C172 You Guys Died in the Aftermath

This was beyond spectacular—it was an incomparably shocking battle! Yet, at the very onset of the conflict, they could see nothing. Such a predicament was unacceptable to anyone. They all understood that Chu Yi was no match for the Guardian, but Chu Yi seemed to possess some capacity to hold his own. That was all they needed to see—Chu Yi's full strength in action. Regrettably, they were left in the dark...

In the command center, a slight ease washed over the faces of the top brass as the battle vanished from the screens, leaving behind only three formidable silhouettes. One was the Guardian, another also a Guardian, and the third was Chu Yi himself. Chu Yi's gaze was icy as he addressed the Guardian who had intercepted his formidable strike, his voice equally frosty, "Do you intend to challenge me as well?"

The newly arrived Guardian's expression shifted subtly. Chu Yi's tone was not to his liking. Yet, considering the directives he had received, he dared not confront Chu Yi, despite his personal feelings. Another critical factor was Chu Yi's display of extreme combat prowess. The Guardian had managed to block the final attack, making it seem effortless, but he was acutely aware that without tapping into his reserve strength, the cost of blocking would have been devastating—severe injury was a certainty, and death a possibility.

The Guardian now regarded Chu Yi with a mix of reluctance and respect. At the mere age of eighteen, to exhibit such power as a Gold General was a clear indicator of Chu Yi's potential for monumental achievements in the future. "Chu Yi, stand down..." The Guardian's smile bore traces of resignation, his voice tinged with a hint of subservience. He had just received orders from above: ensure Chu Yi's safety and resolve the situation as best as possible. The specifics of the problem were known to him, but no clear solution had been provided. Before his arrival, the Guardian had thought the issue straightforward to resolve. However, after experiencing Chu Yi's fearsome attack firsthand, he realized his initial assessment had been naive.

Of course, all he could do now was to try his utmost to mediate.

If that proved impossible...

The guardian stealthily glanced at the three trembling geniuses nearby and silently shook his head.

Chu Yi watched the two guardians with a quiet, cold gaze.

Just when the guardians thought Chu Yi might concede, a terrifying aura emerged once again.

Though Chu Yi's aura had not increased significantly since the previous moment, the chilling intent it now carried was unmistakably more pronounced.

Beyond that, they sensed an elusive aura, one that signaled a life-or-death crisis.

This seemed impossible, for by their assessment, Chu Yi had already pushed himself to the absolute brink.

Even if he tried again, it was doubtful that Chu Yi could summon such power.

The force he had mustered was born of sheer rage, a feat seemingly impossible to replicate.

Yet, the guardians now realized they had been mistaken!

Even the high-ranking officials of the Federation had been wrong!

The power that nearly matched a Diamond Level Guardian was not even Chu Yi's full strength!

Incredibly, he still had reserves!

The two guardians acknowledged they were no longer qualified to judge Chu Yi.

The guardians who had previously clashed with Chu Yi had quietly stepped down.

The one before them was the leader of their region, and once he stepped in, their opinions became irrelevant.

It was clear that the handling of the situation no longer required their intervention.

Feeling Chu Yi's fearsome aura, the guardian's smile grew more bitter.

Ultimately, he shook his head.

Truth be told, after learning the full story, he held nothing but contempt for the three so-called geniuses under his protection.

It was one thing to be defeated in a three-on-one fight.

But to resort to threatening a girl with her family's safety, to even stoop to poisoning her?

Such despicable acts were scorned by those who pursued the martial path with honor.

Above all, the guardian's wrath was kindled by their attempt to forcefully take Lee Zi's life!

This was the most intolerable act of all.

They had plotted to assassinate Lee Zi under the cover of the guardians' distraction.

Had they succeeded, the guardians would have undoubtedly faced severe censure.

Although Chu Yi was pushing the boundaries of the rules, he was far more respected by the guardian than those scoundrels who exploited loopholes and shifted the blame onto others. The guardian appreciated Chu Yi's straightforward approach, preferring his transparent and direct confrontations.

The guardian could feel the formidable disturbance emanating from Chu Yi, almost tangible in its intensity. He inhaled deeply, grappling with the situation. He harbored no doubts about Chu Yi's bravery, certain that he would dare to take on both guardians. Despite some reservations about Chu Yi's capabilities, the guardian felt somewhat at a loss when faced with such a fearless maverick.

He was aware that any further obstruction would provoke Chu Yi into action. And so, under the immense pressure of Chu Yi's powerful presence, the guardian leader unexpectedly stepped aside, yielding the path to him.

The three prodigies were left in stunned silence, and even the guardian seemed momentarily taken aback.

"Commander!" they called out.

The guardian leader shook his head, "This is the decision from above..." His gaze lingered on Chu Yi, filled with complexity. He understood that Chu Yi was relentless and that the higher-ups had already reached a verdict. In the grand scheme of things, those three were insignificant compared to Chu Yi.

Even their powerful families—

Well, it seemed their families would rather see them perish right there!

The revelation that Chu Tianfeng, head of the Chu family, was actually the War God had quickly spread among the upper echelons. The guardian had been informed just moments ago. Confronted with a family that maintained a low profile but possessed fearsome strength, and the vengeance of a War God, no family within the Terran Federation could confidently claim they'd emerge unscathed.

"Sir!"

"You can't let this happen!"

"He's breaking the rules by killing us!"

The guardian leader, who had shown helplessness before Chu Yi, now faced the three with an icy gaze. He remained silent, his look conveying volumes. If Lee Zi were to be killed by them, even if they survived by exploiting a loophole, he would find a way to deal with these three in the future. After all, if Lee Zi were to die, their own survival would be at stake.

Witnessing the guardian leader's demeanor, the three geniuses seemed to realize something profound.

"Chu Yi, you can't kill us!"

"Your Chu family may be powerful, but our own families are not to be underestimated!"

"If you dare to kill us, our families will surely seek vengeance!"

Indeed, these were the thoughts harbored by the trio.

Unfortunately for them...

Chu Yi offered a chilling smile.

If such despicable individuals were the best their families could produce, those families likely weren't very formidable.

Besides, even if they were, what of it?

His grandfather was the War God!

There was nothing on this planet that the War God couldn't handle.

The old man had always told him not to fear trouble.

The Chu family never shied away from it!

And so...

Chu Yi's arm lifted, the atmosphere charged as a formidable presence unfurled around him.

"Chu Yi, please, I'm begging you!"

"We didn't want this!"

"We were forced by our families!"

Realizing their threats were futile, the three began to kneel and plead for mercy.

But Chu Yi's resolve was unshakeable, and these three had harmed Lee Zi, nearly taking her life!

Chu Yi would never forgive them, no matter what.

"Chu Yi, you must realize that killing us won't leave you unscathed!"

"You'll forfeit your chance at the assessment!"

"You'll be stripped of your title!"

"Are you willing to sacrifice your martial examination for the likes of us?"

Indeed, if Chu Yi were to kill them, he would be breaking the rules.

He would face expulsion.

But Chu Yi no longer cared about such consequences!

Had he not felt Lee Zi's presence and arrived just in time, she might have been lost forever.

Such an incident was something Chu Yi could never allow to happen again!

This time, he had to set an example.

He wanted everyone to know that while they could try to harm him, anyone who dared to target those close to him would face his wrath, regardless of the cost!

"Don't worry about that..."

At that moment, the guardian leader spoke up.

"Chu Yi won't break any rules."

"Yes, because your deaths, well, they're simply... accidental."

Accidental?

The three were taken aback.

Even Chu Yi, bristling with murderous intent, paused in surprise.

"Why?"

"Why?"

The leader of the Guardians spoke in a hushed tone, "It's quite simple. You were all casualties of the collateral damage from the battle between Chu Yi and the Guardians."

"Chu Yi did violate the rules, but considering it's his first offense and there are extenuating circumstances, we've decided to let him retain his qualification for the assessment and continue under observation..."

"Yes, that's the truth..."

He paused, then added with a hint of significance, "Since the signal hasn't been restored yet, no one else knows the real story except for us."

It seems that besides them, only the top-tier leaders in Redmarsh City are privy to the truth.

But...

It was they who issued the command.

So...

It goes without saying...

...