Chapter 21

If all went smoothly, they would earn a thousand contribution points. Converted to Huaxia currency, that was a full million!

That was why almost every member of the Descending Star Cult's Huangcheng branch had turned out.

Chapter 21

Inside the tent shared by the three of them, Yu Hongyuan was beside himself with curiosity. It was as if a feather were tickling his heart, driving him mad.

What was going on?!

Why had Team Leader Lin called them into this tent separately? Special treatment for top students? Ahem, the conditions in this tent weren't much better, and besides, he was a guy sharing a tent with two girls. It was pretty embarrassing.

Fang Chuyun was still reading that lousy Basic Star-Wielding Cultivation Technique. Yu Hongyuan had read it for a week too, but the more he read, the more annoyed he got. He figured he could take his time studying it after he got to military academy, so he had simply spent the whole summer vacation playing like crazy.

Li Yang was even more remarkable. She sat there without a word, like an old monk deep in meditation.

Why had Team Leader Lin kept Li Yang behind? Had she seen how talented Li Yang was and given her a few pointers?

Team Leader Lin was with the military. Was Li Yang already about to make connections there?

Comparing yourself to others was so hard.

Yu Hongyuan had only been away from home for less than a day, and he already wanted to go back.

One hour, two hours, three hours passed, and Yu Hongyuan couldn't take it anymore.

He was the only living person in this tent!

The other two were stone statues!

He was going to suffocate from boredom. He wanted to find someone in another tent to hang out with!

The moment Yu Hongyuan got up, Li Yang and Fang Chuyun both snapped their eyes toward him.

Yu Hongyuan: "!"

Li Yang said, "Team Leader Lin said not to leave the tent before dawn."

Yu Hongyuan said quietly, "Well, you two are girls, and I'm a guy... Ah, I'd better sleep in another tent."

Fang Chuyun's voice was even colder. "On a military campaign, who cares whether you're a man or a woman?"

Yu Hongyuan: "..."

Li Yang could tell Yu Hongyuan couldn't sit still any longer. He was a pampered kid who still had wonderful fantasies about the outside world and knew nothing of the dangers lurking within it.

Keeping him in the dark wouldn't do either. If he caused some kind of trouble, they would all suffer for it.

Li Yang said, "There might be danger tonight. What Team Leader Lin meant was that although we took a safe route, that also means the route isn't hidden well enough. We can avoid the quarantine zones, but we can't avoid people."

Yu Hongyuan was no fool. As soon as she said that, he asked, "You mean the Descending Star Cult might launch a sneak attack tonight?"

"It's possible."

Now Yu Hongyuan grew nervous. "Fuck, they aren't planning to kidnap me, are they?! I must be worth a fortune!"

Li Yang: "..." Well, he was a little off the mark, but he wasn't far wrong.

Yu Hongyuan's family was rich. His parents might have taught him when he was young to watch out for kidnappers and the like.

The three-person tent fell quiet.

Yu Hongyuan was no longer bored. He even pulled out his own crumpled copy of the Basic Star-Wielding Cultivation Technique, ready to sharpen his spear on the eve of battle-even if it didn't make it sharp, it would at least make it shine.

Night grew deep and still.

The City Guard were all Star Wielders, so going a night without sleep was nothing. For a Third Grade Star Wielder like Lin Yuesuo, even a week without sleep was nothing.

At eleven, everything around them was calm and undisturbed.

At twelve, all the students had entered the land of dreams, and there was still no sign of movement.

The City Guard members had let their guard down a little too. A tall, thin man said, "Nothing's going to happen tonight, right?"

"That's good. It'll make this trip easier on us."

"With Team Leader Lin here, they wouldn't dare come!"

"Right. The cultists who take this kind of job can't be at too high a stage. Grade One High Stage at most. Once they see there's a Third Grade Star-Wielding Warrior in the escort, they'll probably behave themselves."

The City Guard were quite experienced. Their usual work consisted of either clearing out mutated creatures that suddenly appeared in the city, maintaining public order, or fighting these cultists to the bitter end.

In a small place like Huangcheng, the cultists' stages weren't likely to be very high. Even their branch leader was only at the Second Grade Low Stage.

A student like Li Yang, with her Limit Physique, was valuable, but not enough for the Descending Star Cult's higher-ups to spend too much effort on.

They had probably just put out a bounty. If the cultists in Huangcheng could take it, they would; if not, they would let it go.

The cultists in Huangcheng were only so strong. Even if they turned out in full force, it would be impossible for them to kill Lin Yuesuo, who was Third Grade.

That was why the City Guard felt reassured, confident that this escort mission was perfectly safe.

By all rights, the Descending Star Cult members in Huangcheng really wouldn't have dared to make a move lightly.

A million was indeed a high bounty, but they had to be alive to collect it.

However... just half a year ago, a Star Wielder codenamed "Shadow Man" had joined the Descending Star Cult's Huangcheng branch.

His stage wasn't high; he was only at the First-Grade Initial Stage. But he had a very special Star Skill called Hidden Shadow.

Once activated, this Star Skill put him into stealth. It concealed him so well that he had actually managed to escape the notice of a Fourth-Grade Initial Stage Star Wielder.

But while Shadow Man was in the Hidden Shadow state, he couldn't use any other Star Skills. As soon as the Starlight in his body began to flow, he would lose his stealth and instantly expose himself.

Drawing on his many years of experience, the Huangcheng branch leader had also discovered that this Star Skill was holding back Shadow Man's cultivation.

Shadow Man was very talented and should have had a chance of reaching Second Grade, yet he remained stuck at the First Grade Low Stage and still hadn't broken through.

As the saying went, fortune and misfortune came hand in hand. Shadow Man had gained a powerful Star Skill, but he had also sacrificed some of his cultivation speed.

The Huangcheng branch dared to launch an attack this time because they had Shadow Man as their trump card.

They didn't need to kill Lin Yuesuo. They only had to hold her off long enough for Shadow Man to abduct the two key targets, especially Li Yang. If they captured her alive, the trip would have paid off.

And if they captured Yu Hongyuan alive along the way, that would bring in another 500 contribution points!

The middle-aged man thought it over carefully again and concluded that this operation had an excellent chance of success. He reiterated, "Do everything you can to tie down the Third Grade Star Wielder. Once Shadow Man gives the signal, we withdraw at top speed."

More than twenty cultists answered in unison, "Understood!"

The middle-aged man turned to Shadow Man. "It's up to you. If it really doesn't work out, kill all three kids. That way we'll still get 1,000 contribution points!"

One in the morning.

Even the City Guard members had relaxed their guard somewhat and were yawning.

Two in the morning.

Yu Hongyuan was curled up in a corner, snoring away.

Two thirty in the morning.

Fang Chuyun hadn't turned a page of the Basic Star-Wielding Cultivation Technique in her hands for a long time either.

Two forty-five...

An explosion suddenly rang out from outside!

Then came the City Guard's furious shouts, followed by the booming of cannon fire.

Li Yang had remained awake the whole time. Now her eyes snapped open, and she looked out through the tent window.

Fang Chuyun jolted awake and came to her side.

Yu Hongyuan had been sleeping soundly, but he too sprang up with a start. "What's going on?! They really came??"

Startled cries also came from the students in the other tents. A City Guard member shouted, "Don't come out! Stay in your tents!"

The students were orderly enough, obediently hiding in their tents without anyone running around.

Lin Yuesuo had plenty of experience camping in the wilderness, and she had chosen an excellent spot. A mountain wall stood right behind them, so there was no need to fear a sneak attack from that direction. The front was also ring-shaped, with only one opening. As long as the City Guard held it, they could protect the dozens of students behind them.

Li Yang looked through the window and took in the situation outside at a glance.

This was the first time she had seen a battle between Star Wielders. It was worlds apart from the combat exam!

Mutated creatures were stiff and predictable. Even the Second Grade dahlia had been brutish and short-tempered, and its handful of skills had been easy to figure out. Once she avoided its attacks, she could finish it off with brute force.

But even the cultists before her who were only at the First Grade Middle Stage had extensive and unpredictable combat experience. Mutated creatures were no match for them.

When Li Yang focused, she could see with exceptional clarity. She could see Star Apertures like little suns, as well as the power of Starlight surging. The City Guard members all had Star Skills, but so did the cultists.

Amid thunderous bangs, the two sides seemed to be blasting away at each other with cannons!

Suddenly, a massive ball of Starlight descended. Lin Yuesuo leaped down from the roof of a vehicle, kicked one cultist aside, and gathered the power of Starlight around her fist. With a bang, she smashed another cultist's head apart.

Li Yang went deathly pale at the sight.

Fang Chuyun couldn't help sucking in a breath either.

Yu Hongyuan had never seen anything like this. He immediately began to retch.

The instant Lin Yuesuo appeared, she killed a Grade One High Stage cultist in a flash. This was the strength of a Third Grade Star Wielder!

Li Yang couldn't help clenching her hands.

Was this what a Star Wielder was?

Was this the world they would have to face after becoming Star Wielders?

Lin Yuesuo's attacks were steady, precise, and ruthless. Once she got close, she could kill her target in an instant. No wasted movement, no hesitation or drawn-out struggle, only decisive, vicious strikes and merciless kills!

The City Guard's morale soared!

The cultists' sudden attack had caught them somewhat off guard, but with Team Leader Lin there, these cultists had come only to die!

As the two sides fought in a melee, Fang Chuyun managed to calm down, though her voice still trembled a little. "Don't worry. With Captain Lin here, we'll be fine."

Li Yang said nothing. She could see the situation clearly.

Lin Yuesuo was extremely powerful. With her there, the cultists were like moths flying into a flame; it would be very difficult for them to break into the students' camp.

Yu Hongyuan hadn't eaten anything the night before, so his retching brought nothing up. He came over trembling and said, "This is way scarier than the combat exam!"

Fang Chuyun gave him a cold look. "If you're scared, there's still time to drop out."