Shen Donglin had long been suspicious. Why was a child who should have been studying at school working as a Wilderness Hunter instead of taking the Joint Exam?
He focused on the conversation between the two in the surveillance footage and, sure enough, discovered something amiss.
According to what Chu Ming had said, Jiang Yan had originally been a student at Linjiang First High School, but had later been expelled for some unknown reason?
A genius who had mastered Blade Momentum had not only failed to receive the school's esteem, but had instead ended up drifting through the Wilderness. Shen Donglin was especially concerned about the truth behind it.
"That's Blade Momentum—what kind of genius is that?" Shen Donglin sighed. After being here for so long, someone had finally brought him a surprise.
That was right. Shen Donglin was highly knowledgeable, and the instant Jiang Yan drew his blade, he had sensed that something was unusual.
At first, Shen Donglin had not believed it. How could a child who looked no older than eighteen or nineteen possibly grasp something as profound as Blade Momentum?
It was not until Jiang Yan nearly insta-killed Chu Ming in that battle that Shen Donglin dared to confirm that Jiang Yan had indeed used Blade Momentum.
Shen Donglin's anger flared. A genius who had mastered Blade Momentum was expelled instead of being allowed to study properly at school?
Did that mean there was a flaw in their talent selection system, or... was there another hidden reason?
"Liu Hair-Ren, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation."
Liu Hair-Ren was drenched in sweat. He had never imagined that a willow planted without intent would take root, then trip him in return.
With a miserable expression, he said, "This isn't my fault. He was the one who insisted on withdrawing from school. I couldn't stop him no matter how hard I tried."
Liu Hair-Ren concealed the matter of forbidding Jiang Yan from entering the Martial Arts Field. If Shen Donglin found out about that, wouldn't he skin him alive?
I just need to weather this period. At most, it'll become a minor mistake in my work. Time will fade everything.
"It had better be."
Shen Donglin snorted coldly, clearly not believing Liu Hair-Ren's words.
The meeting room fell silent again. On the surveillance feed, scenes of students fighting appeared one after another, while Jiang Yan's figure had vanished from view.
After killing Chu Ming, Jiang Yan's heart was calm. Through these past days of fighting Fierce Beasts, he had long grown accustomed to blood and slaughter. He had not even blinked during the process.
Though he did not know how the authorities would deal with this matter, Jiang Yan did not regret his choice.
This was the Wilderness. Under Blue Star's laws, killing someone here was perfectly legal. Even if it went to court, he would have the law on his side.
After killing several more Second-Order Ferocious Beasts, Jiang Yan realized that hunting monsters had become far too easy for him.
"Looks like I can consider Third-Order Ferocious Beasts."
Aside from that freakish Void-Rending Weasel in the Combat Space, Jiang Yan had yet to encounter a single Third-Order Ferocious Beast.
"Soaring Cloud Sword Slash!"
A dazzling flash of white light swept past, and a two-meter-tall Second-Order Ferocious Beast, a Giant Demon Scorpion, fell with a crash, its life extinguished.
Ai Ning sheathed his sword and calmly instructed several lackeys to collect the materials from the Fierce Beast.
The competition's points mainly came from gathering materials from Fierce Beasts. Of course, one did not have to kill Fierce Beasts—robbing other students of their points worked just as well.
The lackeys gathered the materials and brought them before Ai Ning.
"Boss, should we keep going deeper to hunt Fierce Beasts?"
By now, this group of lackeys followed Ai Ning's lead without question. While everyone else had been terrified upon encountering Fierce Beasts for the first time, Ai Ning alone had charged through them with sword in hand as though entering an empty realm, slaughtering the beasts until they fled in panic.
As his followers, they only needed to pick up scraps to earn a decent amount of points. With any luck, they might squeeze into the top hundred and claim a reward.
"No need to hunt Fierce Beasts anymore."
To their surprise, Ai Ning lightly uttered those few words.
"What? Where will we get points if we don't kill Fierce Beasts?"
Ai Ning carefully wiped the tip of his sword and replied without hesitation, "Don't those students have them?"
"Boss, you mean—"
"Split up and lure people from the other schools over. When the time comes, I'll deal with them all at once."
"Boss, this..."
"They're nothing but a rabble. I can settle them with one hand."
The moment he said that, every lackey was utterly won over by Ai Ning's domineering words.
Ai Ning meant this: he wanted to challenge everyone!
What kind of confidence was that? If anyone else had said those words, outsiders would have mocked them, thinking they were merely grandstanding.
But Ai Ning was different. He truly possessed that strength!
The lackeys quickly scattered, each going off to find people from the other schools.
Everyone in the meeting room saw this scene as well.
With Jiang Yan's feed gone, everyone's attention returned to this genius who had awakened his talent in his first year of high school.
"Has Ai Ning gone mad? Our students aren't easy to push around!"
"That's right. Ai Ning, you may be strong, but you can't shamelessly claim that you can take on everyone else alone, can you?"
Ai Ning's arrogance left the Principals deeply displeased. They all felt that their schools had been crushed beneath Linjiang First High School.
Confidence returned to Liu Hair-Ren's face. Others thought Ai Ning was boasting, but Liu Hair-Ren had personally learned of Ai Ning's strength. He could only say...
Freakish!
Sure enough, the group of lackeys began running everywhere.
"People from Huangshui Middle School, our boss says you're all trash! If you don't accept that, come fight!"
"Everyone from Zeshui Middle School is a pile of dog shit. If you don't agree, come argue it out!"
"You guy without a school uniform, our boss says you're just a weakling. What, don't accept it? If you've got the guts, come find our boss and trade a few moves!"
Jiang Yan:?
It seemed he had been challenged?
The man who had shouted those threats ran quickly, but how could he possibly compare to Jiang Yan?
Jiang Yan shot forward, grabbed one man by the neck, and lifted him up. His icy gaze swept over the man, who looked weak as a chicken.
The words Linshui Middle School on his chest were especially eye-catching.
"Heh, I truly am fated with Linshui Middle School."
"Cough... cough. Our boss is Ai Ning from First High... Blood Coagulation Mid Stage. You'd better let me go."
"Ai Ning?"
At the mention of that name, a man with his head held so high it seemed to reach the sky automatically appeared in Jiang Yan's mind.
A prodigy of First High School, he had awakened his talent at fifteen, broken through to Body Tempering at seventeen, and entered the Blood Coagulation Mid Stage at eighteen. He was Linjiang First High School's sole prodigy, crushing everyone beneath him to become the strongest existence.
His life was the complete opposite of Jiang Yan's, who had been unable to open his apertures for so long.
In the past, who could have imagined that Jiang Yan, someone who could not even open an aperture, would cross paths with a prodigy like Ai Ning?
His interest was piqued. He kicked the person before him. "Lead the way."
"Soaring Cloud Sword Slash!"
"Falling Rainbow Piercing Sun!"
Bang!
Ai Ning looked at the Huangshui Middle School student lying amid the ruins, sneered, and could not help mocking several Huangshui Middle School students:
"Tsk, tsk. The strongest person from Huangshui can't even block two of my sword strikes, yet you dare call yourselves the strongest?"
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