Shi Chenghua and Fei Ji looked at Chu Zheng with renewed envy. Their mindsets were already problematic, and now these issues had become even more complex.

However, before their last conversation, Chen Gu hadn't known that Pang Yue's unforeseen incident would occur. The situation had now become even more complicated and tricky.

It's true that no plan can keep up with changes. Great Actor Chen could only sigh to himself.

The time arrived for Chen Gu's second match of the season. He left the base early to return home. Still driving the same behemoth truck, Chen Gu personally transported the Combat Rooster to Immeasurable Stadium.

For the first half of the season, the schedule was quite favorable to Chen Gu, with most of his matches being home games on Capital Star.

His opponent for this second match was nowhere near as strong as "Bone Crusher" Chalmos; it was a veteran who had left his club.

Back in his prime, he possessed considerable strength and was a mainstay in the club. However, he tried to juggle both team and individual matches, which led to a falling out with the club, and they parted ways on bad terms. In his first season after leaving, the veteran's individual match performance was outstanding, ranking him twenty-fourth in the Confederation.

The club, due to his departure, struggled to find a replacement, and their results plummeted that season.

That season was the highlight of the veteran's career. Subsequently, however, his lack of individual strength and waning potential became increasingly evident, and his results declined year after year. In contrast, the club, with its strong financial resources, managed to recover easily.

Now, more than a decade since the veteran left his club, he stubbornly participated only in individual events, and his performance continued to decline.

Tonight, Chen Gu easily secured victory. He didn't even need to issue any commands; the Combat Rooster alone was enough to defeat the opponent in just four rounds.

Afterward, Chen Gu didn't linger in the city. He drove off in the truck with the Combat Rooster overnight. En route, he recalled the Combat Rooster into the Dimensional Prison Ring, returned the truck, and then drove back to the base alone.

The next day, on the interstellar network, there wasn't extensive coverage of Chen Gu's match, as several high-profile battles had taken place the previous night. Chen Gu still drew some attention for "the second victory of an Energy Gathering Mechanical Species," but that was about it.

While eating breakfast, Chen Gu browsed these reports and checked the detailed schedule for his subsequent matches, sent by Alliance officials after last night's game.

For the first half of the season, the Alliance had been considerate of him as a newcomer. The schedule was very friendly, primarily home games, and mostly one match per week. Grueling schedules with two or even three matches a week were rare. This allowed Chen Gu to slowly adapt to the pace of the matches—truly preferential treatment, showing the Alliance had put considerable thought into easing him in.

Chen Gu then stopped paying attention to the league; his primary focus remained on the training at the base. The Beast League was a part-time job for him. Although he enjoyed it, his main goal was still to earn money to support his household.

In the following days of training, Chu Zheng's performance improved markedly. Then, one day, she finally surpassed Shi Chenghua and Fei Ji!

The two stood to the side, woodenly wiping sweat from their foreheads without a word.

To think that the teammate they had worried would hold them back had so effortlessly surpassed them!

During the remaining training time that day, even the usually outspoken Fei Ji became very silent.

Chu Zheng seemed utterly oblivious to all this, still training at her own steady pace. When it struck half-past six in the evening, she immediately left, not training a minute extra.

When she departed, a terrifying number remained displayed on the super-gravity trainer, making Shi Chenghua and Fei Ji's faces burn. They, who diligently added extra training sessions each day, appearing extremely hardworking, had been surpassed by the slender girl they initially dismissed.

After dinner, there was another knock on Chen Gu's door. When Chen Gu opened it and saw Shi Chenghua and Fei Ji standing outside, his face already bore a trace of displeasure.

The two students entered, and Fei Ji, without any preamble, said, "Instructor, if the experiment fails, won't Chu Zheng become more dangerous as she gets stronger?"

Chen Gu waved a hand. "Get out."

But Fei Ji stood her ground. "Don't think we're just jealous of Chu Zheng's training results; that doesn't prove anything. The final outcome still depends on who becomes a Professional.

"We're also participants in the experiment, and its success or failure is closely linked to our own interests. Of course, we have the right to be involved..."

Before she could finish, Chen Gu, thoroughly impatient, grabbed one in each hand and tossed them out.

Their training achievements, of which they had taken such pride, were first surpassed by the "slacker" Chu Zheng, and now, in Chen Gu's hands, they lacked any ability to resist whatsoever.

Chen Gu felt a growing distaste for these two, so he had put a bit more force into his throw, causing them to crash against the opposite wall. They then tumbled down, too dazed and seeing stars to get up.

Chen Gu silently shook his head. They can't even admit to themselves that they're jealous of Chu Zheng.

He once again realized the severity of their problematic mindsets. He immediately initiated a call with both Gong Shuxu and Dr. Meng Ji. Soon, the three of them gathered in Dr. Meng Ji's room.

Chen Gu relayed how Shi Chenghua and Fei Ji had sought him out three times regarding Chu Zheng. He discreetly observed Dr. Meng Ji's reaction as he spoke. Sure enough, before Chen Gu could finish, the doctor was practically exploding. Chen Gu held him back, "Calm down, let me finish."

"These two volunteers have developed serious psychological issues," Chen Gu continued. "We must intervene. Otherwise, if they enter the generator, their mental defenses will surely be breached by those things from the Endless Realm, leading them to degenerate and mutate!"

Dr. Meng Ji slammed his hand on the table, enraged. "Those two imbeciles! Wasting so much of our funding! We should just replace them entirely! Send them to do logistical support for the rest of their lives!

"The Director-General promised another sixty volunteers; the first batch of twenty is almost here."

Gong Shuxu gently shook his head. "The more volunteers for the experiment, the better. Besides, we've already invested so much in them. Let me handle this."

As a Psychological Spy, he was, of course, the most suitable person for the job.

Chen Gu and Dr. Meng Ji both nodded in agreement. Then Dr. Meng Ji said to Chen Gu, "Basler is ready, and the generator has been checked multiple times; there won't be any issues. I plan to conduct the second trial for the first group in two days. This time... you should be there to oversee things. I have a very bad feeling about this."

Chen Gu nodded. "Alright."