First Arrival on Academy Island

"Ding-dong! The next cruise ship from the west of the city to Academy Island is now boarding."

With his disguised travel bag in hand, Shisui easily passed through the security checkpoint and ticket gate.

The black canvas bag I bought casually on the street was bulging inside, with deliberately distressed clothes and everyday items piled up haphazardly.

Following the directions, he walked to the ferry terminal and soon found the boat he needed to board.

The cruise ship was larger than I had imagined, but even so, the cabins were packed with people and extremely crowded.

With yachts like these scattered throughout the ferry terminal, one can only imagine how staggering the daily flow of people between Academy Island and the west side of the city is.

An increase in foot traffic means a mix of good and bad, which also means there are opportunities to take advantage of others.

External security checks may filter out some less capable individuals, but they cannot stop most professional killers.

He sensed it just now in the waiting hall.

Several faint killing intents emanated from different directions, too faint for ordinary people to detect.

Even excluding those who perfectly concealed their presence, a rough estimate suggests at least five assassins had infiltrated the ranks.

Their target is the people on Academy Island.

This was to be expected. If they were planning to create a monopoly, they should have been prepared for this day to come.

When others can no longer compete using fair means, "flipping the table" becomes a fair tactic.

But Shisui still sensed that something was amiss.

Judging from the current situation, there should be more and more skilled assassins preparing to go to Academy Island.

Clearly, the more skilled assassins have been dragged into the chaotic battle in the Huaihuang Continent, with no way to escape.

It seems that the battle at the Huaihuang Continent has reached a fever pitch.

That's why these cats and dogs come from here.

As for whether a more powerful assassin has infiltrated the ranks...

Ha, isn't that obvious?

Shisui sat quietly in a corner of the cruise ship, lying in wait.

Those eyes, now black as pupils, flickered with a determined light.

The cruise ship did not sail for long; it slowly docked a short while later.

The terrain west of Mao City is unique; it is a continental peninsula that juts out from the surrounding coastline.

Therefore, the western part of the city and the Academy Island, which is not far from the shore, are only a few miles apart.

It is only a short half-day's voyage from the Ringwater Continent, which is even further away.

Shisui, carrying his bag, stepped onto this semi-artificial island located on the edge of the Tianpiao Ocean.

The first thing to do upon arriving on the island was to undergo a security check.

This is the last line of defense for protecting our internal talent; beyond this line lies a semi-transparent, hazy protective shield.

Shisui Sui walked to the side to queue with a normal expression. The milky white protective shield blurred the view, making it impossible to explore the interior of the island.

As he crossed the barrier, Shisui clearly felt a force scrutinizing him from head to toe.

However, his disguise was not achieved with external aids, but rather stemmed from subtle changes in his internal cells.

No matter how you look at the protective netting, it always appears natural and untouched—just like it was made by the manufacturer.

The moment you officially enter the island, you are greeted by towering buildings and well-planned roads.

The architectural style of Academy Island is quite different from other parts of Mao City.

If Mao City is a resort with a strong commercial atmosphere and beaches and coconut groves.

The Academy Island was even more like the modern metropolis he had visited in his previous life.

If there hadn't actually been horses on the road, he would have thought he'd traveled back to his hometown!

Shisui stared blankly at the rows of tall buildings by the roadside for a moment before taking a step forward to continue walking.

"Hey! Handsome, is this your first time here? Do you need a guide?"

While he was still in a daze, a kind-looking middle-aged man approached him.

The middle-aged man warmly stopped Shisui and began introducing himself.

"Handsome, my name is Zhang Juncai, you can just call me Uncle Cai."

"Since this is our first time here and we're unfamiliar with the area, hiring a guide will save us a lot of trouble."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "You knew this was my first time here?"

"Hey, isn't that something you can tell just by looking at it?" Uncle Cai said with a proud smile.

"I'm incredibly good at judging people; I can spot a person instantly just by feeling!"

Tsk, good observation skills, but seems a bit slow on the uptake.

Shisui nodded. "It's definitely easier to have a local guide. Give me a quote."

Uncle Cai hadn't expected the young man to be so agreeable, and his expression instantly lit up with joy.

Thinking he might be pressured to lower the price later, he deliberately quoted a much higher price.

"Cheng Hui, medium-grade elixirs cost two hundred per day."

"Give."

?

Holy crap, he's a rich young master!

Uncle Cai hurriedly took the two heavy bags that Shisui tossed to him.

The familiar scent of herbs, the unfamiliar weight.

He didn't examine it too closely; sensing the Psychic Energy in the bag, equivalent to the Eighth Realm of the Yellow Realm, he knew it was full of elixirs.

He immediately closed the distance between himself and Shisui, his tone becoming noticeably respectful and obsequious.

"Thank you, boss. What can I do for you?"

"Let's find a place to stay first, price doesn't matter."

"Okay, boss, this way please!"

Shisui was very satisfied with his attitude.

Even if I stole this lousy mid-grade elixir from Youhe Trading Company, it's useless to me.

But I didn't haggle; I paid almost three times the price. That's what you should do.

The two boarded a high-class carriage drawn by four mixed-breed Beastfolk and began their journey towards the center of Academy Island.

"Boss, since we have some free time now, let me introduce you to the various factions on the island."

After the carriage had traveled some distance, Uncle Cai lowered his voice and spoke.

Listen carefully, lest you inexplicably offend someone on the island.

Here it is, that's why Shisui Sui spent a lot of money to hire a local.

This kind of information, passed down by word of mouth in the streets and alleys, is far more useful than those two hundred elixirs.

He nodded, signaling Uncle Cai to continue.

"There are two types of people on this Academy Island that you'd better avoid."

"One type is young people wearing school uniforms, and the other is people with snowflake-shaped brooches pinned to their chests."

"The former are students from schools under the All-School Alliance, and the latter are employees of Citroën Machinery, the leading enterprise."

"If you mess with a street thug, you can report it to the police. But if you mess with either of these two, you'll just get arrested."