Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hao Shuai, Bai Ya, and Ling Jiu had been at the bottom three in the standings. It had not changed in the past two weeks since they were rookies who had just joined the camp.
Hao Shuai knew that well.
However, Ling Jiu’s name was now missing. He was not in the bottom three ranks. What surprised Hao Shuai further was, someone else had dropped the bottom three.
“What’s going on here?”
While Hao Shuai was still puzzled, other trainees had also arrived and stood in front of the scoreboard. Everyone looked confused and shocked at the last three names on the scoreboard.
“What the hell’s happened? Hiram has dropped to third from the bottom! Not only that, his points are gone!”
“The same’s happened to the Ace brothers too. They have zero points now. Did someone rob them or something?”
“Never mind the Ace brothers. Getting robbed is understandable given their strength, which is average. The key is Hiram; his ability would make him into Top Twenty in the matriculation camp. But this horrible thing has happened. Who has he offended, really?”
“Who knows?”
Hearing their conversations, Hao Shuai moved his eyes up the standings and finally saw Ling Jiu’s name in the 21st place.
No. 21: Ling Jiu; Pangu; 600,000; 17 years old; 20510607
“T-Twenty-first place? He has climbed to twenty-first place?” Hao Shuai could not have been more stunned. “How is this even possible? He’s just a rookie, and he was ranked behind my a** two days ago. Now he’s climbed to twenty-first place? Not only that, his score is as high as 600,000 points. What has he done?”
He was shocked, confused, and bewildered.
“Strange! I’ve dropped one place!” Just then, a veteran trainee spoke in astonishment. “Who climbed above me again?”
“It’s true!” another long-time trainee said. “I dropped a place too?”
“What’s going on?”
A veteran trainee named Vikas looked up the scoreboard and finally found an unfamiliar name at position 21.
No. 21: Ling Jiu; Pangu; 500,000; 17 years old; 20510607
“Ling Jiu? Who is he?” Vikas asked in confusion. “Is there such a person at all in our matriculation camp?”
“Holy moly! Isn’t this the rookie? How did he climb to twenty-first place? What the hell has this guy done?”
“Look at his points; 600,000!”
“This rookie had zero-point last time. How come he has so many points now?”
“Could it be…”
Those veteran trainees looked at each other. Thinking of a possibility, they simultaneously looked at Hiram and the Ace brothers’ names at the bottom three.
“Yeah! That’s got to be it!” a veteran trainee said solemnly.
“Hiram’s previous score was 360,000, and the Ace brothers also had almost 240,000, which is exactly 600,000 in total!”
“In other words, this rookie named Ling Jiu robbed Hiram and Ace brothers? Are you kidding me? He is just a rookie. How did he beat a top-twenty student like Hiram?”
“I can’t accept this, but if that ain’t it, who can explain the changes in the standings?”
No one could find the words to respond.
Indeed, apart from that possibility, how could they explain the fact that Ling Jiu had suddenly jumped to the 21st place while Hiram and Ace brothers’ points had been cleared?
“This guy has actually defeated a veteran like Hiram?”
Hao Shuai could not calm down as he listened to the discussions going on around him. His partner, Ai Xiong had told him that anyone who could make it to the top 100 in the standings was a Level 8 Arcanist or someone with Level 8 combat strength.
The first 50 were all Level 8 Arcanist.
In the top 30, those were the best among Level 8 Arcanists.
In the top 10, those people possessed at least Level 9 combat strength.
Ling Jiu had defeated Hiram in 29th place and robbed his points.
Did it not mean that Ling Jiu was the best among the Level 8 Arcanists?
“Level 8 Arcanist…”
Hao Shuai clenched his fists. “I have just attained Level 7, and he… he… Why is this bugger always one step ahead of me?”
“Ace, you guys are back?” Right then, a veteran trainee called out.
Everyone turned their heads and saw two guys walking in their direction. They were none other than the Ace brothers.
Everyone came up to meet them. “Hey, Ace, what’s going on? Why are your points completely cleared?”
Hao Shuai had also come up to them.
The Ace twin brothers had darker skin, and they were both two meters tall. They were burly and strong like gorillas.
“Don’t mention it to us!”
Both of their faces looked grave. “We must have lost favor with Heaven. We slipped up and messed with someone we shouldn’t have messed with.”
“Did Ling Jiu really rob you guys?” a veteran trainee asked.
“News spreads so quickly?” The Ace brothers forced a smile. “We bumped into Ling Jiu, as well as Bai Ya, near Wormhole 51 and were beaten up by Ling Jiu. Not only did he take the monster bodies but also all our points.”
“Our suspicion has been right. Where is Hiram? Did Ling Jiu rob him too?”
“Yup.”
The Ace brothers nodded. “That guy is too powerful. Even Hiram was beaten. Hiram is not in the same league as Ling Jiu.”
Hiram was beaten?
There was a dead silence instantly after the crowd heard what the Ace brothers said.
As much as they had guessed the truth earlier, hearing that with their own ears was still a shocker.
Hiram, ranked 29th, had been completely beaten.
“Ace, is that rookie really that powerful?” A veteran trainee could not accept it, too.
“You will know when you try him.” The Ace brothers sighed. “He doesn’t look like a rookie at all.”
“Really?”
A nonchalant voice came. Everyone followed the voice and saw a blond-haired, blue-eyed, handsome young man approaching.
His blond hair looked like a waterfall. He had an athletic body, was handsome and tall, possessing an intimidating persona, as if a male lion.
“Arthur, what are you doing here?” someone quickly greeted him.
“He’s Arthur Austin?”
Hao Shuai also looked at the person. He had heard of Arthur Austin’s name long ago. Arthur had joined the matriculation camp in December last year, but it had only taken him half a year to reach 28th place in the standings. Arthur was a true genius.
On top of that, Arthur’s background was extraordinary. He was from America, one of the five largest countries, and his family was extremely powerful; it was one of the top ten families in the world.
It was precisely because of this that the former camp beauty Euphemia Athena clung to him like superglue.
“Have you two met the rookie named Ling Jiu?”
Arthur Austin ignored everyone but the Ace brothers.
“Yeah.”
The Ace brothers quickly nodded.
“Tell me where he is.”
Arthur Austin’s eyes glinted.
“The Ares Plain.”
The Ace brothers did not dare to evade his question and quickly told him where Ling Jiu and Bai Ya were. But after that, they hesitated.
“Arthur, I know why you’re looking for Ling Jiu, but I have to tell you one thing.”
“What is it?”
Arthur Austin cocked an eyebrow.
“The other rookie Bai Ya is probably Ling Jiu’s woman. They have been sleeping together,” The Ace brothers said cautiously.
“They have been sleeping together?”
A cold light flashed in Arthur Austin’s eyes, his face frosty. “How dare he sleep with the woman I am fond of? Good. Very good.”
He disappeared on the spot after that.
“That guy, Ling Jiu and Bai Ya have gotten together, Ace?” one veteran trainee asked.
“What do you think? Ling Jiu admitted to it in front of us. Could it be fake?” the Ace brothers said.
“Damn! What a waste! She is such a perfect goddess. But a rookie has got her. How unfair!”
“Where do you guys think Arthur has gone?”
“Needless to say, he must have gone to the Ares Plain to look for Ling Jiu and Bai Ya. You know, he just ditched Euphemia for Bai Ya.”
“Really?”
“Of course! I saw them quarrel with my own eyes.”
“What a scumbag. Euphemia is my goddess. You don’t know how many days and nights I have been looking at her photos as I reach the climax of my life.”
“Don’t be so disgusting! By the way, do you guys want to check it out?”
“Check out what?”
“Of course, the drama of Arthur vs. Ling Jiu. Don’t forget, Arthur Austin is a very domineering and possessive guy. Now that someone has stolen the woman whom he is fond of. You can imagine how furious he is.”
“You have a point.”
“Who wants to check it out?”
“Are you going?”
“I’m eager to take a look.”
“Let’s go together.”
…
It was noon in the blink of an eye. Ling Jiu, who had been busy all morning, threw the saplings on the ground before he slumped down on the sand. “I’m starving.”
Bai Ya did not respond. She was still planting trees.
“I’m starving.”
Ling Jiu’s voice went up by a few decibels, yet Bai Ya still did not respond. Feeling a little unhappy, he shouted, “I said I’m starving!”
Now Bai Ya was upset, and she glared at Ling Jiu. “Why are you shouting at me? Wait until I finish planting this sapling!”
“You do the cooking, and I will help you with the planting!”
Ling Jiu stroked his stomach.
“Okay then.”
Bai Ya did not insist anymore. She tossed the shovel to the ground and turned to board the airship. After a while, an alluring aroma drifted out of the airship.
“Lunch is ready!”
Bai Ya was heard calling out from inside.
“All right!” Ling Jiu answered and then boarded the airship.
The food was already on the table: there were four dishes and one soup. There was a bowl of some “farmhouse” dish, stewed beef with potatoes, dried pot cauliflower, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, and seaweed egg drop soup. Additionally, there were two bowls of rice.
“Smells good!”
Ling Jiu grabbed a piece of beef and delivered it to his mouth, earning himself a glare from Bai Ya. “How many times should I remind you to wash your hands before eating?”
“Right away!”
“The potatoes are so good!
“And this pork belly!
“You have to try this!
“Mind your own business. I don’t need you to serve me!”
“You’ve cooked the dishes. Of course, I have to show some appreciation.”
“Oh, come on!”
The two bickered as they ate. Little did they notice that there was someone else in the airship.
A waterfall of blonde hair draped behind him, tall and strong, like a lion; this man was no one else but Arthur Austin, who had just arrived from the matriculation camp.
His face contorted when he saw Ling Jiu and Bai Ya flirting over dinner. Jealousy was burning inside him as the woman he loved was stolen by someone else.
