52: Chapter 51 - Is this some kind of memorial service for me?

[Hell-Grade Class Advancement Dungeon: Blood Hell Asura Field — Calculating Results]

[Remaining Participants: 1] (Lin Yao cannot be targeted while hanging on his head, so she doesn't count as a person)

[Final Point Rankings:]

[1st Place: Lin Mo — 69,870 points]

[2nd Place: Li Lanying — 2,210 points (Exited)]

[3rd Place: Jiang Chubei — 1,890 points (Exited)]

[Sole Class Advancement Qualification: Lin Mo.]

The light screen flickered, and two golden spheres of light slowly descended from the depths of the void.

The light covering the first sphere slowly dissipated.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: Hell-Grade Exclusive Class Advancement Item — heart of unwavering determination (Mythical Grade - Lin Mo Exclusive)]

[Effect: Upon use, perform a First Class Advancement. Talent gains an exclusive evolution, and all attribute growth is permanently increased by 100%.]

The second sphere of light.

An ancient magic book, pitch-black with dark gold patterns flowing along its edges, floated before Lin Mo.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: Class Skill Awakening Item — Book of Universal Oneness (Mythical Grade - Lin Mo Exclusive)]

[Effect: Use after First Class Advancement to randomly awaken a top-tier exclusive class skill that is highly compatible with your profession.]

...

Outside the Class Advancement Temple in Shimmering City.

Everyone had already been waiting at the entrance for eight hours.

rupole own was the last to come out; he was currently sitting on the steps, saying with a deep frown:

"The last person, who claimed to be a Dragon Attendant of the Dragon Temple, played with Lin Mo like a toy in the palm of his hand."

After rupole own told everyone what he had seen and heard, they all gasped in shock.

"Is that for real? Carrying Lin Yao, he slaughtered over three hundred people like chickens?"

"That's too hard to believe. Could he really take a skill from each of those three hundred people?"

"He sounds impressive, but why hasn't Lin Mo come out yet?"

Chu Kuang remained silent and indifferent.

Su Wan stood to the side, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She had left only slightly later than Chu Kuang, but she had assumed Lin Mo would eventually use the Escape Scroll she gave him.

But even now, there was no news of Lin Mo.

"Slaughtering hundreds of geniuses like chickens?"

Zhang Tianzhen's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, acting as if none of this had anything to do with him.

As if he were merely an instructor normally concerned about his students.

Chu Kuang looked up.

"In short, people from the Zhang family were targeting him, and everyone else banded together because of them."

At the mention of the Zhang family, Zhang Tianzhen's expression froze completely.

The officers nearby looked at each other.

On the second-floor observation deck, Qin Lan sat alone in a corner.

A cup of cold tea sat on the table before her, the ripples on its surface perfectly still.

Her communicator had rung seventeen times.

Every time, it was an encrypted frequency from Alliance Headquarters.

She hadn't answered once.

Not because she didn't dare.

But because it was so damn annoying.

She was the one who had agreed to let Lin Mo enter the Hell-Grade Class Advancement Dungeon.

She had deliberately allowed the Ling Consortium own to report the leak of the Zhang family's intelligence.

She thought she had given Lin Mo enough trump cards to save his life.

Yet, Lin Mo still hadn't come out.

That Resurrection Coin was supposed to teleport a person out of the dungeon immediately upon being triggered.

Moreover, it was a passive trigger, so there was no fear of it being interrupted.

This was one of the reasons she had felt confident letting Lin Mo go in.

Based on the time, the safety period should have completely vanished by now.

But Lin Mo still hadn't emerged.

Now it seemed that something had truly happened to Lin Mo...

Dragon Attendant of the Dragon Temple...

Qin Lan clenched her fists!

If it were them, interrupting the Resurrection Coin didn't seem impossible.

The Dragon Temple was no benevolent organization.

Back when the Dragon Temple was active, if someone said something they didn't like, they would immediately slaughter whole cities and topple nations.

They believed everyone in the world should serve the Dragon Temple unconditionally, or else they deserved to die.

If the Dragon King had truly appeared—

In today's world, only a fully grown Overlord Su Xiaoli could contend with him!

A King... only a King is qualified to be his opponent!

The communication cut off.

The eighteenth vibration.

Qin Lan finally reached out and pressed the answer button.

A holographic projection lit up, and a cold, hard face appeared on the light screen.

Pei Jun, Deputy Director of the Inspection Bureau at Alliance Headquarters.

His military rank was half a grade higher than Qin Lan's.

More importantly, he and Qin Lan had been at odds at Alliance Headquarters for over a decade without a clear victory.

"Qin Lan."

Pei Jun's voice was devoid of emotion.

"The Deputy Alliance Leader asked me to ask you."

"Did Lin Mo enter the Hell-Grade Class Advancement Dungeon under your supervision?"

Qin Lan's fingers tightened slightly.

"Yes."

"Was it with your consent?"

"...Yes."

"Then tell me."

Pei Jun leaned forward.

"The sole relative of a Mythical Grade Kings Selection professional, and a high-value talent confirmed by Alliance Headquarters to possess a hidden talent."

"You let him enter a Hell-Grade dungeon with a 99% mortality rate?"

"Is your brain infested by Abyss Worms?"

Normally, Qin Lan would have definitely retorted.

But now, judging that something had happened to Lin Mo, she had nothing to say.

Pei Jun continued:

"The Alliance Leader's exact words: if Lin Mo dies inside, Qin Lan will be dismissed and demoted, and will face a Military Tribunal for sentencing."

Qin Lan closed her eyes.

"Furthermore."

Pei Jun's tone suddenly changed, carrying a hint of undisguised pleasure.

"The Alliance Leader said you can no longer be allowed to let Lin Mo act recklessly."

"Whether Lin Mo is dead or alive, your status as his dao protector is immediately revoked."

"From now on, I will take over the responsibility of guarding Lin Mo."

Qin Lan snapped her eyes open.

"Pei Jun, you—"

"This is an order personally issued by the Alliance Leader."

Pei Jun interrupted her.

"If you have any objections, bring them up in person at Alliance Headquarters."

The holographic projection shut off.

Qin Lan's hand rested on the table, veins popping.

She took a deep breath.

Then, she crushed the teacup in front of her into powder.

The crowd downstairs grew larger and larger.

News traveled fast.

"Have you heard? That Level 30 Blank Slate Warrior entered the Hell-Grade dungeon."

"So what if he did? He's protected by Special Envoy Qin anyway—"

"Special Envoy Qin can't go in! Hell-Grade dungeons are independent shard spaces; even a Fifth Class Advancement expert can't enter!"

"So what? The life-saving items Special Envoy Qin gave him must be high-grade!"

"What's the point of saying all that? He's been in there for eight hours and hasn't come out."

Zhang Tianzhen stood in the center of the hall, his face ashen.

He immediately ordered the crowd to disperse.

Just as the crowd left.

Suddenly—

Buzz.

The dungeon entrance vortex, which had already disappeared, reappeared without warning.

Everyone's voices came to an abrupt halt.

The runes on the door began to light up again, one by one, starting from the bottom.

A dark red light spread along the patterns, like blood re-infusing dried-up veins.

A strong scent of sulfur filled the air.

Zhang Tianzhen's pupils constricted, and he instinctively took two steps back.

On the second floor, Qin Lan stood up abruptly and rushed to the railing.

The Bronze Door slowly opened.

A figure stepped out from the dark red light.

A young man in casual clothes—it was none other than Lin Mo.

A dazed, silly little angel phantom was still hanging over his head.

Lin Mo looked up, glancing at the hundreds of stunned faces in the hall.

"What's wrong with you all?"

"With those expressions..."

"Are you all holding a memorial service for me?"

"You..."

Qin Lan gripped the railing with both hands, her knuckles straining to the point of deformation.

Lin Mo looked up at her and tossed the class advancement item in his hand.

"A mere Hell-Grade Class Advancement Dungeon is nothing more than this."

"Special Envoy Qin, I successfully cleared it!"

"The moment they saw the class advancement item in Lin Mo's hand, everyone's eyes widened."