Chapter 574: The Top 20 Are Here, Who Dares Detain Me?

Chapter 574: The Top 20 Stands Here, Who Dares Detain Me?

Zhang Yu sensed that the situation was turning sour, and before he could ascertain the true nature of their intent, he decided to cease all meaningful discourse with them.

Noticing that Zhang Yu had grown uncooperative and was offering only perfunctory responses to their inquiries, Daoist Xuyang let out a deliberate cough.

"Student Zhang Yu," he began, "the members of the Dual Cultivation Sect are unscrupulous, and lying is second nature to them."

"Such people will stop at nothing to achieve their ends."

"Whatever Shui Haiyu may have told you, it would be best if you did not believe a word of it."

Zhang Yu gestured toward the school-wide ranking hovering above his head and said coolly, "Gentlemen, I have just concluded a competition and require some peace."

"I am currently ranked 44th in the school. If you truly wish to interrogate me, please submit a formal request to your superiors first. Once that is done, I shall certainly cooperate with your investigation."

Beside him, Yun Yuqing let out a cold snort. "Zhang Yu, investigating the Demonic Sect is a matter of grave importance, one that the Heavenly Court itself monitors. Everyone at Wanfa University, from faculty to students, is obligated to cooperate."

"We are speaking with you civilly now to give you a chance. Once you are formally taken into custody for interrogation, the matter will no longer be in your hands."

Zhang Yu replied indifferently, "Gentlemen, I still require my rest."

He gestured toward the door with his right hand. "If you please."

Seeing that Zhang Yu remained unmoved, Yun Yuqing sent a message to Daoist Xuyang: Captain, what now? We cannot intimidate him.

Daoist Xuyang replied: This Zhang Yu is far too composed.

Yun Yuqing: What do you mean?

Daoist Xuyang: Think of all the suspects we have encountered—is there a single one among them as calm as he is?

Daoist Xuyang: I cannot sense a shred of disgust, fear, or anger toward the Dual Cultivation Sect in him.

Daoist Xuyang: To him, the sect sounds like nothing more than an ordinary organization.

Yun Yuqing paused, reflecting on Zhang Yu’s demeanor, and was startled to realize he was right.

Daoist Xuyang: Furthermore, he was evasive regarding Shui Haiyu; he definitely knows something.

Yun Yuqing: And what of it? He is in the top 50 and a disciple of the Magnetic Pole True Lord. Even if the Artifact Refining Department is outside our jurisdiction, we cannot touch him without approval from the leadership.

Daoist Xuyang: There is definitely something wrong with this Zhang Yu.

Yun Yuqing: How so?

Daoist Xuyang: Intuition. The intuition I have honed from capturing hundreds of demonic cultists tells me so.

Daoist Xuyang: There is something hidden behind this Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu urged them again, "Gentlemen, are you not leaving?"

Daoist Xuyang smiled faintly. "I know that students of the Artifact Refining Department are busy—either reviewing data or preparing experiments. With your excellent grades, Student Zhang Yu, your time must be quite precious, yes?"

Zhang Yu frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

Daoist Xuyang continued, "Shui Haiyu incited a strike at Shanhai Vocational University that lasted for an hour."

Watching the flash of surprise in Zhang Yu’s eyes, Daoist Xuyang pressed on: "This news has been suppressed for the time being; few people know of it."

"Shui Haiyu has fled, and upon investigating him, we discovered he sent quite a few emails to you."

Daoist Xuyang offered a piece of advice: "Student Zhang Yu, if you would allow us to examine your ocular implants to confirm that the data within has not been tainted by the Dual Cultivation Sect, it would prove your innocence and be to your benefit."

"Should others begin to suspect you are entangled with the sect, being sent to a detention center for several months would be quite a troublesome affair, would it not?"

Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened. "Are you threatening me?"

Daoist Xuyang chuckled lightly. "Student Zhang Yu, do not be so defensive. We are acting for the safety of the school, and for your own good."

Before the situation was clear, Zhang Yu could not possibly hand over his ocular implants for inspection. Who knew what their true intentions were, or if they would tamper with his hardware?

Zhang Yu simply pointed to the ranking above his head and said calmly, "Do you see the ranking above me? If you have questions, you must follow protocol: apply to your superiors, and then notify the Director of the Wanfa Artifact Refining Department."

As he spoke these words, the "44th in School" above his head seemed to swell in size.

Yun Yuqing sneered from the side, "Zhang Yu, being in the top 50 is impressive, but it does not put you above the law. You are not in the top 20, let alone the top 10. Once you are linked to the Demonic Sect, you can be detained just like anyone else..."

Before Yun Yuqing could finish, the ranking above Zhang Yu’s head began to shift violently.

First, his departmental ranking flickered, jumping from 13th to 12th, then 10th, 8th... finally settling at 6th.

Then, his school-wide ranking began to strobe intensely, leaping from 44th to 35th in one breath, then to 21st, and finally, flickering before the stunned eyes of Daoist Xuyang and Yun Yuqing, it locked in at 19th.

"Top 20 in the school?"

Watching this, Yun Yuqing gasped, "What have you done? How could your ranking skyrocket like this?"

Zhang Yu glanced at the "19th in School" above him and smiled faintly. "When you were in school... did you never place in a competition?"

Yun Yuqing was still in disbelief, thinking, "How could it jump so high?!"

Daoist Xuyang’s expression shifted slightly, and he thought to himself, "To jump this much in one go... he must have taken first place in the inter-school design competition."

Daoist Xuyang stood up. "Congratulations, Student Zhang Yu."

Watching the two retreat, Zhang Yu sent another message to Zhang Pianpian, inquiring about the relevant intelligence.

Not long after Daoist Xuyang and Yun Yuqing left Zhang Yu’s room, they both received messages from their superiors.

"Who authorized you to investigate the 19th-ranked student in the school? Did you follow protocol? Do you have any sense of organizational discipline left? Are you trying to turn the world upside down?"

Daoist Xuyang replied helplessly, "He wasn't at that rank a minute ago."

"Don't give me excuses. Vice Principal Qiyun has just ordered materials to be collected so we can publicly commend Zhang Yu for his first-place finish among the hundred schools."

"You can explain your unauthorized investigation of a top-20 student to the school leadership yourselves." Hearing the scathing reprimand from above, Yun Yuqing’s face turned pale.

...

Meanwhile.

At the Investment Management Office of Wanfa University.

As soon as Daoist Mosha entered the office, he saw the Director engaged in a pleasant conversation with a stranger.

Seeing Daoist Mosha enter, the Director beckoned him over. "Mosha, this is Daoist Yun Yang from the Wandao Group."

The Director then turned to the visitor. "This is our office’s Daoist Mosha, who is specifically responsible for matters concerning the Artifact Refining Department."

Upon hearing the name "Wandao Group," Daoist Mosha felt a chill. He knew this was a giant enterprise from above the sixth level, a highly profitable conglomerate under the sect’s jurisdiction—a company within a company, a group within a group.

Daoist Mosha quickly offered his greetings.

Daoist Yun Yang smiled faintly. "I shall get straight to the point."

"The Group has always been exploring emerging markets. This time, our leadership saw the entries for the Artifact Design Competition and became very interested in the work of the first-place winner, Zhang Yu."

"Therefore, they sent me to Wanfa University to initiate some cooperation with Student Zhang Yu."

The reason Daoist Yun Yang had come here was that, according to standard practice, outstanding students in the Artifact Refining Department usually signed various contracts with the school.

For the establishment of laboratories, research institutes, and companies, the school usually provided the bulk of the spirit coins, and in return, acted as agents for the students' various patents.

In Daoist Yun Yang’s view, Zhang Yu should be no exception.

Hearing this, the Director laughed heartily. As the Director of the Investment Management Office, he had been under immense pressure ever since the economic crisis, and even as the economy began to recover, he remained buried under a mountain of targets and tasks.

To him, the news that the Wandao Group sought to collaborate with the Artifact Refining Department felt like a windfall of professional achievement dropped from the heavens.

Though student-led ventures had never constituted a significant portion of his portfolio nor commanded his primary attention, any association with the Wandao Group was a feather in his cap.

It was precisely because True Lord Taihe focused his energies on finance, commerce, and real estate—remaining largely unfamiliar with student projects—that he had summoned True Person Mosha.

True Person Mosha, however, was momentarily taken aback: "First place... Zhang Yu?"

True Person Yunyang of the Wandao Group offered a faint smile: "Although the awards have yet to be formally presented, the rankings are essentially finalized, and the data should have already been synchronized to Wanfa University."

"Of course, the crux of the matter is that we are genuinely intrigued by Student Zhang Yu's design."

True Lord Taihe, Director of the Investment Management Office, asked: "Mosha, what is the situation with Zhang Yu's company? Tell us what you know."

True Person Mosha could not help but send a message: Director, it seems... we haven't invested in Zhang Yu; we hold neither his copyrights nor any shares in his company.

True Lord Taihe: Such an exceptional student, why was there no investment?

True Person Mosha: He is only a senior, and he only recently transferred to the Artifact Refining Department...

True Person Yunyang looked at the two of them and said: "Gentlemen, is there a problem?"

True Lord Taihe smiled slightly: "No problem at all. We shall contact Zhang Yu for you immediately."

...

Zhang Pianpian: According to the patrol team's investigation, Shui Haiyu was taken away by the Dual Cultivation Sect.

Zhang Pianpian: There is no record of him being detained by the orthodox deities of the Spirit Realm.

Zhang Yu: Did someone hijack the Spirit Realm at that time?

Zhang Pianpian: It is currently uncertain.

As Zhang Yu was reviewing the messages sent by Zhang Pianpian, he received a friend request from someone named True Person Mosha.

Seeing that the individual wished to bid for his blueprints, Zhang Yu frowned slightly and chose not to respond for the moment.

Yet, the instant he stepped off the flying vessel, he was intercepted by True Person Mosha.

"Student Zhang Yu, is it?" True Person Mosha glanced at the ranking displayed above the young man's head, his expression growing increasingly fervent: "The school leadership is greatly heartened to hear that you have secured first place in the design competition."

Zhang Yu was no longer a novice to Kunxu; the more warmth the other party displayed, the more guarded he became: "What is it you want?"

True Person Mosha: "I am True Person Mosha from the Investment Management Office; the school wishes to invest in promising prospects such as yourself."

"Your design blueprints haven't been sold yet, have they?"

"The school intends to purchase them all at a premium price."

Zhang Yu replied: "My apologies, I have pressing matters to attend to. Let us discuss this later."

True Person Mosha hurried to block his path: "Wait, Student Zhang Yu, our leadership wishes to see you..."

At that moment, a projection shimmered into existence before Zhang Yu.

True Lord Ciji spoke coolly: "Mosha, my disciple and I have matters to discuss. You can attend to your investment affairs later."

Watching the two walk away, a flicker of resentment crossed Mosha's face.

(End of chapter)