Falsely Accusing Tang Wulin of Being an Evil Soul Master-Arrest Him!

"D-don't come any closer!" The pilot fired his Lasers frantically, but Tang Wulin evaded every attack with a single Teleportation and appeared right in front of him.

Boom!

The last Black-Grade Mecha was wrecked as well.

Tang Wulin landed on the ground, his face as pale as paper and his breathing ragged. The relentless, intense fighting, compounded by the aftereffects of his Berserk state, had drained his Soul Power dry and pushed his body to its limit.

Yet he forced himself to remain standing, sweeping his icy gaze over his surroundings.

More mechas were arriving in the distance. A dozen or so Black-Grade Mechas hovered in midair, their pilots exchanging looks at the wreckage strewn across the ground. For a moment, none dared advance.

Farther away, a crimson mecha was slowly flying toward them—a Red-Grade Mecha, the personal machine of a Federation Lieutenant General.

The Red-Grade Mecha landed, its cockpit opened, and a middle-aged man stepped out. He wore a Federation military uniform with two general's stars on his epaulets. His brows knitted tightly as his gaze swept across the battlefield.

"Can someone tell me what exactly is going on here?"

His voice was not loud, but it carried the authority of someone long accustomed to command. Everyone present involuntarily lowered their heads.

The Major steeled himself, stepped forward, and saluted. "General! This child is an Evil Soul Master! He attacked someone in the street and severely injured Young Master Wang Yu. He also violently resisted law enforcement and destroyed several of our mechas!"

"An Evil Soul Master?" The Lieutenant General narrowed his eyes, looking toward the small figure standing atop the mecha wreckage in the distance.

An eight-year-old child stood on the remains of a wrecked Black-Grade Mecha, covered in blood, yet smiling at them.

That smile was as innocent as a neighborhood child's, forming a stark contrast with the devastated battlefield behind him.

An inexplicable chill ran through the Lieutenant General's heart. What kind of smile was that? He was only a child.

"General," the Major said, lowering his voice, "Young Master Wang Yu's father served under you, and his grandfather is one of the War God Temple's Eighteen War Gods. We absolutely cannot let this child live!"

The Lieutenant General fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

He knew what the Major meant. Things had already gone this far. If they let this child leave alive, all of them would face consequences they could not stomach. Rather than that, they might as well finish what they had started and make the charges stick.

Besides, he knew Wang Yu's grandfather. A War God's friendship was worth doing this for, though most importantly, he had to uphold the Federation's authority.

With so many mechas destroyed, someone had to pay the price.

"Pass down my orders," the Lieutenant General said, his voice turning cold. "Use all available force to eliminate the target. Kill on sight."

Once this child was dead, everything would be over. As a Lieutenant General, he had no time to bother with all these unnecessary odds and ends.

The moment he finished speaking, the Black-Grade Mechas activated their weapon systems in unison, their gun barrels aiming at Tang Wulin.

"Heh."

As Tang Wulin watched, the smile gradually faded from his lips. He clenched his fists, the scales on his Golden Dragon Claw trembling slightly as he prepared to fight to the death.

Just then.

"Stop!"

A figure streaked toward them from afar and landed in front of Tang Wulin. His clothes were white as snow, his long hair flowing behind him. It was Wu Changkong.

He held an ancient-looking Token high overhead, his voice cool and commanding. "In the name of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, I order you to cease your attack!"

The Token shimmered faintly in the sunlight. An intricate pattern was engraved upon it—the exclusive emblem of the Sea God Pavilion.

The Lieutenant General's expression changed instantly.

A Sea God Pavilion Token was a credential only a Sea God Pavilion Elder could possess. Whoever held it represented the will of the Sea God Pavilion. Although Shrek Academy did not interfere in Federation politics, the Sea God Pavilion held an exalted status. Even the Federation's senior leadership dared not offend it lightly.

"Someone from Shrek Academy..." The Lieutenant General recognized the newcomer, his expression darkening. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Tang Wulin is a student in Shrek Academy's Youth Genius Class, and someone the Sea God Pavilion is paying particular attention to." Wu Changkong's voice was not loud, but each word struck the ground with weight. "Anyone who lays a hand on him makes an enemy of Shrek Academy."

The Major's face went deathly pale.

He finally realized that he had truly kicked an iron plate this time. How could a child who had drawn the Sea God Pavilion's special attention have an ordinary background? None of his earlier claims could hold water in front of Shrek Academy.

The instant the Federation Lieutenant General saw that Token, his heart lurched.

A Sea God Pavilion Token was no laughing matter. Although he was a Federation Lieutenant General, he still had to weigh his standing carefully when facing Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion.

His gaze lingered on the Token for a moment before shifting to Wu Changkong, and his tone softened somewhat. "Is this child really a student of your Shrek Academy?"

Wu Changkong nodded. "He is a student in the Youth Genius Class jointly organized by the Spirit Pagoda and Shrek Academy, and someone the Sea God Pavilion is paying particular attention to."

"The Youth Genius Class?" The Lieutenant General frowned. "Why haven't I heard of this class?"

He turned toward the Major, his gaze probing. "You tell me. What exactly happened? Was this child the one who attacked first?"

The Major's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged. He knew he absolutely could not back down now. Once he admitted that they had provoked the incident first, everything would be over. Steeling himself, he declared without hesitation:

"General, this child was indeed the one who attacked first! He attacked someone in the street and severely injured Young Master Wang Yu. After our people arrived, he violently resisted law enforcement and destroyed several of our mechas!"

"That is why I have reason to suspect that this child is an Evil Soul Master."

The Lieutenant General fell silent for a moment, his gaze moving back and forth between Tang Wulin and the Major. Deep down, he knew things were probably not as simple as the Major claimed.

But things had already reached this point. A dozen or so mechas had been destroyed, Wang Yu was severely injured, and the Federation had lost all face. If he simply let the matter go, where would that leave his dignity as a Lieutenant General?

"Whatever the circumstances, this child destroyed our Federation's mechas and severely injured a Federation officer. We cannot simply let this matter go."

The Lieutenant General looked at Tang Wulin, his tone turning cold. "Whether you belong to Shrek Academy or the Spirit Pagoda, you still have to listen to reason. Come with us first. We'll discuss the rest once we've investigated what happened."

Wu Changkong's expression darkened. "Lieutenant General, this child is only eight years old. You intend to take him away?"

"So what if he's eight? Does being eight give him the right to run wild without regard for the law?" The Lieutenant General snorted coldly.

"He destroyed over a dozen of our mechas. That is a serious crime! Even someone from Shrek Academy cannot be exempt!"

His words sounded lofty and righteous, but Wu Changkong could tell that this Lieutenant General was determined to take Tang Wulin away.

He also knew that this Lieutenant General belonged to the Federation's Hawk Faction. He had long resented Shrek Academy's independence and was itching for an opportunity to assert his authority.

In fact, the truth was much as Wu Changkong suspected. This Federation Lieutenant General had always disapproved of Shrek Academy's neutrality.

Every faction should be under Federation rule. Is your Shrek Academy really so special? I'll butt heads with you whether you like it or not.

Wu Changkong was about to argue when Tang Wulin suddenly tugged at the hem of his clothes.

"Teacher," Tang Wulin said, his voice quiet but extraordinarily calm, "let them take me away."