54: Chapter 54 Divine Child? That's Just a Medal of Honor

"Contestant Lin Yuan!"

A reporter seized the opportunity to ask a question, aggressively demanding:

"Although this was a virtual competition, you used an extremely cruel method of mental torture against Shadow Academy captain Night Owl at the very last moment, leading to his brain death in reality. Isn't this behavior overly brutal? Doesn't it violate the humanitarian spirit of martial arts competition?"

This question was extremely tricky, even carrying a hint of moral coercion.

The entire venue fell silent, waiting for Lin Yuan's answer.

Sitting on the stage, Lin Yuan was still wearing that black team uniform; he didn't even spare the reporter a glance.

"Humanitarianism?"

Bang!

A loud crash.

A middle-aged man in military uniform with general's stars on his shoulders, sitting next to Lin Yuan, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

He was the chairman of the competition's organizing committee and also a high-level representative of the military—Commander.

"Insolence!"

Commander glared with wide eyes, and the killing intent honed from long years on the battlefield instantly made the reporter's face turn pale, causing him to collapse onto the floor.

Commander waved his hand, and the large screen behind him displayed an image. In the photo, Night Owl's brain structure had completely mutated, looking drastically different from a human brain.

"This is the autopsy report that came out ten minutes ago!"

Commander's voice, like a booming bell, resonated throughout the venue:

"After a joint assessment by the military and the Martial Arts Association, Shadow Academy captain Night Owl and his four team members have all been confirmed as 'God's Abominations' deeply modified by the Pantheon Cult! In other words, they are the so-called 'God Children' and suicide attackers!"

The entire venue was in an uproar!

The reporters were so shocked their jaws nearly hit the floor.

"The Pantheon Cult? That terrorist organization lurking within the competition?"

"Good heavens... Lin Yuan didn't kill students, he killed terrorists?!"

Commander looked at Lin Yuan, his originally stern gaze instantly turning incredibly appreciative and solemn.

He actually gave Lin Yuan a standard military salute in front of all the cameras!

"If it weren't for student Lin Yuan discovering this in time and decisively taking action to annihilate their spiritual source in the virtual world, the consequences would have been unimaginable once this malignant tumor erupted!"

"Approved by the military's Supreme Command—"

"We hereby specially award student Lin Yuan the 'First-Class Medal for Defense of the Nation'! He is also credited with a special-class merit!"

Boom—!

"Lin Yuan is awesome! A young hero!"

"Well killed! When dealing with cultists, one must cut the weeds and dig up the roots!"

"What God Child? In front of Lin Yuan, they're just walking five-hundred-thousand bounties!"

Facing this sudden honor and applause, Lin Yuan merely looked down at the medal on his chest and reached up to straighten his collar.

He looked at the reporter who had asked the question earlier and said indifferently:

"God Child?"

"That is just my medal of merit."

The next day, the draw ceremony for the Round of 16.

The top sixteen teams that had fought their way out of the Asura Ancient Battlefield had their captains line up in front of the giant holographic draw machine.

As the first place of Group A, Lin Yuan stood at the very front of the line.

And next to him was the first place of Group B, the captain of Imperial Capital Martial Arts University, Ye Fan.

Their gazes collided in the air, as if sparks were flying.

"Good luck, great hero Lin."

Ye Fan looked at the glaring First-Class Medal for Defense of the Nation on Lin Yuan's chest, a flash of undisguised jealousy crossing his eyes.

Although he was a favored child of heaven, he had never received such high-level military honors. This made him feel extremely unbalanced.

Ye Fan sneered and lowered his voice, saying:

"I hope you don't get eliminated before the finals. I've prepared a big gift for you; I'd be very disappointed if I couldn't give it to you."

"Is that so?"

Lin Yuan had his hands in his pockets and didn't even glance at him, his eyes fixed on the big screen:

"Then you'd better wrap the gift well; I don't accept trash."

"You!" Ye Fan's expression stiffened.

Just then, the host shouted: "The draw begins!"

The giant holographic wheel began to spin rapidly.

A few seconds later.

Ding!

The first matchup list was revealed.

[Imperial Capital Martial Arts University (Group B 1st) VS Northwest Military Academy (Group A 2nd)]

The entire venue gasped!

This was a clash of titans!

Although Northwest Wolf King Wolf King had lost to Lin Yuan, that was because he was countered. Facing Imperial Capital Martial Arts University, this would definitely be a tough battle.

Immediately after, the wheel spun again.

Ding!

[Modu Martial Arts University (Group A 1st) VS Southern Sword Palace (Group C 1st)]

When this matchup appeared, the atmosphere at the venue became somewhat strange.

Following that, a wave of discussion rose and fell, and many people even cast sympathetic glances at Lin Yuan.

"Southern Sword Palace? The one that was eighth last session?"

"It's over, Modu Martial Arts University has terrible luck, actually drawing the Sword Palace!"

"As everyone knows, the 'Sword Intent' of sword cultivators most strongly counters Mentalists! Furthermore, the Sword Palace specializes in the 'Seven-Star Sword Formation'; once the formation is set, spiritual power simply cannot penetrate it!"

"This is a natural counter! Lin Yuan's flying knives are likely going to be broken in the sword formation!"

Hearing this result, Ye Fan finally revealed a long-lost smile.

"It seems I won't need to take action."

Li Changfeng, captain of the Southern Sword Palace—a youth with a cold, icy temperament carrying an ancient-looking longsword on his back—was currently surrounded by reporters.

"Lin Yuan is indeed very strong, and his Spiritual Telekinesis is strange and unpredictable."

Li Changfeng stroked the hilt of the sword on his back, his tone calm yet resonant:

"But it's a pity he met us."

Li Changfeng issued a challenge to the camera:

"As long as he comes within ten paces of us, he will undoubtedly be defeated."

Meanwhile, in another corner of the venue, at the entrance of the Modu Martial Arts University lounge.

Lin Yuan was holding a box of braised pork rice he hadn't finished eating, blocked at the door by several persistent reporters.

"Contestant Lin Yuan! What is your take on Captain Li Changfeng's recent statement about 'sword cultivators countering Mentalists' and the threat of the 'Seven-Star Sword Formation'?"

Lin Yuan swallowed the meat in his mouth and looked at the reporter somewhat helplessly:

"What's my take?"

He used his chopsticks to point at the large piece of fatty meat in his lunch box:

"Sword formation? Sounds pretty flashy, just like this piece of meat; it looks big, but it's actually all fat, nauseating after one bite."

After saying this, he waved his hand, turned around, and walked into the lounge, leaving behind a group of reporters looking at each other in dismay.

Arrogant!

As arrogant as ever!

But only those familiar with Lin Yuan knew that he never fought a battle he wasn't prepared for.

Inside the lounge, Lin Yuan closed the door, and the laziness on his face instantly vanished.

He sat cross-legged on the sofa and took out a piece of silver metal that exuded a chilling aura from his storage ring.

This was a rare material—[Space-Splitting Silver Essence]—that he had exchanged for from the military logistics department using the huge amount of points earned from the group stage, plus the special-class merit he had just received.

This metal had only one characteristic: Armor-Breaking.

It was a top-tier material specifically used to break through the protective Qi and sword Qi of high-level martial artists!

"Sword Intent counters spiritual power?"

[System, initiate Devour and Strengthen!]

Hum!

The nine [cicada wing] flying knives floating beside him instantly emitted a hungry hum, and like starving piranhas, they lunged toward the [Space-Splitting Silver Essence].

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!

As the metal melted, a layer of silver light, so sharp it could cut even a gaze, gradually appeared on the surface of the originally translucent flying knives.

[Strengthening complete!]

[cicada wing · Nine Stars (Upgraded Version)]

[New Characteristic: Armor-Breaking LV2 (Ignores energy shields below B-rank, has 30% additional penetration effect against sword Qi/blade Qi).]

Lin Yuan extended his hand, and the nine upgraded flying knives danced at his fingertips like nine silver sprites ready to devour someone at any moment.

"Seven-Star Sword Formation, is it?"

"Tomorrow, I will let you know what it means to... overcome ten thousand techniques with one force."

"Quick battle, quick resolution!"