Chapter 174: The Only Way Out

The brief gust of the Wind Element quickly died down, and the two members from the He Organization gathered together to avoid being picked off one by one.

But after the fierce wind faded, there was no sign of the girls at the scene—only two sets of messy footprints leading deeper into the dense forest.

It was clear from the tracks that one pair was lighter, the wind swirling around making the girl’s steps nimble and light. The deeper footprints belonged to Xu Chuyao—there was no other reason than the fact that her chest gave her a certain weight.

“Damn, they really caught us off guard. That’s not how they did it before.” Bill gestured in the air as if drawing a bow, “Didn’t she usually have to charge up a bit before doing this move, and then bam?”

What, was the warning just a fake?

Professor Swina looked toward the depths of the forest, his expression unreadable: “Their methods keep changing, and they’re getting stronger, too. You shouldn’t have let them get away so easily.”

“No way, she’s already at the third tier.” Bill craned his neck and shook his head, “Third tier already, and still that fast?”

“The first time I saw them a few months ago, she’d barely just reached the second tier!”

“Fine, fine, as long as they haven’t reached our level, you don’t need to get so uptight. Relax, they won’t get away!”

Deep in the dense forest, Shen Ning was pulling Xu Chuyao along at a frantic run, weaving through tree mounds and obstacles.

The thickets made straight movement difficult, but the Wind Element’s nimbleness was still a definite advantage.

“Are we just going to keep running, or should we pick a direction and break out?” Xu Chuyao asked. “The School’s reinforcements should be on their way.”

Shen Ning pondered for a moment, feet never stopping, talking as she ran:

“If we could choose, I’d say keep running. But I’m afraid we may not have a choice.”

As her words fell, the shrubs ahead suddenly shifted, completely blocking their path forward.

The girls halted at once.

She saw the bare branches gleaming coldly in the sunlight, as if warning them not to take another step.

“We don’t have a choice. We’ll have to fight our way out.”

Very soon, Bill and Professor Swina caught up, standing several dozen meters away and speaking to them across the clearing.

“They say the girls from this area are pretty, and the bright ones with big chests are even prettier.” Bill chewed on a leaf as he spoke. “Looks like it’s true.”

“Shen Ning, we…”

Xu Chuyao was just about to discuss tactics with her girlfriend, but he didn’t give her the chance, flicking several leaves with a wave of his hand.

A sharp whistle cut the air. The leaves sliced through the air, reaching them in an instant. The two girls split to either side, each dodging in opposite directions, letting the leaves fly past between them.

They avoided it, but they were separated.

“Alright, Swina, looks like we’ll each have to pick one.” Bill called to his partner. “Let me go first, you know I’ve always had my eye on her. It’s not that I’m obsessed, but habit is hard to break…”

“No need to talk, you know I’d have picked the other one anyway.”

The battlefield split in two. Bill grew much more excited and charged eagerly at the taller girl.

“Xu Chuyao, little cutie, I really do like you, but you’re always reporting to the teacher and the principal. Just like last time, always tattling. That’s not nice. But it’s fine, I’ve left you a few—let’s compare and see, then I’ll forgive you.”

“You’re disgusting! Die, you pervert—no, Bill!”

As for Professor Swina, he stepped on the shifting soil. His movements looked slow, but in a flash, he was already not far from the younger girl.

“We meet again, Shen Ning.” He sighed lightly, “I really do miss the days at the Research Institute, especially after you joined. Our progress improved rapidly. Did you know, we never had to be enemies? I even considered letting you serve as my Deputy Official.”

But the girl shook her head.

“You’re delusional. We already had a grudge the day you tried to forcibly recruit me and took me away from School.”

Taking her from Xu Chuyao’s side—that was more than just a grudge.

“That’s really a pity.”

As he spoke, the loose soil rippled up from the ground, hardening in the air into all kinds of weapons—Stone Spears, stone trees and such—hurtling toward her.

“Activate Wind Field,” the voice of Dao Ying sounded in the girl’s ear. “The effect may not be great in this environment, but at least it’ll offset some disadvantages. Don’t let his ranged attacks wear down your strength.”

Finally, he was back to his real job, but Dao Ying was not happy.

This was the hardest battle in months.

Shen Ning quickly deployed the Wind Field. As Dao Ying had warned, the dense trees made it hard for the Wind Field to extend far, restricting her to this small battlefield. Fortunately, the Wind Element’s properties still worked well, sending the enemy’s ranged attacks off course mid-flight.

The air whistled as Stone Spears and stone javelins fell all around, none of them hitting their mark.

“Hey, Swina, can you handle your opponent?” Bill called out with some annoyance from the other side. “Don’t let her interfere with us.”

The leaves he threw were also knocked off course by the Wind Field.

Swina didn’t speak, but his actions said enough. His body was quickly encased in flowing earth, which hardened rapidly, transforming into a Stone Giant over three meters tall. He raised a massive stone fist and slammed it down at the girl.

Shen Ning tried to dodge, but her legs felt as heavy as lead—she couldn’t move.

“No escape. You’ll have to take it head-on,” Dao Ying spoke rapidly. “That’s the Earth Element’s Elemental Transformation. He’s turning himself into a Stone Giant, merging with the earth. As long as his hand is on the ground, the earth binds you as well.”

So she could only face it directly.

The Wind Field shrank tightly around her, compressing to the area of her outstretched arm. She raised her feather-green arrow and aimed at the Stone Giant’s huge fist.

Grind一 1!

The stone was shattered by the windstorm, but the powerful impact also knocked Shen Ning back several meters, nearly toppling her.

Her external armor was damaged, and Swina emerged from the Stone Giant’s shattered remains. Looking at the girl, he couldn’t help but sigh:

“You’ve grown stronger again. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, who would believe just a few months ago you’d only just reached second tier. Too bad, I’m still a bit better.”

Shen Ning pressed her lips together silently.

If only there were two more weeks, the Milestone System would have cooled down, and after completing a Five-Star Mission, there’d be no way she could lose to him.

On this battlefield, a late-stage third tier against a peak third tier—she could still hold out for a while.

But over on the other side, Xu Chuyao, a mid-stage third tier, was already finding it hard to keep up.

Howl

Her hand knife crackled with lightning, slashing down the leaf coming at her. In the flash of lightning, she saw Bill’s grinning face clearly.

But at the same time, two leaves quietly grazed her shoulder, tearing her clothes.

As a newly promoted mid-stage third tier, facing an experienced peak third tier, she was outmatched in numbers, experience, and control. But Bill wasn’t in a hurry to hurt her; rather, he seemed to be playing, letting several leaves cut at her clothes, turning them into a revealing outfit.

“So pitiful, Xu Chuyao, I really do like you.”

Seeing the fight going easily, Bill flicked another leaf.

“But you’re just too lively. First you exposed our little clown contact, making my underlings act like frightened mice, none willing to die quietly. Then you start talking about Internal Affairs Inspector, sniffing out Internal Traitors, shaking up our organization and making everyone anxious, always worrying for their lives. No peace at all.”

Xu Chuyao said nothing. Since he liked talking, she let him, using the chance to catch her breath.

If she’d known earlier she’d cross paths with these big shots, she’d have only used video conferences—never shown up in person.

“Of course, that’s all fine. After all, those useless fools, losing them doesn’t matter—we’ll just hold an Internal Memorial Meeting.” Bill spat out the leaf and looked at the girl, “But lately you’ve been meddling too much with the Soulstone business. You’re too capable for your own good. Well, now I have to take you out.”

He was clearly reluctant, eyes glued to Xu Chuyao as if trying to burn her image into his mind.

“Dear Xu Chuyao, any last words?”

“Yeah.” Xu Chuyao turned to her girlfriend, “Shen Ning, can you push through over there? If you can, call the class rep and ask if Tang’er has arrived yet!”

At this, Shen Ning, still fighting her opponent, wore a hopeless expression.

She remembered the little iron box she’d kept in her pocket, swinging as she ran, but had dropped during their escape.

Now Shen Ning understood the situation was grim. She herself could stall Swina for a while longer, but her girlfriend, already worn out, wouldn’t last.

Think of something, think of something…

“Guhaha! What’s the point of resisting?” Bill burst out laughing, “Xu Chuyao, you really are cute. But why do you always try to run? Weren’t you working in Shen Tang County—?”

At this, Xu Chuyao completely understood. The so-called Jingshi Burst incident in Shen Tang County was orchestrated by them—a sham with hardly any effort.

So that means, their cost was just a small multi-story building, and a few Soulstones that didn’t amount to much. The School was too stingy to give up any more Soulstones, and Shen Tang County’s officials couldn’t even find a scapegoat.

“So that’s your plan? Only willing to put up a measly Strange Stone?” Xu Chuyao sneered. “If you were really that desperate, you could’ve begged me for help. I might have given you half a box.”

Shen Ning’s eyes narrowed.

Strange Stone…

“That’s not cute at all, Xu Chuyao!”

Bill flicked his leaves again, this time aiming for vital points with real intent to kill.

At that moment, a thin strand of wind whipped around Xu Chuyao’s wrist, pulling her aside, sending Bill’s attack off course with the Wind Field.

“Swina! Watch your target!”

Swina couldn’t stop it in time. Shen Ning acted quickly, pulling her girlfriend back and running with her, breaking out from the side.

And the reason they weren’t chased immediately was because—

“Why are they running again?” Bill looked baffled. “Aren’t they heading straight for a dead end?”

Riding a line of brisk wind, the girls soon arrived at their destination. Shen Ning let go of her girlfriend’s hand.

“Shen Ning, why did we come back? There’s no way out here.” Xu Chuyao looked at the small mound ahead, at the withered shrubs around, feeling a chill in her heart. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I was too weak, not strong enough.”

If only I’d known, I would never have held back out of fear, never settled for half-measures.

She silently swore to herself: if she survived today, she’d find the courage to go all out in the future.

“No, we still have one way out.”

Shen Ning reached toward the mound. A fierce wind gathered instantly, drilling into its depths.

Guiding Airflow!

A few seconds later, Swina and Bill appeared before them—while in Shen Ning’s hand, there was now a dark green Strange Stone.

She’d taken it out.

Bill looked puzzled at her actions: “What are you trying to do, use that against us? It might work on some mid-tier monsters—”

Shen Ning ignored him, pulling her girlfriend into her arms and whispered softly:

“Don’t move. Relax your body, relax your mind—like you’re going to sleep.”

Then she slammed the Soulstone to the ground.

Grind!