On East City National Path, a large crater dented the front of a stretched luxury car, with Mr. Chi embedded inside. His expensive clothes were now in tatters, his forehead was covered in blood, and half his face had swollen up, squeezing one eye into a thin slit. He was panting heavily.

He tried to struggle up, but when he saw the imposing figure before him seem about to move again, he quickly held up a hand. "Stop, stop, stop..." He must have touched a sore spot, for he hissed in pain and said through a grimace, "I’m just trying to make a living. It’s not worth all this."

He fumbled around, picked up a broken watch from beneath him, glanced at it, and tossed it aside. "It’s almost six o’clock now," he said. "Even if I rushed over, I wouldn’t make it in time."

After he said this, he saw the figure before him turn around and leave with steady steps.

Mr. Chi let out a breath, looked up at the sky, and shouted with all his might, "Hey, anyone alive out there? Get me a drink? I hate sunbathing in the summer..."

Meanwhile, in Yangzhi City, news of the incident at the old factory district spread quickly. In just a few short hours, almost the entire city was in an uproar.

This incident was truly unprecedented. The deceased this time weren’t just some random nobodies; they were the children of Yangzhi City’s elite. And it wasn’t just one or two—it was dozens. Including security personnel, the death toll was close to one hundred.

It had been many years since an incident of this magnitude had occurred in Yangzhi City.

It was late August, and Wuyi Academy hadn’t started its term yet. But when the news broke, it sent huge waves through the student body.

The Mutual Aid Association?

It was the most powerful student club in the academy, formed by the Recommended Students. For decades, it had been a power that loomed firmly over the heads of all other students.

According to subsequent reports, a total of thirty-seven members of the Mutual Aid Association had died in the incident. With the exception of a few who were members in name only and rarely participated, not a single prominent figure had escaped. The entire upper echelon of the association had been wiped out in one fell swoop.

The academy’s students weren’t fools. Just from the location, they could roughly guess what had happened.

That was the very place where Shen Zheng had died three years ago. The Mutual Aid Association had clearly intended to repeat history. But they never expected that this time, they would run into an opponent far beyond their calculations.

Many students had personally experienced the Shen Zheng incident. Upon hearing this news, they could barely contain their excitement, exclaiming, "Good riddance!"

Though they didn’t know the specifics, they could imagine the scene from last night: Chen Chuan, alone against a hundred men, facing the oppression and threats of the Mutual Aid Association’s many members. He hadn’t just refused to yield—he had risen in defiance. One man, one blade, slaughtering the entire leadership of the association!

The mere thought of this scene sent their blood rushing.

There were still a few days until the start of the school year, but after hearing the news, many students couldn’t sit still any longer and rushed to the academy early.

Not only that, but some alumni who had graduated a year or even several years ago also returned to the academy. For years, the Mutual Aid Association had used all sorts of methods to suppress outstanding students, employing threats and enticements from the moment they enrolled.

Under these circumstances, students forced to join the Mutual Aid Association were still constrained by the agreements they had signed even after graduation. Many were angry but dared not speak out, with no way to resist.

But now, with this outcome, they were all exhilarated. At the same time, their admiration for Chen Chuan, the one who had done this, knew no bounds.

There were also many first-year students who had already moved into the school dorms early. They were somewhat confused, and only after hearing the stories from the upperclassmen did they learn about the Mutual Aid Association’s deeds and the past incident with Shen Zheng.

Only after understanding these things and connecting them to what Chen Chuan had done did they realize what a heroic feat this senior student had accomplished!

Even though they hadn’t officially enrolled yet, they were filled with immense admiration for this upperclassman, wishing they could go back to last night and fight alongside him, blade in hand.

But amidst their excitement, they couldn’t help but worry about Chen Chuan. A student said, "I heard Chen was taken away by the Patrol Bureau, but he didn’t do anything wrong!"

The students all agreed. It was obvious the Mutual Aid Association had started it. Besides, the Association had deployed at least a hundred people, while Chen Chuan was alone. It was clear at a glance who was persecuting whom!

"We need to submit a petition to the school’s upper management and the Administrative Affairs Hall, demanding they release Chen!"

"That’s right, we have to do it!"

"Yeah, count me in!"

"Me too!"

While the students were having their heated discussion, in the administrative building, inside the office of the Recruitment and Preparation Department, Bian Feng said to Master Gao, "Lu Fang came to see me. He hopes the school’s leadership will step in to protect Chen Chuan. I agree. We can’t just ignore this."

Master Gao said in a low voice, "You’re all teachers at the academy. I won’t comment on whether this is right or wrong yet, but you need to remain calm. Don’t get swept up in the students’ emotions."

Yue Hong said from the side, "But Master Gao, setting everything else aside, Chen Chuan is a student of our academy. He hasn’t been convicted of anything, and the situation is still uncertain. We can’t just abandon him!"

"What are you so anxious about?"

Master Gao said slowly, "Vice Principal Gu has already reported this matter to the Processing Bureau."

"The Processing Bureau?"

The two looked at each other. Although the Processing Bureau usually handled Fighters out in society, the academy’s students were, strictly speaking, also under their jurisdiction. If so, they could intervene, which would prevent Chen Chuan from being easily manipulated by those other powers.

"Don’t celebrate too soon."

Master Gao said grimly, "This matter isn’t that simple. You all know who is behind those students."

Those Recommended Students all came from powerful families in Yangzhi City. Many of their family members held key positions in the Administrative Affairs Hall or were outright members of the Advisory Council.

Some of them even had ties to companies and consortiums in Central City, or were directly connected to the Molan Company.

The former were one thing, but the Molan Company was a corporate giant from Central City. Its influence was unimaginable. They could sway more than half of the Advisory Council’s members, which in turn could influence the entire Administrative Affairs Hall. If the Molan Company were to step in, could the Processing Bureau hold its ground? It was hard to say.

Just then, a voice came from outside. "I’m here on behalf of the school’s Board of Directors. I need to see Manager Gao now. Please make way." Amid a clamor, Jiang Commission Office walked in, looked at the seated Master Gao, and said, "Manager Gao."

Master Gao looked at the newcomer. "Ah, Jiang Commission Office. What can I do for you?"

Jiang Commission Office straightened his foreign-made formal suit, placed a document on the desk, and said, "I have come on behalf of a number of school directors and the academy’s financial sponsors to request the expulsion of the student Chen Chuan."

Master Gao asked, "For what reason?"

Jiang Commission Office sneered. "What reason? Surely you know, Manager Gao?"

Master Gao said gravely, "If you are referring to yesterday’s incident, Jiang Commission Office, there is no clear outcome yet, so it is not my place to draw any conclusions."

"Conclusions? Isn’t it already obvious?"

Jiang Commission Office slammed his hand on the desk angrily and said with agitation, "That Chen Chuan single-handedly slaughtered thirty-seven outstanding students and dozens of loyal security personnel! How can you allow such a vicious student to remain at the academy?

The Board of Directors must consider the safety of the academy’s students! They must consider the academy’s reputation! Many of our sponsors are now questioning whether the academy’s administration is capable of managing the academy, or its students!"

Master Gao picked up the document, glanced at it, and put it back down. "This document only has the signatures of some of the directors," he said. "It does not represent the entire board.

Furthermore, an expulsion would require confirmation that the student in question actually did what you claim, Jiang Commission Office. It would also require a discussion among the school’s management. A decision cannot be made based on a few flimsy signatures."

Jiang Commission Office’s face darkened. "Manager Gao, the impact of this incident is enormous and extremely vile. Never mind you, even certain people behind you won’t be able to suppress this. The board is giving you a chance right now. You’d better think carefully, Manager Gao."

"Who wants to expel my student?"

As the voice arrived, Cheng Zitong pushed open the door and walked in, still wearing his decorative sunglasses. "Expel him? Just you try it! Who dares to expel a student of mine, Cheng Zitong!"

Jiang Commission Office turned to Cheng Zitong and sneered, "Manager Cheng, you’re Chen Chuan’s supervising instructor, aren’t you? Chen Chuan slaughtered so many outstanding students. As his instructor, you also bear responsibility for this. You should be thinking about how to save your own skin."

Cheng Zitong wasn’t buying it. "Jiang Qing, drop the act. You might be able to threaten others, but you can’t threaten me. The Board of Directors? So long as I, Cheng Zitong, don’t approve, no one is expelling my student!"

Jiang Commission Office said coldly, "Manager Cheng, Wuyi Academy is not your personal academy. You have no right to say such things."

"I have no right?" Cheng Zitong scoffed, took off his sunglasses, and said slowly, "My grandfather, Cheng Yunbai, was the first principal of Wuyi Academy. My uncle, Cheng Shang, served as the second principal. My martial uncle, Fan Shoulu, is the current fourth principal. If I have no right, who does?!"

Meanwhile, back in the dorms, Feng Xiaochi ran in anxiously and said to the group of students gathered there, "The school’s Board of Directors sent that Jiang Commission Office guy to Manager Gao. They’re saying they want to expel Brother Chen!"

Weidong said, "Expel him? They haven’t even expelled me, so why would they expel Brother Chen?"

Wu Han gritted his teeth. "Damn it, that bastard Jiang Commission Office is always up to no good! No, we have to think of something."

"Yeah, we have to think of something."

Luo Kaiyuan, who had been listening from the side, didn’t join the discussion. Instead, he quietly walked out.

Half an hour later, Jiang Commission Office walked out of the office building with a grim expression. He was preparing to report what had just happened to several of the directors. But when he reached the parking lot, he found that his car tires had been slashed. He cursed under his breath and said to the driver following him, "Go call me a car."

The driver hurried back to the office building to use a phone, leaving Jiang Commission Office waiting there alone. He glanced at his watch.

At that very moment, footsteps suddenly approached. Before he could react, his world spun. A fist smashed into his face. With a SPIT, he spat out several teeth. A second fist immediately crashed into his face, and his vision went black. Then a third punch landed, this time on the side of his head, and he instantly fell unconscious.

The attacker stood up, glanced left and right, and unhurriedly left the scene.

When the driver returned, he found Jiang Commission Office lying on the ground, his face covered in blood. The driver turned pale with fright, rushed forward to help him up, and shook him, shouting, "Jiang Commission Office! Jiang Commission Office..."

Back in the dorm room, Feng Xiaochi and the others were still discussing ways to help Chen Chuan. Just then, he turned his head and saw Luo Kaiyuan walk in from outside. "Brother Luo, where’d you go? We didn’t see you for a bit there."

Luo Kaiyuan said, "Nowhere special. Just went to the restroom."

...

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