The Phantom Network's assassination operation ultimately ended with zero civilian casualties, a complete failure.
Phoenix Ridge High School, Xiuyuan 73, successfully thwarted the attack, resulting in the deaths of three members of the Phantom Network's platinum-tier assassination group, the Dragon Quilt Assassins.
The incident sparked widespread controversy and heated debate across major cities and mainstream social media platforms.
Everyone had believed the Eight-Star Sect had completely eradicated them! Yet this meticulously planned operation ended in utter defeat...
The following morning, approximately fifteen hours after the incident, the phone lines in the Eight-Star Sect's conference room rang incessantly. Principals from neighboring academies demanded answers: How exactly had Xue Feng managed to defeat them?
This operation not only deepened the investigation into the criminal organization but also uncovered crucial leads regarding the mastermind's whereabouts.
However, Xue Feng felt utterly overwhelmed.
He hadn't even been present at the scene! All the credit had been forcibly attributed to him... It felt like being cuckolded!
While Xue Feng had indeed deployed sect guards to patrol the area and examine the corpses, they had played absolutely no part in the actual operation!
In his office, an assistant handed him the autopsy report. "Master Feng, this report from the Tianxu Power Autopsy Institute. Please review it."
He stared at the report, his heart churning with conflicting emotions. But what truly caught his attention was the bizarre nature of their deaths...
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Full Name: Shen Qing
Age: 22
Estimated Cultivation Realm: Golden Core Stage or higher
Status: Deceased
Cause of Death: Unknown. Multiple comminuted fractures throughout the body, with the bizarre symptom of testicular torsion. The testicular tissue had completely "ruptured and detached."
Xue Feng imagined the scene, his stomach churning.
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Full Name: Shen Lu
Age: 19
Estimated Cultivation Stage: Golden Core Stage
Status: Deceased
Cause of Death: Suspected penetrating chest wound. A massive perforation was found at the heart, with traces of pencil dust discovered at the scene.
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Full Name: Shen Yuan
Age: 17
Estimated Cultivation Stage: Spirit Transformation Stage
Status: Unknown
Cause of Death: ??? No clear description. Life had already dissipated when he was discovered.
...
These deaths seemed utterly abrupt in Xue Feng's mind. I thought they were all experts! How could they have died so tragically?!
What particularly disturbed him was Shen Yuan's death. What had he encountered? When Xue Feng arrived at the scene, he found Shen Yuan's eyes vacant and his face as pale as paper. During the ambulance ride, the medical experts could only say, "This... defies explanation. We can neither analyze his blood nor detect any brainwaves."
Learning that Xigua had also been present at the scene, Xue Feng was certain that he was involved.
In short: these assassins had only brought disgrace upon themselves.
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It was Monday morning of the third week of the semester, just two days after the failed assassination attempt.
Ling Xianrou arrived at class on time, as usual.
As she took her seat, she noticed the entire class was in a state of chaos...
News of the failed assassination had spread like wildfire across the school. Everyone harbored their own thoughts and speculations about the cause of the assassin's death.
Tianxu Prefecture, adhering to legal standards, publicly released the autopsy report.
"Did you hear? The assassin died a truly gruesome death!"
"It's true! I heard that during the autopsy... his testicles were completely gone!"
The boys shuddered at this news. Shit! They exploded?!
"Rumor has it the guy tried to sneak into the school through a manhole cover, but Head Steward Lao Jing caught him red-handed! He got a brutal beating—Jingyu definitely taught that idiot a bloody lesson!"
"First, a Dragon Fist shattered his jaw. When he tried to get up, he was pummeled with a series of vicious blows, kicked flying several meters into the air, and then blasted with a Kamehameha!"
Su Xinyi sighed. "I really hope his family is doing okay..."
"Even after such a brutal ordeal, you remain humble! Su Nushen, you deserve endless praise!"
The class erupted in unanimous applause!
"Holy crap! Is Jingye really that strong? No way! Is he Goku?!"
Hao Zhen scoffed. "It's not exactly the Kamehameha, but cultivators who reach advanced stages can mimic some of its power. Some Immortals can even level entire cities with it! It's called the Spirit Explosion Technique."
"Whoa! That's so cool!" The students were visibly excited.
Ling Xian lowered his head. He hadn't expected the rumor to spread so widely...
Hao Zhen brushed aside his bangs. "You should all know that Old Man Jingyu was the Sect Leader of the Eight-Star Heavenly Radiance Sect before Xue Feng."
The moment he finished speaking, a chorus of "Holy shit!" erupted from the classroom.
Many had shared Ling Xian's initial confusion upon meeting Old Man Jingyu: why would such a renowned cultivator choose to serve as the chief guard at this school?
The Eight-Star Heavenly Radiance Sect's headquarters was located just outside Sea City, Feilong's Mother City—a futuristic metropolis renowned for its cutting-edge technology and extraordinary powers. Each year, only 20,000 applications were accepted, with fewer than a hundred applicants ultimately admitted.
Admission depended entirely on merit, and a degree in cultivation maths was a prerequisite.
"I remember the minimum admission score was 100,000 points..."
Even if I don't get in, I have other plans.
Hao Zhen held a pencil between his nose and upper lip. "Of course! If I ever reach the Golden Core Stage and cultivate to Jingyu's level, I'd be the one setting the standards!"
Xu Yuntong chuckled. "You really dare to say that? Finish the Foundation Establishment Stage first! Then you can catch countless Spirit Beasts as pets and stroll with a Qilin—how idyllic..."
"Yeah, right! You don't understand. My parents' headquarters is responsible for guarding entire herds of Spirit Beasts! Every week, I nearly get bitten—it's a complete nightmare..." Hao Zhen shook his head and sighed.
"Uh-huh. Are you really content with that now?" Xu Yutong asked skeptically.
Hao Zhen leaned back in his chair, looking lazy. "My parents are rarely home, so I'm the one who has to take care of those beasts. Besides, selling seafood is way better than dealing with Spirit Beasts... At least they're less likely to pounce on you than Zhao Ming's grades are to improve!"
Zhao Ming: "..." F**k you!
Xu Yutong: "..." Utterly lacking ambition...
Ling Xian remained silent throughout, quietly busy with his own work. He discreetly pulled out his notebook.
Galactic Condensation Series: 4,000 Eternal Dao (also known as Power); Divine Fate Measurement Ability. This was one of Ling Xian's unique abilities.
The requirements were minimal: just knowledge and a notebook. Its accuracy was astonishing.
However, Ling Xian deeply disliked this curse because it couldn't measure his own fate.
He closed his eyes and opened the gates of his mind... the Gates of Destiny!
Now, let's predict Hao Zhen's fate...
In less than two minutes, the calculation was complete.
Ling Xian curiously flipped open his notebook.
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miHoYo.