The first day of the round of 32 was undoubtedly the day for black horses. Having won their first round convincingly, Giant God Peak had shown an even more domineering performance in the next round. Sweeping their powerful A ranked opponents in an inconceivable 4:0 manner, they had displayed a strength on par with S ranked squadrons. Not only that, the balance in strength throughout their various positions, talent, as well as coordination levels during group battles, had all been given extremely high evaluations.
Nevertheless, despite all of these, all of the radiance had been pulled away by a squadron from Tianjing.
Most importantly, the incomparably domineering stance of that squadron’s captain had already taken over the minds of countless people and left an unforgettable impression.
Compared to Wang Zhong, Dicaprio’s usage of the cross wheels was indeed somewhat trifling. Wang Zhong’s cross wheels were the genuinely frightening Laforgue Infinite Slash Cross wheels, making him a ranged soldier that was more than sufficient to cause any close-ranged soldier to shiver in fear.
This was especially so, as this person was also a frightening close combat fighter!
He was an existence that was sufficient to cause a headache to any squadron who had to face him.
Upon combining with his nickname, All Mouthy King, he had instantly blown away the spotlight from anyone else, with all the S rank squadrons being suppressed by his presence. Naturally, there was no lack of criticism being aimed at him. From this point forwards, Tianjing could no longer act as a pig to eat a tiger. Now, all of their weaknesses would constantly get targeted by all their upcoming opponents, all while facing the immense pressure coming from both within the competition and the external audience.
It was inevitable for S ranked squadrons to be defeated. However, it would also lead to even greater challenges up the hill. The inherent system definitely wouldn’t collapse that easily. With Stuart at the helm, the great aristocratic families would definitely dissect and analyse each and every component of the Tianjing squadron.
Both Wang Zhong and Dicaprio gave ambiguous replies during their interviews, with none of them either confirming or denying that claim. Nonetheless, there was already no need to continue pursuing the answer, as 9 out of 9 people already believed Wang Zhong to be All Mouthy King.
Just a casual look at the fights All Mouthy King had won in the OP would allow one to see an assassin’s agility, a soldier’s powerful close-range abilities and the omnipotent cross wheels he had displayed. With such all-roundedness, who else could All Mouthy King be?
A hopeless trash squadron had just defeated an S ranked seedling squadron. Other than All Mouthy King, who else could it be?
That’s right, who else could it be?!
Even though the round of 64 had come to an end, the fireworks continued through the night. Walking around, one could hear voices discussing the CHF, in the hotels, Skylink and even on the streets and alleys. This was a show of strength for the commoner citizens of the Federation. Although they might not possess the ability to evaluate the competitors’ strength, they were able to enjoy the liveliness of the event.
Many discussions and debates were going on, especially those on the topic of the Tianjing squadron!
On the Skylink CHF discussion forums, one would be able to see an entire stretch of questions related to the Tianjing squadron!
“What kind of academy is Tianjing?”
“How did the Tianjing squadron fight their way into the best of 128?”
“Is their mysterious captain Wang Zhong really not an aristocratic family member?”
There were many questions sprouting out, with the thoughts of many still being stuck on the match between Tianjing and Bella Dean. There those that were still in ignorance, with some still in disbelief, that an obscure Tianjing Academy could actually eliminate a powerful S rank seedling squadron from the CHF. That’s Bella Dean we’re talking about! One of the 5 upper families amongst the 10 great families of the Federation!
“I have a feeling as though God has fallen. I don’t know if you guys feel the same.”
“More than that. I feel as though I’m a little kid who had shot an arrow into the sky, only for it to strike a valiant eagle soaring across the nine heavens.”
“That’s an apt description. I too have the feeling as though the arrow had struck an aeroplane down!”
“Oi upstairs, please consider the feelings of the eagle and aeroplane, okay!”
There were quite a lot of people who were shocked by the results of that match. Having entered this world in the lands that neighboured Bella Dean City, they had grown up under the mighty umbrella of Bella Dean. During that course, they were protected, and were also exploited by the latter. Therefore, they had the greatest feelings and right of speech towards how strong Bella Dean was. Although the Bella Dean squadron participating in this CHF didn’t receive a high evaluation, with some saying that they were fallen rulers, the people living under the shadow of Bella Dean were all clear about one matter, or in other words, the truth!
When Bella Dean was underestimated, “it” would be at its most lethal and terrifying!
As for this CHF, Bella Dean had fielded their most terrifying lineup, a lineup that was meant to be a counterattack to the world!
Therefore, when the most terrifying lineup of Bella Dean had fallen, one could imagine the amount of shock surging through the minds of those citizens. Unaware of what’s happening, they started posting questions on the Skylink discussion forums and flipping through all the past recordings, while still being unable to believe the results, which had already turned into reality.
A terrifying fellow and his omnipotent cross wheels.
On the other side, Tianjing Academy, no, the entire Tianjing City, had turned wild with celebration. At this moment, a few of the big families in control of Tianjing City had gathered together and issued a citywide announcement. “Tonight’s the night to celebrate and drink in merry! All of the expenses from the nightclubs and entertainment establishments will be covered by us few families, for a free-of-charge celebration for the entire city!”
In a brightly lit high rise apartment, Hymin’s parents were currently entertaining their friends and relatives in a merry mood.
Envy and jealousy were present in all of the gazes shooting towards Hymin’s parents. With such a daughter, there was truly nothing else that one needed to hope for. What’s more, it’s definite that Hymin’s future would be filled with a stretch of brightness, filled with unlimited prospects. It has already been a long time since Tianjing City had seen such splendour. Heroic daughters and sons, and these heroes’ parents!
Everyone was roused and inspired by such thoughts, though it was a pity that the heroes were their own children.
Under the current system employed by the Federation, families were always tied together and were categorized into different classes of citizenship. Once one’s son or daughter manages to perform or make outstanding contributions, it would increase the citizen rankings of one’s entire family. This wasn’t only for the sake of face, but also due to the increase in survival benefits.
By the side, a large screen was showing videos posted on the Skylink, and was currently broadcasting a replay of Tianjing squadron’s highlights. Among them, there were quite a few scenes with Hymin performing treatment for her squadron members. Naturally, the most important part was her super powerful auxiliary support during the crucial moment in the group battle. As everyone had said, without the protection and tracking granted by her special ability, Tianjing might have fallen short from victory. Although Wang Zhong was very strong, he wasn’t a god.
Just at this moment, as the time reached 8 pm, someone shouted out. “It’s here! It’s here! Right on time! The TOP 10 highlights for the first day of the final competition are out.”
The entire apartment instantly turned quiet, as anxious expressions appeared on everyone’s faces. A black screen appeared on the screen linked to the Skylink broadcast, before being broken by a flash. In the next second, glowing words appeared, “TOP 10—”
Starting from 10th place, scene after scene of spectacular combat drew cries of astonishment from everyone watching, though it also caused the apartment’s atmosphere to turn into one of slight apprehension. Nonetheless, all of them were sure that the Tianjing squadron would definitely be present in this TOP 10 highlights.
…
“In 5th place, Tianjing Academy, Grai, the most handsome trump card, My Grai!”
Bang! In a flash, the entire apartment was filled with applause, with some female academy students even shrieking out in excitement. Though it was somewhat impolite, no one here would shame them for their manners, as everyone was in fact having the same feelings.
On the screen, Grai really was extremely handsome!
He had an invincible appearance, invincible strength, and had with his courteous demeanour. Additionally, he possessed a completely different fighting style compared to Tianjing’s captain, one that was always pleasing to people’s eyes.
It was obvious that Grai would enter the TOP10 highlights. He had pulled a reversal over one of the 5 great ranged soldiers, Gaden, who was a genuine trump card for Bella Dean. Furthermore, he was handsome, truly handsome, had a handsome character, and a handsome personality. Even males had no choice but to admit that he was truly a lady killer.
The TOP10 highlights continued playing. In 4th place… the captain of the Asuna Ocean God squadron. During their group battle, her “Ocean’s Immeasurability” that crushed her opponents showcased her terrifying offensive type water attribute special ability. In reality, with the final competition reaching its best of 32 round, there were already no more newbies left standing. Even S ranked squadrons would have to reveal a bit of their real ability, a clear indication of the success of the equilibrium strategy the Federation had employed for the past 20 years. After all, other than the aristocratic families, there were vast numbers of citizens living in its 100 cities. Therefore, it was inevitable for some geniuses to appear within this class of citizens.
In 3rd place, Barbarian squadron’s captain Demarco. Being a soldier, he showcased his undying body during their group battle, enduring all of the attacks unleashed by his opponent, before securing victory for his squadron with a single move.
Although humans possessed an addition power known as Soul Power, their bodies were still formed from flesh, bones and blood. The so-called “undying” or “invincible” were just exaggerated descriptions. However, Demarco seemed to truly possess such a mystical special ability. Although they weren’t as much of a dark horse as Tianjing, they had displayed their powerful strength in their matches. What’s more, they were also hailed as the squadron with a style closest to that of the empires.
The 2nd place belonged to the Blazing Angel squadron’s Oli. This squadron seemed to be the first powerful squadron that had taken notice of Tianjing. What’s more, the entire squadron had turned up to watch Tianjing’s match which was scheduled right before theirs. This move had significantly stimulated their opponents. However, once the match had entered the group battle phase, the powerful Mo’s List heavy soldier used her impregnable defence and savage control-oriented attacks to single-handedly dominate her opponents. Radiating with brilliance like a goddess of war, she became the representation of despair in her opponent’s hearts.
Finally, the 1st place that everyone was waiting for! At the same time, it was what everyone had hoped for, a mysterious male!
The video flashed, showing a black screen, before the words “1st place” scrolled out.
“In first place!”
“Tianjing Academy, the initial reveal of the king!”
Humm.. claps thundered out.
The temperature of the apartment appeared to have risen by a few degrees, as everyone started to cheer and celebrate. At this moment, Hymin’s parents were hugging each other as a wondrous feeling surged within them. Although their daughter wasn’t being shown in the TOP10, both of them knew that the greater the fame and reputation of the Tianjing squadron, the more brilliant and promising Hymin’s future would be.
While this was happening, the chat feed for the Skylink live broadcast had instantly exploded, with over 10 thousand people posting every second. What’s more, the viewership numbers were still continuing to skyrocket in an exaggerated fashion, and the explosive influx nearly bottlenecked the server nodes for the Skylink.
Without a doubt, the 1st place, Wang Zhong, was the focus of everyone’s attention. The official evaluation of him was still very subdued. Nonetheless, his squadron already had no need for further exaggeration to gain the attention of the masses, with the official evaluation of Tianjing squadron being very objective and impartial.
However, All Mouthy King supporters were somewhat dissatisfied, as though they had yet to get their fix, and feeling as though something was lacking.
The CHF was such a grand competition, and was famed for being universally astonishing, yet what this fuck was with this evaluation?
“He’s definitely All Mouthy King, yet the officials actually don’t dare to confirm this fact!”
“Wang Zhong is the five great proofs of All Mouthy King…”
“That Wang Zhong is All Mouthy King in person! Take a look at the style! Both of them are completely alike! What’s more, the cross wheels are a huge sellout.”
“All Mouthy King’s ranked in the Mo’s List. Looks like he is Wang Zhong, not Dicaprio, and not my Grai.”
There were a lot of people that left their comments in agreement that Wang Zhong was All Mouthy King!
“Come out quickly to recognise your kin, All Mouthy King! There’s a fake king here!”
“If I’m the great brother King, I would have definitely admitted it like a boss during the interview! As for that Wang Zhong saying stuff that made us guess, I guess that you’re a fake king!”
However, such superficial debates were quickly drowned out by other questions, with Wang Zhong being tacitly accepted as All Mouthy King. Not only that, the frightening aspects of All Mouthy King were being dug up once again.
The number 1 in theoretical knowledge that was overlooked by people before the final competition had suddenly become the topic of lively discussion.
He had basically walked down the paths of all the other experts. Being capable in close and ranged combat, as well as possessing a bountiful foundation in theoretical knowledge. As for his his strategical commands and arrangements for the group battle, although it was somewhat of a belated effort, it was truly the best method to deal with Bella Dean.
It had to be said that the Skylink netizens possessed infinite amounts of energy, as the Skylink analysis videos became the hottest topic searched in the Skylink once again. Now, they found out another piece of juicy news, which was about the discovery of the hottest research topic that had appeared in the Federation’s Institute of Science, living runes!
This information instantly lit the emotions of countless people aflame! Faced against Wang Zhong, could the members of those top aristocratic families even match up to him?
They would truly pale in comparison with Wang Zhong!
This was a genuine idol!
Tianjing Academy had already become the centre of wild celebrations! Headmaster Greene had announced for tomorrow to be a holiday, while declaring all to go all out with celebrations for tonight!
The first training room for the Prodigy Society had practically turned into a sacred ground, with all of the different types of training equipment and tools being preserved and protected. Although everyone knew that their seniors did not become strong due to their usage of these equipment, these items had turned into a spiritual symbol for them, causing their hearts to burn with hope!
The students started to light up bonfires in the academy grounds. Due to there being teachers present, everyone was still showing restraint at the beginning. Following the teachers’ tactful retreat, everyone started to show their wild sides in celebration. As videos continued to play back on the large screen connected to Skylink, everyone relived the memories of the fights the Tianjing squadron had experienced along the past year. As scene after scene continued to flash by, none of them felt tired despite watching them over for god knows how many times. These were their seniors, their idols, and the direction they would fight towards in the future! Never did they feel so proud to be the students of Tianjing Academy!
However, if happiness could be quantified, no one could surpass Greene, who had now gone completely crazy in joy. If not, how could he have announced for tomorrow’s classes to be halted in lieu of a holiday? Even the wine he had hidden for a dozen years for the sake of opening during his granddaughter’s wedding had been taken out, as he continued to down cup after cup.
The reason for his craziness was due to him having been caught completely by surprise. Initially, he had taken Grai in only as a facade to maintain relations with the latter’s family in lieu of their donations!
As for Wang Zhong, he was an even greater surprise! Greene had originally assumed that the former was just a exam-mad demon that only knew how to conquer tests, the intellectual type who had no use in real combat. In the end, he had suddenly erupted, becoming the captain of their academy’s CHF squadron. Pulling all of his squadron members together, he had allowed them to blossom with powerful might, leading Tianjing to the best of 32!
What’s more, all of these happened in this CHF which possessed the greatest weight in the annals of history! A CHF where aristocratic families were deeply involved, and hidden political agendas being intertwined with the squadron rankings!
What caused even greater shock to Greene was the dozens of letters he had received from quite a few of the Heroic Soul Academies from neighbouring cities, all of them hoping for him to allow them to bring students to observe and learn from Tianjing Academy.
To them, Greene had only one response : Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
In an ordinary residential building at the suburbs of Tianjing City, Barran’s parents were currently watching the latest news posted on the Skylink with excitement. His mother squeezed the helms of her blouse tightly as she looked through the news reports on Tianjing’s victory. Excitement brimmed within her, with worry also present in fear of reading news about her son performing badly.
Never did she imagine for Tianjing to obtain such a victory, causing the both of them to have so many emotions they were at a loss for words.
Just at this moment. Ring! Their doorbell rang.
Opening the door, they were greeted by their neighbours bearing gifts, alcohol and food, and even some small handmade items. Upon entering the house, all of them were brimming with joy as they congratulated the Gestalts loudly.
“Barran’s prospects are truly boundless! I already knew that he would become someone extraordinary since then! Better not forget about us after his meteoric rise, okay!”
“Ha Ha! Barran’s really extraordinary! I’ve known it since he had managed to get into Tianjing Academy! Didn’t I tell you long ago, right? Now, he really has huge prospects, with the entire Federation knowing about that! Tsk tsk. A heavy soldier that’s able to reach the TOP will definitely have an immeasurable future ahead!”
“That’s right! It’s a future that’s unmatched by any regular alumni.”
“At that time, please don’t forget about us, okay?”
“We won’t! We won’t! Our brat Barran’s still far from that.”
Barran’s parents beamed ear to ear as they received the congratulatory and envious remarks from their neighbours, their hearts feeling as though they were lying in honey.
As they celebrated, everyone proceeded to have their food.
Just at this moment, the doorbell rung once again.
Barran’s mother, Mia, opened the door, only to see a middle-aged male dressed in a western suit standing by her door, with a wide smile plastered across his face. Nonetheless, she could tell that his suit was of the exceedingly expensive kind. This person clearly hailed from the upper echelons of society.
“Good evening, may I ask if this is where Barran Gestalt’s family lives?”
With a smile, the middle-aged male started talking. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’ll Karl, butler of the Barney Family.”
Hearing his introduction, the people in the living hall instantly gasped in shock. The Barney Family!
“The Barney Family of Bi Fang Conglomerate?” someone asked in a whisper.
“Why would the Barney Family send someone here?”
Barran’s father, Bari instantly gawked, before quickly giving a reply, “Nice to meet you, may I know why you’re looking for us?”
“It’s like this. Sir Barney has watched the CHF, where your son Barran has performed extraordinarily. Since Barran hails from our city, his achievements are our pride and glory. Sir Barney wishes to invite the two of you to come over to have a chat at his house, and would like to learn from you two, on how to nurture such an outstanding child.”
Karl was extremely polite, with the smile on his face and his tone so genial that it caused people to have a good impression and trust in him.
At this moment, the neighbours have all stood up as they looked enviously at the parents of Barran. The saying that parents would become dignitaries when their son becomes one was indeed spot on. Barran’s future was now full of prospects! Tsk Tsk! That’s the Barney Family! And they had even sent their head butler over to invite the 2 over personally!
With a smile, Karl proceeded to speak once again. “I’ve come over here mainly due to wanting to get in touch with you two, and hoping that you two will feel the sincerity of the Barney Family. In addition, we would also like to know, if you two have any interest in heading over to Stuart City to watch Barran’s matches? The Barney Family just so happens to have two armoured train tickets to Stuart City. They’re in the first cabin, with all expenses paid for by the family.”
Silence instantly filled the living room, with not a single breath to be heard.
Bi Fang Conglomerate, in a magnificent golden-walled great hall.
The family head of the Barney Family, Yang Barney, was currently serving a distinguished guest with great care and cautiousness. “The matter’s half complete. In fact, they’re just some commoners living in the city. With a slight push, we can get them to sign up to enter the conglomerate. When that happens, we can do whatever we want.”
“Haha. It’ll be too conspicuous if that’s done. The higher-ups wish for this matter to be done in a more natural manner. A good chess piece must be polished with the utmost care.”
Yang Barney smiled and nodded his head. “Yes, I’ll remember that.”
The vicissitudes of life meant that not everyone would walk the paths and rules they were assigned to. External factors would usually affect one’s decisions in many matters. Even the most resilient of fortresses would usually be destroyed from the inside.
Stuart City… the Tianjing squadron was also watching th TOP10 highlights produced by the official CHF organisers.
Everyone was extremely excited, as they had entered the top 32 rankings, while both Wang Zhong and Grai had entered the TOP highlight rankings for today!
This massive sneak attack by them had cemented their confidence, especially with Wang Zhong’s alter ego of All Mouthy King being the spiritual and emotional pillar for everyone. After such a big win, a round of ridiculement and expletives was definitely present. Although they maintained a somewhat low profile when in the presence of others, even Wang Zhong was not exempt from those actions within the villa allocated to the squadron. Now, the awe and might they had for their captain had sunk deep into everyone’s hearts, with Grai being the only one that wasn’t sensitive to this change.
Emily was happier than she ever did before. Although the upcoming match would very well be much more difficult, fuck it! Now’s the time to be happy!
Although Ma Dong and Scarlet were long privy to Wang Zhong’s other identity, their hearts were still filled with a powerful feeling of energy and bliss. Although the final victory was admittedly due to Wang Zhong’s tyrannical individual strength, everyone knew that they had made contributions and hard work towards it. What’s more, the experience they gained from that match would have an extremely huge benefit towards their future accomplishments. This was a lift to their entire being that couldn’t be described with words.
Suddenly, Ma Dong’s Skylink started to ring. Looking down, he saw a name, Qian Duoduo!
Ma Dong gawked, before deciding to answer the call. Upon picking up, he gaped once again, as he noticed a large black clump of Tianjing Academy students by Qian Duoduo’s side. Seeing Ma Dong pick up the call, all of the immediately shouted out, “Senior, our group’s here to watch future matches!”
“What?”
“We’re already at Stuart!” Qian Duoduo was extremely excited. Just after setting off, they had received news of Tianjing being matched up against a S ranked squadron, almost causing people to turn around halfway to head home. Nonetheless, they resisted those thoughts and continued their journey. In the end, when they were close to arriving, they saw the promotion of the Tianjing squadron on their Skylinks! The best of 32! The entire armoured train carriage almost derailed from the craziness that ensued. Even after getting off the train and booking into their designated hotel, everyone did not slow their momentum down as they pressured Qian Duoduo to give Ma Dong a call via Skylink.
This night was going to be filled with Tianjing’s wild celebrations.