GAMMT - Chapter 70
Chapter 70: The Arena
Shen Qixi returned quickly to find that Fu Chuan had already gone down into the mine. Groundhog and his brothers were still on the surface. She heard one of the younger groundhogs rub his nose and say, "Brother, why do I smell something fragrant here? It smells so good…"
Groundhog tilted his head and sniffed… but Shen Qixi pinched his nose. "What are you smelling? Focus on your work."
She diverted their attention but glanced discreetly at the mine shaft.
She knew where the fragrance came from.
It was from their captain. She had just taken a bath.
A day and a half later, Fu Chuan, having nearly exhausted her supply of mental power potions, finally retracted the tendrils.
As the tendrils returned to her palm, a goose-egg-sized Spirit Elf protective egg appeared in her hand. It was still in a dormant state, not yet awakened.
It made sense. The mine wasn't particularly large, but its high purity and age, having gestated for many years, had produced this one weak little Spirit Elf.
Fu Chuan immediately tried to bind it.
"Ding! This Spirit Elf is still in its unhatched state and requires a large amount of mental power resources to be fed. Do you wish to feed it?"
I haven't even started mining yet, what am I supposed to feed it?
Fu Chuan could only store it in Little Skinner's private space for now, then went out to notify the Groundhog brothers to begin mining.
Shen Qixi had already brought over the equipment. She looked at Fu Chuan and took the initiative to say, "I'm going to Beluke the day after tomorrow, so I probably can't stay here. How should we handle this?"
She didn't mention that Fu Chuan might also be leaving, as that would expose her suspicion that the latter might be Xie Keli.
Fu Chuan glanced at her and said, "I'll leave a pet here to keep watch. Even if people like Lan Luoqi from the Lan Clan come to investigate, it will be able to sense them. You can just leave then. As long as no one gives anything away, they won't be able to find the mine below. After all, if they could, they would have found it long ago."
That was true, but Shen Qixi's tone suddenly became complicated. "I think, even if they did find out, they might not dare to come."
"It seems that in their eyes, the daughter of an ordinary researcher like me still has some value."
"Because they're not sure how good my mother's relationship with that aunt really is."
"Even if I don't admit it, my mother and I have recently been on the receiving end of goodwill and probing from all sides."
Fu Chuan actually thought the same, but the mental power mine was too important for either of them to take any risks.
Afterward, Fu Chuan left the little locust here. Only then could she feel at ease.
In one day, a small portion of the mental power mine was excavated. Fu Chuan received some, and the others also got their shares.
Receiving the profits proved that this mine was a genuine treasure.
Now, it was just the seven Groundhog brothers and the little locust left behind, but there wasn't much risk. They just needed to be careful.
As they had guessed, after learning of the Fu Clan's stance, both the Lan and Teng Families ceased their activities.
"Brother, this is all for you."
Lao Tu took off his safety helmet, shook off the dust, and sat cross-legged to eat some bread. When he suddenly saw that his brothers were refusing the ore, he frowned, refused to take it, and even scolded them.
"Are you crazy? Take it! If you don't get stronger, how will you protect yourselves in the future!"
"Brother, are you kidding? We may be dumb, but we know that benefits should be concentrated. Look at your captain sister, and little sister Shen. How old are they…"
"Are you kidding? I'm only six years old! By that calculation, they couldn't have beaten me when they were seven!"
Lao Tu pouted, looking very stubborn.
But the little groundhogs shook their heads, placing the gems in their boss's arms.
"So you have to keep working hard. Our talent isn't good. Look, you used to lead us to find food in smelly ditches. Later, when your talent emerged and you became an Arcanist, we could eat good food. When you become even stronger in the future, our lives will be even better. Actually, after we finish digging this mine, we can continue to run this farm."
Lao Tu was stunned. The other six groundhogs all nodded. They really didn't like fighting and killing, unlike their boss. They cherished the current days of having food to eat, being well-fed and clothed, tending the fields, and digging the earth.
Lao Tu knew them too well. He could see the sincerity on their faces.
They weren't lying.
And the arcane world was indeed very dangerous…
"Besides, brother, I know not all Arcanists in this world are good people, but you've met two of the very best, just like that first young miss…"
At the mention of the past, Lao Tu's eyes suddenly reddened. He lowered his head. "Don't say any more. I get it. After we finish this, I'll go buy this farm from sister… You guys will definitely have a good life in the future."
The groundhogs raised their colas and clinked them together, laughing happily.
The mining proceeded without any resistance, so smoothly that Shen Qixi found it incredible. Being a sensitive person, she connected it to Xie Keli, but she also wondered if it really was him, had the Lan and Teng Families truly made no moves recently?
It wasn't until she was on the public airship to Beluke that she saw a piece of news broadcast on the screen.
In Jingyang, this was considered big news.
"It is reported that the Fu Clan consortium and the new Xie Clan Head, Xie Keli, will be joined by marriage…"
She froze.
Beside her, Shen Yunyi also glanced at it, frowned, and said slowly, "Many things in this world are done out of necessity."
Shen Qixi fell silent. She knew the reasons behind it, and it indirectly confirmed with one hundred percent certainty that her previous suspicions were correct.
A mine, a marriage alliance.
That person was more ruthless than she had imagined—ruthless to themself.
While she was lost in thought, Shen Yunyi suddenly asked her, "If you were bullied in the future, and no one helped you, would you also be forced to set aside your dignity like this?"
Shen Qixi felt that her mother's tone was a bit off. Or rather, ever since Xie Siyi had said those words that day, her mother had been acting unusually.
"Mom, I don't think anything in this world is more important than our family being together. You are my greatest support."
Shen Qixi reached out and took her mother's hand.
She held it tightly.
Shen Yunyi was taken aback, then squeezed back. "Good. Mom thinks so too."
Fu Chuan was traveling on the Xie Clan's private airship. It wasn't large, but it was sufficient for her personal use.
However, there was no pilot; she was all alone.
The airship's route was already set, so she didn't need to fly it. Fu Chuan sat in the hall below the control console, on a blanket spread on the floor. She was using thirty thousand level-one mental power gems to replenish the Spirit Elf's energy, one by one, gradually increasing the amount until she was stuffing them in by the hundreds.
In any case, the Spirit Elf was a higher-order being, and these level-one gems were extremely easy for it to digest.
Halfway through the journey.
"Beep. The Spirit Elf has awakened. Because you fed it enough energy, you are the first thing it saw upon opening its eyes. It will likely call you Mama."
That's not quite right.
Fu Chuan did indeed see the little elf, and it was looking at her.
It was so beautiful, crystal clear like a diamond sprite, with a large head, a round body, and small wings. It stared at her with wide eyes… and its first words were.
"Uncle, you need something?"
Fu Chuan: "…"
Do I look like I need something? Do you need something?
Fu Chuan rubbed her nose, shifted her body, and had just let down her long, dark hair. The little elf tilted its head, then with a flick of its tail, it flew to her chest.
"Mama!"
Fu Chuan: "…"
She thought she was beginning to understand why Groundhog had been so dismissive of her at first, only to change his mind after a fight in the water.
She had taken off her mask then.
The Spirit Elf was a bit of a "beauty chaser," but it was incredibly powerful. Fu Chuan first fed it all the mental power ore she had on hand, then checked its attributes.
Spirit Elf.
Level: 5.
Talent 1: During meditation, can enhance meditation effect by x5 (lasts for one hour, one-hour cooldown).
Talent 2: During combat, can grant continuous mental power recovery of 50 points per second (lasts for one hour, one-hour cooldown).
No attributes, no skills, nothing but talents.
It was also incredibly difficult to level up. A whole batch of mental power gems had only been enough to get it to level five. Leveling up further would require even more. But its talents were too strong.
The meditation enhancement alone was comparable to the power of a Green Blood. Fu Chuan calculated that with the support of her Green Blood and the Spirit Elf, her meditation speed had increased tenfold. Her meditation efficiency was now on par with, or even surpassed, some of the elites in the city.
However… her foundation was weak. The meditation method she used was still the most basic public version.
The meditation method was the foundation. 1 times 10 is 10, but 10 times 10 is 100. The gap was enormous.
Fu Chuan took stock of her resources… and found there was nothing much to take stock of. Aside from 200 S2 Gene Keys, she had nothing else.
She was completely broke.
But she had to prepare for the most crucial aspect after entering the academy: meditation efficiency, such as entering the state faster.
"I can get a meditation method from the academy, but at best it will be the same as everyone else's. And making a Meditation Puppet requires buying materials."
"And skills like Light Stream require buying skill books… Light Stream is already very expensive, and things like Light Glory are even more so."
Ah, this is so hard!!!
Is there any way to make money in Beluke City?
Fu Chuan felt overwhelmed by her troubles, right up until the airship passed through a certain area.
The sea was rough. The airship passed through a maritime checkpoint. The inspector on duty saw the airship's number through the maritime identifier and used a satellite to capture its recent position.
He recorded it as per his professional duty and sent a response signal. After receiving feedback from the other airship, he allowed the maritime barrier to open.
After the airship's light dot passed the checkpoint on the screen, the inspector went to the restroom, activated a new anti-surveillance jammer, and took out an unregistered burner phone to send a message. After sending it, he removed the SIM card, threw it into the toilet, and flushed it away.
Simultaneously, on a private resort island at sea, a gate opened, and a fighter jet flew out. It left the island at a speed far exceeding that of a normal airship. A few minutes later… it reached a position far from the airship, but the firing port below opened, and a beam of light shot out.
Five seconds later, an explosion occurred in a bay five kilometers away.
An airship was shot down and fell into the sea.
The airship Shen Qixi was on arrived at the Beluke Province aviation center. This was her first time in Beluke City.
It was a bit strange. Her mother had worked in Beluke City long ago, but in all these years, she had never brought her here, raising her at her grandmother's house in Jingyang instead. It was only in the last year, as she was preparing for the high school entrance exam, that her mother had resigned and returned.
But she always felt that something had happened in between, because her mother was not the type of person to give up her career just for her daughter's exam.
A person must first have their own value to be a positive guide for their child.
So she had long had her suspicions, and through various clues, she had locked onto a possibility that might be related to her biological father.
She was somewhat resistant to this and didn't want to change her current situation, so her several conversations with her mother were actually a form of veiled response.
Her mother probably knew it too.
"Mom, this aviation center is huge." Looking down at the massive, retro-punk-style architectural complex, watching many airships, despite their immense size, enter folding space to dock after entering the center, and then enter the station through various hatches.
Shen Qixi was simply expressing her awe. Shen Yunyi stroked her head. "This world is vast. You will see many more extraordinary things in the future."
To be honest, Shen Qixi had originally imagined it to be a place of transcendent technology, cold and mechanical everywhere. But upon entering, she found that there were pebble paths, wooden houses, and garden-style commercial districts. The main style, however, was that of the emerging modern technology era from over a thousand years ago.
The interior space was bustling with people. The shops had varied styles, but you could find any kind of business, and see all sorts of people.
Steam engines, sewing machines, small steamers for tea eggs, small earthen stoves with banana leaf fans, small tea houses with hanging curtains.
A shirtless old man was tending a stove, while his wife next to him was serving pig's trotter noodles.
People of various alien races came and went.
Creatures like Groundhog were common here, though few were as cute as him.
Walking on the slightly damp stone slab path, mahogany railings concealed a bamboo grove in the central walkway. The shops on the side happened to be in the food district, steaming and filled with fragrant aromas.
"Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"
No matter how high an IQ Shen Yunyi had as an intellectual, she still had the habits of a mother. Like all mothers, she would ask her child if they were hungry when they went out.
Shen Qixi was indeed hungry and asked her mother, who was familiar with the place, to recommend a shop.
"There's a famous Su-style tea house up ahead. In the past, when your Aunt Qin and I came back from business trips, we often ate here."
Shen Yunyi was good-natured and not at all affected by Qin Yu's true identity.
"But isn't a tea house for drinking tea?"
"They sell tea, but they also serve food. You'll know when you get there."
Shen Qixi didn't ask any more questions about the authenticity of the two sisters' relationship and happily went with her to the Su-style tea house.
Business inside was naturally excellent, but there was no fear of not finding a seat. When it got crowded, the manager would open a new folding space to make the interior larger.
"Doesn't this consume space stones? Can they make the money back?" Shen Qixi wondered, but Shen Yunyi smiled. "You see that this manager is a 30th-level Arcanist. Do you think he maintains this space just by using arcane arts and space stones? Actually, no."
Shen Qixi was surprised, and only then did she learn that every shop in the entire aviation center had the ability to freely expand through spatial folding.
Shen Yunyi said, "You probably don't know, but this aviation center itself is a Purple-tier peak super-large spatial equipment. Before it was converted into an aviation center, it was a military warship and had killed quite a few people."
Shen Qixi was a little surprised. Just then, they entered, but after going inside, she suddenly noticed that there were many people who had brought their children to eat. Most of these children were around her age, sixteen or seventeen, preparing for the high school entrance exam, or around twenty, preparing for the college entrance exam.
Along the way, she saw no fewer than a hundred college entrance exam candidates.
Some of them, even while eating, exuded a powerful aura. This was because they were in a state where their arcane cultivation was strong but not yet well-controlled.
For example, that Luohe Sanqian she had seen, who had just ended his invisibility state, was such a powerful person.
And there were quite a few like Pang Ci, who had been eliminated early but had enough points to enter the re-selection.
So, how many people like Luohe Sanqian and Pang Ci were among the customers seated here?
As Shen Qixi was pondering, someone in front finished their meal and came out from the aisle.
How to put it, before the person even reached them, Shen Qixi felt an aura rushing towards her. She looked up and saw a group of four—three men and one woman—walking out. As they approached, the passing customers automatically moved aside to let them pass, and the manager at the front bowed in greeting.
The girl's blue hair was like flowing silk, but her eyes were playful and gorgeous, her lips slightly upturned. Her peacock-like iridescent dress seemed as if a peacock had transformed into a body of water, clinging to her tall and graceful figure. She casually flicked her long hair, her steps light and slow. "They say this place is delicious, but it's not that great. Not as good as my grandfather's chef."
Beside her, a red-haired boy with a buzz cut and ruby earrings raised an eyebrow and sneered, "How good can food from a commoner's shop be? Only you would be naive enough to believe the online recommendations. Right, Ah Zhao? Look at this silly girl."
The tallest boy had his hands in his pockets, his expression cold, but even his hair exuded a certain arrogance.
He didn't respond.
The girl glanced at him, then playfully scolded the buzz-cut boy before linking arms with another young man.
"Ah Feng, they're bullying me!"
The young man smiled and ruffled her hair, his voice gentle and magnetic. "It's okay, I'll fight them later."
"Cut it out, Ah Feng. You think I'm afraid of you? How about we team up and fight Ah Zhao!"
The four of them chatted and laughed, completely ignoring the people around them. The reason others gave way was not because they could see their strength, but because of their clan emblems—the emblems of Blue Blood families were distinct.
Among the four, three were from Blue Blood families. Only the young man called Ah Feng was not a noble, but seeing his familiarity with them and his apparent romantic relationship with the girl, he was bound to become a noble in the future.
Shen Qixi stood to the side, watching them walk past.
For some reason, she felt that the one called Ah Zhao had glanced at her, his gaze a bit deep, but he quickly looked away.
She had a feeling, and her feelings had always been accurate since she was a child—these four people, every single one of them, was no weaker than Luohe Sanqian. Especially the one called Ah Zhao, who was probably far stronger than him.
When he looked at her, she actually felt a sense of fear.
A shiver.
At the same time, she felt her mother's fingers tighten slightly around hers.
After they left, Shen Qixi turned to look at Shen Yunyi. The latter's face was calm, showing no abnormality. Instead, she smiled, "Scared?"
Shen Qixi: "No. I just think this restaurant must be quite delicious."
"Hmm?"
"The reason nobles are so picky is seventy percent due to their inherent arrogance and deliberate effort to appear more superior and different."
Except for a certain person who was both a brother and a sister.
At her young age, she was quite perceptive about human nature. Shen Yunyi looked at her for a moment, then reached out to stroke her head before leading her to a table to eat.
"Of course, my taste is definitely better than these nobles."
After sitting down, the mother and daughter did indeed have a happy meal. Midway, they overheard people at the next table discussing the group from before.
"For the 36 cities in Beluke Province, the re-selection spots for the Big Four Academies are based on points, not quotas. You need over fifty thousand points to be selected. Our city only had 35 people get in."
"Our city is just average. I wonder how the other cities are doing."
"Who cares. At least our city isn't the worst. The worst is Jingyang… only 15 people got in. I heard Gao Yang and Dong Chen are in the same boat, with similar numbers and low scores, tsk tsk."
"Why do you care about a trash city? I heard the strongest is Beluke City itself. They had 782 people get in. The other two cities that had the joint exam with them were really unlucky."
"One city dominating."
"It's true that one city is dominating, but the two cities below it, along with Beluke City, are known as the three-horse carriage. It's said that the top three hundred in the point rankings this time all came from these three cities, without a single exception."
Shen Qixi's expression grew slightly solemn, and she was lost in thought for a moment, but she still lowered her head and continued to eat, not shaken in the slightest.
Only then did Shen Yunyi feel relieved.
After the meal, the two arrived at a reception hall in the aviation center at the appointed time. There, they immediately saw staff members from the unions of the Big Four Academies.
"Students and parents participating in the re-selection for the Big Four Academies, please gather here. We will take you to the designated hotel at 12 o'clock sharp."
"If you are delayed, you can wait for the next shuttle. For this group, please submit your identification for verification. We will be departing soon."
Shen Yunyi led Shen Qixi over, attracting the attention of many passing tourists.
They noticed that the other students from the restaurant were also gathering here.
Shen Qixi felt a little uncomfortable and heard her mother's cheerful voice, "I wasn't this envied even when I won a national-level research award. How many high school entrance exam candidates are there in a province, and how many can get into the re-selection for the Big Four Academies? Xiao Qi, you've really made Mom proud."
Shen Qixi: "…"
The hotel designated by the Big Four Academies was actually a massive, ancient-style inn. It had a classic charm, but inside there were many strange-looking robots. As soon as Shen Qixi entered, she first saw a large platform set up in the center of the square, wooden courtyard-style building. It was covered by a shield, and a fierce battle was taking place inside.
It seemed the hotel had been completely booked out, and some candidates had already started fighting.
Shen Qixi only glanced at it, then suddenly realized the people inside looked very familiar… they seemed to be from Jingyang.
It was Jian Feilan and his group.
Strange. Although that guy was arrogant, he was smart. He didn't seem foolish enough to be dragged onto an arena to fight right after arriving in a new place.
Didn't he have any idea how weak the people from his own city were?
Shen Qixi frowned, looking at the people on the stage who were being beaten badly.
"Get up, you from Jingyang. Let's continue."
Someone watched with a frown and shouted, "Cao Jian, that's enough. You've won, just come down."
"Yeah, the exam is tomorrow. Don't make a big scene."
Not all students were belligerent. Unwilling to let Cao Jian escalate the situation, they called out to him.
Cao Jian continued to control Jian Feilan and the others with his pet. "Hey, everyone, this isn't me bullying them. I was just stating the fact that Jingyang is weak, but this kid wouldn't accept it and insisted on competing with me. I refused two or three times, but he kept pushing. So I had to satisfy them, right?"
The young man on the stage was unrestrained and arrogant, but also malicious and hypocritical. "Look, all they have to do now is admit they lost and shout that Jingyang is the weakest—a fact everyone knows—and I'll let them go. I won't even collect the previously agreed-upon gambling stakes."
Even those who had been trying to persuade him frowned.
It was excessive, very excessive. But technically, Cao Jian's demand wasn't wrong. It was indeed a fact, and he was even forgoing his winnings. To others, it didn't seem too unreasonable. At least, many people supported him, smiling as they watched the spectacle from the side of the arena.
The hotel staff didn't intervene, as this was part of the competitive culture. If they didn't fight today, they would fight tomorrow.
It was just that these few kids from Jingyang seemed a bit stubborn, unwilling to admit defeat, and were holding on for dear life.
Shen Qixi could see Jian Feilan, a scion of an official family who was considered a top-tier contender in Jingyang, having his head stepped on. His face was bruised and swollen, yet… he refused to admit defeat.
She took a deep breath, said a few words to Shen Yunyi, who agreed, and then walked straight over. "I'm sorry, Jingyang is indeed the weakest. We can't win this match. Come down, big brothers."
The girl was only fifteen, with a delicate and elegant appearance, and a calm tone. She acknowledged their loss and their city's weakness, and also spoke on behalf of Jian Feilan and the others, saving them from further embarrassment.
Most people wouldn't pick a fight with a little girl. At least, many present had some decorum. Cao Jian and his group hadn't had their fill of fun yet and were a bit reluctant, but they couldn't very well refuse. Cao Jian snorted, "Fine, I'll let you off. But little sister, it's not simple for someone so young to get into the re-selection. How about you come up and have a match with me? Just the two of us."
"Hey, hey, hey, you're ditching us as soon as a pretty girl shows up? That's not cool."
"Exactly."
The group teased, their words showing they didn't take Shen Qixi seriously.
Shen Qixi didn't care about such things. She went over to help an injured person down. After Jian Feilan and the others were off the stage, Jian Feilan, knowing her good intentions, felt a bit embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Thanks. You should leave quickly, don't get targeted."
Shen Qixi really didn't want to get involved. Just as she was about to leave, Cao Jian suddenly narrowed his eyes and blocked her path. "Little sister, I heard that you guys in Jingyang actually have someone quite formidable, right? You seem to have a good relationship, you even teamed up in the dungeon. Is he here? How about you introduce us? We're very interested in a spar."
Where did he hear that from?
Looking at their city affiliation, they had no connection to the three cities of Jingyang. Why the sudden…
Shen Qixi was sharp and had a feeling that something was off about today's events. She said calmly, "I don't know. I don't think he's here yet. If you're really interested, you can wait here."
Then she planned to leave and send a message to Xie Keli.
But she hadn't left yet.
A person walked in through the main entrance. He looked ordinary, but his skin was very good, giving him the air of a common pretty boy, though there was something slightly different about him.
It was an indescribable difference, perhaps because he had become a clan head, his aura had elevated somewhat.
At least he had a certain presence. After entering, he went to register.
"Xie Keli?"
"That's me. Don't I look like it?"
"No, it's identifiable."
The hotel staff member in charge of registration looked at the photo and then at the person, thinking there was a slight change in appearance, but also knew it was normal for Arcanists in their growth period to change quickly.
After registering and getting his tag, Fu Chuan was about to leave when her path was blocked.
"Xie Keli?"
Fu Chuan hooked the tag with her finger, playing with it as she looked at Cao Jian. "A match?"
Cao Jian smiled. "Yes. We've heard about you and quite admire you. How about a spar? A little warm-up before the exam will be good for tomorrow."
Fu Chuan tilted her body, glancing at the bruised and bleeding Jian Feilan and the others. "You mean, like them?"
Cao Jian: "No, no, no, how can they compare to you? You're actually the number one of the three cities of Jingyang, Gao Yang, and Dong Chen. In fact, you are number one."
This person was doing it on purpose, trying to sow discord among the three cities.
Shen Qixi lowered her head and looked up Cao Jian's information, discovering that he was ranked in the top ten in their Suming City. His score in the previous high school entrance exam was 180,000, no weaker than the number one, Luohe Sanqian.
It wasn't without reason that the three cities of Jingyang were being bullied.
And the effect of this person's provocation was…
"That's true. You have good judgment."
Second Young Master Xie said this with a straight face.
Of course, there were candidates from Gao Yang and Dong Chen present. Otherwise, why would he bother trying to sow discord?
Second Young Master Xie was so blunt that many people were displeased, but in the end, no one spoke up.
"Ah, you're more magnanimous than I heard. Come on, brother, let's have a match."
Cao Jian was a bit surprised, but he extended the invitation with even more enthusiasm. The three people behind him were also within the top twenty of Suming City.
So, Jian Feilan and his group must have had their minds clouded by lard to have fallen into their trap.
"I don't think so. My airship just blew up. I don't have much money."
"We're not betting much…"
Fu Chuan glanced at him, seemingly seeing through his trick, and wasn't willing to bother. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly felt a slight dizziness in her head, and then she…
"Alright, how much are we betting?"
Cao Jian's pupils shifted slightly. He saw a small red dot appear on Fu Chuan's brow. The corner of his mouth curved up as he said, almost seductively, "Of course, you bet as much as you have. You're a clan head now, you know."
"Right, I'm a clan head. In that case… I'll bet these 200!"
Fu Chuan threw 200 S2 Gene Keys onto the table. This time, even the hotel staff supervising the arena looked over.
The staff member looked at Cao Jian and his group, then at Fu Chuan. Bound by the hotel rules, he could only shake his head and sigh.
Cao Jian and his group's expressions froze for a moment.
The hall, which had been bustling with over a hundred candidates, suddenly fell silent.
Nobles were above commoners, and the wealth of even a Green Blood noble was not to be underestimated. What's more, the 200 S2 Gene Keys Fu Chuan had produced were from the Xie Clan's treasury, a huge fortune in itself. Even if there were scions of Green Blood or Blue Blood families present, the scale of their families and their own status made a huge difference!
One scion among many.
The head of an entire family.
The level of wealth they controlled was not on the same plane.
So…
They were all stunned.
Was this Xie Keli insane?!!
After his initial shock, Cao Jian was overcome with ecstasy and immediately agreed. "Alright, let's do it! There are four of us, you pick four on your side too…"
"Okay… I'll find some people…" After signing the match agreement, her gaze swept across the room.
The places she looked… she didn't seem to know many people. At least, the Lin siblings weren't here right now. Shen Qixi knew her own strength wasn't enough. Jian Feilan and the others were all incapacitated and currently being surrounded by a healer's milky light.
So who was left?
Cao Jian and his group exchanged glances, seemingly certain that Xie Keli wouldn't be able to find good teammates.
Shen Qixi observed the change in their expressions. When they saw the 200 S2 Gene Keys, they showed both joy and panic, because this amount of wealth exceeded their expectations. Yet they quickly agreed, especially Cao Jian, who went from hesitation to determination in an instant. Human emotions have a lasting effect; without external interference, he wouldn't have been so resolute in taking such a risk. Agreeing meant they were confident in this fight. So who gave them this confidence?
If they had any understanding of the joint exam of the three cities, any understanding of Xie Keli, they wouldn't be so confident.
Unless… they were first certain that Xie Keli couldn't find good teammates, and second, they were certain that Xie Keli couldn't escape their control.
200 S2 Gene Keys for the taking.
Just as Shen Qixi was getting worried, she suddenly saw three people stand up.
"Me."
"Count me in."
"And me."
Luohe Sanqian and Baldy Lu jumped down, and with Pang Ci, they had a team of four.
Many people were astonished, even Shen Qixi hadn't expected this…
Cao Jian and his group hadn't anticipated this either, but after exchanging glances, they weren't afraid. The one they were most wary of was the female candidate with the Blue-tier white goose. The others were not a threat.
Both sides were about to go on stage together.
At this moment, Xie Keli seemed to be in some pain, shaking his head as if feeling unwell. He suddenly cursed under his breath, "Damn it, someone is controlling me!"
The next second, she raised her hand and threw a Light Glory and a Light Explosion at someone.
Boom!!
The person was caught off guard and hit by the attack. His abdomen was blown open, and he slammed into a wall, vomiting blood.
"Holy crap, Chen Yi!"
"It's Chen Yi!!"
"Damn, I think I get it. Chen Yi seems to be best at illusions and mind control. My teacher warned me many times to be careful if I encounter people like him."
"So?…"
Amidst the commotion, Fu Chuan leaned against a pillar, a trickle of red flowing from the corner of her mouth. She weakly said to the hotel inspector who had jumped down, "I was framed. They tricked me, using an illusion to make me agree to this match… Can I call the police?"
The inspector had actually seen through it long ago, but this was a tactic that wasn't forbidden, so he shook his head. "I'm afraid calling the police won't help. It's all down to your own abilities. It's up to you whether you want to terminate the assessment now."
"Can I get my money back then?"
"No, unless they also agree to terminate the match."
By now, many people understood. The person Xie Keli had attacked was actually one of the candidates who had spoken up for Jian Feilan and the others earlier. He looked gentle, kind, and righteous, but he was probably the one who had controlled Jian Feilan's group into agreeing to the match, and then controlled Xie Keli into making the huge bet.
Unexpectedly, Xie Keli had broken free from the control, woken up in time, and severely injured him.
At this, Jian Feilan and his group looked at each other in dismay.
Shen Qixi glanced at them, understanding that her question had been answered.
So that's how it was.
This group was vicious.
But in that case… could he/she still go on stage?
Luohe Sanqian looked at Fu Chuan. "In your condition, you shouldn't come up. The three of us are enough."
Uncle Lu: "Huh?"
Pang Ci: "Bro, that's not enough!"
Fu Chuan: "If we lose, do the four of us split the 200 S2 Gene Keys?"
Luohe Sanqian: "No, you pay for it yourself. If we win, we split it."
Fu Chuan: "?"
What the hell!
Luohe Sanqian was cold and ruthless, heading straight for the stage. The other two, hearing they didn't have to put up any money, hurried up as well.
"Wait, you're fighting four against three?" Jian Feilan pushed away the healer and couldn't help but question, "Even if that scumbag Xie can't fight, can't you call someone else? I'll do it!"
But despite his heroic offer, the three on stage completely ignored him, clearly looking down on him. Meanwhile, Cao Jian's group, after their accomplice was exposed, were feeling uneasy and wanted to end the match to avoid losing 200 S2 Gene Keys. But then they saw that Xie Keli couldn't fight.
My god, these idiots from the three cities are really brave. Did they think the geniuses selected from their respective cities were made of paper?
3 vs 4, they've got guts. Well then, let's crush them!
Fearing they would change their minds and add another person, Cao Jian immediately confirmed the start of the match.
Once the shield came down, there was no turning back.
Everyone was watching this lopsided match…
"I think I've seen that guy from Dong Chen. That Luohe Sanqian isn't weak. Maybe he's hiding his strength."
"Maybe. Otherwise, where would he get such confidence? He's not an idiot. Cao Jian is pretty strong…"
Before he could finish his sentence.
Pang Ci raised his hand, and a chubby little white goose shot out, splitting into four and pecking fiercely at Cao Jian's team.
What the? What the hell!
A second later, Cao Jian and two others, in a panic, either dodged at the last second or took the hit… suffering minor flesh wounds. But there was a big healer among their four. Just as they were about to have the healer cast a healing light, they turned to see that the healer had already collapsed to the ground with a thud.
She hadn't dodged at all and had been pecked directly on the head by the white goose. Her head armor broke, and she was concussed into unconsciousness.
And then the match became Luohe Sanqian's team of three main attackers + a super-perverted support pet, the little white goose, VS Cao Jian's team of three, who had been ambushed, injured, and had no healer.
Cao Jian had already seen through the truth. While fighting furiously, he shrieked, "She was attacked! She's under an illusion! They're cheating!"
"Xie Keli, you cheated!"
Below, Fu Chuan stood up and, in front of everyone, took out a tissue to elegantly wipe the red stain from the corner of her mouth, while continuing to eat a red candy.
Oh, that wasn't blood. It was candy.
The inspector, who had seen through everything long ago, watched her with a deadpan expression.
But he bowed to a person who was walking over.
The other party was a noble.
Young, but with a deliberately grown small mustache, dressed in a rather archaic style. He had a graceful and elegant demeanor, yet also possessed the smooth and sophisticated air of a socialite.
"Xie Keli, right now, you should be calling me Big Brother."
"I am Fu Qiang."
Fu Chuan turned around, one hand in her pocket, the other slowly folding the dirtied tissue and tossing it into a nearby trash can. She said to the person before her, "As a son-in-law marrying into the family, does your Fu Clan offer a dowry?"
She was actually a bit surprised. She had thought Fu Qiang would be a middle-aged man, not someone so young.
Dowry, what dowry?
Her words stunned many people present, including some who were watching from the shadows.
Fu Qiang's expression went wooden. "…"
Fu Chuan: "You see, this is why I have to resort to selling my body and dignity to make money."
Just as she finished speaking, the result of the match on the arena behind her was decided.
Luohe Sanqian and his team had won.
At the same moment, the Lin siblings were still at a noodle shop outside, eating noodles.
Thinking about how they were suddenly contacted by Xie Keli…
Lin Chengxiu said, "How do you think he was so sure he would be targeted and schemed against, and then asked us to help cooperate with this?"
Lin Hangjing, eating the fresh shrimp in her noodles, said calmly, "Either he was attacked on the way, or he already had enemies, enemies separate from the Lan and Teng Families."
"He also has spies inside the hotel."
"After all, he's very rich. Even if he has no money now, it only means his money has already been spent."
It was just unknown whether Luohe Sanqian and the others had been paid. In any case, that shorty Pang Ci was eager to help. He was afraid of being targeted by Xie Keli.
Only those who had truly fought knew how strong their opponent was. What did those outsiders know?
Points didn't represent everything.
It was just unclear who the other party was, to be able to use Cao Jian and his group without revealing their identity.
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