112: Chapter 112 All Parties Gather, the Hundred-Ton Transport King Invites

Please keep the autograph safe.

The honest smile on Ye Xiao's Face vanished in an instant, replaced once again by soaring Battle Intent.

"Alright, let's get down to business. I'm here to challenge you!"

The speed of his personality shift made even Su Ming admire him.

One second he was a little fanboy carefully tucking away an autograph, and the next, he had transformed into a murderous challenger.

"A challenge?" Su Ming tilted his head. "Not interested."

"This afternoon!"

Ye Xiao clenched his fists unconsciously, the pale blue lightning arcs swirling around his body jumping more violently.

"I want to fight you on the martial arts exam ring this afternoon! A battle between true powerhouses should be decided on a stage watched by the masses!"

He suddenly remembered something, and that upright, unyielding streak in his personality flared up, his tone tinged with indignation.

"That guy named Zhao Kuo, I saw him outside just now. He was blabbering nonsense and spouting filth—he's no good!"

"I'll help you take care of him on the ring this afternoon."

There wasn't a hint of hostility in Ye Xiao's eyes, which made Su Ming find him much more agreeable.

The young man's Heart-Nature wasn't bad, and his values were sound; he was much better than a maggot in the gutter like Zhao Kuo.

"You don't need to get involved with that scum," Su Ming said indifferently.

"If you want to fight, we'll talk about it after the college entrance exam."

Having received a promise, Ye Xiao grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"It's a deal!"

He didn't catch Su Ming's perfunctory tone at all. Instead, he took out his phone on the spot.

"Then let's add each other on WeChat! Saves me the trouble of not being able to find you later!"

Su Ming stepped back half a pace, looking pained.

"Little Ye, do you have any idea how valuable my friend slots are?"

"Huh? You're selling them?"

"Every time I add someone like you, that's one less girl I can add in college."

Shen Qingci spoke up coldly from the side: "Pervert, shameless!"

Su Ming's mouth twitched.

He silently pulled out his terminal and opened the QR code.

"Ding—"

"The Devil King of Late Night Snacks wants to add you as a friend."

Late Night Snack? Su Ming glanced at Ye Xiao and accepted the friend request.

Ye Xiao's terminal vibrated. He looked down at Su Ming's username.

"Why are you called the Hundred-Ton Transport King? What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

Ye Xiao briskly put away his terminal and raised a fist at Su Ming.

"Good luck this afternoon, I won't go easy on you!"

"Sure, sure." Su Ming laughed.

Go easy? You, a Tier 2 or Tier 3 kid, going easy on a hundred-ton Tier 4 Silicon-Based lifeform? That's quite the tall promise.

But Su Ming didn't say it out loud. After all, the guy had just given him the Face of a fan seeking an autograph. One shouldn't be too excessive.

Just then, the broadcast from the distant exam grounds drifted over, instructing all examinees to head to the central examination square to prepare for the afternoon's martial arts combat assessment.

A new confrontation was about to begin!

Hearing this, the lightning arcs all over Ye Xiao's body jumped violently, as if his combat instincts had been activated.

"Let's go, let's go!"

He strode out of the corridor, then turned back after a few steps and waved at Su Ming and Shen Qingci.

"Hurry up! King of Posers! Don't dawdle!"

Su Ming shook his head as he watched his hurried figure.

"This guy's thought process is truly unique."

"A martial arts fanatic," Shen Qingci gave a precise definition in a soft voice.

She had just scanned Ye Xiao with her Geng Metal perception.

This seemingly boisterous, burly man had an extremely high concentration of Lightning-type Source Energy in his body, and his method of circulation was very wild—not like the disciplined paths of the academies, but rather honed through actual combat.

He was at the Early Stage of the Tier 3 Silver Realm, just like her.

But that ferocious vitality and explosive Battle Intent were far more fierce than an average Tier 3.

"Let's go." Shen Qingci withdrew her thoughts and stepped forward first.

Su Ming followed, and the two walked out of the corridor side by side.

Sunlight poured in from the exit, stinging their eyes and causing them to squint.

The central square outside was already packed with people. Giant holographic screens floated in mid-air, scrolling real-time information on examinee groupings.

Students from all directions surged toward the check-in area like a tide, accompanied by the clamor of excitement, nervousness, and eagerness.

Su Ming squinted and scanned the area.

The afternoon martial arts exam ring. Zhao Kuo. A life-and-death contract. And this Lightning-type martial arts fanatic who had popped up. It was getting quite lively.

He flexed his fingers, feeling the lingering warmth at his fingertips, while suddenly looking up at the sky.

Above the central square, in addition to the exam's holographic screens, there were three... no, five hovering aircraft.

They were hovering at different altitudes, with the lens modules under their bellies aimed directly at the ring area in the center of the square.

They had military-specific paint jobs. They weren't from the media.

Shen Qingci saw them too.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, identifying a familiar serial number on the tail fin of one of the aircraft. It was a reconnaissance model directly under the Intelligence Division of the Southern Theater.

"It seems..." Shen Qingci lowered her voice, "it's not just the major martial arts academies keeping an eye on you."

Su Ming withdrew his gaze, the curve of his mouth deepening.

"That's perfect then."

"Saves me from having to write my own admission application after the exam."

He strode toward the check-in desk, his combat boots hitting the hard alloy ground without leaving a single mark.

Meanwhile, in a corner on the other side of the check-in desk, Zhao Kuo had changed into a brand-new dark red combat suit and was whispering to a middle-aged man...

——————

Outside the west gate of the Imperial Academy, deep in Wutong Lane. A private club with no sign: Di Lin Number One.

Blue bricks and grey tiles; the front door was permanently lined with military-plated armored vehicles. Those who could enter this door were either incredibly wealthy or of high status, and most wore military uniforms.

Top floor, Private Room 888.

The dome was a transparent Source Energy light screen, and the floor was covered with the entire hide of a Tier 3 exotic beast, black and white stripes spreading beneath their feet, feeling as soft as clouds when stepped on.

The crystal chandelier didn't hang crystals, but thumb-sized Tier 2 Source Energy crystals, emitting a pale blue, eerie glow.

Several waitresses in cheongsams moved between the guests, the vintage of the wine bottles on their trays older than most people present.

They were all Tier 2 Awakened; outside, they would at least be the backbone of a small mercenary group, but here, they were only responsible for pouring wine.

The man in the main seat had sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, his every gesture carrying a domineering aura of controlling life and death.

Sitting on both sides were young children of military officers wearing Imperial Academy uniforms, the lowest rank on their shoulder boards being a Second Lieutenant.

"Brother Teng, are you really going to the South?" a young man with a Captain's shoulder board asked in a low voice.

"Zhennan City doesn't even have a decent club."

Another young master chimed in flatteringly: "Brother Teng, you are the Battalion Commander of the 'Po' Battalion of the Xuanwu Legion, the youngest Lieutenant Colonel in the Northern Theater. Do you really want to go back to school to teach those brats?"

The man didn't answer, only swirling the deep red wine in his glass.

As the heir to the Imperial Wang family, Wang Teng's background was enough to suffocate ordinary people.

His father was a Five-Star General guarding the border, and his uncle, Wang Wanjun, was a powerful minister in the core department of the military.

He shook his wine glass, swallowing the cool, aloof figure in his mind along with the wine.

Then, placing the empty glass on the table, his eyes became profound: "The application has been approved. Once the college entrance exam is over, I will enter the Southern United Academy as a 'Combat Instructor'."