi makes a request, there's no issue at all!

The reason is simple. Lee Zi's team may appear to be a group of five, but in essence, it functions as four.

And Lee Zi...

She would have a dedicated instructor to oversee her progress.

Though she was technically one of the five, Lee Zi operated independently from the rest.

In fact, it was Lee Zi's presence that afforded her teammates superior treatment!

Typically, each group of five would share one instructor, but her team effectively had one instructor for four, making the advantage quite clear.

Thus, when Lee Zi spoke up, she didn't need to consider the preferences of the other group members.

Chu Yi watched Lee Zi with a mix of emotions, but she didn't return his gaze, instead maintaining her icy stare at the instructor.

Clearly, the instructor regarded Lee Zi's input with utmost importance.

Indeed, among all the opinions he valued, Lee Zi's was paramount.

The instructor was acutely aware of Lee Zi's talent, far more than anyone else, and he understood the magnitude of her potential achievements.

In this galactic era, a prodigy like her could provide immense support to the federal government and humanity.

Even though Lee Zi's current strength didn't match his, the instructor was well aware that in the eyes of the human elite, a hundred of him wouldn't compare to one Lee Zi.

Moreover, the instructor harbored no bias against Chu Yi.

This was a student personally recommended by Lee Guoqiang, and he was inclined to show respect.

Regrettably, due to previous opposition, his hands had been tied.

As the coordinator of the training center, acting unilaterally could attract criticism, especially since there were many who eyed his position with envy.

He had no desire to furnish detractors with ammunition.

Now, however, the situation had changed. With Lee Zi speaking out, it was unlikely that anyone would dissent.

As expected, the instructor's survey of the room confirmed the students' silence. They might refuse Chu Yi, but faced with Lee Zi, they would not object.

The instructor smiled gently and began, "Well, if that's the situation, then..."

"Hold on a second!"