A Hundred-Thousand Reward

"Have you confirmed that Luo Yun and Wang Wenxuan are both in Mobei City?"

"Zhao Qingyi has appeared in Baichun City too?"

"Mm, understood."

A young man toyed with his phone, a faint smile on his lips. "Riots in Xinhai City, and several of Baichun City's toughest fighters are all away..."

"Do they really take me for a fool..."

"You can set out."

"Take the old route. Be cautious, and nothing should go wrong."

He took a small sip of red wine and spoke into the phone, gazing at the bright moon outside as he lounged against the sofa.

Inside the factory.

A group of students climbed off the floor, their expressions dazed.

Though they did not quite understand what had happened, they could at least be certain of one thing: they were safe.

That terrifying Dog Demon had seemingly lasted only... a few exchanges against Yu Sheng?

For a moment, everyone's spirits sank.

Though this assessment was not over yet, the outcome already seemed decided.

They were all apprentices. Why was the gap so enormous? Were they really just that... useless?

Just then.

"Walk with God!"

A fanatical cry rang out from outside the door. Immediately afterward, a man dressed as a beggar charged inside, his gaze locking onto them at once.

An Awakening Object manifested behind the beggar.

It was a chipped bowl.

A somewhat dim crystal was embedded in the bowl. In terms of quality alone, it was nowhere near Luo Yun's.

But even so, he was still Awakened!

And a...

A level-one Awakened!

His physical strength and reaction speed both far surpassed those of these students.

Though he was still some distance from them, the crystal on the bowl behind him shone faintly. Infused with energy, the bowl swelled in the air until it resembled... a large iron wok?

The beggar seized it in one hand, looking formidable.

"A cultist?"

"What's going on?"

"Isn't a level-one Awakened a bit too difficult for an assessment?"

The two teachers leading the group were somewhat displeased.

"This is ridiculous!"

"If we're not allowed to intervene, someone really could die!"

"No, we have to stop the assessment!"

The two teachers finally made their decision. They were just about to step forward when Liu Qingfeng silently moved in front of them.

"It hasn't reached the point where we have to intervene."

"Let's watch a little longer."

"Perhaps this will be the most vivid lesson of their lives."

He spoke calmly.

The two teachers exchanged a glance, then ultimately suppressed the energy beginning to stir within them.

"A cultist?"

"What do we do? I've heard those cultists kill without batting an eye!"

"Is this part of the assessment too?"

The students panicked again.

Throughout their childhood, their teachers, their parents, and even the Ink Pavilion had drilled one idea into them.

Cultists were a bunch of utter lunatics.

They would do anything for personal gain.

Besides, a level-one Awakened was far stronger than the Dog Demon they had just defeated through their "combined efforts." Most importantly... humans had intelligence.

Their gazes instinctively fell on Yu Sheng.

This time, everyone knew what to do.

With Zhao Zicheng taking the lead, they clutched their chests and collapsed to the floor together.

Yu Sheng was dumbfounded.

Zhao Zicheng even secretly raised his eyebrows at Yu Sheng, as though saying, Look at us. Aren't we considerate!

"Killing is against the law."

Yu Sheng muttered in distress, looking at the beggar drawing ever closer to him, momentarily lost in thought.

As the beggar raised the enormous bowl and smashed it down at him, Yu Sheng darted backward like a phantom.

The enormous bowl struck the floor with a thunderous crash.

It even smashed a large crater into the ground.

Blending into the darkness, Yu Sheng moved without a sound, positioning himself precisely in the beggar's blind spot. A crossbow appeared in his hands, aimed at the beggar's temple.

But helplessly, he put it away again in the end.

Why... was killing against the law?

What an unreasonable rule.

The beggar's eyes were bloodshot now. After losing sight of Yu Sheng, he did not pause, instead charging toward the students even faster.

The students still lying on the floor remained calm, very much of the mind that all they had to do was lie there and let Yu Sheng carry them.

It was as though they had grasped the true meaning of winning without lifting a finger.

Liu Qingfeng still did not move, his unblinking gaze fixed on a spot in the darkness.

He felt some anticipation, but also some disappointment.

As the beggar came within striking distance of the students, a blue-green light appeared in Liu Qingfeng's eyes again.

And just then.

The figure in the darkness finally moved once more.

He appeared behind the beggar without a sound.

With a slight turn of his fingers, he instinctively drew the razor blade between them toward the figure's throat. But he quickly caught himself and rather awkwardly adjusted its course, bringing it down on the beggar's right arm.

With a spray of blood, a cut deep enough to expose bone appeared on the beggar's arm.

The pain made his gaze even more crazed.

"Walk with God!"

"May God's radiance endure forever!"

Roaring, the beggar spun around and charged at Yu Sheng without any semblance of technique.

Though he looked clumsy, he was extremely fast.

Almost instantly, he reached Yu Sheng and rammed his shoulder toward his chest.

But in the darkness, the thin, slight Yu Sheng was like a fallen leaf, forever circling the beggar. Though the beggar knew he could finish Yu Sheng with a single punch, he always fell just a fraction short.

Every punch skimmed past Yu Sheng's body, almost brushing against him.

All he got in return were more and more wounds.

Having lost his reason, he only grew faster as his injuries spurred him on.

His fighting grew increasingly... wild.

But Yu Sheng grew more and more awkward, repeatedly pulling back decisively just as he struck, frustration still on his face.

Watching this, Liu Qingfeng seemed to realize something.

"Yu Sheng!"

"Cultists may be killed!"

Even after those words reached him, Yu Sheng kept his head down without a word, continuing to engage the beggar at close quarters.

Liu Qingfeng sighed helplessly, then continued, "Killing cultists... isn't against the law."

"A level-one awakener carries a hundred-thousand reward." After a moment's thought, he added this as well.

Almost the instant he finished speaking, Yu Sheng's previously awkward movements suddenly turned lethal. Like a ghost, he slipped close past the beggar during an opening as the man swung his fist.

Then he turned and watched him calmly.

The beggar looked somewhat bewildered. The madness gradually faded from his eyes, a little reason returning as he clutched his neck in fear and pain.

Thin streams of blood dripped between his fingers, soaking his clothes, yet were cleverly kept from spilling onto the floor.

The beggar desperately tried to breathe, but he no longer had the chance. At last, he fell heavily to the floor, kicking up dust.

Even in death, he lay flat on his back, minimizing the blood that reached the floor.