Chapter 79: A Gathering of Storms
The Alliance was divided into four regions: East, West, North, and South. Sitting at the heart of the Alliance, the Capital City served as its central hub.
Inside the office of the Director of the Capital Night Watch Bureau and Instructor for the 108th Training Camp.
"Why are there so many people this year? The training camp dormitories won't be enough to hold them all." Huo Jia took the list of training camp personnel handed to him by his adjutant.
In the past, it was always a thin stack of papers. This time, it was practically a small book.
"There must be over a hundred people here, right?" Huo Jia flipped through the students' basic profiles one by one. "Did the higher-ups lower the selection standards?"
The adjutant, Cui Ye, shook his head. "No. The recruitment standards this time were even stricter than last year."
Hearing this, Huo Jia's interest was piqued. "Who's in the Combat Department?"
Cui Ye smiled with hidden meaning. "See for yourself."
This only aroused Huo Jia's curiosity further. Although he had been the main person responsible for past training camp projects, his primary teaching subjects were always related to combat power.
Huo Jia's hand, holding an A4 sheet, suddenly froze. "Ling Yue from the Capital's Ling family?"
"A genius girl with three abilities in one body... What is she doing at the training camp? Doesn't the Ling family always plan to train their own?"
Cui Ye revealed a smile. "It was Wen He's idea."
Huo Jia was stunned for a moment, then came to a realization. "That brat... he probably wants this old man to babysit for him, doesn't he?"
He had just put down Ling Yue's personal file when his movements paused again.
"Mythical Zoan? A new ability, and three of them all at once?!" Huo Jia asked in astonishment. "Wasn't the concept of Mythical Zoan only released a short while ago?"
"How did three pop up so suddenly?"
Cui Ye explained, "Because of Chen Yu's appearance, the Alliance and the Aristocratic Families re-tested some abilities that were suspected to be Mythical Zoans."
"Aside from that daughter of the Su family—whom the Su family wanted to hide—we actually screened out another one."
"Chen Yu..."
Huo Jia's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the paper twice.
"I remember he's that girl Lin Lan's son, right?" He looked up at the adjutant across from him, his tone filled with regret.
The air remained silent for a few seconds.
Cui Ye spoke up. "The talent of this year's students is dazzling."
"There are two Logia types, and the rest are all powerful Paramecia and Ancient Zoan types."
"These kids are going to be a handful. I'm afraid we might not be able to keep them in check when the time comes."
"Not keep them in check?" Huo Jia sneered.
"It just so happens that Silver Fox has returned to the Alliance to report for duty. Let them come and hold the fort. Will that be enough?"
Before the adjutant could reply, there was a sudden knock on the office door.
"Enter."
A guard walked in, clutching a crumpled intelligence report, his face anxious. "Director Huo! This is a consolidated report on the cultist attacks regarding the training camp students!"
"Currently, there are no student casualties, but... it is suspected that the enemy has obtained our training camp roster!"
The smile on Huo Jia's face vanished instantly. He grabbed the intelligence sheet and scanned it. "Have you investigated the contact person in the logistics team?"
"We did. They all claimed they never leaked anything!" The adjutant said urgently. "Could there be a mole?"
Huo Jia fell silent for a moment, then suddenly threw the intelligence sheet onto the desk, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "No need to investigate too hastily."
He tapped his fingertips on the desk. "Since someone wants to stir up trouble, we'll play along."
"It's a perfect opportunity to see exactly how much these 'Chosen Ones' weigh, and to fish out the rats hiding in the dark."
Deep within a dense forest.
Shen Lie took off his sweat-stained gloves. The bandages on his forearms were darkened with perspiration.
Around him, several trees as thick as a person's embrace had been snapped in half.
Shen Lie returned to his small wooden cabin, where the TV was broadcasting news of the attack on Haibin City.
Chen Yu's Azure Dragon form appeared on the screen.
He instantly clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly. Flames of excitement danced in his eyes. "I really want to have a good fight with him."
Meanwhile.
Inside a private tarmac.
The gilded floor tiles were coated in a warm glow by the setting sun. Su Qingqing leaned diagonally against the boarding ramp of a pure white private jet.
She looked at the freeze-frame of Chen Yu's blue-scaled Azure Dragon form on her phone screen.
Her eyebrows raised slightly, her expression one of disdain, her tone carrying a hint of nonchalance. "Zero aesthetic sense. He looks like a moving piece of blue rock."
"What gives him the right to be a Mythical Zoan like this Young Miss?"
Not far away, a servant in a crisp uniform walked over quickly, bowing respectfully. "Miss, the cabin is ready."
"The boarding ramp is secure. You may depart at any time."
Su Qingqing placed her phone back into her bag, which was embroidered with silver fox tails.
She raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a beauty mark at the corner of her eye, exuding charm.
She stepped onto the ramp in her high heels, her dress making a soft sound as it brushed against the metal steps.
"Training Camp... this Young Miss will show you all..." A phantom of a pale golden fox tail seemed to flash in her eyes. "What a Mythical Zoan is supposed to look like."
"I'll give you all a little tiny shock of Mythical Zoan power."
Inside a casino.
The light from the gilded chandelier cut through the smoke. The sound of clashing chips and cheering mixed with the smell of cheap cigars.
Crowds were packed three layers deep around a Blackjack table.
"My god, this kid has been sitting here since the afternoon and hasn't lost a single hand!"
"They've swapped out three dealers, and he hasn't misread the cards once!"
"Look at his luck, it's downright demonic! That last hand was a straight flush, but the dealer had a royal flush, yet somehow the dealer drew a dead card at the end!"
"Is he cheating? but I've been staring at his hands for ages, he hasn't made a single suspicious move!"
The young man being watched lazily propped up his face. Silver-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his high nose, and a gold coin danced between his fingers.
"Still betting? This hand is the table limit." The dealer's forehead was beading with sweat, his voice hoarse.
The cards on the table were already spread out. The boy had the Jack, Queen, and King of Spades.
The dealer held the 10, Jack, and Queen of Hearts. He was just one card away from a straight flush; his winning odds were clearly higher.
The boy yawned, raised his hand, and pushed all the chips in front of him forward. His lazy voice drowned out all the whispers. "All in."
The casino fell silent for half a second.
Gulp—
Is he crazy? That bet is enough to buy half a house!
The dealer's hand trembled as he dealt the final card. The boy didn't even look at it; he just flipped the card over directly.
It was the Ace of Spades.
"Holy crap! He actually won!"
The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. The dealer slumped into his chair, his face as pale as paper.
"Donate the winnings to the Hope Primary School next door for me." The boy stood up, intending to leave.
"Kid, you think you can just leave after winning enough?" Four thugs in black tank tops suddenly pushed through the crowd. The bald leader clenched his fist, the skull tattoo on his knuckles looking particularly ferocious.
The onlookers instantly shrank back, someone whispering, "It's over. The casino's enforcers are here. This kid is out of luck."
"What do you guys want to do?" The boy seemed to find it interesting, though the eyes behind his lenses brightened slightly.
The bald man charged forward, but just as he lifted his foot, he suddenly yelled, "Ouch!"
Someone had dropped a chip on the floor, which rolled right to his foot. He pitched forward, smashing his face directly onto the corner of the gambling table. A nosebleed started instantly.
The two thugs next to him tried to pull him up when suddenly, there was a clang from above.
A loose decorative ball from the chandelier fell, hitting one of them square on the back of the head. He squatted on the ground, clutching his head in pain.
The last thug was just about to grab a nearby chair when the fire extinguisher on the wall suddenly malfunctioned. The nozzle went pffft and sprayed him full in the face with dry powder. He choked and coughed violently, the chair slipping from his hands and smashing onto his own foot.
In less than twenty seconds, all four thugs were lying on the ground groaning.
The onlookers were dumbfounded, rubbing their eyes, thinking they were seeing things.
By this time, the boy had already left the casino.
Outside the casino.
"Zhuge Jing." A steady voice called out. A man in a dark grey uniform walked over, the military badge on his shoulder glinting silver.
"Well?" Zhuge Jing looked at the man with expectant eyes. "I really do have an ability!"
"Let's go. Your entry into the training camp... has been approved."
(To be Continued)