30: Chapter 30 Poachers, Enhancers

Shortly after Zhou Sanlang left, all the lights in the Orphanage went out.

The children drifted into dreamland, and Director Gu Sanding yawned and lay down on his bed.

Ever since his heart bypass surgery, his sleep had been getting better and better.

Coupled with Chen Mo's brilliant performance in the ring, Director Gu Sanding had been sleeping quite soundly these past few days.

But while some slept well, others did not; the principal of Second High School was currently drinking gloomily, his face ashen.

"Old Wang, stop drinking."

"Who would have thought that this entire batch at Second High School wouldn't have a single Talent-based Martial Artist?"

"At least we have two Ascetic Martial Artists who made it into the top eight, right? Besides First High School, Second High School, Third High School, and Experimental Martial Arts High School, the other schools didn't even make it into the top eight."

Listening to his wife's comfort, the mood of Second High School Principal Wang Jianguo did not improve; instead, he felt even more stifled.

"Leave me alone, go to sleep!"

Wang Jianguo waved his hand, and his helpless wife could only sigh, turn around, and return to the bedroom.

Swallowing one drink after another, this 2nd-rank Martial Artist became tipsy, his whole person losing clarity.

"No, at least one has to make it into the top four..."

A tipsy Wang Jianguo went up to the second floor of his home, fumbling on the fingerprint lock for a long time before finding the spot to verify his fingerprint.

The safe door slowly opened, and Wang Jianguo looked at a sealed box inside, wanting to reach out and take it.

"No!"

Wang Jianguo jolted awake, slamming the safe shut.

"What the hell am I doing?"

"How could I use something like this?"

"Losing is losing; it's not shameful to be inferior in skill. At most, next year's funding will just be a little less."

"I can't just abandon my principles for that little bit of funding..."

Having sobered up for a moment, Wang Jianguo shook his head and went downstairs to his room, still tipsy.

But sometimes, just because you can hold onto your principles doesn't mean others can do the same.

Late at night, the gates of Luocheng Sports Center were locked tight, and the Martial Education Bureau officers responsible for patrolling were diligent and dutiful.

A figure hid in the shadows, dodging the cameras and the patrolling officers like an agile cat, and with a single leap, exited the sports center.

That person didn't hesitate at all, quickening their pace and disappearing at the end of the street.

Finally, the figure appeared at the Luo City sewage treatment plant, a pair of shifty eyes seemingly searching for something.

"Looking for me?"

A hooded figure suddenly appeared, scaring the person into a flying leap to distance themselves.

"No need to be so nervous. You're not doing this for the first time, are you, kid?"

The person lifted their hood, revealing a face weathered by time.

"Don't be afraid. Although the authorities have explicitly banned the use and manufacture of 'Enhancers,' aren't there still those 'Poachers'?"

"This is top-tier merchandise I got from the Poachers. If you offer too low, I won't sell."

The hooded person was clearly an underground middleman, holding goods from who knows where and looking for a buyer.

"350,000. This is the last bit of money I have on me."

The person who ran out of the sports center took a deep breath, seemingly having made a final decision.

"Yes, of course, that's fine."

The hooded figure's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected that this vial of medicine, picked up from an abandoned Poachers base, could actually sell for such a high price.

He originally thought 30,000 or 40,000 would be about right; after all, who knows what the effects of this medicine are?

But who would have thought he would run into a sucker willing to pay a high price for a medicine with unknown effects.

Of course, he didn't say it explicitly, because the people who could contact him basically understood the situation.

But what he didn't know was that the client in front of him didn't understand any of this at all; being able to contact him was purely a coincidence.

After the money and goods were exchanged, the two parted ways.

The hooded figure could never have imagined that he had just sold some black-market goods, and it would lead to such a sensational case and scandal that would rock all of Luo City.

...

Early in the morning, the eight remaining candidates for this Luo City City-level Joint Exam arrived at the 'exam venue' on time.

Compared to the previous two days, the number of spectators in the audience had increased, and they had formed clear divisions.

The northern spectator stands near Chen Mo's resting area were filled with students and teachers from Third High School.

There were ox-hide drums and all kinds of colorful flags; everyone was ready to cheer for Chen Mo and Wang Jun.

The children from Chenguang Orphanage were surrounded by the students, each holding a plastic clapping toy, just like at a childhood party.

"Good grief, Principal, how much funding did you spend on this?"

Chen Mo squinted and looked behind him; wherever his gaze landed, it was basically all people from Third High School.

"Don't worry about that; anyway, I didn't touch the school's funding."

Principal Liu Zhifeng touched his empty wallet, his expression freezing for a moment.

But what did that matter?

This was the first time in their Third High School history that they had ever made it into the top eight; they had to pull out all the stops!

Correspondingly, First High School and Experimental Martial Arts High School had their own cheering squads, which almost packed the entire spectator stands of the sports center.

But Second High School... was much quieter.

Except for the contestants' parents and family, almost no one came to cheer for them.

Inside the Second High School resting area, the teenager touched the needle mark that was throbbing with a faint, stinging pain, his eyes filled with ferocity and gloom.