Impact

Bai Chen's words enlightened everyone, easing much of the worry in their hearts. "The captain makes sense," Fang Yu said in a low voice. "Still, just to be safe, once we return to the space base, let's not go out hunting again for the time being. "As long as we don't enter the Wilderness Zone, even if that Earth Martial Artist comes in person, he won't be able to touch us." "Right." "We've reaped more than enough practical combat gains this time. If we don't go back out, so be it." "We've already met the school's trial requirements. For the remaining ten or so days, we can cultivate in peace." Bai Chen, Qin Yang, and Xiong Meng spoke up one after another, agreeing with Fang Yu's plan. In the Wilderness Zone, there was no surveillance, so infighting and killings among martial artists were commonplace. At the space base, however, never mind an Earth Martial Artist, not even a Sky-Patrolling Martial Artist could kill someone without making a sound. Even on Blue Star, as long as one stayed away from remote wilderness areas and remained inside the cities, surveillance was exceptionally strict, making it just as secure. Fang Yu had thought it through thoroughly. He had indeed acted rashly just now and caused huge trouble... but as long as he weathered this period and grew rapidly, the trouble he had stirred up today would no longer amount to anything. One's own strength was what mattered most. Take today, for instance: if his Life Level had been 30, he could have effortlessly slaughtered the wolf king. How could he have been backed into such a corner? "Let's go." "Back to the base as quickly as possible. The sooner we return, the better for us," Bai Chen urged. The group promptly set off, hurrying toward the space base. Along the way, they conversed, polishing the finer details of how "Xia Tao was ambushed by an advanced fierce beast." ... While Fang Yu and his team were still on the move, the moment Xia Tao perished, his communication star ring emitted a mysterious signal before shutting down completely. Just one second later, on Huguang Martial University's Fourth-Year Total Score Leaderboard, Xia Tao's information vanished instantly, entirely blacked out. Any student of the Earth Academy received intense scrutiny from the university. Inside Teacher Li's office. "Alert, Teacher Li," a robotic voice announced. "On the Total Score Leaderboard, the data for Earth Academy student Xia Tao has been blacked out. "Concurrently, three elite students and one regular student have each suffered a 0.1 drop in their coefficient scores." "What? Xia Tao? His data was blacked out?" Teacher Li shot to his feet. "Xia Tao is dead?" Even though he loathed Xia Tao, and even though he had just returned from Associate Professor Tang's office after reporting the earlier drop in Xia Tao's coefficient score, no matter how much he despised the young man, he had never wished for his death. He knew all too well what monumental trouble Xia Tao's death would unleash. "Quick, bring up all the data reports for me. Especially the profiles of those four students whose coefficient scores just dropped—compile which squads they belong to and show me!" Teacher Li commanded solemnly. Soon, a flood of information appeared on his computer monitor, and he scrutinized it. "Xia Tao's time of death: 9:36 AM. "Fang Yu, Bai Chen, Qin Yang, and Xiong Meng all belong to the same martial artist squad, and their coefficient scores also dropped by 0.1 at 9:36 AM." Teacher Li's expression turned grim. How could there be such a coincidence in this world? A little after eight o'clock, someone died in Xia Tao's Black Ice Squad, Xia Tao's own coefficient score plummeted, and the Scarlet Flame Squad's overall ranking surged at the exact same time. Barely over an hour later, Xia Tao was dead, and the members of the Scarlet Flame Squad took another coefficient score hit? *Boom!* Not daring to hesitate, Teacher Li shot out of his office in a streak of light, rushing toward Associate Professor Tang's office... As a Level 39 Advanced Martial Artist, his movement speed was astonishing. A moment later, inside Associate Professor Tang's office. "You're saying Xia Tao is dead?" A flicker of surprise crossed Associate Professor Tang's eyes. This had exceeded her expectations as well. She promptly brought up the relevant files. "Fang Yu?" Associate Professor Tang frowned slightly. She had not expected Fang Yu to be implicated in this. "Associate Professor Tang, I have good reason to suspect that Xia Tao clashed with the members of the Scarlet Flame Squad and was directly killed by them," Teacher Li said gravely. "Where is the proof?" Associate Professor Tang asked without looking up. "Their coefficient scores dropped at the exact same moment, and—" Teacher Li began. "That is mere conjecture," Associate Professor Tang cut him off. "The fact that all members of the Scarlet Flame Squad saw a score drop only proves they are suspected of 'causing a martial artist's death'... Whether they are the direct perpetrators or indirect causes remains to be determined. "Moreover, is the martial artist who died because of them necessarily Xia Tao? There are plenty of civilian martial artists in the Wilderness Zone," Associate Professor Tang said coldly. Teacher Li was stunned. Huguang Martial University only had partial records regarding its own students... As for the far larger population of civilian martial artists, let alone a university, even the Eight Great Martial Artist Groups or the Blue Moon Alliance suffered delays in tracking their data. "Associate Professor Tang. "What should we do, then? Just leave it alone?" Teacher Li could not help asking. "I certainly couldn't stand Xia Tao, but if he truly died at the hands of other students, we'll be in massive trouble... His paternal uncle, Xia Kaishan, is a Level 49 Earth Martial Artist. Among the Earth Martial Artists of our Huguang Province, his strength easily ranks in the top ten, and he once served as the municipal general manager of the Polar Star Group." The Polar Star Group was likewise one of the Eight Great Martial Artist Groups. Just as disparities among Advanced Martial Artists were vast, the differences in strength and standing among Earth Martial Artists were equally immense... Had he been an ordinary Earth Martial Artist, would Huguang Martial University have tolerated Xia Tao until now? Clearly, in personal strength, Xia Kaishan stood at the pinnacle of Earth Martial Artists... and in terms of influence, having served as a municipal general manager for the Polar Star Group, his network remained extensive even though he had stepped down, allowing him to mobilize staggering resources. Across the entire Huguang Province, aside from the lofty Sky-Patrolling Martial Artists, very few people could hold him down. "Most critically," Teacher Li added solemnly, "Xia Kaishan has no children of his own; Xia Tao was one of his only two nephews. In the past, he reached out to Professor Wu on more than one occasion, which was one of the reasons Professor Wu indulged Xia Tao for so long." Professor Wu had been the previous third-year director, Associate Professor Tang's predecessor. "Teacher Li. "There is no need to recite Xia Kaishan's background to me; I know all of it." Associate Professor Tang frowned. "Even if he isn't merely an Earth Martial Artist, but a Fifth-Tier Civilization Warrior or even a Sky-Patrolling Martial Artist... everything must proceed according to the rules." "I..." Teacher Li felt helpless. He could not tell whether this Associate Professor Tang genuinely did not fear Xia Kaishan, or if she was truly this rigid. "Your suspicion is not without merit," Associate Professor Tang continued. "However, proving your theory requires evidence: witness testimony, physical proof, confessions from the perpetrators... "As for physical evidence, we have no idea where Xia Tao died, so there is nowhere to begin searching. "As for witnesses and confessions, the moment any members of the Scarlet Flame Squad or Black Ice Squad return to the base, detain them separately and interrogate them immediately," Associate Professor Tang instructed. "Determine whether a conflict occurred, and if so, what kind." "Understood." Teacher Li breathed a sigh of relief. His greatest fear had been that Associate Professor Tang would refuse to investigate at all. As long as an investigation was conducted, an explanation could be given. "Then... regarding Xia Tao's death, should we notify the Xia family?" Teacher Li asked. "Yes," Associate Professor Tang replied. "However, before the truth comes to light, do not mention the Scarlet Flame Squad. We must avoid a situation where the students of the Scarlet Flame Squad face retaliation from Xia Kaishan before the facts are established. If that happens, the fault will lie with us... Don't worry. Draft a revised electronic report according to my instructions, and I will sign it." "Understood." Teacher Li's worries were put to rest. ... Iron Wall Base, Subsidiary Base No. 3. To enter the Wilderness Zone from here, one's Life Level had to reach Level 30, and one's Tier had to be Tier 2 or above... Students of Huguang Martial University above Level 30 honed themselves through practical combat in the vicinity of this base. In a continuous mountain range about 120 kilometers from Subsidiary Base No. 3, four martial artists were resting on a steep, densely forested slope. Carrying various weapons, the three men and one woman were all young, seemingly in their twenties. Formidable confidence radiated between their brows, their gazes sharp as lightning—clearly the demeanor of powerhouses tempered through countless trials. "Wan Jin," a burly man carrying a pair of battle-axes called out in a low voice. "Captain, what is it?" The man addressed stood up. Well-proportioned and tall, standing nearly one point nine meters, he was strikingly handsome, exuding a sharp, masculine aura. "Xia Tao is dead," the burly man uttered. "Dead?" "Xia Tao is dead?" The other two were equally startled. "Hm?" Wan Jin furrowed his brow and immediately looked down at his communication star ring. He scrolled down the leaderboard, past rank one hundred, yet found no sign of Xia Tao's name. *He's really dead?* Although he could not stand Xia Tao, he had never wanted to see him perish. "Captain, I need to head back to the base immediately," Wan Jin said. "Mm, go ahead." The man with the twin battle-axes nodded. "Xia Tao may have been a spoiled playboy, but he was your senior martial brother after all. If he truly died, it's a major matter... You'd best inform your master right away." The other two showed no surprise; they all knew Wan Jin's sect lineage. *Whoosh!* Wan Jin turned into a streak of light, rapidly racing back toward the base.