The drill instructor confirmed the readiness and dispatched a robot, carrying a lamp, to accompany Lingyin.

For such long-distance runs, it was inevitable that some would lag behind. Since the instructor couldn't monitor everyone individually, the robot was assigned this task. Military robots, being silent and possessing emotionless exteriors, made for poor company. Girls, being a rather curious species, tend to become exceedingly talkative when their bodies are at rest.

Coupled with the dark, windy night and inherent fear, being paired with an expressionless machine was sheer torment. Consequently, most girls who fell behind would rush to catch up to the main group within a few minutes.

From four in the afternoon until eight at night, the group continued their trek.

Many were growing hungry.

Hunger is not an illness.

It is far more terrifying than any sickness; it stages a protest within one's viscera, robbing the limbs of strength, paralyzing coherent thought, and even making breathing difficult—let alone running...

Those who had eaten little and slept less began to falter.

Ziye was relatively fine regarding hunger; her stomach didn't ache, but she was desperately thirsty. She drank water incessantly, nearing the bottom of her two water bags, yet the thirst persisted. She shook the water pouch, sighed, and allowed herself only a small sip to moisten her throat. The situation ahead remained unknown; if the water ran out, it would be disastrous.

The Major, seeing the pace drop too severely, halted and broadcasted, "Rest for twenty minutes!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a collective sigh of relief swept through the ranks, and the beach was instantly strewn with collapsed bodies. Ziye rolled twice on the ground but the thirst remained, making her wish she could dive into the ocean for a drink.

Xiaodouya hopped around beside her, utterly delighted.

Many mistook Xiaodouya for a sophisticated interactive toy and poked it repeatedly: "Your little figure is so amusing." The instant they finished speaking, Xiaodouya bounced back into Ziye's arms, blinking its eyes at them, "Stop teasing me."

Everyone burst into laughter, as if their exhaustion had instantly evaporated.

On the cruiser, many had already noticed her figure. While everyone else was taking selfies and snacking, she was playing with her little companion; now, as everyone lay panting like exhausted dogs, she was still engaged with her toy.

The disdain they once held in their eyes had now transformed into admiration.

At this juncture, anyone still capable of serenely playing with a figurine—could they truly be ordinary people?

During the break, Lingyin materialized from somewhere and plopped down beside Ziye, breathing heavily. "I'm dying of thirst. Ziye, are you thirsty?"

Ziye was also desperately thirsty, but she had no surplus water, and chocolate was a notoriously dehydrating food. She suggested, "How about you eat a grub pupa?"

Lingyin quickly waved her hands dismissively. "No, no. Absolutely not. If you eat one, we won't make it to the finish line."

Ziye felt a slight surprise. "What's going on?"

Lingyin leaned closer, folding her legs and looking down disdainfully. "Grub pupae have incredibly high caloric content; you can only eat one a month. Otherwise, you'll get nosebleeds. You dare eat two in one day? Are you trying to burst a blood vessel?"

Ziye's eyes widened instantly. "That extreme?"

Lingyin nodded. "Digesting grub pupae takes up so much water. I ate one once when I was little—goodness, I nearly had to soak myself in a bathtub afterward. Let me tell you, these things are outrageously expensive. My father bought me one when I was sickly as a child; I heard it cost nearly a hundred thousand. Today, I stepped in dog dirt and managed to dig up four at once."

Ziye was stunned into silence. She quickly retrieved the uneaten one from her backpack. "It's so valuable; I can't accept it."

Lingyin took the grub pupa, casually tossed it back into Ziye's backpack, and scoffed, "Pah, I dug them up casually anyway. I really wish I could excavate that entire patch of ground clean!" she giggled. "You give me a fish, and I'll give you two pupae in return. We'll call it even, and never mention this again."

Seeing Lingyin’s earnest expression, her dimples perfectly rounded, Ziye found her incredibly charming and couldn't resist poking one of her dimples. "Deal, it's settled."

Truthfully, Ziye wasn't comfortable accepting favors. She resolved to repay her with something in the future, but that was definitely a matter for later; for now, she would just keep the kindness in mind.

After a brief period of rest and adjustment, everyone felt significantly better, and their pace upon resuming was noticeably faster than before. However, the instructor was no longer walking on the beach; they were now heading into the forest.

A forest at night is terrifyingly formidable.

Intermittently, the distant roar of a beast could be heard, raising the hairs on one's neck.

Fortunately, being in a large group provided some comfort, lessening their fear. However, the forest was not as easy to traverse as the beach; stones frequently blocked their path, requiring them to hop over them one by one.

Around midnight, a smooth road appeared ahead, complete with streetlights. A yellow-glowing lamp post stood every hundred paces, illuminating the path and surrounding trees.

The Major turned back, his voice cheerful. "Five minutes left until the end!" As soon as he finished speaking, Du Shuangyu shot forward like an arrow.

He had been waiting for this exact moment.

Swoosh...

**.Amanit also charged forward, as did the physically stronger boys at the front of the line. Ziye had felt quite relaxed throughout the journey and felt no issue with a final sprint. Lingyin had vanished again, but Ziye knew her explosive power was immense, so she felt no concern. She slightly increased her own pace, aiming to stay around tenth place, and when only about three minutes remained, she initiated her final surge!

Those behind, panting heavily, watched in utter disbelief as Ziye accelerated toward the finish line with incredible speed, overtaking boy after boy, moving faster than an arrow. In moments, she caught up to **.Amanit and Du Shuangyu.

"Move aside," "Make way," a voice called from behind. Lingyin had also begun exerting herself, running full tilt...

A three-minute distance was perfect for a final sprint.

Ziye felt the wind whooshing past her ears, her hair streaming backward. Xiaodouya flapped its wings overhead, shouting encouragement: "Ziye, the crawling turtle! Your current time is 9.01 seconds for the hundred meters—too slow. Your limit is 8.20 seconds!"

Du Shuangyu, who thought victory was assured, saw someone fly past him at top speed. He strained with all his might, attempting to catch up, only to be overtaken again by **.Amanit.

What the—!

The next second, Ziye crossed the finish line first. Xiaodouya happily flapped its wings and smacked her on the head. "Idiot, you didn't hit your limit."

Ziye grabbed it, pulled it down from her head, gave it a couple of light smacks against her face, and casually clipped it to her waist. After walking a few steps to loosen her muscles, she turned back to see Du Shuangyu and **.Amanit arriving simultaneously.

The first three to finish exchanged glances; none broke the silence.

Finally, Ziye spoke first. "**, aren't those two backpacks heavy for you?"

**.Amanit finally remembered the two heavy packs and quickly unstrapped them, letting out a sigh of relief. Du Shuangyu, however, felt like a thousand wild horses were stampeding through his mind.

Ziye, a girl, had actually beaten him in the race! And **.Amanit, carrying two packs, was just as fast as him!