Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole

Preparatory Class Three. This was Su Yu’s class. Over the past few days, Su Yu had barely attended, but naturally, no one paid it much mind. With the higher academy examinations drawing near, everyone’s schedule was extremely tight. Who had the leisure to care whether someone else came to class? Besides, Su Yu was not the only exception. Another student in the class, who had reached the Kaiyuan Fourth Layer, had also not attended classes for a long time. At that stage, adjusting one's mindset was far more important. *** Su Yu took his seat and was in no hurry to find Liu Wenyan. It was still too early. At this hour, Instructor Liu was probably still reading; the old man had a habit of rising early to read books. Chen Hao sat down beside Su Yu. The two were deskmates. The instructors had made no fixed seating arrangements, so students sat wherever they pleased. Not long after they sat down, a plump woman in her thirties walked in holding textbooks. Glancing across the room without minding whether anyone was absent, the female teacher opened her book and said, "The higher academy exams are not far off, so we will no longer review basic courses. Today, I'll briefly talk about your future options after graduation. "There's no need to mention the four major academies; everyone already understands them. "Instead, let's discuss what choice you should make if you fail to get into even the Internal Affairs Academy, or if you get accepted but are unwilling to attend." Smiling, the female teacher looked at the students. "This is a miraculous era where the ordinary and the extraordinary coexist. Some students are unwilling to accept an ordinary life and wish to step onto the path of the extraordinary. "If you fail to get into the War Academy, does that mean there is no hope left? "No, there is!" As soon as she said this, even though the students already knew a bit beforehand, they still felt a surge of excitement. Rumors were one thing, but news directly from a teacher carried much more credibility. "The first path, which is also relatively the most dangerous one: joining the military!" The teacher looked at the room, her smile fading into a serious expression. "I think everyone should know this. Enlisting is the easiest route for ordinary people to come into contact with extraordinary power. Killing enemies in the military earns you merit points. Many of your relatives are soldiers, so you understand this well. "As for the dangers, I believe you are also aware that the number of soldiers killed in battle each year reaches six figures! "However, I'm not here today to harp on the danger, but rather to explain that even within the military, there are different choices." With that, the female teacher looked at the eager Chen Hao and smiled. "Chen Hao, why don't you tell us what the main armed forces of the Great Xia Prefecture are?" Excited, Chen Hao quickly stood up and answered, "First is the Longwu Guards, the strongest military force in the Great Xia Prefecture! "Second is the Great Xia Prefecture Army, responsible for garrisoning the prefecture and maintaining its peace. "Third is the Wind Arrest Hall, responsible for hunting down All-Races Sect cultists and maintaining public security. "Fourth is each city's City Guards, responsible for city defense. "Among these four major armed institutions, when unrest erupts at the front line, all but the Wind Arrest Hall will enter the All-Heavens Battlefield to reinforce the front. They can all be considered frontline reserves!" The female teacher smiled. "Not entirely wrong, but not comprehensive, either. The Longwu Guards are not reserves. That they have not entered the All-Heavens Battlefield is not due to a lack of strength, but simply because the front line does not currently require their reinforcement. "In fact, besides the four forces you mentioned, there are two more." Chen Hao looked intrigued. The teacher smiled and explained, "The fifth is the Frontline Legions. A portion of them is actually stationed in the Great Xia Prefecture, though they are difficult to encounter, and they are also responsible for taking in new recruits. "The sixth is the Veteran Corps. Everyone knows about this. Many are veterans who have retired from the front line or major institutions, forming a formidable armed force." At this point, the teacher hesitated slightly before adding, "Actually, there is a seventh force!" The students were puzzled. There was another? "Yes. Seventh, the guard detachments of the academies! "Don't underestimate the academy guards. Take our Nanyuan Secondary Academy—it's only a secondary academy, but as everyone probably knows, Chief Huang of our Security Department is an expert of the Qianjun Ninth Layer. "And that is only Nanyuan. In the Great Xia Prefecture, the guard detachments possess tremendous strength. Experts of the Wanshi Realm or even the Tengkong Realm are not uncommon. Combined with instructors and students of the War Academy, an academy's collective strength is formidable—even surpassing that of the Prefecture Army, inferior only to the Longwu Guards." The teacher's brief explanation enlightened the students; they had indeed overlooked this aspect. "So what I want to tell you today is that even if you fail to enter an academy, you needn't worry about having no way forward. There are many avenues to access extraordinary power. However... "Risk and opportunity coexist! "If your studies are inferior to others and your cultivation is inferior to others, yet you still wish to stand out, you must pay a steeper price—such as... your life!" The teacher said solemnly, "Students who wish to pursue the extraordinary path but fail to get into the War Academy can consider enlisting. The front line is the most dangerous, but offers the greatest opportunities. Next is the Prefecture Army. You certainly won't get into the Longwu Guards, but the Prefecture Army recruits every year and is comparatively much safer than the front line. "Besides the Prefecture Army, the Wind Arrest Hall has also established an academy—the Wind Arrest Academy. It isn't well known, and its curriculum is relatively unrefined. It's very likely that the moment you break through to the Qianjun Realm, you'll be assigned to graduate and sent down to various cities for an internship, essentially thrust into practical combat ahead of schedule. "..." The teacher spoke at length, focusing mostly on joining the military. Toward the end, she changed the subject. "Actually, if you cannot enter the War Academy and worry about the intense competition in the Prefecture Army, you can certainly try out for the City Guards. The examination for the City Guards is simpler, and their training system is fairly well developed. "Though Nanyuan City is small, its City Guards are not weak. Right now, everyone wants to swarm into the Great Xia Prefecture, but the Great Xia Prefecture is over a thousand li away from Nanyuan, far from home. Why not try your chances with the City Guards right under your nose? "The current Chiliarch Zhang of the City Guards is an expert of the Wanshi Ninth Layer. He places great importance on the City Guards' reserve forces and often personally guides new recruits. He nurtures promising candidates with extra care, and the City Lord also holds the City Guards in very high regard..." "..." Hearing this, most students—save for a few—realized that she was acting as a recruiter. No one minded; they were used to it. As graduation approached, every region needed to expand its reserve forces. Small though Nanyuan City was, the City Lord also wanted to forge the City Guards into an elite unit. Being close to the source gave them an advantage, and every year, many from Nanyuan City indeed joined the City Guards. Even if students from Nanyuan Secondary Academy couldn't get into the War Academy, some at the Kaiyuan Third Layer possessed quite decent talent. With some nurturing, the Wanshi Realm was by no means out of reach. "Think it over carefully, everyone. Don't rush into a decision..." Ignoring the chatter below, the female teacher allowed them to discuss freely after finishing her talk and soon walked over to Su Yu and Chen Hao. Her target was not Su Yu, but Chen Hao. "Chen Hao, you are at the Kaiyuan Third Layer. While there is a slim hope of entering the War Academy, the chances are very small. If you don't pass the exam, consider the City Guards. Your father works in Nanyuan as well, and recruits in the City Guards get three days off per month to return home. It's a great opportunity..." Chen Hao wore a mournful look. Why say that? I can pass. I don't want to join the City Guards! Why didn't she urge Su Yu to go? Looking down on me, are you?! Seeing his expression, the teacher couldn't help but laugh. "What, you look down on the City Guards?" "No... I still want to try for the exam. We'll see if I fail." Chen Hao was utterly despondent. If he truly failed, only then would he consider it. The teacher did not press him. Turning to Su Yu, she smiled. "Su Yu, you are prime material for the Civilization Academy, and Instructor Liu has already put in a word for you. I shouldn't be persuading you, but... just in case you don't wish to go, you could actually consider this option. "The City Lord values the City Guards more and more, and since you are an exceptional seed, you won't be made to do menial chores if you join. The City Lord's Manor has a Confidential Office where you could intern. That is a rare opportunity as well." Su Yu pondered for a moment and asked, "The City Guards don't have many chances to go to the All-Heavens Battlefield, right?" "Very few." Thinking he was worried about the danger, the teacher answered promptly. Su Yu nodded and smiled. "I understand. Thank you, Teacher. I'll consider it." Considering it meant declining. What a joke—he would never go. In the past, perhaps it might have been different. If his father were still at home and Nanyuan City offered attractive terms, staying in Nanyuan wouldn't have been impossible. He knew about the Confidential Office; it was an important institution in Nanyuan, very safe, and offered great benefits. But now that his father had run off, what reason did he have to stay in Nanyuan? Besides, if he stayed in Nanyuan, how could he obtain the blood essence he needed? Thinking of blood essence, a question came to Su Yu's mind. He suddenly asked, "Teacher, do you know whether the War Academy has more blood essence, or the Civilization Academy?" The female teacher was taken aback, then quickly said, "The War Academy, of course—" "I mean in terms of variety. As a research institution, does the Civilization Academy possess a greater variety of blood essence than the War Academy?" "That... probably?" The teacher was not entirely sure. She honestly did not know, but said nonetheless, "In terms of varieties, it should be the Civilization Academy. At least their samples must be more varied than the War Academy's. Unusable blood essence seized on the All-Heavens Battlefield is provided to the Civilization Academy for archival samples. The War Academy has a larger overall quantity—for instance, types of blood essence beneficial to cultivation are bound to be unimaginably abundant there." Su Yu nodded slightly. He had considered this before, but hadn't been certain. Hearing the teacher say so gave him greater confidence. Quantity was important, but variety was even more crucial. Without variety, how could he continue unlocking pages in the album? If he didn't know the languages, he wouldn't understand the texts even after unlocking them. Could he really go around asking others what they meant? *It seems... I really must apply to the Civilization Academy!* Just as Su Yu was thinking, someone called from outside the door, "Su Yu, head to the instructors' office. Instructor Liu is looking for you." "Got it!" Su Yu responded, excused himself to the teacher, and quickly ran toward the instructors' office. *** When he reached the instructors' office, Su Yu was not the only one there. He saw several familiar faces—not close friends, but he recognized most of their names. There were geniuses of the Kaiyuan Fourth Layer, as well as prodigies who had mastered multiple All-Races languages. Liu Yue was among them. Moreover, Liu Wenyan was not the only instructor present. The Academy Head was there, along with several instructors of the Qianjun Ninth Layer, representing the peak strength of Nanyuan Secondary Academy. After Su Yu arrived, several more students filed in one after another. After seven or eight minutes, once everyone had seemingly gathered, the Academy Head said with a smile, "The twenty-five of you are our Nanyuan Secondary Academy's hope for this year, destined for either the Civilization Academy or the War Academy. The Scientific Research Academy recruits very few people from our region each year." The Academy Head was a martial artist, while Liu Wenyan was a scholar. Yet at this moment, the scholar abruptly cut in, "Cut the chatter and get straight to the point. We have no time to waste!" The Academy Head looked embarrassed. *Can't you see the students are all watching, you old coot? You're crossing the line—I'd love nothing more than to break your legs!* The other instructors chuckled quietly. The Academy Head glared at them, and everyone instantly fell silent. Only then did the Academy Head state directly, "Lately, the Great Xia Prefecture hasn't been peaceful. Those bastards from the All-Races Sect have been running rampant everywhere. While they haven't formed a major climate, Nanyuan is, after all, only a small city without sufficient garrison forces. "Therefore, the academy intends to send you all to the Great Xia Prefecture ahead of schedule. It will be safer there. "Attacks on geniuses have already occurred in other small cities. The All-Races Sect is deliberately creating chaos..." Su Yu remained silent. Someone in the crowd asked hurriedly, "Go to the Great Xia Prefecture... then what about the examinations?" "Taking the exam in the Great Xia Prefecture is the same, and your chances are even better there because the Great Xia Prefecture has a larger quota of slots. You've received special approval, recommended directly by the academy. Once you arrive in the Great Xia Prefecture, simply wait for the examinations." "How long will that take?" A girl asked reluctantly, "The exams are still over two months away. Are we supposed to stay in the Great Xia Prefecture the entire time?" "Not necessarily. If those beasts of the All-Races Sect are uprooted and wiped out, you can return at any time." The Academy Head said with indignation, "The key issue is that these rats are causing trouble everywhere. Our Nanyuan City is small and lacks the strength to protect you. Better safe than sorry. If they set their sights on you, they'll have too many opportunities to strike. "On the road, at home, or even inside the academy, we might not be able to guarantee your safety. "Rather than dividing our forces, it's better to group you together and send you away. In fact, once you leave, your families and classmates will be safer too, because... in the eyes of the All-Races Sect, the others aren't worth the risk. You all understand what I mean." The students nodded. None of them were fools; they naturally understood the Academy Head's reasoning. The scum of the All-Races Sect never acted without profit. Killing ordinary people was meaningless and came with fatal risk. Killing geniuses, however, was another matter entirely. Within their ranks, human geniuses had explicit bounties on their heads. If they succeeded, the rewards were substantial. Of course, none of the students here in Nanyuan could be considered true monstrosities, but Nanyuan's defenses were lax and its armaments lacking. Attacks on geniuses in small cities were not unheard of. Seeing that everyone understood, the Academy Head continued, "So prepare yourselves. Those willing to leave should gather at the academy in three days. The City Guards will send an escort to accompany you to the Great Xia Prefecture. Once there, all expenses will be covered by the academy, so you need not worry too much." Liu Wenyan, who had remained quiet until now, spoke in a calm voice: "If you can leave, it is best to go to the Great Xia Prefecture. Recently... things haven't been peaceful. Over the past few days, the All-Races Sect has become active again, assassinating geniuses, intercepting merchant caravans, and even causing several bloody massacres outside city limits... Though it hasn't reached Nanyuan yet. "Still, something is wrong!" Liu Wenyan said softly, "None of you are children anymore. Under such circumstances, you should be able to exercise some judgment. Their drunkard's intent lies not in the wine—or rather, they are making noise in the east to strike in the west. "The ones being killed or showing their faces right now are all minor pawns of the All-Races Sect, many of them lunatics from the Blood Fire Faction. Those madmen are brainwashed idiots who have no concept of life or death, nothing more than cannon fodder cultists. "The real big fish haven't surfaced yet. They are creating chaos to draw the attention of the Longwu Guards and tie down the forces of the Longwu Guards and the various City Guards..." Su Yu couldn't help asking, "Teacher, wouldn't the Great Xia Prefecture know that?" "Of course they know!" Liu Wenyan smiled. "The Great Xia Prefecture is full of talent; how could they not know? But even knowing, could the Longwu Guards simply refrain from mobilizing? The Prefecture Army must remain garrisoned and cannot be moved lightly. Among mobile forces, the Longwu Guards are the strongest, so mobilize they must. "The Wind Arrest Hall is also swamped with headaches right now, with far too many locations to defend, because no one knows where the All-Races Sect's true target lies. "Those lurking in the shadows can act without restraint and strike at will. So even if the Great Xia Prefecture possesses the might to obliterate them in an instant, without finding these small fry, there is no way to deliver a thunderous blow." Liu Wenyan continued, "Therefore, the urgent priority is to reduce the number of potential targets. Grouping you together and sending you away will free up greater strength for us to exterminate those scoundrels." The realization dawned on everyone. So that was how it was. One student said angrily, "Those beasts! Once I graduate from the War Academy, I'll kill every single one I see!" The instructors smiled without commenting. Everyone had thought that before; the trouble was that those cultists were exceedingly difficult to locate, and many were deeply embedded. "Everyone go home and think it over. Those who wish to leave should come to the academy in three days, and the City Guards will escort you on your way." "Understood." The students voiced their agreement. Under the circumstances, it seemed leaving was the only sensible choice. Leaving would also relieve some of the burden on Nanyuan, a fact they all understood in their hearts. *** After the others left, Su Yu remained behind. He had come today hoping to find Liu Wenyan to learn several more All-Races languages, including that of the Lu fish. That was what he had seen in his dream previously, though over the past few days, the dreams had stopped. The Lu fish language was very niche, and Su Yu had never studied it before. He didn't know if Liu Wenyan knew it. As for going to the Great Xia Prefecture, Su Yu had no strong feelings about it. He was the only one at home anyway, so anywhere was the same to him. The other instructors and the Academy Head departed one by one, leaving only Su Yu and Liu Wenyan. Hearing Su Yu inquire about the Lu fish language, Liu Wenyan smiled. "Lu fish are rare on the All-Heavens Battlefield; most reside in the Dishan Realm. Very few people study their language, and their written script is even rarer. At least, humanity hasn't seized much of it. I truly haven't mastered it, though someone in the Great Xia Prefecture certainly has..." Su Yu felt no great disappointment. Seeing that his teacher didn't know it, he prepared to leave. Seeing him about to go, Liu Wenyan thought for a moment and asked, "Your father went to the All-Heavens Battlefield, leaving you alone at home?" "Yes." "Then be careful at home..." Su Yu turned back. Had the situation deteriorated to such an extent? "Arrangements have been made on the streets and within the academy. Most of the other students have Qianjun Realm experts in their households, so their safety isn't too concerning. Being on your own... you are at greater risk." Liu Wenyan hesitated, then quickly said, "Actually... I don't quite agree with—" "Instructor Liu!" A resonant, metallic voice sounded from outside the door. Liu Wenyan's expression didn't change as he continued, "His father is a veteran of the Demon Suppression Army. Is even he not worthy of trust?" "Anything is possible. Su Long has been discharged for a full eighteen years!" "Then assign someone to protect him, or I cannot rest easy." "We currently cannot spare forces to protect individuals!" Liu Wenyan knitted his brows and said in displeasure, "You Longwu Guards are executing military orders, and I have no right to question that. However... I believe Su Yu is clean. Of course, if you are uneasy, Su Yu will stay with me for the next few days. Otherwise, letting him go home would be irresponsible to his safety." "..." The person outside hesitated, seemingly weighing a decision. Su Yu was somewhat bewildered. What did this mean? Naturally, he didn't interrupt. Was that someone from the Longwu Guards outside? Before coming in, he hadn't seen anyone out there. "Very well!" A moment later, the voice came from outside, followed quickly by complete silence. Liu Wenyan looked toward the silent Su Yu and gave a soft chuckle. "The All-Races Sect is deeply entrenched. We suspect their recent disruptions serve another purpose, so... we cannot wait passively. We must take the initiative to strike! "Yet we cannot be certain whether the academy or the City Guards have been infiltrated by people lurking in secret. Therefore... we need a catalyst." "A catalyst?" Su Yu vaguely caught on, yet things were still not entirely clear. "Yes, a catalyst! "Nanyuan is merely a small city. It possesses nothing of great importance and little value. If there is any value to speak of, it would probably be this Nanyuan Secondary Academy! Or the City Lord's Manor, but the City Lord's Manor has the City Guards stationed there, making it far safer than our side. "We don't know whether they have come to Nanyuan, but just to be safe and turn the passive into the active, we decided to lure the snake out of its hole. "You all... count as bait, yet you don't entirely count as bait." Liu Wenyan sighed softly. "If there are All-Races Sect cultists in Nanyuan with a conspiracy brewing, once news spreads that you are being sent away, they will have only a few choices. "First, strike early to kill you. "Second, strike on the road. But with the City Guards present, killing the City Guards would require mobilizing significant manpower, and the Great Xia Prefecture Army will certainly rendezvous with you halfway. "Third, wait patiently for you to leave, drawing away a portion of the City Guards in the process and weakening Nanyuan's strength before striking. "Fourth, abandon Nanyuan altogether, because once you are gone, we can concentrate more power on defense, leaving them little opportunity." Su Yu furrowed his brow and thought it over. "So Teacher means that if their true target is us, they might choose to strike ahead of schedule?" "Precisely. They will jump out." "And if it isn't us..." "Then you simply leave Nanyuan. The Great Xia Prefecture is indeed safer, and within a month or two, the Longwu Guards will be able to root them out." Liu Wenyan said solemnly, "So you serve as the bait to lure the snake from its hole. Not many know about this, because... we cannot be certain whether their eyes are watching us." "Then won't we be in great danger?" "Most won't, but it's hard to say for you, since there's no one at your home." Liu Wenyan said, "That's why I'm telling you, so you aren't caught unprepared by an assassination attempt. For the next two days, just stay with me. If nothing happens after three days, we will send you off." Su Yu considered it and said nothing in objection. Nanyuan's intent was to take precautions, sending them away ahead of time. If nothing happened, that was best; if something did, they could seize the initiative. As for danger... having preparations in place was safer than having none. If the All-Races Sect truly targeted them, Nanyuan's preemptive arrangements actually made them safer. Su Yu understood this well. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, Teacher, I understand. But has the All-Races Sect really infiltrated this deeply?" "They have!" Liu Wenyan sighed. "Otherwise, why would they be called rats in the sewer? They're simply too good at hiding. If nothing happens in Nanyuan, wonderful; if something does, we can only prepare for every contingency. "For the next two days, stay at my place. The pretext will be learning new All-Races languages." "All right!" Su Yu didn't mind where he stayed, but he asked curiously, "Teacher, haven't you mastered will force? Can't you discern whether there are hidden cultists around?" Liu Wenyan smiled without answering, looking profoundly enigmatic. *Guess if I can?* Using it against a rookie like you was fine, but among adults, whose mind wasn't tangled and complex? Who would expose their thoughts so clearly—especially those All-Races Sect cultists, every one of whom stayed buried as deep as a corpse? Those who weren't afraid of dying had died long ago.