Chapter 140: The Aftermath (Please Subscribe)

Meanwhile, within Liu Gu’s personal space, Liu Zong laughed out loud while watching the bewildered Liu Gu. Even though Liu Zong could not even move a muscle, he knew he had won; Liu Gu would not be able to recover for ten years.

The three players behind Liu Gu wore grim expressions. They had witnessed the anomaly that just occurred and never expected that Liu Zong could still control a chain to turn the tide at the very last moment. Most importantly, they still could not figure out where that chain had come from.

Liu Zong closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, saying, "You don't know how you lost, do you? You’re good with chains, but I can play that game too. Did you think my 'Evil Girl' transformation shattered those chains just for protection? It wasn't meant to protect me, but to serve this exact purpose. Now, think about what you're going to do. If your Liu Hanfeng were Level 4, maybe the school would let you off the hook, but that’s not certain now. Backlash waits for no one; he should have been kicked out of the map by now. Ten years—no access to any maps. That was the contract you set, leaving no room for a comeback. I’m truly delighted."

As he listened, Liu Gu’s eyes turned bloodshot. He roared and lunged at Liu Zong, tearing his hands downward with force. Liu Zong, who had little health remaining, was ripped in two. However, as he watched Liu Zong’s corpse dissolve into specks of light, Liu Gu collapsed to the ground. He truly did not know what to do; just as Liu Zong had said, his chance for a comeback was gone.

As for Liu Zong, he reappeared on the school playground. Upon his arrival, countless symbols swirled around him, eventually branding a character meaning "Banned" onto his forehead. Until this mark faded, he would be unable to enter any maps.

Liu Zong did not mind. He looked around and saw Xu Ying and the others standing nearby with gloomy expressions. Upon seeing him, they walked over with their heads hung low, their morale dampened. Finally, Rena spoke up, "The mission was canceled. We failed."

"It’s fine," Liu Zong comforted them. "We can restart the mission in a year. Besides, there are people helping me with the preliminary work on Akara's side. If we put in more effort next year, we can still catch up. Furthermore, Liu Gu isn't as lucky—he’s barred from the game for a full decade."

"It’s not just Liu Gu; his father, Liu Hanfeng, has suffered a massive blow as well. Not only did his advancement mission fail, but he is also barred from the game for ten years. Once this news spreads, his Cold Wind Mercenary Group will likely dissolve," a voice said from behind Liu Zong.

Liu Zong turned to see a man standing behind him. The man had a chubby face, a bald head, and a rather fierce appearance. His hands were covered in gemstone rings of various sizes. Liu Zong felt like he had seen him somewhere before.

Xu Ying and the others reacted quickly, bowing their heads and greeting the man, "Hello, Headmaster."

Only then did it dawn on Liu Zong that this bald man was the headmaster.

The man didn't seem to mind. He waved his hand and said, "I am the headmaster of Yangcheng No. 3 Middle School. My surname is Wang; you can call me Headmaster Wang. I already know about what happened. I will handle Liu Gu personally, and I will also shield you from Liu Hanfeng so that you don't suffer any losses. I will also issue a notice that no one is allowed to touch the main storyline of the 'Amber Light' mission for one year, so you can re-enter it once you’ve recovered. As for the battlefield, I will grant you special permission to treat this mission as a battlefield assignment, prioritizing the acquisition of the Resonance Amber."

With that, Headmaster Wang grabbed Liu Zong’s hand and patted it heavily. "Your mission has increased our school's chances of winning significantly. I want to thank you again. For this year, the three of you should focus on leveling up. As for you, student Liu Zong, study hard at school and build a solid foundation. I will arrange for elite teachers to instruct you in whatever you wish to learn."

Liu Zong was stunned; he hadn't expected such a reaction from the headmaster. Just as he was about to speak, the headmaster nodded at him.

"Alright, I have matters to attend to. I’ll be going. Student Liu Zong, it’s best if you don't leave the school grounds. Liu Hanfeng is a man who will stop at nothing, and having suffered such a great loss, he will surely seek revenge. You’d be better off waiting until he’s taken care of by his own past enemies before you head out."

After saying this, the headmaster left without looking back. Liu Zong wanted to ask more questions, but he was surrounded by Xu Ying and the others, who were busy asking about his final encounter with Liu Gu.

Liu Zong didn't even remember how he returned to his dormitory. He only recalled that because he couldn't use the in-game transport, he had to walk back. On the way, he received a robotic delivery from the system, which appeared to be a few cards.

Liu Zong was puzzled, as most of his equipment had been destroyed in the game, and he hadn't received any death-repatriation items from this battlefield encounter. He set the cards down, preparing to inspect them, when he suddenly heard a knock at his door.

Liu Zong paused. Most students were busy in the battlefield maps, so who could be knocking? Could it be the elite teachers the headmaster mentioned? But he hadn't even told the headmaster what he wanted to study yet. If this were before, Liu Zong could have followed his planned path, but after the battle with Liu Gu, he realized there was a gap regarding the soul fragments within him. He needed to sort through these things to see what he lacked before creating a new curriculum. Why had the headmaster sent a teacher over so quickly?

With this question in mind, Liu Zong opened the door to find a middle-aged man standing before him. The man was clearly a Level 3 player. As the door opened, Liu Zong felt the light around the man distort—a sign of a Level 3 player’s internal control over their surroundings. Even though the man stood right in front of him, he was effectively positioned between reality and the virtual world.

Seeing Liu Zong’s confused expression, the man smiled and said, "Hello, are you Zhu Liujuren? I am Ye Chenxi, player ID HJ-83760640-241, a Half-Dragon Sword Saint." As he spoke, Ye Chenxi brushed his hair aside to reveal the dragon horns hidden beneath.

"I’ve come to see you regarding the Liu Hanfeng matter. He snatched your mission using a contract, with a one-year limit. As a result of the backlash, his mission was snatched by you, with a ten-year limit. Would you be willing to transfer this mission to me? Believe me, for this true-name advancement mission that aligns with my attributes, my Ye family is willing to pay a sufficient price."