"Mo Lan, you finally showed up."
"It was worth our boss arranging for us to board this train! Now that I have a hostage in my grasp, if you want him to live..."
"Come to me. Train conductor, surely you don't want this passenger beside you to die by my blade..."
The criminal clearly hadn't grasped the severity of the situation, his face brimming with confidence as he spoke coldly.
Mo Lan was the daughter of Heaven Dou City's chief of security.
Her value and significance were immense. If he could bring her back to their organization, he would undoubtedly receive major rewards.
Wu Youqian was finally going to make his mark.
Perhaps believing he had the upper hand, his hidden subordinates emerged one by one, standing beside him with menacing expressions.
No more, no less—exactly eight of them.
Every member of the group possessed two Soul Rings, and with their leader included, they had one Soul Venerable and seven Grand Soul Masters!
"Criminals again, so many criminals!"
The other passengers watched the scene unfold, most of them panicking. Most people riding the Soul Guidance Train were ordinary civilians, and Grand Soul Masters were already considered formidable.
Mo Lan herself was stunned—on one hand, she hadn't expected actual criminals to appear, and on the other...
A Soul Venerable trying to fight Luo Chuan? Seriously?
"These days, a Soul Venerable leading a gang..."
"Can really afford to be this confident?"
From the "victim's" perspective, Tang Luochuan's forehead twitched in annoyance. The criminal holding a shoddy Soul Guidance dagger had an aura weaker than his own at nine years old—and he was trying to take him hostage?
What a joke! Even at this stage, someone like him couldn't break his defenses in a lifetime. Those weaker than him could barely harm him, while those stronger found their attacks weakened by his bloodline abilities.
"But does this mean I've really become a train jinx..."
Tang Luochuan fell silent. Compared to being taken hostage, this label weighed on him far more heavily.
Meanwhile, Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi instinctively exchanged glances before looking toward Gu Yue. Her face was dark with anger.
If they remembered correctly, the last person who pointed a gun at their boss had ended up in pieces.
"Mo Lan? Are you really going to stand there and do nothing?"
"This is a passenger's life we're talking about!"
Seeing Mo Lan's cold indifference, the criminal was momentarily stunned.
Was the daughter of the chief of security really going to abandon a passenger's life like this? That didn't match the intel they had.
"A dead man walking."
"No need to waste words."
Before the criminal could finish, Tang Luochuan shook his head dismissively, slapping the dagger out of his hand. In the next instant, five Soul Rings materialized beneath his feet.
"A mere hostage still dares to talk back—"
The criminal was about to retort when his eyes locked onto the five crimson Soul Rings beneath Tang Luochuan's feet. His face instantly paled as if he'd seen a ghost.
"How are you a Soul King? And those—"
"Save your questions for your next life."
Tang Luochuan's voice was icy. As he spoke, his hand had already transformed into a Golden Dragon Claw, ready to tear the man apart at any moment.
"Luo Chuan, let me handle this."
But Gu Yue moved even faster. As an elemental-type Soul Master capable of multi-target attacks, her coverage was far greater.
Her face was now etched with cold fury, looking at the assailant as if he were already dead. Of everyone present, she was the most infuriated by this criminal.
The man before them pointed a small dagger at Luo Chuan, clearly courting death. But such matters didn't require Luo Chuan's intervention—she, Gu Yue, would personally protect her Luo Chuan with overwhelming force!
"For you..."
"...a death that leaves no trash behind."
In the next instant, ice spikes rained down with pinpoint accuracy on all eight assailants, moving so fast they left no afterimages.
These weren't ordinary ice spikes. Upon contact, the eight criminals instantly turned into ice sculptures, and within a single breath, their frozen forms shattered into countless pieces, vanishing as if they'd never existed.
This wasn't just death without intact remains—it erased every trace of their living existence.
"Soul King."
"Brother Luo Chuan is actually a Soul King, and..."
Witnessing this scene, Mo Lan's eyes widened in shock. A five-ring Soul King—this was a genuine five-ring Soul King!
Especially astonishing were his five soul rings, all of which were crimson red!
"Just something I obtained through fortunate circumstances," Tang Luochuan said with a casual shake of his head.
"Brother Luo Chuan is truly terrifying."
"But who could have imagined criminals would become so bold recently? These are truly troubled times..."
Mo Lan nodded, her heart filled with complex emotions. She'd known the situation was unstable, but never expected criminals to be this audacious!
Less than a month had passed since the last incident. With attacks occurring one after another, could they possibly be targeting her?
"Especially this time..."
"They actually took Brother Luo Chuan hostage."
At this thought, Mo Lan couldn't help but smile. The criminals had truly kicked an iron plate this time—served them right to be utterly annihilated!
"And also..."
"Completely shocked us all."
Not just Tang Luochuan—all their companions were equally stunned. Wu Siduo couldn't help exclaiming.
Hostage situations weren't uncommon, but kidnapping Tang Luochuan? That was undoubtedly a world first.
Because this might be the most powerful hostage in history, bar none.
"..."
Tang Luochuan smiled without responding. He only knew one thing—he never wanted to ride trains again, nor continue his so-called reputation as the "Train Killer."
The Train Killer—he truly didn't want that title!
"By the way, Sister Mo Lan, since these criminals came for you, your identity must be compromised. This is just the beginning—things will only get worse..."
"Until they capture you alive, at which point you'll undoubtedly become leverage to threaten Commissioner Mo."
Then Tang Luochuan seemed to remember something and spoke slowly to the woman before him.
The original work had few records about Mo Lan. He only knew her as a dedicated worker who devoted her life to her duty—an ordinary person.
In the original story, she died during a criminal attack. While he didn't know if this could be avoided, a warning couldn't hurt.
"This..."
"Latest updates at 69shu!"
"I understand. Thank you, Brother Luo Chuan."
Hearing this, Mo Lan nodded in agreement, fully understanding the other party's meaning. However, she still couldn't easily free herself from her current responsibilities. Of course...
She would still pay extra attention.
"I hope it will be so."
"..."
The attack on the Soul Guidance Train was just a minor incident. After that, the journey finally returned to peaceful tranquility.
Before long, everyone arrived at their final destination—Shrek City.
"Everyone has worked hard during this time."
"The results of the final exams will be released in a couple of days. Before that, I suggest you all stay at the academy for a few more days."
Teacher Wu Zhangkong looked at the group before him and smiled faintly. No one understood their performance better than he did.
It couldn't be said that everyone scored full marks, but being very close to perfect was already set in stone.
"Yes, Teacher Wu."
The group responded in unison.
As they approached the academy, Mu Xi and Yuanen Yehui were already there, waiting for them. As second-year students, their exam duration and group size were smaller than those of the first-years, so they had long since completed their assessments.
"Luo Chuan, you're back."
Upon seeing Tang Luochuan and the others, the two girls smiled warmly. To an outsider, it might seem as if they had come specifically to welcome Tang Luochuan—though that wasn't far from the truth...
"We're back."
Tang Luochuan nodded. In truth, he found it quite miraculous. Initially, he had planned to take a break during this period.
Yet, he had ended up accompanying everyone through the final exams, even making a trip to Eastsea City and witnessing Wulin and Zi Xin's...
Ah, just that last part alone made it all worthwhile!
"Little brother Wulin, you did well, huh?"
"Zi Xin told me you two..."
"Are together now."
At this moment, Mu Xi cast a teasing glance in Tang Wulin's direction. As Ouyang Zixin's close friend, she was already aware of their relationship.
Who would have thought that little brother Wulin would accomplish such a major milestone during this final exam?
"Ah..."
"Yeah, we're together."
Tang Wulin was never one to take teasing lightly, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
"There's nothing to be shy about."
"But I didn't expect you to start dating before your brother. You're even faster than Luo Chuan."
Mu Xi said with a playful smile.
Beside her, Yuanen Yehui also nodded lightly. It seemed Luo Chuan hadn't confirmed a relationship with any girl yet.
"Huh?"
"Mu Xi-jie, Brother already has a girlfriend, though."
Hearing this, Tang Wulin shook his head, lost in thought.
Brother doesn't have a girlfriend? Then what are Gu Yue-jie and Na'er-jie—just lip-service friendships?
"They're together?"
At this, Mu Xi froze. Beside her, the previously smiling Yuanen Yehui also stiffened.
Wait...
Since when?!
At this moment, the ever-playful Mu Xi was no longer in a playful mood.
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