An hour ago, a private jet from Center City was descending toward the Freden City Airport.
There weren’t many passengers on this special flight; the Crisis Response Team was led solely by Xu Chuyao, accompanied by Cheng Li and Shi Lei, two Second Tier Spirit Power Users, as well as two Third Stage Thunder Peak instructors.
Though called instructors, the term was more honorary than practical. These two teachers had never actually participated in any team operations before. But this time, the order came directly from above, and the “team operation” was more of a formality.
Moreover, the entire operation required obedience to the team leader, Xu Chuyao.
When they received the order, the two instructors were quite surprised.
“Teacher Yu Jing, Teacher Yu Jing.”
Cheng Chen carefully placed two glasses of red wine delivered by a flight attendant, one in front of Yu Jing and quietly said, “You can’t keep dodging me; work always involves discussions.”
Educational seminars could be declined, colleague gatherings could be skipped, but important work assignments were unavoidable.
Yu Jing helplessly turned around, pulled the red wine away: “If it’s work, then don’t drink.”
“No problem, it’s wine no strong alcohol,” Cheng Chen took a proper sip, “The flavor’s mellow, probably imported.”
“You want to discuss work, right? If not, please go back and sit.”
“Discuss, of course we’ll discuss… Well, the higher-ups suddenly issued a direct and important order, meaning this is serious. But such a big matter is entirely commanded by your student? What’s going on?”
Yu Jing’s expression remained unchanged: “I don’t know, but Xu Chuyao has always been exceptionally intelligent. Both the Principal and Minister Long have praised her highly. Her judgments in previous missions never failed. I completely trust her.”
What the teacher said was the truth. Before, she only thought of the kid as a clever prodigy, a gifted child. But ever since the incident at Shanghe Square, when Xu Chuyao had them wait nearby for reinforcements and the Clown Gang really mobilized fully, the teacher’s gaze toward her changed.
Prodigy? More like a little deity!
“Exactly,” Cheng Chen agreed, “That little Xu in your class is really impressive. Even the arrogant boys in my class admire her. By the way, I heard Free City has some nice sights. After our mission, can we go visit…”
“Teacher Cheng!”
Yu Jing interrupted with a long sigh, “Don’t waste your breath. I’ve already said, I won’t consider personal matters this lifetime. You and I are of the same generation; you know what happened. Just seeing my current name should make it clear.”
She was no longer Yu Fenghua, but Yu Jing, the last remnant of the Spark Squad.
Cheng Chen swallowed half the glass of wine in one gulp, looking a bit depressed: “I know. That incident the enemies with no official identity. But that was a long time ago, and at the time, Marshal Wen Shengqing personally called it closed. That’s an official conclusion; no one would reopen it. Why keep holding on?”
Ding yong lu duo.
The plane’s broadcast ended their conversation as they arrived at Freden City Airport.
Freden Free City was somewhat more prosperous than Ya Ha City, yet the busy streets were not congested. Everything was orderly. After getting off the plane, Xu Chuyao and the group took a car and drove smoothly for half an hour before arriving at Freden Academy.
“Why are we going to the Academy first?” Shi Lei asked curiously.
This time, Zhong Ming and Yu Yuwei were absent, the two team members capable of independent thought did not come. Besides him, only Cheng Li remained, a fanatical believer of the Third Stage Thunder Peak female officer, Xu Chuyao. His attitude was clear: whatever Officer Xu said was right.
No choice. If there were questions, he would have to ask.
“Because both our instructors and your instructors are Third Stage Spirit Power Users, we have to follow procedure and submit permission documents,” Xu Chuyao explained. “The situation in Freden Free City is special; the security department only handles armed matters. Documents and paperwork are handled by the Academy.”
There were only five of them total, and a stretched limousine modeled after a Maybach was just enough.
Shi Lei pondered for a moment: “Only handling armed matters? Their security department must be really good fighters then.”
Xu Chuyao smiled teasingly: “Same as everywhere else. They’re super strong against ordinary criminals, but when it comes to the Clown Gang, even if they’re good fighters, they’re unwilling to fight. The few who are willing have mostly joined the Clown Gang themselves.”
What else could Shi Lei say? He just stared out the car window at Freden Academy.
As a main city landmark, a Spirit Power User training academy embodied the city’s style and soul.
Compared to the large and vigorous Shengling Academy, the Academy of True Spirits was gloomy and dispirited, while Freden Academy’s presence spoke of freedom.
How free? Well, when Xu Chuyao’s group got out at the school gate, street vendors selling boxed meals came over asking if they wanted anything double-layer cheeseburgers, original flavor chicken lips, you name it.
Xu Chuyao declined, of course, but there were people inside who did want. Several students walked out through the open gate, exchanging money with the vendors in hand-to-hand transactions.
Shi Lei was stunned.
“Hey, classmates, don’t you have lockdowns here?” he couldn’t help but ask someone.
The boy looked confused: “Lockdown? Why lockdown?”
“There’s the Clown Gang, right? You guys probably haven’t solved that problem yet.”
“We do, but why would we lockdown?”
“What if you get attacked…”
“Then we fight back. There are so many teachers in school; we can’t possibly lose, right?”
“Even if we win, what if the teachers don’t react in time, and people get hurt or worse?”
“That’s just bad luck,” the boy shrugged, “We can’t just lock ourselves in school forever because of a bunch of clowns.”
Shi Lei silently returned, feeling his worldview shaken somewhat.
Cheng Li scolded him: “See? You listen to nonsense. Even Officer Xu didn’t ask about that.”
Following the pace of the mighty Thunder Peak female officer, they entered the Academy to meet the Principal.
The Headmaster of Freden Academy was a slightly aged man. He had no issues with the permission documents from the two Third Stage instructors and quickly confirmed their validity.
But when it came to the outsiders’ next itinerary, he expressed some difficulties.
“The Valley Research Institute is Freden Free City’s highest secret. Without direct family permission, no outsider no one—can enter.”
Not to mention outsiders; he himself couldn’t enter.
Xu Chuyao slapped the inspection order onto him: “Sorry, family authority doesn’t trump this. I’m just here to inform you. But if you don’t cooperate, I will charge you with obstructing official duties.”
The Principal stood still, thinking for a moment before compromising: “I’ll notify the checkpoint to let you through.”
Though he allowed them through, he still took the opportunity to make a quick phone call to inform the institute about the situation.
That’s how you offend no one.
At the Valley Research Institute, Svina answered the phone and felt uneasy when the Principal said someone was coming for an inspection.
“Who’s being inspected?”
“Don’t know. She said I have no right to ask.”
“Who gave the order?”
“Don’t know. But it’s officially stamped.”
Finally, Svina asked who was leading the group. When he heard it was a pretty, cute girl with a big chest, he immediately felt uneasy.
“Xu… Chuyao.”
That name was familiar. Of course it was; the Clown Gang under his command had been taken down by this girl. When they first met at Peimao Square, Svina remembered her talking all sorts of nonsense, and with a single ‘God’s Ambush—Teacher’ tactic, wiped out the entire mobilized Clown Gang.
To this day, Svina didn’t know how she guessed it, and no one did, but the Thunder Peak girl’s incredible intuition left a deep impression.
Therefore, when she came with her team under the pretense of inspection, a thought suddenly popped into Svina’s mind—
Could it be that she’s targeting me? Guessing again?
If so…
Svina returned to the lab, entered a command into the control center, then pulled out a tape recording containing two waveforms.
“What do we do, Professor? The inspectors are here and will arrive in less than an hour.”
Fort, the supervisor, hurried over: “What are they inspecting? The family wasn’t notified.”
Svina pocketed the tape and smiled knowingly at him.
“Don’t worry. They have no evidence. Most of our research is family-approved. For the dangerous stuff, I wrote a program that deletes any sensitive records. It takes about an hour to take effect.”
Hearing this, Fort relaxed considerably.
“You really know how to handle it, Professor.”
Svina just smiled.
See? So-called colleagues are like this. Usually they call you by full name, but when it gets serious, they politely use your title.
“Wait here and receive them. I’ll go contact the family and try some diplomatic spinning,” he patted Fort’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”
Good.
Fort didn’t doubt him.
An elevator carried Svina out of the institute to the surface, but soon no one knew where he had gone.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuyao’s motorcade—five people in the limousine, escorted by two vehicles sent by Freden Academy—was guarded all the way.
Their main role was to swipe their faces at checkpoints.
After passing through multiple checkpoints and multiple clearances, the limousine finally entered the valley.
The road wasn’t very smooth, but with two Third Stage Thunder Peak teachers onboard, whenever the road ahead became blocked, Yu Jing would get out and clear the way.
If that didn’t work, Cheng Chen would help set up a temporary iron bridge.
Shi Lei leaned against the window, thoroughly enjoying himself.
“Third Stage is so convenient, so powerful. Training hard really pays off. Cheng Li, aren’t you excited?”
Cheng Li’s eyes stayed fixed straight ahead: “Officer Xu isn’t excited, so I’m not either.”
He was too loyal.
Nearly an hour later, the limousine finally reached the entrance of the Research Institute—an underground facility with only a vertical elevator shaft visible above ground.
Xu Chuyao jumped down from the car, took two quick steps to the elevator entrance, and stomped hard:
“Open the door! The Inspection Team brings warmth!”