Chapter 11: Need to Pay Extra
A woman dressed in a chiffon puffy skirt, lace gloves, and a beret stood by the window of a high-rise building, gazing down at the bustling square below.
She watched as the black-haired young man boarded a hovercraft and remained inside for a long time before finally stepping out. The hovercraft sped away in an instant.
After walking a few steps, the young man suddenly grinned, muttering something to himself, seemingly in high spirits.
Cha Naxue stared at his retreating figure with a distant look in her eyes.
"My lord, he has gone far away," a voice interrupted.
"I can see that. There's no need to remind me," Cha Naxue replied coldly.
Behind her stood a valiant woman clad in silver knight armor, a long sword hanging at her waist and her hair tied into a high ponytail. Her voice was low and monotonous as she asked, "My Lord, do you regret it?"
"Regret? There's nothing to regret," Cha Naxue said calmly, walking back to the sofa and sitting down gracefully. "Even if he is a genius, the academy and the three major churches produce so-called geniuses every year. It's nothing extraordinary."
"But your actions have caused Xia Feng to resent you. What if he becomes hostile in the future?" the female knight asked, her expression filled with concern.
"Hostile?" Cha Naxue lowered her gaze slightly, staring at the swirling Fibonacci pattern in her cup of black tea. She shook her head and said, "According to the emotional value system and imperial male psychology research data, the probability that Xia Feng still harbors feelings for me is as high as 93%. There's nothing to worry about."
"Besides, once I become a saint, all these so-called geniuses will be nothing more than ants."
"But my lord, your current chance of becoming a saint is only 60%, not even reaching the golden ratio," the female knight said, her voice tinged with confusion. "And from what I've observed, Xia Feng doesn't seem to care much about you—"
"..."
The woman in the snow-colored skirt sat upright on the sofa. After taking a graceful sip of her tea, she looked up and smiled. "Yin, if you keep talking, you won't be getting any food today."
"Hmm..." The female knight lowered her head, shrinking her neck in fear, and pursed her lips, deciding not to press further.
The room fell silent. Cha Naxue stared at the coffee table for a while, her fists clenched tightly. Finally, she took a deep breath and stood up abruptly.
"Let's go. It's time for me to retreat for a while."
Once I become a saint, all these troubles will vanish.
As for Xia Feng becoming hostile toward her?
Impossible!
In a dimly lit room, a bald man lounged lazily on a mink chair, blowing smoke rings as he picked up a photo from the table. The photo showed a handsome black-haired young man.
"A student from Boundless Academy?" the bald man muttered, frowning. He tossed the photo aside. "I won't take this kind of target. Find someone else!"
The photo fluttered through the air and was caught by a mysterious figure shrouded in shadows. The man wore a mask with a red vertical eye in the center, his entire body concealed in a black robe, making it impossible to discern his gender.
"I can offer twice the price," the mysterious man said in a low, mechanical voice.
"Tsk~" the bald man sneered. "Boundless Academy is notorious for protecting its students. I need to be alive to spend the money I earn! Get out of here, and I'll pretend I never saw you—"
"Twice the price."
"Leave!"
"Five times."
"Deal!" The bald man stubbed out his cigarette and sat up straight. He picked up the photo again, his scarred eyes coldly examining the young man in the picture. "The kid's quite handsome. What a pity~~"
The mysterious man continued, "Xia Feng is a first-level spiritualist. Although he's a genius, he's only eighteen. He likely hasn't mastered many Spirit Clothes. Here's a detailed analysis of the Spirit Clothes he might know."
He handed over another sheet of paper, outlining Xia Feng's potential combat abilities.
The bald man skimmed through it and frowned. "A genius? Has this kid's spiritual power been unlocked?"
"Unknown, but it's unlikely," the mysterious man replied, handing over another document. "The target will enter the Evil Dragon Forest at noon tomorrow. This is a map of the forest's outer region. You must eliminate him before he leaves. It'll be easier to dispose of the body in the forest and avoid being tracked by the academy."
"Very thorough," the bald man said. "But I'm not part of any adventurer group. I don't have the qualifications to enter the forest."
"Don't worry. I'll handle your identity. This is the deposit."
The mysterious man placed a box on the table. "I hope you succeed in killing him."
The bald man grinned. "I've been at the second level for over a decade. Taking on three first-level opponents alone is no issue. How could I possibly fail against him?"
"Tsk tsk~ Brother, just prepare the rest of the payment and wait for my good news!"
Xia Feng had nothing to do after returning to his rented apartment, so he decided to catch up on the sleep he'd missed over the past few days.
But early in the morning, he was jolted awake by a nightmare, drenched in cold sweat.
In the dream, Mu Qingtong had fallen in love with him and wanted to have a child with him. But Xia Feng, being a married man with an unborn wife, naturally refused. He shouted, "Da Mie~~" and then—
Mu Qingtong beheaded him with a knife.
Mushroom, the short and chubby guy, clapped and cheered.
What a bizarre dream, Xia Feng thought, rubbing his temples. Although it was just a dream, he couldn't shake the feeling that there were villains plotting against him.
[You have further analyzed the core spirit structure of the D-level Spirit Clothe "One Tail" - 95%]
"Huh?"
Good news upon waking up. He sat up immediately. Had Mu Qingtong stayed up all night learning the One Tail Spirit Clothe? The progress was impressive!
The structure of the One Tail Spirit Clothe became increasingly complex, and the learning pace slowed down. He had been worried he wouldn't master it in time, but now it seemed he had underestimated himself.
Although the One Tail wasn't the most powerful Spirit Clothe, mastering it before entering the forest would significantly boost his chances of survival.
While keeping an eye on Mu Qingtong's progress, Xia Feng quickly washed up and headed out.
The Evil Dragon Forest was located in the northern part of Area 51, bordering several large regions, including Area 49. It was surrounded by a massive wall stretching thousands of miles.
Looking up from the wall, one could see an endless light curtain reaching into the sky. This barrier isolated the dense evil energy within the forest, protecting the surrounding areas.
This wall was famously known as the Last Great Wall.
At one of the city gates beneath this wall, Xia Feng arrived on time. He immediately spotted his adoptive father, Wei Shutong, with his slicked-back hair, dressed in a sharp suit, leaning elegantly on a cane. His expression was unreadable.
Seeing Xia Feng approach, Wei Shutong smiled and said, "You're here."
Xia Feng raised an eyebrow. This was only the second time Wei Shutong had smiled at him. The first was the night he discovered Xia Feng's genius.
In the past, Wei Shutong could barely stand to look at him for more than a few seconds.
What a hypocrite, Xia Feng thought to himself. A man who had adopted eighteen sons but remained a bachelor. His ability to switch moods so quickly was almost impressive.
"You still have a year to prepare. With your talent, if you challenge Qi Xiao again next year, wouldn't victory be certain?" Wei Shutong asked in a deep voice. "You still have the chance to back out now."
Qi Xiao, who had been standing nearby, noticed the conversation and strode over with a sneer. "Brother Xia, are you trying to back out now? But that's understandable. If you're scared, just bow and apologize to me. I'll allow you to challenge me again next year. How about it?"
Xia Feng tilted his head, glancing at Qi Xiao with a smirk.
"Brother Qi Xiao, I know you're worried I'll back out, but you can rest assured. The word 'fear' isn't in my dictionary!" Xia Feng raised his chin, his tone dripping with arrogance. "After all, I don't take you seriously at all."
"???!!!" Qi Xiao was momentarily irritated by Xia Feng's audacity, but he quickly composed himself. The kid had always been like this—arrogant and infuriating.
"Arrogant!" Qi Xiao spat.
At that moment, Zhao Jie approached and chimed in, "But I like it! Young man, I admire your boldness. It's the vigor and vitality of youth!"
Zhao Jie clapped Wei Shutong on the shoulder and grinned. "Don't you agree, Old Wei?"
(End of Chapter)