“What was that?” a chorus of voices clamored.

“It sounds like a fight broke out. That explosion must have been a magic attack!” someone with a smattering of knowledge explained.

“Magic? Heavens. With the ground shaking like that, I thought the city wall had crumbled!” one person said, patting his chest, still shaken.

“The city wall crumbled…” The man who was slightly knowledgeable had only half-finished his sentence before his eyes widened in shock, pointing frantically toward the wall’s midsection, “What is that? Look!”

The crowd followed his pointing finger. They saw a slightly bulky, dark silhouette land on the city wall. A chunk of stone splintered away from where his foot struck, leaving a shallow pit. Using the force of the kick, the figure vaulted four or five meters into the air. After three or four such pushes, he reached the top of the wall and vanished like a wisp of green smoke.

“That was…” The crowd immediately erupted in noise.

Though it was just a fleeting glimpse, judging by the speed at which he scaled the wall, he was undoubtedly a master among masters.

“It’s that red-haired youth from before!” someone in the crowd shouted with certainty.

“Ah…” Several people gasped immediately. The impression the red-haired youth had left on them was too deep—he had struck out within the crowd without a word, utterly disregarding the well-being of those nearby. He was as cold and ruthless as a god of slaughter.

“Could the explosion just now have been caused by him?” A wave of dread washed over everyone. How powerful must the magic be that could cause an entire street to explode? Many looked in the direction the figure disappeared, their faces filled with awe.

In this world, strength was revered above all else, and the powerful were deeply respected. Even though the red-haired youth had injured many people, in the eyes of the populace, he was undeniably strong. Sometimes, many people felt that being wounded by a powerful individual was practically an honor…

It was much like some major celebrities today: if one of them were to kick a fan, that fan would certainly not curse or fight back. Instead, they would feel proud, often recounting to others, "A certain celebrity once kicked me..."

The inherent flaws of human nature hadn't changed one bit, even in this other world…

…………

“He’s fine! He’s actually fine!” Brent exclaimed upon seeing the figure on the wall. He then sighed admiringly, “To perform such a hero-saves-the-beauty act under those circumstances—he’s an idol, an absolute idol!”

“…” The large, burly leader remained silent.

Both men were Fighters, so their eyesight naturally surpassed that of ordinary people. Although the figure scaling the wall was merely a flash, they saw clearly: the red-haired youth was cradling a slender, tall girl in his arms. Although the girl was unconscious, judging by her figure and that brief glance, she was definitely a beauty!

To be ambushed, yet emerge unharmed and save a beautiful woman—Brent found it impossible not to admire the feat…

“We should chase after him too. To miss the chance to learn from an idol like this would be a massive loss!” Brent cried out with genuine distress and took the lead, pursuing the direction Chen Feng had vanished, though he followed the base of the wall instead of scaling it…

…………

Chen Feng shook his head while holding the now-unconscious Judy.

She hadn’t needed to save him at all. With the protection of the Azure Flame and the abnormal physical toughness forged in the Heavy Domain, never mind a Pseudo-Fourth Tier spell, even a Fourth Tier spell couldn't kill him.

However, the fact that Judy had rushed forward despite knowing the danger was enough to move him deeply.

Did this somewhat simple-minded girl really feel the need to risk so much just so they could team up for the Rookie Selection Tournament?

With a sigh, Chen Feng rubbed his slightly aching back. Although the explosion hadn't caused him substantial damage, the power of a Pseudo-Fourth Tier spell was not to be underestimated. After absorbing the most direct impact of the blast for Judy, his back still sustained minor injuries.

Chen Feng was a normal boy. Although the influence of the Dark Vortex had made his temperament prone to agitation, he still cared deeply for those who had helped him, like Old John and Little Yas. If anything happened to them, Chen Feng wouldn't hesitate, no matter the danger! (Mobile reading 1 6 k . cn）

Judy’s beauty was unparalleled, and her demeanor was perfectly courteous. Yet, for some reason, Chen Feng always felt a barrier with people like her. She was a young lady, educated in noble customs; her interactions often involved specific protocols. A smile from her, which symbolized friendliness, might be misinterpreted as flirtation by someone narcissistic.

In Chen Feng’s view, young ladies and sheltered daughters were summed up in one word: pretentious!

He detested pretense above all else, regardless of how beautiful the person might be. Thus, from the day Judy first stepped into the blacksmith shop, Chen Feng had never given her a pleasant expression, always maintaining a demeanor that was neither overly warm nor overly distant, neither subservient nor arrogant. How beautiful could she be? It stirred nothing within his heart.

But now, since she had thrown herself into danger to save him—even though the situation reversed and he ended up saving her—he still felt a measure of gratitude.

It was because of this gratitude that Chen Feng’s perception of her underwent a complete shift.

“I hope you’ll be alright,” Chen Feng murmured, then abruptly stopped, turning his face towards a specific direction. He held Judy under one arm while his right hand curled out, launching a dark grappling hook into the air!

“I mean no harm!” A voice echoed from mid-air. It neatly sidestepped the attack of the grappling hook, and a figure slowly materialized in the sky.

“Who are you?” Chen Feng’s gaze was filled with hostility. If the person couldn't provide a suitable explanation immediately, he was ready to strike.

“I am Miss Judy’s personal guard,” the figure quickly stated.

“Guard?” Chen Feng clearly didn't believe the claim. A ball of azure flame danced at his fingertips, resembling the harbinger of death. “Where were you when she encountered those bandits last time?”

Chen Feng was suspicious for a valid reason. If this were truly Judy’s dedicated bodyguard, he wouldn't have needed to intervene during the bandit attack that night!

“I only found Miss Judy after she arrived in Kota City. My master sent me only after learning about the bandit incident,” the figure explained hastily.

Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. “Proof of identity!”

The figure quickly retrieved a dark gold token from his robes. Chen Feng glanced at it; it bore the image of a blood-red wolf head. It looked like the token of the Blood Wolf Response Corps, and only then did Chen Feng relax. He shifted Judy, then tossed her toward the guard, “Find a place and figure out how to wake her up!”

“…” The figure’s eyelids twitched as he saw Chen Feng casually toss the unconscious Third Miss over as if she were a sandbag. He hastily caught her and nodded repeatedly. “We, the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps, have a branch office not far from here. Perhaps we should go together, Lord Eight Gods Shrine?”

Chen Feng nodded and followed behind the man.

The Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps branch was a modest three-story building. The first floor was a large hall for assembling squads and holding meetings. The second floor was partitioned into many rooms to accommodate traveling mercenaries. The third floor served as storage for supplies.

As Chen Feng and the shadow figure approached the small building, a figure darted out from the entrance and shouted, “Who goes there?”

The shadow figure retrieved his token, held it up, and without paying attention to the guard’s expression, rushed past him straight into the first-floor hall.

The hall was packed with no fewer than a hundred people. The previous clamor immediately died down to dead silence as they saw the shadow figure approaching, carrying Judy.

Ignoring the crowd, the shadow figure and Chen Feng ascended to the second floor, carried Judy into a room, and placed her on the bed before turning to Chen Feng and cupping his hands, “Lord Eight Gods Shrine…”

Chen Feng cut him off with a wave, pointing at Judy. “How do we save her?”

The shadow figure’s face became troubled. “Our Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps has a special kind of medicine that is remarkably effective against this type of blast damage. However, it is an internal secret and inconvenient to reveal publicly…”

Chen Feng understood his meaning. He turned and walked out of the room. “Inform me when there is news. I’ll be downstairs!” A slight hint of concern laced his cold words.

…………

Not long after Chen Feng went downstairs, Judy, lying on the bed, slowly opened one eye and called softly to the shadow figure nearby, “Has he left?”

The shadow figure gave a wry smile. “Third Miss, do you truly think this self-inflicted injury tactic will work?”

Judy placed her index finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture. She whispered, “Can’t you tell? His attitude is much better than before. Otherwise, he wouldn't have carried me here; he probably wouldn't have even frowned if I had died in front of him!”

The shadow figure shook his head. “This subordinate does not understand your ultimate goal in doing this, but your judgment is indeed sharp, Third Miss. This man called Eight Gods Shrine’s strength is truly extraordinary. My concealment technique took years to cultivate, yet he spotted me instantly.”

Judy chuckled and sat up on the bed. “Mm, I was certain that the teammate I chose wouldn’t be wrong. What’s so strange about that!” Saying this, she flicked some dust off her clothes and added with satisfaction, “This Solgin Armor is truly a marvelous item. Grandfather was right to have you bring it to me. It withstood such an explosion without any damage whatsoever!”

The shadow figure replied, “Third Miss knows well, the Solgin Armor and the Jade Sword are known as the two supreme treasures of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps. If they couldn't even block a Pseudo-Fourth Tier spell, would they still be called treasures!”

“Mm!” Judy surveyed herself, finding no discernible rips or stains on her clothing. She then lay back down on the bed and instructed the shadow figure, “In a while, tell him that I’ve taken the medicine and woken up, but I’m still extremely weak, so I’ve fallen back into a deep sleep. Tell him not to disturb me today. If he wishes to see me, he can come tomorrow!”

The shadow figure nodded in assent and left. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard a wave of boisterous commotion. He couldn't help but feel a headache coming on; standing before the cold-faced Eight Gods Shrine was a burly man who seemed thoroughly incensed with him!

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