Chapter 540: Zhang Yu's Criminal Syndicate
Xiang Shen was enveloped in a shimmering halo of colorful light, his expression cold as he seemed ready to argue. But the thousand-eyed, thousand-limbed Xi Shen silenced him with a single gesture, then asked sharply: “What’s your connection to the Research Division?”
Fujie spoke calmly. “The Research Division—the real power behind Wanfa University’s various immortal cultivation projects. The Hua Shen Spirit Armor research is one of its core initiatives.”
“And Feng Yuhao, as head of the division, is the primary overseer of that very project. Tell me—how crucial is he?”
“From certain angles, he’s even more vital than Ciji. He controls project funding, personnel allocation. He once even sealed off the Laboratory entirely.”
“Yet, he’s far easier to deal with than Ciji or Tianzhang.”
“Especially now, with Ling Realm seized by you. As an administrative figure, he lacks Tianzhang Zhenjun’s reflexes, and has lost all his former blessings. He’s at his weakest.”
Hearing this, the three Evil Gods exchanged rapid, silent thoughts.
“He’s right. Administrative figures know more than experimentals, and are far easier to manipulate than Ciji or Tianzhang.”
“This guy’s handing us all this intel for free… he must be planning to use us against Feng Yuhao.”
“So what? If there’s benefit, mutual exploitation is natural.”
At that moment, Fujie spoke again: “Finished discussing?”
Without warning, he stood up, slamming both hands onto the round table. His eyes locked onto the towering silhouettes before him, voice icy.
“Feng Yuhao is yours to handle. I’ll hand him over—consider it a welcome gift.”
“But Wanfa University is my territory. You’ve played long enough. Time to go.”
Xiang Shen’s body flared with violent, swirling light, unyielding. “Oh? What if we refuse?”
“Then don’t blame me,” Fujie sneered. “I’ll report everything here to Zheng Shen. Expose your ties to the Demon Sect.”
“Hmph. You’ve got followers carrying communication devices, haven’t you? Zheng Shen would be very interested in the tech inside.”
Suddenly, Zhang Yu felt the air thicken with lethal intent—three colossal figures seemed poised to crush him at any moment.
After a long silence, Xi Shen let out a faint, dry laugh. “Fujie, this time, we owe you a favor. But we didn’t know Wanfa University had a veteran like you already embedded.”
Fujie waved dismissively, already turning away. “Get out. Fast.”
“Any future matters involving Wanfa University? Deal with me directly. No more reckless moves like today.”
“If you ruin my plans… you’ll regret it.”
In that instant, Fujie had become, in the eyes of the three gods, the definitive authority on Wanfa University.
Xi Shen asked, “How do we reach you?”
Fujie replied flatly: “Can’t you use the summoning function in this meeting room?”
Seeing their silence, Fujie smiled faintly. With a flick of his finger, he sent an encrypted address to the three.
“When you have something, send it through Anling Realm.”
And with that, Fujie vanished into the Anling Realm.
Watching the spot where he disappeared, Xi Shen’s thousand hands twisted slowly. “Well? Any luck tracing his origins?”
Xiang Shen’s colorful aura dimmed. “I checked. Even the Second Layer Evil Gods don’t know him. This level of power… this network… he might be from a higher tier. Tracing him will take time.”
The third Evil God added, “He’s too well-hidden. I can’t track him.”
Xi Shen nodded. “Then proceed as agreed. Our next plan… will have to account for him.”
…
In Wanfa University’s University City, Zhang Yu suddenly snapped back to reality, his consciousness returning from Anling Realm to the physical world.
Fujie exhaled deeply, silently relieved. Damn, those three kept probing Anling Realm for my roots. If we kept dragging this out, I really might’ve gotten exposed.
Zhang Yu mentally reached out: “Why so fast? Why not squeeze more intel from them?”
Fujie remained calm. “No rush. Let the wind blow a little longer.”
“Once they finish here, confirm the intel I gave them… our next exchange will be smoother.”
“Haha, now that we’ve got Anling’s meeting room, we’ve got a secure channel to communicate with the Evil Gods.”
“From now on, we can trade intelligence… maybe even swap resources. They’ve got all kinds of rare gear.”
Their conversation ended instantly. Zhang Yu turned to face the others.
He noticed—time hadn’t passed much. Yet just moments ago, he and Fujie had spent a long time negotiating with the three gods in Anling Realm.
Fujie explained: “Anling Realm operates at breakneck speed. Information flows at near-light speed. Hours of talk in there feel like seconds outside.”
At the same time, Zhang Yu sensed an odd atmosphere. After a moment, it clicked.
They’d just survived a deadly battle against a Demon Sect Jin Dan cultivator—avoiding death or forced recruitment. But during the fight, each of them had exposed secrets: illegal acts, crimes, violations of Kunxu law.
Now that the battle was over, the tension began to settle. And with it, a wave of anxiety crept in.
What if they found out?
What if it gets exposed?
How much will I have to pay?
Fear, dread, unease—these were not just emotions. They were instinctive, forged over years of being crushed under Kunxu’s endless rules.
Zhang Yu understood perfectly. Even he, half a Kunxu person, felt a cold chill in his gut.
But he knew—someone had to speak now. They all needed to stay silent. Together.
“Everyone,” Zhang Yu said, addressing them all. “Today’s events—only we seven know.”
“Before, we came from different places, earned different money. But from now on—die together, bankrupt together.”
“As long as I, Zhang Yu, live, I’ll never let any of you down.”
The others nodded, almost without thinking.
Unconsciously, the Zhang Yu who had just charged headfirst against the Demon Sect Jin Dan had already earned their trust.
Seeing their belief, Zhang Yu relaxed slightly. He turned to Ying Xin: “Ying Xin, help Shi Yunxiang clean up the battlefield. Leave no trace we were here.”
“Huaiyu, check the corpse positions—make sure no clues remain.”
“Xinghan, go see if Lao Mo’s awake. And reattach his Hand Spirit Armor.”
“Qingxuan, Mulang—help me reattach my arm.”
With Zhang Yu’s orders, the group pushed down their unease and began methodically restoring order. Their nerves gradually calmed.
As Shi Yunxiang swept the battlefield, he glanced at the others—working side by side, sharing the burden.
A strange feeling surged through him.
This was the first time in his life he’d committed a grave crime with others. Fought a powerful enemy together. And now, trusted each other to clean up the aftermath.
That same sensation rippled through everyone present.
Joy? Exhilaration? Relief? Ying Xin couldn’t name it. But as she and Shi Yunxiang dismantled the infrastructure, she felt a thrill—Zhang Yu had entrusted her with something dangerous, and she was doing it willingly.
Shi Huaixu meticulously inspected every corner where the corpse had lain. A fierce determination burned within her. I can’t betray Zhang Yu’s trust. I can’t let the others down.
Even though she was working overtime for free, she felt no fatigue—only a surge of electric excitement.
Fujie watched silently, thinking: These people… they’ve committed crimes together, fought to the brink of bankruptcy, exposed each other’s secrets… and now, under Zhang Yu’s leadership, they’re forming a tight-knit unit.
And—right now, at this stage of formation—they’re actually enjoying it.
Zhang Yu… maybe he’s naturally gifted at building a Demon Sect.
…
While Zhang Yu and the others were cleaning up the battlefield, erasing all traces of the fight, chaos raged elsewhere in University City.
Inside the data center, Yuhua Child held down Ling Realm with one hand, while repelling waves of Spellcraft Department faculty and Zheng Shen forces from Wanfa University with the other.
On the city’s outskirts, streaks of light flashed across the sky—Wuye Elder blocking outside reinforcements.
Meanwhile, hordes of Demon Sect disciples surged toward the 666th Floor and the Research Division offices, clashing violently.
Once those battles ended, Wuye Elder and Yuhua Child led their forces to retreat.
Of course, many outside disciples also fled the campus on their own.
As for the Wanfa University disciples who had joined the sect—staying behind, they became hidden agents, roots planted deep within the university.
Some who had joined willingly continued looting and fighting. Others sensed the shift, panicked, looted what they could, and vanished quickly.
A few, though drawn to the sect, had simply watched from the sidelines the whole time.
Wanfa University cultivators began repairing Ling Realm.
But amid the retreat, in a quiet corner—nowhere near any major battlefield, unnoticed by any high-level figures—
A lone Demon Sect disciple, fleeing the city, turned toward the Medicine Field and unleashed a fist of blazing flame.
“Die, rich bastards! Burn down your Medicine Field!”
Flames erupted across the field, sparks dancing in the air.
Then—rain fell.
A sudden downpour extinguished the fire.
Next, crushing, terrifying pressure descended from above.
A massive, invisible hand appeared in the sky—visible to everyone.
Inside University City, outside it, within Ling Realm, beyond the boundary—every living being saw it.
As the hand descended, Ling Realm’s network instantly restored. Zheng Shen forces snapped back into place.
All retreating outsiders were torn apart—body and soul separated in an instant.
University City returned to normal. Order reasserted itself, as if the chaos had never happened.
But as people stared at the severed limbs, the shattered infrastructure, their hearts knew one thing:
Something had changed. And it would never be the same again.
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(End of Chapter)
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