Chapter 41: A Major Incident Occurs

"Speak. What happened?" Qin Xiong's face was stern; though the old man was small and thin, his voice carried undeniable authority.

"Was there a sudden mutation in the monsters?" Feng Shouyi was also surprised. After all, the actual combat trial had only just begun, and everyone had been in the safe zone so far.

To enter areas truly dangerous to someone at the Foundation Establishment stage in Qinxin Realm, they would still need time to explore.

"Thirteen people have requested emergency withdrawal..." The person reporting hesitated.

Feng Shouyi, who had brought this man, frowned at his hesitation. Thirteen withdrawals alone were nothing.

But everyone reacted quickly—they knew this couldn't be just a normal withdrawal. Even if dozens more quit, it would only mean this year's students were unusually weak or unlucky; it wouldn't warrant such concern.

They turned and went to the main control area, where the staff swiftly switched and zoomed in on the surveillance feeds. Except for inside the buildings, the entire trial zone was under constant watch.

On a rooftop, a five-person team had just used their wristbands to forfeit the trial.

No gear, no medicinal pills to replenish themselves—those could perhaps be endured. But being burned all over, their flesh charred black—that was nearly impossible to overcome.

"They ran into a fire-type beast right at the outskirts..." Feng Shouyi’s eyelid twitched violently at the sight. He was accustomed to life-and-death situations, yet it was rare for things to go so wrong so early in the trial.

"They were attacked by someone. The assailant controlled themselves well, but their faces took a beating, and their clothes were deliberately burned," Qin Xiong observed, immediately discerning the truth. Though Feng Shouyi was used to combat, it was clear his experience was lacking here.

"And not just them. Over here, two more..." The person in charge grimaced as he switched the feed. Two others appeared, in different areas, suffering the same fate: teeth knocked out, bodies burned and stripped, all belongings gone.

At this point, there was no need for further words. Everyone understood—this was not the work of monsters. If it were, it would have to be a beast king, and even then, only one with a twisted sense of humor. Real monsters simply killed and devoured.

Since it wasn't about monsters or widespread threats to life, Qin Xiong said no more; clearly, this was a matter of internal student conflict and not his concern.

"What’s going on? Which school are these students from? Check immediately. Who is behind this madness—how could someone act like this right from the start?" Military matters aside, this was now Feng Shouyi’s responsibility, and he ordered an investigation at once.

"Report! More withdrawals, similar circumstances, here..." Another staff member alerted them, the camera switching to show a female student lying on the ground. She was better off—her clothes were not entirely burned away, but she covered her face with both hands, clearly beaten badly.

Thanks to the timely report, someone had already spotted a distant figure.

"Report: All the previous victims are from Haicheng University, and all were students who arrived on the same transport plane. One was stripped and beaten, another spared; we’ve contacted the latter. The assailant was Lin Qingyun, apparently due to a prior conflict and verbal insults against Lin Qingyun and his companions during the flight."

"We’ve tracked Lin Qingyun’s movements; he was present at each scene where the assaults occurred, and just left the latest one. Should we pursue?" The joint management by the Ministry of Education and the military meant the investigation was swift and thorough.

"Outrageous! They're all classmates—how could something so minor lead to such violence?"

"I think I’ve heard of Lin Qingyun—hasn’t his name been all over the place lately? Something to do with Nangong Lingyue..."

"Isn’t that the direct-admit from Haicheng University? The young master of Lin Pharmaceutical? He’s got quite the temper..."

"I heard he reached Foundation Establishment before enrollment, but I’ve never seen a prodigy treat ordinary classmates like this..."

"All from Haicheng University—every one of them..."

"Ha! Haicheng University, so impressive—producing prodigies like this. This will be interesting. Will he keep this up? This could be fun..."

"Careful what you say, Principal Nan is still here. But honestly, this student is... ruthless..."

At first, none knew what had happened, and the various school leaders watched with concern. Once the truth came out, whispers and private comments spread quickly.

Initially, there was some sympathy, but once it was clear these were internal disputes at Haicheng University—and that Lin Qingyun was involved—the conversation shifted.

Naturally, it all circled back to Haicheng University. In this region, they stood alone at the top; the others, though among the top ten, were clearly second tier. With Jing University absent, Haicheng University dominated every freshman trial and major competition, making them a perennial target.

At this moment, Principal Nan, or Nan Yutong, was forced to step forward. Though she appeared to be in her early thirties, she was nearing sixty, but at her level—ninth tier of the Cloud Soaring Realm, on the verge of Sunshine Realm—she exuded vitality.

Now, however, her expression was grim. As the vice president and official representative of Haicheng University, she had been thrust into the spotlight.

"Minister Feng, may I speak privately with Lin Qingyun now?" Nan Yutong asked in a low voice.

"By the rules, you may not. If there’s a truly exceptional situation, we’ll decide then. For now, let’s observe," Feng Shouyi replied, thinking of the bigger picture. He would not break protocol just because Nan Yutong felt embarrassed by internal school matters.

Exceptions required clear understanding and justification.

With that, Nan Yutong had no choice but to ignore the buzzing, fly-like commentary around her.

The freshman combat trials were usually uneventful until the very end. Among such a vast group, individual failure—and even death—was simply part of the process. Most of the time, the staff waited, watching for standouts.

They expected to check the rankings, never imagining that this year’s trial would be so dramatic right from the outset.

With Lin Qingyun confirmed as the culprit, his image appeared on the giant screen, his position locked and monitored. Though every trial included casualties, those were isolated incidents.

This particular battle zone was carefully constructed and monitored. Even the sandworms, monsters, and various hazards had been checked in advance by the Sandstorm King himself, to ensure everything was contained.

Before the trial, they’d even added monsters to the area, trying to balance the risk of real combat with the need to avoid mass casualties.

In such a controlled environment, everything could be watched. Normally, with tens of thousands of participants, no individual was singled out—certainly not so early.

At that moment, Lin Qingyun was darting from the roof of a low building, swiftly crossing a barren stretch of desert. In the distance, a dozen or more high-rises could be seen—some collapsed, some damaged, but all at least thirty floors tall in their prime.

As he passed, clusters of inconspicuous desert cacti suddenly erupted, launching countless spines with deadly force, the air whistling with their speed.

Lin Qingyun moved like a spirit serpent, weaving and dodging. He avoided the densest clusters, crossing swiftly. These mutant plant beasts lacked intelligence, but had evolved to ambush and consume living creatures to fuel their own growth.

Hundreds of cacti crowded this area; being driven into the center would be perilous.

Luckily, though Lin Qingyun didn’t detour, he chose a path with relatively low risk.

"Who’s there? Come out!" As soon as he passed through, Lin Qingyun suddenly halted, a swirl of flame spreading underfoot—he had sensed movement a dozen meters away.

"Quick reflexes. No wonder you’re so arrogant. That footwork’s impressive, too. My name is—" A figure emerged from a sandy mound nearby, clearly adept at earth techniques—he had tried to approach Lin Qingyun underground.

"Ningchuan University..." Lin Qingyun didn’t reply, just glanced at the badge on the newcomer’s chest. This was a student from Ningchuan University, another of the top ten.

Lin Qingyun didn’t know him, but the man’s bearing marked him as no ordinary student. Not that it mattered to Lin Qingyun.

"Cut the nonsense. I don’t care who you are. Speak your piece, or get lost." He had no desire for idle talk.

Their every word, even their subtle expressions, were being watched by the entire trial committee. Even the Sandstorm King, Nangong Aoshi, who had intended to exchange a few pleasantries and leave, stopped in his tracks at the mention of Lin Qingyun’s name.

Clad in head-to-toe golden armor, none could read his expression.

But as soon as Lin Qingyun’s actions were discussed, and Nangong Lingyue’s name was brought up, someone quietly reminded those nearby: the only daughter of the Sandstorm King was none other than Nangong Lingyue.

And Lin Qingyun? He was the young man the Sandstorm King had chosen as his son-in-law.

Whatever the future held, after Nangong Lingyue’s recent incident, it was clear her father had set his sights on Lin Qingyun...

In that instant, the previously noisy command center fell utterly silent.

Even as Lin Qingyun’s deft footwork allowed him to dodge the cactus spines, no one dared comment. When the earth-user appeared, those familiar with him looked straight at the vice president of Ningchuan University.