113: Chapter 113 Disposable Armor, Nine Heavens Thunder Pearl

When the whistle signaling the end of the second round sounded, the sky had already darkened.

The light screens on the square descended one by one, revealing the teams standing on the ten arenas.

The list of those who Advanced scrolled across the big screen.

Arena 1: Lin Fan, Ye Wushuang, and Ye Qing's team.

Arena 2: Zhao Tianyu, Lin Xue'er, and Feng Ji's team.

...

Zhou Yuan's team was surprisingly among them as well.

Lin Fan glanced at Zhou Yuan's name but said nothing.

President Ye Wenyuan stood on the podium, scanned the ten teams below, and picked up the microphone.

"Congratulations to the ten teams that Advanced. The third round of the competition, which is also the final round, is the Secret Realm Crystal Grab."

The square fell silent.

The screen behind President Ye Wenyuan lit up, displaying a map with a red area marked on it.

"Three days from now, you will enter the Advanced Secret Realm—the Cangwu Secret Realm."

"Inside the Secret Realm, we have pre-placed five colors of crystals. Red, 100 points. Purple, 50 points. Blue, 20 points. Green, 10 points. Yellow, 5 points."

He paused. "Your mission is to collect the crystals. Ultimately, rankings will be based on the team's total points. Plundering is allowed."

The moment those last four words landed, the square erupted into chaos.

"An Advanced Secret Realm? The Cangwu Secret Realm? That place is full of Rank 40 to 60 Armor Beasts!"

"We are only at the Armor Spirit Rank; isn't going in there just asking for death?"

"Plundering is allowed? Doesn't that mean we can fight?"

President Ye Wenyuan raised his hand, signaling for silence.

Once the discussion died down, he continued.

"The crystals are placed in the outer area, where most Armor Beasts are below Rank 50. However, an Advanced Secret Realm is dangerous after all, so..."

He looked at the crowd below. "If anyone wants to withdraw, you may leave now."

The square was silent for a moment.

Although many people looked down in hesitation, in the end, no team left.

President Ye Wenyuan nodded.

"Three days from now, at dawn, gather at the square. You are dismissed."

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Lin Fan glanced at Ye Qing.

"An Advanced Secret Realm, huh? Your own father is truly ruthless; he doesn't even go easy on his own daughter."

Ye Qing sneered in response.

"Right back at you; your own Master is quite ruthless to you as well."

Ye Wushuang remained silent; it was none of his business anyway.

As the three of them were about to leave, a staff member trotted over.

"Mr. Lin, Young Miss, the President would like to see you in his office."

Ye Wushuang tactfully looked at Lin Fan.

"Then I'll be off first."

Lin Fan and Ye Qing followed the staff member into the association building and went up to the third floor.

President Ye Wenyuan sat behind his desk with a map spread out in front of him; it was the same map of the Cangwu Secret Realm that had been on the big screen earlier.

He looked up at the two of them and pointed to the chairs opposite him.

"Sit."

Ye Qing sat down obediently, while Lin Fan sat beside her and crossed his legs.

President Ye Wenyuan pushed the map toward the two of them and drew a circle with his finger around the outer perimeter of the marked red area.

"The Cangwu Secret Realm, the outer area. The crystals are placed in this zone. Most Armor Beasts are between Rank 40 and 50. With the strength of the three of you in your team, as long as you don't go deeper, you'll have no problem protecting yourselves."

Lin Fan nodded.

"Understood."

President Ye Wenyuan gave him a meaningful look.

"But it's not the Armor Beasts you need to be careful of."

Lin Fan looked up. President Ye Wenyuan tapped on the map.

"Don't forget, Zhou Yuan's team is also entering. It's perfectly normal for a few accidents to happen inside the Secret Realm."

Lin Fan was stunned for a moment.

"Zhou Yuan? He can't beat me anyway."

President Ye Wenyuan glared at him.

"He doesn't necessarily have to fight you head-on. In the Secret Realm, there are plenty of ways to make someone disappear."

Lin Fan was silent for a moment, then suddenly rubbed his hands together, put on a flattering smile, and leaned in toward President Ye Wenyuan.

"Master, look, the Secret Realm is so dangerous, and that brat Zhou Yuan is eyeing me like a tiger stalking its prey. With my frail physique, if something were to happen to me inside..."

President Ye Wenyuan looked at him expressionlessly.

"Speak like a human."

Lin Fan chuckled.

"Master, do you have any good life-saving items? Just give me ten or eight of them, I won't complain about having too many."

Ye Qing rolled her eyes from the side and scooted away, wearing an expression that said, "I don't know this person."

President Ye Wenyuan's mouth twitched.

"Ten or eight? Do you think the association is run by my family?"

Lin Fan quickly waved his hands.

"Five will do then. Three? Two? Master, you can't just watch your disciple go into the Secret Realm to die. If I die, who will serve you tea and pour water? Who will take care of your retirement and funeral arrangements?"

President Ye Wenyuan was amused by his audacity.

"When have you ever served me tea or poured water for me?"

Lin Fan said righteously.

"Well, I haven't started yet, have I? Once you give me those life-saving items, I'll start serving you as soon as I come out."

President Ye Wenyuan shook his head and took two small boxes out of the drawer.

He first looked at Ye Qing and pushed one of the boxes over to her, then looked at Lin Fan and slammed the other box onto the table.

Lin Fan's eyes lit up, and he quickly opened the box.

Inside lay two thumb-sized orbs, entirely silver-white, with fine thunder patterns on the surface. Occasionally, an electric arc would jump, casting a silvery glow within the box.

"Nine Heavens Thunder Orbs."

President Ye Wenyuan said, "Disposable Armor Gear. If you throw them and detonate them, even an Armor King can be blown to smithereens. If you encounter an Armor Sovereign, throw both together, and you can even make them lose a layer of skin."

He looked at Lin Fan.

"I was going to give them to you anyway; I just can't stand that debt-collector look on your face."

Lin Fan took the orbs out of the box, weighed them in his palm, and smiled until his eyes squinted.

"Master, you really are my true Master. This stuff is good, and it's shiny enough."

He carefully put the orbs back into the box and quickly stuffed it into his spatial ring.

President Ye Wenyuan glared at him.

"Don't underestimate the enemy. That Vice President Zhou Liangzhu is capable of anything. Since he dared to let Zhou Yuan enter the Secret Realm, he must have a backup plan. The Nine Heavens Thunder Orbs are for your life-saving, not for you to use as toys."

Lin Fan shoved the box into the innermost layer of his backpack and patted it.

"Don't worry, Master. If he comes looking for me, I'll blow him up. If two aren't enough, I'll borrow Ye Qing's two as well."

Ye Qing sneered.

"Why should I lend them to you?"

Lin Fan put on an innocent face and tried to act cute.

"Qingqing, I am your obedient and cute Junior Brother, you know."

Ye Qing's mouth twitched.

"Before I slap you, turn your face away immediately!"

President Ye Wenyuan watched the two of them bickering and shook his head. He looked at Ye Qing, his tone becoming a bit more serious.

"You be careful too. That Vice President Zhou Liangzhu is very devious. You are in the light, and he is in the dark. Once you enter the Secret Realm, don't get too far away from Lin Fan."

Ye Qing nodded. "Understood, Dad."

President Ye Wenyuan waved his hand.

"Go back and prepare. We leave in three days; get some good rest."

The two of them stood up and walked out.

Lin Fan walked to the door and suddenly turned back.

"I'm serious about taking care of your retirement and funeral arrangements, Master. Do you like gold coffins? When I buy one for Old Mo, I can ask the merchant if they offer a discount for two."

A vein in President Ye Wenyuan's temple throbbed, and he counted down with a forced, stiff smile.

"3... 2... 1..."

Before he finished counting, Lin Fan had already slipped away and disappeared.