Era of Magic and Martial Arts

Wang Xiuli heard her son’s voice on the phone, and the heart that had been lodged in her throat finally eased a little.

She was so preoccupied with panic and worry that she didn’t notice how overly calm and gentle her son’s tone was, which was jarring against the frantic crying and screaming coming from the receiver.

That calm voice seemed as if it came from another world, starkly contrasting with the surrounding chaos.

Wang Xiuli’s voice trembled, "Mu, are you... also at the Eighth Academy?"

Feng Mu looked up at the drone that flew overhead, offered no more explanation, and merely replied with a faint "Mm."

Wang Xiuli’s hand gripping the phone shook violently, her knuckles turning white from the strain, "Your sister, Yuhuai, she...?"

Feng Mu hesitated for a moment and said softly:

"Yuhuai is being chased by some monsters. I don’t know... I’m a bit far away."

The phone resounded with uncontainable sobbing, and Wang Xiuli’s voice was nearly breaking:

"What about your dad? Have you seen your dad?"

Feng Mu looked toward the podium, his gaze piercing through the chaotic crowd to that familiar figure.

He said truthfully:

"Dad’s fine; he’s on the podium, seems like he’s protecting some important figure closely."

Wang Xiuli suddenly couldn’t hold it together, her voice reaching an unprecedentedly sharp and hoarse pitch, like tearing fabric, carrying a nearly despairing anger:

"Protecting an important figure? Yuhuai’s life is on the line, and he’s protecting some important figure?! He, he, he...!"

Her voice was choked, gasping for air as if each breath was edged with knives, cutting painfully at her throat.

After two seconds, she barely managed to part her pale lips, her voice so trembling it almost couldn’t form tunes:

"Mu, don’t be afraid, go find your dad, and then..."

Feng Mu listened with a constantly calm expression, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the phone.

He had thought Wang Xiuli’s next words would be to have him and Feng Ju go save Yuhuai, and he was even mentally prepared for that situation.

However, Wang Xiuli forced back her sobs, her tone urgent but each word heavily enunciated, as if afraid her son wouldn’t grasp the meaning:

"Push your dad to go save Yuhuai! Your dad got a mechanical arm; he can certainly save Yuhuai! Mu, you can’t do it, don’t follow your dad, you need to escape on your own first, escape, get far away!"

Feng Mu slightly parted his lips, his throat unusually dry.

A clattering sound came from the other end of the phone—Wang Xiuli had gotten up too suddenly and stepped on shards from a broken cup on the floor.

The shards of glass pierced her foot, yet she seemed to feel no pain, only stamping out a trail of fresh red blood on the floor.

She hurried to the door, fumbling to change shoes, her voice carrying a nearly frenzied urgency:

"Mu, don’t be afraid, everything will be alright... We still have dinner together as a family tonight, Mom will come to get you all..."

Feng Mu didn’t continue listening, replying with just one word, "Alright."

His fingers lingered on the screen for a moment, then coldly pressed to hang up.

Then, he exhaled a long breath, as if expelling all the oppression from his chest.

His face bore complex and obscure emotions, with a hint of Hook Jade swirling in the depths of his eyes.

"Amidst a table of monsters, a person mixed in—that truly makes it difficult for the monsters, huh."

He murmured under his breath, his tone carrying a trace of irony, yet also like self-mockery.

Feng Mu coldly glanced toward the podium, his gaze as sharp as a knife, piercing through the chaotic crowd, straight at the face that bore a semblance of five parts to his own.

Then, he withdrew his gaze, his voice so low it was almost inaudible:

"Well then, can’t let Mom’s effort of preparing a meal go to waste... At the very least, have to finish this long-desired, last family reunion dinner."

Feng Mu didn’t follow Wang Xiuli’s arrangement to seek out Feng Ju.

Wang Xiuli had a tad too much blind faith in her husband.

With just Feng Ju’s mechanical arm, facing those monsters...

It’s uncertain whether Feng Yuhuai would die, but Feng Ju would surely end up torn to pieces.

Feng Mu held no disdain for the mechanical arm—don’t get him wrong, he had great respect for the power of technology; he just plain disdained Feng Ju.

Feng Mu looked at Gong Qi and Guan Chong, giving a calm order:

"You two go protect Secretary Hou Wendong. He just got out of the hospital, can’t let him die here out of nowhere."

Given Hou Wendong’s status as an important figure, naturally, he was being evacuated along with the Eighth Academy’s school leaders, surrounded by a team of well-trained school security guards, forming an impenetrable shield around them.

The school’s entire security force was almost concentrated here, to ensure their safety.

Meanwhile, with a darkened face, Li Shang was hastily leading a team of constables from the Patrol Office, quickly converging towards Hou Wendong and the school’s leaders.

If viewed from above, the entire campus was filled with chaotic crowds, aside from just a few individuals standing fearlessly watching the scene, the group of "organized" evacuees led by the Eighth Academy’s leaders was the most conspicuous.

Consequently, a couple of monsters were drawn to this commotion as well.

The monsters’ minds might not retain any concept of status, as after all, the flavor of the flesh stuffed in their mouths was all the same.

But they were very sensitive to lens and felt that this group of "standouts" was quite attention-grabbing.

In an instant, it was a close collision, gunfire erupting.

As soon as Feng Mu had finished his order, Guan Chong didn’t hesitate to charge against the crowd towards Hou Wendong’s direction with his gun.

His movements were swift and decisive, showing no concern for the possibility of being trampled to death alongside the charging monsters.

His speed in firing couldn’t beat Gong Qi, but his responsiveness to orders was something Gong Qi couldn’t catch up to even if he hurried.

And Gong Qi hesitated for a moment. He always felt that following his junior, Feng Mu, was the most interesting.

However, seeing the unwavering look in Feng Mu’s eyes, Gong Qi ultimately chose to follow the order.

Yet he didn’t rush over immediately, but instead walked over leisurely.

He was seeking a fitting opportunity, preparing to step in to save Secretary Hou Wendong at the critical moment.

Indeed, when it came to sensitivity to being noticed, Gong Qi was certainly no less than those monsters.

Then Feng Mu turned to Chang Erbing with a smile:

"Officer Erbing, you don’t need to follow here, better hurry and find Captain Li, he’s severely short of manpower."

Chang Erbing’s face showed some indecision, his lips moved, seemingly wanting to say something.

He actually really wanted to ask if these monsters had any connection to Feng Mu.

He admitted that the question was baseless and too outrageous, but, unfortunately, standing before him was supposedly a madman.

Feng Mu was ignorant of Chang Erbing’s deep-seated prejudices against him, and he said in a deep voice:

"Or, are you planning to go with me to save my sister?"

Hearing this, Chang Erbing turned his head to look at the large pit from where the blood mist was about to dissipate in the distance, his heart tensing, promptly turning and sprinting away without hesitation.

Feng Mu squinted at the sight, stepping swiftly but smoothly, weaving skillfully through the crowd.

However, he didn’t make a beeline for the ominous blood mist but artfully circled around, ultimately darting into the female dormitory restroom.

The next part of the play required him to first level up, change his gear, and then make a dazzling re-entry with a brand-new posture...