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Chapter 294 Ranking Surge and Subsequent Impact

The golden light went straight into Wang Xi's brow.

Even powerful figures like Zhang Yinglong, the "Eastern Spirit Child," failed to notice anything amiss.

As Wang Xi examined his mind, he discovered that the golden light was shining brightly, and a guess formed in his mind:
'Looks like Mark Van Gogh's signature gold card, the "Philosopher's Stone," has been revealed...'

Wang Xi was secretly delighted.

Mark really put a lot of skill into using this gold card. If he hadn't used the black hole to drain his opponent's energy at the end, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Its strength is evident.

If Wang Xi had this card, he could use his ultimate skill like a basic attack, which would be a huge boost to his strength.

But now is not the time to draw cards.

'very good……'

He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

At this moment.

The stands erupted in uproar, with discussions filling the air. Everyone seemed still reeling from the earth-shattering, intense battle that had just taken place.

"Sigh." Zhu Yi looked at the giant crater, put his hands behind his back, and sighed deeply. "They're still dead... Even their core deck was sucked into that black hole."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhu."

Deputy Director Wei Zhengyang, who stood solemnly to the side, said in a deep voice.

"Even I am not confident I can stop that final black hole..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the Kunwu Camp's high-ranking officers not far away and lowered his voice: "Besides, even if there were an opportunity, Principal Zhang wouldn't agree."

"Never mind," Zhu Yi waved his hand. "I understand, I'm just a little sad... One of our Federation's 'Disaster Hunters' is gone just like that."

Wang Xi stood at the edge of the giant pit, his gaze sweeping across the entire area.

Thousands of eyes were fixed on him, filled with a mixture of awe, shock, praise, fervor, and admiration.

call out--

With a slight movement, he transformed into a golden streak of light and appeared in the main stands as if by teleportation.

The golden light faded, revealing his tall and straight figure.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhu, Deputy Director Wei."

Wang Xi looked tired, with an apologetic smile:

"In the end, Mr. Mark used all his tricks, and under the pressure of the situation, I had no time to stop, which led to an irreversible result."

His tone was sincere, but he also made it clear that Mark had been pressing him first.

It's no wonder he was so murderous.

Zhu Yi, the secretary-general of Weitai, had a calm expression, but a hint of complexity lurked in the depths of his eyes.

He slowly began, “Wang Xi, I’ve long heard about the feud between you, Mark, and the Gear Group.”

As he spoke, the old man's gaze swept over the deep pit, his tone filled with deep regret: "It's just that this matter... could have been resolved in a gentler way."

"But it's too late now..."

He shook his head, his unspoken words conveying both sorrow for the fall of a federal "Disaster Hunter"-level strategic force and a helpless acceptance of the established facts.

At this moment, Zhang Yinglong, the principal of Kunwu Camp, stepped forward slowly with his hands behind his back.

He stood beside Wang Xi and said calmly:
"This duel was voluntary on both sides, and it was agreed beforehand that life and death were not at stake. Mark Van used deadly moves several times during the fight, and no one present was blind... It was a real fight, a life-or-death struggle, not child's play."

"Wang Xi won because of his strength. On the contrary, I think he did a great job... This battle showed the style of our Kunwu Camp."

The four deans, including Rosa, also cast approving glances at Wang Xi and nodded slightly.

With the strong support of Zhang Yinglong, the Federation's "Chief Disaster Hunter," and the attitude of the four deans of the Kunwu Camp, Zhu Yi, Wei Zhengyang, and the other "Taiyu" members who belonged to Weitai or remained neutral present could hardly say anything more.

In a desperate fight, he was outmatched in skill.

Don't blame others.

Ye Qihong, from the Signal Division, broke the silence first, smiling at Wang Xi and saying, "This battle was truly breathtaking. If we have time in the future, we can exchange ideas..."

"Mr. Wang, could you please leave your contact information?"

"I am the Grand Commander of Lucheng in Xuanzhou, from the Hongyun Army."

"I have long admired the name of 'Dragon Lord,' I am Chi Fei, the 'Grand Imperial Guard of Mingcheng' in Huangzhou."

"..."

The other dozen or so "Grand Masters" also expressed their goodwill and desire to befriend Wang Xi. Wang Xi nodded in response to each of them, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, and his manners impeccable.

However, not everyone is well-intentioned.

One side of the stands.

"Storm King" Leo's face was gloomy, and the air around him surged, revealing his extreme inner turmoil. "Secret Shield" Winston squinted at the deep pit, remaining silent.

Mark's body, along with all his cards, was completely swallowed and annihilated by that terrifying black hole, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.

They couldn't even find a way to collect their friend's body.

The two exchanged a glance and both saw the anger on each other's faces.

“Let’s go,” Winston said in a deep voice.

The two did not interact with anyone present, skipping even the formalities, and transformed into two streaks of light, soaring into the sky and disappearing instantly into the distant horizon.

Ye Qihong looked in the direction they left, his brows furrowed slightly. He took a step closer to Wang Xi and whispered a reminder:
“Mr. Wang, they have a life-or-death bond with Mark… You've just joined the ranks of the ‘Disaster Hunters,’ and you've shown too much talent. You'll need to be more cautious in the future.”

Wang Xi looked at Ye Qihong, sensed the goodwill in his words, and nodded.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Ye. Life is a long journey, and we will always meet friends and enemies. As long as neither of them causes me trouble, I will not cause trouble for no reason."

His gaze swept over the powerful figures present.

"After all, the biggest dilemma facing the Federation, and even all of humanity, is the labyrinth and disasters... This was originally a personal grudge between me and the Gear Corporation, but Mark Van insisted on standing up for him, so I had no choice."

These words were both a response to Ye Qihong and a message to the senior executives present.

Just then, a familiar figure walked through the crowd.

The silver-haired girl broke away from the Kunwu Camp student group and quickly walked to Wang Xi's side. Her face was radiant with a genuine smile, as bright as the morning sun, and her eyes were filled with undisguised excitement and gratitude: "Brother Xi, you won."

She lowered her voice again, so that only the two of them could hear her:

"Thank you……"

Chu Nai knew very well that Wang Xi's challenge to Mark was not only due to his own personal grudges, but also to avenge the two of their parents.

Wang Xi gently shook her head, her tone softening:
"nothing."

Then, under the watchful eyes of countless people, he took Chu Nai's hand and walked to the very front of the main grandstand, looking down at the crowd below.

His gaze swept over the location of the Gear Corporation, where several high-ranking executives, surrounded by security, were discussing in hushed tones with serious expressions.

Wang Xi spoke up: "Gentlemen of the Gear Corporation, according to the agreement I made with Mr. Mark Van before the battle—if I won, you would have to pay me twenty drops of 'Primordial Ether'. Now that Mr. Mark has been defeated and killed, please honor the agreement."

hum-

All eyes immediately focused on the Gear Consortium.

A person in charge was brought forward to answer the question.

This was a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He forced a smile, trying to appear calm: "Mr. Wang, this agreement... is a private agreement between you and Mr. Mark. Our consortium..."

"A private agreement?"

Wang Xi interrupted him, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Wasn't Mark Van your Gear Group's biggest asset and backer? When he stepped in to solve your problems and suppress your rivals, you gladly accepted it and even took pride in it. Now that he's defeated and dead, you're cutting all ties with him?"

He looked around, his tone full of undisguised sarcasm: "You guys are really not human."

A burst of sneers immediately rose from the crowd.

The Gear Group, relying on Mark's influence, acted domineeringly and offended many people. Now that they're down on their luck, everyone is pushing them down, and naturally no one is speaking up for them.

Each gaze, sharp as a needle, fell upon the person in charge.

The person in charge's face turned from white to green, then from green to red, and finally became ashen white, with beads of sweat rolling down his face and his body trembling slightly.

Without Mark as their "Disaster Hunter" backer, the Gear Corporation is like a giant beast that has lost its fangs and armor, a large piece of delicious fat exposed to countless greedy hyenas.

Worse still, this young, newly promoted "Disaster Hunter" possesses the power and determination to utterly crush them.

It's obvious that those rivals they once suppressed are now sharpening their knives. With the "Dragon Lord" clearly expressing his dissatisfaction, who would dare to easily lend a hand to them?

Looking at the person in charge's face, which was even more ashen than if his own father had died, Wang Xi spoke again, his tone indifferent:

"Of course you can try not to keep this agreement. But... you'll have to bear the consequences."

"This this……"

The person in charge felt dizzy and almost fainted.

Twenty drops of "Primordial Ether"...

This is one of the most important strategic resources, and even NexTai controls it very strictly; it's simply not available on the market.

To raise this amount, they would have to use all their accumulated connections, offer up their core interests in exchange, and might even be forced to give up key technologies and markets. This would definitely severely damage the Gear Group, and it might even fall from its position as a top conglomerate and be devoured by a pack of wolves.

The person in charge kept looking back.

Seemingly having received a signal, he gritted his teeth and spoke:
"Okay...okay, Mr. Wang!"

His voice was hoarse and dry, trembling slightly:
"Our Gear Foundation will raise funds as soon as possible, please give us some time."

After saying that, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he staggered, almost falling to the ground.

The person in charge had vacant eyes; he seemed to already see the collapse of the conglomerate's empire...

Wang Xi sneered and didn't look at them again.

His gaze swept across other areas, and he spotted many familiar faces.

Gu Li and Xia Ling were smiling and waving at him. Yu Zizi's eyes were complicated, with a hint of relief and emotion, while Ning Meng had a smile on her face.

Members of the Gucheng Brave Association, including Li Xingduan and Wei Xuan, also cast admiring glances at them.

Wang Xi nodded slightly in response.

Everyone present knew one thing very well—

From this day forward, the name "Dragon Lord" Wang Xi will resound throughout the Nine Continents of the Federation, becoming an indisputable benchmark for the new generation.

...

...

After exchanging contact information with the powerful figures present, Wang Xi bid farewell to Mr. Zhu, Deputy Director Wei, and other high-ranking federal officials.

He took Chu Nai with him, and together with Principal Zhang and others, boarded the Giant Silver Shuttle and returned to Dragon City in Central Continent.

whoosh-

The silver shuttle, resembling a giant fortress, emitted a deep hum, transformed into a silver streak, and disappeared into the horizon.

Zhu Yi and Wei Zhengyang stood side by side, gazing in the direction where the silver shuttle had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.

Wei Zhengyang asked in a low voice, "Mr. Zhu, are you dissatisfied with this young man's style of doing things?" Zhu Yi slowly shook his head, his eyes deep: "Dissatisfaction is not the point. It's a pity, but also... admiration."

He paused.

"Clear distinction between gratitude and resentment, and a willingness to take responsibility for one's actions. Avenging one's parents is a matter of course. It's just... the methods were a bit too ruthless. However, in this new era of catastrophe, perhaps this kind of sharpness is exactly what's needed."

...

...

Night light streamed through the windows into the simple dormitory room.

Wang Xi sat cross-legged on the bed.

The dazzling golden light still floated and shone in his mind, stirring his heart. This card was his greatest gain from this battle.

'Caus, extract.'

Wang Xi issued the order.

"Consume 100 energy points (43960 remaining)"

hum-

"All things we see are merely accumulations of elements and energy. But the Philosopher's Stone... is a masterpiece of matter's transformation, the answer to the evolution of energy, and the ultimate goal that alchemy can reach."

"It touches upon the principles of creation, the laws of all things. Your amazement stems from ignorance."

Suddenly, Mark Van's deep, cold voice rang in my ears.

Immediately afterwards, a brilliant golden light shone forth.

A golden wild card appeared in front of Wang Xi.

He reached out and caught it.

"Philosopher's Stone (Item Card)"

"Quality: Gold Five-Star (Legendary/Not Upgradeable)"

"This is the ultimate product of alchemy."

Countless alchemists have followed one after another in their quest to create this legendary fifth element, which, in addition to the four basic elements of the universe—wind, water, earth, and fire—contains the power to rewrite the laws of reality.

Its birth was accidental and cannot be replicated.

It contains an immense amount of energy, almost inexhaustible.

"All who touch its radiance become sacrifices to truth. They either fall into existential paradoxes in infinite reorganization or disintegrate into illusory dust in the torrent of energy."

—The nameless alchemist who once possessed the Philosopher's Stone.

"After use, you will possess it. You can harness the immense energy contained within for your own use, or it can serve as a universal energy source. It will automatically extract the four elements from the air and transform them into new energy."

‘Succeeded! ’

Wang Xi's face lit up with joy.

He looked at the gold card in his hand. The front of it featured a multifaceted ruby ​​design that shone brightly from every angle.

The back features an irregular, radiating gold pattern with a luxurious gold trim.

This is Wang Xi's first gold card.

Although it cannot be upgraded, it is already five stars and is of "legendary" quality that I have never seen before.

'Now, you could say we have absolutely no shortage of mana.'

Wang Xi said secretly.

...

...

Early the next morning.

Wang Xi's phone vibrated slightly.

He lay in bed and opened his eyes.

He reached out and took the phone, only to find it was Bai Qimeng calling.

"Wow! Handsome Wang! You were so handsome yesterday!"

An excited voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Hey, I watched the whole thing live via drone, and all I want to ask you is... are you even human?"

"..."

Wang Xi rolled her eyes.

"How am I not human?"

"Humans can create black holes? I seriously doubt that you've evolved into an immortal, a god, or some kind of monster that transcends the mortal body... I'm going to cry from fright."

"..."

Wang Xi was speechless at Bai Qimeng's childish remarks.

Soon, the tone on the other end of the phone changed again:
"By the way, I have some good news for you. The 'List of Mountains and Seas' has just been updated, and your title, 'Dragon Lord,' has directly replaced 'Alchemist' Mark Van's, ranking 44th!"

"Handsome Wang, you're famous now!"

Yesterday's match certainly caused a sensation in the professional sports community.

Even the top experts from abroad have heard about this and are paying close attention to the changes in the Federation's "List of Mountains and Seas".

Wang Xi didn't show much excitement on his face, and simply said calmly, "Oh, I understand."

"Hey, is it really necessary to be so indifferent?"

Bai Qimeng was dissatisfied.

"You're a big shot now, don't you understand?"

"Even important people need to eat and sleep. Calling me this early, it can't just be to deliver good news, right?"

Wang Xi sat up.

"Miss Bai, what are your Shining Consortium's next moves?"

Bai Qimeng was exceptionally intelligent and instantly understood Wang Xi's subtext. She then tentatively asked in her tone:
"You mean... the Gear Corporation?"

“Otherwise,” Wang Xi laughed. “Their backer has fallen, and their biggest support is gone. The Gear Consortium is now a piece of cake that’s oozing with fat.”

"I bet your Shining Consortium has a plan in mind, right?"

"..."

Bai Qimeng remained silent for a few seconds.

Holding her phone, a complex light flashed in her eyes—hatred, pleasure, and a hint of a businesswoman's shrewdness.

After letting out a soft sigh, Bai Qimeng said with a hint of teasing, "Handsome Wang, you really are... ruthless and merciless."

Wang Xi chuckled and retorted, "It's just going with the flow. I believe you won't let this opportunity slip by."

"It seems you understand me best."

Bai Qimeng laughed along.

She could never forget how the Gear Corporation had killed her aunt, who was the "Los Angeles Empress," nor could she forget the millions of people who perished when Los Angeles fell.

Now that there's an opportunity to kick someone when they're down, Bai Qimeng certainly won't let it pass. Moreover, this is a win-win situation for the Shanshan Consortium.

"With your attitude and stance, 'Dragon Lord,' we have absolute confidence and assurance. This time, we are determined to completely destroy the Gear Consortium and leave them utterly wiped out!"

Bai Qimeng said in a deep voice.

"However, Weitai will most likely intervene in the end. The Gear Consortium holds many core patented technologies, which have a significant impact on the Federation's military industry and people's livelihood... Weitai will not sit idly by and watch such a top consortium collapse completely, thereby triggering adverse chain reactions."

Wang Xi didn't care about this at all. His purpose was very pure: "It doesn't matter. As long as the entity of 'Gear Consortium' no longer exists, and those high-ranking officials who directly or indirectly caused the deaths of my parents are held accountable, that's enough."

"rest assured."

Bai Qimeng said solemnly.

"give it to me."

...

...

Shortly after Wang Xigang ended his call with Bai Qimeng, he received a notification from Dean Rosa.

After washing up and getting dressed.

He went directly to the principal's office.

In addition to Zhang Yinglong and Dean Rosa, two other unfamiliar visitors were discovered.

One was a dignified old man wearing a dark blue uniform from the Overlook Bureau, with an identity badge hanging on his chest—Su Shaohua, Director of the Dragon City Overlook Bureau.

The other was a young female secretary holding a data tablet.

Upon seeing Wang Xi enter, Director Su Shaohua immediately stood up, his face filled with undisguised respect, and extended his hand proactively:
"Mr. Wang Xi, it's a pleasure to meet you. Yesterday's battle was earth-shattering and truly broadened our horizons!"

He kept a low profile.

Wang Xi shook hands with him and exchanged a few polite words.

After exchanging pleasantries, Su Shaohua explained the purpose of his visit: "Mr. Wang, the main reason for my unauthorized visit is to represent Weitai and the Federal Overlook Administration to invite you to participate in the data entry work for the 'Pangu' system."

The young secretary stepped forward at the opportune moment and respectfully explained, "Mr. Wang, the 'Pangu' system is the Federation's highest-level training and assessment assistance system for professional warriors."

"To enhance the combat experience and crisis management capabilities of the new generation of professional warriors, Weitai recommends that all registered 'Taiko' and 'Disaster Hunter' must input their combat data and skill models into the system."

"The system will generate highly realistic 'mirrors' to simulate 'examiners' or powerful hostile units in the disaster zone environment, for the elites participating in the assessment to challenge."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xi immediately recalled the scene when he participated in the "Superior Simulation Assessment" in Lucheng.

At that time...

It seems they even destroyed Mr. Gu's mirror image?

Wang Xi nodded in understanding and said, "I see, I understand now."

Director Su Shaohua's expression turned serious: "This year's situation is special. The number of mazes has surged, disasters are becoming more frequent and intense, and the Federation's need for high-end combat power is more urgent than ever before."

"Therefore, Weitai has specially approved an additional emergency assessment for 'promotion of officers' this year, in addition to the regular assessment, which will take place in two days."

“We sincerely hope that your ‘mirror image’ can also participate in this assessment, as one of the ‘examiners’ in the final stage, to provide these elites who are about to go to the front line with a ‘graduation exam’ that is closest to the intensity of a real disaster area.”

Wang Xi instantly understood the other party's intention.

He had just killed an active "Disaster Hunter," and although he was in the right, the Federation still lost a top-tier combatant.

By using his own image to "encourage" newcomers in conjunction with the data entry, he not only demonstrates his strength but also shows a softening of his attitude, indicating that Wang Xi is not an unruly or reckless person who disregards the overall situation, but is willing to contribute to the Federation's cultivation of new talent.

“Of course,” Wang Xi readily agreed. “It is my duty to contribute to the Federation’s reserve forces.”

Director Su Shaohua smiled sincerely:

"That's great, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Wang."

(End of this chapter)