Chapter 195

"3, 2, 1, smile."

"Jingming, thanks so much. Next time I'll treat you to dinner."

After taking photos with their phones, several girls reluctantly left.

With the departure of these final few girls, Xu Jingming's surroundings finally grew quiet once more.

"I've figured it out—our class girls dress up so nicely just for you, Ah Ming."

Zhang Hao snorted, picked up an apple from the table, and took a big bite.

The apple was sweet, but he felt a sour pang inside.

"Of course—Ah Ming has an S-rank ability and is Tianmo University's prodigy.

Who else would they be after if not him?"

Liu Jie rolled his eyes. "Do you believe me? If Ah Ming even slightly shows interest,

some girls in our class will climb into his bed tonight!"

"That's exaggerated, right?!"

Zhang Hao's eyes widened—this truly shattered his worldview.

"Haha, this is still mild!"

Liu Jie looked at him like he'd never seen the world. "Our school has an A-rank ability awakener who does nothing, doesn't even cultivate.

Yet dozens of girls still throw themselves at him, just to bear his children."

Such a man might as well be called a stud, yet people still flocked to him endlessly.

After all, if lucky enough to give birth to a B-rank ability child, an entire family's fate could change.

"This..."

Zhang Hao, who had always studied at Culture University, gaped in shock.

"It's not that extreme—most girls are still reserved," Xu Jingming shook his head.

He knew exactly what Liu Jie meant.

But those girls were essentially breeding tools for powerful clans—they weren't normal anymore.

"True enough."

Liu Jie nodded, then his expression turned lewd again:

"Ah Ming, you've never dated anyone at Tianmo—do you like guys?"

"How about me? Do I suit your taste? Jingming-gege~~~"

Liu Jie simpered and leaned in.

"Get lost!"

Xu Jingming's face darkened; he shoved him away.

This guy just loved pulling stupid stunts.

After stopping Liu Jie's antics, Xu Jingming scanned the hall—but saw no sign of Lin Qingyuan. He frowned:

"Huh? Where's our homeroom teacher?"

"Her friends said she left a few minutes ago and said she'd be back soon," Zhang Hao explained, having finished his apple.

"Really?" Xu Jingming frowned slightly.

A park, over thirty years old, lay one kilometer from Fuding Restaurant.

Due to years of neglect, all its facilities had decayed and it was long abandoned.

"Why would my mom choose this place to meet me? Is she bringing me something?"

Lin Qingyuan arrived at the park, her delicate brows furrowing as she scanned the area—no one in sight.

Lin Qingyuan furrowed her delicate brows upon arriving at the park, scanning the surroundings, but saw not a single soul.

"Beep—"

"Beep—"

"The number you dialed is currently unreachable. Please try again later."

Lin Qingyuan had called her mother repeatedly, but the line remained unanswered.

In January's Jiangnan, dusk fell early; it was nearly six p. ., and the sky was pitch black.

Only a few ancient park lamps flickered weakly in the gloom.

The winter wind brushed against Lin Qingyuan's face, making her instinctively pull her coat tighter.

"I should leave now."

She sensed something wrong and turned to go.

But it was too late.

Two figures in black combat suits emerged from the darkness.

One of them twirled a dagger in his hand, sneering:

"You came all this way—why rush to leave?"

"High-rank ability user!"

Lin Qingyuan's pupils contracted; she took a deep breath, forcing calm:

"Gentlemen, I haven't offended you. I just happened to pass by."

"You didn't offend us—but your dear classmate Xu Jingming destroyed our branch, causing us serious trouble.

We can't touch Xu Jingming, so we came for you instead."

The black-clad ability user narrowed his eyes.

"You're from the Destiny Cult!" Lin Qingyuan realized, her face paling instantly.

Having encountered the Destiny Cult up close with Xu Jingming, she knew their terror all too well.

"Bingo! Congrats on guessing right—too bad, no prize."

The dagger-wielder seemed to want to play a little longer, but the other frowned and urged:

"Hurry up—kill her and get back. Delay invites trouble."

At the same time, he pulled out a small camera, aimed it at Lin Qingyuan, and began recording.

"Such a beautiful girl—I was hoping to play with you a bit longer.

But since the boss ordered it, you'll die now!"

The black-clad man's face twisted into a snarl as his peak third-rank ability aura exploded outward!

He stepped forward, crossing ten meters in an instant, standing before Lin Qingyuan.

Then he raised the dagger and drove it down:

"Not long now—Xu Jingming will join you down there!"

Under the crushing aura of a peak third-rank ability user, Lin Qingyuan, merely an awakener, couldn't move a muscle.

She could only watch helplessly as the dagger plunged toward her.

'Damn it! I should've brought Jingming with me.'

Unending regret surged in Lin Qingyuan's heart.

Ever since receiving that call, she'd sensed something off.

But she never imagined death awaited her.

Just as Lin Qingyuan fell into despair, the pitch-black surroundings suddenly blazed golden-bright!

Crackling—crackling—crackling—

Deafening thunder roared.

In the next instant,

the peak third-rank ability user wielding the dagger was swallowed whole by a furious surge of golden lightning from behind!

The third-rank peak adept wielding the dagger was swallowed by the furious, surging golden thunder from behind!

With a horrific scream, in mere moments,

the once-formidable peak third-rank ability user turned into a charred corpse!

"I knew you Destiny Cult scum wouldn't give up."

A deep, authoritative voice rang out.

A towering figure, wreathed in golden lightning like a Thunder God, strode steadily into the park.

A towering figure wreathed in golden thunder, resembling a Thunder God, stepped steadily into the park.

【90】 Xu Jingming snorted coldly, clenching his right hand in midair; a spear of golden thunder coalesced and was hurled forth!!

The other ability user, holding the camera, turned pale and spun to flee.

"Hmph! Think you can run? Lei Mao!"

Xu Jingming sneered, clenched his hand in midair—and a spear of golden lightning coalesced, then hurled forward!!

Xu Jingming snorted coldly, clenched his right hand in midair, and a golden thunder spear coalesced, hurling forth violently!!

The man had already fled dozens of meters away.

But the Lei Mao struck his leg with perfect precision!

Pinning him to the ground!

"Who sent you?"

Xu Jingming flashed forward with a burst of lightning, standing over the man. "Tell me."

"Xu Jingming, you've killed so many of ours—do you really think I'll give you intel? Dream on!"

Xu Jingming, you've killed so many of our people—do you really expect me to give you information? Dream on!

The black-clad psychic sneered.

"Even if you didn't say it, I know—it's Leng Chang, isn't it?"

Xu Jingming's face showed disdain.

Aside from Leng Chang, who had once seen him with Lin Qingyuan, no one else could have targeted her.

"......"

Though the black-clad psychic said nothing, his slightly altered facial expression betrayed him.

"Speak. Where is Leng Chang? How many of you are there?"

Xu Jingming asked coldly.

Seeing he still refused to yield, Xu Jingming frowned slightly.

He opened his right hand, sending thin strands of golden lightning into the man's body.

"Pain! So much pain!"

The black-clad psychic let out a deafening scream, his face turning crimson, his body curling like a shrimp.

He struggled desperately to escape, but Lei Mao had pinned his right leg to the ground.

He could not flee—instead, he only rubbed the wound around Lei Mao raw, tearing flesh to bloody pulp.

"Though I'm not from the Public Security Bureau, interrogating scum like you is still simple."

"I can control the power of lightning at will. If you want to experience pain dozens of times worse than before, keep stubborning and see what happens."

Countless tiny golden lightning strands danced and swirled around Xu Jingming's right hand.

This was a method he had accidentally discovered while carrying out Mandate Cult missions nonstop.

It was highly effective for torturing people, inflicting pain like a myriad of ants gnawing at the flesh.

Most people couldn't endure it; those who could usually wouldn't join the Mandate Cult anyway.

He had used this method more than once to extract information from Mandate Cult disciples.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Before this excruciating pain, the black-clad psychic's will shattered completely:

"The High Priest is at Lin Qingyuan's house. He has a third-rank peak with him."

"Are Lin Qingyuan's parents still alive?" Xu Jingming slightly reduced the lightning's intensity and asked.

"They were still alive when we left."

With the pain greatly reduced, the black-clad psychic exhaled in relief.

"Good. You're being cooperative."

Xu Jingming smiled—then the golden lightning erupted violently!

This time, the black-clad psychic didn't even have time to scream before he was consumed by the raging lightning.