novelraw Chapter 408 - 392: As Terrifying As This, Let the Games Begin
Chapter 408 - 392: As Terrifying As This, Let the Games Begin
Feng Mu felt extremely wronged.
He had always lived uprightly, conducting himself with integrity, so why did all his friends harbor prejudice against him?
He sighed deeply, a sigh filled with helplessness, self-deprecation, and an indescribable complexity of emotions.
"Captain Li, you’re misunderstanding..." Feng Mu began, unhurriedly,
"I came today on behalf of the Second Prison, to invite Secretary Hou for an inspection tomorrow morning, and also to witness this joint examination event, to cheer for my genius sister, with absolutely no other intention."
Feng Mu guaranteed that every word he spoke was true, with a 100% truth rate.
However, Li Shang felt a pang in his heart, asking coldly, "Really?"
His gaze was skeptical and wary, yet his expression grew even more tense.
Feng Mu, helpless, pointed at the stage above and explained:
"The one with the high ponytail up there is Feng Yuhuai, my sister, I guarantee I’m not lying, friends don’t deceive friends."
Li Shang’s expression slightly relaxed, and he breathed a little easier, flashing a grin at Feng Mu, saying:
"Your sister seems quite formidable, looks like she’s set to shine today, her future is certainly limitless, congratulations."
Feng Mu chuckled, "Yes, limitless future indeed, thanks to Captain Li’s kind words."
"Alright, then I’ll get busy, remember to call me if you need anything, I’ll help you..."
Li Shang still felt a bit uneasy, hesitated to speak further, and finally left, looking back frequently, leaving Chang Erbing in place.
Feng Mu turned to look at Chang Erbing, who appeared slightly embarrassed.
Feng Mu smiled, not troubling Chang Erbing, but rather said gently:
"Captain Li is a good friend, very enthusiastic toward friends, with many parents and guests on campus today, having you around can avoid conflicts with others, that’s great."
Chang Erbing nodded, muttering to himself:
"This person speaks quite comfortably, without knowing the inside story, who would guess he’s a lunatic, it’s really... too dangerous!"
The music melody on campus fluttered slightly with the wind, suddenly wavering, as if an invisible force plucked the strings.
A deep and somewhat timeworn cough echoed from the loudspeaker, like a reverberation rising from the depths of the earth, heavy and powerful, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
On the podium, Principal Xue Xunyu stood firmly in front of the microphone, his back straight like a pine tree.
His sharp deep blue suit was impeccably tailored, a shining metal school badge pinned to his shoulder, symbolizing the century-old spirit of the Eighth Academy and the honor of his thirty-year tenure as principal.
Though over sixty, time had not diminished his authority but rather endowed him with a composed dignity.
Even before he spoke, just one cough brought a wave of applause from the students below, interwoven with thunderous cheers.
He lightly pressed both hands down, and the scene immediately quieted, even the wind seemed silenced.
One cough, one press, perfectly timed, appearing neither deliberate nor revealing any excess emotions, yet like an invisible command, he instantly held the pulse of the campus in the palm of his hand.
Sixty years of life, thirty years as principal, refined in the art of education, truly awe-inspiring.
"Honored guests, parents, teachers, and students, welcome to the Eighth Academy. Today marks the final of the Martial Arts Joint Examination and the centennial celebration of the Eighth Academy."
Principal Xue’s voice spread clearly and loudly throughout the venue via high-precision audio diffusers.
"A century of history, a century of legacy, the Eighth Academy has always committed to heritage, dedication, and excellence.
Today, not only do we celebrate the school’s hundred years of glory, but also cheer for every student standing on the stage—you are the pride of the school, the future of Zone 9!"
With Xue Xunyu’s words, the surrounding holographic screens lit up instantly, reflecting the hundred-year history of the Eighth Academy.
The initial image was striking and breathtaking.
It was a scene of ruins, where scorched debris from bombing lay exposed, with rusted drainage pipes sticking out, and the air seemed to still contain the lingering scent of gunpowder and decay.
Rain had washed the mud into crisscrossed ravines, and a bent flagpole stood solitary in a corner, the flag long gone.
The subsequent images gradually brightened.
The ruins were slowly leveled, the ravines filled, and the first brick-walled schoolroom rose.
Then the images accelerated, with schoolrooms expanding, the playground leveling out, saplings planted in campus corners, slowly growing into towering trees.
Later, glass windows reflected the "sunlight" cascading from the base of Upper City, with holographic teaching equipment introduced into classrooms, replacing traditional Martial Arts dojos with high-tech equipment.
The scene finally froze on the current Eighth Academy—an intertwining high-tech school of metal and glass, with the main building’s exterior walls like smooth mirrors, and holographic beams rising from the tops of teaching buildings, subtly outlining the Eighth Academy’s crest.
Images kept changing, magnifying, finally freezing on several suspended platforms, with vibrant and "fierce" figures appearing on the stage, reflected in the image.
It seemed this campus was not merely a school but also a cultivated "arena."
The deep, resounding voice from the loudspeaker seemed to contain some heart-stirring power, with the undertone slightly rising, carrying a faint "fierceness":
"The most exciting moment in the history of the Eighth Academy has finally arrived, I announce—the ultimate horn of the Martial Arts Joint Examination is now blown!
Sons of the stage, release all your restraints, tear apart your bonds, unleash all your potential! Today, go burn! Go fight! Achieve your brilliance!
The first to stand atop the peak, your name will be indelibly linked with this year’s Martial Arts Joint Examination, echoing throughout Zone 9.
Your name will also be engraved on the school monument, handed down with your alma mater for generations, shining through eternity, imperishable!"
As the words fell, the whole venue was swept like by a hurricane, with boiling shouts and applause surging like tides, shaking the entire campus.
The holographic screens lit up, showcasing the heroic figures of the eight "strongest college students" in succession, each with a different posture, yet all exuding an aura of confidence and "the strong."
Their names and personal information were marked beside them, and the screen’s images would be broadcasted live by attending TV stations.
In a sense, even without reaching number one, their eight names had already gained considerable fame in Zone 9.
However, all eight understood that the battle had just begun, only the one who ascended to the top could write their legend to the extremity.
The scene switched again, focusing on a platform, where two stood facing each other, poised to strike.
The professional martial arts judge standing between them, straight as a rod, with a stern gaze.
He slowly brought the whistle to his lips, the sharp whistle’s tail extended:
"This fight—no restrictions! The winner stands; the loser lies down!"
The final act of the first Martial Arts Joint Examination in Zone 9 was unveiled and destined to resound in Zone 9 as the Eighth Academy envisioned...