Night.
The Jinshi Boxing Hall was brightly lit, a clamor of voices echoing from within.
Unlike on other nights, many disciples remained at the hall, even though it was late.
They weren’t just there to train. The atmosphere today was exceptionally grim.
"Senior Brother Xu is dead... I never would have thought..."
"Sigh... I hear it was the work of those Wilderness Warlords. Apparently, several senior brothers from other halls died as well, and Hengjia Security lost a lot of people."
"And that’s not all. Didn’t you see how dark Master Luo’s expression was just now? I heard Senior Brother Shen was crippled. He’s still laid up in a hospital bed..."
Whispers broke out in the corners of the training hall, and the disciples all wore complex expressions.
So sighed in relief, their faces downcast; others sounded mournful and faintly worried.
Hearing this, Lu Chao, who was walking over, paused. He stood outside the training hall, silent for a few monts.
He’d heard about the hunting party from Captain Yang that afternoon.
After thinking it over, he decided he should co report his safe return to Master Luo and see if there was anything he could do to help at the hall.
But he never expected this...
’So, Senior Brother Xu is dead.’
A strange lancholy washed over him. Though he had rarely interacted with this senior brother, he could tell the man was a good person.
To think that one trip outside the city would an a final, irreversible parting.
THUD! THUD!
A mont later, footsteps rang out.
Lu Chao looked up to see several people erging from the back door of the training hall.
Zheng Wu, dressed in a greyish-white training uniform, looked downcast as he personally escorted out a weeping, grief-stricken middle-aged couple.
With a somber guess as to who they were, Lu Chao didn’t disturb them.
Only after watching Zheng Wu return did he step forward.
"Senior Brother Zheng."
"Junior Brother Lu."
Zheng Wu nodded slightly, his expression complex.
The sadness in his eyes had yet to fade. He clapped Lu Chao firmly on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "I heard all about what happened in the wilderness."
"Master and I are both glad you made it back safely."
"Senior Brother..." Lu Chao opened his mouth, wanting to offer so words of comfort.
But the other man just waved a hand and sighed. "No amount of regret will change what happened to Junior Brother Xu."
"All we can do now is get him what he’s due, and look in on and take care of his parents."
The City Defense Departnt will have to answer for what happened to the hunting party, and compensation will be distributed accordingly.
And as for the culprits, the Jinshi Boxing Hall will investigate thoroughly and avenge him.
Lu Chao nodded, not disagreeing.
He then asked about the other disciples, and Zheng Wu sighed and shook his head softly. "It’s a good thing Senior Brother Luo broke through to the Elite Level before the year’s end."
"He’s the reason most of our junior brothers and sisters made it back safely from this trip. It’s just..."
His eyes darkened slightly, and he glanced toward the back door of the training hall, as if picturing the scene in the courtyard beyond.
"Senior Brother Luo was badly injured and nearly passed out from exhaustion. Fortunately, the four gunshot wounds he took weren’t fatal. He’ll recover with so rest."
"As for Junior Brother Shen..." His voice grew heavy as he sighed. "I’m afraid... it’ll be very difficult for him to ever practice Martial Arts again."
The words hung in the air, and Lu Chao froze on the spot.
He wasn’t surprised about Senior Brother Luo Yan’s strength; he had expected as much and had heard about it on the way back.
But Shen Tianchen?
"Most of his ridians were severed, his bones were shattered, and he was bleeding internally... Master was barely able to save his life."
"It won’t be hard for him to live a normal life as an ordinary person. But if he wants to return to his peak and continue on the Superpower Path... cybernetic augntation might work, but our Fighting Skill is useless for that."
Zheng Wu shook his head, his mood somber and conflicted.
He knew exactly how much heart and soul their master had poured into Junior Brother Shen, so he also knew how devastating this blow must be to him.
Lu Chao fell silent. Perhaps because of what happened with Guo Yun and the others, or perhaps because he barely knew Shen Tianchen, he didn’t feel much of anything.
After offering a few words of consolation,
he went to the rear courtyard and saw Master Luo.
Because of what had happened to Shen Tianchen and Senior Brother Xu, the man’s face was etched with fatigue.
"It’s good that you’re back safe."
"From now on, focus on your training. Try not to get involved in superfluous matters."
After offering a few simple words of encouragent, he hurried away.
Watching his retreating figure, Lu Chao beca thoughtful, vaguely sensing that the man was trying to warn him about sothing.
As he stood there lost in thought, another figure hurried toward him from a nearby corridor.
Dressed in a white martial arts uniform, with long hair draped down her back, it was none other than Lin Qingxue.
Gone was her usual cold reserve; her eyes were red and swollen. She kept her head slightly bowed in apparent grief, and she carried a wooden tray holding two bowls of dicinal soup.
A mont later, she seed to sense his presence.
She looked up, her eyes eting Lu Chao’s.
The atmosphere tensed. Her expression shifted, and she quickly suppressed her sorrow, a trace of indignation taking its place.
"What is it, Junior Brother Lu? Are you here to gloat?"
Her tone was barbed, her face cold. "Gloating that you ca back safely? Or did you co to laugh at Junior Brother Shen and in our misery?"
Lu Chao frowned slightly.
’Is she taking all her frustration out on ?’
"Junior Sister Lin!"
Zheng Wu snapped, quickly stepping between the two. "Junior Brother Lu is just concerned for us and wanted to see if he could help! How can you be so rude and spout such nonsense!"
"Rude? Senior Brother, are you blaming , too?"
Lin Qingxue suddenly beca agitated, staring right at him with grief-filled eyes. "Then why didn’t you go outside the city with us?"
"So what if I failed to protect Junior Brother Shen? I didn’t want this to happen either!"
Her voice broke into a sob, and without waiting for Zheng Wu to answer, she turned and hurried away.
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