The next day.
Zhang Yang got thoroughly drunk to celebrate Gao Xiaohei's promotion.
He almost didn't wake up after a night of heavy drinking.
When he opened his eyes, he realized it was almost eight o'clock.
He immediately shouted,
"Damn it, I almost overslept!"
Zhang Yang haphazardly threw on his clothes and quickly hailed a taxi to the Dragon Group base.
Dragon Group Base.
Qi Dalei glanced at the time, his brow furrowed.
"It's almost eight, why isn't Zhang Yang here yet?"
Although the competition venue with the Patrol Division was also within Jiangnan City, the drive to the competition site would take about an hour.
If they couldn't arrive on time, they would be directly disqualified for absence.
"Captain, I think Zhang Yang is scared and doesn't dare to come. We should leave first," Xiao Dao said solemnly.
Another Dragon Group member chimed in,
"Yeah, the competition time is almost here. Don't let the Patrol Division think we're afraid of them and dare not compete."
"I think Xiao Dao Ge might be right, Zhang Yang really doesn't dare to come."
"..."
In an instant, Zhang Yang's impression among the Dragon Group members plummeted.
It was important to note that the Dragon Group members attached great importance to today's competition.
They had been preparing for this competition for a full year.
If, because of Zhang Yang,
They were delayed and unable to participate, then their year of hard work would be in vain.
Qi Dalei frowned and dialed Zhang Yang's number.
When he heard the "phone is off" tone from the other end, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Forget it, we won't wait for him. Let's go."
With that said,
The Dragon Group members got into the vehicles one after another.
However, as the vehicles were about to leave the barracks,
A figure suddenly dashed out, blocking the front of the car.
If the driver hadn't reacted quickly enough, he would have hit the person.
"Who is it! Are you trying to die!" the driver, startled, yelled.
"Zhang Yang."
Seeing Zhang Yang, Qi Dalei quickly instructed the driver to open the door.
"I thought you weren't coming. Your phone was off," Qi Dalei's tone was full of reproach.
"Captain Qi, I'm really sorry. Something came up last night, and I left my phone at home," Zhang Yang said with an awkward smile.
The other Dragon Group members also looked displeased.
Especially Xiao Dao, who frowned upon smelling the alcohol on Zhang Yang after he got into the car.
"The 'something that came up' you mentioned, did it involve drinking?"
"Zhang Yang, this competition isn't something we begged you to come for. You volunteered to participate. Don't you take it seriously?"
"If that's the case, you can get off now. We don't need you!" Xiao Dao said sternly.
What?
Zhang Yang went drinking?
The Dragon Group members were all displeased upon hearing this.
"Sorry, I did have some drinks last night, but it won't affect the competition later," Zhang Yang admitted frankly and apologized to everyone.
"Heh, we're not counting on you during the competition. Just don't drag us down," Xiao Dao said dismissively.
"I really don't know what Captain was thinking, letting you participate in the competition. Aren't you afraid of disgracing the Dragon Group?"
Zhang Yang's apology didn't make Xiao Dao stop; instead, it made him target Zhang Yang excessively.
This made the already guilty Zhang Yang's expression turn grim.
"You'll be disgraced during the competition, but I won't be. You can rest assured of that."
"Zhang Yang! What do you mean by that?" Xiao Dao stood up from his seat, enraged.
"Just what it means. Are you deaf?" Zhang Yang also took two steps forward, staring directly at him.
From yesterday until now, Zhang Yang had been patient.
That was because he felt he owed the Dragon Group, Qi Dalei, and A Tian, who was injured yesterday.
However,
From beginning to end, Zhang Yang never felt he owed Xiao Dao anything.
The air in the car immediately became tense.
Qi Dalei's expression also turned grim.
He quickly stepped forward to pull Zhang Yang back, while glaring at Xiao Dao.
"The competition is about to start. Do you want the Patrol Division to laugh at us by infighting now?"
"Xiao Dao, sit back down. Stop being so boisterous all the time!"
Qi Dalei once again defended Zhang Yang, which further unbalanced Xiao Dao's mind.
However, Xiao Dao still had a lot of respect for Qi Dalei.
He finally snorted unhappily and sat back in his seat.
"Zhang Yang, please sit down. If you had something that prevented you from coming, it would have been fine to tell me in advance," Qi Dalei said.
In Qi Dalei's opinion, Zhang Yang might have been drinking with that Grandmaster Alchemist last night.
After all, the other party had just broken through to the Grandmaster Alchemist realm yesterday.
A celebration was naturally in order.
So Qi Dalei was quite understanding of Zhang Yang.
"Captain Qi, I promised I would come," Zhang Yang said with a smile.
"Don't worry, we've got this competition in the bag. And looking at your complexion, the Great Return Pill worked quite well, didn't it?"
Qi Dalei smiled with satisfaction and nodded, "Yes, this Great Return Pill is indeed powerful. I've successfully broken through to the Inner Qi Realm."
"I spent last night familiarizing myself with the usage of Inner Qi."
"There shouldn't be much of a problem with this competition."
"Heh, it's good that you broke through," Zhang Yang said happily for him.
About forty minutes later.
The Dragon Group's vehicles stopped at the foot of a mountain.
Quite a few people were already there.
The Patrol Division members, led by Nangong Wu, had been waiting for a long time.
"Qi Dalei, you're really slow. I thought you were scared and wouldn't come," Nangong Wu mocked.
"Nangong Wu, has anyone ever told you that your methods are dirty?" Qi Dalei replied.
Then he began to arrange for the Dragon Group members to disembark and form ranks.
"Haha, my methods are dirty? What are you talking about?"
"But why did your Dragon Group let a nominal member come? Where is your vice-captain A Tian?" Nangong Wu asked knowingly.
His demeanor was incredibly irritating.
"You bastard..." The Dragon Group members were instantly enraged.
They all became furious and wanted to rush forward to fight Nangong Wu.
Fortunately, Qi Dalei stopped them in time.
Besides the Patrol Division and the Dragon Group members, there were also three referee instructors present at the competition venue.
At this moment, in addition to Commander Fang Zheng of the Jiangnan Military Region and Mayor Huang Rui of Jiangnan City,
The Kyoto Patrol Division Headquarters had also sent a prosecutor to participate.
"Everyone calm down. The competition is about to start. Don't you have opportunities to get revenge later?"
"We can't act rashly now. Don't let Commander Fang lose face," Qi Dalei said sternly.
Nangong Wu's provocation was too crude; how could Qi Dalei not see through it?
Fang Zheng, who was standing with the other two referees, also looked very displeased.
Qi Dalei had told him about A Tian's injury.
Combined with Nangong Wu's current behavior, it was now 100% confirmed that the Patrol Division was responsible.
"Heh, Commander Fang, why do you look so upset? Did you not rest well last night?"
At this moment, the Patrol Division prosecutor, Gao Feng, also asked with feigned concern.
Fang Zheng glanced at him and said in a low voice,
"Are all people from the Patrol Division so nosy? Since everyone is here, let the competition begin."