Chapter 714: A Week of Revelations and Rising Tensions

The training concluded after one week, and everyone involved felt they had learned a great deal.

Except for Gecko, Bear Child, Red Serpent, Godly Woman, Watchdog, Doll, and others whose attitude toward learning was anything but earnest.

Perhaps because they all attended the training in the same auditorium, the Ability Users were harshly scorned by the Researchers—not just the look of top students on underachievers, but the disdain and even animosity reserved for those who, despite being in possession of treasure, choose to doze by it instead of seizing it, or worse, toss a massive gold brick into the river just to watch it skip.

Such precious insight and such a rare exchange of knowledge.

How is it that these people can’t grasp it?

Tsk tsk, it’s clear that with people like them around, the world is beyond saving. It all falls to us…

By the end of the training, the Researchers were brimming with confidence.

The Ability Users, too, were visibly energized, almost as if they’d been set free—appearing even more delighted than the Researchers.

Of course, Lu Xin was the exception.

He earned the respect of both the Researchers and the Ability Users.

The Ability Users looked at Lu Xin with a blend of awe and sympathy.

After all, everyone knows that Ability Users are like sharpened twigs, prone to issues; but in Lu Xin’s case…

…the problems seem rather severe!

Even the Researchers—including Professor Bai—gazed at Lu Xin with pure excitement and admiration.

Some were so moved that they didn’t know how best to express their gratitude.

A quick flip through the notes reveals:

The most valuable part of this training was Professor Bai’s opening lecture.

The most detailed insights came from Lu Xin’s own session.

A series of famous quotes, imbued with philosophical weight, were delivered by Professor Bai.

Because everyone recognized the immense value of Lu Xin’s contributions, they unanimously decided near the end of the training to award him a special honorary professorship, and agreed that his level in Mental Power research was unparalleled.

But Lu Xin declined.

He only wanted a diploma…

Especially one that wasn’t padded with pretentious labels like ‘Special’ and ‘Honorary.’ Who could take that seriously?

He knew exactly what he was doing—he wasn’t about to be duped.

Of course, after the Researchers—especially Professor Bai and Mr. Su, who always kept their word—promised to issue him an official diploma, Lu Xin conceded that the title ‘Special Honorary Professor’ wasn’t entirely unappealing.

Only, that title wasn’t for him; it was for Mom.

He had even begged her to come, and there’s no way she’d come empty-handed…

Although Lu Xin’s proposal struck some as odd, out of respect for the unknown they agreed.

After inquiring earnestly about his Mom’s name, they, for once, decided on the title:

“Ms. Lu!”

Qinggang University Special Honorary Professor, Ms. Lu!

Age: Unknown

Gender: Female?

Height: Unknown

Background: Unknown

Race: Unknown

……

……

“The assigned sorting and sharing tasks have been fully completed over this week.”

“Everyone, prepare yourselves; we have amassed an overwhelming amount of work.”

At the close of the training course, Professor Bai addressed the crowd with a noticeably serious tone:

“Frankly, the current situation is dire.”

“……”

“Could it be those eyes in the sky?”

Lu Xin asked Professor Bai with curiosity and then looked upward.

Within the week, those eyes in the sky had opened once again, and they even appeared to be drawing closer.

Qinggang had been continuously arranging for their monitoring.

Even those who came for training would rush to the Monitoring Station immediately after the sessions.

But Lu Xin had noticed that their tests and observations didn’t seem to yield any valuable leads.

Now we know that those eyes appear in the sky, that they occasionally open, and that they drift closer to Qinggang.

Their approach isn’t rapid, but in ten days they have come within range three times.

With every approach, the pressure on Qinggang City intensifies, and the very air seems to press in on you.

Thanks to Doll’s presence, however, this pressure hasn’t yet affected Qinggang.

Still, news of those eyes has spread throughout Qinggang, igniting fervent discussions in every street and alley.

Qinggang couldn’t stop others from witnessing those eyes or from talking about them, nor could they keep up with the barrage of daily inquiries; so as usual, they resorted to a fabricated explanation—that Qinggang was testing a new type of projection device.

How many believed it, no one really knows.

“Those eyes are only one facet of the issue.”

Leaning on his cane, Professor Bai stepped forward and handed a file to Lu Xin, whispering, “We’ll handle it.”

“But the matter I need to tell you about immediately is this.”

“……”

Lu Xin accepted the file and flipped through it, his expression turning to mild shock.

“Regarding those eyes, we are already actively deploying measures, have formulated several theories, and solicited assistance from the Moon Eclipse Research Institute and other regions. This is a problem laid bare—its resulting pressure and consequences can be anticipated.”

Professor Bai murmured, “But this matter has left us unable even to forecast its trajectory.”

At the very first glance at the documents, Lu Xin understood exactly what Professor Bai was worried about.

The Serial Killer Case.

The folder handed over by Professor Bai contained records of a series of recent, gruesome murders around Qinggang.

According to the materials, the victims were primarily high-ranking figures from various factions surrounding Qinggang—some were leaders of settlements, or at the very least, held positions of power, such as secretive members of the Knight Orders, captains of wild scavenger teams, manpower market managers, and the like.

These individuals, who often dabbled in underhanded dealings, meeting their ends through brutal murder, was hardly unexpected.

Qinggang’s attention was drawn to these cases because the victims shared several distinct characteristics.

Firstly, the manner of death was extremely gory and savage, with most having suffered immense torture.

Secondly, at each scene a document was left behind, detailing their misdeeds along with a signature.

“Number Eight?”

At the first sight of these cases, Lu Xin immediately grasped the truth of the matter.

Not to mention, the very first photo taken at the scene bore the signature “Chen Jing.”

“You know him?”

Professor Bai noticed the shift in Lu Xin’s expression and asked quietly.

Lu Xin nodded, saying little else, and looked up at Professor Bai.

Professor Bai immediately understood, whispering, “This has been going on for a while—it all occurred at various settlements outside Qinggang. No similar incident has taken place within Qinggang yet, because the turmoil outside caused widespread panic that finally reached us, prompting us to dispatch Investigators. But aside from the cards found on the victims, we haven’t uncovered any valuable evidence.”

“It’s worth noting that these incidents aren’t confined solely to the surroundings of Qinggang.”

“I’ve been in contact with High-wall City, numerous cities within the Alliance, even several major settlements and other organizational jurisdictions—all reporting similar vigilante cases. Individually they may be few, but collectively, the numbers are alarming.”

“However, what is most worrisome is another matter.”

“First, our data calculations show a terrifying increase in these vigilante cases.”

“The earliest recorded case was a year ago and barely attracted any attention.”

“But as time went by, more and more incidents emerged.”

“Their locations seem random, yet the number of cases has grown exponentially.”

“Every so often, a surge of fear adds to the anxiety…”

“In just one year, what began as an ordinary murder escalated into an S-level incident.”

“An S-level incident affecting not only the Alliance but the entire world.”

“……”

Listening to Professor Bai, Lu Xin suddenly understood something, abruptly looking up at him.

His gaze carried a trace of skepticism.

“Yes.”

Professor Bai nodded slightly and said, “If we regard it as contamination, it is spreading across the world at a terrifying speed.”

“So many people, so many major factions, and even Research Institutes…”

Lu Xin furrowed his brow and asked, “Isn’t anyone stopping them?”

Professor Bai shook his head and replied, “One of the hallmarks of an S-level contamination incident is that it’s unsolvable.”

“Nowadays, there are very few events that qualify as S-level contamination—this is universally acknowledged.”

“This kind of contamination seems to have no fixed point of origin and no predictable pattern, making investigations extremely difficult. Furthermore, wherever it passes, it garners massive support from its followers, creating a frenzy…”

“Not only among ordinary Ability Users in High-wall City, even senior Investigators from the Research Institute have failed to trace its origins.”

“Thus, the Moon Eclipse Research Institute has classified this case as an S-level contamination incident.”

“The codename is: Midnight Tribunal.”

“……”

Recalling his earlier encounter with Number Eight—who exuded a refined and calm demeanor—Lu Xin felt a sudden weight settle in his heart.

“Their…”

Lu Xin paused before asking, “Is the negative impact significant?”

Professor Bai, slightly taken aback, discerned Lu Xin’s hesitation from his question.

He seemed on the verge of asking something more, but instead simply nodded at Lu Xin and said, “You can review the documents at the back.”

“The very last set of materials.”

“……”

Lu Xin nodded, flipped through the documents, and was suddenly stunned into silence.

Professor Bai whispered, “Although we haven’t yet caught the specific enforcers or found an effective way to halt the Midnight Tribunal, our analysis of the vigilante cases has revealed certain precursors to these mysterious events.”

“Every individual executed by the Midnight Tribunal was preceded by unusual displays of Mental Power in their vicinity.”

“It serves both as a countdown and as a marker.”

“And now…”

He paused before adding, “That marker has now appeared within the high walls of Qinggang.”

Lu Xin nodded lightly.

He had seen that marker—and he recognized the person marked.

Teacher Xiao Lu.