Part 3
Luo Shizhen smelled that something was off: “Those Gu Chong carry pollution. They’re trying to pollute Wen Hu.”
He immediately made a decision: “I have to go over there. Lu Qiujin, cover me.”
Lu Qiujin instinctively didn’t want Luo Shizhen to take risks.
But he turned his head and saw Luo Shizhen’s earnest face, looking as if he had already firmly made up his mind.
“Alright.”
On the ground not far away lay a pale-faced Awakener with a knife wound in his abdomen; it was exactly Wen Hu’s teammate, Cheng Yunshao.
Seeing the situation, Lu Qiujin immediately summoned the surrounding trees to topple and crush the bugs.
Luo Shizhen was still unaccustomed to using a gun, and the targets were too small. He simply followed his heart, broke off a brick from a flowerbed, and forcefully smashed the bugs on the ground while making his way toward Cheng Yunshao’s direction.
During the battle, Lu Qiujin spared some of his mental focus for him. Wood-element vines flew across the sky, helping Luo Shizhen block some bugs attacking from behind.
Whatever tactics and combat methods they had learned in class were entirely useless right now.
Real combat was different from what Luo Shizhen had previously imagined. There were too many bugs. Aside from continuously attacking the ones in front of him, Luo Shizhen had no other methods.
There were so many; some of the bugs even looked very familiar. He saw quite a few cicadas, thinking to himself that if the cicada collectors saw this many, they would die of happiness.
Lu Qiujin also looked awful. His wood-element ability was suited for fighting large or single opponents. Dealing with these tiny, overwhelmingly numerous bugs, he found himself overwhelmed, and with his worry for Luo Shizhen, he appeared somewhat ragged for the first time.
Wen Hu was in a similar situation. He was better at direct combat. The giant tiger’s massive size should have been an advantage in battle, but against these bugs that possessed little combat power yet practically permeated everywhere, he was completely helpless.
Just as the situation descended into a bitter stalemate, a burst of flames appeared out of thin air, like a roaring lion. It swept through the area once, burning those bugs carrying faint pollution entirely to ash.
The bugs that were so difficult for the others to handle were easily resolved by the newcomer with an area-of-effect fire attack.
The flames surged around the spot once more before returning to the newcomer’s hand.
He wore the combat suit issued by the school, carrying a bag of bananas in his hand. He took off his sunglasses and looked at the disheveled group:
“Yo! Just got back and I made it in time for the party!”
Luo Shizhen was pleasantly surprised: “Qin Yinian!”
Qin Yinian waved at him, lifting the bag in his hand:
“Shizhen, I’m back. As soon as I heard there was a mission, I rushed over here non-stop.”
“I even brought you the bananas you love~”
With the bugs no longer blocking the way, Luo Shizhen quickly ran toward Wen Hu’s direction: “Thank you, Qin Yinian, I’ll eat them later. Wen Hu seems to be a little polluted!”
The giant tiger was still in an irritable state. It spun around in place, and upon finding the bugs gone, it finally calmed down slightly. Its rationality was somewhat affected. It looked at Qin Yinian warily, seemingly judging that the other party was on their side, and let out a low growl, as if greeting him.
Qin Yinian also waved his hand: “Wen Hu, how are you? Are you going to die? I’ll attend your funeral.”
He was smiling, but the flames in his hand didn’t vanish. Instead, they spun in his palm as he observed the giant tiger’s every move.
The moment Wen Hu showed any signs of losing control, this ball of fire would immediately strike the giant tiger.
Lu Qiujin did the same, staring dead-on at Wen Hu’s movements. The moment he tried to hurt Luo Shizhen, the surrounding trees would pierce his heart.
As if sensing their vigilance, the giant tiger grew alert again, swishing its tail as it faced off against them.
Consequently, Luo Shizhen smoothly reached the front of the giant tiger.
He didn’t probe or test the waters at all; he simply raised his hand and placed it directly on the giant tiger’s fluffy golden fur.
The giant tiger, which had been vigilantly glaring at everyone, suddenly realized someone was petting him. Its pupils quaked violently as it turned its head to look at him in disbelief.
“Roar?”
“Wen Hu, don’t talk. I’ll purify you.”
Luo Shizhen’s ears were ringing slightly from the tiger’s roar. He frowned and patted the tiger’s rear, telling him to be quiet.
Giant tiger: “…”
His tiger jaws fell slightly open. Even though he was in tiger form, anyone could see just how shocked he was right now.
But for some unknown reason, he actually squatted down obediently, making no further noise.
Luo Shizhen indeed felt the overflowing black Qi on his body. It was very faint, but it was there.
He inhaled deeply with effort. The white Qi from his palm seemed to come alive, circling the massive tiger and continuously swallowing the fleeing black Qi.
The giant tiger lay there quietly, staring unblinkingly at Luo Shizhen with a pair of huge tiger eyes.
Above them, something was buzzing. Displeased, he flicked his tail and glanced up.
On the screen of the combat vehicle outside the amusement park, this exact scene of Luo Shizhen purifying the giant tiger was playing.
Chen He’an looked at the scene on the screen and breathed a slight sigh of relief:
“Teacher Lin, this trick of yours really worked.”
Beside him, Lin Qi looked smug: “Of course. Like I said, only a true life-and-death battle can make these brats realize how important teamwork is. Lone wolves die the fastest.”
“It’s also a good chance to knock down their arrogance. Every day, each one of them thinks they’re so strong, but in the end, a swarm of tiny bugs leaves them completely battered and exhausted.”
Chen He’an picked up his tea mug and took a sip: “Impressive, impressive. You even calculated that Qin Yinian would step in to help.”
“I deliberately routed Qin Yinian to this area. Shizhen is soft-hearted and will definitely help, and Lu Qiujin will follow even if he doesn’t want to. Even if Shizhen couldn’t purify Wen Hu, a little minor Gu Chong pollution at most disrupts the mind a bit without affecting the core. Everything is within my calculations.”
On the screen, the pollution the giant tiger had just contracted was quickly purified by more than half by Luo Shizhen.
His eyes were no longer fierce and manic like before, but instead became clear.
Then, the giant tiger gently pulled Luo Shizhen into his embrace, and with his massive tongue, began to tenderly lick him.
Lu Qiujin: “…”
Qin Yinian: “…”
Cheng Yunshao, who was still lying injured to the side.
Inside the combat vehicle, Lin Qi: “…”
Chen He’an: “…Teacher Lin, was this also within your calculations?”
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