Slaying Chu Ming

Chu Ming thought he had grown strong enough, but when he saw that blade edge drawing closer, his mind instinctively conjured an illusion:

I can block it, and counterattack.

So he chose to strike back in desperation, channeling his recently awakened talent across his body, a layer of horny scales rapidly covering his skin.

A defensive-type talent.

Chu Ming's lips curled into a smug grin: "Last time I was careless and didn't use my talent, but this time—"

Pfft—

Jiang Yan slashed through the so-called scales in one stroke, piercing Chu Ming's body under his horrified gaze. The blade met flesh, and the icy sensation reminded Chu Ming of the last meal he shared with his grandmother.

"Wait, why am I seeing my life flash before my eyes?"

Chu Ming finally snapped back to reality, staring at the gruesome wound on his chest and the spurting blood. He realized just how pathetically weak he was before this man.

He collapsed in agony, the searing pain robbing him of even the ability to breathe. He could only curl up, glaring with venomous eyes at Jiang Yan's lofty face.

"Kid, down already?"

Jiang Yan taunted him with a teasing look.

But instead of fear, Chu Ming shot back a sinister smile.

"Heh, I admit you're stronger than me. So what? Look above your head."

Above, drones hovered in the air, multiple surveillance cameras recording everything that happened. Every word they spoke, every expression on their faces, was clearly captured and broadcast to the group of leaders watching in the office.

Jiang Yan understood his intent. He sneered at Chu Ming, his low voice drifting into the latter's ears.

"You mean those junk up there?"

"Hahaha, guess you're not stupid after all." Chu Ming let out a wild laugh, blood splattering across his face, making him look especially eerie.

"Everything here is being watched by big shots you can't afford to offend. Let me guess—they've probably already sent armed forces to rescue me.

And you, a waste expelled from school, barging into our Joint Exam zone and injuring a trial participant—think they'll let you off?"

Chu Ming laughed even more brazenly. "If you apologize to me now, kneel down and kowtow a few times, I might consider putting in a good word for you."

Chu Ming was certain Jiang Yan wouldn't dare kill him!

Jiang Yan said nothing.

He couldn't listen anymore. Silently, he raised his blade, an invisible Blade Momentum gathering at its tip.

He looked up at the surveillance cameras in the sky and struck a pose.

"Say 'cheese'—"

He swung the blade.

A surge of blade energy twisted the entire space. A streak of white light shot up like a dragon, instantly obliterating the drones above into dust under the domineering, destructive Blade Momentum.

Jiang Yan let out a sinister laugh: "Hehehe, now it's my turn to laugh."

Chu Ming couldn't laugh anymore. He screamed in panic:

"Madman! Madman! Stay away!"

"Aah!"

Shhk!

The chipped blade mercilessly pierced Chu Ming's heart. As his pupils began to fade, the devil leaned in and whispered in his ear:

"You know, I hate it when people provoke me. I just can't help but take the bait, heh."

Chu Ming's life force drained rapidly. His trembling lips forced out a few words: "De... devil."

"You dare curse me?"

Jiang Yan pulled out the blade and kicked Chu Ming's mangled body away.

"Phew, peace at last."

Jiang Yan let out a long breath, muttering to himself: "I didn't plan to kill you. Why'd you have to jump in my face?"

He turned to look at the scattered wreckage of the three drones on the ground, a flicker of thought in his eyes.

Meanwhile, the meeting room had erupted into chaos.

The sudden loss of surveillance footage, combined with Chu Ming's earlier threats, pointed to one thing—

This Joint Exam was about to see bloodshed!

"Quick, send people to capture that Wilderness Hunter!"

"Exactly! How dare he openly destroy monitoring equipment and defy the Education Bureau's authority—he must face severe punishment!"

"Where's the rescue team? Go check if that Chu Ming is still alive!"

"Whether Chu Ming lives or dies, that Wilderness Hunter's actions are a grave provocation to all of us. I move for his immediate execution!"

Jiang Yan's move instantly stirred up the fury of these old Principals. They argued heatedly over his destruction of the cameras, faces red and voices raised, each clamoring to judge Jiang Yan as if they were righteous arbiters of all evil.

Liu Hair-Ren mingled among the Principals, leading the charge against Jiang Yan. He spouted lofty moral principles, brandishing the authority of the Education Bureau's Deputy Director, using it to launch a verbal crusade against Jiang Yan's actions.

He regretted it. After witnessing the talent Jiang Yan had displayed, he admitted he regretted it—regretted stripping Jiang Yan of his right to the Martial Arts Field, regretted not holding onto the awakened Jiang Yan when he had the chance.

He regretted ignoring a student's pursuit of martial arts just to avoid trouble.

But Liu Hair-Ren refused to admit his fault, nor did he want anyone to know about his selfishness and grave mistake. So he began scheming how to bury a genius like Jiang Yan in the dust for good.

"Director, I think this matter—"

"All of you, shut the hell up!"

A voice as heavy as a mountain exploded across the entire meeting room, silencing everyone's discussion like a thunderclap.

All eyes turned to see that the speaker was none other than Shen Donglin, who had sat at the head of the table without a word the whole time!

Everyone fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

Shen Donglin was deeply disappointed. As a Provincial Delegate sent down from the province, he had hoped to witness a thrilling battle in this modest place, looking forward to these kids' brilliant performances out in the wild.

But what did he see?

These principals would say almost any ridiculous nonsense for their own glory.

No Wilderness Hunters allowed in the wilderness?

The old come for the young?

Provocation, and then demanding the other party not fight back?

The life-and-death contract signed before entering the wilderness reduced to empty words?

Such laughable demands.

Shen Donglin slammed the table in fury, his gaze sweeping over everyone below.

"This is the wilderness, not your schoolyard games!"

"From now on, I'm in charge. If any student from your schools can defeat that young man, they'll be rewarded with three bottles of Body Tempering Fluid on the spot!"

"And—" His eyes locked onto Liu Hair-Ren.

"What does 'expulsion' mean in the surveillance footage? If I remember correctly, that Chu Ming was wearing the uniform of your Linjiang First High School, wasn't he?"

Liu Hair-Ren's heart skipped a beat.