11: Chapter 11 Clues to Ancient Civilizations

"Kid..."

The old man's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of dried-out sandpaper rubbing against each other.

"That dismantling technique you used against the Undead Knight, you copied it from the Ancient God War three hundred years ago, didn't you?"

The end of the question didn't rise in pitch; it sounded more like an indisputable statement.

The thick scent of stale paper in the air seemed to freeze at that moment. Jiang Xun's calm expression didn't change in the slightest, but his fingers, which were pushing up his glasses, paused for a split second.

Hidden behind those ordinary black-rimmed glasses, his pupils suddenly contracted into the most dangerous needle-point shape, his brain operating at an unprecedented speed.

Ancient God War.

This term had only appeared once or twice in the form of rumors in some extremely obscure historical annotations he had read in his past life. Mainstream history in this era had long since completely erased that period, replacing it with the glorious chapter of the "Dawn of the Deity Era."

How could this old man before him, who looked like he could be blown over by the wind at any moment, know it so clearly?

Moreover, the word he used was "copy," not "plunder."

Did this mean that in the other party's eyes, his SSS-rank Talent was just a relatively efficient method of "plagiarism"?

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in a split second, and a fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped out on Jiang Xun's back.

He didn't answer, but instead asked back: "Old sir, what are you talking about? I just came to find a few reference books on the evolution of basic civilizations."

"Heh."

The old man's cloudy eyes moved, that terrifying glint flashing and vanishing, returning to that half-dead, listless state.

He straightened up from that pile of ancient books that was taller than himself, revealing a face full of wrinkles and age spots.

"Stop putting on an act in front of me. The energy core of the Undead Civilization, the Bloodline frenzy of the Orc Civilization, and the basics of that Druid life catalysis... You stitched these messy things together, just like a giant infant who has just learned to walk, stringing diamonds and glass beads together, and actually thinking it's some kind of masterpiece."

The old man's tone was full of undisguised disdain.

"Rough, ugly, and full of loopholes. Anyone who knows a little bit about the trade could tear it apart like dismantling building blocks."

Jiang Xun's heart sank completely. The other party knew everything.

Meanwhile, in the principal's office of Jiangcheng No. 3 High School, the atmosphere was very oppressive.

The obese Dean of Students, who was Li Ang's distant relative, Director Li Fu, was flushing red, almost roaring.

"Principal! This is unfair! That Jiang Xun, he is just a thief! He stole Li Ang's Undead Civilization, he used cheating methods to win the championship! We must cancel his results and expel him!"

Principal Zhou Wenhai sat behind the large desk, his face as calm as water, saying nothing.

He just tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

Each sound was like a heavy hammer, striking Director Li Fu's heart.

It wasn't until Director Li Fu's voice grew smaller and smaller, and he finally gasped and shut his mouth, that Principal Zhou Wenhai slowly spoke.

"Director Li, the entire assessment was notarized by the Deity Network, witnessed by thousands of teachers and students. You say he cheated, where is the evidence?"

"I..." Director Li Fu was momentarily speechless.

"Without evidence, that is slander." Principal Zhou Wenhai's eyes suddenly became sharp. "An E-Rank Talent student defeated A-rank and B-rank Geniuses, taking the unprecedented championship of our Third High School's assessment. You want to expel him now? Do you want to make our Jiangcheng No. 3 High School the laughingstock of the entire Jiangnan Province?!"

"But the Li family..."

"The Li family?" Principal Zhou Wenhai sneered. "Li Ang is a waste himself, lost the competition, and now wants the school to stand up for him? Director Li Jianguo is the deputy director of the Deity Administration Bureau, not the supreme ruler of my Jiangcheng No. 3 High School!"

He stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and watched the crowd below starting to disperse.

"Now, what we need to consider is not how to appease the Li family, but how to keep this true Dragon, Jiang Xun! You saw his attitude on the awards podium. Our school has already made him feel disappointed."

"Go investigate immediately, all his family information, social relationships, give him the highest scholarship, the best resource allocation! In one month's city-wide resource competition, he must represent our Third High School!"

Director Li Fu's face instantly turned as ugly as liver.

In the top-tier independent ward of the Jiangcheng No. 1 Deity Hospital,

"Ah—!"

Li Ang roared madly, sweeping everything on the bedside table to the floor.

His once handsome face was now twisted with jealousy and resentment. His Divine Kingdom had been plundered clean, and his Talent had fallen from B-rank to D-. This was more painful than killing him.

A middle-aged man in a black suit with a cold expression stood quietly by the hospital bed, letting him vent. On the man's finger was a black jade ring, which he was gently turning.

It wasn't until Li Ang lost his strength, collapsed on the bed, and let out beast-like gasps, that the middle-aged man, who was his father, Deputy Director of the Jiangcheng Deity Administration Bureau, Director Li Jianguo, slowly spoke.

"Are you done making a scene?"

His voice was very calm, without a ripple, yet it made the atmosphere in the ward several degrees colder.

"Dad! You must avenge me! I want him dead! I want to pull out all the believers in his Divine Kingdom and turn them into corpse slaves! I want him to kneel before me and beg me!!" Li Ang shouted with all his might.

"Shut up."

Director Li Jianguo's two faint words made Li Ang's voice stop abruptly.

"The game in school, if you lose, you lose. That was originally just a place for children to play house." Director Li Jianguo walked to the window, watching the bustling traffic of the city, his eyes deep and cold.

"But the rules of the game have never only existed on the competition field."

He took out his personal terminal and dialed a number.

"Black Snake, I have a job for you. A student, named Jiang Xun. I want his Divine Fire to be completely extinguished before the sun rises tomorrow."

Jiang Xun naturally didn't know that the murderous intent directed at him was already quietly approaching.

All his attention was focused on the mysterious old man in front of him.

Being so belittled by a mysterious powerhouse, Jiang Xun didn't get angry at all, but instead bowed sincerely.

"Please, old sir, give me your guidance."

"Hmph, you still have some brains." The old man seemed quite satisfied with Jiang Xun's attitude. He turned around and started rummaging through that dust-covered mountain of books, muttering continuously.

"The foundation is too poor, the Fusion logic is chaotic, only knowing how to plunder, not knowing how to digest... It's simply a barbarian's way of doing things..."

A moment later, he pulled out an ancient book from the very top shelf with a yellowed cover, no code, and even a blurry title, and threw it directly into Jiang Xun's arms like throwing trash.

"Take it and read it yourself! Don't come bother me again!"

After speaking, the old man picked up the broom in the corner and started sweeping impatiently, with the posture of seeing a guest out.

Jiang Xun held this ancient book that seemed like it would fall apart at any moment, thanked him again, and then turned and left this forgotten corner.

When Jiang Xun's figure disappeared at the library entrance, the old man's sweeping movement stopped. He looked in the direction Jiang Xun had left, and a complex look flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"Plunder... Heh, what an overbearing Talent. I don't know if it's this era's fortune, or an even greater disaster..."

In the shadows of the alley entrance, a lame man carrying a broom appeared out of nowhere. He glanced at the window on the third floor of the library and lowered his voice.

"Old Baitou, you just gave him the "fragment of civilizational history" like that? That's a banned book."

"Lame Zhang, you're meddling too much." Old Baitou said irritably. "The chessboard has been dead and silent for hundreds of years. There must be a piece that doesn't follow the rules to jump in and stir things up. Otherwise, you and I, these old bones, will wait until we turn to ash and still won't see the day when the truth comes to light."

Lame Zhang was silent for a moment, nodded, and his figure merged into the darkness again.

Late at night, in the rental house in the urban village.

Jiang Xun didn't immediately check the huge sum of 100,000 Faith Points, nor did he sort out the messy civilizations he had plundered.

He solemnly spread the ancient book he got from Old Baitou on the table.

The pages were very fragile.

"fragment of civilizational history".

He flipped to the table of contents.

Most of the entries, he had never heard of. When his gaze fell on one of the entries covered by heavy ink, his breathing suddenly stopped.

That ink blot had faded a bit due to the long passage of time.

Under the dim light of the desk lamp, he could barely make out the two words hidden beneath the ink.

—Ancient God.

A chill suddenly rose in his heart.

The Ancient God War three hundred years ago, the erased history, Old Baitou's question, and the deliberately covered entry in this banned book.

All the clues pointed to a huge secret deliberately buried by this era.

Jiang Xun pushed up his glasses, a cold light reflecting on the lenses.

He looked at the two faintly visible ancient characters and fell into a long contemplation.

"Behind this era of universal deities, such a secret is actually hidden."