Chapter 10: Mission Failed?!

“Dead?!”

Shufen He cried out like a rooster with its throat squeezed.

Ah Hao’s expression darkened as he strode quickly toward the corpse in the corner.

After a glance, he summoned the ranking list to examine it carefully.

Indeed, Zhao Hui’s name had vanished.

Not just pushed out of the top one hundred, but completely, utterly erased.

“How did he die?”

Looking down at Zhao Hui’s pitifully lifeless form, Ah Hao’s tone grew cold.

It wasn’t that he was overflowing with a sense of justice or eager to avenge Zhao Hui.

Rather, Zhao Hui’s death was a direct declaration of failure for Ah Hao’s mission.

This was a task entrusted to him by Zhao Jin!

There should have been no mistakes!

Xu Xiao noticed the scar-faced man’s grim expression and hesitated slightly.

“Who exactly are you? Are you a relative of Zhao Hui’s?”

Han Ma tugged at Xu Xiao’s sleeve, whispering a warning:

“Captain, that man is armed. He doesn’t look like a good person. Maybe we should just tell him the truth…”

Xu Xiao responded softly, “I see that. That’s precisely why I can’t tell him.”

“Little girl, I’ll ask you one more time. Who killed Zhao Hui?”

Ah Hao stepped forward slowly, gradually aiming his gun at Xu Xiao’s head.

Xu Xiao trembled slightly, yet no flicker of fear showed in her eyes.

“If you don’t tell me who you are, I won’t tell you.”

Ah Hao’s lips curled into a chilling smile:

“Won’t say? Then die.”

Just as Ah Hao’s finger was about to pull the trigger, someone suddenly rushed in through the door.

“Xu Xiao! I just—”

Tian Yuhao’s words died on his lips as he stared, shocked, at the scar-faced man before him.

“Uncle? What are you doing here?!”

“Hm?” Ah Hao tilted his head, equally surprised to see Tian Yuhao at the door.

“Xiaohao? What are you doing here?”

“I’m studying here... It’s been a long time, Uncle! What’re you—”

Tian Yuhao stood at the doorway, careful and composed.

“Oh, I came looking for someone, but they’re dead.”

Ah Hao didn’t hide the truth from his nephew, gesturing with his gun toward the corpse.

“Xiaohao, do you know who killed Zhao Hui?”

Tian Yuhao was momentarily stunned, then blurted out the answer:

“I know. Ying Zi’an did it.”

“Tian Yuhao!” Xu Xiao tried to stop him but was too late.

---

“Ying Zi’an?”

Ah Hao’s frown eased as he pressed:

“The Ying Zi’an who’s ranked first on the leaderboard?”

“Yes...” Tian Yuhao glanced at Xu Xiao, the hesitation on his face melting away instantly.

“He was the one who killed him. I saw it with my own eyes!”

Tian Yuhao wasn’t naive; he saw the situation clearly.

In this apocalypse, power ruled.

Ah Hao’s gun was the strongest force in the school.

And as Ah Hao’s nephew, Tian Yuhao’s status naturally rose accordingly.

What teamwork?

What equal sharing of resources?

Under his uncle’s gun, Tian Yuhao’s word was law.

Xu Xiao?

Merely a pretty-faced hypocrite.

“Good,” Ah Hao nodded approvingly at Tian Yuhao.

“Do you know where this Ying Zi’an is now? I want to find him.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiao breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Luckily, Ying Zi’an had long since left, and no one knew his whereabouts.

Otherwise, if the scar-faced man found out, Ying Zi’an would likely be shot dead immediately.

Before Xu Xiao could calm her mind, Tian Yuhao’s confident voice rang out:

“I know! Ying Zi’an went to the multimedia classroom with Lu Li. Looks like they’re going to open a treasure chest! Uncle, let’s hurry, we’ll definitely get something good!”

“Good. Take me there!” Ah Hao’s face broke into a satisfied smile.

Xu Xiao stepped forward quickly, trying to stop them.

“Tian Yuhao, with this disaster, we should unite, not kill each other!”

Tian Yuhao sneered contemptuously:

“Xu Xiao, stop with your overflowing saintly heart. You should be grateful my uncle is after Ying Zi’an, not you!”

“Xiaohao, let’s go,” Ah Hao urged at the door.

Tian Yuhao followed the scar-faced man briskly, leaving Xu Xiao behind with a complicated expression.

“Captain…” Han Ma spoke up, trying to counsel her.

“They’re seeking revenge, and Ying Zi’an brought it on himself. We shouldn’t interfere—let them be.”

Xu Xiao furrowed her brow even tighter.

“If we do this, how are we different from accomplices?!”

Han Ma’s face twisted uneasily, unable to find words.

“Even if Ying Zi’an deserves to die, what about Lu Li?”

Xu Xiao’s worry was evident.

“Didn’t you hear what Tian Yuhao just said? He wants to kill and loot!”

“If we don’t do something now, what if tomorrow someone targets you? Who will come to help?”

The group fell silent, expressions varied.

Suddenly, Wang Chao stepped forward, standing beside Xu Xiao:

“Captain, I think you’re right! We need to stop Tian Yuhao and his uncle!”

“Stop them?” Han Ma shot Wang Chao a scornful glare.

“Do you really think if we killed the Level 6 Insect Queen, we could take down a player with a gun?”

“Do you think your ‘Armored Shell’ is some kind of golden bell, bulletproof?”

Wang Chao protested:

“At my current level, maybe not. But if the captain lets me absorb that Tier 3 Elemental Crystal, maybe I could…”

Xu Xiao’s eyes lit up:

“Wang Chao, is that true?”

“Of course!” Wang Chao nodded foolishly.

“My ‘Armored Shell’ gets stronger as I level up. With your ‘Amplify’ skill, blocking bullets would be no problem!”

“Good. Then absorb it quickly!”

Without hesitation, Xu Xiao pulled out the elemental crystal, ready to hand it over.

At that moment, Wang Xuyan, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up:

“That’s not right, Xiao Jie. Didn’t you say resources should be evenly divided? A Tier 3 Elemental Crystal is so precious—how can you just give it away?”

“I think the priority isn’t worrying about others but improving our own strength.”

“If our team is strong, only we’ll be the ones taking from others. No one will be able to take from us.”

Wang Xuyan’s words resonated with many, and those who had opposed Xu Xiao’s approach voiced their agreement:

“Yeah, why bother with that useless Lu Li…”

“Giving the crystal to just one person is such a waste…”

“Wang Chao’s a defense specialist; leveling him up won’t boost the team’s strength much…”

“I think we should give the crystal to a healer, so next time we get injured, we won’t have to worry about dying…”

“That’s right, that’s right. Captain, let’s not get involved in this mess…”

Seeing public opinion shift to her side, Wang Xuyan smiled smugly.

She had joined Xu Xiao’s team solely for that Tier 3 Elemental Crystal.

Once she successfully absorbed it, a Level 3 healer like her would be valued anywhere.

Xu Xiao said nothing, quietly waiting as the arguments unfolded.

Meanwhile, Shufen He, hearing this, shouted excitedly:

“Healer? Wang Xuyan, you can heal wounds? Come help me!”

Wang Xuyan was stunned but knew this was a chance to shine and immediately activated her ability.

To ensure she could obtain the Tier 3 Elemental Crystal, she deliberately weakened the intensity of her healing.

When the wound failed to heal promptly, Shufen He grew anxious.

“Wang Xuyan, your ability isn’t working well. My wound still hurts…”

Wang Xuyan feigned guilt:

“Teacher He, I’m still Level 0. I haven’t leveled up yet, so my ability’s not strong enough…”

Upon hearing this, Shufen He immediately turned to Xu Xiao and commanded:

“Xu Xiao! As a teacher, I order you to give the Elemental Crystal to Wang Xuyan! Her ‘Healing Art’ is the skill that most needs leveling up right now.”