358: Chapter 358 Don't make a move! It's me!

The meeting of the bigwigs ended quickly because they couldn't come up with any good solutions, and everyone looked grim as they walked out.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the plaza of the National Martial Arts Competition Center was as stifling as if a storm were about to break.

The Martial Arts General Administration reacted with lightning speed, immediately dispatching two Tier 5 Grandmasters specializing in space-type Supernatural Abilities from the Imperial Capital Military Region.

As soon as these two landed, before they could even catch their breath, they were pushed by President Xia Yun in front of that jet-black portal.

The two space-type Grandmasters pressed their hands against the black light curtain, sweat dripping from their foreheads like beads off a broken string.

They channeled all their spiritual power, attempting to decipher the underlying laws of this door and forcibly carve out a passageway.

A full ten minutes passed.

With a muffled "bang," the two Tier 5 Grandmasters were sent reeling as if struck by a giant hammer; they both spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbled back seven or eight steps, and flopped down onto the ground.

"It's no use... we can't get in at all!"

One of the Grandmasters looked ashen, his hands trembling uncontrollably: "This is no longer a standard spatial barrier! The laws inside have been forcibly tied into a dead knot. Unless someone can forcibly shatter this small world, no one will be able to open it from the outside!"

Hearing this conclusion, the hearts of the high-ranking officials present sank completely.

The authorities were truly helpless against this sealed secret realm for the time being!

And just when things seemed hopeless on the outside.

"Whoosh—"

A crack opened up in mid-air once again, and another contestant, stripped clean of everything, was thrown out with a scream, slamming heavily into the plaza.

Deep within the secret realm, the Faceless Man's clearing operation continued.

Those contestants scattered across various corners of the map, who hadn't even realized what was happening, were met with an almost one-sided, dimensional-reduction style harvest.

Massive numbers of people had their storage rings stripped from them, only to be tossed directly out of the instance.

Naturally, this included the people from Magic City Martial Arts University themselves.

In the dim forest, Xie Fuyao was gripping his longsword vigilantly, moving forward back-to-back with Bai Zimo.

Suddenly, the surrounding air froze abruptly.

Black, dense fog surged in from all directions without warning, instantly depriving the two of their vision.

Under the mask, inside Jiang You's sleeping body.

The Organ Chat Group was engaged in a heated discussion.

[Right Hand (asking with some hesitation)]: "Brother Brain, those two ahead are Xie Fuyao and Bai Zimo!" "They're our own people from Magic City Martial Arts University, are we really going to rob them too?"

[Kidneys (looking hesitant)]: "Yeah, Big Brother, even rabbits don't eat the grass around their own burrows. Isn't it a bit immoral to rob our own people?"

[Brain (adjusting reflective glasses, snorting coldly)]: "Stupid!" "Think with your toes! We are currently playing the role of a lawless, mysterious villain!"

"If we ransacked everyone on the entire map but left the people from Magic City Martial Arts University completely untouched, what would those old foxes outside think?"

"Wouldn't that be explicitly telling the whole world that we have a connection to Magic City Martial Arts University?!"

[Brain (tone filled with the rigorous logic unique to a villain)]: "If you're going to put on a show, do it right!"

"To protect the Slacker Ruler's true identity, and so we can continue to 'restock' in the long run, even if our own blood brothers were standing here today, we'd still have to rob them!"

"This is called striking our teammates with tears in our eyes for the sake of the big picture!"

[Right Hand (filled with reverence)]: "Brother Brain, your insight is brilliant! To ensure the Slacker Ruler isn't exposed, we'll just have to wrong them for a moment!"

Outside, the black fog churned.

Xie Fuyao and Bai Zimo didn't even have time to adopt a defensive stance.

A pale, cold palm pierced through the void and struck the back of their necks with clean, decisive force.

"Bang! Bang!"

The two core mainstays of Magic City Martial Arts University didn't even let out a muffled groan; their vision went black, and they collapsed limply on the spot.

The Faceless Man's movements were fluid and seamless; he snatched off both of their storage rings, tossed them casually into the depths of the black fog, and then tore open a spatial rift, kicking the two unlucky fellows out.

The entire process was devoid of any hesitation, achieving absolute impartiality.

...

Meanwhile.

At the edge of Forbidden Zone No. 009, inside an ancient architectural ruin covered by dense vines.

The remaining few from Magic City Martial Arts University's Class F were hiding in a dilapidated grand hall.

Lu Xingye, Senior Ji Youyou, Xiang Batian, and Qiu Yunan were sitting around a broken stone slab, the atmosphere feeling extremely heavy.

They were unaware that the external broadcast had been cut, nor did they know that the coalition of over a hundred people had long since been decimated by a masked monster.

In their understanding, there were still large numbers of elite students from prestigious schools hunting them all over the map.

"These shameless jerks, and they're supposed to be from the top academies in Great Xia!"

Qiu Yunan adjusted her reflective glasses and complained through gritted teeth: "Over a hundred of them ganging up to catch a few of us—they've completely lost the dignity of martial artists!"

"This stifling anger makes me really want to go out there and strike down a few bolts of lightning!"

Senior Ji Youyou toyed with a poison needle in her hand, her eyes cold: "Don't be impulsive."

"If we really run into teams on the level of Chu Tiankuo and Zhao Zhenlei head-on, all of us tied together wouldn't be enough to serve as a snack for them."

Xiang Batian scratched his head, his face full of confusion: "Say, where exactly did Brother Jiang go?"

"The melee has been going on for so long, and we haven't even seen his shadow. Could he have run off to some hidden bridge arch or cave again to sleep like a log?"

"Silence! Do not dare to use your mortal mind to speculate on the will of the abyss!"

Lu Xingye rested one hand on the hilt of his blade, his single eye flashing with an untamed light in the dim hall, still maintaining his unshakable chuunibyou nature: "My nemesis is surely lurking in the deepest shadows right now."

"He is looking down upon this chess game, waiting to deliver the most fatal, ultimate blow to the old order!"

Just as everyone was discussing the situation.

Outside the closed wooden door of the grand hall, a series of light, hurried footsteps suddenly approached.

The four of them became instantly alert, all drawing their weapons.

"Don't move! It's me!"

Accompanied by a flash of golden light, Gou Fugui's slightly sleazy figure deactivated his stealth, pushing the door open and diving in, panting heavily.

"Fugui, what's the situation outside?" Xiang Batian hurried to meet him.

Gou Fugui didn't even have time to drink any water; his face was pale, his hands gripping Xiang Batian's arms tightly, and he shouted with a trembling voice: "Something big happened! Something big happened!"

"Guess... guess who I saw while I was out scouting for information just now!"

Looking at Gou Fugui's expression as if he'd seen a ghost, the hearts of the group sank.

"Could it be that the chiefs from those academies have found us?"

Qiu Yunan clenched her fists, her expression nervous: "Is it Captain Shen Xiuan? Helan Que? Or have Qin Zhuo and Zhao Zhenlei brought people to attack us?!"

Gou Fugui shook his head like a rattle-drum, breathing rapidly as he denied all their guesses: "None of them!"

"I saw... the Faceless Man! The same Faceless Man who stirred up trouble at Magic City Martial Arts University when we first started school, and even went to the Mist Swamp to insta-kill a Tier 5 Great Demon!!!"