Central City

Chen Guan watched from the shadows, making no immediate move.

He was intensely curious about this mysterious first-year junior and wanted to see what he could do.

Just then, one of the metal hounds lost patience. It drove off with its hind legs, its entire body transforming into a silver streak of lightning as it opened its mouth, bristling with alloy fangs, and lunged straight for Shan Heng’s throat.

Shan Heng neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, he plunged his short staff forcefully into the ground.

“Field!”

A ring of invisible ripples spread outward from the short staff. The metal hound, which had already leaped into midair, suddenly froze as though it had slammed into an invisible wall.

Countless streams of pale-blue data appeared across the metal components that made up its body.

“So that’s how it is. The core drive is located in the central spinal column.”

Shan Heng’s eyes gleamed with an alarming intensity. Instead of counterattacking, he focused on the lethal killing machine before him like a child who had just discovered a fascinating new toy, carefully analyzing it.

The hound struggled violently. The red glow of its electronic eyes flared, and the overloaded energy caused the armor covering its body to grow hot.

The other two hounds attacked at the same time.

This is bad. I can’t handle all three.

Shan Heng hadn’t expected these modified creatures to be linked together.

The analysis field fluctuated violently under the combined impact of the three hounds, and the short staff began to emit an overloaded hum.

At the instant the field was about to shatter, a dark figure darted ahead of the hounds and appeared ghostlike in front of Shan Heng.

Chen Guan threw a punch. The force of it howled through the air, carrying nothing but pure strength as it struck the first hound squarely in the side of the head.

Crack.

The precise alloy skull caved in on impact. A string of sparks burst from the circuitry inside, and the massive body convulsed as it was sent flying backward. It finally came to a stop after smashing through two trees.

The other two hounds’ attacks were already upon them.

Without even looking, Chen Guan drew his scythe and spun it in a flourish.

A stark white blade flashed through the dim woods.

Two metal heads, their red eyes still glowing, were sent flying into the air. Thick black engine oil sprayed from their necks.

The three modified creatures that Shan Heng had found overwhelmingly difficult to deal with had been cleaned up in the blink of an eye.

Silence returned to the clearing.

Chen Guan sheathed his scythe and turned to look at Shan Heng, who was still standing there in a daze.

“Junior, you’ve got some nerve coming to a place like this alone.”

Shan Heng finally came back to his senses. He adjusted his glasses and looked at Chen Guan with a tumult of emotions in his eyes.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely lowered his head.

“Thank you, Senior.”

“It was nothing.”

They were fellow students, after all. Chen Guan couldn’t very well stand by and watch his junior get eliminated.

Based on what he had observed just now, this junior was probably an ability user of the Knowledge type, more suited to support.

Following the principle of asking when he didn’t understand, Chen Guan asked, “The ability you used just now—is it a Knowledge-type ability?”

Shan Heng’s body trembled. His eyes behind the lenses were full of surprise, and he nodded.

“Yes. My ability is called Field Analysis. It can analyze the basic composition of everything within its range.”

“Sounds pretty useful.”

Chen Guan offered the casual evaluation. The boy was quite honest—he answered every question directly—and seemed better than Chen Guan had initially expected.

“But it has limits,” Shan Heng added.

He adjusted his glasses, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the black coffin on Chen Guan’s back. His voice dropped as he said, “For example, there are some things I can’t analyze at all.”

His intentions were so obvious that even Baobao noticed. A threatening growl rumbled in the leopard’s throat as it wedged itself between Chen Guan and Shan Heng, assuming a protective stance as though guarding its food.

“Gwa.”

Baobao lifted its head and cried out, as if reminding its master.

As an unusually intelligent leopard, it knew just how precious the coffin was to its master.

“He’s very perceptive,” Shan Heng praised, then awkwardly took half a step back. “Senior, I mean no harm.”

Chen Guan patted Baobao on the head, signaling for it to quiet down.

“Come with me.”

His words were brief and left Shan Heng no room to refuse. He headed straight toward the central district.

Shan Heng froze, then a hint of delight appeared on his face as he hurried after him.

“Yes, Senior.”

The two men and one leopard made their way through the woods. Several times, Shan Heng tried to speak, but each time he held back, not daring to interrupt.

After passing through the final stretch of dense forest, the view suddenly opened up.

The shattered high-rises formed steel silhouettes beneath the gloomy sky. At last, they had reached the abandoned city.

The cracked asphalt had been overrun by stubborn moss. Wind passed through the empty windows of the deserted towers, producing a mournful howl like the dying breath of the city itself.

“Senior, we’re inside.”

Shan Heng’s voice drifted across the empty streets. He pushed up his glasses and warily scanned their surroundings.

Chen Guan kept walking, his senses fully extended.

“There are traces of supernatural energy here. At least three battles of varying scale have taken place.”

Shan Heng quickened his pace and followed just behind Chen Guan’s shoulder, like a dedicated radar reporting his analysis.

“There’s the aura of familiars from Kamitani Academy, as well as residue from Kowloon Pharmaceuticals. There’s no mistaking it.”

Chen Guan nodded. His own senses had reached the same conclusion. It seemed that Qingbai Jing’s companions had fled all the way here. They had certainly run fast.

It appeared that the top students all had a clear objective: the central area.

Chen Guan stopped at an intersection and looked up at the gray sky. He frowned slightly. There was no sun overhead, making it impossible to tell which direction they were facing.

Shan Heng asked, “Senior, what should we do now?”

“Find somewhere high and wait.”

Chen Guan’s plans had always been simple and direct. Since his teammates would eventually come here as well, all he needed to do was find a place with a good view and strong defensive advantages, then wait for them to regroup.

Just then, a burst of noise came from the street corner.

Chen Guan raised a hand in a silent signal. Shan Heng immediately shut his mouth, while Baobao dropped into a crouch, every muscle beneath its purple fur tensing.

The sound drew closer. It seemed as though something heavy was being dragged along the ground.

Leading the boy and leopard, Chen Guan silently slipped into an abandoned department store nearby.

Through the shattered display windows, they saw a male student in the uniform of Beishi Academy staggering down the street, carrying his unconscious companion on his back as he fled for his life.

Not far behind them, three students in the black combat uniforms of Zero Academy followed at a leisurely pace, like wildcats toying with their prey.

“Run. Try running faster.”

The blond young man at the front was none other than Charles. A contemptuous smile hung on his face.

“Hey. Where are the rest of your people?”

Charles suddenly spoke in crisp, perfectly pronounced Chinese.

The Beishi Academy student stiffened but didn’t answer. He merely clenched his teeth and continued dragging himself forward with his companion on his back.

“No answer?”

Charles made a gesture. The two teammates beside him immediately sped up, cutting off the pair from both sides and trapping the two Beishi Academy students.

“Then you can both be eliminated.”

Charles raised his hand, and a dazzling ball of electricity gathered in his palm.