Chapter 110: Big News
Chapter 110: Big News
Jing Ji immediately said, "You don't have to compensate me. Without you, I would have lost my life."
"Me too," Yuan Chongzhen agreed.
Alex placed the Magic Sound back in front of Ji Xinghuo. "You killed the Dagun man, avenged my two teammates, and saved my life as well. This sword rightfully belongs to you. As for the bounty, we'll split it four ways, and I insist that you take your share."
"Never mind the bounty," Ji Xinghuo refused politely, storing the Magic Sound into his dimensional pouch. "I only want the sword."
Seeing his determination, the other three didn't press the issue.
Ji Xinghuo handed his backpack to Jing Ji. "Our previous loot, as well as the Dagun man's head, are inside."
Jing Ji opened the bag and took out the head of the Dagun man, from which a bloody aura emanated.
Even though the creature was already dead, the three of them still paled at the sight.
Jing Ji turned to Alex and asked, "What about our wager?"
"You won," Alex replied without hesitation.
On the current scorecard, Jing Ji's team was ahead by several dozen points. This Dagun man was worth 3,000 points, and split four ways, Jing Ji's team was still in the lead. Moreover, Jing Ji still had the spoils from yesterday's hunt, while Alex had returned empty-handed.
"I will keep my promise," Alex said calmly, his expression unchanged despite his loss. "I will publicly acknowledge your victory, and then withdraw from Midway Fortress."
Jing Ji didn't rejoice in his victory.
"Even if you had lost the wager, no one would have faulted you in the court of public opinion, not after you helped take down a legend," Yuan Chongzhen said consolingly.
"I don't care about public opinion," Alex said. "It's just..."
Finally, a hint of sadness crept into Alex's face as he thought of his fallen teammates.
Ji Xinghuo and the others remained silent.
In the Starry Realm, whether hunting or engaging in PvP, there was always a significant risk of death, and it was common for teammates to fall in battle. After a while, one got used to it.
Alex usually acted alone, and it was rare for him to team up with others. Yet, he was the only survivor this time.
One could only imagine the grief he felt.
"Try to look on the bright side," Jing Ji sighed. "We bounty hunters are always prepared for sudden death. This wasn't your fault."
Alex's expression remained wooden, and he didn't respond.
The four of them ate a quick meal before heading to the Bounty Office.
It was still starry night outside.
However, there were over ten hours until dawn, which was also the deadline for this month's score tally. Most bounty hunters were still out in the field and hadn't returned, while a few others were already in the Bounty Hall, having heard that Ji Xinghuo's group had returned. They had come to witness the commotion.
There were also a dozen or so journalists and social media influencers from Earth, all of whom were interested in the outcome of the wager, and so they had arrived early and were waiting in the Bounty Hall.
Jing Ji went up to the counter and emptied his loot, finally producing the head of the Dagun man.
The patterns on the Dagun man's scalp clearly indicated its rank.
"Legendary!"
"A legendary Dagun man..."
The bounty hunters present gasped in shock.
The staff member behind the counter was startled by the sight of the legendary being's head, and after recovering from his surprise, he hurriedly said that he would need to report this to his superiors. He then scurried into the back office.
"Is this really a legendary being?" a bounty hunter asked, his initial shock giving way to skepticism.
Everyone was well aware of just how formidable legendary beings were.
Even if ten superhumans joined forces against a legendary being, their chances of victory were slim, even if the legendary being was the weakest of its kind and the superhumans were the very best.
It was a true life-or-death battle! How could four superhumans—no, six—kill a legendary being?
It was then that the bounty hunters noticed that while the two teams had joined forces, there were only four survivors. Alex's two teammates were missing.
Moreover, Jing Ji's group looked to be in bad shape, each of them bearing injuries and looking weak.
"It seems to be the real deal," someone said.
"They did it. They killed a legendary Dagun man," said another.
"But the cost was high," a third person added.
Some people were also confused as to why Jing Ji and Alex were working together. Hadn't they made a wager?
The journalists and social media influencers, on the other hand, had eager looks in their eyes.
Big news!
One journalist stepped forward and asked, "Mr. Jing, I'm a reporter from the Asia-Pacific Star. Did you and your teammates hunt down a legendary Dagun man?"
"Yes," Jing Ji nodded.
The journalist was about to ask another question, but Jing Ji cut him off. "I'm afraid I can't give an interview right now. I will explain the situation to all of you later."
The other journalists and influencers had no choice but to step back, though they didn't forget to snap photos of the scene.
Flashbulbs popped continuously in the Bounty Hall.
Ji Xinghuo was also caught in some of the photos, but he didn't mind. He had enabled the "Portrait Protection" setting in his "Personal Network Privacy" options, so if these photos were uploaded online, his face would automatically be blurred, protecting his identity.
Soon, Director Li of the Bounty Office came out. When he saw the Dagun man's head on the counter, he was also taken aback.
He stepped forward to examine it carefully before confirming, "This is indeed a legendary being!"
The bounty hunters and journalists erupted into a frenzy.
Director Li said, "Mr. Jing, this matter concerning a legendary being is of great importance. I need to report it to General Wang. Please wait here for a moment."
Earlier, at the restaurant, they had agreed that Jing Ji would downplay Ji Xinghuo's role in the fight, portraying it as a united effort by all four of them.
No one in the room doubted the veracity of their story.
The news of several bounty hunters slaying a legendary being was far more sensational than any wager, and it would undoubtedly attract a hundred times more attention and traffic!
It wasn't long before Director Li returned. "Gentlemen, General Wang would like to see you."
Following Director Li, Ji Xinghuo and the others left the Bounty Hall and made their way to a military camp in the Level 2 District. They passed through multiple checkpoints and guards before reaching a command center located at the heart of the camp, where they were introduced to a middle-aged man in military attire, flanked by several aides.
"General Wang," Jing Ji greeted him respectfully.
Among them, only Yuan Chongzhen had not met this man, Wang Zhengwu, a two-star general and commander of the Ninth Army Group of the Starry Realm Army, stationed at Midway Fortress by the Asia-Pacific Union.
For Ji Xinghuo, this was their first face-to-face encounter.
However, during his two months at Midway Fortress, Ji Xinghuo's magnetic field perception had sensed the presence of numerous legendary powerhouses, including the man before him.
General Wang's magnetic field intensity was second only to that of Zeus, far surpassing the legendary Dagun man he had killed.
As expected, General Wang was a Legend Tier 2 cultivator.
And it was highly likely that he was among the very best in the Legend Tier, just a hair's breadth away from the Heavenly King realm.
General Wang exuded an air of dignity and authority. He appeared to be in his forties, but in reality, he was over ninety years old, showing no signs of aging. He was more vigorous than any young man, with a robust build, sharp eyes, and an aura of formidable power.
"Please, take a seat," General Wang said with a friendly smile.
Rather than immediately asking about the Dagun man's head, General Wang's gaze fell upon Ji Xinghuo, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "So, you are Ji Xinghuo?"
"Yes, General," Ji Xinghuo acknowledged with a calm nod.
"I heard that you were the top-ranked hunter last month, and I found it hard to believe that you were only a mid-tier ranger. Now that I see you in person, I understand why. Truly, heroes can come from the younger generation," General Wang praised, his words carrying a deeper meaning. Before Ji Xinghuo could react, he turned to Jing Ji and said, "Let's see the spoils of your victory."
Jing Ji placed the Dagun man's head on the table.
"General, please have a look."
General Wang's expression turned solemn as he examined the head, and the aides beside him paled slightly.
"Borkin," General Wang said, pronouncing a name that was clearly a transliteration. "I've met this Dagun man before. He was transferred to the Beiluosimen front line a few years ago, not long after he ascended to the Legend rank. He was quite powerful, but I never expected him to fall to you."
"Well done!" General Wang continued, his voice filled with satisfaction. "Now, how did you accomplish this feat?"
Jing Ji proceeded to recount the same story he had told the journalists, describing how the four of them had fought together and how Ji Xinghuo had ultimately delivered the fatal blow to Borkin. As Jing Ji spoke, General Wang's eyebrows rose slightly, and he glanced at Ji Xinghuo, but he remained silent.
Upon hearing the full account, General Wang gave an order. "Follow the regulations and reward them with 100 million stars and 3,000 points."
"Yes, General!" Director Li replied promptly.
"The monthly score will be settled tomorrow. I'll have someone prepare a reward list for you to choose from," General Wang added before taking his leave with his aides.
Ji Xinghuo and the others watched as he departed.
However, what they didn't know was that on his way back to the fortress command center, General Wang instructed one of his aides, "Go to that swamp now and bring back Borkin's body."
It took less than an hour.
General Wang examined Borkin's headless body himself, quickly discovering numerous details.
There were over twenty arrow wounds on Borkin's body, all concentrated in specific areas. There were also extensive burn marks and traces of high-voltage electrocution. Most of these injuries were inflicted by a single person, except for a massive slash on his back, which was likely caused by Blood Butcher's blood blade.
The final blow that ended Borkin's life was a stab to the heart by a battle dagger, the high-voltage current almost completely destroying his heart.
Along with Borkin's body, a broken Dragon Falcon Eagle Bow and dozens of arrows were retrieved.
One of the aides also visited the hospital to inquire about the injuries treated by the doctors who had tended to Jing Ji's group. He returned with a detailed report on their wounds.
General Wang learned that Ji Xinghuo had once lost his hand, yet when he met him earlier, there was no sign of any injury.
He couldn't help but shake his head in amazement.
"The youth of today are truly remarkable!"
After his moment of reflection, General Wang instructed another aide, "Go back to Earth and discreetly check Ji Xinghuo's citizen profile. There's no need to make a fuss about it. Just report your findings to me when you return."
(End of Chapter)
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