Chapter 580: Intercepting Zhang Yu
“How did all this get here?”
“Who the hell dumped this stuff here without following regulations?”
“Who…”
Xiang Shan suddenly felt a pang of guilt. The monsterfolk had always struggled with discipline; even controlling the various groups to prevent infighting and cannibalism among colleagues was a constant headache.
Workplace negligence was commonplace.
It was even common for workers to delay their tasks by giving birth on-site to meet the Reproduction Tax deadline.
But Xiang Shan would never admit to any of this. He immediately declared, “It was all Zhang Yu! He’s the one who tampered with everything!”
The monsterfolk workers erupted in a clamor, pointing accusingly at Zhang Yu in the sky.
Zhang Yu calmly replied, “Check the surveillance footage. The truth will be clear.”
The surveillance footage naturally showed no sign of Zhang Yu. Thanks to his Divine Spirit Root and the Evil God’s anti-surveillance rituals, he could move through the area undetected.
Moreover, Zhang Yu had only slightly amplified the existing problems. After activating his sword formation to sever the Spirit Realm, he circled the construction site and quickly discovered its myriad flaws.
Construction materials, equipment, and pollutants were haphazardly scattered, and regulatory violations were rampant.
Soon, Deng Bingding turned to Xiang Shan, her voice chillingly calm. “The investigation is complete. This is a grave matter.”
“Environmental contamination, especially of the soil and water near the medicinal fields, is a cardinal sin at Myriad Laws University! Didn’t your teachers teach you this before you came here?”
Xiang Shan stubbornly refused to admit guilt. “Zhang Yu started it!”
Deng Bingding replied calmly, “He was stabilizing the Earth Vein. You were destroying the geological structure.”
Seeing Xiang Shan’s continued defiance, Deng Bingding chuckled, and holographic screens materialized before him, displaying testimonies from other monsterfolk during their interrogations.
“Xiang Shan did it all. I told him not to cause trouble, but he wouldn’t listen. He said he wanted to teach the Humans a lesson.”
“We’re not with Xiang Shan. He’s an Elephant Monster, we’re Ox Monsters — the difference between us is greater than between him and a Human.”
“The fines don’t concern us, right? We were just watching, we didn’t do anything!”
“It has nothing to do with me! I didn’t release those pollutants — it was other tribes’ monsterfolk acting recklessly! We Rat Monsters just dig tunnels; we don’t care about that stuff and rarely interact with them anyway.”
Watching the faces of his classmates and colleagues — who had recently stood united against Zhang Yu — on the holographic screens, Xiang Shan suddenly sighed in resignation, his strength seeming to drain away.
“What will you do with me?” he asked.
Deng Bingding smiled faintly. “You should suspend your operations for now. As for the fines, groundwater purification, geological restoration… well, those will take some time to calculate.”
Xiang Shan’s lips trembled. “Roughly how much will I have to pay?”
As the monsterfolk were being interrogated, Zhang Yu remained blissfully unaware that his name had already turned crimson on the Monsterfolk Discrimination List.
Zhang Yu activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, combining it with the Heavenly Sun Radiance God’s power to restore the construction site to its original state.
After instructing Xiao Qingxuan, Shi Huaiyu, and the others to supervise the construction diligently, he left the Heavenly Sun Radiance God to continue assisting with the project. With his sword casket, he soared into the sky like a bolt of lightning, shooting toward University City.
Shortly after Zhang Yu and his group departed, more Divine Light descended.
Glowing red banners, like chains, layered around the entire construction site.
Amidst continuous warnings, True Person Rising Sun, accompanied by Yun Yuqing and a team of Patrol Team Members, sealed off the area.
Seeing the sudden arrival of the Patrol Team Members, Shi Huaiyu asked, “Gentlemen, is there a problem?”
True Person Rising Sun replied coolly, “We received intelligence suggesting Dual Rest Cultists may be operating at this construction site.”
Shi Huaiyu quickly countered, “That’s impossible! We’ve been working around the clock lately, with 24-hour shifts. How could any Dual Rest Cultists be here?”
Simultaneously, Shi Huaiyu sent the company’s official documents to the team, subtly emphasizing the company’s influential backing.
After reviewing the documents, True Person Rising Sun remarked dryly, “I know this is Zhang Yu’s company.”
“Zhang Yu, ranked 19th in the entire school.”
Recalling his previous interrogation of Zhang Yu, True Person Rising Sun said sternly, “But this concerns the safety of the school and the threat of the Demonic Cults. Whether he’s ranked 19th or even 1st, I will investigate thoroughly.”
As they spoke, a wave of heat descended from the sky. The Heavenly Sun Radiance God drifted down, trailing golden flames, and landed before True Person Rising Sun.
Zhang Yu’s voice echoed from within the Heavenly Sun Radiance God: “We meet again, True Person Rising Sun.”
True Person Rising Sun met his gaze without flinching. “Student Zhang Yu,” he said calmly, “I am merely upholding the law. This operation is fully compliant with regulations. I trust you will cooperate with the inspection.”
With that, he presented the official documents authorizing the operation.
Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the documents through the Heavenly Sun Radiance God, and he smiled faintly. “No problem at all. I despise the Demonic Cults more than anyone. Inspect for as long as you need, True Person. If you can find the people in my company infected with the Dual Rest Virus, that would be ideal.”
True Person Rising Sun waved his hand and commanded, “Bring everyone out for a unified inspection. Leave no one out.”
Shi Huaiyu protested angrily, “If you find nothing, will you compensate us for the losses from the work stoppage?”
True Person Rising Sun remained expressionless, glancing at the silent Zhang Yu before ignoring Shi Huaiyu’s question.
The Patrol Team members quickly began examining the workers’ physical conditions one by one.
As the Dual Rest Virus spread with increasing ferocity, the Righteous Gods had developed a method for detecting it.
The bodies of cultivators infected with the Dual Rest Virus exhibited distinct abnormalities. By examining the brain, organs, and Magic Power, one could determine whether a person was infected.
Watching the workers pass the tests one by one, Yun Yuqing grew increasingly anxious. “Captain, what if no one actually has the Dual Rest Virus? We’ve made a mortal enemy of Zhang Yu now, haven’t we?”
True Person Rising Sun didn’t answer immediately. After a long pause, he said, “In times of crisis, only merit matters. We’re here for the safety of Myriad Laws University and to capture Dual Rest Cultists, not to make friends.”
“Besides, the Artifact Refinement Department has no authority over us. Even if we offend them, what does it matter as long as we catch the Dual Rest Cultists?”
Just then, True Person Rising Sun received a report: “Zhang Yu gave everyone a raise today?”
His eyes narrowed sharply. “Why would he suddenly give raises? He must have known the Dual Rest Virus was spreading in the construction site, or even that we were coming to inspect, and tried to prevent its spread.”
Hearing this, Yun Yuqing grew even more anxious. “Could it be that the Dual Rest Virus has been suppressed after this round of wage increases?”
“Then we came all this way for nothing?”
True Person Rising Sun couldn’t guarantee anything and could only patiently await the results, watching as one test report after another appeared before him.
None… none… still none.
As the number of untested individuals dwindled, yet the desired result remained elusive, True Person Rising Sun and Yun Yuqing’s hearts gradually sank.
Staring at the final test report, which still showed no trace of the Dual Rest Virus, Yun Yuqing gritted her teeth and said, “Not a single case… did the wage increase really prevent it?”
“Captain! Someone must have tipped off Zhang Yu!”
True Person Rising Sun’s expression turned grave as he rapidly considered the possibilities.
Just then, the Heavenly Sun Radiance God appeared before them, asking, “What are the results? It seems you haven’t found any Dual Rest Virus?”
True Person Rising Sun looked at the Heavenly Sun Radiance God and asked, “President Zhang, I heard you raised wages for the entire company today?”
Zhang Yu’s voice echoed from within the Heavenly Sun Radiance God, casual and dismissive. “Yes, I heard wage increases are an effective way to prevent the Dual Rest Virus, so I acted quickly.”
True Person Rising Sun remarked, “This is the first time I’ve seen a boss as willing to invest so heavily in preventing the Dual Rest Virus as President Zhang.”
The Heavenly Sun Radiance God flashed with divine fire and slowly ascended into the sky. “True Person, since no Dual Rest Virus has been detected, can construction resume?”
True Person Rising Sun took a deep breath and was about to lead his team away when Yun Yuqing suddenly spoke up, “Captain, there’s still one person we haven’t found.”
“Who?” True Person Rising Sun asked.
“Yu Xinghan,” Yun Yuqing replied. “A Civil Engineering student. He should be at the construction site today!”
True Person Rising Sun turned to the Heavenly Sun Radiance God. “President Zhang, do you know where this person is? If I recall correctly, he’s your roommate.”
“Oh… Yu Xinghan,” Zhang Yu’s voice echoed from within the Heavenly Sun Radiance God. “He had some urgent business and left work early to return to University City.”
True Person Rising Sun’s expression turned grave. A voice echoed in his mind: “There’s definitely something wrong with Yu Xinghan!”
Yun Yuqing’s face also paled. “Yu Xinghan has likely been infected with the Dual Rest Virus,” she thought. “That’s why Zhang Yu sent him away early.”
At that moment, another subordinate arrived with surveillance footage of Yu Xinghan leaving the construction site.
The two exchanged a glance. True Person Rising Sun said calmly, “Let’s go.”
After leading the Patrol Team members away from the construction site, True Person Rising Sun unleashed a series of surging energy waves and shot toward Myriad Laws University.
“Lock onto Yu Xinghan’s location through the Spirit Realm Network.”
“We can’t let him escape.”
Soon, Yu Xinghan’s Spirit Realm signal appeared in True Person Rising Sun’s vision.
“He’s still 30 kilometers from University City.”
True Person Rising Sun frowned, thinking, “If he reaches University City and Zhang Yu manages to hide him in a laboratory or research institute, it’ll be impossible to track him down for the time being.”
With this thought, True Person Rising Sun accelerated again, his Golden Core-level Magic Power erupting as he relentlessly pursued Yu Xinghan.
Simultaneously, his consciousness connected to the Spirit Realm, instantly piercing through layers of physical space to project his presence at the target location.
“Yu Xinghan… is right here!”
As the projection opened its eyes, True Person Rising Sun saw countless flames illuminating the sky, as if the entire sea of clouds had been set ablaze.
A colossal, heaven-piercing fire giant, cradling Yu Xinghan and Zhang Yu in its palm, was hurtling toward Myriad Laws University.
True Person Rising Sun froze for a moment, then heard Yun Yuqing’s voice in his ear: “Captain! It’s True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s Heavenly Sun Radiance God escorting Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.”
Witnessing the earth-shattering aura of the Level 40 Heavenly Sun Radiance God, True Person Rising Sun’s projection seemed to tremble slightly under the immense pressure.
Yun Yuqing asked, “Captain, what should we do?”
True Person Rising Sun gritted his teeth, his gaze clashing with Zhang Yu’s in the fire giant’s palm.
“Prepare to intercept them,” he ordered.
Yun Yuqing exclaimed, “That’s True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s personal vehicle! She’s about to reach Spirit Transformation!”
True Person Rising Sun took a deep breath and repeated, “Intercept them.”
In the next moment, a barrage of warning banners materialized in the air, blocking the path of the Level 40 Heavenly Sun Radiance God.