Chapter 501: Civil Engineering Life? Master Refiner!
In the rest area outside the arena, during the timeout, the Myriad Laws Team gathered, their expressions grave.
Mo Shangjin sighed helplessly. “I apologize, everyone. If we continue, the Spirit Coin investment will exceed my budget, impacting my future career. Therefore… I can’t continue.”
The others had no objections. Su Yanyang, Xiao Yunji, Shi Huaiyu, and Xiao Qingxuan all felt that they would have made the same decision in Mo Shangjin’s position.
This was the overwhelming power of Military-Grade strength.
Facing Xiang Shan, who possessed an additional layer of Military-Grade power, the gap between the two sides was simply too vast.
Having personally experienced this overwhelming strength, the team members were already considering surrender.
After all, even Mo Shangjin had withdrawn, making the power disparity even more pronounced.
Under the reformed rules of this year’s Inter-University League, substitutions were forbidden for surrenders, injuries, or deaths — just like a real battlefield. Personnel losses were permanent, making reinforcements impossible.
Su Yanyang thought, “Should I be the first to suggest it? Continuing this fight will only lead to more losses. Ugh, I’m too lazy to keep pretending to hold out.”
Beside him, Shi Huaiyu mused, “Everyone must be thinking about surrendering, right? Then… it’s time for me to show my courage…”
Just as she was about to step forward and take responsibility for leading the surrender, Zhang Yu suddenly strode ahead of her.
The crowd’s eyes shifted. Su Yanyang thought, “That Zhang Yu… he really has guts. He’s always the first to lead the surrender.”
But as this thought crossed their minds, Zhang Yu slowly began to speak, “We can’t replenish our ranks, but Xiang Shan can’t either. He’s the only one left.”
Xiao Yunji’s expression flickered. “Zhang Yu… is he not planning to surrender?”
Zhang Yu continued, “If we win this, we’ll get not only prize money and overall points, but also the blueprints for Military-Grade Armor. You all know how valuable those blueprints are.”
“Moreover, our resumes will gain a major boost: a victory against Xiang Shan, who wields two Military-Grade Bionics and is renowned for defeating stronger opponents…”
Xiao Yunji’s heart stirred slightly. She certainly desired the benefits Zhang Yu had described, but the thought of Xiang Shan’s terrifying power made it difficult to muster the will to fight again.
After all, facing Xiang Shan, who possessed two Military-Grade powers, what chance did they have of winning?
Just then, Zhang Yu spoke up. “Everyone, if you’re willing to trust me… let’s give it one more shot.”
He turned to Mo Shangjin. “Senior, I’d like to borrow the Seven Absolutes Bionic.”
Mo Shangjin paused, studying Zhang Yu intently.
A shared thought surfaced in the minds of everyone present:
“Can we… really trust you?”
Sensing their unspoken question, Zhang Yu took a deep breath. After a moment of hesitation, he declared, “Actually… I’m from the Artifact Refinement Department.”
Mo Shangjin: “Huh?”
The others stared blankly at Zhang Yu, unsure what he meant.
Zhang Yu displayed his artifact crafting exam results and a photo of himself with True Monarch Magnetic Pole. “I’m True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s disciple,” he explained. “After the Civil Engineering Competition, I’ll officially transfer to the Artifact Refinement Department.”
The crowd stared in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Zhang Yu… was a Master Refiner?
No… we were all just eating dirt together on the construction site! Why did you have to go become a Master Refiner?!
Su Yanyang repeatedly examined Zhang Yu’s Artifact Refinement Department exam results, a bitter taste spreading through his mouth, his heart, and every fiber of his being.
Even when Zhang Yu had thoroughly defeated him before, it was still a Civil Engineering student beating another Civil Engineering student. But why did you have to switch to the Artifact Refinement Department? Couldn’t you have just continued crushing me in Civil Engineering?
Under the crowd’s astonished gaze, Zhang Yu continued, “Everyone, please trust me one more time. As a member of the Artifact Refinement Department, I will lead the Civil Engineering Department to victory in this competition.”
Looking at the Master Refiner before them, the crowd instantly felt a surge in the credibility of his words.
Shi Huaiyu was the first to speak up. “I believe you.”
Xiao Qingxuan nodded. “Then let’s keep fighting.”
Xiao Yunji met Zhang Yu’s gaze and said, “You’re from the Artifact Refinement Department. I trust you.”
Su Yanyang sighed. “You’re from the top-tier department. We’ll listen to whatever you say.”
Finally, all eyes turned to Mo Shangjin.
In that moment, Mo Shangjin felt many things click into place… Director Gao’s connection to True Monarch Magnetic Pole… True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s support for Director Gao… Ye Xingli’s repeated visits to the dorms… Feng Tingting’s sudden transfer to another department.
“So that’s it. Teacher and True Monarch Magnetic Pole… they’ve been orchestrating this grand scheme to unite the Civil Engineering and Artifact Refinement Departments all along?”
Just then, Zhang Yu spoke up. “Senior Mo, I can pay the rental fee…”
“No need,” Mo Shangjin replied with a faint smile. “Just cover the repair costs after the match.”
“Hurry and find someone for the transplant.”
“Our sizes are slightly different, and there’s not much time for adjustments. The doctor might have to be a bit rough to speed things up. And then there’s the synchronization rate…”
Hearing Mo Shangjin’s words, Zhang Yu declared firmly, “It doesn’t matter. I can endure one match.”
A moment later, as the doctor arrived, Zhang Yu felt his arms being temporarily detached. Then came an unfamiliar sensation as the intricate artificial meridian structure gradually connected to his body.
The flesh on his back was replaced with a Spine Bionic equipped with anti-gravity ribbons.
His arms and hands were replaced with Bionics capable of launching Comet Bombardments and Gravity Wave Cannons.
His entire spine was replaced. As the Spine Bionic was installed and Magic Power flowed through it, Zhang Yu felt the range of his Gang Qi, the effective range of his Earthly Fiend Gravity, the efficiency of his body’s force dissipation, and the efficiency of his Magic Power circulation… all of them were enhanced.
One by one, the Seven Absolutes Bionics were transplanted into Zhang Yu’s body, allowing him to sense the earth-shattering changes occurring within him.
Celestial Monsters University’s rest area.
Xiang Shan sat alone with his eyes tightly shut, yet he felt no sense of loneliness.
The cheers from the audience seats echoed in his mind, while countless messages of encouragement and congratulations from his clan and friends flooded his Bionic Eye.
He could feel that he was far from fighting alone.
He could also sense that victory had never been so close.
“All Monsterfolk yearn for change. We’ve waited too long for this day…”
Xiang Shan knew that since the founding generation of Celestial Monsters University, the entire institution had been divided by race.
Your race determined your major, your major determined your future career, and your career determined the limits of what you could achieve.
A Monsterfolk’s potential, future, and career… were all predetermined at birth.
But were the races that dominated the elite majors truly stronger?
Xiang Shan knew… they weren’t.
“It’s just that their ancestors seized the best positions when Celestial Monsters University was founded and have clung to them ever since, generation after generation, monopolizing everything…”
“But today, I will become the ancestor of countless rising Monsterfolk in the future.”
As time resumed, Xiang Shan slowly stood up and walked toward the arena.
In an instant, as the match restarted, the entire arena erupted into chaos once more. The Monsterfolk on the stands danced wildly, celebrating Xiang Shan’s victory in their own ways.
“Who says the Civil Engineering Department can’t join the school team?!”
“Race and major shouldn’t be barriers!”
“Let him live! Let him live! Let him live!”
Meanwhile, in the arena…
Xiang Shan coldly regarded Zhang Yu, who floated in mid-air, already in his four-armed state, his black-gold Bionic grafted onto his body and anti-gravity ribbons fluttering behind him. “So you still haven’t given up?”
“Then let me personally crush every last one of those unrealistic notions in your heads.”
As they spoke, Xiang Shan charged forward, a wave of Qi sweeping behind him as he once again attacked Zhang Yu.
“Time to end this quickly…”
Just as Xiang Shan thought this, Zhang Yu’s Gang Qi erupted, golden flames enveloping him as he transformed into the four-armed Mountain-Moving Warrior.
In the clash, Xiang Shan’s power shattered a layer of solid Gang Qi, pierced through a layer of liquid Gang Qi, and was finally slowly absorbed by a layer of gaseous Gang Qi.
“This form…” Xiang Shan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Was it specifically designed for close combat? Before, it must have been used to assist Mo Shangjin, conserving Magic Power and providing better support, which is why he didn’t enter this mode.”
“But… do you really think this Gang Qi can withstand my Military-Grade Bionic?!”
“Absurd!”
Xiang Shan was astonished to find that Zhang Yu could endure even more than Mo Shangjin.
“Special materials combined with Body-Protecting Qi, the force-redirecting and rebounding effects of the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force, the assistance of the Seven Absolutes Bionic, and the operational foundation of Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power…”
Xiang Shan had long been aware of Zhang Yu’s capabilities, and after this exchange, his assessment solidified.
“He’s using Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to clash with my Mount Sumeru King Sutra.”
“His military-grade martial art, Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force, combined with the Seven Absolutes Bionic, his astonishing Martial Dao talent, and his physical constitution, barely allows him to withstand my Military-Grade Bionic in a head-on collision.”
“Intriguing…”
As he spoke, Xiang Shan allowed Zhang Yu’s fist to strike his chest. The Military-Grade Skin Bionic absorbed the impact, converting the force into additional power that he channeled into a devastating counterattack.
“Reflecting my attacks?” Xiang Shan sneered. “Let’s see how many times you can pull that off!”
Terrifying power surged back and forth between them, continuously absorbed and redirected by Zhang Yu’s Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force and Xiang Shan’s Military-Grade Bionic.
With each exchange, their movements grew more violent, each strike shaking the entire arena.