Chapter 102: The Pride of Xia Nation!

Chapter 102: The Pride of Xia Nation!



There's an old saying that goes, "Once is acceptable, twice is tolerable, but thrice is intolerable!" It means that one or two times, you can bear it, but the third time might push someone to their limits.

Song Haitang had achieved the perfect SSS-rank task evaluation three times in a row, and the impact she created was far more sensational than anyone could have imagined.

Her name had truly entered thousands of households, becoming a topic of discussion for countless people during their leisure time.

Even those who didn't like surfing the internet had heard her name from friends and acquaintances, learning that an extraordinary genius had emerged in Xia Nation.

In Xia Nation, Song Haitang was naturally praised by all.

Countless people wondered how far she could go if she continued at this pace.

This time, the People's Daily hailed Song Haitang as the "Pride of Xia Nation!" With the People's Daily taking the lead, various news media began to focus their reports on Song Haitang.

The higher-ups also paid more attention to her.

The most obvious sign of this was the immediate replacement of the campus defense personnel that afternoon, with more elite warriors being assigned to Zhenwu University.

It was said that to prevent foreign forces from taking desperate measures and sending assassins, the higher-ups had dispatched a leader from the Zodiac Bureau to secretly protect Song Haitang.

...

The higher-ups' precautions were well-founded.

After Song Haitang received her third SSS-rank task evaluation, it caused an uproar on various foreign online platforms and successfully triggered the sensitive nerves of some individuals.

All major powers raised their threat assessment of Song Haitang to the highest level.

They knew that humanity indeed needed a savior.

But this savior had to be one of their own.

They neither needed nor permitted the existence of a savior from outside.

The most immediate reaction was the skyrocketing of the bounty for Song Haitang on the dark web.

It had already reached fifty billion.

At the same time, in a remote location in Europe.

Several humans dressed in black robes, taking advantage of the night, drove to an extremely secluded place.

There was an ancient church here, and judging by its architectural style and dilapidated appearance, it seemed to be a relic from the previous century.

When their car arrived at the church, several luxury vehicles were already parked at the entrance.

The black-robed individuals were unfazed, and they all headed towards the church after getting out of their cars.

However, they didn't enter through the main door.

Instead, they crawled into a small hole next to it, which led to a secret passage that descended deep underground.

The passage was at least a hundred meters long, and when they finally emerged, a grand underground palace stood before them.

On both sides of the palace, dim lights created an eerie and gloomy atmosphere.

One of the black-robed individuals couldn't help but shudder.

Seeing that his companions showed no reaction, he endured it and continued to follow them forward.

The deeper they went, the more oppressive the darkness became.

Soon, they reached a strange place.

It seemed to be an altar, filled with black gas.

Around the altar were many other black-robed individuals like them, all standing still with their heads bowed, making it impossible to see their faces.

In the center of the altar stood a woman in a red robe, praying devoutly, her lips moving as if chanting some forbidden name.

Moments later, three black-robed individuals led a cow, a lion, and a giant python from different directions to the altar.

They seemed to be extraordinary beings, as even with the animals struggling with all their might, they couldn't break free from their control.

Then, the three black-robed individuals drew their blades and slit the animals' throats.

Instantly, blood sprayed onto the altar and flowed into the central pool.

As the pool gradually filled with blood, the woman in the middle stood up and untied the silk sash around her waist.

Her red robe slid off, revealing her snow-white, tender, and curvaceous body.

The sight of a beauty and blood created a bizarre scene.

Then, the woman walked straight into the pool of blood, submerging her entire body.

After a long while, the blood in the pool began to boil.

The woman suddenly rose from the pool and quickly made her way to the shore.

Many of the black-robed individuals could clearly see black patterns spreading across her body.

These patterns moved, writhing like countless live earthworms.

A subordinate immediately brought clothes and draped them over the woman.

After she was covered, the woman's gaze swept around the crowd.

Her pupils had turned scarlet, exuding a sense of eeriness.

"I have received a divine message!" she suddenly exclaimed, her voice heavy and solemn. "The true Lord is about to descend upon our world!"

Hearing this, the black-robed individuals around her became excited.

With the true Lord's arrival, they would all gain immortality.

Thinking of this, some of them smiled.

Seeing this, the woman's expression turned serious, and she said, "But before the true Lord's arrival, there's a small matter we must attend to!"

"According to the divine message, within three years, a false savior will appear in the human world, hindering the true Lord's descent.

"The False God that has appeared is still weak, and we must find and eliminate it before it grows stronger and becomes a threat to the True God!"

As these words were spoken, the surrounding figures in black robes were taken aback.

A False God in the mortal realm? One that could potentially hinder the arrival of the True God?

Many immediately thought of Song Haitang, the rising star who had been making waves recently.

"Could the False God mentioned in the prophecy be that new student from the Eastern Xia Nation, Song Haitang?"

"Isn't she the one who achieved three SSS-rank task evaluations in the Spirit Realm?"

"Yes, I think it's her!"

"The achievements of that new student are astounding. If a False God were to appear in the mortal realm, it could only be her."

The discussion among the figures in black robes soon caught the attention of the woman.

She immediately inquired about the matter from the crowd.

Upon learning of Song Haitang's accomplishments, the woman was shocked.

Three trips to the Spirit Realm, each resulting in an SSS-rank task evaluation!

An unprecedented achievement, breaking all records!

The rewards from the Spirit Realm were also astonishing...

The woman immediately affirmed, "That Song is definitely the False God from the prophecy! We must do everything in our power to eliminate her as soon as possible!"

"High Priestess, this might not be an easy task."

One of the figures in black robes spoke up, "According to the information I have, that new student is currently under the tight protection of powerful individuals from the Xia Nation. There's no opportunity to kill her!"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!"

The High Priestess replied coldly, "We must eliminate her at all costs!"

...

After the figures in black robes left the church, the bounty for Song Haitang on the dark web suddenly increased significantly.

Someone even offered a legendary item as a reward, an auxiliary legendary shoe that increased speed by 10%!

This legendary item immediately caught the attention of countless people.

The previous monetary rewards were just for show, but this legendary shoe was a real draw.

After becoming a legendary hero, there were countless ways to make money, and they didn't need more.

But now, with the appearance of this legendary shoe, even the strongest heroes were tempted.

Especially for those who relied on speed, this shoe was a dream come true.

In the Xia Nation, there was a saying, "In the world of martial arts, nothing is indestructible, except for speed."

This highlighted the importance of speed in combat, as it could directly influence the outcome of a battle.

When the news of the legendary item bounty reached the Xia Nation, countless netizens expressed their outrage.

"Fck! Can't these people just let others be?"

"They're going to such lengths to target a young girl? How shameless!"

"I'm going to Zhenwu University to protect Song Haitang!"

"The Zodiac Bureau needs to take action. If anyone dares to come, we'll wipe them out!"

...

Zhao Zheng received the news the next morning after waking up.

He was surprised to see the uproar online, with people offering legendary items as a bounty for Song Haitang's life.

His face turned solemn.

A legendary shoe that increased speed by 10% was invaluable, and the most important thing was, it couldn't be bought with money.

This time, many legendary heroes would be tempted.

Zhao Zheng suddenly felt like he had wronged Song Haitang...

If he hadn't used her as a shield, perhaps things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

With this thought, Zhao Zheng went to the school and sent a message to Song Haitang, asking to meet her in the training hall's lounge.

The lounge offered more privacy, and the school regularly checked for surveillance or listening devices.

Song Haitang arrived as promised.

As soon as they met, Zhao Zheng spoke up, "Haitang, have you seen the information online? Someone is offering a legendary item as a bounty for you on the dark web."

Hearing this, Song Haitang's face remained calm, and she nodded, "The teacher has already told me."

Zhao Zheng felt a bit ashamed, "This is partly my fault, I wronged you."

"It has nothing to do with you! If achieving good grades in the Spirit Realm leads to this, then I would still choose to excel without hesitation."

Song Haitang replied, "On the contrary, I should thank you for allowing me to achieve what I have today."

After a pause, Song Haitang continued, "Whether there's a bounty or not, it's the same to me. I won't leave the school gates, and many people have been assigned to protect me. Also, the principal will be recalled from the front lines to ensure my safety. So, you don't need to worry about me."

Hearing this, Zhao Zheng was a bit surprised.

Even the principal was being recalled from the front lines? It seemed that the consecutive SSS-rank evaluations had further increased Song Haitang's importance.

After that, the two chatted for a while.

Seeing that Song Haitang wasn't concerned about the bounty, Zhao Zheng didn't say anything more.

"Oh, right!"

Zhao Zheng suddenly took out a pair of glasses from his pocket and said, "This should be a reward from the second layer of the Spirit Realm. I brought it back from the third layer. It has a mysterious effect."

As the words left his lips, Zhao Zheng put on the glasses right in front of Song Haitang.

With his own eyes, he witnessed the transformation as Zhao Zheng donned the glasses, as if he'd become a different person. Song Haitang, with her delicate features, expressed her surprise.

"How is it? Isn't it amazing?"

Zhao Zheng took off the glasses, restoring his original appearance, and then handed them to Song Haitang, "Here, you can have these too! If you ever need to go out and want to hide your identity, these can help prevent people from targeting you."

But Song Haitang shook her head, "I don't have any plans to go out, so I won't need them."

"Keep them! What if you need them one day?"

"I'll ask you for them when I need to go out!"

She still refused.

The necklace around her neck was a gift from Zhao Zheng, so she couldn't bring herself to take his things.

Seeing Song Haitang's stubbornness, Zhao Zheng had no choice but to take back the glasses.

At that moment, class time arrived, and the two left the lounge, heading towards their respective classrooms.

...

Amidst the hustle and bustle, ten days passed in a flash.

It wasn't until today that the heat surrounding the bounty on Song Haitang began to gradually subside.

Although the public attention had waned, the underlying currents became even more turbulent.

According to the Immigration Bureau's investigation, many foreigners had entered Xia Nation under the pretense of tourism, investment, and legendary exchanges during these ten days...

Of course, to prevent panic, only the higher-ups were aware of this information.

Ordinary people and students of True Martial University were kept in the dark.

In any case, recently, True Martial University had issued a strict order, prohibiting any outsiders from entering the campus.

With the presence of the principal and the leader of the Zodiac Bureau, Song Haitang's safety should be temporarily ensured.

It's worth noting that Song Haitang's Spirit Attribute had already surpassed 1400 points.

Her perception was exceptionally sharp.

Even without the protection of a powerful individual, assassinating someone like her would be an extremely challenging task.

Early this morning, Zhao Zheng woke up in the Sunbathing Chamber and checked his attribute panel:

Race: Human

Physique: 1100

Spirit: 3100

Strength: 1100

Agility: 1100

Talent: 3rd-Generation Kryptonian Bloodline, Super Strength (Level 3)



Skills: Bone Fist Impact, Armed Color Dominance (Proficiency)



Spirit Energy Points: 340

...

These were Zhao Zheng's current attributes.

Satisfied, he nodded and headed to school.

After class, as Zhao Zheng prepared to return to the apartment to rest, he received a message from Song Haitang, asking for his help and requesting a meeting in the lounge.

Zhao Zheng was a bit puzzled.

He couldn't fathom what matter Song Haitang might have that required his assistance.

Upon arriving at the lounge, he found Song Haitang already waiting for him.

"Haitang, what do you need my help with?"

With a smile, Zhao Zheng asked the question, Song Haitang immediately explained, "It's like this, my father..."

Through Song Haitang's narration, Zhao Zheng finally understood the situation.

It turned out that Song Haitang's third SSS-Rank Task Evaluation had a greater impact than imagined, even drawing the attention of her father, 'Chairman Song'.

The plan was to transfer Chairman Song from Lu'an City to the provincial capital to serve as the chairman.

This move seemed like a lateral transfer, but it was actually a promotion! After Song Haitang obtained her third SSS-Rank Task Evaluation, the Legendary Association changed their minds.

To show their respect for Song Haitang, the Association's leadership discussed and decided to promote Chairman Song directly to the position of provincial chairman.

This was a provincial chairman, a position far superior to a city-level chairman.

The provincial chairman held significant power, overseeing the entire province's legendary individuals.

Such a position was coveted by anyone seeking advancement.

Chairman Song was no exception.

However, a problem arose.

Chairman Song's track record was rather poor.

One could even say he had no notable achievements.

If he were to assume this position, it might not garner respect.

The most direct achievement for the Legendary Association was to attract powerful individuals to join.

The best solution now was to have a legendary powerhouse join through Chairman Song's efforts, providing him with the support he needed to qualify for the provincial chairman position.

Poor Chairman Song.

The powerful individuals he knew had already joined the association.

So, he could only turn to his daughter for help.

He asked his daughter to introduce him to a powerful individual, just to go through the motions...

After listening to Song Haitang's words, Zhao Zheng was a bit stunned.

"Haitang, do you mean you want me to be that powerful individual?"

Song Haitang nodded, "You're much stronger than me, and with your strength, you'll definitely be enough. Moreover, joining the Legendary Association isn't a bad thing. You'll receive an allowance, and it's quite free."

This was indeed true.

The Legendary Association was a relatively free and loose official organization. Joining didn't mean one had to follow orders and lose control over their actions.

Indeed, even after joining the Paragons Association, one remains incredibly free.

Even when a battle arises and the nation calls upon the Paragons, you can still refuse the mobilization.

"I don't mind joining the Paragons Association," Zhao Zheng hesitated and said, "Song Haitang, you should know that I don't want to expose my strength yet..."

"I know, I didn't ask you to go as your true self." Song Haitang suddenly spoke.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng was stunned.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you have a pair of Enigmatic Glasses?"

Song Haitang said, "Last time you put on the glasses, you completely transformed. I think you can assume a new identity."

Zhao Zheng was amazed by her words and gave Song Haitang a surprised look.

Well, well!

You're quite the daughter, aren't you!

So you're going to deceive your father like this?

Wait, this doesn't seem like deceiving President Song; it's more about going through the motions and giving the Headquarters a pass.

But...

"Song Haitang, this probably won't work, right?" Zhao Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Even if I can fabricate a new identity, once they investigate, they'll know it's fake."

However, Song Haitang said, "Do you remember Chen Kai from our class?"

"Of course I remember him. What about him?" Zhao Zheng asked.

Song Haitang replied, "His father is a high-ranking official, and he holds an important position in the police department. I've already asked him for help. He said it's a small matter, and he'll take care of everything. He guarantees everything will be normal, and no one will find any issues..."

Well, well!

Zhao Zheng was surprised that Song Haitang knew about this?

Since the young lady had arranged everything.

He had no reason to hesitate. Thus,

Zhao Zheng immediately agreed.

"No problem!"

...

After leaving school.

Zhao Zheng put on the glasses, then went to a photo studio to take a clear half-body photo.

This was for the purpose of registering his new identity.

In the photo, he appeared as a gentle and refined young man, looking completely different from his true self.

He handed the photo to Song Haitang, along with the new name he had chosen for himself: Chen Ye!

This name didn't hold any special meaning; it was randomly chosen.

He had initially wanted to pick a funny name, like Ji Bochang, Yin Jing, Bi Yuntang, Shen Jingbing, or Shen Tong...

After all, it was a fake identity, and a bit of humor wouldn't hurt.

However, after some thought, he decided against it.

Subsequently, Song Haitang delivered his new identity to Chen Kai.

Why didn't Zhao Zheng give it directly to Chen Kai, instead of going through the trouble of having Song Haitang deliver it?

This was, of course, to prevent Chen Kai from knowing the truth.

After all, they weren't that close, and Zhao Zheng didn't know if Chen Kai could keep secrets.

Currently, all Chen Kai knew was that Song Haitang had asked him for help, requesting him to create a new identity for a stranger...

...

That very day.

Zhao Zheng obtained his new ID card.

On the new ID, his name was Chen Ye, age 22, and his home address was the place destroyed by the monster.

This way, no one could go to his hometown and investigate his true identity.

The bottom row displayed a string of ID numbers, looking incredibly authentic.

After obtaining the ID card.

Zhao Zheng used his new identity to get a SIM card, open a bank account, and purchase a new phone.

Since he was putting on a show, it had to be a complete performance.

The process went smoothly.

Subsequently, Zhao Zheng asked Old Chu for a two-day leave to visit his family.

Old Chu readily agreed.

The next day.

At around eight in the morning, after leaving the apartment, Zhao Zheng put on the glasses and transformed into "Chen Ye," embarking on the train back home.

The provincial capital was very close to Lu'an.

It took only half an hour to arrive smoothly.

As soon as Zhao Zheng got off the train and exited the station, he saw a beautiful woman holding a sign, waiting at the exit.

The sign read: Welcome, Mr. Chen Ye!

Zhao Zheng walked over in confusion and asked, "Excuse me, are you waiting for me?"

The woman looked at the photo in her hand and then at Zhao Zheng, whose appearance had changed, and immediately nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Chen, please follow me. Our President is waiting for you in the car."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng was surprised.

He hadn't expected President Song to come to the station personally to pick him up?

Led by the woman, Zhao Zheng arrived at the station's parking lot, where he saw a business car.

From a distance, President Song got out of the car and ran towards him with a smile, then shook hands with Zhao Zheng.

"Mr. Chen, welcome, welcome to Lu'an City."

It seemed that President Song hadn't recognized him at all.

"President Song, it's a pleasure to meet you." Zhao Zheng smiled.

"Mr. Chen, you're too kind."

President Song discreetly examined Zhao Zheng, then smiled and said, "I heard from my daughter that at such a young age, you've already achieved a strength of four tiers or above? You're truly a promising young man!"

"Not at all, it's just that Haitang is too kind with her words." Zhao Zheng replied.

Hearing Zhao Zheng address President Song as "Haitang" so intimately, President Song's expression changed, and he began to squint at Zhao Zheng.

...

Three in one, six thousand words!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end