Damn it! Let’s smash the darkness together!

Chapter 1357 - 176: A Straightforward Trickster, Nemesis at Every Turn, and an Extraordinary Escape

Xu Shu took a glance and didn’t bother, quickly connecting with her.

The next second, he received a message: [You have received 15,000 contribution points from "Lu Bingwei," automatically added to your total contribution. Current contribution: 48,149]

"So much?" Xu Shu’s eyelid twitched, and he became energized, sweeping away the slight complaints from before.

At this time, Lu Bingwei replied: "Not much, counting the subsidy promised by Qingshan Temple and the three treasures picked up at the dueling ground, converted into this. Do you think it’s enough?"

"Enough! Enough! Enough! As expected of Melanie’s top student, honest dealing, I can trust you!" Xu Shu sent a thumbs-up emoji over.

The other party did not reply.

Xu Shu thought to himself that this flat-chested girl was really cold; despite being comrades who have gone through thick and thin, she didn’t show any enthusiasm.

He was preparing to close the private chat but saw Lu Bingwei added another line: "I’ve already provided the battle footage to the Astronomy Association about the Red Emperor Army’s framing of you, and your name has been cleared."

Huh?

So fast?

Wait a minute...

"Where did you get the battle footage?" Xu Shu asked, puzzled.

"Picked up the drives from those two dead Holy Knights," Lu Bingwei said, "We’ll chat again if there’s anything. I’m busy now."

"Until next time, let’s have a chance to collaborate."

Xu Shu closed the chat box, thinking about how formidable this ’Ripples Unstirred’ was. Even when she was on her last leg in the fight, she managed to take the "evidence" with her — could she have anticipated being framed afterwards?

Indeed, her professional training made her way of thinking much better than my untrained approach.

Without thinking much, Xu Shu decisively opened the world channel to check, only to find there wasn’t a pinned post to clear his name.

However, the previously pinned post accusing him, ’This Grudge Cannot Be Erased,’ was pushed to the forefront again.

Upon checking it, Xu Shu found numerous small accounts with the Astronomy Association’s suffix flooding the comments, with quite consistent content:

[Authorized by Lie Zhenzi and judged by the Astronomy Association: Zhang Runzhi, the Golden Eye Wolf Saber (Third-order Butcher), betrayed his teammates in the ruins and is wanted according to law. However, given his death, further accountability is waived; Gu Pan, the crafty Dragon Elephant (Third-rank), saved several teammates from danger, demonstrating unwavering loyalty to the Human Clan by preserving multiple living forces. He is credited with merit and is awarded second-class merit according to the relevant provisions of the Astronomy Association’s Extraordinary Alliance Combat Regulations.]

Such replies numbered over a hundred, dominating the screen for nearly an hour, all from officially tagged small accounts of the Astronomy Association.

In subsequent comments, many previously siding with ’This Grudge Cannot Be Erased’ due to doubts started switching their stance:

"Damn, I was fooled by the Red Emperor Army’s dogs. I admit I was impulsive before and shouldn’t have doubted Brother Gu Pan. I apologize to Brother Gu Pan!"

"Right, right. I always said our Brother Gu Pan is the best!"

"No more words, bottoms up... Punish myself with three cups to apologize to Brother Shu!"

There were some who initially supported Xu Shu and many who opposed him, attacking him before.

Xu Shu was initially quite pleased until the tone began to shift bizarrely.

"Hunter Association, Attention! Salute to the Iron Armor Barbarian Bull! Loyalty! Honor!"

"Beiji Ice Palace, Attention... Grounded Steel Rhinoceros, Loyalty! Honor!"

"Elswick Royal Court, Attention... Muscle King, Loyalty! Honor!"

"... Golden Javelin, Loyalty!"

"... Heroic Grass Python, Loyalty!!"

"——Crafty Gentleman! Loyalty!!!"

"Aren’t you the cowards?"

Seeing the screen full of "Loyalty," Xu Shu almost laughed in exasperation.

Who started this trend?

This bunch better be genuinely apologizing, not seizing the opportunity to mock him with those ridiculous titles!

It must be said, with the layer of protection offered by online anonymity, everyone was quite bold.

They could bravely admit faults without fear of losing face and boldly mock Xu Shu, the Ranking Expert, without fear of offending him.

After all, one could post anonymously, and if things went south, even a Heavenly List Expert could be cursed without holding back.

Xu Shu shook his head and sighed. However, in this way, he managed to save face both publicly and privately.

Just not sure if the Astronomy Association’s ’Third-class Merit’ holds much value; they didn’t say...

Wait.

Xu Shu pondered and realized something was amiss.

He found it odd that the Astronomy Association’s small accounts, although they provided him with "justice," didn’t mention another main culprit, Yan Hui!

What’s going on?

Xu Shu found it unreasonable, hurriedly opening Lu Bingwei’s private chat to inquire about it.

After a while, Lu Bingwei sent a detailed message explaining the reason.

Yan Hui was not a teammate but acted in normal competition for treasures in the ruins, without violating the law; the true betrayal, accounting for legal pursuit, only applies to one person, and if they’re dead, debts are cleared.

Xu Shu was left stupefied, his first thought being disbelief at the idea that killing wasn’t illegal?

Then he realized the issue.

The fact is there really isn’t a law against mutual killing or fighting in ruins as per the Astronomy Association’s regulations for Transcendents.

It seems Lie Zhenzi quite supported everyone engaging in combat, thus the Astronomy Association’s laws for Transcendents were crafted accordingly?

That’s not important.

What’s important is that those nearly killed included one of the seven direct disciples of the Astronomy Association President, Melanie — with evidence so clear, couldn’t they issue a warrant for Yan Hui?

You could definitely do that...