Aftermath of the Match, the Bet Is Void

At the far edge of the stands, in a secluded corner, a mysterious person wearing a black baseball cap raised his wrist. Using a miniature camera, he recorded the entire scene of Jiang Yuan using the Bone-Crushing Hand to suppress Song Xi. He quickly encrypted the footage and sent it to an unknown overseas terminal, along with a brief voice message.

"The force application logic perfectly matches the characteristics of the Ruins of Return. The target has been confirmed. Awaiting instructions."

Less than three seconds later, a text message came back.

"Someone from the Ruins of Return has arrived in Jiang Hai City. Keep a close watch on him and be ready to act at any time."

Chu He shot to his feet from the VIP section, his face livid and the veins on his forehead bulging. The Armor-Breaker Type III Cybernetic Body he had been so proud of, developed by Celestial Pivot Industries at the cost of hundreds of millions, had actually been dismantled barehanded into a pile of scrap by a high school student. If word got out, Celestial Pivot Industries' stock price would plummet the moment the market opened tomorrow.

"Security team! Come with me!" Chu He roared, charging onto the arena with seven or eight fully armed technicians. They swiftly surrounded Jiang Yuan, their high-voltage stun batons crackling with dangerous blue arcs.

"The bet for this match is void!" Chu He pointed at Jiang Yuan's nose and berated him loudly, putting on an arrogant air. "You openly destroyed Celestial Pivot Industries' top-secret technical equipment during the match, and you are suspected of stealing trade secrets. Hand over that broken sword immediately and come back to the military engineering division with me for investigation!"

Jiang Yuan released the unconscious Song Xi and slowly rose to his feet. He dusted off his clothes and looked straight at Chu He, without the slightest trace of panic on his face.

"The bet is void? Celestial Pivot Industries can't afford to lose, so you're planning to rob me in front of the entire school?" Jiang Yuan raised his right foot and stomped heavily on a point slightly left of the center of the arena.

Crack! The specially made rubber flooring, already covered in fissures, shattered completely. A massive chunk of concrete was blasted aside, revealing a metal box buried beneath it. The indicator light on the high-power magnetic interference device was still flashing faintly red.

"You buried a high-power magnetic interference device beneath the arena during the match. Is this what Celestial Pivot Industries calls fair competition?" Jiang Yuan pointed at the metal box and demanded loudly.

The entire audience followed the direction of Jiang Yuan's finger, and the stands immediately erupted.

"Shameless! A major military-industrial corporation actually used such despicable tactics against a student!"

"No wonder Jiang Yuan suddenly slowed down earlier. They were sabotaging him from underneath!"

Guo Hongtao watched from below the stage, his blood boiling. He vaulted over the safety barrier, snatched a spare loudspeaker from a nearby staff member, and shouted to the crowd.

"Don't be fooled by that hypocrite Chu He! Not only did he bury an interference device beneath the arena, a few days ago he also bribed Zhou Hu and used Celestial Pivot Industries' black card to instantly crank the Advanced Gravity Chamber up to ten times gravity, trying to crush Brother Yuan to death inside! Zhou Hu was already crippled by Brother Yuan, and he confessed to everything. The evidence is conclusive!"

Guo Hongtao's words were like a ladle of cold water splashed into a pot of boiling oil. The entire field instantly boiled over. The students furiously condemned Chu He, and curses rang out everywhere. Even some martial arts instructors who usually maintained good relations with Celestial Pivot Industries cast him contemptuous looks and distanced themselves from him.

Chu He trembled with rage. He had never imagined that his flawless plan would be exposed in public by two high school students. He looked at Jiang Yuan's calm face, then at Song Xi lying on the ground with her body exposed. Jealousy and fury tangled together in his heart, completely snapping the last thread of his reason.

"Take him down! I'll take full responsibility if anything happens!" Chu He roared, issuing the order to attack.

The seven or eight technicians raised their high-voltage stun batons, just about to make a move against Jiang Yuan.

"Let's see who dares touch him!"

An immensely authoritative voice came from above the VIP section. The chief examiner of the New Star Investigation Group strode down from the stands, his leather boots thudding against the steps. Two heavily armed senior military guards followed behind him, carrying heavy Gauss rifles. He walked straight to the front of the arena, pulled out a document stamped with a red top-secret seal, and slapped it directly against Chu He's chest.

"Jiang Yuan is now a registered S-017 special observation subject of the New Star Martial Arts United Center. Whoever dares touch a single hair on his head will be making an enemy of New Star Martial University!" The chief examiner's voice boomed like a bell, making Chu He's ears buzz. "Chu He, you privately planted an interference device at the competition venue, a grave violation of the Special Recruitment Selection Tournament rules. If you dare overstep your authority again, I will detain you immediately on charges of interfering with special recruitment!"

Chu He looked at the top-secret document, and his face instantly turned pale. He knew very well what New Star Martial University represented. It was a colossal force that Celestial Pivot Industries could never afford to provoke. He gritted his teeth and shot Jiang Yuan a venomous glare, yet could not utter a single word in rebuttal.

With nowhere to vent his raging fury, Chu He turned toward Song Xi, who was still unconscious on the ground. This woman had always been as proud as a peacock in front of him, yet beneath Jiang Yuan moments ago, she had acted like a horny slut. That posture of utter submission disgusted him beyond measure.

"Song Xi overloaded company equipment without authorization, resulting in the leak of core company technology and causing irreparable, enormous losses." Chu He announced through clenched teeth, "From this moment onward, she is formally expelled from Celestial Pivot Industries! All resource allocations are revoked!"

Song Xi happened to wake up at that moment. Hearing Chu He's words, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She struggled to her feet, completely disregarding her exposed body, and pleaded with Chu He in anguish.

"Young Master Chu, you can't do this! I did it for the company. You can't burn the bridge after crossing it!"

"Get lost!" Chu He kicked Song Xi away and left the field in disgrace with his men.

Song Xi collapsed onto the ground. Looking at Chu He's retreating back, then at Jiang Yuan standing nearby in lofty indifference, tears poured from her eyes. She had become the laughingstock of the entire crowd, with none of her former pride remaining.

Thus ended the farce. The referee returned to the arena and loudly announced that Jiang Yuan had won the overall championship of the Special Recruitment Selection Tournament.

The principal walked onto the stage with a glowing face. Jiang Yuan had not only taken first place, but had also received the full protection of the New Star Investigation Group, making the principal proud as well. Behind him stood Lin Xue, the youngest and most beautiful martial arts combat instructor at the school.

Lin Xue wore a tight red cheongsam today, wrapping her voluptuous figure tightly while still revealing the captivating charm of a mature woman. She carried a tray holding three high-grade vitality potions radiating rich blood energy, along with a pure gold medal symbolizing the champion's honor.

"Congratulations, Jiang Yuan." Lin Xue walked up to him, her voice alluring to the bone as her peach-blossom eyes stared directly at him. She picked up the medal and pinned it to Jiang Yuan's chest with exaggerated slowness. Her fingertips deliberately or seemingly accidentally brushed across his firm pectorals, bringing a tingling sensation. An ordinary high school student would likely have blushed furiously and been unable to speak properly in the face of such intimate temptation from a mature woman. Yet Jiang Yuan merely looked at her calmly. The Nine Yang Inner Force within him automatically protected its master, and a warm, masculine aura washed away the deliberately cultivated ambiguity around Lin Xue.

Scalded by that blazing aura, Lin Xue withdrew her hand as if shocked by electricity. A flush rose to her cheeks, and she no longer dared make any frivolous moves, obediently retreating behind the principal.

The principal cleared his throat, took the microphone, and announced loudly, "Student Jiang Yuan has not only won the overall championship of this Special Recruitment Selection Tournament, but has also demonstrated the unyielding martial spirit of Jianghai No. 1 High School! In addition to these three high-grade vitality potions, the school will award him an extra five hundred thousand in martial arts scholarship funds and grant him the highest level of access to the Martial Arts Building!"

Thunderous applause erupted from below the stage, with Guo Hongtao even taking the lead in blowing a loud whistle.

After the award ceremony ended, Jiang Yuan had just stepped down from the arena when the chief examiner of the New Star Investigation Group blocked his path. The chief examiner dismissed the guards around him, then handed Jiang Yuan a pure black metal card engraved with a prominent "S."

"Jiang Yuan, your performance exceeded our expectations by far. You don't need to worry about Chu He. No matter how arrogant Celestial Pivot Industries is, it wouldn't dare reach into New Star Martial University's territory." The chief examiner spoke sincerely. "This is New Star Martial University's S-rank reserve authorization card. As long as you hold it, you can immediately enjoy the resource privileges of a core student at New Star Martial University. Jiang Hai City is too small a pond. Your stage is at New Star."

Jiang Yuan accepted the black card, rubbing its hard metal surface with his thumb, and nodded without hesitation.

"Thank you, Chief Examiner. I won't disappoint New Star Martial University."

With this status, Celestial Pivot Industries would have to think carefully before making a move against him openly. As for underhanded methods, he was ready for them at any time.

Toward evening, Jiang Yuan declined Guo Hongtao's invitation to go out and celebrate. Alone, he carried the wooden box containing the broken sword on his back and headed home toward the old district.

Although he had neutralized the crisis on the arena by relying on the Baxia · Stone-Metal Body and Nine Yang Inner Force to withstand Song Xi's armor-breaking cybernetic body, a trace of that high-frequency vibrating power still remained within his meridians. He had to return quickly and circulate his cultivation method to completely refine that foreign energy. This real combat experience of withstanding extreme pressure was exactly what he needed to take his Baxia · Stone-Metal Body to the next level.