CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106 THE RECKLESSNESS OF THE ORIGINAL ORGANIZATION_1

「Deep into the night.」

After traveling through the Death Forest for a full two hours, Wang Zhan finally found a place to hide.

It was a large tree, about four or five meters in diameter. On the trunk, about seven or eight meters above the ground, there was a tree hole just large enough for one person to pass through.

Wang Zhan climbed through the tree hole and, after expanding its area slightly, created a perfect hiding spot.

Hidden inside the tree hole, listening to the occasional roars of beasts echoing from the forest beyond, his constantly tense mood finally relaxed somewhat.

First, he took out the map from his bosom. After contemplating for a moment, he resisted his curiosity and did not open it.

Giving this map to the human encampment outside the Death Forest, to General Qin... Wang Zhan thought of the last words of the Martial Artist he had encountered.

This definitely wasn’t a task that could have been arranged in advance. No matter how important the college competition is, they would never go so far as to arrange for an entire team to die right in front of me... So, the significance of this map must be substantial.

If this task were merely part of the competition, Wang Zhan might have reconsidered whether to complete it.

After all, his Chu State Martial Arts Academy was currently leading by a significant margin. There was no need for him to waste time on such missions. He would rather spend that time killing more intermediate Soldier-level beasts to improve his extreme attributes.

However, a team had died defending this map. After pondering for a moment, Wang Zhan decided to fulfill the last wish of that Martial Artist team.

The human encampment is to the east of the Death Forest, meaning it’s outside the forest’s boundaries. The distance isn’t too short, Wang Zhan thought to himself. This matter clearly can’t be delayed. I’ll set off as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow.

Having tucked away the map, Wang Zhan then opened his attribute panel.

Host: Wang Zhan

Strength: 1857

Agility: 1864

Physique: 1849

Charm: 30

Wisdom: 25

Mental Power: 150

All three main extreme attributes have improved by around 50 points. At this rate, if I kill seven or eight more intermediate Soldier-level beasts, I should be able to make a breakthrough.

Wang Zhan was quite satisfied with this progress.

At least the beasts killed along the way weren’t slain in vain. He had only just broken through to the Warrior level, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, he was on the verge of another breakthrough.

After organizing his gains, feeling the exhaustion in his body, Wang Zhan decided to skip cultivation for once and fell soundly asleep in the tree hole.

...

At the same moment Wang Zhan fell into a deep sleep, back in the control room in Ao City...

"Little Xiong, report Wang Zhan’s situation to the Federation’s high-levels and request intervention in the competition," Yun Tianyi said with a cold expression. "We don’t know what’s on the map he’s carrying, but it’s something that young Qin Yuan risked his life to protect. It absolutely must not be lost."

As he spoke, Yun Tianyi also felt secretly relieved that Wang Zhan had truly resisted his curiosity and not opened the map.

With the current live broadcast, if Wang Zhan had looked at it, the map’s contents would undoubtedly have been leaked in the shortest possible time.

If that had happened, Qin Yuan would have died in vain, and who knew what kind of turmoil would follow.

But there was no doubt that Wang Zhan had now been drawn into an event far exceeding his current level.

Yun Tianyi’s decision was swift. Even Edward, who usually disagreed with him, didn’t voice any objection.

Although Edward was stubborn and domineering, when it came to matters of great importance, his stance was surprisingly consistent with his old rival, Yun Tianyi.

King Xiong quickly went to contact the Federation’s high-levels.

Edward then spoke, "Qin Yuan graduated from your Yanjing Martial Arts Academy, didn’t he? I think it was a couple of years ago..."

"Yes, he graduated the year before last," Yun Tianyi sighed lightly. "That kid had decent Talent. He reached high-level Warrior within two years of graduation. A pity..."

"He’s Qin Guanglu’s son, isn’t he?"

"Correct. And Qin Guanglu himself is currently stationed on the Death Forest battlefield, yet this happened to his son..."

"Doesn’t this sort of thing happen all the time? Old man, when did you become so fragile?" Edward looked at Yun Tianyi’s expression and mocked, "Are you getting soft-hearted in your old age? If so, I think you might as well retire early and go dote on your grandchildren."

"I’ll retire when you’re dead," Yun Tianyi retorted, not yielding an inch.

A few minutes later, King Xiong hurried back into the control room, his face extremely grim.

"Word came from above. They forbid us from interfering with the competition."

As soon as these words were spoken, Yun Tianyi and Edward frowned almost simultaneously.

"No need to think, it must be the people from the original organization," Yun Tianyi said disdainfully. "Although the Federation college competition is important, it’s not so critical that even interference is forbidden. What secrets are hidden in that map that so many people are eyeing it?"

"More than that, I’m curious what those at the top who favor the original organization are thinking," Edward remarked in a dark tone. "They’re acting so unscrupulously now; aren’t they afraid of being held accountable later?"

Yun Tianyi shook his head slightly. This was a struggle between factions; there wasn’t much he could say.

He turned his gaze back to the screen, to Wang Zhan’s image.

At this moment, Yun Tianyi, a Martial Emperor himself, felt the powerlessness of an individual before the Federation. It wasn’t that he couldn’t forcefully intervene. Rather, the higher he stood, the more he had to consider.

Even a Martial Emperor had times when his hands were tied.

"Kid, you’re on your own," Yun Tianyi sighed softly.

...

Wang Zhan had no idea that the map in his possession had already attracted the attention of many influential figures in the Federation.

And while he was sound asleep in the tree hole...

About one kilometer away from the large tree where he was hiding, three figures in black were moving swiftly through the dense forest.

The direction they were heading was precisely Wang Zhan’s hiding place.

"We should be close," the leader of the black-clad men said, looking back. "Let’s make this quick. This matter has been delayed for several days; the master is already displeased."

"Heh, isn’t it all because that Qin Yuan didn’t know what was good for him? If he had just handed over the map, none of this would have happened. Now he’s dragged his entire team to their deaths. Ridiculous."

"He’s Qin Guanglu’s son; naturally, he’d have some backbone."

"What’s the use of backbone... Wait, who’s that ahead?!"

As he spoke, the lead man in black’s expression changed slightly. He stopped in his tracks and raised a hand, halting his two companions behind him.

At this very moment, standing directly in their path under the bright moonlight, was a slender figure silently watching them.

It was a woman in a long black dress, wearing a pair of flat cloth shoes that revealed her fair ankles.

Her face was devoid of expression; she merely looked coldly at the three men in black.

"Go back, and I’ll spare your lives."

Her voice was ethereal, yet filled with killing intent.

The three men in black were all Martial General level experts, but at this moment, they were actually intimidated by the woman’s voice and subconsciously retreated two steps.

The leader’s face turned ugly. He subtly gestured to his companions to remain calm, then took two steps closer to the woman.

But when he saw the woman’s face clearly, an expression of distinct shock appeared on his.

"It’s you... Yuan Shijiu!"

"I am not Yuan Shijiu. I never was. That’s just a name your original organization forced upon me," the woman said, tilting her head up slightly. Under the moonlight, her beautiful features were clearly visible.

This woman was Yao Yao, the one Lv Zhenglong had taken away and handed over to the Federal Laboratory!

"Heh, Yuan Shijiu, you’ve benefited from our original organization, and now you’re trying to disown it?" the leader sneered. "If it weren’t for our genetic experiment, do you think you could have obtained your current strength?"

"The Federal Laboratory certainly has many means up its sleeve! You only underwent the second phase of the genetic experiment, and in just half a year, your strength has improved so much. Care to share what you experienced in the Federal Laboratory?"

Hearing these words, Yao Yao narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I’m not here to chat with you. Either leave, or die."

"Big words! Daring to face three Martial Generals directly? I think you’re the one asking for death! Get her! This woman’s value is no less than that map’s!"

As his voice fell, the three black-clad men from the original organization charged towards Yao Yao without hesitation.

Under the dim moonlight, Yao Yao stood her ground, not moving an inch.

In the blink of an eye, the leader in black was already in front of her.

He wielded a dagger in each hand, the blades glinting with a strange purple light—clearly poisoned weapons.

"Die!" the leader cackled.

Only when the man was less than two or three meters away did Yao Yao finally move.

"Really... slow," Yao Yao’s tone was flat, clearly not taking the three Martial Generals seriously. "The Doctor told me that the original organization’s Gene Potion has a fatal flaw. It seems he was right."

"When I left, the Doctor told me to treat Martial Generals from the original organization as high-level Martial Masters. Looking at it now, that comparison was perfectly apt."

As her words faded, Yao Yao’s figure suddenly vanished from before the three men in black.

So fast! The leader only saw an afterimage before a gust of strong wind hit his face.

The next moment, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, and then he completely lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, Yao Yao reappeared, now looking at the remaining two men in black.

"Your turn." A trace of a smile finally touched Yao Yao’s lips, but it was laced with ruthlessness.

The two men in black were horrified. Only now did they finally realize they had provoked an existence they should never have crossed.

"Run!" The two men exchanged a look and made a unanimous decision.

"Heh, think you can escape?" Yao Yao shook her head slightly, her figure moving like a phantom in the woods, tailing them like a shadow.

Just a few minutes later, two more muffled thuds sounded as the two men in black were successively struck down by Yao Yao.

To say they were struck down was an understatement. All three had been hit on the back of the head; their insides had long since turned to mush.

Even though I don’t know what your purpose is, no one will harm him.