Full-Time Mage: Starting From Obtaining the White Tiger Pendant

Chapter 92: Arrival and Commendation

A bad premonition arose in Nan Jue's heart. Ever since the Yangtze River flood season began, unfavorable news had been pouring in like snowflakes from rivers, streams, ferry crossings, and dams everywhere.

Although there hadn't been any bad news from Songjiang, making things seem worry-free for the command center, with frequent Demonic Beast invasions during flood season, manpower was stretched thin everywhere. There were a myriad of problems, so why was this place the only one without any?!

No news was the worst news.

Either the Demonic Beasts had already broken through and controlled the communication channels, preventing any information from spreading, or the Mage responsible for that ferry crossing was deceiving their superiors. The problem was actually extremely severe, yet they were still covering it up.

"Damn it, something's happened."

Zhu Meng cursed gruffly and called in an officer from outside, demanding, "What's the situation at the Songjiang Dam now? Who's in charge?!"

The Military Mage was taken aback and quickly replied, "Tang Yue from the Adjudication Court is leading the team, along with some city hunters."

Hearing this, Zhu Meng frowned, "Tang Yue...?"

He knew this person. She was an adjudicator from the Hangzhou Adjudication Court, the niece of Chief Adjudicator Tang Zhong, and a member of one of the hidden aristocratic families.

Since Zhu Meng was also a member of the Adjudication Court and they had political differences, he was quite familiar with Tang Yue and the others.

"Hmph, that little girl is completely incompetent."

Zhu Meng cursed loudly, got up, and strode out of the command room to the dock outside, shouting, "All reserve teams, assemble! Take the Sky Eagles and head to Songjiang Ferry to provide support!"

At his command, everyone realized the urgency of the situation.

Before the Sky Eagles could take off, Zhu Meng and Nan Jue used their Wing Magic Tools and rapidly flew towards the Songjiang Dam.

Buzz buzz buzz!

A vast army filled the sky. Before they even reached their destination, a pungent smell of blood assaulted their senses. Zhu Meng's brow furrowed, and the soldiers' hearts sank to the bottom, preparing for the worst.

Soon after, upon arrival, they saw the reservoir lake at the ferry dam had turned blood red. The viscous water made it doubtful if it contained a single drop of water. It was covered with densely packed corpses of Crocodile Demons, piled up like mountains.

A sea of corpses and blood!

Seeing this scene, the only phrase that came to everyone's minds was this.

At the same time, Zhu Meng and the other Military Mages saw three people on the dam. Two exceptionally beautiful female Mages with graceful figures were sitting in meditation.

Only a male Mage with a clear appearance and powerful aura stood casting spells. His sharp eyes swept over them, radiating a strong killing intent, possessing the imposing aura of one man holding the pass against ten thousand.

Everyone gasped. Without a doubt, the first glance at this man made it clear that he was responsible for all of this. Such a detached demeanor of slaughter was not something an ordinary Mage could possess.

As for the two female Mages, although they had good temperaments, they were clearly inferior.

Some Military Mages were shocked, muttering, "Heavens, he defended the ferry dam alone, killing at least a thousand Demonic Beasts?"

"So, it wasn't that Songjiang had no news, but that someone was holding them off alone! No support was needed."

Nan Jue's expression was unreadable. She could tell that this man was not old, his appearance relatively youthful, likely around her age. She had been quite proud of herself, going to the front lines of the Demonic Beast battlefield at nineteen and watching from the command center, with rich experience.

But compared to him, who defended the Songjiang ferry alone and slaughtered a thousand Demonic Beasts, she was far behind.

In mid-air, Zhu Meng breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the dam was safe and no major disaster had occurred. At the same time, he looked at Lu Jun with great interest. Three days and three nights, he hadn't let a single Demonic Beast pass, acting more ruthlessly than many professional Demon Hunting Squads and military formations.

Meanwhile, as Lu Jun controlled his Star Seeds, his Mind suddenly sensed a strong threat approaching from the sky. He vigilantly looked up and was immediately filled with confusion.

Over a hundred Sky Eagle Troop members flew in with fierce killing intent, covering the sky. All of them were Intermediate level elites or above, with several High-level powerhouses among them. The bearded man leading them was righteous and imposing, wearing an adjudicator's uniform, appearing to be a Super level dignitary.

Tang Yue and Lu Mei beside him woke up and stood up. Tang Yue recognized the approaching person and was greatly surprised, her expression becoming somewhat unnatural as she said, "Adjudicator Zhu Meng, why is he here personally?"

Hearing this, Lu Jun had some recollection and quickly searched his memory, realizing the identity of the newcomer.

Zhu Meng was a member of the Forbidden City Magic Association, an adjudicator of the Adjudication Court, and a Super level Mage. He held a high position and was active in various future disasters. His most notable contribution was his 'Threat Elimination Strategy'.

The philosophy was to eliminate all Demonic Beasts that posed a threat within human territory, prioritizing internal security before external threats.

A year and a half later, Zhu Meng would attempt to kill the 'threat' in Hangzhou, which was the totem [Mysterious Snake] worshipped by Tang Yue's clan, a lower-ranking creature of the Black Tortoise, one of the Four Sacred Beasts.

In the original work, Dongfang Ming, whom Lu Jun had previously defeated, had acted under Zhu Meng's orders as a trainee member of the Adjudication Court to apprehend Mo Fan and Tang Yue because they had secretly taken the Mysterious Snake.

Thinking of this, he pondered, glancing at Tang Yue beside him. She hadn't revealed her background to him yet, and Zhu Meng's plan had likely not yet been initiated.

How to describe this person? He was an absolute good person. He could be found fighting in almost any disaster across the country. Their opposition was merely a difference in stance and ideology. In the end, he came to understand and reconciled with Tang Yue's clan.

As Lu Jun was lost in thought, the Sky Eagle formation in the sky slowly descended.

Zhu Meng, who was leading, approached, accompanied by a heroic female military officer and a silent, honest bodyguard.

His sister, Lu Mei, frowned and stepped forward to ask, "What business do you have?"

"No business," Zhu Meng replied in a gruff voice, staring at Lu Jun and asking sternly, "Why didn't you call for support at Songjiang?"

Lu Jun was slightly stunned, then calmly and dominantly replied, "We didn't need to!"

"Hahaha! Good, good, good!"

With that, Zhu Meng burst into hearty laughter, patted Lu Jun's shoulder, and said with admiration, "Not bad. Of all the people I've commanded, you're the most worry-free. Others either have problems or need support, constantly sending messages and annoying me to death."

"Of course, if you need anything, you must say so. I hate people who are incapable but still try to save face the most."

He paused, looking at Lu Jun, "You're from Mingzhu University, right? After this, I'll recommend you for an award. For the National College Tournament in over two years, I'll put in a good word for you."

Bodyguard Wu Pingjing looked surprised. It was the first time he had seen Adjudicator Zhu Meng admire someone so much. He couldn't help but envy Lu Jun; being recognized by the adjudicator would make life much easier after graduation.

The three of them, Lu Jun and the others, exchanged glances, unsure of what was happening, and voiced their confusion.

Zhu Meng shook his head and said, "Damn it, we had no news from your side at all before. It scared our command post, and we thought Song Jiang had failed, which would have affected hundreds of thousands of lives. We rushed over, only to have you give me a surprise."

Afterward, Zhu Meng glanced at the dam, which had turned into a blood lake, and praised, "Your magic energy should be depleted by now. I'll send people to rotate. You should rest."

No one expected Lu Jun to calmly reply, "No need."

Chapter 93: White River Dolphin

At the Song Jiang Dam, not only Zhu Meng but also the nearby military officers and guards were stunned.

"Alright," Zhu Meng came to his senses, nodded, and temporarily trusted him. He liked confident men like this, so he said decisively, "I'll send a few more people to assist you. They will follow your orders throughout. Defend it for ten days and ten nights."

Lu Jun wanted to speak but stopped. Although he really wanted to say he didn't need help and could exert his greatest strength alone, he had refused the councilor twice. He decided to give him some face.

Besides, during the previous battle, his Gold Element Star Nebula magic energy was almost depleted. He could rotate using Water Element, Mind, and Curse.

Soon, Zhu Meng casually pointed to one person and said, "Nan Jue, it's you. Don't just sit in the office; that's how problems arise. Go to the front lines and solve practical difficulties."

"You've learned pretty much everything by staying by my side. There's nothing left to learn. Figure it out yourself."

Lu Jun looked over and saw the heroic female officer he had noticed from the beginning. She had a hawk-like nose, regular features, shoulder-length short hair, and a loose military uniform and pants that couldn't hide her graceful figure. Her long legs were shapely and smooth, straighter than if she were wearing high heels.

"I'll send two or three more people to assist later," Zhu Meng said, waving his hand at Lu Jun. "I'm busy with tasks, so I'll be leaving now. Leave me your contact information, and contact me if you have any problems in the future."

With that, he decisively led his entourage away on Sky Eagles.

Seeing this, Lu Jun stroked his chin. Knowing a powerful councilor had brought considerable gains. He hadn't expected that defending the dam himself would attract the attention of a Super level Mage. The potential benefits were immense.

Then he looked at the female officer beside him. Nan Jue noticed his gaze and boldly extended her hand, saying, "Nan Jue, from the Southern Defense Zone. A student at the Imperial Capital Military Mage Academy, the same age as you."

"Hello, I'm Lu Jun, a student at Mingzhu University."

Lu Jun shook her hand lightly and let go, his expression thoughtful. Nan Jue was also someone he was familiar with.

According to the original timeline, she would be a main member of the national team for the National Academy Tournament two years later, having emerged from the fierce competition in the Southern Defense Zone to secure a spot. She was also one of the only three contestants with a military background.

Her current cultivation was probably around Intermediate level, Dual Elements, level one.

The National Academy Tournament was not just a competition between young people, academies, and countries; it was also an internal negotiation of interests among various factions, with votes deciding the spots. Every vote, without exception, was held by Grand Councilors, the Magic Association, the Adjudication Court, and so on.

Those who could compete were all outstanding individuals backed by interest groups.

The recommendation Zhu Meng mentioned earlier was about votes. As far as he knew, Zhu Meng held two votes, each originating from different political forces.

For the national team, three votes could directly select a reserve member, and four votes could directly secure a main member. From this, one could see Zhu Meng's influence. If he could secure two votes, Lu Jun would be halfway to a guaranteed spot.

Of course, judging by Zhu Meng's words, it seemed like he was just impressed, so one vote would likely be the maximum. He would have to do his best to perform. This internship for Nan Jue might also be with the aim of securing votes.

Regarding the National Academy Tournament, Lu Jun had considered it carefully and was determined to participate. The rewards were too tempting. Earning several Star River Veins during the process would not be a problem, but that was a matter for later.

He nodded to Nan Jue, and they chatted. Not long after, they saw the reinforcements Zhu Meng had sent.

Lu Jun stared blankly. What kind of bizarre reinforcements were these?

Meanwhile, Zhu Meng returned to the command center. Other hunter officers gathered around and asked, "Councilor, is something wrong? Do you need to come out in person?"

"It's nothing," he waved his hand and then pondered, "Help me gather intel on Lu Jun, and call Gao Sheng over."

His subordinate nodded and left without further ado. A moment later, he returned with a stack of documents, followed by the fisherman Mage, whose name was Gao Sheng.

Zhu Meng flipped through the documents, leaving Gao Sheng to wait.

The fisherman-dressed Mage, Gao Sheng, seemed indifferent. He casually sat on a chair, crossing his legs.

Seeing this, Zhu Meng looked disgusted and focused his attention on the documents. He couldn't help but be surprised that the confidentiality level of these documents reached the councilor level, which he had only just attained.

After he finished reading and closed the documents, he took a deep breath and murmured, "So it was him who cleared out the Black Vatican in Bo City and Magic City."

Zhu Meng was usually busy with disaster relief in various places and hadn't paid much attention to matters at the Intermediate and Junior levels. Now he realized Lu Jun was not simple and could be considered promising at a young age.

"Mingzhu University defeated all its freshmen, fighting for a day and a night. Does he have the innate talent 'Magic Energy Doubling'? No wonder he could hold the Song Jiang ferry crossing for so long."

Zhu Meng nodded, turned to Gao Sheng, and said calmly, "I have a mission for you. Take those White River Dolphins to the Song Jiang Dam to assist in the defense."

As soon as he finished speaking, the fisherman Gao Sheng was thrown off his seat, his eyes wide. "Councilor Zhu, you're not joking?! Firstly, I'm already crippled. Several Element Star Rivers are half-crippled. I can barely cast a few Intermediate level spells. It's good if I can cast a few."

"Secondly, there's the issue of the White River Dolphins. We went through great trouble to rescue them. Are you willing to send them to their deaths? What if they get hurt? What's the point of our guardianship then?"

"The White Sturgeon demon tribe in the Yangtze River has been watching us."

Zhu Meng said indifferently, "The land of Jiuzhou does not support idle demons. No matter what the situation is, ordinary people are creating value and protecting their homes. Why should they be safe and sound? If they die, they die."

"I'll say it again, this is an order."

"You... you..." Gao Sheng was anxious. "Zhu Meng, you're being unreasonable."

Zhu Meng was firm in his decisions. He issued an ultimatum: "Either you take your precious White River Dolphins with you, or I'll kick you out to the Huangpu River front line right now."

"You bastard, you'll regret this."

The fisherman Gao Sheng was furious but ultimately backed down. Compared to fighting the Advancement Period Commander who stirred up fifty-meter high waves on the Huangpu River, it was better to muddle through at the Song Jiang ferry crossing, where there was still a glimmer of hope.

Watching Gao Sheng walk down the reservoir and quietly ride away on a white dolphin, Zhu Meng clasped his hands, propped his chin, and fell into thought.

Although the unrest on the Huangpu River this time only involved a few Advancement Period Commanders, he felt it wasn't that simple. He decided to secretly transfer the White River Dolphins to a place that seemed dangerous but was actually extremely safe.

Imagine their surprise when they waited for the Crocodile Demons and White River Dolphin Demon tribes to concentrate their attacks on the naval dock, only to find it completely empty.

He believed Lu Jun's strength was sufficient to act as a Guardian for the White River Dolphins. Secondly, the Crocodile Demons likely wouldn't send any more Demonic Beasts to the Songjiang Dam entrance after suffering thousands of casualties, turning the area into a bloody lake. Any race would feel the pain, thus creating a situation where the danger was right under their noses.

"Everything is ready."

Thus, Lu Jun saw the 'reinforcements' from afar. A middle-aged, sleazy uncle, disheveled and weathered, rode a White River Dolphin over ten meters long from the river. The stark contrast was quite peculiar.

Even Tang Yue and Lu Mei hesitated, "Who are you?"

Seeing the three beautiful women with distinct auras and different types, the fisherman uncle's eyes lit up. He laughed heartily, "I'm the reinforcements."

Chapter 94: Gao Sheng's Experience, The Ebb Tide.

Songjiang Estuary River.

"My name is Gao Sheng," the middle-aged fisherman chuckled, saying to Lu Jun, "Councilman Zhu Meng sent me."

As he spoke, he patted the White River Dolphin beneath him proudly. "Don't worry, my own strength is just so-so, but these White River Dolphins are General-level. Each one can handle several ordinary Intermediate Mages simultaneously."

Before coming, Gao Sheng had intentionally inquired and discovered that Lu Jun was quite remarkable. He was a significant figure. He had watched the video of the battle at Pearl Academy repeatedly and considered it astonishing, so he decisively decided to latch onto him.

"General-level?" Lu Jun lowered his head and took a serious look at the creature. It was over ten meters long, with a body of white, jade-like smoothness. Instead of fish scales, it had fine keratin, which was as soft and resilient as rubber. Its head was round, and its small black eyes were dark and shiny, making it look quite cute and docile.

Seeing this, he felt a sense of strangeness. His Water Element Star Nebula stirred slightly. Through his Mind perception, he sensed that the massive White River Dolphins were lively and curious about humans, not filled with the violent, bloodthirsty emotions of Demonic Beasts.

Lu Jun asked in surprise, "You have Water Control abilities? Are they not your contracted beasts? Some kind of trained beasts?"

"Huh?" Gao Sheng scratched his head. "They're not trained beasts either."

"Demonic Beasts?!" Lu Mei exclaimed in shock, raising her guard. She pulled her younger brother, Lu Jun, back a few steps. "Are you sure these are reinforcements?"