Chapter 153: Outburst! The Warrior's Duty!
The city patrol team is a group of martial artists, essentially a militia, and they are generally not called to participate in battles. Only in critical moments, such as when the army and the martial hall's martial artists teams cannot hold the line, will they be summoned.
"Every martial artists is a member of the city patrol reserve team," Xu Bo laughed. "Like you, I've heard from Hall Master Wan. Your physical fitness is probably at level 13 or even higher now."
"But because you are still a student, you are not included in the reserve team," Xu Bo laughed again.
Li Yuan couldn't help but smile. His achievements and specific strength might be known by someone at Fei Qian's level in the martial hall. But people like Wan Qinghe and Hall Master Zuo knew very little, and Xu Bo knew even less.
Li Yuan had no intention of showing off his physical fitness in front of his elders.
"I used to be in the city patrol reserve team as well. Now that the martial artists teams from Jiang City have gone to Shizhou, many reserve martial artists have been temporarily summoned into the 'official city patrol team'," Xu Bo said with a smile. "I volunteered to join."
"Volunteered?" Li Yuan was slightly surprised.
"Li Yuan, don't underestimate your teacher," Hall Master Zuo laughed. "If your teacher hadn't been injured... he would have been much stronger than me back in the day, almost as strong as Hall Master Wan."
"Back in the astral realm, your teacher was quite famous," Left Hall Master sighed.
Li Yuan looked at Xu Bo in surprise. He knew Xu Bo had ventured into the astral realm before retiring due to injuries, but this was the first time he learned so many details.
"Let's eat."
"Let's not talk about the past," Xu Bo said cheerfully. "Teaching at school now is also good. When you venture into the astral realm in the future, it will be like fighting on behalf of your teacher."
"Yes," Li Yuan smiled. "Teacher, take good care of yourself and teach more students. It's also a contribution."
The lunch banquet ended at noon.
Li Yuan went to the city martial hall to visit Fei Qian.
...
At four in the afternoon, Li Yuan arrived at the martial hall's affiliated middle school to pick up his younger siblings.
On the way, he passed by 'Guanshan District No. 1 High School,' his alma mater. The two schools were very close to each other.
Looking at the familiar school gate and unfamiliar students, there was still half an hour before Li Qianqian and Li Muhua finished school.
But Li Yuan only took a few distant glances at Guanshan District No. 1 High School without going in.
Li Yuan believed that the guard would recognize him, and it would not be difficult to enter and look around if he wanted to. But it didn't seem meaningful anymore.
"Revisiting old places is like searching for a sword by marking the side of a moving boat." Li Yuan sighed.
*In Chinese, "刻舟求剑" (kè zhōu qiú jiàn) is a metaphor that describes an impractical or foolish action, where someone carves a mark on the side of a boat to remember where a sword fell into the water, expecting to find the sword at the same spot after the boat has moved. It implies an inflexible mindset, ignoring changes in circumstances.
After multiple practical tests, continuous improvement in strength, and the upcoming life-and-death journey, it was difficult for Li Yuan to have the same mindset as he did in high school. The past years and classmates were long gone.*
...
Just after five in the afternoon, students from the martial hall's affiliated middle school poured out of the school gate like a tide.
Many parents gathered at the school gate, and Li Yuan was among them, looking very young.
Although he hadn't told his siblings in advance, with his keen eyesight, he wouldn't miss anyone entering or leaving the school gate.
Suddenly.
"Qianqian and Muhua." Li Yuan saw the boy and girl coming out of the school gate from a distance and moved like the wind, covering more than ten meters in an instant to reach them.
Both Li Qianqian and Li Muhua were startled.
Instinctively.
Li Muhua, in his shock, stepped forward and pulled Li Qianqian behind him.
Then, they saw the person in front of them clearly and their eyes lit up. "Brother!!"
"Big Brother!" They both exclaimed excitedly.
Li Qianqian even jumped directly onto Li Yuan, wrapping her arms around his neck, extremely excited.
"Get down, there are many people," Li Yuan laughed, patting Li Qianqian's hand.
"You're my brother, what's there to be afraid of," Li Qianqian pouted.
"Big Brother, why didn't you tell us?" Li Muhua laughed, looking much taller and stronger than six months ago.
"I..." Li Yuan was about to explain when his smart wristband suddenly vibrated violently.
"Hmm?" Li Yuan instinctively looked at it.
The smart wristband displayed a map-like image with numerous red lights flashing.
"So many?" Li Yuan's expression changed.
The smart wristband automatically displayed the 'Astral Realm Creature Early Warning System' of China's smart sky network.
As a registered 'first-level martial artists,' any astral realm creature detected within a ten-kilometer radius would be reported to Li Yuan, requesting his assistance.
"Only within a ten-kilometer radius, there are already so many intruding creatures?" Li Yuan's heart trembled as he scanned the map and saw at least hundreds of red dots scattered across it.
"Brother? What's wrong?" Li Qianqian and Li Muhua noticed Li Yuan's change in mood.
Before Li Yuan could answer.
"Boom~" The ground they stood on suddenly shook slightly, like an earthquake.
"What?"
"What's happening?" Not only Li Yuan and Li Muhua, but also many other students, parents, and even teachers nearby showed puzzled expressions.
They didn't know what was happening.
"This is bad." Li Yuan suddenly stared at the bustling street not far away and shouted, "This is bad, quickly, go into the school, there are astral realm creatures."
"What?" Li Qianqian and Li Muhua's faces changed dramatically.
Whoosh!
Li Yuan picked up his younger siblings and rushed into the school, heading directly to the edge of the teaching building.
Inside the school, there were defense systems, and the ground was heavily reinforced, making it relatively safe.
"Quick, there are astral realm creatures, the alarm went off!!"
"Attack! Massive attack."
"Quickly." Not only Li Yuan, but many other warrior parents receiving the warning also started shouting.
At that moment.
"Boom!" A muffled explosion sounded, followed by many people seeing it.
In the middle of the street, where cars usually traveled, the road suddenly collapsed, and countless mud and stones splattered, forming a huge pit.
The next second.
"Roar~~"
"Roar!" "Roar!" Sharp, terrifying sounds echoed from the big pit.
Swish! Swish! Swish! They saw humanoid creatures about two meters tall, with four arms, green skin, and long tails like fish, jumping out of the pit.
Their bodies were covered in water droplets and mud, as if they had just crawled out of the ground.
Only their four sharp, blade-like claws were truly terrifying.
Fish Spirit Tribe!!
A large number of Fish Spirit Tribe members were pouring out of the collapsed pit like a tide.
"It's the Fish Spirit Tribe."
"Run."
"Ah!!" The originally crowded school gate was now in chaos, with many screams and uproar.
Countless people's faces turned pale.
So many Fish Spirit Tribe members? Many people had never seen such a scene before.
But most people had undergone 'emergency rescue training' since childhood, so many students and parents immediately started sprinting along the street or rushing back into the school.
These parents and students reacted quickly, but the 'Fish Spirit Tribe Warriors' reacted even faster.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The first dozens of Fish Spirit Tribe members to jump out of the pit, their eyes glowing red, turned into streams of light and charged into the crowd.
Their orders were simple: slaughter!
Kill any human life they encountered.
"Boom!" "Boom!" Several combat drones were already speeding towards the scene.
However, at this moment, similar pits had appeared in various parts of Jiang City, with many Fish Spirit Tribe members emerging from rivers and lakes. Reinforcements couldn't arrive at every place immediately.
This was a catastrophic attack!!
"Whoosh~"
"Whoosh~" "Whoosh!" In an instant, some students and parents near the pit were killed.
Most humans were too weak to resist the intruding Fish Spirit Tribe warriors.
"Is this?"
"Those people." Li Qianqian and Li Muhua's faces turned pale. They were just middle school students and had never seen such a scene.
"You two stay here and don't move." A deep voice suddenly sounded in their ears.
Immediately.
Countless frightened students and parents, and even more distant ordinary people, saw it.
"Boom——!"
In their sight, a black figure appeared, bursting out with terrifying speed, covering fifty meters in an instant.
He seemed to be holding a short sword.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!" Terrifying sword lights swept through the air, creating a series of terrifying roars. The Fish Spirit Tribe warriors rushing towards the school gate were instantly split apart.
Heads flew.
Bodies were sliced in half.
Some were cut in two, blood splattering, filling the air with the smell of blood.
"Whoosh!" The black figure holding the war sword roared towards another group of Fish Spirit Tribe warriors.
"A martial artists."
"A high-level martial artists." Many people, frightened, were also relieved and excited.
martial artists! Strong martial artists were the backbone of resisting astral realm creatures.
"Brother?"
"Big Brother?" Li Qianqian and Li Muhua watched this scene with bated breath, feeling both shocked and excited.
That black figure.
Who else could it be but their big brother, Li Yuan?
"Quick." "Kill!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In just a few seconds, more than a dozen figures wielding various weapons rushed out of the school. They were the martial arts teachers at the school. To be a martial arts teacher, one had to be at least a level 12 martial artists, possessing considerable strength.
Without hesitation, these martial arts teachers leaped over the school walls, crossed the students and parents, and charged towards the Fish Spirit Tribe warriors.
However, the most terrifying human martial artists on the entire street was naturally Li Yuan. Without hesitation, he used "Mental Profundity," instantly bursting out with a speed approaching 80 meters per second.
In just a few seconds, he had killed more than 20 Fish Spirit Tribe warriors.
"Carrying a short sword with me at all times was indeed the right choice," Li Yuan thought coldly as he stepped over the body of a Fish Spirit Tribe warrior.
Killing?
For Li Yuan, killing these Fish Spirit Tribe members was like going through one of the many virtual battles he had experienced with the Fish Spirit Tribe. He showed no mercy.
After ensuring the safety of his younger siblings, he immediately took action.
What is the purpose of martial arts training?
To kill enemies and protect the country!
This is the duty of a warrior.
However, the Fish Spirit Tribe warriors were scattered in all directions, and Li Yuan could only block one direction.
"Ratatatatatata~" Several combat drones, rushing to provide support from high above, began precise shooting, fully killing some of the Fish Spirit Tribe warriors at the end of the street.
At the end of the street, several spider-like small robots, traveling at speeds over 30 meters per second, also sped towards the scene.
One could say that the crisis at this location was quickly being resolved.
"Roar~"
A deep voice suddenly came from the collapsed pit, followed by a Fish Spirit Tribe warrior over three meters tall, resembling a small giant, leaping out of the pit.
It held four short blades in its four arms, which looked very crude but suited its size. Its green skin had faint purple stripes, distinguishing it clearly from other Fish Spirit Tribe warriors.
"It's a high-level Fish Spirit Tribe warrior."
"It has purple stripes."
"At least level 18. With so many purple stripes, it might even be level 19." The martial arts teachers fighting the Fish Spirit Tribe warriors all looked grim.
At least level 18!
Such strength surpassed any martial arts teacher present.
Even combat drones and robots, equipped with thermal weapons, found it increasingly difficult to deal with such high-level alien creatures. These high-level warriors were too fast, capable of easily dodging a barrage of bullets.
"Boom!"
The high-level Fish Spirit Tribe warrior leaped tens of meters, heading straight for the school gate... No, it was charging at Li Yuan, the strongest warrior present.
"Watch out."
"Retreat quickly." Many martial arts teachers shouted in alarm, and many students and parents were terrified.
"Big brother." Li Qianqian and Li Muhua's hearts clenched.
They weren't foolish; they knew that their brother had just started his freshman year. Could he handle such a powerful Fish Spirit Tribe warrior?
However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Li Yuan, who had just killed another Fish Spirit Tribe warrior, showed no hesitation or fear.
"Boom!" He leaped more than ten meters, swiftly meeting the high-level Fish Spirit Tribe warrior head-on.
"Boom!"
"Clang~" "Clang~" "Bang~!!" Contrary to what many expected, it was not a one-sided battle.
Li Yuan burst out with astonishing speed and strength, engaging in a terrifying clash with the Fish Spirit Tribe warrior.
"Boom~" The terrifying force of tens of thousands of kilograms from both sides caused the surrounding concrete ground to shatter, sending debris flying.
Two Fish Spirit Tribe warriors were directly killed by the shockwaves.
"Level 18.9, truly formidable," Li Yuan thought, staring intently at his opponent.
Li Yuan had immediately used his spiritual probe to confirm the creature's life level.
Level 18.9!
With a punching force of nearly 50,000 kilograms and a burst speed close to 100 meters per second.
If such a high-level Fish Spirit Tribe warrior were allowed to kill freely, it alone could result in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of ordinary people.
"You must die," Li Yuan's eyes turned red as he fully unleashed his power, his blade lights continuous and deadly.