Zhou Feng's expression suddenly changed, his eyes flickering continuously.

He took a step forward, blocking Liu Yuru, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Chief Examiner Li, there must be some misunderstanding."

"How could our Zhou Family collude with a heinous organization like the Dawnbreaker Guild?"

Liu Yuru also recovered her senses and quickly agreed.

"Yes! We've been wronged!"

"You've arrested the wrong person! Release my son immediately!"

"Wronged?"

Li Gang sneered, his laugh filled with disdain.

He walked to an instrument and pressed a button.

On the wall next to the one-way glass, a screen lit up and began to play a video.

The scene showed the jungle of Triple Island.

Lu Qi was alone, his face filled with resentment and madness.

He took a grotesque ghost-face mask from his spatial ring and, without hesitation, put it on his face.

The camera gave him a close-up.

The moment he put on the mask, his eyes flashed with excitement and anticipation.

"We investigated all the video footage of Lu Qi on Triple Island."

Li ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Gang's voice was like a cold wind from the netherworld.

"The ghost-face mask that lured out the S-Class wanted criminal Zuo Daolin was put on by Lu Qi himself."

"Do you still dare to say he was wronged?"

The video finished playing, and the screen went dark.

Inside the office, there was a deathly silence.

Liu Yuru stared blankly at the dark screen, feeling cold all over, as if plunged into an ice cave.

Zhou Feng's fists silently clenched at his sides, his face terribly grim.

"If it weren't for a certain examinee in this National Examination stepping forward and turning the tide, minimizing the losses—"

"I wouldn't be speaking to you so politely right now."

"Your entire Zhou Family should have been locked up in a dark military prison long ago!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two ashen-faced individuals.

"Now, I'm giving you a chance."

"Go in and ask him where that mask came from."

"This is your Zhou Family's only chance to get lenient treatment."

After speaking, he gestured to the military officer beside him.

The door leading to the interrogation room slowly opened.

Liu Yuru, as if grasping at a last straw, was the first to rush in.

Zhou Feng took a deep breath and followed suit.

Inside the interrogation room.

Lu Qi heard the door open and looked up.

When he saw Liu Yuru and Zhou Feng, tears instantly welled up in his previously hollow eyes.

He seemed to have found his saviors.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

He cried out, his voice full of grievance.

"Everyone here is bad! They hit me!"

"Mommy, I want to go home... I'm scared..."

Liu Yuru's heart was instantly torn to shreds by his cries.

She rushed to Lu Qi, disregarding the bloodstains on him, and hugged him tightly.

"Qi'er! My Qi'er!"

She sobbed uncontrollably, her heart aching so much she could barely breathe.

"Don't be afraid, Mommy's here, Mommy's right here..."

She comforted him for a while before her emotions slightly calmed, then cupped Lu Qi's face and asked urgently.

"Qi'er, tell Mommy, what exactly happened?"

"You... where did that mask of yours come from?"

Lu Qi blinked, tears still welling in his eyes.

He didn't answer Liu Yuru's question, just kept shrinking into her embrace.

"Mommy... I want to go home..."

"Mommy, I'm hungry... I'm so hungry..."

His voice was soft, sweet, and tender, like a child of only five or six years old.

Zhou Feng had been standing by, observing with a cold gaze.

Now, his tightly furrowed brows deepened even further.

"Yuru."

He spoke in a low voice.

"Qi'er seems... a little off."

"He doesn't usually talk like this."

Liu Yuru was startled by his words, only then noticing a hint of strangeness amidst her immense grief.

She released Lu Qi and carefully examined his face.

His eyes were clear, bewildered, with a childlike innocence.

Completely devoid of his usual shrewdness and arrogance.

"Qi'er?"

Liu Yuru's voice trembled.

"What's wrong with you? Look at Mommy!"

"Don't scare Mommy..."

Lu Qi looked at her anxious face, then suddenly grinned and chuckled, "Hehe."

That smile, pure and innocent, sent a chill down Liu Yuru's spine.

He leaned close to Liu Yuru's ear and, in a cooing tone, whispered.

"Mommy, I want to pee."

No sooner had he spoken.

A warm liquid flowed down his pant leg.

Drip, drip, dropping onto the cold floor, splashing Liu Yuru's expensive high heels.

A pungent smell quickly permeated the interrogation room.

Li Gang stood in the observation room, watching the absurd and pathetic scene through the glass, his brows tightly furrowed, saying nothing.

The door behind him was gently pushed open.

A subordinate quickly walked to his side and handed him a document.

"Chief Examiner Li."

"The diagnostic report is out."

Li Gang didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the distraught mother and son in the interrogation room.

"Speak."

The subordinate's voice was very low, his words rapid.

"Lu Qi's body is fine, only superficial injuries."

"But his Soul suffered irreversible damage during the period when he was possessed by Zuo Daolin."

"According to the preliminary diagnosis by psychiatric experts, his current mental age does not exceed five years old."

Li Gang's eyelid twitched.

The subordinate paused for a moment, then continued to add.

"Also, there's one more thing."

"Lu Qi's old butler suddenly died on the way back when we were escorting him."

"It was as if his Soul was suddenly extracted by someone."

"It's Zuo Daolin's method."

Li Gang's voice was as cold as ice.

"That butler was probably already controlled by Zuo Daolin."

"Through him, that mask was given to Lu Qi."

"This way, everything makes sense."

The subordinate nodded and said nothing more.

Li Gang's mind raced.

The logical chain was complete.

But what about the motive?

Why Lu Qi of all people?

Why the Zhou Family of all families?

The Zhou Family might be considered a prominent Family in Donghai City.

But in the entire Great Xia Country, they are completely insignificant.

So why would people from the Dawnbreaker Guild pay attention to the Zhou Family?

He looked at the interrogation room again.

Zhou Feng still stood there, his face grim, showing no emotion.

In Li Gang's mind, however, he clearly replayed the fleeting moment of discomposure on this man's face when he had mentioned the "Dawnbreaker Guild" not long ago.

That wasn't surprise.

It was more like a kind of... panic at having a secret exposed.

This Zhou Family definitely has a problem.

"Chief Examiner Li, what about Zhou Feng and Liu Yuru...?" the subordinate asked tentatively.

Li Gang withdrew his gaze, his voice returning to normal.

"Let them go."

"Without evidence, we can't touch them right now."

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"But, keep a close eye on them."

"Send people to investigate."

"Dig up everything about the Zhou Family from the past few decades."

"Who they've offended, who they've had shady collaborations with, and what they've been up to recently."

"Don't miss any clues!"

"Yes!"

The subordinate stood at attention, saluted, and quickly departed.

Li Gang took one last look through the glass at the woman on the other side, crying and weeping while holding her mentally impaired son, then turned and walked out of the observation room.

...

Time, in the blink of an eye, came to the next day.

A night of ferment had completely set the entire Great Xia Country's internet ablaze.

The National Examination, as an annual national event, garnered even more attention than any entertainment program.

The sudden interruption of the live broadcast, with no explanation from the authorities, undoubtedly gave countless netizens enormous room for imagination.

For a time, various speculations and rumors ran rampant.

"Shocking inside story! National Examination venue suspected of high-level exotic beast attack, heavy casualties!"

"Don't talk nonsense, upstairs. My uncle works in the military, and he said a terrorist organization invaded!"

"Everyone, stop arguing. There's only one truth! It must be that Gandalf the Forbidden Spell Mage was too abnormal, causing all the provincial teams to collectively protest, and the authorities had no choice but to suspend the competition!"

"Seconded! That Forbidden Spell Mage was casting spells like they were free, who could withstand that? How are we supposed to play like this?"

Just as countless netizens were arguing fiercely and various conspiracy theories were flying around.

At exactly nine in the morning.

The official website of the Ministry of Education of the Great Xia Country published a formal announcement.

【Statement Regarding the Current National Higher Education Entrance Examination (National Examination)】

【Yesterday, due to an unexpected System malfunction in the National Examination live broadcast, the broadcast signal was interrupted, causing inconvenience and trouble to everyone, for which we deeply apologize.】

【After emergency repairs, the System has now returned to normal. This National Examination successfully concluded yesterday, and no unexpected incidents occurred.】

【Now announcing the final results of this National Examination:】

【Champion: Dongning Province Representative Team.】

【This National Examination's top scorer: Dongning Province, Gandalf.】

As soon as the announcement was made, the entire internet was in an uproar.

After a brief silence, even more intense discussions followed.

"I knew it! There aren't that many conspiracy theories! It was just the official's broken server crashing again!"

"Hahaha, indeed! The Devil King Gandalf, the champion was already decided! No suspense!"

"My heart aches for the Geniuses from other provincial teams, encountering such a deity, truly bad luck." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Dongning Province is going to soar this year! They produced such a formidable person!"

While countless viewers breathed a sigh of relief, they also began to complain about the unreliability of the authorities.

For something as important as the National Examination, the live broadcast System actually failed.

It was simply a huge joke.

...

Suburban villa.

Zhou Huai suddenly opened his eyes in bed.

His face was filled with uncontrollable excitement.

Just now, that cold System notification sounded like a thunderclap in his mind.

【Ding!】

【System Notification: Quest 'Top Scorer's Name' has been completed!】

【Quest Reward: Profession Orb Draw Chance X1, already issued!】

It's here!

Zhou Huai forcibly suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and immediately closed his eyes.

His consciousness instantly sank into that familiar void space.

The huge, sci-fi rotary machine floated silently in the darkness.

In front of the machine, the single draw button was flashing with an enticing glow.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Zhou Huai's will fiercely pressed the button!

Buzz—!

The rotary machine spun wildly, countless colorful Profession Orbs transforming into streaks of flowing light, dazzling the eyes.

Zhou Huai held his breath.

The light grew brighter and brighter.

The rotation suddenly stopped!

Whoosh!

A fiery red orb! Shot out from the rotary machine!

Zhou Huai's pupils suddenly constricted.

Exactly the same as Gandalf's fiery red orb before!

Zhou Huai's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be...

Another SS-Class?!

The red orb slowly descended, hovering in front of Zhou Huai.

Flames erupted!

Transforming into a black scroll, even more sinister and domineering than the scrolls of the Myriad Forms Divine Craftsman and the Forbidden Spell Mage!

On the scroll, countless distorted Demonic patterns slowly flowed, emitting a terrifying aura that made one's heart palpitate.

【Congratulations to the Host, you have drawn the Profession: Unique Hidden Profession—SS-Class · Dark Night Demon Lord!】

(PS: This is an Assassin-type Profession, please help me think of a name, dear readers!)

Thank you!