Chapter 89 - 88: The Three of Us Are Just Too Strong
’These people have bizarre techniques, with destructive power approaching or even surpassing a Late-stage Marrow Refining cultivator. But their physical fortitude is low?’
’Glass cannons?’
Having figured it all out, Yang Shen’s eyes grew focused.
’Martial Arts Practitioners! The perfect cure for all this flashy nonsense!’
The intense pain in her chest made the female assailant shriek. Her entire chest, heart included, was being seared from the inside. It was clear she wasn’t going to make it.
Just as Yang Shen predicted, she was trying to take him down with her.
She let out a furious roar, clapped her hands together, and the black substance covering her body coalesced into a giant, spike-covered hedgehog, shooting thorns in every direction.
But Yang Shen formed a Finger Technique, pressed it to his throat, and channeled his Spiritual Power to form a spell. "HAH!!"
The Exorcism Spell!
The tremendous sound unleashed an invisible sonic wave, and the black spikes began to shake violently as if they were being softened.
Yang Shen dropped into a low stance and thrust upward, skewering her corpse on his spear. He then flung it hard at the other assailants, breaking the formation that had Director Liu pinned down.
Kill count +1.
’Teacher Huo Jun is going to give me a ’like’ for this one.’
Before he could dwell on it, he felt a sudden sense of danger from behind and arched backward.
A large black blade grazed past his forehead—a hair’s breadth from disaster.
That’s how chaotic battles went; there was never a moment to pause.
’Want to stop and admire your handiwork? Try surviving to the end first!’
The black blade swiped through empty air. From Yang Shen’s perspective in his deep backbend, he felt a phantom sting on his forehead from the passing blade.
Then, it was caught by a powerful, steady hand.
Director Liang was always on time and effortlessly suave. Compared to Yang Shen and Director Liu with their shredded clothes, it was like he was on a completely different movie set.
With a slight squeeze of his hand, Liang Shen shattered the large black blade and then grabbed the attacker by the head.
This seemed to be one of the stronger of the remaining assailants; the black substance was able to cover his entire body, making him look like a pitch-black monster.
Just like the female assailant from before, he immediately transformed into a giant "hedgehog" for close-quarters combat. Countless spikes erupted from his body and shot forward, completely engulfing Director Liang.
Yang Shen was dumbfounded...
’Did the Director... just kick the bucket?’
The black monster revealed a savage grin.
The next moment, the countless spikes shattered into dust. Director Liang stood in the same spot, completely unharmed, still holding the assailant’s head in one hand.
His clothes weren’t even ruffled.
"This stuff is pretty tough..."
The next moment... the hardened facial armor cracked, then shattered... revealing a face that was both crazed and utterly astonished.
"But I doubt you understand the principle that ’Overstiffness is easily broken.’"
Next to shatter were his skin... his facial bones... and his brain...
There was no spray of blood and gore.
Only splintering shards of flesh-colored or red crystal...
Yang Shen watched as half a crystallized eyeball fell to the ground and clattered like a glass marble.
Yang Shen raised an eyebrow. ’Damn, the Director is brutal...’
’High damage with the left hand! High damage with the right!’
’From now on, I’m definitely wearing my school uniform neater than anyone else and memorizing every single school rule!’
’Overstiffness is easily broken... Is that Director Liang’s Fist Intent...?’
’Not only can he use his Martial Dao Will to harden external objects, he can also make them brittle...’
’Is that hardening effect why his clothes are still in perfect condition?’
’Such a powerful Fist Intent! And such precise control!’
Yang Shen was a little envious... Unlike him, the moment he activated his Rising Sun Fist Intent, he was basically on the path to streaking naked.
Director Liang tossed aside the assailant whose head he had crushed to pieces, dusted off his hands, and shot Yang Shen a look that said, "Be careful," before moving on to another target.
With Yang Shen joining the fray and the task of securing the unconscious bystanders completed, Director Liu and Director Liang had more opportunities to land fatal blows. The assailants’ numbers began to dwindle rapidly.
In just a few moments, their numbers had plummeted from ten to six.
The pressure let up instantly.
Someone had managed to snag another kill.
Yang Shen regrouped with the two directors, steam rising from his body, which drew a sideways glance from Director Liang.
The situation was so well in hand that the three of them even had a moment to exchange a few words.
Liang Shen said, "Yang... for someone so young to already show the beginnings of Fist Intent Infection... I must say I’m surprised."
Yang Shen kept his spear tip trained on the enemy, searching for an opening, but his words were, "Can I get bonus points on my college entrance exam for this?"
Liang Shen shook his head. "No, you already get bonus points for having Fist Intent. You’ve maxed out that category."
Director Liu suddenly chimed in. "Oh? You’re a student taking the exams, young man? In that case, I can get you some bonus points."
"How so?"
"After this is over, I can definitely file a commendation for you for bravery. If we push the paperwork, I can get it processed before your exams. The city-level award adds ten points, if I recall correctly."
Yang Shen: ’Holy shit! Awesome!’
’Ten points for Fist Intent, ten for bravery, and if I can get the Sixth Set to Level 9, that’s another five points...’
He suddenly understood how those Champion Scholars felt, scoring 800 on an exam with a 750-point maximum.
’750 is just the exam’s limit, not mine!’
Director Liu chuckled like a veteran official, but his expression turned grim as he looked at the remaining assailants.
"Gentlemen, these people are clearly not Cyan Blue Star People, nor do they resemble any documented Aliens. Now that the situation is under control, we need to take a few of them alive."
"This matter is of great importance. I hope I can count on your cooperation."
This would be a major accomplishment for him!
His earlier gesture of goodwill toward Yang Shen was also a way to assert command, lest the young man get carried away and kill them all.
Director Liang just said flatly, "I’m a teacher at Nanliang High School."
Director Liu froze for a second, but recovered quickly. "I have many friends at the Education Bureau. It’s not just this young man; you’ve also made a tremendous contribution to society, one that deserves to be publicized and rewarded!"
Director Liang’s expression didn’t flicker in the slightest. "Fine."
The corner of Yang Shen’s mouth twitched. ’Your principles are really something else, Director,’ he thought.
The three of them stood back-to-back, having reached an agreement.
Each of them had something to gain!
Their will to fight surged.
————————
Fifteen minutes had passed since Jinkang Pharmacy was sealed. A large number of police officers had surrounded the building, but they were at a complete loss.
The black shroud began to grow thin... then, without any warning, it dissipated completely.
Even a bizarre ability fueled by life force has its limits...
But when everyone looked inside with grim faces, the scene that greeted them left many stunned.
Inside the pharmacy, which was now a scene of utter devastation comparable to a demolition site, smoke and dust billowed.
Three figures gradually emerged from the haze.
One was a shirtless, middle-aged man, carrying a total of six strangely-dressed people on his shoulders. His body was covered in wounds, but his eyes were as firm and focused as if he were writing a thesis.
Another had a receding hairline but was the very picture of scholarly elegance; his clothes were only lightly dusted, and he appeared perfectly calm and composed.
The last was a young man with sharp brows and starry eyes, a "steel spear" slung over his back, held with one hand. His muscles were chiseled and distinct, his bright eyes shone like a young general’s, and his every step carried an awe-inspiring presence.
Seeing the crowd of smartphones filming outside, Director Liu took a heroic step forward and boomed with laughter, "Let the organization rest assured! I have the situation under control! Hahaha!"
Then, instead of heading for the police, he walked toward the densest cluster of smartphones.
Yang Shen and Director Liang exchanged a look. ’This Director Liu is quite a character,’ they thought.
He was decisive when it came to killing and just as shameless when it came to climbing the ladder.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yang Shen turned away. He decided to act before the authorities outside could get organized and things descended into total chaos and go find the urn first.
But as he rounded a corner, he froze.
"Wait... why are you still on the ground?"
Cao Wei, her face bright red, was still lying prone on the floor. "Didn’t you tell me... to stay down and not move? Can I move now...?"
Yang Shen: ...
"...There’s definitely something a little wrong with you."
"For real."