I Became the Alchemy Master by Picking Up Trash-Chapter 175 - 173: Poor Jiang Junnan

Yang Zhou put away the mask, stood up, and looked at Li Xing with eyes full of relief and pride.

"Li Xing, I watched the Tianyi Tournament, and you did well. You didn’t disgrace Datang Academy. Keep up the good work in the next match, and aim to win first place in your group!"

Li Xing nodded, knowing in her heart that Yang Zhou was saying goodbye to her.

"Principal, what have you been busy with lately, and why haven’t you been in touch with Uncle Li and me? Don’t you know that without your news, we’re very worried?"

Yang Zhou lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes hiding the tumultuous emotions within, and said softly, "What I’m doing now is a bit dangerous. It’s not convenient for you to know."

Li Xing got anxious: "You, you’re not joining some illegal organization, are you? Be honest, do you have any connection to those people who attacked the civilians today?"

Yang Zhou’s face turned black, this kid is really clever when she’s clever, but when she’s dumb, it’s truly infuriating.

"Are you out of your mind? I come from a good background, have a correct worldview, and would have no connections with a terrorist organization. Even if I did, it would be opposing them. Keep thinking of those pointless things, and I’ll knock you silly!"

Yang Zhou’s words did not dispel Li Xing’s doubts.

"Jiang Junnan is also of noble birth, yet he became an accomplice. Don’t use this as an excuse! Hmph, I heard it! The person in your earpiece called you Adviser Yang! You’re no longer with the Four Grand Legions, so who are you advising now?"

Yang Zhou was having a headache, is this guy a donkey’s ear?

Seeing Li Xing’s serious little face, with eyes like black glazed beads filled with worry and tension, Yang Zhou’s heart suddenly softened.

"I really can’t do anything about you..." Yang Zhou sighed. If he ever had a daughter, even half as persistent as Li Xing, he would definitely be a pushover for her.

Hmm? That’s not right!

Why would he have such a frightening thought? Hadn’t he planned never to marry? Why would he desire to have a daughter???

It’s absolutely absurd!

"It doesn’t matter if I tell you, I’m a Staff Officer of the Freedom Army. The ones causing trouble today were from the Cult of Immortals. We got intel from an informant that they would disguise themselves as performers in the celebration and attack civilians in Harass City. Unfortunately, we arrived a step too late and couldn’t stop the attack before it happened. Luckily, there were not many casualties, and the involved cultists were annihilated by us."

The Cult of Immortals has been the longest-existing and most harmful cult on the Qianyuan Continent. It is said to have been established since the era of the Immortal Departure.

The Cult of Immortals’ deeds have been vile, harming fellow countrymen, making them a public enemy to all righteous people.

Throughout history, there have been numerous large-scale operations to eradicate the Cult of Immortals, and the sect hierarch Mingzhen had been executed publicly several times.

But oddly enough, after a period of time, the Cult of Immortals would reemerge, with a new hierarch called Mingzhen, looking exactly like the one who died.

This led to the rumor that the sect hierarch of the Cult of Immortals was an immortal true immortal, spreading among the people, even attracting a large number of ignorant folks to join the cult willingly.

The last time the Cult of Immortals resurfaced was seventeen years ago, and the hierarch still called himself Mingzhen.

Though the Cult of Immortals’ actions against compatriots have been despicable and shameless, it cannot be denied that their cult members are very strong.

The Four Grand Legions guard the borders to fend off Star Beasts’ chaos, while the internal security of the federation has always been the responsibility of the guard teams of towns.

The guard teams in middle and lower towns are mixed in quality and mostly no match for the Cult of Immortals.

Moreover, the Cult of Immortals randomly chooses targets, blooming everywhere, and their hit-and-run harassment tactics are even more headache-inducing. There was a time when the name of the Cult of Immortals could stop children from crying at night.

When the entire federation was troubled over how to deal with the Cult of Immortals, the Freedom Army stepped forward.

Compared to the guard teams, the Freedom Army’s strength was leaps and bounds higher, with strict discipline and organized order. Under their strategic planning, the Cult of Immortals suffered repeated fatal blows, and terrorist attacks became increasingly infrequent.

To this day, no one knows where the Freedom Army’s headquarters is or who their commander is, but based on their equipment and weapons, it is speculated there is substantial economic support behind the Freedom Army.

Strictly speaking, the Freedom Army isn’t a regular army, but the government tacitly allows its existence, even quietly giving them the green light. The public has a great opinion of them, calling them the Fifth Legion of the Federation for a time.

Knowing Yang Zhou is with the Freedom Army, a smile finally emerged on Li Xing’s face.

Yang Zhou snorted proudly: "Feel relieved now?"

Li Xing smiled with bent eyes.

"Relieved, relieved, with my understanding of you, you absolutely wouldn’t do anything against natural justice and conscience. I was just joking with you just now!"

Yang Zhou rolled his eyes at her, turned to leave, but was stopped by Li Xing again.

"What about Jiang Junnan, won’t you take him for questioning?"

"No need, the most important clues are already with me. As for Jiang Junnan himself, he’s just a pawn being used, taking him would only hinder the Freedom Army. You hand him over to the guard team, that should give them something to do."

Li Xing nodded, and Yang Zhou turned once again, only to be pulled back again.

In the earpiece, Zheng Qi had already urged twice, and Yang Zhou couldn’t help but get angry:

"What now—!"

Li Xing took out a space button and pressed it into Yang Zhou’s palm, whispering: 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Principal, you once said that a person’s heart is more dangerous than a Star Beast. I find that very true. I’m not worried about you going to the Star Beast Battlefield, but if you’re going against the Cult of Immortals, I am a bit uneasy. In the space button are Heavenly Essence Pills and Heavenly Spirit Pills, all of high quality, in considerable quantity, don’t be reluctant to use them."

The small space button felt heavy in his hand, and Yang Zhou’s eyes almost reddened.

Girls are really thoughtful; to have such a considerate companion, should he maybe mend his relationship with Chu Ying a bit?

The earpiece sounded again with Zheng Qi’s urging, this time Yang Zhou, immersed in the emotions of a doting father, turned a deaf ear, and it was Li Xing who reminded him:

"Principal, he said if you don’t go, the spaceship won’t wait."

Yang Zhou came to his senses, reached out to rub Li Xing’s head, and then turned and walked away quickly.

Not long after Yang Zhou left, Ye Qingting, Cui Tianxiao, and Qi Ming rushed in from outside. Judging by the extent of the restaurant’s damage, they estimated that the person who had fought with Li Xing was quite formidable, likely bearing peculiar abilities like a Fire Elemental Spirit Dancer.

Seeing Li Xing safe and sound, the three of them heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"Ah Xing, where’s the person who ambushed you?"

Li Xing pointed to the ground: "Over there."

After Li Xing’s reminder, the three finally noticed the person lying on the ground.

The restaurant was blasted to look like it had been hit by a divine punishment, and Jiang Junnan’s body was shriveled and withered, covered in dust, hidden by the shattered and upturned floor tiles, making it indeed hard to spot.

"This..." Ye Qingting was surprised, did he remember wrong? The person who ambushed Ah Xing was clearly a young man.

"He took a strange pill, and his strength surged, but I still defeated him. After losing, his entire being seemed hollowed out, aging rapidly, turning into this."

Cui Tianxiao clicked his teeth: "While pursuing power can be understood, paying the price with life force is too much."

Li Xing nodded: "We all know this person."

The three were stunned, who could it be?

"He’s the blond guy who attacked me with a poison needle during the preliminaries."

Cui Tianxiao exclaimed, "Jiang Junnan?!"

The three immediately squatted beside Jiang Junnan, huddling to examine him closely.

After a moment, Cui Tianxiao shook his head: "Xing, if you say this is Jiang Junnan’s great-grandfather, then I’d believe it."

Qi Ming pointed to Jiang Junnan’s nose, saying to Cui Tianxiao: "Brother Xiao, do you remember when Sister Xing originally broke Jiang Junnan’s nose? Look at this person’s nasal bone, there are clear signs of bone scars, suggesting the injury was less than three months old. It should be him!"

Ye Qingting nodded: "Xiao Ming is right, judging from the bone structure, it really is Jiang Junnan!"

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside, and the guard team finally arrived tardily. Upon learning that a presumed terrorist involved in the attack had been captured by Li Xing alive, the captain was so moved that he had tears in his eyes, shaking her hand for a full minute before letting go.

With this captive, the captain could finally give an account to the City Lord.

The Bright Festival terror attack event effectively ended here, and the aftermath and cleanup work would be handled by the City Lord Mansion and the guard team.

Omitting the issues with the three-eyed strange worm and the mask, Li Xing briefly explained what had happened and then left the scene, heading back to school, amid the somewhat humble attitude of the Guard Captain.