98: Chapter 98 World's Number One

" Xiao... Yun? "

" Xiao Yun... "

" Xiao Yun!! "

As the voice escaped his throat, he uncontrollably rushed out of the crowd.

The respectable parents in front stumbled as he bumped into them; when the guards reached out to stop him, he shoved them aside, stumbling across the cordon and running toward the Teleportation Array.

Everyone was watching him.

All cameras followed him.

He didn't care about anything anymore.

" Son!!! "

This roar exploded over the square.

The gazes of tens of thousands of people focused in that same instant on this middle-aged man, wearing a faded jacket and New Year dress shoes, his eyes red as he rushed forward.

Zhou Yun heard it.

His eyes had not yet fully adjusted to the sunlight, but he heard that voice—that voice, which he would never mistake, even across a world.

He saw that figure rushing out from the crowd.

" Dad—! "

The father and son collided.

Zhou Tianhao grabbed Zhou Yun and hugged him tightly.

He was half a head shorter than Zhou Yun and had to crane his neck to reach his son's shoulders, but he hugged him with such force that his arms were trembling.

Zhou Yun bent down and buried his face in his old man's shoulder.

There was a faint scent of apples on the jacket.

It was the scent that had soaked into the fruit shop for years and would never fade.

He was home.

Zhou Tianhao couldn't say a word.

He just hugged him, hugging him tightly. He kept muttering over and over: "You're back... It's good that you're back... It's good that you're back..."

A burst of applause erupted in the square.

" Who is that? Jianghai City's number one? "

" I don't recognize him, it's not S-level Lord Lin Rui or A-level Lord Zhao Haoran—"

" His dad? Why did his dad rush out? "

" What do you mean 'his dad'? That's the champion's dad!! "

The four words "Champion's Dad" exploded in the crowd like a lit firecracker.

The gazes of the people around Zhou Tianhao changed instantly—the middle-aged man in the old jacket who had just been squeezed to the back had suddenly become the most incredible parent in the entire square.

The noise, applause, and cheering all mixed together.

Then—

The host's voice suddenly changed.

She had been describing the scene of the father and son reuniting when a message came through her earpiece.

Her voice stuck for a second, then her speaking speed suddenly increased:

" Dear viewers! We... we have just received the data summary from the global City Lord assessment System—"

Her breathing became rapid.

" This City Lord who just walked out of the Jianghai City Teleportation Array—Zhou Yun—"

She took a deep breath.

" He is not only Jianghai City's number one—"

" He is also—the Global! Number! One!!"

On the big screen, a line of golden subtitles popped up:

[Global City Lord Assessment · Comprehensive Ranking · First Place: Zhou Yun (Great Han Nation · Jianghai City · Flower City · F-Level)]

The sound in the square seemed to have been hit by a pause button.

It was silent for a second.

Then—

" F-Level?!"

" F-Level is global number one?!"

" How is that possible—F-Level—Global—"

...

This time it wasn't applause. It was the sound of tens of thousands of people shouting in disbelief, merging together and making the entire Jianghai Square buzz.

That line of golden text on the big screen scrolled over and over again, and with each scroll, the volume of the crowd rose another notch.

Zhou Tianhao let go of Zhou Yun, took half a step back, and looked around in a daze.

The big screen, the golden text, the cameras, people were shouting everywhere.

He didn't quite understand the concept of "Global Number One."

He only knew that his son was back.

It seemed... he was also number one?

" Xiao Yun, you this..."

Zhou Yun himself hadn't reacted yet. He didn't know there was a ranking System in the City Lord World; when he walked out of the Teleportation Array, he just felt the Teleportation Array light up and went in.

" Global number one. " He repeated, feeling like these four words had nothing to do with him.

Zhou Tianhao was stunned for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

As he smiled, tears came down.

He slapped Zhou Yun on the shoulder, making Zhou Yun stumble.

" Good! Good! Good!!"

He pulled that plastic bag out of his pocket; the two apples inside had been squeezed a bit out of shape by him.

He stuffed the apples into Zhou Yun's hand, his lips trembling as he couldn't form a complete sentence:

" Eat... eat an apple first..."

Zhou Yun looked down at the two apples in his hand that had been warmed by his father's grip, and suddenly smiled.

His nose felt incredibly sore.

...

The news spread faster than anyone had anticipated.

Capital City.

Zhou Tiancheng sat behind his desk, the live broadcast of Jianghai Square still continuing on the TV.

He held his teacup in his hand, having held it for over ten seconds without moving.

F-Level.

Global number one.

He thought of that test paper.

Every single question was zero points.

He slowly put the teacup down, took off his gold-rimmed glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

" ...Ridiculous."

...

In another office.

The secretary pushed the door open: " Director Zhou, your older brother's son, Zhou Yun—"

Zhou Tianyao didn't even look up, busy signing documents: " What is it? "

" Global number one."

The pen tip made a long ink mark on the paper.

Zhou Tianyao's hand stopped for two seconds.

Then he continued signing, as if nothing had happened.

When the secretary backed out, he glanced—the corner of the next page of the document had already been crumpled.

...

City Lord World. Qing City.

Wang Shuai walked toward the Teleportation Array.

Golden light lit up under his feet—pop, it shattered.

He was ejected.

He expressionlessly straightened his sleeves.

S-Level city, beast tide cleared in less than two hours, zero casualties among city residents.

This result would have easily secured a top-three spot in previous years.

He tried again.

He was ejected again.

The person ahead of him hadn't finished leaving yet.

He didn't know who was ahead of him.

A few names flashed through his mind—S-level Lord Lin Rui? A-level Lord Zhao Haoran?

Thinking of them, he couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

He had thought it might be possible to surpass them this time.

But judging by the results, it seemed he was still one move behind.

...

In front of the Capital City Teleportation Array.

A girl walked out of the golden light. Black hair, cold expression, dressed in dark combat gear.

She looked up at the ranking list on the giant screen in the square.

" Third. " Her brows moved slightly.

The assistant approached and whispered.

The girl listened, then was silent for a moment.

" Zhou Yun. F-Level. Jianghai City. "

She repeated it, her tone without any ripples.

" I hope your luck can continue. "

...

New York.

Jason Miller walked out of the Teleportation Array and immediately learned his global ranking was fourth.

Shrugging, he asked:

" Who's first?"

The assistant handed over the information.

He glanced at it and whistled.

" An F-rank? Fun."

He threw the information back to the assistant and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

...

Moscow.

Andrei Volkov learned he was not first.

But he didn't ask anything, just stood quietly for a while, turned around, and left.

After walking a few steps, he stopped again and said to his attendant:

" Investigate."

...

Tokyo.

A thin young man wearing glasses walked out of the Teleportation Array; he was seventh globally.

He bowed to the camera, his smile gentle and polite.

" An F-Level City Lord took first place? Incredible. "

He pushed up his glasses.

" However, the novice period is just the beginning. "

The gaze behind the lenses did not smile.

" The road ahead is still very long!"

" Mada mada da!"