As promised, the first meal of the day began. For the first time, there was no rush. Everyone ate with their stomachs full for the first time ever since they were taken as hostages.
Liam sat with his team, enjoying the meal. Mi-Na, the older girl, turned to Liam with a grateful smile. "Thanks for the tips, Liam. I couldn't have done it without you."
Liam nodded, "No problem, Mi-Na. We're all in this together."
Kai, who was sitting across from Liam, chimed in, "Yeah, Liam's tips were really helpful. I thought I'd struggle more, but it was easier than I expected."
Soo Min giggled, "Maybe because Liam makes everything look easy."
Joon Seok nodded in agreement, "He's got a knack for teaching. Maybe he should be our squad leader."
Liam laughed, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have a lot to learn."
As they ate, members from other squads approached Liam and his team, seeking advice. A boy from Iron Fang's squad hesitantly asked, "Hey, Liam, can you share some tips on achieving Qi visibility? We heard you've already mastered it."
Liam smiled and shared his knowledge, "Sure."
The boy thanked Liam and returned to his squad, seemingly eager to share the newfound knowledge with others.
After eating, they rested for a while before resuming their practice. The system then told Liam to quickly unlock the Qi Control technique and learn it.
[Unlock the Qi Control technique. You have 2100 XP remaining. If you use 1000 XP to unlock Qi Control and another 1000 XP on Qi Projection, you'll have 100 XP left.]
Liam calculated his XP. He didn't want to have so little XP and wanted to save some for an emergency situation. He thought about killing some guards to farm XP, but he couldn't do anything during the day. And if he waited for night, he would lose important time which he couldn't afford because of the 3-day deadline.
"Fuck, I need more XP," Liam muttered to himself. "If I kill some guards, I could farm some, but I can't do it during the day. And if I wait for night, I'll lose too much time. We only have three days, and the first day is already passing. Shit, I need to think of something else."
[You'll receive 2000 XP as a reward for quest completion.]
Liam knew spending XP on unlocking techniques was worth it, but he wanted to save some XP too. After a lot of pondering, Liam unlocked the Qi Control technique.
[Qi Control Technique Unlocked. 1000 XP deducted. Remaining XP: 1100.]
Liam struggled to learn this technique, wasting a few hours until evening. He sat cross-legged, his eyes closed as he tried to focus his Qi. He visualized it flowing through his meridians, attempting to control its movement, but it was like trying to grasp smoke. His Qi would slip through his mental grasp, dissipating before he could control it.
"Come on, you slippery bastard," Liam muttered under his breath, his frustration growing. He took a deep breath, trying to center himself, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and distractions.
DING~ DONG~!
The signal of the meal distribution rang.
The evening meal distribution started, and everyone gathered around. Liam's team also stopped their session and got ready to join the line. They noticed Liam was still practicing and called him out, but Liam didn't respond. He was in a zone and couldn't hear anything happening outside.
"Liam, come on! It's time to eat!" Joon Ho called out, waving his hand in front of Liam's face.
"Yeah, Liam, you need to take a break," Soo Min added, trying to get his attention. But Liam remained unresponsive, his focus unwavering.
Rin told everyone, "You guys go ahead and get the meal. I'll watch over him."
The others agreed and left, leaving Rin to keep an eye on Liam.
Liam was still struggling from within, his mind a whirlwind of focus and determination. He visualized it flowing through his meridians, attempting to grasp and direct its movement. It was like trying to hold onto water, slippery and elusive, but he persisted.
He took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, centering himself. His Qi began to respond, flowing more steadily through his body. He willed it to gather in his palms, imagining it concentrating and becoming denser.
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to maintain his focus, his body trembling with the effort. Suddenly, he felt a click within him, a sensation of control and mastery. His Qi obeyed his will, gathering in his palms and glowing softly.
He opened his eyes with a sense of triumph washing over him.
Rin, who had been watching him closely, noticed the change and asked, "Liam, are you okay? The meal distribution has started. You should continue your training after eating. I'll train with you."
Liam looked at Rin with a smile spreading across his face. "I just achieved Qi Control, Rin."
Rin's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Really? That's amazing, Liam! You're learning so fast. You're a prodigy!"
Liam smiled wryly after hearing the word prodigy, and shook his head. "I'm no prodigy, Rin. I'm just trying my best."
Rin beamed at him, her eyes shining with admiration. "Well, your best is pretty incredible. Come on, let's get some food."
They joined the line for the meal distribution and then made their way back to their team, who had already started eating. They sat down together, enjoying the meal and the sense of camaraderie.
After eating, some of the hostages went back to their cages to rest and sleep, while others returned to their training. Everyone in Liam's team, except for Rin and Liam, resumed their practice.
Liam turned to Rin with his eyes filled with mischief. "Ready to achieve Qi Control?"
Rin nodded with a playful smile on her lips. "Ready when you are."
Liam led Rin to their cage, his mind already racing with plans. He had promised to help her achieve Qi Control in a rather unique way—by dual cultivating with her. In other words, fucking her senselessly.
As they entered the cage, Liam closed the makeshift curtain for privacy. He turned to Rin, his eyes filled with desire and intent. "Remember our deal, Rin. I'm going to help you achieve Qi Control, but it's going to be intense."
Rin's breath hitched, her eyes widening with nervousness and excitement. "I'm ready, Liam. Do your worst."
He closed the distance between them, his hands gripping her waist as he pulled her into a fierce kiss. Rin melted into him, her body responding to his touch. He deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth as his hands roamed over her body, igniting a fire within her.
Liam smirked, his voice a low growl. "Oh, I will."