Chapter 904: In the Name of the Captain

The Fourth Prince froze for a second before bursting into wild laughter. "Good! Very good! You claim you're not trash? Fine, I'll give you a chance to prove it!"

His cold gaze locked onto Gu Tengfeng. "As captain, you should lead by example. If you can defeat the weakest member of our Royal Sword Team, I'll acknowledge your team's worth and leave immediately. No further trouble. What do you say, Captain Gu?"

"Fine! I accept it!" Gu Tengfeng roared, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. At least this offered a way to resolve things.

"Boss Gu!" Gong Cheng grabbed Gu Tengfeng's shoulder urgently. "Don't be rash!"

"Captain, think carefully," Lin Mochen muttered. "Even their weakest member is still part of the Royal Sword Team..."

Though Gu Tengfeng was their captain, everyone knew Ling Feng, Li Bufan and Jiang Xiaofan were their top three fighters. Gu Tengfeng's true strength lay in tactical command.

"Captain, don't." Xue Xiaolin bit her lip, eyes pleading. She couldn't bear seeing him get seriously injured over wounded pride.

"What's wrong? Having second thoughts?" The Fourth Prince's lips twisted into a sneer. "Weren't you just shouting about not being trash?" His mocking laughter filled the hall.

Ling Feng stepped forward, fists trembling. "If it's a fight you want, I'll gladly oblige!"

"

Hahaha!

Without you, this so-called Tianfeng Sword Team is just garbage!" The Fourth Prince jeered. "What kind of captain hides behind his teammates? Some leader you are!"

"Trash captain indeed!" A Royal Sword Team member doubled over laughing, sparking a wave of cruel amusement from their group.

"Enough! I can't take this anymore!" Jiang Xiaofan's voice shook with rage. "You bastards have gone too far!"

Li Bufan silently drew his sword, his stance making his position clear. If they wanted war, he was ready to give it to them.

Yet Gu Tengfeng's expression remained eerily calm. He took a deep breath and placed a hand on Ling Feng's shoulder. "I'm the captain. You've already done so much for this team. Let me do my part now."

"Captain..."

Looking into Gu Tengfeng's eyes, Ling Feng saw something unshakable: the dignity of a true leader.

"I understand." Ling Feng gripped his shoulder in return, offering a faint smile. "You must win, captain!"

"I will! I swear!" Gu Tengfeng's gaze swept across his teammates' faces. "In the name of your captain!"

With that, he strode forward and bellowed at the Fourth Prince's group: "Who dares face me?"

"Captain! (Boss Gu!)"

All the members of the Tianfeng Sword Team stared fixedly at Gu Tengfeng's back.

He could be calm at times, scheming at others, and occasionally hot-tempered. But no matter what, he was a good captain!

The Fourth Prince let out a cold laugh and casually pointed to a man nearby wearing a purple robe, a wolf-face mask covering the left side of his face. With a look of disdain, he said, "Dugu Lang, make it quick."

The masked man gave a slight nod, then slowly stepped forward and stood facing Gu Tengfeng.

"Gu Tengfeng, captain of Tianfeng Sword Team. Let's see what you've got!" Gu Tengfeng performed a fist-and-palm salute.

Dugu Lang merely drew his gleaming blade. "You're not worthy to be called my opponent."

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The insult hung in the air. Gu Tengfeng's expression tightened slightly at the sheer disrespect.

"Damn bastard! Who does he think he is?" Ye Nanfeng ground his teeth, itching to slap that arrogant mask right off.

The entire Tianfeng Sword Team burned with anger. From start to finish, the Royal Sword Team had treated them like dirt beneath their feet.

"We'll see about that after we fight." Gu Tengfeng leapt onto the dueling platform, his movements steady despite the storm inside him. He couldn't afford to lose control now.

"Pointless." Dugu Lang vanished in a blur, reappearing on the platform faster than eyes could follow.

"Incredible speed!" Ling Feng's pupils contracted. Dugu Lang was far stronger than Liu Fanyu. Even he would need to get serious to defeat this opponent. Gu Tengfeng stood no chance.

Despite recent progress, Gu Tengfeng was still only at the Pulse Formation Realm. Dugu Lang had reached the second level of Spiritual Element Realm, and was a monster even among his peers.

"Swift Wolf Strike!"

A flash of purple light. The clang of steel. Gu Tengfeng went flying backward, barely catching himself at the platform's edge in a shower of sparks.

One probing strike had nearly ended the match. The gap was painfully obvious.

"Captain!" The Tianfeng team watched in horror. The difference was insurmountable.

"See now? This is our gap!" The Fourth Prince laughed triumphantly at Ling Feng. "Change your mind now, and my offer still stands. I'll even reward your pathetic teammates. Surely that satisfies you?"

"The match isn't over yet, Fourth Prince." Ling Feng didn't even glance his way, but fixed his eyes on Gu Tengfeng. He remembered the determination in his captain's eyes. Against all odds, he still believed, because Gu Tengfeng was the kind of man who stood tall when it mattered most.

"Fools refuse to surrender until death stares them in the face!" The Fourth Prince snorted. "Dugu Lang! No more holding back. Show Captain Gu what true despair feels like!"

Dugu Lang sighed wearily, cold eyes locking onto Gu Tengfeng. "I'll give you one chance to yield. Otherwise, you'll learn the meaning of hell!"