Xiang Ning had emerged like a meteor without any warning signs, taking everyone’s breath away. He was the prodigy of Marsh City, with impressive talent and capabilities. 

That was now the guy who fell after someone had bumped into him. It was unbelievable that he used to be known as the best martial artist of his generation in the city, subduing thousands of beasts alone, saving a city, and fighting the Octoviolet Silversnake. 

Many people sighed. He used to be the goalpost for the younger generation in Marsh City, a target of worship and a knight in shining armor. Everyone knew of the story between him and Fang Rou. He had trekked deep into the wilderness for her, arriving like the Chosen One, a character out of a fairytale. 

But now it was all just a legend. There always comes a day when the hero loses or the knight was crippled. Fairytales were just fairytales. Just like in the story, the prince only picked Cinderella because she was pretty. And no matter how ugly the Ugly Duckling was, it was still a swan. That was why they were stories. 

But the influence Xiang Ning had was undeniable. 

This incident was posted online, too. Although it didn’t go as viral as news of Xiang Ning had before, it was popular enough as there were still people following his current condition. 

“Sigh, I’m not sure what to say.” 

“Is he able to accept all of it?” 

“He must be painfully struggling inside.” 

Was he able to accept it all? Was he struggling inside? Those bystanders placed themselves in his shoes. His future used to be so bright, based on his accolades and popularity. It was heaven to them. But now he had fallen from heaven to hell, from being a god to a person who had nothing. All that was left was his shell. Was he really able to accept it? They wouldn’t be able to. Was he struggling? They would have gone crazy, smashing things at night. 

But what about Xiang Ning? Since the beginning, he had never shown any sadness. Many people remembered that gentle smile, that silly smile that made their hearts ache. 

“I don’t know, I just knew that after killing that big guy, my friends would be safe.…” That was what Xiang Ning had said in an interview as he left Hang City, as well as the only thing he’d said at all. 

......

After school, Xiang Ning habitually went to the research facility in the Chaos to do some research. Now, he was ranked only slightly below the Twelve Great Prodigies. That was why he participated in both dimensional travel and engine technology research. 

“Xiang Ning’s here! Come take a look—based on the energy required, how much should we compress the node for dimensional travel?” 

“Xiang Ning, can you take a look and see when this turbocharging engine will be ready?” 

The research questions were supposed to be investigated by the Great Prodigies and their research team. Oddly, their team had formed a dependence on a teenage boy. There was no choice; sometimes, even if they didn’t have high hopes for him to know the answer, he would say something that inspired them. 

That was why his time was still aptly filled. 

Under Xiang Ning’s nudges, dimensional travel and engine technology gradually took shape. Both Great Prodigies were in a frenzied work state, and Xiang Ning was forced to plead that he was tired and wanted to take a few days off to rest so the two masters could calm down. He was afraid to arrive and see both of them collapse one day. 

......

It was nine at night. Xiang Ning punctually arrived home, but the moment he stepped inside, his body wavered and his sister hurried over to help him. 

“Big brother, are you alright?” She was worried. This wasn’t the first time; it had happened every few days since his return. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I used my brain too much today, it’s on strike.” He smiled, shaking his head. Not only was his physical strength affected, his Mental Power was as well. Other than his sister, no one else knew how much sleep he actually needed these days. Thus, he went straight to bed without even showering. 

Xiang Xiaoyu helped him to his bed. Now, she was no longer the fragile maiden she once was. Even some of her brother’s peers weren’t as strong as her. 

Today was the year 2319 of the Spirit Origin Era, the night of Qing Ming. It had been sunny all day, but the rain must eventually come. Tucking him in, she sighed and glanced at him helplessly, then looked at the rain outside. [1]

No one would have expected everything to have lasted three months. The stampede at Hang City had never stopped. 

The tournament had been canceled because Hang City was facing the largest invasion on record, with the number of Beast Kings exceeding double digits. It looked like the beasts planned to go on until Hang City was demolished. 

Within Marsh City, Xiang Ning was paying close attention to the situation there. He grew uncomfortable as he watched the screen, but wasn’t sure why he felt that way. He had seen that kind of news before, but he’d never felt a thing. Right now, though, he felt some panic and his Combat Instinct told him that there was danger present. And the feeling only grew stronger. 

......

One day in July. 

The weather had gradually warmed with a kind of heat that made people irritable. A shrill, urgent alarm suddenly sounded across Marsh City. It was the day the world changed for many of its citizens. 

It was the second period that morning, only about nine o’clock when the entire academy erupted into action. 

“Attention all students, we received notice that a large number of beasts has appeared in an underground water tunnel in the southwestern region of Marsh City. All teachers, please lead the students into the underground bunker in an orderly manner. Any teachers above tier three, special trainees, and upper-secondary third-year students, please remain,” Qi Jiuming’s voice echoed across the school compound. 

Xiang Ning’s first thought was his sister. He completely ignored Su Muhan, who was soothing the students on the platform and requesting they leave in an orderly manner. He rushed out, and when Fatty Wang saw him, he rushed out as well. 

Coincidentally, a male teacher passed their classroom and Su Muhan yelled, “Teacher Li, please help me bring these students to the bunker!” Then she rushed out, too. She didn’t ask anyone to stop Xiang Ning, because she knew where he was going. Fatty Wang, who was almost as strong as their teachers, was with him, so he shouldn’t be in any immediate danger. She rushed out because she didn’t want the Son of Marsh City to encounter any more tragedies. 

He had suffered enough. 

1. Qing Ming is a day of remembrance for the dead. People usually visit graves and temples to remember their ancestors. It’s common for it to rain in China during Qing Ming. ☜

Beasts huh? MC finally returning back to action!