RMM – Chapter 85 Decision

Gao Yunxiao stared in disbelief at the completely composed Xie Yuechen, whose breathing hadn’t even faltered. It was as if he had just stretched his limbs, not fought a battle.

Meanwhile, Gao Yunxiao himself was lying on the ground, his entire body aching unbearably. He had no time to care about how disheveled he looked—every bit of his willpower was focused on holding back the cold groan threatening to escape his throat.

Almost everyone was injured, faces full of complex emotions. Their previous confidence had been shattered into pieces by Xie Yuechen in mere moments.

It wasn’t just that they’d been physically defeated—what truly crushed them was Xie Yuechen’s overwhelming aura and unbelievable speed when he made his move. Was that even something a regular human could achieve? The sheer force of his presence in that instant pierced straight into their hearts, leaving them trembling. They had already lost from the moment it began.

All their previous arrogance and condescension had been instantly broken by Xie Yuechen’s effortless retaliation, slapping them back in their own faces. Now, their cheeks flushed, their eyes were filled with complicated emotions.

Soldiers were proud beings—being beaten and knocked to the ground like this was undeniably humiliating. And it wasn’t even a fair fight: twenty against one. That made it even worse. But at the same time, soldiers were also straightforward people. Even if they’d been thoroughly defeated, in that moment, their view of Xie Yuechen changed completely. With strength like his, what complaints could they possibly have?

The training ground fell silent, the only sound the wind blowing past.

Xie Yuechen swept a cold glance around them and, paying no attention to their shock, said coldly, “If you can still get up, keep running. If not, get to the infirmary. Don’t block the road.”

No one had a more complex mix of feelings than Gao Yunxiao. Among all of them, he was the oldest—even a year older than Xie Yuechen. By logic, he should’ve been the most senior. He had arrived full of confidence, only to be told that someone else was team leader—a colonel younger than himself. It had been a bitter pill to swallow, hence all the deliberate attempts to make things difficult.

Yet before any real opposition could begin, reality had already slammed him into the ground. Every sharp throb of pain in his body reminded him just how pathetic his fall had been.

“A true soldier only ever strives to improve.”

Just as Gao Yunxiao was wallowing in his shame, a voice sounded above him. He could tell it was Xie Yuechen.

He looked up, expecting to see a mocking face, but was surprised to find an expression as calm as still water. On that emotionless face, there wasn’t even a trace of contempt.

“You don’t think this is ridiculous?” Gao Yunxiao couldn’t help but ask.

“Not interested,” Xie Yuechen replied coldly, glancing at him with a look of mild disdain before turning his attention to Han Zhiyuan and the others who were still standing and watching. He barked, “Keep running. Add ten laps.”

Gao Yunxiao was stunned by the reply and suddenly realized how self-absorbed he had been. He withdrew his searching gaze, gritted his teeth against the persistent ache in his abdomen and knees, and struggled to get up.

Han Zhiyuan and the others jumped into motion the moment they heard Xie Yuechen’s harsh command, not daring to complain. If they had merely feared him before, the scene they had just witnessed had left them genuinely intimidated. This guy was basically superhuman—who would dare grumble?

Elsewhere, Xie Haomin, who had just struggled to his feet, looked at Xie Yuechen—whose fierce presence had already withdrawn—and raised an eyebrow, interest flashing through his eyes. So this is Xie Yuechen? He really does live up to the name.

Thinking of how the old man at home wouldn’t stop praising him day and night, Xie Haomin snorted to himself. Everyone says Xie Yuechen made it on his own, but do you really think the Xie and Su families just sat back and watched? Hmph. There’s plenty of time—he’d see for himself just what kind of man Xie Yuechen really was.

Damn, he really hits hard—my arm’s almost broken.

Xie Yuechen watched the twenty or so men he had just knocked down struggle to their feet and start running again. Seeing the determination on their faces, a trace of satisfaction finally appeared in his eyes.

Not bad—they still have some fire in them. Once their pride is worn down, they may not become unfathomably deep, but they should at least learn to hide their edges. Only then will they barely qualify. I have no need for hot-headed fools with their emotions written all over their faces. Dragon Pool and Tiger Den are no places for amateurs.

Han Zhiyuan jogged past, catching up with Gao Yunxiao and the others who were technically running but at a pace closer to walking. He grinned sideways and whispered, “So? Feeling refreshed now?”

He glanced at Xie Yuechen, who was still standing in place but not paying them any attention, and added, “Our captain’s not a simple guy. You’d better watch out.”

Xie Haomin massaged his arm and responded with a half-smile, “Is that so? Looks like you aren’t feeling too refreshed yet.”

Han Zhiyuan suddenly felt uneasy. After spending a few days with this guy, he knew he was a sly fox. “What are you planning—ow!”

Before he could finish, a pained scream burst from his mouth, drawing Xie Yuechen’s attention.

Damn it, he’s not a fox—he’s a damn jackal! Han Zhiyuan cursed internally, clutching his abdomen. That knee strike had been too precise! Just as he was starting to recover from the earlier beating, now this? Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.

Xie Haomin let out a cold snort. If I have to suffer, everyone suffers.

Xie Yuechen saw what happened and understood immediately. He looked over once, then withdrew his gaze. As long as they followed his orders and trained properly, he didn’t care about the rest.

He frowned slightly, feeling a bit tired. No matter how strong he was, he was still flesh and blood—taking on more than twenty people at once was no easy feat.

Even though Xie Yuechen didn’t interfere, Han Zhiyuan didn’t dare slack off. He gritted his teeth, face twisted, hands clutching his stomach as he kept running. He didn’t know why, but just one glance from Xie Yuechen sent chills down his spine. He didn’t dare ease up even a little.

Seeing Han Zhiyuan red-faced and gritting his teeth, the others finally laughed out loud. That laughter finally broke the heavy silence that had blanketed them all.

Even Gao Yunxiao looked visibly more relaxed.

No matter what the future held, at least for now, the team members of the operations group weren’t entirely rejecting their newly appointed captain anymore.

There was still plenty of time ahead, and no urgent missions for the moment. There would be enough time for them to slowly understand and grow accustomed to each other.

Unlike Xie Yuechen, who was tense and exhausted, Su Ruo was feeling bored with nothing to do.

Thinking of what had happened during her last visit to the hospital, she couldn’t help but worry about Duan Wei. She didn’t know how she’d been doing these past couple of days. Things had gotten busy, and she’d completely forgotten about her.

“He Wen, have you been in touch with Weiwei lately?”

“I have. You want to ask how she’s doing, right? Don’t bother. I don’t know either,” He Wen sighed helplessly.

“But didn’t you say you contacted her?” Su Ruo frowned.

“I did, but she won’t say anything. She won’t come out either. What do you expect me to do?”

“Sigh. Should we try again today?” Su Ruo suggested. “She can’t just stay holed up at home forever. Getting out might help her clear her head.”

“Sure. I’ve got no better ideas. You call her—I’ll be waiting with hope in my heart,” He Wen sighed dramatically. Love… look what it does to people. I think I’ll avoid it for the rest of my life.

Su Ruo rolled her eyes, snorted, and hung up. She found Duan Wei’s number and called her.

“Hello, Ruoruo.” Duan Wei picked up quickly. Her voice was calm—emotionless.

“Weiwei, you’re not busy right now, are you? Want to hang out for a bit?”

“Sure. I was just thinking of calling you guys about something too.” Surprisingly, Duan Wei agreed immediately.

“What is it?” Su Ruo was a little uneasy. She couldn’t imagine what Duan Wei would want to talk about right now—somehow, she had a bad feeling.

“What’s the rush? I’ll tell you when we meet. Let’s go to Muyo,” Duan Wei chuckled lightly. “It’s not something I can explain over the phone.”

“Alright, I’ll call He Wen. You go on ahead.” Su Ruo couldn’t figure it out but agreed anyway.

After informing He Wen, Su Ruo headed downstairs to tell Shen Liang, who was watering flowers in the garden, that she was going out, and then drove off.

Neither she nor He Wen expected the “surprise” Duan Wei had for them to be so shocking.

“What? Travel? Where to?” Su Ruo’s eyes widened in shock.

The moment they met, Duan Wei told them she was leaving B City—she wanted to go traveling.

“The world is big. I’m sure there’s a place for me somewhere,” Duan Wei smiled nonchalantly.

Su Ruo and He Wen exchanged glances. “Why the sudden decision? Does your family even agree?” He Wen asked, frowning.

“Why wouldn’t they? I’m not doing anything important here anyway. Might as well travel and broaden my horizons a bit, elevate my life or whatever,” Duan Wei said lightly, eyes fixed on her wine glass. The smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Cut the crap. Be honest—this is because of that scumbag, isn’t it?” He Wen’s tone was sharp.

“Well… yeah, I guess. Looking back on my life so far, I don’t even know what I’ve been living for. I’ve got nothing, and I’m exhausted. Honestly, I feel like I’ve really let my family down… they’ve worried so much for me,” Duan Wei’s voice grew softer, ending in a long sigh. “Now, I’ve finally woken up. I need to think about my future. But before that, I want to get away from this toxic place, clear my head, fix my mess of a mindset. Trust me—I’ll be back soon.”

She rambled on for a while, then noticed both Su Ruo and He Wen staring at her disapprovingly.

“Oh, come on, you two. What are you so worried about? What can’t I handle these days? I’m Duan the Superwoman! I used to make He Wen cry all the time as a kid, remember? Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. Stop frowning and wish me luck, will you?”

She patted their shoulders lightly. She really was leaving. She didn’t know what the future held, but right now, she just wasn’t ready to run into them again without warning.

“But what about your family?” Su Ruo asked anxiously.

“I’ve still got my brother, haven’t I? And my parents aren’t exactly feeble old folks. When I told them I wanted to travel, they were actually the first to support me.”

At this point, Su Ruo knew Duan Wei had made up her mind. No amount of persuasion would help. She hadn’t expected Mo Qi to hurt her this deeply.

Running away after heartbreak might seem cowardly—but sometimes, it’s also an act of courage.

The rain might not always end with a rainbow—but at least, the sky will clear eventually.