Ch. 541..550

Chapter 541 Mocking

After a week of physical training, the freshmen suddenly received a notice to start field training.

“What does field training mean?” the freshmen asked the instructor in confusion. The instructor, with a piece of grass in his mouth, looked at the questioning freshmen with disdain on his face.

“Didn’t you guys say that you are top students? Why don’t you even know what field training is?”

After a few days of getting along, the instructor had developed a good relationship with the students. He would occasionally joke around with no hard feelings.

The freshmen smiled, teasingly saying, “Sir, this isn’t a reading comprehension test. Don’t play dumb with us. Just tell us.”

“Listen up. I don’t want you to make me feel embarrassed.”

After the instructor finished speaking, he explained the meaning of field training to the freshmen.

There was an old military camp near Styre University, which had some training equipment. Styre University thought that the physical fitness of the freshmen was getting worse every year, and they lacked tenacity and perseverance. The school contacted the military camp, planning to send the freshmen there for training.

After the instructor finished explaining in detail, the freshmen all became excited.

In the entire Loxton, only the students of the University of Penny had the opportunity to practice shooting. Other schools’ training only consisted of exercises like marching under the sun.

If Styre University freshmen could participate in field training, they would have the opportunity to practice shooting and even get hands-on experience with military equipment.

They were all young students under twenty, full of passion and enthusiasm. What could be more exciting for them than this?

The instructor looked at the excited freshmen with a cunning smile in his eyes.

While others didn’t notice the instructor’s smile, Catherine saw it clearly and silently mourned for these naive students. They were laughing so happily now, but they would be cursing loudly later.

After a simple morning training, all the students sat in military vehicles and headed toward the nearby military camp. The scorching sun couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm. Their curiosity about this mysterious camp had surpassed everything else.

As expected, the first part of the field training was target shooting.

But it wasn’t a free-for-all where everyone got a gun and started shooting. Instead, the freshmen were divided into several small groups, taking turns to shoot the target, one group at a time.

The instructor circled around the freshmen with his hands behind his back, shouting, “If you want to shoot accurately, you must hold the gun properly.”

The first group stepped forward, carried their rifles on their shoulders under the scorching sun, and knelt on one knee, unmoving.

The instructor’s requirement didn’t seem harsh. They only needed to maintain this posture for 10 minutes!

At first, the freshmen found it easy, but as time passed, they felt more and more terrible. Most of them could endure for one minute to three minutes, but by the fifth minute, almost half of them gave up, and none of them lasted for 10 minutes.

As for Catherine, she didn’t even participate. She told the instructor that she had heatstroke and sat on the side resting.

However, other students didn’t dare to do this. Everyone knew how strict the instructor was when it came to taking leave. If one couldn’t provide evidence that showed they truly had heatstroke, he wouldn’t allow them to rest. Therefore, everyone believed that Catherine had really suffered from heatstroke.

After the first round of failure, they proceeded to the second round.

Only when everyone passed the ten- minute rifle-holding exercise would the instructor allow them to shoot. The class that passed it first would have the opportunity to shoot first.

This turned into a competition between classes, not just individuals. In an instant, the freshmen’s competitive spirit was ignited. Those who could only hold on for three minutes just now gritted their teeth and endured for five minutes this time. Originally, no one had managed to hold on for 10 minutes, but now half of them did.

After two more rounds of training, the EIE class became the first class granted permission to shoot.

Technically speaking, the strongest class should have been the medical class. The medical department students were required to exercise every day from the beginning of their enrollment. Although they appeared fragile, each one of them was incredibly strong. So, why did the EIE class succeed first?

The class leader of the medical class couldn’t accept it and came to the EIE class, trying to learn something from them. The EIE class didn’t hesitate and directly gave him the answer.

“We have a genius in our class who knows a breathing technique that can change the way we breathe. It not only reduces sweating but also minimizes unnecessary physical exertion.”

This miraculous technique astonished the entire medical class. “What?” They gave an exclamation of surprise. “How could there be such a technique?”

The medical students, driven by their curiosity, gathered around to learn about Catherine’s breathing technique. A little while later, they returned with their minds full of questions.

This made the EIE class feel proud. The medical class had always looked down on them, saying that they only studied useless things. Unlike them, who researched human engineering, genetic modification, and the cure for various malignant diseases. They claimed to solve problems fundamentally, driving the progress of medicine and ensuring everyone’s health. They were always boasting about how wonderful they were. But now, they couldn’t even figure out how this breathing technique worked, which was ridiculous.

The EIE class students were eager to try. Even though they were using blanks, those guns were real, and not everyone in Chritie could get their hands on them.

Each person had 10 bullets to shoot at the target. The instructor only taught them the posture, but the way they performed depended on their talent.

There were 10 rings on the target, each worth one point. Some had a natural aptitude for shooting and could score up to 80 points out of a hundred, while some could only score 20 to 30 points.

When Catherine stepped onto the shooting range, the bottom line of those scores was finally broken.

The classmate who went to check the scores didn’t even have the courage to report her score. He directly handed the scorecards to the instructor.

“Sir, please take a look!”

The instructor glanced at it and read it aloud, “Zero points!”

This was unbelievable. Zero points meant missing the target with every shot.

Originally, they thought that even if Catherine didn’t perform well, she would at least get a passing grade. After all, her physical fitness was good, as she didn’t get breathless when running. But they didn’t expect her shooting to be so bad.

The person most delighted by Catherine’s score was Corey. He couldn’t help but taunt her, “Oh, I didn’t expect there to be something that the academic overachiever isn’t good at. I thought you were born with an extra brain, but it seems not. Hahaha…”

Catherine coldly glanced at Corey, not even bothering to respond to him.

At first, the surrounding students sympathized with Corey, thinking that it was a pity he lost the bet and had to run 10 laps. But when they heard Corey’s arrogant words, they all felt disdainful of him.

After all, why would they sympathize with a guy who was so petty and calculative?

Chapter 542 I Like It This Way

Corey’s sarcastic remarks didn’t bother Catherine at all. She didn’t need to do anything because her classmates quickly shut Corey down with their comments, leaving him with no courage to stay. He slinked away in embarrassment, which was what he deserved for being so mean.

Dylan found that Catherine was leaning against the side, resting. He intentionally coughed twice to wake her up.

Catherine opened her eyes, slightly squinting at him, which scared Dylan out of his wits. If it weren’t for the students around them, he would have apologized to her right away for disturbing her rest.

Dylan lowered his voice and explained, “Ms. Swann, someone is looking for you in the office.”

Catherine frowned and glanced at him. It was a very indifferent look, but it made Dylan’s heart skip a beat.

“It has nothing to do with me. It’s a command. I don’t even know who gave it to me!”

Catherine knew that Dylan wouldn’t dare to lie to her. The fact that the other party could come to this military camp to find her indicated that they had a lot of influence.

Catherine didn’t intend to make things difficult for Dylan. She got up, patted her thighs, and said casually to him, ” Lead the way!”

Seeing that Catherine finally agreed to go, Dylan silently breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like surviving a disaster.

There was a five to six-minute walk from the training field to the office. Catherine walked with Dylan under the scorching sun until they reached the office door.

Standing outside the door, Dylan stopped in his tracks. “Ms. Swann, you can go in by yourself. I have to go back to the training field!” He was instructed to leave once he brought her here.

“Sure!” Catherine responded in a muffled voice and took a step toward the office. She wanted to see who this mysterious person was.

The curtains in the office were drawn, so it was dim inside. Catherine casually walked in and suddenly felt an aura behind her. She immediately turned around, but a dark figure instantly approached her. She couldn’t dodge in time and was pressed down.

With a soft click, the office door closed. At the same time, she was pinned against the door.

“Aren’t you resisting?”

Branden’s deep voice echoed softly in Catherine’s ear. His warm breath sprayed onto her cheeks, tickling her pores.

In the dim light, a mischievous smile appeared on Catherine’s face.

Branden’s voice was low, but hers was even lower.

“Resisting? Such a good-looking man is standing in front of me. Why do I need to resist?”

“Humph.” Branden chuckled, his voice as enchanting as music playing from a gramophone.

In the next moment, Catherine spun around and pressed Branden against the door. She extended her finger and lifted his chin, forcing him to raise his head. Her posture was dominant yet alluring, exuding a sense of ambiguity.

She slightly lowered her head and blew a breath onto Branden’s nose, lowering her voice as she softly said, “I like it this way!”

After speaking, she pressed her warm lips tightly against Branden’s.

The impact of this kiss was as powerful as a meteor striking the earth. If it weren’t for Branden’s strong willpower, Catherine would probably not be able to walk out of this room today.

Considering that Catherine was still in physical training, Branden only kissed her a few times before stopping.

Catherine comfortably fell into Branden’s embrace, allowing him to hold her as he pleased.

“Why did you come here today?”

“Because I missed you!”

Branden’s answer was concise, but his purpose was clear. There was no particular reason. It was just because he missed her. He came regardless of everything, just wanting to see her.

Like an ordinary conversation between a married couple, Catherine stayed in Branden’s arms, talking with him about the most ordinary things.

“The food at school is not bad, and I’m getting used to it. The food at the military camp is also good, similar to the taste in Casier.”

Branden looked at Catherine’s beautiful face, his eyes full of affection, He gently caressed her hair.

“That’s good!”

What Catherine didn’t know was that the food in Styre University cafeteria used to be average. The recent improvement in the food was because Branden had managed to change the chefs in advance.

The former chefs of a five-star hotel now worked in the kitchen of Styre University cafeteria.

The reason the food in the military camp tasted similar to that in Casier was that the chefs in the camp were personally arranged by Branden from Catherine’s favorite restaurant.

Branden did everything he could for her, but she had no idea about any of it. However, he didn’t need Catherine to know. His purpose was simple-to make sure she was happy.

The physical training continued, and Catherine had no intention of standing out.

Branden had many things waiting for him to handle at his company. Therefore, they only spent an hour together before parting ways.

Before saying goodbye, Branden reached out and caressed Catherine’s soft hair, his eyes filled with reluctance.

“After the physical training ends, I’ll come pick you up!”

After the physical training, the school would give the students two days to relax.

Catherine, rarely obedient, nodded. ” Okay!”

With a gentle kiss on her forehead, they separated once again, each busy with their own tasks.

After two days of practical training, the school planned to hold a “Military Training Games,” where the training exercises would be turned into competitive events.

Each class would have 10 events, with at least 10 athletes participating. Catherine had no interest in any of this and hardly participated in it.

After seeing Catherine’s performance in class, the temporary president of the EIE Classmates Union, Sophia Miller, silently gave up on her and didn’t even ask her to sign up.

After all, why would she ask someone who scored zero in shooting to participate? Why would she do such a foolish thing?

In the afternoon, when the registration results were announced, the EIE class was in an uproar.

Amelia was the first to ask Catherine. She looked at Catherine in disbelief.

“Kathy, you’re incredible! You signed up for five events, including shooting! Are you sure?”

Not only Amelia but also the entire EIE class students had their eyes on Catherine.

Catherine was momentarily confused, looking at Amelia with a puzzled expression.

“What did you say?”

Chapter 543 What If You Lose?

Amelia could tell from Catherine’s reaction that she still didn’t understand what was going on.

“Catherine, come with me,” Amelia said.

She led Catherine to the bulletin board, where the registration form for the games was posted. It detailed the competition events and the list of participants.

Catherine glanced at it and saw her name on many of the events. If there weren’t restrictions on the number of registrations, the other party would have signed her up for all the events.

Amelia knew that Catherine didn’t sign up for these events herself. The thought of someone sabotaging Catherine made Amelia restless.

“Catherine, let’s go tell the instructor. We can’t let these schemers have their way,” Amelia said.

Right after Amelia finished speaking, Dylan stepped out and explained, “It can’t be changed once it’s been decided!

His words meant that Amelia should give up on changing it.

Catherine didn’t say anything, but Amelia was furious.

“Sir, this doesn’t work!”

Dylan looked at her sternly. “Rules are rules. If everyone cancels their participation, claiming they didn’t sign up themselves, how can the competition proceed?”

Amelia bit her lip, falling silent.

Finally, Catherine spoke up. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a competition.

I’ll participate.”

Amelia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Catherine didn’t mind at all. She quietly approached Catherine and whispered, “Well, it’s your participation that matters. Just treat it as playing a game or something.”

Based on Catherine’s previous performance on the training field, it would be difficult for her to even complete the competition, let alone win a prize.

Catherine’s classmates all knew that she would be participating in the competition. After she returned, they gathered around to cheer her on.

Amelia knew Catherine’s personality well and knew that Catherine didn’t like to talk much. Even though Catherine didn’t mind, she still felt quite angry. She immediately stopped those students who came up to talk to Catherine.

After that, Amelia began to vent her frustration. “Who is that disgusting guy who secretly signed Catherine up? He surely knows that Catherine is not good at these events! Well, he just wants to see Catherine make a fool of herself!”

In Amelia’s opinion, nobody was perfect, and Catherine was no exception. Catherine’s focus was on studying, and it was normal for Catherine’s physical fitness to be a bit weak.

After Amelia’s scolding, a sense of justice arose among the crowd. They thought that Catherine had been bullied and justice needed to be served.

“This is despicable. We cannot let that guy get away with it. We must expose the wrongdoer.”

Catherine glanced at Corey, who stood silently in the corner, a hint of amusement in her eyes. She stood up and stopped a few students who were ready to make a scene.

“There’s no need. The instructor already said that rules are rules and cannot be broken. If we do that, it will only make things difficult for the instructor.”

After she finished speaking, Amelia repeated what the instructor had said. The students began to comfort Catherine.

“No worries, Catherine. The ranking doesn’t matter to our class. The important thing is for you to stay safe.”

“That’s right. Safety first, and the ranking doesn’t matter.”

“Catherine, no matter what happens, we will support you. You’re the best!”

“Yeah, that’s right!”

Catherine looked at those sincere faces, finding the situation very interesting. She remembered when Vicente came to visit her during her first year of college. She was just eight years old at the time, and even though she was in a special class, the oldest student in the class was not over 16. She was still the youngest child in the entire class.

When Vicente came to see her, he asked what kind of university she was attending. It didn’t feel like a university at all. He even complained that she had attended a fake university.

At that time, she didn’t understand what Vicente meant. She was attending the best university, so how did it become a fake university?

Perhaps, what she was experiencing now was what Vicente meant. Now, she gradually understood why Vicente only called her back and forced her to inherit the Swanns’ fortune at the moment of his death. Other than wanting her to preserve the Swanns’ century-old legacy, perhaps he also wanted her to experience the life of an ordinary girl.

In the afternoon, the Military Training Games officially began.

The first event was a triathlon, which was particularly tough.

Five classes registered to participate, including the EIE class, with Catherine representing them.

Not able to get in, Amelia held a bottle of water and a tissue, standing by the fence with her classmates, cheering for Catherine.

“Catherine, it’s so hot. Have some water!”

“Thank you!”

Catherine reached out and took the bottle of water, casually taking a sip. The scorching sun had made the triathlon much tougher.

“Catherine, just treat it as playing a game. We don’t care about the rankings. Don’t get heatstroke.”

Catherine knew that her classmates were all concerned about her. Before she could respond, someone from the neighboring medical class suddenly spoke up.

The person’s attitude was very impolite, giving off a strange feeling of sarcasm.

“You do have self-awareness. You know you will lose even before it starts, huh? It’s quite funny.”

This remark instantly caught the attention of the EIE class.

The person speaking was Elvis Harrington from the medical class, who had a good relationship with Calvin. He targeted Catherine and the EIE class because he believed that Catherine had framed Calvin, causing Calvin to receive disciplinary action. It made Elvis resentful.

Seeing that everyone from the EIE class was looking over, Elvis stood up straight, looking very arrogant.

“What? If you want me to shut up, let your performance do the talking. If you lose, then you should shut up!”

The student sent to participate in the triathlon by the medical class was known for his good physical fitness and strength. It seemed that the championship was basically a foregone conclusion.

Although the EIE class was angry, they had no choice but to feel helpless. The EIE class’s silence made Elvis even more arrogant.

“I told you, you’re just a bunch of losers. You might as well just stand there and watch. Don’t bother competing!”

Catherine, who was standing on the track, suddenly walked back and stood by the fence. She looked at Elvis, with disdain in her eyes.

“What if you lose?”

“Hahaha…” Elvis burst into exaggerated laughter. “Well, well, well, what a joke! How could we possibly lose? Lose to whom? Lose to you? Hahaha…”

Catherine’s face remained calm, her eyebrows slightly raised. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her fingers casually tapping on her arm in rhythm.

“Enough nonsense. Just tell me, what will happen if you lose?”

Chapter 544 Live Streaming

Elvis’s arrogance contrasted with Catherine’s calm demeanor. The classmates from the EIE class stood behind her in support, unwilling to show weakness.

Amelia stepped out and pointed at Elvis, cursing, “Stop hopping around like a sissy. Tell me, what will you do if you lose?”

Elvis, knowing that the EIE class had gotten provoked, put on a triumphant smile.

“You can’t scare me, and you can’t scare the medical class! Let me tell you, in this competition, you have no chance of winning. If you miraculously win, I’ll agree to whatever conditions you set.”

Catherine took a step forward, standing in front of Elvis with her arms crossed, exuding dominance.

“If I lose, I’ll drop out. And if you lose…”

Before Catherine could finish speaking, Elvis excitedly interrupted, “If we lose, then what?”

“Humph!” Catherine chuckled lightly and stated the punishment she wanted. “You have to live stream eating shit. Do you dare?”

“Holy crap!” The surrounding students were stunned. They didn’t expect the stakes to be so high.

If Catherine lost, she would have to drop out of school. If the medical department lost, although he wouldn’t have to drop out, it would be a huge blow to his reputation. After all, he had to live streath eating shit!

“It’s amazing that Catherine came up with such a punishment!” someone exclaimed. “She’s a genius!”

Elvis’s face turned red with anger. He could tell that Catherine was deliberately humiliating him. But he didn’t care. He was confident that he would win.

“Fine. I’ll take this bet with you.”

Catherine pointed her finger at Elvis and smirked. “Remember what you said!” After saying that, she returned to the track.

The chief instructor responsible for blowing the whistle glanced at the head instructor, Dylan, seeking his instructions.

Dylan, seeing that Catherine had settled the bet with that ignorant brat, nodded to signal the start of the competition. He glanced at Elvis, who was still arrogantly standing aside, and silently mourned for Elvis in his heart.

“How dare he provoke Ms. Swann?” he asked inwardly. “He sure has some guts!” He wondered if Elvis would cry after the competition.

Unlike a regular triathlon, the military triathlon had some differences. It consisted of running, carrying weights through a muddy obstacle course, and overcoming obstacles. Each event tested the physical fitness and coordination of the team members.

As soon as the whistle blew, five figures rushed out simultaneously.

Catherine, like a streak of lightning, shot ahead, taking the lead.

Upon seeing Catherine’s excellent running posture, the students from the EIE class couldn’t help but cheer for her.

“Tsk.” Elvis sneered disdainfully. Leading in the running race was nothing to him.

It was normal for Catherine to have a slight advantage in running, given her smaller build compared to Elvis’s classmate, who was bigger in size.

But when it came to the second part of the triathlon, carrying weights through a muddy obstacle course, Catherine was bound to lose. With her petite frame, she wouldn’t be able to lift those two huge tires.

Just as Elvis was about to mock the EIE class, he was dumbfounded the next second. Not only he but also the classmates watching the race beside him were dumbfounded.

Those huge tires were difficult to lift for girls, even with both hands. But Catherine effortlessly lifted one tire in each hand and charged forward. The two massive.tires seemed lighter in her hands than two bottles of water.

While the other participants were still struggling in the mud, Catherine had already rushed out of it and completed the third event. Her speed was so fast that not only the onlookers but even the soldiers in the military camp were left dumbfounded.

Someone approached Dylan and asked cautiously, “Chief, it seems like her speed is faster than yours…”

Dylan chuckled coldly.

The soldier, feeling embarrassed, smiled awkwardly and said, “Chief, my bad. You’re a lot better than her!”

Dylan suddenly knocked the soldier’s head and looked at him with disdain.

“Better my ass! How can my speed compare to hers? Don’t overestimate me!”

Dylan knew Catherine’s abilities better than anyone.

Catherine had clearly held back half of her strength, and even with that, her speed surpassed his, let alone if she went all out. He knew that he was no match for her. If he competed with her, it would only be humiliating himself!

Catherine crossed the finish line, and the instructor timing cheered loudly.

“She broke the record!”

As for the other four participants, two of them were still struggling in the second mud obstacle course.

Catherine shook off the dirt from her body and walked gracefully toward the crowd.

Elvis, who was arrogant just a moment ago, turned pale when he saw Catherine appear. He silently stepped back, wanting to escape. But it was too late. Amelia and her classmates had already anticipated that he would try to escape, so they immediately blocked his way.

Elvis looked panic-stricken, nervously swallowing as he stared at them.

“What… What do you want?”

Amelia stepped back in silence, allowing Catherine to step forward.

Catherine stood in front of Elvis, her face expressionless. But if someone were to observe her closely at this moment, they would notice a captivating smile in her eyes.

Catherine glanced at Elvis, who was now trembling in fear.

Elvis never expected Catherine to be this formidable. In order to preserve his last bit of dignity, he mustered his courage and shouted, “You cheated! You never said you were good at this!”

Elvis’s shameless words disgusted everyone. Not just the EIE class, but even his own classmates couldn’t bear to support him.

Catherine stood there, hands in her pockets. Then, she said in a deep voice, “Cheated? Who told you I was not good at it? Did I ever say that I would lose?”

Catherine had never claimed anything about her abilities from start to finish. It was Elvis who assumed she was weak and wanted to take the opportunity to humiliate her. At last, he ended up humiliating himself.

Facing Catherine’s questioning, Elvis couldn’t come up with an answer. He could only hang his head and stand there like a coward.

Catherine didn’t keep questioning him. She simply said, “Remember to notify me of the live streaming time!”

“Hahaha…”

Laughter filled the surroundings, and Elvis truly felt embarrassed.

The triathlon had just ended, and the next shooting competition had begun. Needless to say, Catherine was also on the list of participants.

Everyone had witnessed Catherine’s shooting performance before, especially now, right after completing the triathlon. It was doubtful if she could even hold the gun steady, let alone pull the trigger.

No one had any expectations of Catherine. After all, she had already won a championship, bringing great honor to the EIE class. They could rely on other classmates of theirs to win awards.

The shooting competition began, and Catherine was the third to shoot in the first round.

No one paid much attention during the competition, but when the results were announced, everyone was dumbfounded.

Amelia strained her ears, momentarily doubting her hearing. “What… What did you just say?”

Chapter 545 You’re Amazing!

The young instructor felt a bit embarrassed as everyone stared at him. He scratched the back of his head and smiled shyly.

“10 rings, 10 points!”

Catherine hit a perfect ten with her first shot, which was unbelievable! She was amazing!

They had initially thought the first shot was luck, but then, as the results of the second and third shots were announced, no one dared to say that Catherine was just lucky. Throughout the competition, Catherine never missed the 10-ring.

Everyone was astonished, except for Dylan, who knew that even if Catherine closed her eyes, she could easily hit the center of the 10-ring.

The shooting competition ended, and Catherine easily took first place. Seeing this, the students from the EIE class all rushed forward under the lead of Amelia.

Originally, they wanted to give Catherine a hug to celebrate. But when they got close to her, one glance from her made them silently shrink back in fear.

There was no way to describe the powerful aura emanating from Catherine. Just one gaze of hers was enough to make their hearts race and leave them feeling breathless.

Timidly, everyone looked at Catherine. In the end, Amelia was pushed forward.

As Catherine’s roommate, who had a close relationship with her, Amelia was the most suitable person to ask the question everyone wanted to know.

“Catherine, you’re so amazing at shooting. But why were you so…?”

“Bad-at it before…” Although Amelia didn’t have the courage to say the last four words, her expression said it all.

Catherine turned her head toward Amelia, her face expressionless. She asked in a cold voice, “Amazing?”

Amelia exclaimed in astonishment, her voice raising an octave, “Aren’t you amazing? All 10 rings!”

Catherine gave a faint smile and remained silent.

Amelia continued to pursue the question, unwilling to give up. ”

Catherine, you haven’t told us why you missed your shots before.”

Facing Amelia’s persistent questioning, Catherine furrowed and stared at the shooting dummy in front of her with a somewhat disdainful expression. “That thing is too ugly!”

Her words meant that it was so ugly that she didn’t even want to waste bullets on it!

Upon hearing Catherine’s explanation, everyone burst into laughter. If someone else had said these words, these students would have thought they were crazy and extremely arrogant. But when Catherine said it, it seemed like the shooting dummy was truly at fault for being ugly.

This was probably the most humiliating moment in the shooting dummy’s life.

The EIE class, which had initially held no hope, was filled with anticipation after witnessing Catherine’s two consecutive victories in the competition.

No one knew what surprises Catherine would bring next.

The third event was the parallel bars. There was no gender segregation in this event, but hardly any girls signed up for it.

However, there were exceptions, like Catherine, who was forced to participate and became the only female competitor in this event.

The parallel bars tested arm strength and physical endurance. Without strong arm strength, winning was impossible.

Moreover, there was a significant disparity in innate strength between males and females. Although Catherine had won the previous two events, no one believed she could win the third.

However, Amelia was the exception. She waved the flag and shouted, “Super Catherine, go for it! We believe in you! You can do it!”

Someone couldn’t help but mock Amelia, saying, “Come on. Just because you’re shouting so loudly doesn’t mean you’ll win! Besides, with Catherine’s petite build, winning is impossible!”

Amelia glared at the person and said disdainfully, “If you have nothing better to do, just shut up and watch. Stop spouting nonsense here. Believe it or not. Catherine will be the champion! 11

Amelia’s words made everyone doubt if she was a die-hard fan of Catherine.

The competition began. Catherine’s slender arms stuck to the parallel bars as if they were glued, never coming off even once.

While others were trying to hold on as long as they could, Catherine appeared relaxed, as if she was playing a game. In the end, all the other competitors fell, while Catherine was still hanging on the bars, looking completely at ease.

The outcome was clear. The championship was Catherine!

Once again, Catherine’s incredible arm strength and exceptional physical fitness left everyone in awe. After all, this was her third consecutive competition.

This time, Amelia didn’t need to take the lead. The students from the EIE class spontaneously shouted at the top of their lungs, “Catherine! You’re amazing! Catherine! You’re our idol!”

Not only the EIE class, but students from other classes joined in the cheering together.

The president came over to inspect the training and was somewhat stunned by the students’ high spirits. He turned to the teacher in charge and asked, “Are these students always so enthusiastic?”

The teacher in charge introduced Catherine to the president, saying, ” This student named Catherine is very aware of class honor. She tries her best to lead her classmates to make progress together.”

“Catherine?”

The president remembered her. She was a highly accomplished new student with excellent grades. Initially, he was worried that having such a student at their school would be troublesome, but now it seemed that Catherine not only had excellent grades but also had a very good character. It was a wise decision to drive away the female classmate who had bullied Catherine before.

However, Catherine was unaware that she had unknowingly left such a good impression on the president.

After the parallel bars event, Catherine won two more championships. In total, she won five out of the five events. Instantly, she pushed the EIE class to first place, an unshakable position.

The EIE class was buzzing with excitement. All the students who didn’t participate in the competition surrounded Catherine, looking at her with looks in their eyes that resembled idol worship. Everyone was praising Catherine in a lively manner.

“Catherine, you’re amazing!”

“You’re truly talented in both academics and sports, Catherine!”

“No, no, Catherine is talented in both looks and brains. I feel like she’s the prettiest girl in the whole school!”

At first, Catherine’s classmates all thought that she was aloof. Talking to her would give them a sense of unease, and some even secretly gave her the nickname “Ice Queen.”

However, after they got to know her, everyone realized that she did have a cold and quiet character and didn’t like to talk, but she was a good person and not an arrogant type.

After this competition, everyone noticed Catherine’s magnanimity and composure, and their admiration for her grew even stronger.

Who would dislike such a powerful but humble beautiful girl?

While everyone was engaged in a heated discussion, Amelia suddenly spoke up.

“I think we should thank the person who secretly signed Catherine up. Catherine is too low-key. Without that person, how could we have known about her strength?” Amelia said, immediately receiving agreement from someone.

“You’re right, Amelia! We really should thank this cunning guy. I wonder if he’s regretting what he has done!”

“Hahaha…”

Everyone burst into laughter, but in a corner, a figure quietly slipped away, disappearing without a sound.

Chapter 546 Physical Training?

Intense training made all the freshmen suffer every day. Every night, after Amelia returned to the dormitory and took a shower, she would have a foot bath. According to her, if she didn’t have a foot bath at night, she wouldn’t even be able to walk the next day.

Seeing Catherine sitting in a chair and playing games with her feet propped up, Amelia became even more curious.

“Catherine, you used more physical strength today than any of us. But why don’t you feel tired at all?” she asked. She had never seen Catherine having a foot bath or doing anything like that to relax her muscles. Every time Catherine finished washing up, she would immediately start playing games without any signs of fatigue.

After her roommates finished washing up, Catherine would turn off her phone immediately and rest with everyone else.

Just as Catherine finished a game, she heard Amelia talking to her and turned her head to look at Amelia.

Amelia was having a foot bath, her face twisted in pain, and she kept making all sorts of cries. Catherine couldn’t help but smile. This new roommate of hers was quite an interesting person.

“Press the area that is two inches below the knee and massage the center of the sole of your feet a hundred times. It’ll be much more useful than your foot bath.”

Hearing what Catherine said, Amelia became very happy, thanking Catherine excitedly. “Thank you, Catherine!”

Even before trying it out, Amelia wholeheartedly believed in Catherine’s words.

Isabella stood alone, watching the interaction between the two. Since Beatrice left, the atmosphere in the dormitory had been quiet and peaceful without any conflicts.

At first, Isabella thought Catherine was too dominant, forcefully driving Beatrice away even before classes officially started, leaving Isabella with one less roommate. But after spending these few days with Catherine and feeling the peaceful atmosphere in the dormitory, Isabella started to think that her current life was not bad.

The intense training didn’t leave Isabella time to think about those trivial matters. Now, seeing how well Amelia and Catherine got along, she felt a tinge of envy and worried about being excluded.

Isabella’s biggest fear was being isolated. She was afraid that the two of them wouldn’t include her in their activities. She sighed quietly and lowered her head.

Although the sound was faint, Amelia still noticed it. She turned her head and waved at Isabella.

“Bella, we should believe in Catherine. Look at how relaxed she is. There must be a trick to it. Hurry up and give it a try,” she said.

Amelia’s enthusiasm prompted the slightly introverted Isabella to join in. She nodded at Amelia and said, “Okay!”

Catherine had been watching the two of them since Amelia interrupted her game. Despite Amelia’s carefree demeanor, she was actually very perceptive and attentive to the emotions of those around her, always ready to lighten the atmosphere.

As for Isabella, she seemed easy to get along with and willing to go along with anything, but that was actually a result of her low self-esteem and a desire to conform. She always felt that as long as she didn’t stand out or compete with others, she could win everyone’s favor.

Everyone had their own unique personalities, and Catherine didn’t judge them for it. There was no right or wrong, just different choices.

On the top floor of a luxurious seven- star hotel in Loxton, Zobber kept pulling apart and resembling her newly bought game console, feeling extremely bored. After doing it several times, she truly felt uninterested. She threw the game console into the trash bin and stopped wasting her time on it.

Bang!

The sound caught the attention of Withal, who was resting with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes and glanced over, noticing the game console in the trash bin. It was a limited-edition global release, but she just threw it away without any remorse.

“What an extravagant girl!”

Zobber noticed Withal’s gaze and swiftly pounced toward him. But Withal was faster and raised his foot in response.

Knowing that she couldn’t win in a fight against Withal, Zobber turned and rolled to the side, sitting down calmly on a sofa. Then, she stared at Withal with a respectful expression on her face. “Withal, when can I meet the leader?”

As soon as the leader was mentioned, Zobber, who was previously listless, suddenly became spirited, eagerly waiting for Withal’s answer.

Withal couldn’t stand her pestering anymore. Afraid that if he didn’t reveal some information, this girl would drive him crazy, he reluctantly disclosed Catherine’s whereabouts.

“Catherine is busy with physical training these days. She has no time to deal with us!”

“Physical training?” Zobber became excited, her face filled with enthusiasm. “Where is the physical training taking place? Is she training a special forces unit? The Super Ace Troop, right?”

Withal rolled his eyes in his mind and said coldly, “She’s not training others. She’s participating in physical training and being trained by others.”

“Wow!” Zobber exclaimed in awe. ” Can’t believe there are experts capable of training Catherine. Who is this amazing person?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Withal shouted, “Styre University organized it, you idiot!”

Zobber was stunned for a moment before finally coming back to her senses.

“Physical training organized by Styre University?” she murmured inwardly. ” Why did Catherine participate in that kind of childish physical training organized by a school? This is ridiculous!”

Sensing that Zobber was not in the right mood, Withal had no choice but to secretly send a message to Catherine for help. The next second, Catherine called back.

“Let Zobber answer the phone!”

Withal handed the phone to Zobber and said, “Here, Catherine is calling!”

Zobber widened her eyes, shocked and seemingly unable to believe that happiness had come so suddenly. She took the phone with both hands and held it to her ear.

“Hi, Catherine, this is Zobber!” Her voice was trembling like an electric sound.

Withal couldn’t help but laugh, and he was kicked hard by Zobber before he could stop himself.

Catherine, holding the phone, gave Zobber a brief explanation of the mission.

“Ronin has found the address of the target. You and Withal go there and make sure to retrieve the safe. After you get it, find a safe place and wait for me.

I will come to you.”

“Okay!”

Zobber obediently nodded, her heart bubbling with excitement. Every time she answered a call from Catherine, she felt that Catherine’s voice was so pleasant.

The next second, the phone was hung up, and Zobber felt a bit reluctant and annoyed. “I forgot to say goodnight to Catherine!”

If it weren’t for knowing that both of them had no issues with their sexual orientations, Withal would have suspected that Zobber had fallen in love with Catherine.

Ding!

A text message arrived, and Zobber opened it and handed the phone to Withal.

“Hurry up and get to work!”

Withal stared at her with disdain in his eyes. “Now you know you should get to work, huh? What did Catherine say to you?”

Hearing Withal’s question, Zobber couldn’t help but feel happy. As her mood improved, she started talking more.

“Catherine said that once we get the safe, she will come find us. That’s to say, as long as we get the safe, we can see her. Can you imagine how excited I am? She is so good to us!”

Withal silently rolled his eyes. “Do you really think Catherine is coming to see us, you idiot?” he cursed inwardly. “It’s all because only Catherine can open that safe. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to come in person!”

Chapter 547 Afraid of Annoying Her

Catherine had just hung up the phone when another call came in. Without even looking at the caller ID, she knew who it was.

Branden knew that she was living in a dormitory now. He would call her every day at nine o’clock to avoid disturbing her, as she had to turn off the lights and go to sleep by ten.

Catherine answered the call and held the phone to her ear. Branden’s deep and attractive voice came from the receiver.

“I heard you participated in a competition today and even won a prize?”

Even though Branden wasn’t present, he knew everything related to her at school. Facing his knowingly asked question, Catherine didn’t hesitate to expose him.

“Don’t you know better than me?”

“Haha.” Branden chuckled softly, his voice deep and husky.

“Are you angry? If you don’t like it, I won’t inquire about your affairs anymore.”

His cautious tone carried a sense of carefulness and probing. No one would believe that the esteemed president of the Duncan Corporation, the chief of Red Star, would be so submissive in front of a girl.

It was precisely because he cared too much about her that he was so afraid of annoying her.

After all, if she got angry, he would be the one to suffer in the end. If she left him, he would live in misery for the rest of his life. Therefore, it was best to serve her with caution.

Catherine could tell his current mood. She couldn’t help but laugh. “No. Why are you so afraid? I’m not blaming you!

“Will you come back after the physical training ends the day after tomorrow?”

The next day was the last day of physical training, and the day after tomorrow, they would have the closing ceremony in the morning. The school arranged two days of rest before starting regular classes.

Branden was starting to regret letting Catherine come to study there, or maybe he should have let her attend a school where she could commute. Even if he stayed in Loxton all day, he wouldn’t be able to spend much time with her.

Thinking about this, Catherine felt a bit sorry for the fact that he had been shuttling between Casier and Loxton for over half a month for her sake. Moreover, he had a lot of things to deal with recently.

With the two-day holiday just around the corner, Catherine also wanted to take a good rest.

“Alright. I’ll come over right after the closing ceremony.”

Catherine’s agreement made Branden smile, and he began to look forward to their meeting the day after tomorrow.

A phone call turned into a conversation that lasted for over half an hour, despite both of them being naturally reserved individuals.

Seeing that everyone needed rest, Catherine announced the end of the call.

“Time to sleep. See you the day after tomorrow!”

Branden’s attitude remained gentle, a gentleness that was only reserved for Catherine.

“Okay. Contact me anytime if you need anything.”

The Duncans’ in Loxton used to be the ancestral home of the Duncans a hundred years ago. Although the ancestors of the Duncans later moved to Casier, the ancestral property there had been preserved to this day.

Generation after generation, the descendants of the Duncans would maintain and renovate the old house, which was still in pristine condition.

With the changing times, it had become the wealthiest real estate center in Loxton. Quiet amidst the bustle, this was an excellent location.

Branden would work there whenever he came to Styre University.

The outside world knew that the headquarters of Red Star was in Loxton, but no one knew that its headquarters was in the ancestral home of the Duncans.

Paxton held the latest intelligence and waited by the side. Only after Branden hung up the phone did he cautiously approach with the information.

“Boss, we have located those criminals. There is still no evidence to prove that they are from Rexinheim, but based on our past experience, it should be them. They should already know what is inside the safe, and now they are being extremely cautious. It won’t be easy to catch them. Besides, the Hacker Alliance is also involved in this. It is said that the Hacker Alliance has arranged for two cadres to personally take action, appearing confident of victory.”

Branden squinted as he examined the information handed by Paxton. He knew better than anyone else how important the contents of the safe were.

“Arrange for Francis and the others to come over. I don’t care who is involved in this. I just want to see the results.”

Paxton quickly nodded, not daring to hesitate.

“Yes, Boss. I’ll inform them right away.

After coming out of the study, Paxton ran into Carlo, who was walking toward him. The Duncan Corporation’s move to Loxton was a big project that required manpower.

Paxton requested early that Carlo be transferred to Loxton to help. After working overtime for a week, Carlo looked at his brother with two dark circles around his eyes.

“Paxton, when will this end?” Carlo sighed.

Paxton sympathetically patted his shoulder. “Soon, our boss has ordered Francis and the others to come. Once they arrive, the burden on you will lighten.”

The moment Carlo heard that reinforcements were coming soon, his face finally brightened. “That’s good. I was worried that there would be no end to this. Boss is so considerate! By the way, Paxton, do you think Boss suddenly moved the business to Loxton just to be closer to Catherine? Does old Mr. Duncan have any objections?”

Carlo thought that Branden must have kept this matter a secret from Karl. Otherwise, there would have been a big fuss long ago.

Paxton disdainfully glanced at Carlo, his face full of contempt. “Oh, Carlo, you’re still too naive!”

This mocking remark made Carlo feel quite uncomfortable. Unable to hold back, he approached Paxton, arguing, ” What do you mean by I’m naive?

Paxton, your words sound a little harsh. I need an explanation, or I won’t let you off.”

Carlo was always so stubborn.

“You know nothing. Without old Mr. Duncan’s consent, how could such a drastic move be possible? Old Mr. Duncan is willing to do anything for Catherine, even if it means giving the entire Duncan Corporation as a gift to her,” Paxton said.

Carlo was dumbfounded, his mouth agape. “Really?”

“What’s the point of lying to you?” Paxton looked at him with disdain.

Carlo pondered carefully and then started to laugh, mumbling, “Catherine is truly amazing. I can’t believe old Mr. Duncan likes her so much. Fantastic!”

Watching Carlo happily babbling, Paxton silently held his forehead. Indeed, they were not born from the same mother. Even growing up together since childhood didn’t make a difference. Genes were something that couldn’t be changed easily.

Chapter 548 The Physical Training Ended

The day of the closing ceremony of the physical training arrived in the blink of an eye. All the freshmen were dressed in brand-new training uniforms, marching in perfect unison in front of the flag-draped podium.

With the ceremony coming to an end, the freshmen’s physical training journey also concluded.

Immersed in the exhaustion brought by the training, the only thought on the mind of all the freshmen was for the training to end quickly. But now that it was truly about to end, they started to feel reluctant.

Having spent half a month together, the thought of the instructors leaving weighed heavily on the freshmen’s hearts. Amelia took out her Polaroid camera and raised her arm, shouting, ” Let’s take a group photo with the instructors!”

The usually serious instructors appeared quite outgoing at this moment, satisfying various requests from the freshmen. Several girls expressed their desire to take individual photos with the instructors, and Amelia offered to help take the pictures.

After the closing ceremony, the instructors only had 10 minutes to leave Styre University. Military orders were strict, and there was not a second to spare.

The freshmen rushed forward one by one, not wanting to miss this opportunity. The instructor, who had been smiling throughout the entire process, suddenly approached Amelia.

Amelia was taken aback, thinking that the instructor was going to lecture her.

But instead, the instructor pointed to Catherine, who was standing nearby.

“Can you take a photo of me with her?”

Cheers erupted!

These students had long sensed that the instructor seemed to treat Catherine differently, but due to his identity as an instructor, they never voiced it out. Now, he suddenly proposed to take a picture with Catherine, which was an ambiguous act.

Since the physical training had ended, everyone was no longer afraid of the instructor and boldly joked with him.

“Sir, are you interested in Catherine?”

“That’s right! Sir, you’re so handsome, and you’re only three or four years older than us. Even if you really are interested, it won’t be a problem. You two make a perfect match!”

“Exactly!”

These remarks made the instructor feel embarrassed. If it weren’t for his sun- darkened skin from years of training, his face would have turned red by now.

“Not really. My relationship with Catherine is purely that of a trainer and a trainee, without any complicated emotions.”

As for who was the trainer and who was the trainee, only the instructor himself knew.

“The only reason I want to take a photo with Catherine is that I admire her. She is the most impressive girl I have ever seen, both in shooting and physical fitness. She is amazing.”

The instructor’s praise immediately shifted the topic, and the students agreed with his words.

Catherine was indeed impressive.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be called ” Super Catherine” by everyone. Those who could enter Styre University were all top students, and no one would be willing to keep a low profile. However, in the face of Catherine, they had no choice but to admit defeat.

The instructor walked up to Catherine, carefully observing her.

Catherine stood up, hands in her pockets, adopting a cool and confident pose. The instructor immediately approached her like an enthusiastic fanboy. Amelia saw that they were ready and quickly pressed the shutter.

Click!

The photo slowly came out of the camera.

“Sir, here you go!” Amelia handed the photo to the instructor.

Dylan took it and looked at the photo of himself with Catherine, revealing a toothy smile. He couldn’t help but mutter, “She looks so pretty!”

Dylan’s shyness amused everyone. He carefully put the photo into the pocket of his jacket and looked at Catherine with a sincere gaze. Catherine glanced at him and slightly nodded.

Just as he had said, he truly admired Catherine. She was the most impressive person he had ever seen. Such an impressive girl deserved his respect!

“Sorry, guys. Gotta go to the restroom. I’ll be right back!” After Dylan finished speaking, he hurriedly ran off.

The students didn’t think much of his urgency. Amelia hurriedly ran toward her bag, preparing to replace the camera’s battery.

Seeing her rushing around, Catherine kindly reminded her, “No need to replace it!”

Amelia’s hand paused, and she looked up at Catherine in confusion.” Catherine, what do you mean?”

Catherine replied, “I mean, we can go back to the dorm now!”

Amelia paused for a moment. The next second, she exclaimed, “What? Do you mean the instructor has left? He actually used such a boring excuse!”

The surrounding students were attracted by Amelia’s exclamation. Some people didn’t believe Catherine’s words, so they went to check it out. In the end, they only caught a glimpse of a bus’s departing figure. The instructors’ dormitory was already empty.

Some students felt unhappy that they didn’t bid farewell to the instructor, and some even started to complain about Catherine.

“Catherine, if you knew the instructor was leaving, why didn’t you remind us?

“At least you should have let us say goodbye to the instructor!”

“I didn’t even get a photo with the instructor!”

“Yeah. What a pity!”

Instantly, cries of grievance filled the air. Seeing that something was off, Amelia tugged at Catherine’s sleeve, signaling her to say something.

Catherine didn’t want to speak in the first place. Since Amelia reminded her, she decided to explain the situation to them.

“Those 10 minutes were meant for you to bid farewell! Military discipline is absolute!”

Although Catherine’s words were harsh, it was the truth. The school gave them time to bid farewell to their instructors, but soldiers were meant to be different from ordinary students. While ordinary people could have a grand farewell, soldiers had to follow strict military orders. Even if they were a second late, they would be punished.

Gradually, everyone accepted Catherine’s explanation, although they were still saddened by the situation.

After the physical training ended, they dispersed to their respective dormitories.

After finishing the physical training, Amelia was excited and couldn’t contain her emotions. “Catherine, the three of us should book a private room and have dinner tonight. What do you think?” After saying that, Amelia added, “You can bring Ronin if you want!”

“No. I have something to do. I won’t be going back to the dorm tonight!” After saying that, Catherine quickened her pace and walked away. Just now, she received a message that Branden was waiting for her at the entrance.

Watching Catherine’s rapidly departing figure, Amelia silently stood in place and sighed. “Catherine is really busy!”

Chapter 549 Double Standards

Catherine had just arrived at the school gate when she spotted a familiar figure waiting at the entrance.

Branden knew she didn’t want to attract too much attention at school, so every time he came to see her, he would purposely park his car outside Styre University or on a distant street and then walk in to find her.

It was midsummer, and the scorching sun was shining on the earth.

Branden stood under the shade of the trees at the school gate, his white shirt perfectly wrapping his figure, revealing his exceptional build. He wore a simple pair of black trousers, and the tailored cut made his already long legs appear even straighter, emitting a hint of restraint.

From a distance, he looked like the campus heartthrob, looking handsome and charming. Passing girls couldn’t help but glance at him, not willing to take their eyes off him.

Branden, however, remained indifferent, his face devoid of any warmth.

Then, he saw that familiar graceful figure appear, and suddenly, the ice in his eyes melted. In the next moment, his eyes sparkled like brilliant stars.

Such a simple change in the look in his eyes caused a group of girls to scream.

Catherine quickened her pace to reach his side, and as soon as she approached, Branden grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.

There were too many onlookers around, so before Branden could speak, Catherine impatiently said, “Let’s go!”

Branden smiled helplessly and pulled her away from the scene. Once they were out of the main street, people’s attention diminished significantly.

Branden stopped and walked leisurely while holding Catherine’s hand.

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

Catherine thought for a moment and then shook her head.

“Let’s just go back and take a rest!”

She didn’t want to go anywhere right now. She just wanted to find a comfortable place to lie down and empty her mind for a while.

Seeing her exhaustion, Branden took the initiative to squat down in front of her. Catherine was briefly stunned and looked at him in surprise. “What are you doing?”

Branden patted his own back with his hand. “Get on. I’ll carry you back!”

Their house was about 400 yards away. It would take at most five minutes to walk, but Branden actually wanted to carry her back.

Although Catherine thought Branden was being a bit exaggerated, she threw herself at him.

Branden immediately stood up.

Catherine was tall but very light in weight. Carrying her on his back was no pressure at all for Branden.

He carried her, feeling more at ease. A little while later, however, he slightly frowned. His tone was somewhat serious as he asked, “Why are you getting lighter again?”

The weight she had painstakingly gained in Casier was all gone within half a month. Catherine didn’t expect him to notice this small detail.

“I eat quite a lot every day. Maybe it’s just because of the exhaustion from physical training. Amelia said she lost weight, too.”

Branden knew that Amelia was Catherine’s new roommate. It was said that she was talkative and chattered non-stop around Catherine. She was quite interesting.

“Next time, we can invite Amelia to join us for a meal.”

“Why do we have to eat together with Amelia?” Catherine couldn’t quite understand his suggestion.

Branden said matter-of-factly, “Since she is your roommate, I should at least meet her and thank her.”

Branden didn’t tell Catherine that it was Triston’s suggestion. Triston said that if Branden wanted to please his girlfriend, Branden had to please her roommates as well.

There was an unwritten rule among college students that if a girl had a boyfriend, regardless of how long they had been dating, they had to treat all their roommates to a meal. It was also a way to get to know each other so that if they bumped into each other on campus, they wouldn’t be strangers.

Although Branden thought all of this was child’s play, since there was such a rule in college, why not follow it? After all, he finally got the chance to experience what it felt like to be a college student’s boyfriend.

“What are you thanking her for?” Catherine still didn’t understand. Facing her questioning, Branden had to explain, “Thank her for taking care of you in the dormitory.”

“Okay!” Catherine nodded. Although she didn’t admit that she needed someone to take care of her, Amelia was a kind-hearted person. If Branden wanted to treat her to a meal, then so be it. It was just a meal after all.

The only thing that surprised her was that Branden would be so considerate.

After finishing the meal, Catherine went upstairs to take a shower. After the shower, she collapsed on the nearby sofa, unmoving. She had eaten too much tonight.

Branden, using the excuse that she had recently lost weight, forced her to eat a lot of food. After the meal, he made her eat a plate of fruit before finally letting her rest.

If she hadn’t strongly protested, she would never have gone for a walk. At this moment, she should have been holding hands with Branden, taking a walk like the elderly couple next door.

Branden pushed open the door and saw Catherine lying on the sofa. She was wearing an oversized nightgown, and her long, slender legs were casually resting on the coffee table.

The scene was simply… breathtaking!

Instantly, he felt a rush of heat rising from within him, almost causing him to have a nosebleed. He immediately shifted his gaze when he saw Catherine resting her head on the armrest of the sofa, her hair still wet and dripping.

All the fire of desire in Branden’s heart was extinguished at that moment. With a helpless sigh, he walked to the side, opened a drawer, took out a hairdryer, plugged it in, and sat down next to Catherine.

When Catherine saw him, she raised her upper body.

Once Branden had settled into position, she obediently rested her head on his thigh. Her movements were very skilled, without Branden needing to adjust her posture.

As he dried Catherine’s damp hair, he gently lectured her, saying, “Next time you finish washing your hair, don’t just wait like this. If you keep your hair wet for too long, you’ll get a headache!”

Catherine silently snorted in her heart. “You never blow-dried your own hair. What right do you have to criticize me? This is truly a case of double standards!

Catherine’s hair wasn’t too long, just reaching her shoulders. This was the longest length she had kept it. Every time she went to get a haircut, Branden always had various reasons to stop her.

Ten minutes was enough to blow-dry Catherine’s hair.

Branden’s movements were gentle, his fingers lightly flicking her strands of hair. Catherine felt so comfortable that she fell asleep.

Looking at her peaceful smile, Branden turned off the hairdryer, leaned down, and landed a kiss on her forehead.

In the next moment, however, Catherine suddenly opened her eyes. She quickly raised her hand and forcefully pulled him down, her soft pink lips precisely landing on his lips.

Initially, Branden had been reluctant to make a move, considering that she had just finished training and was too tired. But at this moment, he could no longer restrain the desire within him. He changed positions and pressed himself onto her.

Chapter 550 Crisis

Late at night, outside Loxton, Zobber and Withal parked a discreet black SUV in a pile of grass in front of a factory. The factory had been abandoned for many years, and the grass had grown taller than a person, making it quite hidden.

However, very few people came here, so suddenly appearing in the workshop would definitely attract attention.

Withal decided to leave the car where it was and sneak in while it was dark. When he got out of the car, however, Zobber grabbed him.

“I’ll go. You keep watch!”

“Are you sure?” Withal asked.

Zobber nodded without hesitation, not only because she wanted to impress the leader but also because she understood that this task suited her better. She was petite, agile, and less likely to be detected, although her combat skills were not as good as Withal’s.

Loxton was not their territory, so it wasn’t suitable to cause a scene. It was better to use strategy. Withal didn’t say anything more when he saw her determination, but he gave her a final reminder.

“Remember, if I tell you to retreat, no matter the situation, you must retreat promptly. Do you understand?”

If anything happened to Zobber, he wouldn’t be able to face Catherine. To Catherine, the person was always more important than the mission.

Zobber didn’t argue with Withal. She obediently nodded, lowered her cap, pushed open the car door, and got out of the car.

Seeing her lower her hat, Withal felt a sense of familiarity, as if he was looking at Catherine. A faint smile appeared on his stern face.

Zobber swiftly climbed onto the roof of the factory building. The sound of her landing was even quieter than a cat’s.

The factory was empty. Zobber searched around but found no sign of activity. If she didn’t trust the organization’s intelligence, she would even doubt if she had been deceived.

Withal had also noticed this situation from the surveillance monitor. Before he came, he had already investigated this factory. It was a chemical factory left over from the previous century’s invaders, and it had been abandoned due to rumors of haunting and its remote location. There were a few relatively sealed areas inside, and Withal transmitted the specific locations to Zobber through a wireless earpiece.

“Go and check these places.”

Zobber looked at the indicator in her hand. It was her team’s latest product, invented by Catherine, with extremely high accuracy.

Withal pointed out a location. Even if it was three floors underground, Zobber could easily find it.

“Got it!”

Withal said, “Stay safe!”

Zobber descended slowly from the floor and made her way to the location Withal had mentioned through a secret passage. Finally, at the end of the path, she spotted a glimmer of light.

A mocking smile crossed Zobber’s face. She didn’t expect these bastards to hide in such a dark and airtight place. No wonder it took her team so long to find them. But it didn’t matter. In the end, they would still be caught.

Zobber raised her hand and tapped the earpiece by her ear, whispering, ” Withal, keep a close eye on things. I’m going in now!”

“Okay!”

Withal’s deep voice brought an inexplicable sense of security to Zobber. Perhaps it was the result of working together for many years. She never worried that Withal would abandon her.

Zobber approached her target slowly, preparing to take out the device behind her to attack.

Suddenly, Withal’s stern voice came through the earpiece. “Wait!”

Zobber halted her steps, instantly adopting a serious expression.

“Zobber, something is not right inside. Retreat for now.” Withal’s voice sounded urgent, indicating that the situation was dangerous.

Zobber frowned, not showing any intention of retreating. She lowered her voice and anxiously asked Withal, ” Withal, what’s going on? Explain it to me!”

Withal replied anxiously, “There are too many people inside! Something is off. Retreat! Now!”

With the infrared device carried by Zobber, Withal detected an increase in the number of people inside. It contradicted the information they had received, making him suspect that something had gone wrong. To prevent Zobber from taking unnecessary risks, he decided to have her retreat first.

“The numbers don’t match? Withal, don’t worry. I’ll take another look. If it’s really dangerous, I’ll retreat!”

Zobber didn’t want to give up. It took her a long time to find this group of people. Whether it was for Catherine or for this country, she couldn’t let these bastards take the safe away.

Withal kept sending signals, which made Zobber impatient. She took off her earpiece at once.

Realizing that the situation had changed, Zobber became even more cautious. Sensing the approaching danger, she carefully pushed open the door in front of her.

Just as her hand touched the doorknob, a gust of cold wind struck her.

Zobber quickly took a step back.

Bang!

A loud noise rang out as a bullet narrowly missed her forehead, almost hitting her head.

The other party showed no mercy, and Zobber was no longer patient. She pulled out her weapon and engaged in a fight with the opponent. She couldn’t believe that these people were really skilled.

With a couple of kicks, Zobber kicked the door open. As she entered, she was completely stunned by the scene inside.

The group of people she was targeting had already been subdued. Another group had arrived ahead of her and taken what they wanted from those bastards.

Zobber stared coldly at the masked figures in front of her and sternly demanded, “Hand over the safe, and I might spare your lives.”

One of them sneered, their cold voice filled with disdain for Zobber.

Zobber charged forward, and they began fighting.

Initially, the opponent wasn’t aware of Zobber’s strength, so they didn’t use their full power. After taking a kick from Zobber, however, they unleashed their full strength.

Seeing that something was amiss, the people around also joined the fight.

In the midst of the fight, Zobber sensed a dagger coming toward her. The other party’s movements were so fast that she could only dodge the vital strike, but her arm still got grazed, instantly causing blood to flow.

Zobber knew that if she kept fighting, she would surely die.

Seeing Zobber injured, the group of people seemed to have changed their strategy. They decided not to kill her but to capture her alive.

Just as Zobber was about to be captured, a deafening explosion shattered the silence in the room. Smoke filled the air, obscuring the scene in front of her.

Zobber only felt a pair of strong hands grabbing her arm. She immediately knew that her reinforcements had arrived. She shouted excitedly, “Withal!

11

Withal didn’t respond. With one hand around Zobber’s waist, he took advantage of the opponent’s distraction and swiftly carried her away.

The late-night phone ringing shattered Catherine’s slumber. Her eyes opened instantly, shining but icy cold.

“What’s going on?” Her deep voice seemed to contain immense power.

After learning the situation, Catherine immediately got up and briefly responded, “I see. I’m coming over now.”

Hanging up the phone, Catherine was about to leave. Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind.

At that moment, Catherine realized that she seemed to no longer be alone. The cold and stern expression on her face softened, replaced by a gentle smile as she turned to look at Branden behind her.

“I need to go out for something.”