Chapter Sixty-Seven: Phantom Step

Crackling sounds filled the air.

The golden lightning that enveloped Luo Zongwen’s body gradually faded, his giant-like muscles slowly shrinking back to normal. Gently, he set Du Huaishan down. “So, this is the special ability you gained after breaking through the first stage of awakening?”

“Exactly. What do you think, Instructor Luo?”

Du Huaishan’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, eagerly awaiting Luo Zongwen’s evaluation.

“Not bad! I summoned three guardian spirits in succession, opened all the way to the twelfth level, and only then could I catch your motion, even though it was slowed down. Ordinary second-tier spirit users below the eighth level might not even be able to react!” Luo Zongwen hadn’t finished speaking. “What surprises me most is that you can use your first-stage ability twice in such a short span. That’s hardly ever seen!”

“Normally, the special abilities awakened at each threshold differ, but they generally fall into three categories: offensive, defensive, and supportive. Offensive abilities consume the most stamina.”

“Those with weaker constitutions may find themselves exhausted after just one use, forced out of their demonized state. But you managed to use it twice in a row—proof that both your ability and stamina are superior!”

So, even Instructor Luo thinks my special power is just ‘instant movement,’ Du Huaishan mused.

At first, he’d thought the same.

It wasn’t until he used the ability again that he realized something: after two consecutive uses, there was still a faint remnant of the energy from his heart’s rapid pulsing, though not enough for a third burst. Soon, it faded away on its own.

That’s right.

His awakened ability wasn’t simply movement—it was a state that supercharged his heart.

At full charge, his senses and reflexes were multiplied several times over, allowing him to use a skill akin to instant movement twice in a row.

But in reality, it was just a supersonic dash in a single direction—not true spatial transference—with a range of about five meters.

During or at the end of that movement, he could use the remaining momentum and the force of his weapon to unleash devastating, supersonic attacks.

He could attack—or defend.

Just as Luo Zongwen said, for a first-stage ability, it was already formidable.

Thinking back, Du Huaishan recalled that at the moment of his breakthrough, the mysterious nine-tailed shadow in his mind had returned all the energy it had siphoned off during his fusion training, pouring it into the tiny flame binding Yinglü’s spirit.

Could it be that Yinglü’s spirit had originally awakened a simple supersonic dash, but thanks to the nine-tailed shadow’s reinforcement, it became a charged state, usable twice in succession?

Maybe, as his fusion deepened and his body improved, he could use it three times, four times, or even more?

“Come to the rest room. I’ll help you relax and then we’ll continue studying this new ability of yours,” said Luo Zongwen, stroking his long beard. “Only through repeated use and honing will you truly understand your power, integrating it with your original techniques, and perhaps even developing new moves!”

Du Huaishan understood the wisdom in his instructor’s words.

After all, as often debated in games and anime: “There are no useless professions—only useless players!”

After enjoying Luo Zongwen’s expert massage and employing tiger-style relaxation techniques for fifteen minutes, Du Huaishan returned to the training room. Activating his demonization once more, he continued to explore his new power.

He named it Shadowstep.

First, Shadowstep could only move in a straight line—no zigzag patterns.

Second, there was a minimal interval between the two bursts, almost as short as a tenth of a second.

For an ordinary person, this exceeded the limits of the human nervous system, but for a warrior in a demonized state, it was not impossible to track.

Luo Zongwen, at his current strength, could perceive Du Huaishan’s Shadowstep clearly when he himself reached the twelfth level of demonization.

Finally, Shadowstep required no external support whatsoever.

Indeed, Du Huaishan could even flash through the air.

It was reminiscent of “left foot stepping on the right” or the legendary Wudang Cloud Ladder technique.

At the instant he used Shadowstep, his body broke the sound barrier, his heart unleashing a monstrous surge of energy, allowing him to step on air, creating a sonic boom and a powerful, lingering recoil.

This gave him immense tactical flexibility.

He could appear behind a demon in a flash, delivering a deadly blow to its heart.

Fortunately, he couldn’t pass through walls.

Otherwise, he’d flash straight into a monster’s body and kill it from within—better than any cheat!

“Your Shadowstep is extremely strong. Practice hard, especially in combination with the Collapsing Spear technique—you’ll be able to unleash mighty attacks!” Luo Zongwen looked at the holes Du Huaishan had punched into the metal target with his Crimson Marrow Spear, nodding with satisfaction. “After breaking through the first stage, you must pay attention to attribute projection.”

“Plague is a very rare demon attribute, similar to poison. Once infected, both humans and demons are weakened; in severe cases, the toxic energy can be fatal. This will be a tremendous advantage for you in future battles!”

It was then that Du Huaishan understood why Lai Yanlong had been so insistent, even arguing with the squad leader, just to obtain that giant serpent spirit.

According to Luo Zongwen, this attribute was indeed abnormal—once infected, it was like giving the enemy a massive debuff.

“Today’s Aberrant invasion was a hard blow to you trainees. But it’s better to face brutal reality early than to lose your life on the battlefield.”

“Du Huaishan, always keep your heart true. Never let fear or cowardice defeat you. Courage, strength, and skill—of these, mindset is often the most important.”

When Luo Zongwen spoke these words, his voice was grave, even letting out a rare sigh. His gaze remained fixed outside the window, as if recalling distant memories.

Du Huaishan understood.

Instructor Luo feared that the loss of a classmate would leave a psychological scar, affecting his future battles.

“I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Instructor Luo.”

Training ended. When he left the villa, it was already past eight in the evening.

Carrying a wooden box, Du Huaishan returned to the dormitory.

As soon as he stepped through the door, Tan Hai and the others crowded around.

“Huaishan, are you all right?”

“That secret police chief didn’t give you a hard time, did he?”

Du Huaishan smiled. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

Wu Ming noticed the box in his hands and asked, “Huaishan, what’s that you’re holding?”

“A reward from the Martial Training Hall.”

His contribution of training aids was no secret to his dorm mates, so Du Huaishan openly recounted the meeting that afternoon.

“My goodness! Huaishan, you’re actually a probationary lieutenant now?”

“Hahaha! That’s amazing! Our Eighth Squad finally has someone in command!”

“Lieutenant Du! New recruit Yang Anfu reporting for duty!”

“Get lost!”

Du Huaishan shoved the chubby Yang aside, letting Wu Ming take the box and join everyone in examining the pair of epaulettes inside.

Guo Tingyu stared at them, his blue eyes filled with envy.

For the first time, Du Huaishan saw Guo Tingyu truly envy someone.

“Huaishan, you’re incredible. At this rate, you’ll be squad leader by graduation!” Guo Tingyu clicked his tongue. “Tell us, what’s the Young Marshal like? Is he easy to get along with?”

“He’s a good person. Despite his achievements at a young age, he’s very approachable. Throughout our conversation, whenever he mentioned his father, he referred to him as the Grand Marshal—keeping public and private matters separate, never flaunting his connections.”

Du Huaishan’s impression of Zhang Yiming was quite positive.

“That’s great! Huaishan, now that you’ve earned your lieutenant’s rank and have ties with the Young Marshal, joining the Guard Battalion will be a breeze!” Guo Tingyu clapped him on the back. “Don’t forget your brothers when the time comes!”

“The Guard Battalion? Isn’t that the Grand Marshal’s personal guard? I heard only the elite of the Yingzhou Army can get in! They live in the Marshal’s mansion—must be amazing!” Yang Anfu chimed in, intrigued.

Guo Tingyu nodded, eyes shining. “Exactly. The Grand Marshal’s Guard Battalion is under the Young Marshal’s First Mixed Brigade. Only the best of the best are selected. If you get in, not only are the benefits great, you’re also at the heart of the Yingzhou Army’s power. You get to mingle with the big shots from all three provinces.”

“My father once said, serve a few years in the Guard Battalion and promotions come quickly. Maybe in less than ten years, you’ll be a major general!”

Everyone remembered then—Guo Tingyu had always wanted to become a general.

“Huaishan, when you and Tingyu become major generals, don’t forget your old friends!” Yang grinned.

Only Tan Hai looked a bit awkward, because he knew Du Huaishan had always wanted to join the First Cavalry Brigade.

Sure enough, Du Huaishan waved his hand. “You’re mistaken. I’m not aiming for the Guard Brigade—I want to join the Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment.”

“The Recon Regiment? Isn’t that the unit with the highest casualty rate?” Guo Tingyu was baffled. “Huaishan, you’re usually so smart—why pick the most dangerous path? The Recon Regiment is tasked with battlefield scouting and support. When the command doesn’t know the situation, they send the recon cavalry. To put it bluntly, it’s a suicide mission—cannon fodder!”

“In the Guard Brigade, you’d just stand watch at the mansion, attend events with the Marshal, never see combat, never worry about your next meal. You can’t compare that to any other unit!”

“But the Recon Regiment is where you can truly hone your skills, and military merits there are just as valuable. Besides, I really like Instructors Chang and Zhou—I want to follow them.”

Du Huaishan knew Guo Tingyu didn’t understand his complicated relationship with Chang Sui’an.

Indeed, Guo Tingyu couldn’t comprehend why he’d give up a bright future for such a perilous path.

“Honestly, I think Huaishan’s got the right idea. The Marshal’s mansion is like the imperial city under old Chiyu’s thinking—you have to be careful at every turn,” Wu Ming said. “I’m just a rough fellow, not cut out for politicking. I always say the wrong thing. That Recon Regiment sounds more my style.”

He turned to Tan Hai. “Really, Tan, you’d be a good fit there!”

“Me? Heh… well, there’s still time. We’re only a few months into training—graduation and choosing a unit are still far off.”

Of course, Tan Hai would follow Du Huaishan.

But now was not the time to say so, so he played peacemaker to end the debate.

Everyone realized there was still plenty of time—no need to argue over future assignments.

Yet, as they watched Du Huaishan at his desk, kindling the lantern to write his training journal, his fingers brushing the lieutenant’s insignia, Guo Tingyu’s eyes full of envy, and Yang counting his supplies for logistics, Wu Ming shook his head and sighed inwardly, his gaze landing on Sun Tian’s empty bunk, his expression darkening.

In his mind, he replayed memories of their early days: eating together in the mess hall, fighting side by side.

Perhaps those days would never return…

The next day.

Recruit training ground, at the foot of West Mountain.

When Xu Yuan saw Du Huaishan appear unharmed, she turned her head away.

Li Anqi finally breathed a sigh of relief. “You scared me! I thought the secret police took you away for good!”

No surprise everyone thought that way—Sun Jianheng’s ominous appearance had left quite an impression.

Wu Ming teased from the side, “Oh! You’re so worried about Huaishan, but he’s fine—not only that, he’s been awarded a medal and promoted to lieutenant!”

His words caused a stir among the trainees.

A lieutenant’s rank meant that Du Huaishan was now their “superior,” and in formal settings, he deserved their salute.

But no one felt jealous.

After yesterday’s battle, no one among the recruits could fail to acknowledge him.

“Du Huaishan, thank you for saving me yesterday…”

A tiny voice, like a mosquito’s, spoke up beside him.

He turned to see Lin Sizhi, her forehead wrapped in bandages.

If not for her gentle, shy tone, he might not have recognized her.

“It’s nothing. Just as you chose to help the trainees who had lost their powers, I would naturally risk myself to save you. You’re part of the Eighth Training Squad—we’re teammates, fighting side by side.”

Du Huaishan’s answer was perfect, leaving no room for anyone to feel pressured or indebted.

Lin Sizhi quietly breathed a sigh of relief, though an unexplainable sense of loss lingered.

She bowed her head slightly. “Still, thank you for risking your life to save me. If I ever get the chance, I’ll find a way to repay you.”

“You already have.”

“Huh?” Lin Sizhi tilted her head, confused by his words.

“Thank you—for giving me strength.”

“Lin Sizhi, the note you handed me didn’t just empower you. It also gave that strength to me. That’s how I managed to break through the first threshold!”

“I hope we can keep working hard together.”

Seeing Du Huaishan’s warm smile, Lin Sizhi’s pupils trembled.

He had heard her final words after all!