Chapter 86: The Divinefall Alliance Strikes Back

On this day, the high martial arts circles of Binzhou were shaken by landslides and tremors of all kinds. The servers of the Martial Artists’ Guild were knocked offline ten times, with technicians scrambling for emergency repairs.

Zhang Chu and Wang Peng spent the night at a bar. The next morning, Zhang Chu was startled awake by sirens outside. With the curiosity of a bystander, he stood on the balcony of his small villa, wearing loose shorts and a black sleeveless shirt, brushing his teeth as he watched the police cars nearby.

The vehicles belonged to the Inspection Team under the Martial Administration Bureau. Xisha Court was a residential area for dual-force martial artists, considered a high-end district in Binzhou. Without special orders, the Inspection Team had no authority to break in. Their arrival to make an arrest in Xisha Court caused quite a stir, and many onlookers gathered.

Zhang Chu watched for a while but couldn’t see who was being arrested; he did notice, however, that the inspectors were nearly emptying out the small villa. Ten minutes later, the vehicles sped away.

“Ding dong!”

Just then, the doorbell rang. The electronic dog “Iron Egg” at his feet projected a holographic image of the entrance, revealing the professionally dressed Zhang Xueying.

She exuded the aura of an elegant, commanding woman.

“Sister Xueying, coming to see me so early—I’d say you must have missed me.” Zhang Chu opened the door himself and saw Zhang Xueying in high heels, carrying breakfast.

“Stop joking around,” she glared at him, entering the house.

“Yesterday, you stirred up chaos at the Martial Administration Bureau. Director Chen and Deputy Director Fan nearly barricaded Dean Luo’s office door.”

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Zhang Xueying crossed her long, slender legs clad in cement-gray stockings, seductively fluffing her hair.

“I didn’t!” Zhang Chu shook his head insistently.

“There are photos of you in the Bureau’s cafeteria posted on the forums. If you don’t believe me, check the Binzhou forums—your group is dominating the rankings.” She shot him a look, but held no real reproach.

“Really?” Zhang Chu hadn’t checked his phone yet.

He was shocked when he did. The top ten posts on the Martial Artists’ Forum all centered on yesterday’s uproar.

First: “Internal mole exposed at the Martial Administration Bureau, Fang Danan urgently placed under surveillance!”

Second: “Forwarded: Notice from the Martial Arts Research Institute on the dismissal and transfer of Su Mingyue to the Inspection Team.”

Third: “Fang Danan and Su Mingyue both arrested, mastermind suspected to be Zhang Chu (30 photos).”

Fourth: “The Bureau launched a midnight raid on the Binzhou branch of the Fallen God Alliance—offices empty, everyone gone!”

Fifth: “Fang Danan reveals his identity, performs the infamous ‘Subject Three’ dance with flair!”

The remaining posts were various versions of these four. Clearly, the infiltration of the Martial Administration Bureau and Martial Arts Research Institute by the Fallen God Alliance, along with their incursion into the Starbeast Burrow, had sparked a citywide debate.

The fate of Fang Danan and Su Mingyue was expected by Zhang Chu.

“The Fallen God Alliance has fled? Binzhou’s Martial Administration Bureau really is useless,” Zhang Chu remarked, looking up.

“Admitting it now?” Zhang Xueying laughed softly. “You can’t blame the Bureau entirely. The Fallen God Alliance has 108 branches across the continent and has been clashing with the Bureau for over a hundred years. They’re vigilant. Besides, you streamed everything live—the Alliance members aren’t fools.”

“So the one they just arrested was Su Mingyue?” Zhang Chu suddenly understood.

After all, Su Mingyue was a two-star dual-force martial artist, living in Xisha Court was reasonable. Zhang Xueying nodded. “This time, I’m here on behalf of the Martial Arts Research Institute. Dean Luo said the official disciplinary results will be announced within three days. Then you’ll be able to start work.”

“Work isn’t the issue. The key is working alongside you, Sister Xueying.” Zhang Chu grinned.

“Never knew you were this mischievous!” Zhang Xueying’s cheeks flushed. She quickly changed the subject. “By the way, if you’re free the day after tomorrow, could you help me with something urgent?”

“No problem!” Zhang Chu made an okay gesture.

After a few moments of idle chat, Zhang Xueying left. Watching her graceful figure depart, Zhang Chu felt restless. He was, after all, a young man full of vigor. Seeing those long, stocking-clad legs first thing in the morning—if he didn’t react, something would be wrong.

For the first time since his rebirth, he relieved himself—proving this body, aside from being a bit timid, was perfectly healthy.

After Zhang Xueying left, Zhang Chu used the “Martial Artist Mall App” to purchase new gear.

Three-star premium defense armor: White Tiger Battle Armor.
Three-star premium greatsword: Scarlet Flame Sword.
The two items cost a total of twenty million.

“Damn, in less than half an hour, I’m down to four million—a pauper again!” Zhang Chu felt a pang as he looked at his bank balance.

He hurried to the Boundary Hall and entered the Starbeast Hunting Grounds.

The new equipment was superb. The White Tiger Battle Armor could withstand attacks from beasts below three stars. The Scarlet Flame Sword was formidable, especially paired with the three-star “Thirteen Fiery Sword Arts”—it was like playing with cheat codes.

Three-star beasts lunged at him in droves.

“Electric Vine Bind!”

At three stars, the Electric Vine Bind could lock onto starbeasts from thirty meters away, and the electrical charge had significantly increased. The beast would shudder and be instantly paralyzed.

Brandishing the Scarlet Flame Sword, a fiery sword energy swept down, ending the beast’s life in a flash.

He kept at it until Zhou Xiaoyu reminded him that the Boundary Hall was closing. Only then, satisfied, did Zhang Chu leave the Hunting Grounds.

He arrived home at dusk. After ordering takeout, he browsed the forum for updates.

The top five trending posts were still yesterday’s news, but new threads had appeared with live photos of Su Mingyue’s photo shoot and shots of Fang Danan sewing in the Inspection Team’s custody.

“Display personal information panel!” Zhang Chu called up his stats, ready to check the changes in his physical and mental power after devouring starbeast cores in the Hunting Grounds.

The doorbell rang.

“Iron Egg” quickly projected a hologram—at the door was a deliveryman. “Sir, your package has arrived.”

“Iron Egg, fetch the package.” Zhang Chu waved his hand, and Iron Egg bounced out, soon returning with a small parcel in its mouth.

He glanced at the delivery info—the sender used a nickname, no address provided. “This world really is lax—even parcels don’t require real names.”

He didn’t think much of it. He had bought some small items from the mall recently, like alarm clocks.

Tearing open the package, he found a white eggshell inside, with the character “God” printed on it, resembling a toy.

“What’s this supposed to be?” Curious, Zhang Chu impulsively pressed the red square on top of the eggshell.

Bang!

The egg exploded instantly.

A two-star starbeast, Iron-armed Ape, suddenly appeared in the living room, roaring as it lunged at Zhang Chu.

“Holy—! It’s a Starbeast Storage Egg!”

“White Tiger Battle Armor!”

The sudden appearance of such a massive beast startled Zhang Chu.

He dodged back, hastily activating the White Tiger Battle Armor.

The next moment, the Iron-armed Ape slammed its fist into the armor. Zhang Chu tumbled across the floor, scrambling to his feet. “Damn it, a starbeast smuggled into Binzhou City—only members of the Fallen God Alliance could pull off something like this!”