Win-Win

Watching half a building topple toward them, Lu Su's expression darkened. "It's too big. We probably won't make it if we run. We can only gamble on this."

"Luffy!" Lu Su called out Luffy's name.

The next moment, Luffy's body instantly swelled into a balloon and floated above the group.

"Wait for the right moment. Launch attacks to shatter the wall covering our area, then let Luffy block the rest." Lu Su rapidly laid out the plan.

The youths around him naturally did not hesitate. They immediately summoned their cards and unleashed their strongest attacks first, all to ease some of Luffy's burden.

As he watched the youths attack, countless thoughts flashed through Lu Su's mind. What a pity Master Bai Yueming didn't make Wei Zheng, Judge of Rewards and Punishments. A card based on Wei Zheng's legends would surely have special effectiveness against dragons.

Unlike now, although Path of Land could contend with the flesh-and-blood dragon Liu Jianghe had become, it had been unable to subdue him.

If this continued, even if Liu Jianghe was only a subpar Diamond Grade, all of Shanghai City might face the danger of destruction.

With no one interfering, a Diamond Grade could wipe out a city alone with ridiculous ease.

In that brief span of time just now, even though Path of Land had deliberately kept the battle in the sky, the surrounding area had already been reduced to a complete mess.

Just as everyone waited for the final judgment, a beam of white light shot in from afar and instantly turned the half-building suspended in midair to ashes.

At that moment, Lu Su and the others could only stare blankly into the distance.

There, high in the air, a colossal figure rode clouds and mist as it flew rapidly toward them.

The figure held a white chi dragon in one hand and a precious pearl in the other, clad in crimson armor.

Under Lu Su and the others' astonished gazes, the white chi dragon in the colossal figure's hand flew out at once and became entangled in battle with Liu Jianghe.

"Are you students all right?" A gentle voice sounded beside Lu Su and the others.

Lu Su turned around and saw Chairman Yan Wenlai of the Shanghai City Card Master Association. He immediately called out, "Chairman Yan."

Some of the other students knew him, while others did not, but they all followed Lu Su in calling, "Chairman Yan."

Yan Wenlai nodded. Seeing that the students were all safe, he could not help letting out a sigh of relief.

What mattered most was that Lu Su was safe. After all, Lu Su could be said to be Shanghai City's future.

And he was both brave and resourceful, willing to protect the weak.

Yan Wenlai did not believe the students before him could have safely made it down from the top floor of Jincai Credit without Lu Su's protection.

In truth, the Association had not expected such a turn of events. In Yan Wenlai's view, with Bai Yueming stepping in, the students should not have faced any mortal danger no matter what happened.

He then turned his grave gaze toward the sky.

The colossal figure was naturally his card, the Diamond Grade Gold Card—Viphalaka, the Western Guardian King.

Yan Wenlai naturally had real skill, or he would never have become chairman of the Shanghai City Card Master Association.

Under his solemn gaze, the Western Guardian King controlled Liu Jianghe and flew farther and farther away.

If they were going to fight, they could not do so inside the city.

Seeing that the greatest threat was gone, Yan Wenlai turned to Lu Su and the others. "You've all been frightened. Go to the shelter now."

Yan Wenlai had actually hesitated over whether to press these geniuses into maintaining order, but he ultimately abandoned the idea.

After all, these children were still too inexperienced.

They could wait a little longer. For now, old men like them could still bear this burden.

Hearing that, Lu Su hurriedly said, "Chairman Yan, all the employees of Jincai Credit have been turned into Demons under the Spirit Summoning Society's control."

Yan Wenlai fell silent at those words. Naturally, he already knew.

Because it was not just Jincai Credit. Brother Hu's people, whom they had been monitoring all along, as well as many forces they had previously suspected but had not been certain were connected to the Spirit Summoning Society, had all turned into Demons at this moment.

Fortunately, thanks to the information Lu Su had obtained in advance, several locations had already been placed under strict surveillance, and Shanghai City's residents had not suffered many casualties.

Except for Liu Jianghe at Jincai Credit, which had been an unforeseen development.

Yan Wenlai was actually somewhat puzzled as well. In his view, wasn't the Spirit Summoning Society cutting itself off from the world by doing this?

Other than those with nowhere else to turn, would anyone still dare to secretly join them in the future?

Suppressing his doubts, Yan Wenlai put on a warm smile and said, "The Association already knows about this. Classmate Luo, take them to the shelter first."

Since the Association already knew the situation, Lu Su naturally had no objections. He immediately led his classmates toward the shelter.

Over a certain stretch of sea, Bai Yueming was confronting Jin Ping.

As though he had sensed something, Jin Ping revealed an odd smile. "This time, you'd better thank that classmate Luo properly. Otherwise..."

At the mention of Lu Su's name, Bai Yueming's expression darkened.

There really is a high-ranking mole within the Association. Bai Yueming's heart grew heavy.

Only a handful of people knew about Lu Su.

Setting aside himself and Yan Wenlai, Bai Yueming could be certain that anyone else in the Association might be a problem—except Yan Wenlai.

Because Yan Wenlai's son had died in the Demon's Nest riot several years ago.

And that riot had been caused by the Spirit Summoning Society.

Yan Wenlai had had his son in middle age, and he had cherished the boy dearly.

After the incident, he had even wanted to find members of the Spirit Summoning Society and perish with them, but he had ultimately endured it for the greater good.

Yet Bai Yueming knew that Yan Wenlai had never laid down the overwhelming hatred in his heart.

In that case...

Could it be you, Jiang Wang?

It was no wonder Bai Yueming thought this way. Aside from himself and Yan Wenlai, only Jiang Wang had been involved in every matter concerning Lu Su.

Only the three of them knew of the changes in Lu Su's record.

Unless someone else had been watching Lu Su all along.

But Lu Su had not displayed such terrifying talent in the beginning. Would anyone really have had nothing better to do than keep an eye on him?

Once the seed of suspicion was planted, it would only grow larger and larger.

Seeing that Bai Yueming had sunk into thought, Jin Ping wore a pleased smile, but it was soon replaced by a teasing expression. "Bai Yueming, what a pity. Those geniuses didn't sign my contracts. Did that make you think I'd be terribly disappointed?"

"Indeed, I admit I was a little disappointed. This time, you won."

"But we didn't lose either."

"After all... we have already achieved our goal."

At those words, Bai Yueming's brows drew together tightly.

But he would not ask questions that were destined to receive no answer. He merely sneered. "When it comes to talking tough, no one beats you."

Jin Ping was not angered. He simply chuckled and vanished from where he stood.

If they continued confronting each other, he feared Bai Yueming might truly risk his life against him.

What kind of powerhouse was the most frightening?

The answer was naturally a powerhouse whose lifespan was nearing its end.

As he watched seawater surge back in to fill the blank void in the ocean left by the battle, a trace of exhaustion appeared between Bai Yueming's brows.

"Lu Su."