C17 Reward

"Don't move," instructed the middle-aged law enforcer.

His younger counterpart hastily removed his backpack and retrieved emergency medical tools. Seventeen years of a harsh new era had taught many the art of survival. The dagger was removed, and the wound was tended to.

"You're in luck; the vital organs are untouched. You'll be fine after some treatment," the young enforcer said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Lin Feng lay on the ground as Chiang Yu and Liu Fei knelt beside him, eyes brimming with tears, "Lin Feng..."

With a weak smile, Lin Feng responded, "Why the tears? I'm not dead yet."

Other students crowded around at that moment.

"Step back, everyone. Keep watch," the middle-aged enforcer directed.

"Understood."

...

Soon, Lin Feng was bandaged up like a mummy.

"There, all set. Go rest up. With your constitution, you'll be back on your feet in half a month," the young enforcer said after finishing up, his smile showing palpable relief.

"Thanks," Lin Feng managed, still smiling.

"No thanks needed; I'm just doing my job," the enforcer replied, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Really, you're the one who helped us."

"Indeed. These are the B-ranked fugitives from Shanji County: Xu Feng, Zhang Zhongyu, and Liu Xuefeng!" another middle-aged enforcer on watch announced gravely.

"I just don't understand why these three would come to Zeffari..."

"Who can say? These fugitives are like moles, always burrowing from one place to another," the young enforcer remarked, shaking his head.

A chill ran through Lin Feng. He recalled the guard's warning when he had spoken to Ouyang Feng on the phone.

"Could it be Gu Xing's doing?" Lin Feng thought, a surge of murderous intent rising within him.

"Kid, you've hit the jackpot," the young enforcer joked.

Lin Feng's spirits lifted.

Indeed, whether assisting the authorities or independently capturing and killing these dangerous criminals, the government's bounty was generous.

"How much are we talking?" Lin Feng asked eagerly.

"For a B-ranked fugitive, the reward starts at half a million. What do you think?" the young enforcer said with a chuckle.

Lin Feng's eyes sparkled with excitement, his mouth splitting into a wide grin.

Seeing his reaction, the middle-aged law enforcer shook his head and muttered, "Here's another young fool who values money over life."

Lin Feng quickly completed a report, left his bank account number and contact details, and was then escorted out by Chiang Yu and Liu Fei.

As they walked, Chiang Yu couldn't stop cursing the three deceased outlaws.

Liu Fei grimaced, echoing the curses.

Both Chiang Yu and Liu Fei believed Lin Feng had simply had bad luck, running into those three damned desperados.

But Lin Feng knew better; he suspected these men had come specifically for him, which secretly made him feel fortunate.

He was thankful that on his way to the Treasure Pavilion, he had the foresight to purchase a hundred thousand origin stones. Without the triple Mana Ignition, his skills as a Tenth Level Trainee Warrior wouldn't have been enough to save him from being stabbed to death, let alone escape.

The young law enforcer had informed him that all three outlaws were Sixth Level Warriors!

It was also lucky that the encounter happened in the city, where law enforcers' firearms were at hand, and the three men were unarmored, making Lin Feng's Feather Blade longer than their short blades.

These fortunate coincidences allowed Lin Feng to turn the tables and defeat them.

Had any of these lucky breaks been absent, it would have been Lin Feng, not the fugitives, lying dead in the streets today.

It was truly a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

"I don't dare go home for the next few days. Let's head to your place," Lin Feng suggested to Chiang Yu.

The thought of his mother and aunt finding out about his severe injuries would surely terrify them to death.

He couldn't bear the thought of them crying over him.

"Yeah, better not to go back," Chiang Yu agreed, understanding the situation.

Lin Feng called home, claiming he'd be training at Chiang Yu's place for a while. His mother expressed her discontent with his absence but ultimately consented.

After ending the call, Lin Feng let out a relieved sigh.

Then, after a moment's thought, he dialed Ouyang Feng to share the day's harrowing events.

The call was again answered by a security officer.

After listening to Lin Feng's account, the officer responded gravely, "Understood. We'll handle this, but finding evidence to sanction them is actually quite challenging. Be cautious on your end."

"Okay."

Lin Feng was well aware of the difficulty in gathering evidence for such matters. His intention was to leverage the authority of Warzone 509 to pressure Gu Xing, to curb his brazen behavior.

Indeed, in Lofreydor, even those from the Otherworld would face severe repercussions for committing murder within city limits.

That evening,

Lin Feng was elated, grinning from ear to ear.

The bounty for eliminating three desperados had been deposited—1.8 million, a pleasant surprise exceeding his expectations by 300,000.

With the 500,000 he had left over, Lin Feng's total soared to 2.1 million.

This sum was sufficient to restore the second level of his Thunder Breathing Technique, propelling him into the true Warrior Stage!

Additionally, he could now afford a substantial quantity of origin stones, amply supplying his needs at the Warrior Stage.

"Gu Xing, oh Gu Xing, I owe you one!" A smile spread across Lin Feng's face.

He had been fretting over money-making schemes.

Little did he expect Gu Xing's unwitting assistance.

"In return, once I'm at the University of Norbury, you're finished," Lin Feng mused, his eyes glinting with a lethal edge.

Yet, he wondered if the divine blood coursing through Gu Xing's veins was even richer than that of Gu Chen!

...

In Norbury,

At the heart of Lofreydor's central plains,

Stood a sprawling luxury villa spanning over two thousand square meters.

"Young Master, the assassination attempt was unsuccessful," reported a well-dressed middle-aged man as he entered the study where Gu Xing was absorbed in a book.

"It failed?" Gu Xing looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Yes. The kid's got some fight in him, clawing his way out of death's grip," Zhuang Xu said, passing over a smartphone.

With a tap, Gu Xing played the video.

After watching, he tossed the phone aside and frowned, "This kid's got some skills."

"Then Uncle Zhuang, continue to monitor that kid. When he's en route to Norbury by bus, have someone take him out with a low-yield nuclear device," Gu Xing mused aloud.

"That might prove challenging," Zhuang Xu responded, shaking his head. "Young Master, Warzone 509 has issued a warning to us."

"Is that so..." Gu Xing's expression momentarily turned grim.

Each Warzone was guarded by over ten War Generals, making them formidable adversaries.

And, most crucially, a Warzone often embodied the will of the authorities.

Even someone like Gu Xing would meet his end for openly defying the Lofreydor government.

After a brief silence, Gu Xing dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand, "In that case, let it be. With Father away from Lofreydor, we must exercise restraint."

Then, with a look of deadly resolve, Gu Xing declared, "We'll wait for the kid to arrive at the University of Norbury. I'll deal with him personally!"