Chapter 728: A New Vice-Captain-Level

Baili Changqing and Liang Yue fought for quite a while, but neither gained the upper hand.

Though both of them held back and didn’t go all out, the outcome still showed one clear thing—Liang Yue’s potential had been thoroughly developed.

As she was now, she had reached the strength of a vice-captain-level combatant.

The two stopped at the same time, as if by tacit agreement, and returned to the stands.

Baili Changqing took the initiative to compliment Zhang Ye, “I didn’t expect you to have such a powerhouse hidden by your side! Her strength really surprised me.”

“If I hadn’t received extensive training from the Jiangnan District, I probably wouldn’t be able to beat her in a one-on-one fight back in the day.”

And he wasn’t just being modest.

What Liang Yue practiced wasn’t flashy martial arts—it was true killing technique.

You couldn’t survive as a bodyguard in that place unless you were an absolute beast.

If it were a life-or-death fight, Baili Changqing wasn’t confident he could win.

He was only ahead because of the longer, more specialized training he received in Jiangnan District.

As for Liang Yue, most of her growth had been raw and unpolished—until she gained support from the Deng Family’s tech.

Zhang Ye nodded, smiling uncontrollably as he looked at Liang Yue.

He finally had someone on his team who could truly fight.

“Oh, right—the Ability Index system. Are you familiar with it?” Zhang Ye asked, turning to Baili Changqing.

Baili Changqing smiled. “Of course. It’s the system developed by the major districts using AI to evaluate the power levels of Abnormals.”

“The classifications—Alpha, Beta, and so on—all have clear thresholds.”

“For example, the line between Gamma and Delta is the ability to wield Co-Devour.”

“And for Delta and Epsilon, the key difference lies in whether the power has reached a breakthrough-tier leap in magnitude.”

“To qualify as Epsilon, the base requirement is having the ability to destroy an entire city on your own.”

“Of course, for some Abnormals, their Ability Index is also described by their impact on other Abnormals.”

He raised a finger. “But this tier-based classification is overly broad. It doesn’t reflect an Abnormal’s true capabilities.”

“There are huge gaps even within each rank.”

“That’s why years ago, researchers in the field proposed the concept of the ‘Ability Index’—which became the standard we use today.”

Zhang Ye nodded. “That does make it much easier to see someone’s actual power level at a glance.”

Baili Changqing asked, “Captain, do you know your own Ability Index?”

“No idea,” Zhang Ye replied bluntly.

Baili Changqing chuckled. “The latest update was after you killed a member of Ximing’s Eclipse Moon.”

“Based on your combat record and abilities, the AI calculated your Ability Index at 8200.”

8200! A full thousand points higher than Baili Changqing himself.

Zhang Ye raised an eyebrow, then asked with interest, “Can I ask what Bian Junwu and Deng Shentong’s Index numbers are?”

Baili Changqing answered honestly, “Captain Bian is at 9100. Deng Shentong is at 9300.”

Zhang Ye couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Thinking he’d misunderstood, Baili Changqing hurried to explain, “It’s just a number—it doesn’t directly equate to combat strength. There are so many variables that decide who wins a fight.”

But Zhang Ye shook his head.

Baili Changqing didn’t get it.

Zhang Ye wasn’t angry—he was pleased.

Yes, pleased!

Even though he was now a squad captain, most people in Blizzard City still thought of his strength as somewhere between a vice-captain and a full captain.

In other words, no one really knew his true power.

And wasn’t that a great thing?

He still had cards up his sleeve—tricks no one had seen.

Later, after Baili Changqing left, Zhang Ye specifically asked Liang Yue a question.

“You fought him—do you think you could win?”

Because according to the training field’s AI, Liang Yue’s Ability Index was lower than Baili Changqing’s.

But Liang Yue didn’t answer directly.

She simply glanced at the blunt-edged training sword in her hand and said calmly, “The blade wasn’t a good fit.”

…

In the following days, Zhang Ye set a new training plan for the Celestial Hound Squad.

The former Black Robe members continued with their regular regimen—no reductions in their daily load.

The main focus, however, was on specialized training for Zhang Ye, Liang Yue, and Yang Xinxin, led by Baili Changqing, a former colonel of the Yan Yun Guard and a special forces instructor.

What they had to learn was how to actually coordinate on the battlefield, including the basics of small-team tactical formations.

Professional soldiers clearly had the upper hand over them in this area.

The next day, the three members of Ye He’s group—now fully healed—sought out Zhang Ye.

They had seen his strength firsthand and were completely convinced.

Led by Ye He, the three of them bowed at a full ninety degrees before Zhang Ye.

“Captain! Please forgive our disrespect. We want to join the operation against Eclipse Moon and avenge Captain Deng and the Celestial Squad!”

Zhang Ye looked at them silently.

They remained bowed at ninety degrees—for a full ten minutes.

Even for trained soldiers, that kind of pressure was hard to bear.

Just as they were about to collapse, Zhang Ye’s cold voice came from above.

“Do you accept your punishment?”

They had been publicly reprimanded and written up—a harsh sentence for being late just once.

But they weren’t fools—they knew Zhang Ye was using them to establish authority.

And now that they wanted back in, it was all up to him.

Ye He quickly responded, “Yes, we accept it!”

He pulled out a long document from his uniform.

It was a handwritten self-criticism letter, over a dozen pages long.

“This is my reflection.”

Zhang Ye didn’t even look at it.

“Members of the Celestial Hound Squad are risking their lives. You’re fighting for your country’s honor!”

“That means there’s a high chance you’ll die. And if it helps us win, I won’t hesitate to sacrifice any of you!”

“Even knowing that—do you still want in?”

Some things needed to be made clear upfront.

He couldn’t have them hesitate at the critical moment and tarnish the team’s reputation.

The three men answered in unison: “As long as we can eliminate Eclipse Moon, we’re willing to give our lives!”

For veterans like them, death wasn’t the scariest thing.

The real fear was living the rest of their lives with shame.

The fall of the Celestial Squad had turned their once-proud unit name into a cruel joke.

All their past glory vanished in an instant, and they often heard people mocking how they lost to Eclipse Moon.

It was more humiliating than a tournament’s number-one seed losing to a dark horse from a play-in bracket!

They had spent sleepless nights, filled with regret, dreaming of fighting Eclipse Moon again.

Even dying in battle would be better than living on as cowards.

Author's Note