"Assassination" Operation Begins

"Is it over?"

"Yeah, let's head back to the academy."

Tang Wulin and the other two arrived at Shrek City's gate and ran into Wang Dong, who had been waiting for them there for quite some time.

After meeting up, they left Shrek City together and headed toward the academy.

Wang Dong glanced at the burly figure following Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong, then quietly asked Tang Wulin:

"Is this Senior from the Soul Engineering Department going back with us too?"

"Yeah, he's taking Yutong to join the Soul Engineering Department."

"I see..."

Wang Dong's expression abruptly became extremely complicated.

"Then congratulations."

Tang Wulin sensed that something was off in Wang Dong's words and asked with concern:

"Wang Dong, do you not like Big Brother He?"

Come to think of it, ever since He Caitou had appeared, Wang Dong's mood had become quite strange.

Wang Dong was silent for a while before speaking softly:

"No. I just have some aversion to Soul Tools. I have no prejudice against this Senior."

Tang Wulin frowned slightly and was about to say something when his entire body suddenly jolted.

It was not just him. Everyone present apart from Huo Yutong revealed surprised expressions.

A fully three-dimensional image suddenly appeared in their minds. Tang Wulin and He Caitou immediately realized that Huo Yutong had activated her soul skill.

But why had she suddenly used a soul skill now?

Huo Yutong's voice rang out in their minds.

"Don't act unusual. Enemies are lying in ambush."

Tang Wulin hurriedly asked in his mind:

"Who are these enemies?"

"I don't know, but they have killing intent. Let's return to the academy first."

Huo Yutong answered Tang Wulin's question in her mind, her expression somewhat unsightly.

Based on what Tian Meng had just told her, these enemies were probably not weak.

At the very least, they were not opponents the current group could defeat.

Who could they be? Who at the academy could harbor such great hostility toward them, enough to hire killers to murder them?

A cold and arrogant face surfaced in her mind, and Huo Yutong clenched her fists.

Had the Duke's Mansion faction represented by Dai Huabin made its move?

She already had a guess in her heart, but to confirm whether it was true, they would first have to escape alive.

Soon, Tang Wulin and the others came within roughly thirty meters of the enemies, and the assassins' figures began appearing in their minds one after another.

Huo Yutong said in their minds:

"When I count one, two, three, we'll run back on three."

He Caitou rejected her suggestion.

"No. I got a sense of them through your perception. These people are at least Soul Kings, and the strongest one may even be a Soul Emperor. We can't outrun them."

"Then what do we do?"

Huo Yutong asked calmly.

If they could not even escape, were they supposed to try to kill them instead?

A savage gleam rose in He Caitou's eyes.

"In a moment, I'll send the unique distress signal of a Core Disciple into the air. The academy will send people to save us. We just need to hold on until they arrive."

So they were going to fight defensively...

Light flickered rapidly in Huo Yutong's eyes before she finally nodded lightly.

"Okay, I'll leave it to you, Big Brother He."

He Caitou was both the strongest person present and the one who understood the academy best. Since he said so, he certainly had his reasons.

"Three."

Huo Yutong's countdown rang out in everyone's minds, causing their heartbeats to quicken uncontrollably.

"Two."

The distance to the assassins grew shorter and shorter. He Caitou took a deep breath and quietly placed a hand on his Storage Soul Tool.

"One!"

Huo Yutong shouted the final count. At the same time, the sound of metal clashing rang out beside her as He Caitou rapidly fitted one Soul Tool after another onto his body.

Cannon barrels swiftly assembled across every part of his body. They reflected the distinct gleam of metal while radiating a ferocious aura. No one would doubt their Attack Power.

He Caitou's actions were immensely intimidating, and with the sudden turn of events, several assassins failed to react in time.

Only when the distress signal He Caitou had fired while equipping his Soul Tools exploded in the sky did they realize the severity of the situation.

However, it was already too late.

Dazzling light flared in the night. The most talented Core Disciple of the Soul Engineering Department had unleashed Full Firepower!

"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom—"

Countless shells exploded, and the pungent smell of gunpowder rapidly spread through the air. The incoming enemies were forcefully driven back by He Caitou's barrage.

Tang Wulin and the others also took this opportunity to clearly see the enemy lineup.

There were actually four Soul Kings and one Soul Emperor.

Even if they were not from Shrek and their Combat Power was far inferior to Shrek's students, with even their soul rings falling short of the optimal configuration, their levels were still utterly terrifying. In a true fight to the death, Tang Wulin's side stood no chance.

If they had not happened to encounter He Caitou in Shrek City, they would not have had even the slightest chance to fight back before being assassinated on the outskirts of Shrek City.

Fortunately, with the help of Senior He Caitou, their chances of survival were now much greater.

He Caitou continued venting his firepower madly, his face currently filled with an exhilarated grin.

He had never fought this enjoyably before.

The reason he could instantly suppress the assassins was naturally the set of Soul Tools covering his body.

Below the seventh ring, Soul Engineers were generally stronger than soul masters of the same rank, and that was under the condition that high-damage weapons like Fixed Soul Tools were prohibited.

Now that He Caitou's life was under threat, he naturally did not care whether he hit too hard. Fixed Soul Tool Cannon Shells poured out as if they cost nothing, giving these bumpkins who had never seen the world a small taste of the might of Soul Tools.

At the same time, he was not blindly wasting ammunition. A careful look would reveal that more than ninety percent of the Soul Tools he fired had struck their targets with precision.

Even for He Caitou, this was a miraculous performance beyond his usual limits. He could not possibly achieve such a hit rate alone even in daylight, much less now that night had fallen and visibility had dropped drastically.

The reason he could accomplish what should have been impossible was Huo Yutong's precise support. The thrill of locking onto enemies was something he had never experienced before, leaving him thoroughly exhilarated.

Tang Wulin heard He Caitou mutter something beneath the cover of the thunderous explosions. Then, several cigars were tossed into their hands.

He Caitou's expression was solemn.

"These are my soul skill. Keep them in your mouths. The enemies won't remain suppressed by me alone forever. I'll leave the covering work to you."

"Understood!"

Tang Wulin and the others answered in unison, placing the cigars in their mouths.