41: Chapter 41 Li Jianguo's Vicious Scheme

The dormitory was quiet. Jiang Xun leaned back in his chair, staring at the two messages side-by-side on his terminal, saying nothing.

One was gleaming with gold—an official invitation from the Jiangcheng Education Bureau. The large characters "Jiangnan Province Prodigy Preliminaries" represented honor and a ticket to a grander stage.

The other was pitch black—an encrypted warning from Old Ghost, with a very simple message.

"Beware of the Li family. Director Li Jianguo has already utilized his authority within the Deity Administration Bureau. He wants you dead during the preliminaries."

Opportunity and murderous intent always seemed to arrive together. Jiang Xun closed the shiny invitation and tapped his finger lightly on the message sent by Old Ghost.

A graveyard? That depends on who is being buried.

...

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Jiangcheng Deity Administration Bureau.

In the bureau chief's office, thick with smoke, Director Li Jianguo hung up the communicator. The flesh on his face trembled with suppressed ferocity. On the virtual screen in front of him was the footage of Jiang Xun slaughtering his way through the monthly assessment, as well as the humiliating scene where Brother Feng and the others were forced to bow and apologize.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

He swept the expensive tea set off the table, shattering it to pieces. This was not just about his son Li Ang's reputation; it was the first time the authority the Li family had cultivated in Jiangcheng for years had been so blatantly challenged.

An assistant walked in cautiously and whispered: "Chief, the rules for the preliminaries have been drafted according to custom; it's an individual points tournament..."

"Points tournament?" Director Li Jianguo sneered, interrupting him. "That kind of child's play—what kind of real warriors can that select? With the extraterrestrial evil gods watching us like tigers, what we need to cultivate for the human race are wolves that can survive in blood and fire, not flowers in a greenhouse!"

He stood up, walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the night view of Jiangcheng, his voice turning cold and authoritative.

"Pass on my order: hold a press conference immediately."

"Tell them that in order to better simulate a real battlefield environment and exercise the prodigies' teamwork and survival skills, the rules for this municipal prodigy preliminaries have been temporarily changed!"

"Change it to... the 'Divine Kingdom Survival Battle' mode."

The assistant trembled all over, nearly losing his footing.

Divine Kingdom Survival Battle?

Wasn't that the highest intensity war mode? All participants would be thrown into the same battlefield, and aside from not being able to actually kill the opponent's deity, all means would be permitted! Hunting, alliances, betrayal... it would be a true dark forest game!

"Chief, this... this change is too drastic. I'm afraid it will cause a lot of controversy..."

"Controversy?" Director Li Jianguo turned around abruptly, his eyes staring at him like a viper. "My word is the rule! Anyone with a complaint can come talk to me! I'd like to see who dares to joke with the future of the human race!"

"Yes... yes! I'll get it done immediately!"

The assistant scrambled out.

The office returned to silence. Director Li Jianguo relit a cigar and dialed several encrypted numbers.

"Hello, is that Old Wang? You've heard about the preliminaries, right? Do me a favor: have your kid keep a close eye on someone named Jiang Xun in there. Once it's done, that plot of land in the south of the city is yours."

"President Zhang, your daughter is participating this time, right? I'm giving you the opportunity. As long as she can make Jiang Xun the first one eliminated, I'll find a way to get that recommendation letter for Taichu Academy."

One phone call after another was made, and an invisible giant web quietly spread open.

The next morning, at the Jiangcheng Deity Center.

At the press conference, flashlights lit up the scene.

Director Li Jianguo, dressed in a crisp uniform, sat on the podium, speaking with righteous indignation.

"...Therefore, for the future of our Jiangcheng and to select the warriors who can truly represent our human race in battle, I announce that this preliminary round will adopt the brand-new 'Divine Kingdom Survival Battle' mode!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the five blood-red characters for "Divine Kingdom Survival Battle" appeared on the massive screen behind him, filled with a murderous aura.

The audience erupted in an uproar.

"What? Survival Battle? This is too unfair! How are we civilian deities supposed to compete with those from noble families?"

"Isn't this just forcing us to be cannon fodder for them?"

Representatives from several small families and independent deities protested on the spot.

Director Li Jianguo just glanced at them coldly. Security personnel immediately stepped forward and "escorted" the few people leading the commotion away.

The scene quickly returned to silence, but everyone's faces were filled with anxiety and fear.

In the spectator seats for the Key Class, Xu Qingran sat there, her delicate fists clenched tightly, her palms full of sweat.

She looked at the hypocritical figure on the stage, a chill running through her heart.

Everyone knew that this rule was aimed directly at Jiang Xun!

In an individual points tournament, with Jiang Xun's monstrous strength, no one was a match for him.

But in a survival battle, two fists are no match for four hands; he would be isolated and hunted by the scions of all the powerful families in Jiangcheng!

She subconsciously looked toward the direction of Jiang Xun's dormitory, her heart filled with worry.

At this moment, Jiang Xun was sitting in his dormitory, calmly watching all of this via the live stream.

On the screen, Director Li Jianguo's face filled the entire frame, still passionately spouting platitudes about serving the country and the people.

Jiang Xun turned off the live stream, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk.

"Divine Kingdom Survival Battle..."

He whispered it once, showing no emotion.

You make your move, and I'll receive it.

I'm just afraid you won't play for high stakes.

He opened his Divine Kingdom terminal and began to pull up the profiles of all the Key Class students who might participate, as well as information on the younger generation of Jiangcheng's major families.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

As he was building character models, deducing everyone's behavioral logic and potential alliance relationships, his terminal suddenly vibrated.

It was an anonymous message.

Jiang Xun opened it.

He didn't recognize the sender, but the content made the fingers tapping on the desk stop.

"Brother Xun, be careful! It's me, Lin Hao."

"My dad's coworker works as a driver for the Li family, and I overheard it! Director Li Jianguo has already colluded with them. At least a dozen prodigies have taken benefits from their family and are planning to use tracking items to find you as soon as the competition starts, teaming up to surround and eliminate you first!"

Jiang Xun looked at this message and was silent for a few seconds.

Then he raised his head and looked out the window.

The sky was gradually darkening.

The storm was coming.