After driving for some time, the car left the academy and arrived at a stretch of wasteland not far outside the city.

Among the barren ruins stood an utterly inconspicuous laboratory building.

It was low and terribly old. Without a careful look, anyone would most likely mistake it for just another ruin.

“White Bloodsource is hidden in a place like this?” Xiao Chengcheng asked in surprise after getting out of the car.

“Of course. Because of White Bloodsource’s inherent unpredictability, we couldn’t place the laboratory in a heavily guarded building downtown.” Teacher Moran closed the car door with one hand and continued, “This area is deserted. Even if an accident occurs during the experiment, it’s unlikely to affect any ordinary residents. And all these natural ruins provide excellent cover—”

“Most importantly, don’t underestimate the security forces stationed here.”

Teacher Moran smiled faintly. He walked to the entrance, swiped his ID card, then extended a hand toward the three of them.

As Ming Yi and the others entered the building, they immediately saw two familiar faces waving at them with bright smiles.

“Hello!”

“Mr. Kevin! Mr. Kim Seon-moon!” Ming Yi and Xiao Chengcheng cried out in delight.

They were none other than Kevin and Kim Seon-moon from Loki Squad.

At that moment, a sweet female voice suddenly came over the building’s intercom.

“This laboratory warmly welcomes the winning team of the Academy Festival! Congratulations on your victory!”

“Miss Akiko is here too…” Seeing old friends again, Ming Yi was overcome with emotion. Only then did he understand what Teacher Moran had meant by the security forces.

So Loki Squad was responsible for guarding this place!

An entire Class S squad, seasoned and top-tier in combat, was serving as the facility’s security. Its defenses were indeed formidable.

Seeing the puzzled look on Chu Tong’s face, Xiao Chengcheng explained, “When we first arrived in this world, it was the Loki Squad, including these people, who brought us back.”

“They’re all incredibly powerful Shatterborn. The captain and vice-captain are both Class S Shatterborn. They’re a genuine Class S combat squad.”

Understanding dawned on Chu Tong’s face.

“Then I’ll leave you here. The rest can be entrusted to everyone in Loki Squad.” Teacher Moran gave them a few more reminders before bidding everyone farewell and turning to leave through the entrance.

After seeing Teacher Moran off, Kevin smiled warmly and gestured toward the interior of the building.

“Then, everyone, please follow me. I’ll take you to the laboratory.”

——

——

As they walked, Kevin chatted familiarly with Xiao Chengcheng and Ming Yi.

“Haha, you two really haven’t let us down. You’ve only been here for a few short months, yet you’ve already managed to defeat students from the Resident Academy in a head-on battle.”

“The captain really does have a sharp eye for people.” Kevin’s smile was full of approval.

“Hehe, it was nothing.” Being praised by someone familiar, Xiao Chengcheng actually looked a little embarrassed. “To be honest, I’m a pretty useless student council president. I didn’t do much. Ming Yi was the impressive one. He took down the other side’s strongest fighter all by himself.”

“There’s no need to be modest. When I first gained control of a Corruption Artifact, I was nowhere near as capable as you two.”

“By the way, where are the others from Loki Squad?” Ming Yi suddenly asked.

“Kim Seon-moon has to stay at the front entrance and keep watch. Kapil is at the rear entrance. Miss Akiko is in the monitoring room, watching the entire building and deploying unmanned weapons. Kairo is patrolling back and forth. The captain and vice-captain are in the laboratory.”

Ming Yi joked, “Then I suppose we’ll have to greet them one by one.”

“There’s no rush. Once you’ve taken care of the important business, you can visit each of them afterward.”

After swiping his ID card again, Kevin led them through another iron door. Chu Tong watched several researchers gradually appear and disappear along the corridors, then asked curiously, “Are you the only ones here besides the researchers?”

“That’s right.” Kevin nodded. “White Bloodsource is one of the Liberation Syndicate’s highest-level secrets. Naturally, the fewer people who know about it, the better. Lady Miriam made a special exception to let you visit this time. Even the teachers don’t know about White Bloodsource.”

Even the teachers didn’t know?

Ming Yi suddenly found that strange.

“Then how does Teacher Moran know everything about it?”

Kevin froze when he heard that. Then he suddenly burst out laughing.

Ming Yi and the other two exchanged bewildered looks.

“It makes sense. You still don’t understand Mr. Moran’s true strength.” Kevin laughed for a while before stopping and explaining, “Who told you that Mr. Moran isn’t one of the Liberation Syndicate’s higher-ups?”

Xiao Chengcheng’s eyes widened.

“Teacher Moran is one of the Liberation Syndicate’s higher-ups? But… isn’t he not a Shatterborn?”

“For a time, I also believed that Shatterborn were the ruling power of this world. Mr. Moran was the one who changed my mind.” Kevin’s gaze grew distant. “Perhaps once you become members of a combat squad, you’ll be able to learn a little about Mr. Moran’s glorious achievements.”

“He’s a powerhouse… almost on the same level as Lady Miriam.”

“Holy crap!”

Ming Yi and Xiao Chengcheng couldn’t help shouting in shock. Even Chu Tong covered her small mouth, her face filled with disbelief.

On the same level as Miriam…

That meant he was a Class SS powerhouse!

Yet Teacher Moran was merely an ordinary person who hadn’t awakened a Corruption Artifact!

Could an ordinary person really become this powerful?

“Strictly speaking, Mr. Moran can’t really be considered an ordinary person… Well, forget it. You’ll naturally learn about those troublesome matters later.”

As he spoke, Kevin led them to a heavy door. He swiped his ID card once more, then turned around and said:

“We’re here.”

As the laboratory door slowly opened, the first thing Ming Yi and the others saw was Meryl smiling brightly, with Bailian standing beside her.

“Long time no see, you two handsome boys.” Meryl’s eyes held a smile. Beside her, Bailian was no longer wearing his usual icy expression. Instead, he looked at them with a softened face.

“Wow, Sis Meryl! I’ve missed you so much!” Xiao Chengcheng immediately ran over excitedly and moved to hug Meryl, but a light laugh stopped him.

“Being excited is fine, but taking advantage of your big sister won’t be so easy~”

Bailian also walked over and lightly punched Ming Yi on the shoulder.

“Not bad, kid. You even defeated the student council president of the Resident branch. Your improvement is truly astonishing.”

Ming Yi scratched his head with a sheepish grin.

“Looks like my eye for people really is sharp. When I invited you two to join the Liberation Syndicate, I had a feeling you’d become remarkable people someday.”

Meryl looked the two of them up and down once more, then nodded in satisfaction.

“We can chat later. We still have important business to handle. If we finish early, we’ll have more time to talk.”

“Come with me.”

——

——

Inside the monitoring room.

Akiko sat in her chair, watching the warm reunion between Xiao Chengcheng, Ming Yi, Meryl, and Bailian on the surveillance screens before her. A smile rested at the corners of her lips.

Ming Yi in particular had surprised everyone in Loki Squad to varying degrees after they learned he had defeated the student council president of the Resident branch.

Akiko alone hadn’t been surprised in the slightest.

She still remembered the incident from three months ago as if it had happened yesterday. Ming Yi’s sharp instincts and decisiveness had left a deep impression on her.

Someone with such a temperament would have a limitless future, even if his Corruption Artifact was somewhat unusual.

Akiko firmly believed that.

Just then, one of the many surveillance screens before her suddenly flickered at incredible speed.

It happened so quickly that the naked eye could barely react. But Akiko noticed it immediately.

“Hmm?”

When she looked again, the screen had already returned to normal. It was still completely empty.

“Was it… an illusion?” Akiko murmured to herself.