Era of Magic and Martial Arts

Blood splattered, shattered heads, paired with the terrifying monsters relentlessly posing on the light screen, instantly pushed the atmosphere of the Martial Arts Joint Examination to its climax.

The entire venue fell into a dead silence for a moment, then erupted with a clamor ten times more intense and piercing than all the previous cheers.

"There’s a monster!"

"Someone’s dead!"

"It’s not just one, there’s also..."

Pong——

A dull thud sounded, and another head was mercilessly crushed underfoot, flesh and blood flying, the air thick with the scent of blood.

Immediately, a second humanoid monster leapt into the air, landing heavily on the stage. This monster looked almost identical to the first, with the only major difference being that the first monster wore a dirty, tattered shirt around its neck.

The two monsters excitedly pushed their heads together, their scaled arms bumping and rubbing against each other, making a rustling sound.

Their expressions were affectionate, their movements natural, as if they were two close friends linking arms and posing for the camera?!!

However, this was only the beginning.

The third, the fourth, the fifth... soon, the half-circle of the stage’s edge was occupied by these monsters.

They were all of the same height, eerily similar in appearance, identical in aura, forming a circle and posing for the camera with excited expressions, showing no sign of stage fright.

They all posed together for the camera, resembling a well-trained top girl group enthusiastically showcasing their charm and style to the lens.

The uproar on the campus rose again, the decibel level directly proportional to the number of monsters appearing on stage.

The "girl group" on stage seemed extremely satisfied with the "cheers" from below, their bloody mouths grinning more broadly.

On the podium, the school leaders all stood up in unison, their once rosy smiles frozen, their faces turning as pale as paper.

"Wha... where did these monsters come from?"

"Where is security? Where’s security?!"

"Principal, quickly, let the principal leave first!"

The chaotic noise rose and fell, and the scene spiraled completely out of control.

Principal Xue Xunyu’s forehead was bulging with veins, unable to maintain his usual calm demeanor.

His gaze swept over the chaos before him—shattered heads, splattered blood, the school celebration banner tainted with red and white filth, and the posse of monsters posing on the light screen.

The muscles on his face twitched uncontrollably, but even so, he quickly identified the core of the management issue amid the chaos.

"Cut the livestream immediately, and tell the TV crew to turn off the cameras!"

Xue Xunyu roared hoarsely, his voice cutting powerfully through the noise like a clear stream, momentarily sobering those around him.

The commissioner stood with arms crossed, surveying the scene below, his eyes shifting but his expression remaining calm and composed.

Worthy of a major figure from Upper City, there was an ease that remained unperturbed even if the sky were to fall.

This kind of nobility, imbued from birth, was something that Lower City People could hardly imitate no matter how they were educated.

A slight smirk curved on his lips, carrying a hint of amusement in his tone:

"I thought it was going to be a dull joint exam, but unexpectedly, the finale turned out to be quite the spectacle.

It was worth coming here specially today, haha—"

In stark contrast to the drowsy, inattentive look he had while watching the competition earlier, the commissioner now had his eyes wide open, staring intently at the livestream on the light screen.

At this moment, the explosive sound effects, dazzling colors, and the scent in the air all brought the Eighth Academy’s performance to an ultimate elevation.

"Now this is what you call exciting..."

The commissioner muttered lowly, with a hint of barely concealed excitement in his tone.

Compared to the previously childlike game-like competition, the chaos and frenzy currently on stage were clearly more to his taste.

"Commissioner, it’s dangerous here, shall I escort you out first?"

Feng Ju spoke respectfully, but inside was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

His nerves were tightly wound, seemingly speaking to the commissioner but his eyes were glued to the stage.

His Filial Daughter, his pride, his future hope—Feng Yuhuai, was still on that stage!

The commissioner merely chuckled, his tone laced with unapologetic sarcasm:

"Why leave? Such a good show is hard to come by, how could I miss it? Besides..."

Before he finished speaking, the commissioner suddenly reached out, grabbing Feng Ju’s iron arm. His grip was strong, catching Feng Ju off guard, causing him to nearly lose his balance and topple over.

Feng Ju quickly stabilized himself, facing the commissioner’s cold, merciless gaze with horror.

The commissioner glared at him, his voice inexplicably sinister:

"Don’t just gawk around. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, keep your eyes sharp. Perhaps [Mask] will seize the chance to sneak in for a meal!"

Feng Ju, although deeply anxious, did not dare jeopardize his duty for personal reasons.

Moreover, the thing the commissioner suggested was indeed very likely to happen.

The commissioner released Feng Ju’s hand with a cold snort, his tone carrying an undeniable order:

"What are you standing there for? Quickly call all your people here."

Feng Ju took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He took out his vibrating phone from his pocket, displaying the name "Wang Xiuli." It was his wife calling.

A trace of struggle flickered in Feng Ju’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

He decisively swiped away the call with his dark fingers, then dialed another number.

He thought to himself:

"Yuhuai has always been smart and clever, and those monsters’ minds aren’t quite right, currently distracted by the cameras... she should be able to use this chance to escape.

As long as she can get off the stage and blend into the crowd, she’ll be safe."

Feng Ju’s thoughts were not wrong.

After all, thinking like a normal person, regardless of where the monsters came from, their eating people is random, so as long as she blends into the crowd and runs faster than the others, the chance of being caught and eaten isn’t high.

Moreover, his daughter was one of the top four in the joint exam, and her likelihood of escaping alive, theoretically speaking, was much higher than 99% of the students present.

Feng Ju’s mind raced, brows furrowed, while he yelled into the phone urgently:

"Tell the brothers to dress in plain clothes and disguise themselves, have everyone rush to the Eighth Academy immediately! If anyone dares to be late or not show up, I’ll skin them alive!"

Hanging up the call in rage, Feng Ju turned and bent down to speak to the commissioner in a harsh voice:

"Rest assured, Commissioner, if [Mask] dares to show up today, I, Feng Ju, will capture him for you even at the cost of my life."

Seeing this, the commissioner’s stern expression slightly relaxed, nodding with satisfaction, he smiled:

"With your determination, I am at ease. I know you worry about your daughter, but you must trust in fate, she will surely be safe and sound."

Here, the commissioner’s gaze deepened:

"Do not lose sight of the big picture and ruin your future, you must understand, your daughter may not bear the hopes of your entire family, but..."

The commissioner paused, adding profoundly:

"[Mask] can!!!"