Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The virulent fairness eradicated every person who dared to breathe freely; Deng's body fell, and Jalyn was stricken with terror: "Who fired?"

No one answered him.

The explosion of the ammunition depot and the leakage of biochemical agents plunged everyone into a state of chaotic tension. In the toxic fog, only Jalyn's terrified cries could be heard.

"They have gas masks!" A sharp voice laced with resentment emerged from the dense mist, "They... have masks."

"What? I..." Jalyn instinctively roared in anger, but a bullet whirled out of the thick fog, piercing his chest. Immediately after, a hunched, staggering mercenary lunged forward, still shouting: "Gas mask, mine, mine..."

'Bang bang bang!'

"Aaaaaah! If I die, you all die with me!"

Mercenaries were a group of amoral individuals who pursued profit at any cost; the threat of death drove them to utter madness. Bullets flew indiscriminately, and it became impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Anyone obstructing their survival deserved to perish.

Ji Xinghai held his gun, leaning against the staircase as he watched them fight each other with a smile.

The last mercenary collapsed on the ground, blood streaming from his eyes and nose, while the gun in his hand still emitted wisps of smoke.

A hand reached through him and Jalyn's corpses, rummaging through Deng's pockets.

It was Ji Xinghai, there to scavenge.

Keys, money... and cigarettes and a lighter, these were all that Deng had on him. He took the keys, the cigarettes, and the silver-gilt lighter. The lighter was exquisite, seemingly a luxury brand.

The third floor had already been cleared by the wooden skeletons.

No, that wasn't entirely accurate. After half of the third floor was bombed and then mostly emptied by the toxic smoke, the few survivors were assassinated by the wooden skeletons. These silent, terrifying creatures were perfectly suited for the fog.

Ji Xinghai arrived on the third floor, where the door to the makeshift office was open. A man wearing a gas mask lay on the ground, blood pooling around his severed throat, staining the floor.

There were also NPCs who hadn't managed to retreat in time, all dead. Many pieces of paper, hastily torn, littered the ground.

Stepping over the bodies into the temporary office, the first thing one saw was a map nailed to the wall. To the right was an isolated chair and desk, and to the left was a long conference table cobbled together.

The room was cluttered with various items, but the most conspicuous object was undoubtedly the brass treasure chest, placed on the desk between the telephone and the globe.

"A brass treasure chest?!!! The second brass treasure chest?"

"The first instance can yield two brass treasure chests?"

"Because the instance difficulty is high. High risk leads to high reward. Although I don't like the Hungry Academy, they're fair in their dealings."

Outside Tulou.

"Strange, there are no more gunshots. Not only have the sounds of gunfire on the walls disappeared, but there are none inside the building either."

The breach continued to burn, golden flames and black smoke serving as the best beacon in the dark night. More students gathered here, sometimes hiding behind broken sections of the earthen walls. They would take potshots, chat, and remain wary of each other.

"Should we go check it out?" The girl with the long braid, holding her light machine gun, stared at the blazing breach. It was just fifty or sixty meters away from here.

"Ha ha."

The others remained silent. They only had one life, so they'd let someone else test the waters first.

Inside the burning Tulou.

"You have obtained ten tons of premium wheat seeds. These seeds can be cultivated in mildly polluted environments, and the harvested grains will be uncontaminated, of exceptional quality, and highly productive. This trait is stably inheritable, allowing for seed saving.

"The seeds will automatically be sent back to jiuZhou. Please select a designated recipient."

"To the highest leader of jiuZhou." Ji Xinghai said directly. He really didn't want to deal with other organizations and hated when simple matters became complicated.

As for whether the room of that leader could accommodate so many wheat seeds, that was beyond his consideration.

Without the brass treasure chest, there was nothing else useful for him in this makeshift office, so Ji Xinghai left after pausing for a few seconds, heading to Deng's room next door.

Deng's temporary residence was surprisingly decorated with a touch of bourgeois charm, with paintings hanging on the walls and exquisite ornaments on the table. The only jarring element was a Hmong saber lying there, its black lacquered scabbard housing a long, narrow blade.

This saber exuded a murderous aura, not resembling a mere decoration.

He extended his hand, and upon contact, the air around the black Hmong saber seemed to warp. Piercing coldness seeped out, transforming into black tendrils that crawled up his fingers, only to dissipate as if burned when about to reach his wrist.

Ji Xinghai acted as if he noticed nothing, turning to leave with the saber in hand.

"Why did Ji Xinghai take this Hmong saber? It's a two-handed sword, not very practical for daily use."

"On a whim? He was already there."

Amidst the discussion about the new treasure chest, these two questions flashed across the live stream, quickly submerged in the sea of excited anticipation.

All the snipers on the third floor were dead, and the students outside were likely scavenging through the breach created by the bombing. Ji Xinghai walked out openly through the open door, entering the deserted village.

The Tulou behind him resembled a short, smoking chimney, or perhaps a malevolent demon whose powerful disguise had been shattered.

He walked all the way to the mass grave outside the village, stopping for a moment.

Removing the gas mask that was no longer needed, Ji Xinghai pulled three cigarettes from his pocket, lit them, and stuck them into the ground.

Beside the grotesque mask, three thin trails of white smoke wavered upward, the red embers flickering in the breeze. Ji Xinghai didn't look back once, and the solitary shadow soon vanished into the darkness.

Off-site, in jiuZhou.

"He did it!"

After a long silence, the Black tower erupted with cheers akin to a tsunami. They stood up, clapping each other's hands, releasing the joy that had been suppressed for over half an hour.

"He did it, he actually did it! Not a single misstep! My God, I... my legs are weak." The staff member plopped down onto his seat, drenched in sweat.

Ever since Ji Xinghai blew up the biopharmaceutical warehouse, the Minister had stood up, his face flushed red. Only now that Ji Xinghai was completely safe did he feign calmness and nod, "Not bad."

The enemy's base was utterly destroyed, with most of their personnel dead. This game was practically over.

The Minister wiped his face. "Everyone prepare. When we finish this instance and enter the 'dormitory,' how should we talk to him during that half-hour exchange?"

"Alright, disperse, everyone disperse. There's no one left inside."

At the same time, live streams across various countries were flooded with these words.

From their omniscient perspective, they knew there were few living beings left in Tulou. The toxic smoke from those crates on the second floor was truly terrifying, especially with the qi-gathering structure of Tulou enhancing its effects. It was...

Now, the trainees guarding outside could still pick up leftovers, but if they really went in, they might just be giving away free kills.

"Don't try to persuade them. I bet these people are just points to the trainees. If someone told me I'd get a credit for killing an enemy, I could stay until dawn."

"The number of trainees who came wasn't large, but they were all elites meticulously trained by their respective countries, with proficient shooting skills. Before, it was fine, but now they're like wolves lurking around a sheep pen. Who can resist moving?"

"The trainees from JiuZhou have retreated."

"After he took out all the mercenaries in the base and took the Bronze Treasure Chest, what else would he stay for? There's no doubt about who the boss of this instance is. JiuZhou has made a killing this time."

"I'm thinking about that D country trainee who was used. Come to think of it, JiuZhou and D country have a blood feud. No wonder he was so ruthless."

"All I know is that the JiuZhou trainee found two Bronze Treasure Chests for his country, two!"

"You guys, what do you think about sending our trainees to JiuZhou for training next year? I heard that Ji Xinghai is their next official trainee."

"Are there still spots available? There should be quite a few interested countries."

The Ministry of Agriculture in JiuZhou was already grinning from ear to ear.

Stable genetics, suitable for planting in lightly polluted land, yet yielding uncontaminated, odorless wheat grains—it was no wonder they received the evaluation of 'premium wheat seeds.' If there was any flaw...

"It's not good! The heads of the northern planting bases are fighting in the CEO's office!"

...it was just that the quantity was a bit small. Ten tons, where was that enough?

"The premium seeds released before were mainly vegetables and fruits; this is the first time we've seen staple grains. Thinking back to last year when we bought premium seeds discovered by other countries... it was truly humiliating, trading an entire plane for only ten kilograms."

"Even if we share some with our allied countries, we'll still have a few tons left for ourselves. On one hand, we can plant them, and on the other, we can study them. Hey, maybe our team of scientists can develop even more suitable seeds."

This was also being discussed in the L live stream.

"Ten tons of premium grain seeds, to truly reach us ordinary folks' mouths, will take at least two to three years. Who knows what will happen in these two to three years."

"Better than nothing. Remember the era when we were strangled by others for premium seeds and livestock? That's why our scientists worked tirelessly to cultivate our own superior breeds. This invisible war will only become more brutal now."

"That's true. Anyway, Brother Hai is truly a god! The strongest rookie, without a doubt."

"It was his luck, taming the Black Crowned Mushroom. Without its illusion ability, he couldn't have done all this!"

"Oh, which country is this, the sourness has drifted across the sea to me here in L. Just lucky, it's killing you."

"You're wrong. The illusion ability of the Black Crowned Mushroom is only a trump card in Ji Xinghai's hands. His acting skills, his courage, his mastery of the M language's fake accent technique, along with his strategy and shooting skills—all are indispensable. Without these, there wouldn't have been this miraculous battle. You can say he was lucky, but you can't say he was only lucky."

"The person above said exactly what I wanted to say."

At this moment, Ji Xinghai had returned to the mountains, walking further into the back mountain area.

The place he had previously scouted was in the back mountain, a hidden, long-abandoned wild beast cave.

It was past five o'clock, and the sky was about to brighten as he reached the cave he had chosen.

Taking off the silk and linen clothes he had taken, he changed into black clothes made of coarse cloth. By the small fire, the audience saw his injuries.

His skin, pale like marble, was covered in a large bruise, while the bandages on his legs and arms were stained with blood—his wounds must have split open again.

Ji Xinghai acted as if nothing had happened.

The wounds on his legs and arms were self-inflicted, looking terrifying but actually just superficial. They would only leave faint scars after healing. As for the bruises, they were even less of a concern.

Extinguishing the small fire, he sat against his backpack in the not-so-large cave. Inside the backpack were edible sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice balls, and various weapons he had collected earlier.

The outside world was stirring with signs of awakening, but the cave, covered by weeds, remained dark. Ji Xinghai held the confiscated machete, draped the fur cloak he had taken from the hunter's cabin over himself, and closed his eyes to rest.

"There's no sound, has Brother Hai fallen asleep?"

"Hush, let him sleep. He hasn't slept all night."

The live stream became very quiet, without even a single comment. Everyone looked at the black screen, their faces unknowingly showing concern.

"JiuZhou trainee, Ji Xinghai."

As soon as he closed his eyes, a voice appeared in the darkness, the same voice responsible for cosplaying the system's voice, though it didn't sound as official and upright as when explaining special talents.

Having followed him for so long, it finally couldn't hold back?

"I temporarily blocked the sounds inside the cave, and it's very dark here (don't worry about lip-reading)." The voice spoke again.

"You're appearing now because my previous performance pleased you so much that you're worried about missing out and can't wait anymore? It's probably not just because I'm a trainee with potential for high scores, but more importantly... because I'm a JiuZhou trainee, right? You want to collaborate with me."

Ji Xinghai's voice carried a hint of upward inflection, a touch of mischief, as if telling the other party: I've guessed your intentions, but do you know which parts I've guessed?

The voice paused for a moment. "You're so sure?"

"Not before, but now I am." Attitude speaks volumes. This existence was too anxious, and when people are anxious, they reveal traces.

"The masked man before, and the raven, were they your colleagues? Quite different, you seem somewhat human. Or rather," Ji Xinghai deliberately paused, "were you originally human?"

A person appearing in this instance game, seemingly possessing some authority, yet closely tied to JiuZhou...

No words were exchanged in the cave, but the clash between the two was like an underground current, silently surging.

Ji Xinghai tugged at his slipping fur coat, closing his eyes as he leaned against the backpack: "The premise of cooperation is equality. You've assessed me, but I still don't know what you can offer, whether you're qualified enough. So, let's wait a bit longer."

"…Though the Hungry Academy publicly claims to randomly select a student, it wouldn't create trouble for itself. Who are you?"

"As for me, an unwelcome guest who came uninvited."