Chapter 388: Who on Earth Is She?
Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Who on Earth Is She?
"I’m not an Alchemist, so why would I look at those?" Lan Jingchen retorted with a frown.
"Well, since you don’t live on Central Star, it’s understandable that you don’t know her. But can’t you tell her spiritual power is much stronger than yours?" Le Ling said to Lan Jingchen in a low voice.
"Stronger? We’ll see who’s stronger after we fight." Lan Jingchen impatiently shoved Le Ling aside and took another step forward.
Ning Xuan and Lan Xin hadn’t seen each other in a long time. They had been up late last night, and it had taken a lot of her Physical Ability. However, Lan Xin had been obedient and docile, letting her have her way, which left Ning Xuan quite satisfied. Now, feeling refreshed in body and mind, Ning Xuan wasn’t particularly angry about Lan Jingchen’s unprovoked challenge.
"You want to fight me?" Ning Xuan could tell Lan Jingchen’s Level with a single glance. ’Just A-level. She isn’t deliberately suppressing her Level, is she?’
Ning Xuan arched a brow, a playful smile curling her lips. She leaned lazily against a corridor pillar and said, "Miss Lan, since you have the courage to challenge me, there’s no need to hold back. Why not show me what you can really do? Once we start, I won’t show any mercy."
Hearing this, a flash of annoyance crossed Lan Jingchen’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She snorted coldly. "I don’t need your mercy. Bring whatever you’ve got."
Ning Xuan chuckled softly, her gaze sweeping over Lan Jingchen appraisingly. Then, she raised her hand and sent a vicious blast of force from her palm.
When Lan Jingchen saw her raise her hand, she intended to sidestep and dodge. But to her shock, the moment Ning Xuan attacked, an immense spiritual power bore down on her, pinning her in place. And so, Le Ling watched as—despite Ning Xuan’s movements not being particularly fast—Lan Jingchen stood frozen to the spot and was sent flying by a single slap.
THUD! Lan Jingchen flew a good three meters before landing. Half her face was already swelling up. The blow had completely dazed her; her head was ringing and her vision kept blacking out.
Ning Xuan arched her brows in confusion. "What happened? Why didn’t Miss Lan dodge? Were you just serving yourself up to be hit?"
Just then, Zhao Peng, who had gone to report to Lan Xin, returned. He came back just in time to see Lan Jingchen sent flying. Zhao Peng’s jaw dropped in surprise. ’Is General Lan’s Contractor really this violent?’
"You’ve gone too far! I’ll kill you!" Discovering she could move again, Lan Jingchen scrambled to her feet and charged furiously at Ning Xuan.
"Stop her!" Zhao Peng commanded. "The General’s orders! Anyone who disturbs Miss Ning’s rest without permission is to be thrown out!" At his command, the soldiers who had been standing by, only able to act as human shields, not daring to shove Lan Jingchen, snapped into formation in front of Ning Xuan. SHING! In a flash, rows of gleaming silver spears were unsheathed, their cold tips pointed directly at Lan Jingchen.
Le Ling grabbed Lan Jingchen’s arm, holding her back tightly. "I told you, you’re no match for her! You’re not even in the same league," Le Ling whispered. "Yan Hezhen was SS-level in spiritual power. Have you ever wondered why she disappeared?"
Lan Jingchen staggered back a few steps, staring at Le Ling in disbelief. "Weren’t Captain Yan and her group just expelled?"
Le Ling looked her in the eyes, shook his head, and whispered, "If you want to complete your mission and get home in one piece, then drop those ideas. Lan Xin is not someone you can lay a finger on."
Le Ling had always been on good terms with Lan Jingchen and didn’t want to see anything happen to her, which was why he offered this extra advice. If Lan Jingchen insisted on being stubborn, then there was nothing more he could do.
Fortunately, Lan Jingchen was sensible enough to take his advice. Though still seething with indignation, she quickly followed Le Ling and left.
"Lele, tell me, who is she? Why is her spiritual power so strong? And Yan Hezhen... did she really fall at her hands? Did she kill Yan Hezhen?" The moment they were out of the courtyard, Lan Jingchen grabbed Le Ling and demanded.
Le Ling was the one who had discovered and exposed Yan Hezhen for trying to use Stunned Powder on Lan Xin. At the time, he had been secretly worried that Lan Xin would fall victim to Yan Hezhen’s scheme.
In the end, however, it was Yan Hezhen and her group who never returned.
She had originally thought that since Yan Hezhen and her group were all Female Controllers, even someone with Lan Xin’s military power wouldn’t dare to do anything to them. At most, he would just expel them and nullify their mission records. But from the way Le Ling was talking, it seemed that wasn’t the case.
"Her Spiritual Power Level is S-Class, maybe even higher. Her personal information is classified, so you can’t find it in the public database. She’s the champion of the alchemy grand-prix, qualified as an Alchemy Master, and a top-ranking graduate from Central Star Military Academy this year. And... she is Lan Xin’s master."
"The insidious thing about Stunned Powder isn’t just that it makes people lose their minds and turn into mindless puppets. It’s brewed with the user’s own blood, which allows the user to link with and control men who are much more powerful than they are. I personally saw Yan Hezhen feeding that pink butterfly with her own blood and dripping it into the drug."
It was seeing Yan Hezhen use her own blood for the alchemy that made Le Ling realize what she was plotting.
"The poison inside Lan Xin couldn’t have been neutralized unless Yan Hezhen died. So, she must be dead," Le Ling said.
"She dared to kill Yan Hezhen? But Yan Hezhen was a High-Level female, precious and rare, protected by law! This sort of thing can’t be covered up forever. Isn’t she afraid of being arrested?" Lan Jingchen asked incredulously.
"If she were afraid, she wouldn’t have killed anyone. You don’t understand her. Among her Contractors, Lan Xin is practically nothing."
After Le Ling had dragged Lan Jingchen away, Ning Xuan glanced at the fierce-looking Zhao Peng and said, "Tell Lan Xin to get his ass back here."
"Yes, Miss Ning!" Zhao Peng snapped to attention and replied loudly.
On the training grounds, Lan Xin stood on a high platform in a black combat uniform, gazing down at three thousand soldiers arrayed in formation. Their Battle Armor glinted coldly, and an air of chilling lethality soared to the heavens.
He was drilling them in battle formations. He was still new to the Military Department, and most of the soldiers under him were stragglers consolidated from other disbanded legions. They were strangers to each other at first, and only through constant drilling and integration could they achieve seamless, unspoken coordination.
Lan Xin gazed down at the battle formations, which now shifted constantly according to his commands, and his heart swelled with pride. Six months ago, his men had been a disorganized rabble; now, they worked in perfect concert.
General Ying himself had personally taught him this method of drilling formations. Though the general was harsh with him, he was truly sparing no effort to cultivate his talent.
Lan Xin knew why General Ying trusted him. With Ning Xuan in the picture, he and the general were natural allies.
Zhao Peng rushed over to relay Ning Xuan’s message. Hearing the tone of her words, Lan Xin could feel his own skin starting to tighten.