Chapter 24: Earth-Shaking Divine Elephant

The conversation outside continued.

"Hey! Tell me, if I knock that damn male out of the game and avenge the female Duan, do you think she’ll fall in love with me instantly and choose to take me as her sixth beast-husband?" The male spoke, his tone growing increasingly suggestive.

Feng Jingxuan and Zang Zexin gritted their teeth simultaneously.

In his dreams!

It was unclear which part they were objecting to.

Xiao Ningxue rested her forehead in her hand. It seemed the highest honor for a male here was to marry a female and become her beast-husband. It couldn't be helped; females were far too scarce. Ninety percent of beastmen were bachelors—a terrifying statistic in any nation. Added to that, the Federal Government’s vigorous efforts to elevate the status of females made such sentiments among the beastmen entirely unsurprising.

Feng Jingxuan signaled Zang Zexin with a few gestures, and Zang Zexin nodded. Xiao Ningxue watched their silent communication with curiosity.

[My Fate is Mine to Decide (Zang Zexin): Can you understand that?]

Xiao Ningxue shook her head. She could, but she shouldn't.

[My Fate is Mine to Decide (Zang Zexin): It’s okay. You’ll learn the specialized code after the semester starts. Don’t worry; leave them to Feng Jingxuan and me.]

Xiao Ningxue nodded gently. The two men moved in perfect sync, separating. Xiao Ningxue remained quietly where she was, waiting for them and playing the part of a "fragile wood-element ability user."

To ensure fairness, the game provided no perspective other than a map showing the location of teammates; there were essentially no ways to view what was happening elsewhere. Xiao Ningxue’s eyes flickered, a flash of silver light crossed her hands, and her presence vanished completely. Yes, her second ability—spatial manipulation—was also usable within the game. It seemed this first round had entirely preserved their innate abilities.

The years Xiao Ningxue had spent surviving in the post-apocalyptic world were proof enough of her strength. She wasn't particularly afraid of these people, but the fact that Zang Zexin and Feng Jingxuan had chosen not to abandon her warmed her heart.

Feng Jingxuan and Zang Zexin moved quickly. After just a few shifts in position, they spotted a trio of beastmen. They bore distinct animal traits: a leopard, a wolf, and a lynx. When Zang Zexin saw the wolf, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. It was his cousin. A faint, cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he gestured to Feng Jingxuan.

Though surprised, Feng Jingxuan’s attention shifted to the other two beastmen. *Damn it!* He hated animals with high speed! Feng Jingxuan excelled in brute strength and explosive power; fast animals could drain his patience completely.

Zang Zexin intentionally made a slight noise, immediately drawing the attention of the three.

"Who's there?!"

"It's me." Zang Zexin stepped out casually.

Feng Jingxuan’s eyes widened. *Wait, what is this guy Zang Zexin doing?*

"Zexin? You're here too?" Zang Shuying greeted him upon seeing him.

"Cousin, what were you just saying about a female?" Zang Zexin asked, feigning ignorance.

Zang Shuying, initially puzzled by his cousin’s presence, immediately pushed his confusion aside at the mention of the female. "I'm telling you, this game, that female is in it too! I heard a male made her angry, so we’ve all decided to form an alliance to take that male out and vent her frustrations! Do you want to join?"

Zang Zexin frowned, his expression grave. "Fine. What does that male look like?" He was naturally a serious person, and his brevity drew no suspicion from Zang Shuying.

"The start of the game was too rushed; no one has a photo of him. But it doesn't matter. I heard the male who seduced the female Duan is in his full human form. It'll be easy to spot him once we run into him. Stick with me, and we’ll teach that guy a lesson together!"

Zang Zexin nodded expressionlessly. His cousin had always maintained an aloof image, so he wasn't suspicious of his lack of reaction. After all, standing united against a common enemy was the right thing to do!

Hidden in the shadows, Feng Jingxuan marveled at the scene. He had learned something today: this guy was incredibly cunning! If Zang Zexin hadn't secretly signaled him earlier, he might have been fooled, too!

Xiao Ningxue, who had completely concealed herself, was equally surprised. She hadn't realized Zang Zexin’s brother was among them. She saw Zang Zexin’s hand signal and understood his intent: he was going to work from the inside to coordinate with Feng Jingxuan. With these people around, no one else would search the area thoroughly, giving them more time to lay their plans.

Zang Shuying, unaware that his cousin was the "enemy," continued to lament, "Never thought I’d run into you, kid. Now, we might actually find that damn male and teach him a lesson!"

Zang Zexin frowned. For some reason, under his cousin’s constant emphasis, he felt increasingly annoyed and wanted to teach his cousin a lesson instead. Xiao Qingyu was a perfectly fine male! He had his reasons for being difficult with the female Duan!

Just as he was about to act, Zang Zexin’s ears twitched. Feng Jingxuan noticed it too and quickly hid his presence, his eyes darting around to locate Xiao Ningxue. He didn't look, and when he did, he was shocked. *Where is my good roommate?!* His roommate, who was so... oh, no, so small... where did he go?

Feng Jingxuan panicked internally, but with others approaching, he dared not act rashly.

"Who's there!" Zang Zexin barked coldly.

Zang Shuying and his companions were not students from the First Military Academy; in other words, their natural gifts were not as sharp as Zang Zexin's. It was only after Zang Zexin spoke that they detected the presence of the newcomer.

Their muscles tensed immediately. They pulled out the weapons they had scavenged: "Who is it? Come out!"

"Don't be so tense, everyone! I'm also looking for that male in full human form!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zang Shuying and the others relaxed instantly. "Oh, you're looking for him too!"

Hidden in the dark, Xiao Ningxue’s mouth twitched. If she had known this would happen when she made that female cry, she would have just quit the game. Now, it was a mess. Even if it wasn't front-page news, it was close enough. Once these people spread the word... it was enough to make her see stars from pure frustration.

Feng Jingxuan was anxious. More people were gathering. When could they finally make their move? Xiao Qingyu’s combat effectiveness was negligible, and Zang Zexin was hesitant to strike because of his cousin. Feng Jingxuan didn't suspect Zang Zexin of betrayal; loyalty was a belief carved into the bones of every beastman warrior. Of course, that only applied to beastman warriors.

The person who had spoken finally revealed himself. Feng Jingxuan gasped. It was someone from the Elephant Clan! And not just any—the Earth-Shattering God Elephant clan, the species with the largest original form in the universe! It was said they were one of the races unconditionally drafted into the military. As soon as they came of age, they were eligible for service, and no clan dared to object.

Seeing the newcomer, Zang Zexin’s brows furrowed slightly. This person... he seemed to be standing at the very front of the pack earlier!

They were about to be exposed!

Zang Zexin signaled Feng Jingxuan to prepare for battle! Feng Jingxuan braced himself, ready to strike.