While the cave in the geological park was bustling, the competition venue in the city center was equally lively.
Lu Yunze knew this competition was quite large in scale, but after arriving at the venue, the number of spectators still exceeded his expectations.
When performing in front of classmates at school, Lu Yunze was also stared at by many pairs of eyes.
But today was his most nervous moment.
And for some reason, from earlier on, Lu Yunze had a bad feeling in his heart.
The ache in his shoulder started again, as if someone was burning his skin with a low flame.
While still waiting, Lu Yunze was already sweating profusely, constantly using methods he learned online to calm himself down.
For this, he even ran to the restroom, turned on the faucet, and washed his face several times.
The water flowed with a loud rush. Lu Yunze closed his eyes, his expression grave.
“Are you the contestant from the Luo family?”
Hearing someone address him, Lu Yunze turned his head to look.
He found that the other person was someone he didn’t know.
“You…”
This crew-cut man in a suit, upon seeing him speak, immediately broke into a smile and said while adjusting his tie:
“What, all alone here? Feeling nervous?”
“I thought you would be someone formidable.”
“Who are you?”
As soon as he said that, the smug smile on the other’s face froze.
“I’m also a contestant in this competition. Didn’t you look at the list?”
Indeed, a competition list had been handed to Lu Yunze.
But he hadn’t the mind to look at it and simply tossed it to Luo Yao and Luo Heng.
They showed far more interest than he did.
Lu Yunze tilted his head and thought for a moment.
“Oh, oh, hello.”
“I’ve already researched it in advance. Most of the participants in this competition are nothing but small fry, not worth caring about.”
The crew-cut man proactively extended his hand.
“Only you, Lu Yunze, I consider my greatest opponent.”
“Don’t think that just because you come from a wealthy family, the world revolves around you.”
“Even if I come from a humble background, I can defeat you and seize the championship!”
“In an ordinary novel, I would be the protagonist, and you’re just a pebble on my path…”
Lu Yunze didn’t pay him any attention.
After drying his hands, he directly ignored the man’s arm suspended in midair and walked out of the restroom.
“Hey! Do you have any manners?!”
The roar from behind didn’t even register in Lu Yunze’s ears.
After going out, he was quickly approached by Luo Yao and Luo Heng.
“Brother Lu, you stayed inside for so long, we thought something happened to you.”
“Hasn’t the competition not even started yet?”
Lu Yunze forced a smile.
Luo Heng saw this and raised an eyebrow.
“Lu Yunze, you’re not nervous, are you?”
“Huh? Am I?”
Lu Yunze quickly explained:
“How could I be nervous? I’m just excited.”
“After practicing for so long, I finally have a chance to show my skills.”
“Mm, that’s good.”
Luo Heng nodded, then brought over the list of contestants.
“Just now, Luo Yao and I researched for a long time. We found that the contestants in this competition are mostly weak, and most won’t be your match.”
“Tsk, really?”
“I’m not lying. Only one person needs attention.”
“Who?”
“This one.”
Seeing the photo he was pointing at, Lu Yunze pouted.
‘Why does this look familiar?’
‘Did I just see this face?’
‘Whatever, not important.’
As the competition began, Lu Yunze also recalled what Jiang Sui had said to him before he left.
‘She’s still waiting for me at home.’
‘I can’t let her down.’
‘If I don’t bring back a championship, Jiang Sui will definitely use it to tease me mercilessly.’
‘No.’
‘Even if I win the championship, she doesn’t seem like the type to let me off easily.’
‘The difference is, if I perform excellently, maybe she’ll take the initiative to give me a little personal reward.’
Recalling the warmth and softness from the previous reward session, Lu Yunze’s fighting spirit instantly ignited.
‘As expected, the primary productivity never changes!’
“Look, what’s that?!”
“So red, is it a rehearsal for some new show?”
“Could it be some kind of weapon of mass destruction?”
Lu Yunze noticed the conversations of others and also came outside.
Then he directly saw that red pillar of light shooting into the sky.
Almost everyone in Central City could see it.
But no one knew what it was.
Lu Yunze’s heart, which had already calmed down, became tense again.
However, this time, he didn’t plan to investigate personally.
When it came to helpers, he could still find quite a few.
Pulling out his phone and dialing, Lu Yunze coughed once and then spoke:
“Is this Miss Lü?”
“Why are you calling me? I’m busy. What’s up?”
“A red pillar of light has appeared in Central City…”
“I know.”
“The entire Execution Division received the news at the first moment and is now organizing personnel to investigate.”
“Don’t worry, I’m leading the team personally, so it won’t be slow.”
“If anything unexpected happens, remember to notify me.”
Lu Yunze added:
“I have a bad feeling.”
“…Now that you mention it, I also feel it’s a bit dangerous.”
“I’m not going to die on this mission, am I?!”
After hanging up, Lu Yunze still wasn’t at ease.
Although that pillar of light was very far from him, he always had the illusion that he couldn’t escape, as if he would face it sooner or later.
He had gotten Lü Ziyi’s phone number at the end of that welcome banquet. After making her work for nothing, Lu Yunze took her business card as a gesture.
After the pillar of light dissipated, Lu Yunze returned to the competition venue.
No matter how much commotion there was on the streets outside, as long as no real danger occurred, the competition had to continue.
Lu Yunze also had a seat in the audience. Next to him were Luo Yao and Luo Heng.
The siblings had bought milk tea and snacks, eating while discussing the news about the pillar of light.
“Now, let’s welcome the next contestant to the stage!”
As the host announced loudly, Luo Yao also poked Lu Yunze’s shoulder.
“Brother Lu, watch closely. That one is your biggest enemy in this competition.”
“Ah, oh.”
Lu Yunze squinted, carefully looking at the person stepping onto the stage.
He muttered in his heart:
‘Why does that crew-cut hairstyle look so familiar?’
‘Still can’t remember.’
The crew-cut man sat down on the piano stool, his posture elegant and expression confident.
As if he could already see the championship waving at him.
Just as he raised his hand, brought it down, and played the first note—
Boom!
The ceiling above suddenly collapsed.
It directly smashed the piano in front of him, and the shockwave even sent him flying.
“I knew something would happen!”
“Aaaaaah!!!”
“This damn city is unlivable!”
The piano competition venue instantly fell into chaos.
From the center of the piano that had turned into ruins, a figure slowly walked out.
The crew-cut guy had originally wanted to scold the organizers for being unreliable, getting him into such a mess. But when he met eyes with Baigui Shitu, he was instantly terrified and fled in a panic.
Lu Yunze stood up like the other spectators.
But he didn’t flee immediately; instead, he stared intently at Baigui Shitu.
He remembered that face. It was exactly the same as the pale ghost face he had seen that night.
Baigui Shitu also noticed him.
Then a slow smirk curled on his lips.
“Found you, my nourishment.”
Lu Yunze instinctively felt that this guy was undeniably connected to that red pillar of light.
‘I knew it. Danger would come knocking.’
‘I just didn’t expect it to come so soon.’
Meanwhile.
Inside the hidden cave in the geological park. Behind the bronze gate.
Boom!
A hand suddenly reached out from the rubble and dirt. After frantically searching for a foothold, it grabbed hold of the door.
“Mmm mmm mmm!”
Jiang Sui gasped for breath. Her face was as pale as paper.
A large area of the clothes on her back was already soaked with blood.
The girl struggled hard and finally crawled out from under the rubble, collapsing weakly on the ground.
“Luo Tianyu, you old bastard…”
Jiang Sui thought to herself that her actions of deceiving and using Lu Yunze already fit the style of a cunning minor villain from the original novel. But compared to Luo Tianyu, the true big villain, she was still a small fry.
“It hurts so much. I haven’t been shot in a long time.”
From the moment Luo Tianyu fired the first shot, Jiang Sui had already started to save herself. She knew Luo Tianyu was dangerous, so she didn’t reveal all her trump cards in the fight. The “Jiang Sui” that Luo Tianyu finished off was just an illusion created after he inhaled the fragrance gas.
Even so, Jiang Sui was still shot in the back. She nearly lost her life.
The Apostle, Luo Tianyu, and Lu Yunze…
Jiang Sui gritted her teeth, struggled to stand up, and walked toward the cave exit.
She had already removed her disguise and returned to her original appearance. But her face was still pale. As for the robe, she didn’t want to take it off.
Perhaps due to blood loss, she felt her hands and feet were ice-cold.
Stumbling out of the forest, when she reached the park entrance, she saw members of the Execution Division gathering nearby.
“The target might be in this mountain, everyone get ready.”
“This might be another tough battle.”
Jiang Sui leaned against the wall.
‘This is such a pain in the ass.’
‘How can I fool their eyes and get to Lu Yunze’s side?’
‘I need to rest well to maintain my mist ability.’
‘But now, there’s no time to rest.’
Just as Jiang Sui was at her wit’s end, a car not far away suddenly honked, attracting her attention.
Jiang Sui ran over.
Then she discovered that the newcomer was actually her own mother—Xia Youqing!
Wait. Who was in the car?
“Mom?”
“Get in!”
Xia Youqing’s expression was grim. Jiang Sui didn’t say anything more. After getting in the car, she directly collapsed in the back seat.
“There are medical supplies in the car. Do you want me to help you?”
“I’ll do it myself. You drive, go to the piano competition venue.”
“Now?”
“Quick!”
Xia Youqing had no choice but to start the car immediately.
They successfully passed right under the noses of the Execution Division members, left the geological park, and headed straight to the city center.
However, when the car was halfway there, Xia Youqing suddenly slammed on the brakes and squeezed herself into the back seat. At that moment, Jiang Sui had just taken off her robe. The blood from the wound on her back hadn’t completely stopped.
“Lie down, I’ll help you.”
Xia Youqing pressed Jiang Sui down, then skillfully prepared the necessary tools.
“Mom… when did you learn this?”
Jiang Sui had no strength to resist, so she could only ask with a bitter smile.
“You don’t know yet?”
Xia Youqing replied while treating the wound:
“I graduated from medical school.”
“Back when your father got himself into a mess like you, I was the one who removed the bullets for him.”
“Huh?”
Jiang Sui was stunned. The amount of information in these words was too much.
She suddenly grabbed Xia Youqing’s wrist, her expression turning serious.
“Who sent you to pick me up?”
“How did he know my location?”
Xia Youqing did not answer. She just pursed her lips and continued to treat her wound.
Seeing this, Jiang Sui did not press further. She just obediently lay down.
But the ripples in her eyes swayed gently.