126: Chapter 126 Deadly Poison Enters Throat! Genetic Collapse? No, my Perfect Tonic Soup!

The shadows at the warehouse entrance swallowed Lin Qi's figure.

Scarface and the other two remained where they were, looking like three dead dogs with their spines ripped out, slumped on the ground. Even the air they breathed carried the stench of urine.

After a long while, Scarface finally trembled as he crawled up from the ground. He glanced at the two corpses with bloody holes in their foreheads, then at the pile of twitching mud in the corner—the once-lofty Lord Shadow Dancer.

He shuddered and rushed out, scrambling on all fours.

He had to bring back that devil's words, verbatim!

As for the scene?

Lin Qi hadn't even thought about cleaning it up.

A crippled Second Turn Peak, two Second Turn guards killed in an instant, plus a few small fry who had been scared out of their wits.

This scene was enough to make anyone believe that a tragic case of 'dog-eat-dog' between criminals had occurred here.

...

Longya Academy, Ancient Martial Arts Research Department, Underground Laboratory.

Lin Qi's figure appeared silently, startling Old Mo, who was buried in research data.

"You brat, why do you walk without making a sound! Are you trying to scare this old man to death so you can inherit my research Materials?"

Old Mo huffed, his beard twitching as he gave him an annoyed glare.

Lin Qi didn't take the bait, instead tossing the worn-out backpack onto the lab bench.

"Help me take a look at this."

The heavy metal box landed on the surface with a dull thud.

"What kind of precious treasure is it that you're being so mysterious?"

Old Mo grumbled, picking up a crowbar and violently prying open the combination lock that Lin Qi had already kicked out of shape.

The lid opened.

A thick, dark green liquid that seemed impossible to dilute lay quietly inside, emitting a disturbing energy fluctuation.

The impatience on Old Mo's Face froze the moment he saw what was inside the box.

He suddenly leaned forward, picked up a precision detection probe from nearby, and carefully lowered it into the liquid.

Beep beep beep—

On the connected analyzer, data refreshed frantically like a waterfall, and a piercing alarm sounded throughout the entire laboratory.

On the screen, the value representing 'Bioactive Erosion Degree' soared directly to a blood-red Peak!

"Hiss—"

Old Mo sucked in a breath of cold air, nearly losing his grip on the probe.

He grabbed Lin Qi and pulled him over, pointing at the terrifying value on the screen, his voice trembling slightly.

"Brat! Where did you get this thing!"

"This is 'Gene Collapse' raw solution! The purity is frighteningly high! It's more than a hundred times more toxic than those industrial wastes we handled last time!"

"If even a drop of this touches you, any professional below the Third Turn will completely rot away at the genetic level within three days, turning into a pile of meat that no one can save! And you actually dared to bring it here to me!"

The old man was truly panicked, his spit nearly spraying onto Lin Qi's mechanical mask.

Faced with Old Mo's loss of composure, Lin Qi appeared exceptionally calm.

He raised his hand and took off the mask, revealing a clean-cut and calm Face.

"Old Mo, don't get excited."

There was even a trace of a faint smile in his voice.

"I know what this is."

"You know and you still..."

Old Mo's words got stuck in his throat. He looked into Lin Qi's eyes, which were as calm as an ancient well, and suddenly realized something.

This kid wasn't asking for help.

"This thing isn't poison to me."

Lin Qi extended a finger and lightly tapped the box containing the toxic solution, as if it weren't a forbidden substance capable of melting bone and flesh, but a bottle of delicious drink.

"It's a catalyst."

Old Mo was stunned.

He looked at Lin Qi, then at the box of sickeningly green liquid, his mind unable to process the thought.

"A catalyst? Are you crazy? You want to use this stuff for Body Tempering? Do you have a death wish!"

"I need a massive amount of exotic energy to fill my bone marrow and break through to the next Realm."

Lin Qi didn't answer directly, but instead stated a fact.

He briefly explained the conspiracy between the Kyoto Li Family and the Shadow Guild to Old Mo.

After hearing it, Old Mo's Face became so dark it looked like it could drip ink.

"What a Kyoto Li Family! What vicious methods!"

The old man trembled with rage and slammed his hand on the table.

"No! This must be reported to the Academy! Let the Federation investigate! This kind of thing has already crossed the line!"

"It's too late."

Lin Qi shook his head.

"Since they dared to do it, they must have planned a way to escape. If we investigate now, we won't find anything, and it will only alert the enemy."

"Then what do you plan to do? You can't seriously be thinking of drinking this stuff as a supplement?"

Old Mo glared at him.

"Why not?"

The corners of Lin Qi's mouth curled up into a wicked arc.

"They went to so much trouble to prepare such a 'grand gift' for me. If I don't 'accept' it in front of everyone, wouldn't I be failing to give them Face?"

"I'm going to use their conspiracy to put on a good show in front of all the teachers and students."

"A show of Heaven-Defying fate-changing."

Old Mo looked at the confident, almost fanatical expression on the young man's Face, and for a moment, he was speechless.

This kid was going to beat them at their own game!

He was going to turn the enemy's most vicious killing move into a stepping stone for his own ascension!

What kind of courage was this!

What madness!

...

For the next few days, Longya Academy was calm.

Lin Qi acted as if nothing had happened, attending classes on time, going to the library, and training in the gravity room every day. His lifestyle was as disciplined as an ascetic monk's.

However, rumors about him spread further and wider across the campus.

"Blank Slate War God," "Ancient Martial Arts Successor," "Number One Freshman."

Various titles made him a celebrity throughout Longya Academy.

Finally, on Thursday, the academy officially released a campus-wide announcement.

[To commend freshman Lin Qi for his outstanding contributions during the exploration of the 'Thunder Ruins' forbidden zone, the Board of Directors has unanimously decided to hold a public award ceremony in the Central Auditorium this Friday at 3:00 PM.

At that time, Principal Gao will personally award Student Lin Qi a bottle of 'Heavens Gift Potion,' a special Federation-supplied reward, as an encouragement!]

As soon as the announcement came out, the entire school was in an uproar.

Heavens Gift Potion!

That was a super reward specially prepared by the Federation using top-tier essence Materials for the Geniuses of major top academies. It could significantly improve one's Physique and enhance potential!

In an instant, countless envious and jealous gazes were focused on Lin Qi.

That afternoon, on his way to the cafeteria, Lin Qi ran into Li Qingxuan.

After a few days, the gloom on the Face of this former favored son of heaven had vanished, replaced by a morbid excitement.

He looked at Lin Qi with a gaze full of playful mockery and pity, like a cat watching a mouse.

"Lin Qi, congratulations."

Li Qingxuan blocked his path, speaking with a fake smile.

"Tomorrow, you'll be the center of everyone's attention. Heavens Gift Potion, tsk tsk, it's truly enviable."

Although he didn't know all the details of the Family's plan, just yesterday, the main house in Kyoto had called him.

Only one sentence was said over the phone.

"After tomorrow, there will be no more Lin Qi in Tianhai City."

So he was very excited.

He couldn't wait to see this man, who had once stepped on him and crushed all his pride, turn into a waste who couldn't even walk straight!

Lin Qi didn't stop, passing by him without sparing him even a glance.

"Don't block the way."

The three simple words made the smile on Li Qingxuan's Face freeze.

...

"There's something wrong with that potion."

In a corner of the training hall, Instructor Su Qing was wearing her usual tight black combat suit, which perfectly outlined her breathtaking curves.

Her ice-cold Face now carried a trace of subtle gravity.

"I had someone look into it. The approval process for this batch of potions is very strange; it seems someone has tampered with it."

Instructor Su Qing got straight to the point, her voice kept very low.

"I suggest you find a reason to refuse to take it tomorrow."

Lin Qi looked at her; this nominal instructor was truly concerned about him.

"Thanks, Instructor Su."

He smiled.

"However, I must have this reward."

Instructor Su Qing's brow furrowed.

"Did you not hear me? This thing might cost you your life!"

Her voice turned a few degrees colder.

"I understand."

Lin Qi's attitude remained firm.

"This is what I deserve."

Instructor Su Qing gave him a deep look, a flash of disappointment crossing her beautiful eyes.

She thought this unique young man had been blinded by massive gain.

Coveting an ethereal reward even at the cost of his life.

"Suit yourself."

She said no more and turned to leave, leaving behind a cold back.

...

Friday, 3:00 PM.

The Central Auditorium of Longya Academy was packed to the rafters, with every seat occupied.

All the spotlights were focused on the high awards platform in the center of the auditorium.

A beaming Principal Gao personally took a bottle crafted from special crystal from his assistant.

Inside the bottle was half a bottle of crystal-clear liquid, like morning dew, reflecting a dreamlike luster under the lights.

That was the swapped "Heavens Gift Potion."

In the front row below the stage.

Li Qingxuan's body trembled slightly with excitement.

He stared fixedly at the crystal bottle, as if he could already see Lin Qi's miserable state of rolling on the ground with his genes collapsing after drinking it.

"Next, let us welcome our hero, Student Lin Qi, to the stage with the warmest applause to receive his award!"

Amidst the host's impassioned voice and thunderous applause.

Lin Qi's expression was calm as he walked step by step onto the high stage that was the focus of everyone's attention.

He took the crystal bottle containing the poison from the principal's hand.

His gaze passed over the countless envious or jealous Faces below the stage, finally landing on Li Qingxuan's Face, which was already somewhat distorted from excessive excitement.

The corners of Li Qingxuan's mouth could no longer be suppressed, curling up frantically.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the moment that would seal the other's fate!

Lin Qi withdrew his gaze and raised the crystal bottle in his hand toward all the teachers and students below.

With his other hand, he pulled out the stopper.

A faint, disguised fragrance wafted out.

"Thank you for the school's gift."

His calm voice spread throughout the auditorium via the microphone.

"This cup, I'll drink it down."