Chapter 180: Quantity
The field was vast, but Xiang Beifei, eager to save time, hastened his steps and was nearly running across this field of hope.
An Xiyu saw that Xiang Beifei's pace was incredibly fast, which sparked her competitive spirit; she too quickened her steps, intending to rapidly locate the traps that had vulnerabilities.
However, the moment she sped up, she found that she apparently hadn't inspected many areas and couldn't cover all the traps; she nearly missed a inconspicuous one by accident.
Nothing to be done, An Xiyu had to slow down and check them at her own pace.
"With him running so fast, can he really find anything?"
An Xiyu furrowed her brow, feeling somewhat doubtful because Xiang Beifei's speed didn't seem indicative of someone checking for faults; it looked more like he was freely running with the wind.
Had he come here to train his body?
Yet, recalling the mistakes she had made in the canyon that Xiang Beifei had pointed out earlier, she wasn't so certain anymore.
Every task he embarked on seemed reckless, but there also appeared to be a method to his madness.
"I can't lose to him again."
An Xiyu had decided to put aside her prejudices against Xiang Beifei and treat him seriously; she had to prove something.
She concentrated, focusing intently on the ground beneath her, using Professor Guo's theories to search for the most elusive shortcomings in this field.
Twenty minutes later, Xiang Beifei had finally run through the entire field and then made his way back to Professor Guo, writing and sketching on a piece of paper as he walked; it was already filled with coordinates of traps in the field.
Professor Guo had a set of theories for laying traps, which required first engraving a Formation with Spiritual Power to identify the types of desolate beasts. With this grand Formation, a simple set of coordinates was established.
"You've finished checking already?"
Professor Guo was somewhat skeptical because the time Xiang Beifei had taken was almost the same as his own checking time.
He was familiar with his theories on defensive power, so a glance was usually enough for him to understand, and fast speed was natural for him. But Xiang Beifei was just a freshman; how could he discern so easily while running so fast?
"Let me finish writing."
Xiang Beifei had completed his inspection, but he still hadn't completely recorded everything as this field, just as Professor Guo had said, was indeed riddled with errors. There were about a hundred incorrect coordinates, and it would take time to write them all down.
Professor Guo watched Xiang Beifei skeptically but didn't disturb him.
"Done."
Five minutes later, Xiang Beifei finished writing down all the trap coordinates, but he didn't hurry to show them to Professor Guo. Instead, he glanced at An Xiyu, who was still checking the field, and asked, "Should we wait for her?"
Professor Guo looked up at An Xiyu, who was inspecting at a distance, and seemed to think of something.
"Does Xiyu also wish to try?"
Professor Guo knew his student An Xiyu well; she was incredibly strict with herself, striving for perfection in everything, especially her studies. She never slacked off and was accustomed to outshining others, making a concerted effort to prove that she could excel in the profession of guardian.
"You show me first, she'll probably need some more time," said Professor Guo.
"Okay." Xiang Beifei handed over his notebook to Professor Guo.
Professor Guo flipped through the coordinates on the first page, his eyes reflecting admiration as he nodded slightly.
"Not bad."
Turning to the second page, surprise began to color his expression.
"Interesting."
Turning to the third page, his gaze grew more serious.
"Ah, this..."
Upon reaching the fourth page, Professor Guo was utterly stunned!
"You..."
Then, with excitement lighting up his face as if he had discovered a new world, he said excitedly, "One hundred and twenty-seven errors in the traps! Spot-on! You really found them all! You even provided suggestions for improvement?"
Professor Guo was profoundly shocked!
He had always thought Xiang Beifei was clever, but he had never imagined he would reach such an extent!
In just twenty minutes, including the time taken to write, which was about twenty-five minutes, he had identified all the faults in the field!
Then, thinking that the field's arrangement for capturing desolate beasts was not perfect, Xiang Beifei also wrote down his suggestions for improvement.
And these suggestions uncannily matched Professor Guo's own thoughts!
If it wasn't for Professor Guo's strong defensive power, he would have even thought Xiang Beifei had read his mind!
Identifying mistakes made by a postgraduate student and providing suggestions for improvement, was this something a freshman could achieve?
"You... you really are a defensive genius; have you really not considered becoming a guardian? People with your talent are needed among the guardians!" Professor Guo asked eagerly.
Xiang Beifei just smiled without giving a direct reply.
Professor Guo kept marveling, muttering to himself with a mix of regret and involuntary annoyance, and then he couldn't help but curse Elder Luo, "That bastard Luo, why does he always have to snatch things before I do, it's infuriating..."
Xiang Beifei watched An Xiyu, who was still bent over inspecting a section of the field by a stream, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Professor, may I say something?"
"What is it?"
"If Xiyu also manages to find all the issues, then forget it. But if she misses a few, she might ask me how many I found; then you can just tell her that I found fewer mistakes than she did," said Xiang Beifei.
Not quite understanding, Professor Guo asked, "Why?"
"She's trying hard to be a competent guardian, protecting the frontiers," Xiang Beifei said as he looked at An Xiyu's silhouette, adding, "What she needs most is for her confidence to remain unshaken."