C46 Pressure

The arena fell deathly quiet, with even the Combat Pet squad and Apex Squadron members halting their brawl to stare in disbelief. Had they seen correctly? Lang Xinrong had been utterly thrashed by Jiao Yuanju.

A two-second hush was shattered by an explosive wave of screams and cheers.

"Jiao Yuanju, that was amazing! Finish him off!"

"God Jiao, you're incredibly strong! My god, your speed and power are superhuman! I've never seen anyone move that fast. You knocked that jerk into the air like it was nothing!"

"Jiao Yuanju, you're my hero. From now on, anyone who messes with Jiao Yuanju is messing with me!"

"And who might you be? I'm the one who deserves to follow God Jiao. My Combat Pet outclasses yours by miles!"

"So cool!"

"Captain!"

Members of Apex Academy were visibly shaken as they rushed to check on Lang Xinrong, sprawled on the ground. He was out cold, with several ribs broken by Jiao Yuanju's formidable strength. His clothes were in shreds, his face swollen beyond recognition—a stark contrast to his earlier self.

Eoldrai, it seemed, had been undergoing a gene modification by the system and was oblivious to the outside world. With a wave of his hand, Jiao Yuanju summoned her into the Realm of Shadows before turning to give the Apex Squadron a chilling glare.

Zhu Boyi was petrified. He had hoped to leverage the Lang family's influence through Lang Xinrong to take down Jiao Yuanju, but Jiao Yuanju's own prowess was terrifying. He had nearly killed Lang Xinrong with a single blow. Now, Zhu Boyi's legs shook uncontrollably as Jiao Yuanju's icy stare passed over him, dreading another potential head-slap.

Summoning his courage, an Apex Squadron member coldly berated Jiao Yuanju, "Kid, you're a dead man! Our captain is with the Lang family—one of Krukshire's four great ancient martial families. Each member possesses enough power to wipe out your entire lineage with ease. Your end is near!"

Zhu Boyi's eyes gleamed. Jiao Yuanju had crossed a line with someone untouchable. His fate was sealed.

Fury blazed in his eyes as he unleashed a ferocious roar at Jiao Yuanju, "Mark my words, Jiao Yuanju. You've beaten our captain to a pulp, and the Lang family won't let this slide! It's not just your life on the line; your family won't know a moment's peace for as long as they live. The reach of the Lang family is beyond your wildest dreams. You're done for!"

Panic flickered in Zhen Heyi's eyes. While Jiao Yuanju's formidable strength was a surprise delight, her upbringing in the household of Krukshire's City Lord had made her acutely aware of the four great ancient martial families' dreadfulness.

Since the world's transformation, the Mutant Beasts, both in number and might, had become innumerable times more powerful than humans. A mere handful of Combat Pet Masters stood no chance of defending the cities.

When the Mutant Beasts laid siege, modern weaponry and ammunition were quickly depleted against the relentless beast tide. The enduring presence of Krukshire hinged on the ancient martial families. They had grown stronger through evolution. On several occasions, it was their top-tier experts who directly took down the Beast Kings leading the onslaught, sparing Krukshire from repeated crises and cementing their untouchable status.

Against the might of the Lang family, Jiao Yuanju, a mere commoner, was powerless.

Zhen Heyi clenched her jaw and reached out to grab Jiao Yuanju's hand, her voice earnest, "Jiao Yuanju, come with me. With your abilities, you should have been on the Ace Combat Pet Team long ago. Once you're in the military, even the Lang family won't dare touch you."

Jing Haokuo rushed over, his voice laced with urgency, "Boss, go with her. I'll hold down the fort here!"

Jiao Yuanju shook his head, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Why not?"

Xie Ziyu and the rest gathered around, and Jing Dehai spoke with grave seriousness, "Jiao Yuanju, this is no laughing matter. You could truly die! The world has changed. The Mutant Beasts have carved the Puwhary Alliance into fragments. The roads between cities are scarce. The Alliance's laws mean nothing to these families!"

Jiao Yuanju remained silent, his eyes smoldering with suppressed rage. He had intended only to give Lang Xinrong a stern lesson, yet they had dared to use his parents as leverage against him.

"I'm just not strong enough!" he seethed inwardly, a fierce determination to grow stronger igniting within him. He knew that only with increased strength could he truly safeguard his family.

Without a word, Jiao Yuanju turned on his heel and strode away.

"Where are you going?" Xie Ziyu couldn't help but call out.

But Jiao Yuanju didn't respond, continuing on his path. The students of Azure Academy, sensing the gravity of the situation, parted to let him pass, all sharing the silent hope that no harm would come to him.

Pei Dong arrived in a flurry of urgency, beelining for Lang Xinrong. He ordered someone to rush Lang Xinrong to the hospital, then bellowed with fury, "Where's Jiao Yuanju?"

Fear had taken hold of him; the Lang family was not to be trifled with. His immediate concern was to locate Jiao Yuanju.

Zhen Heyi's gaze shimmered with intent as she stepped forward, making her way towards Pei Dong.