Using rank to suppress an Omega was contemptible enough. Worse, the Omega involved was Lance.
Zhan Pingchuan admitted that he had, to some extent, developed possessiveness toward Lance. So toward the Alpha who had left marks on Lance’s gland, his instincts immediately produced murderous intent.
The B-rank Alpha had not even processed what was happening when Zhan Pingchuan vaulted over the long desk and landed in front of him.
There was little emotion on Zhan Pingchuan’s face. He simply looked down at him from above without restraining his pheromones in the slightest.
He was already broad-shouldered and tall, his features sharp and cold. Even without pheromones, that wild, arrogantly unrestrained presence was enough to make someone’s courage falter.
The B-rank Alpha’s face quickly turned green beneath the overwhelming pressure. He lifted his chin stubbornly and shouted, “In front of everyone, what do you think you’re doing?”
What a useless and stupid sentence, Lance thought with a smile.
If the man had immediately explained he knew nothing about last night, then laid out a timeline showing when he had returned to the dormitory, Zhan Pingchuan might have spotted the inconsistency very quickly.
Unfortunately, the weakness of high-ranking Alphas was pride. They loved showing off. To explain immediately would mean admitting fear of Zhan Pingchuan, so even while utterly confused, he refused to back down.
Sure enough, Zhan Pingchuan glanced at the open utility knife in his hand and did not bother saying another word. His S-rank pheromones abruptly concentrated on him alone.
Naturally, the B-rank could not withstand it. He stumbled back two steps and toppled to the floor, cold sweat rolling from his temples almost immediately.
He desperately used his own pheromones to resist, but sharp pain soon tore through his gland. His breathing grew faster, and he looked around frantically. “What are you all staring at? Go tell the dean! An A-rank is doing whatever he wants in the classroom!”
Zhan Pingchuan laughed once. Crouching halfway down, he said coldly, “Did you forget? At Xingzhou University, A-rank means I can do whatever I want.”
The B-rank went speechless. While stunned, he suddenly clutched his chest and coughed up blood.
The moment he tasted iron, panic finally took hold.
How was this possible? Even if the other man was A-rank, he himself was not weak. Why would pheromone suppression alone drive him this far?
“Oh wow, so the gap between B-rank and A-rank is really that huge.”
“What an idiot. He actually harassed an Omega an A-rank had his eye on. Doesn’t know his own limits.”
“I’m dying. That thing he just shouted was hilarious.”
“He complained the A-rank was doing whatever he wanted, hahaha. Wasn’t he doing whatever he wanted to an F-rank?”
……
Humiliation turned the B-rank Alpha’s anger white-hot. His pupils contracted. His body rapidly lengthened, pitted white patches emerging across his face. His mouth widened grotesquely, and both eyes slid to a position just above his lips, pale and vacant.
Humidity in the air rose sharply. A sheen of water appeared on everyone’s skin. When the B-rank Alpha lifted both arms, two long, spindle-shaped electric organs had grown beneath them.
Animal-type B-rank Awakener, first-stage ability—[Lethal Eel Discharge].
High-voltage current shot toward Zhan Pingchuan at terrifying speed. The powerful electricity disturbed the surrounding magnetic field. The incandescent lights in the classroom flashed violently several times and blew out.
The current was about to strike Zhan Pingchuan’s heart. Zhan Pingchuan merely tilted his head. An invisible transparent barrier suddenly appeared in front of him.
The electric blast slammed into it. Excitement and expectation lit the B-rank Alpha’s face. In the next instant— The entire current rebounded at impossible speed. Before the smile could leave his face, electricity tore through all four limbs and every bone in his body. The smell of burning flesh seeped into the air.
Lance lifted a brow slightly and studied Zhan Pingchuan’s back with surprise.
It seemed he had worried unnecessarily last night when he thought Deng Zhi’s [Bone-Eroding Marrow Drain] might kill Zhan Pingchuan.
With this barrier, those venomous insects could never have approached him.
So what ability attribute did this man possess?
The B-rank Alpha had used every ounce of strength against Zhan Pingchuan, and now the entire attack had rebounded onto him. He was gravely injured: his chest had caved inward, his arms hung limp, and every breath carried the scorched smell of burned organs. He lay collapsed on the floor, almost unable to move.
At some point, Lance had removed his glasses.
An F-rank should not have been able to see an S-rank ability barrier, but Lance was curious. Coincidentally, that Outer God loved joining in whenever there was excitement. The moment It saw people fighting, It wanted to watch. Lance took the opportunity to borrow Its eyes.
Through the Outer God’s sight, he saw a pale-blue plane like ripples over water. The transparent, flawless surface stood a meter wide and two meters high, completely shielding Zhan Pingchuan and… him.
For one instant, Lance’s heart stirred.
This man’s thinking was almost excessively meticulous. Even while receiving an attack, he had not forgotten to protect Lance.
He did not need anyone’s protection. White Pharaoh was the one who made others tremble in fear. Still……
His gaze returned to the two turquoise pendants on Zhan Pingchuan’s left ear. They swayed lightly. Once, they had rubbed against his cheek without restraint, intruding into his territory with that wild touch.
Lance did not even realize the corner of his own mouth had lifted.
But he quickly drew his wandering thoughts back and continued his plan.
Without hesitation, Lance stepped outside the barrier. A hint of concern appeared between his brows as he bent to look at the B-rank Alpha. Turning to Zhan Pingchuan, he asked, “Will he die? Will you get in trouble?”
Zhan Pingchuan had not expected Lance to worry so much about him that he would step close to check on the harasser’s injuries.
Frowning, he seized Lance by the wrist and pulled him back inside the barrier.
Only after seeing that the harasser had not taken the chance to attack Lance did Zhan Pingchuan relax. He curled his lips lazily. “No. He’s an electric eel. How could he electrocute himself to death?”
He was not bloodthirsty. Seeing that this man’s injuries would probably take months to heal, he lost interest in striking again.
Lance appeared relieved. His little finger curled and came to rest almost imperceptibly over Zhan Pingchuan’s pulse. “That’s good.”
Zhan Pingchuan’s wrist tingled. For the moment, he forgot how much he normally hated outsiders touching him and reassured Lance softly, “He won’t dare use pheromones to bully you again.”
Lance smiled brilliantly, his eyes curving.
Unfortunately, Zhan Pingchuan did not know that while he bent to inspect the B-rank Alpha, the morongweng had already jumped down. It stung the back of the man’s hand and then rapidly climbed back up Lance’s trouser leg.
The B-rank Alpha had been smashed to the ground and patiently listened to Zhan Pingchuan’s words before finally realizing something was wrong.
When had he ever used pheromones to suppress Lance?
And Lance had said, “It was him yesterday.” What had he done yesterday?
He… he had only kicked a mascot and sent sand flying at the performer inside. That was all.
His thoughts exploded. Suddenly he realized this pure-looking Omega had set him up.
Drawing a painful breath, he forced his injured lungs to work and opened his mouth, intending to confront Lance.
At that exact moment, agony stabbed through his heart. Coldness spread instantly through every blood vessel.
His eyes widened in disbelief. His heart had stopped beating. He tried to speak, but not a single word came out.
“Dead?”
“He electrocuted himself to death!”
“You’re kidding! A B-rank Awakener actually killed himself?”
“Oh my god. My idiot intolerance is flaring. What was he thinking, attacking an A-rank?”
The surrounding students scattered in an uproar, shocked and muttering.
Zhan Pingchuan, however, raised a brow. A thoughtful amusement entered his expression.
He could judge the strength of an ability with precision. The man had attacked him with lethal intent, yes, but it was still only a first-stage ability with limited power.
Would an animal-type electric-eel Awakener truly die from his own electricity?
Zhan Pingchuan bent down and placed two fingers against the dead Alpha’s chest. An extremely fine thread pierced the skin and entered the heart, immediately moving through it.
The heart was structurally intact, young and healthy. No tumor. No clot. No obvious electrical damage.
Yet such a heart had suddenly stopped.
Unless…… someone had taken advantage of the B-rank Alpha’s severe injuries and delivered a fatal blow.
That person had to be very close and could not have activated an ability. The slightest pheromone fluctuation would never have escaped Zhan Pingchuan’s notice.
Nicely done, killing with a borrowed knife.
Zhan Pingchuan withdrew his hand and stood.
He did not care much about having a death pinned to his back, but he disliked being used. Why should he make someone else’s wedding clothes when they were neither family nor friend?
His gaze sharpened. He was about to scan everyone around them when the classroom door suddenly opened.
The student-union president shouted with stern sharpness, “Why are you freshmen still in the classroom? Go back to your dormitories! Nobody is allowed outside until further notice!”
Tang Li weakly reported, “S-senior, someone died!”
Unexpectedly, the student-union president’s eyes turned instantly cold. He glared at Tang Li. “Who gave you permission to go online and watch false reports? Turn off your phones! Nobody is allowed to comment publicly on Director Ediv’s death!”
One sentence stirred a thousand waves.
“What? Director Ediv is dead?”
“How is that possible? When?”
“Quick, search it!”
“Holy shit, who could kill Director Ediv?”
……
The student-union president looked stunned. The university had intended to block the news from freshmen. He had misspoken and caused an uproar himself.
Zhan Pingchuan’s heart sank. He had no energy left to care about the harasser’s death.
Ediv was dead. That meant their mission had failed, and their investigation into the truth of the Pacification War had been cut off for now.
Before the university could block the signal, someone quickly found a video and played it aloud.
“The Blue Hub Ability Inspection Bureau discovered a charred body at the bottom of Småland Lake this morning. DNA testing has confirmed the deceased to be Ediv, Dean of Student Discipline at Xingzhou University. Shortly afterward, the illegal organization Black Lantern Society claimed responsibility for the incident and published the reason on its official website. The assassination was reportedly carried out by Mad Clown and White Pharaoh, controllers of the A-rank dungeon Glacier Corpse Forest.”
“Director Ediv was accused of murdering second-year Xingzhou University student Deng Zhi and fourth-year student Yuan Linchuan, extracting both of their S-rank glands for his own use. Not only did the university refuse to seek justice for the students, it protected Teacher Ediv without limit. After Deng Zhi’s mother appealed to the Black Lantern Society for help, Director Ediv murdered her in retaliation. He not only extracted her spine to use as a weapon, but turned her corpse into a mascot puppet.”
Next came an interview with the president of Xingzhou University—
“I must say, these are groundless slanders by the Black Lantern Society against Director Ediv. For years, Director Ediv devoted himself entirely to this university and cared for students in every detail. His morals were noble, and despite his achievements he never became arrogant. He was a model for the entire school. By contrast, the Black Lantern Society is a cruel, murderous, evil organization. They have done this only to deceive the public…”
“Then let the two students come forward and testify!”
The university president explained earnestly, “Everyone, student Deng Zhi maintained improper relationships with people outside the university. After violating school regulations, she was overcome by shame and chose to take her own life. Student Yuan Linchuan had no interest in worldly status after graduation and became a believer in the Ancient God Church. He no longer appears publicly.”
“What a coincidence. Neither of them is around. So how are we supposed to prove Ediv’s innocence?”
“I remember students anonymously accused Ediv on the forum a long time ago, but the posts were deleted.”
“Heh. Of course they won’t admit it. Since when have high-ranking Awakeners paid a price for killing people?”
“The Black Lantern Society really does what it says. Who on earth are White Pharaoh and Mad Clown?”
Lance lowered his eyelids and slowly played with his cuff.
He had never expected them to admit anything. Lies were among the easiest things in this world. Only accepting responsibility was heavy.
Xingzhou University’s president might have used clumsy excuses to muddle through this incident, but the seed of doubt was already planted. Even the image of the federal government’s so-called heroes had begun to shake.
After this, the Black Lantern Society would root itself completely in the hearts of everyone struggling on the brink of death.
Zhan Pingchuan looked down in silence, his mind turning rapidly.
That night, Ediv had intended to attack him. The blow had nearly reached his back when Ediv disappeared without reason.
That meant Ediv had not vanished willingly. Someone had taken him.
To know his position with such precision while bypassing Xingzhou University’s layers of security, that person had to be on campus and probably possessed a perfectly legitimate identity.
Deng Zhi’s mother had submitted her request one week before the unified entrance examination. If the Black Lantern Society already had an insider at Xingzhou University, they would never have waited this long. Nor was freshman registration day especially significant.
Unless the Black Lantern Society had nobody inside the university and, unable to approach Ediv, had been forced to use freshman registration as their opportunity.
Therefore, Ediv’s killer was among this year’s freshmen.
White Pharaoh.
For some reason, Zhan Pingchuan instinctively felt that the executive sent to Xingzhou University was the seventh-ranked White Pharaoh.
Both men were lost in their own thoughts. Neither noticed that their hands were still clasped together and had never separated.
At last, another new video loaded—
The university president cleared his throat and solemnly announced, “Because Director Ediv disappeared and was murdered from within the campus, and because the incident took place on freshman registration night when the scene was chaotic, Xingzhou University has specially invited an owl-form Awakener and a chameleon-form Awakener from the Blue Hub Ability Inspection Bureau to participate in the investigation. We will use their abilities to reconstruct every voiceprint and image from that night and identify the killer!”
Lance and Zhan Pingchuan raised their eyes at the exact same moment, naked killing intent flashing through them.