Chapter 396

The referee on the platform remained unmoved, coldly watching Tian Xiaohai plummet downward.

As a highly professional referee hired by the School, he would absolutely not intervene until confirming a contestant conceded, or had completely fallen and could not get up.

It was not cold-bloodedness, but an adherence to the fairness of the competition format, and even more so a respect for the contestants' potential.

On the ever-changing arena, any miracle could happen — what if a fallen contestant suddenly burst with power and leaped back onto the platform to continue fighting?

Right!

Don't say it's impossible, and even less should you use your amateurism to question the referee's professionalism; he has experienced far too many weird arena situations.

Bursting with power, counter-killing — those are just routine operations; there are even cases of sudden mutation mid-fight on the platform.

The students on the ground also seemed to understand the competition rules well, hurriedly scattering with a clatter to give Tian Xiaohai more buffer height.

After all, falling one second later meant contending for one more second for a miracle to occur.

This tacit, sincere friendship among classmates brought relieved smiles to the faces of the surrounding teachers.

Feng Mu half-narrowed his eyes; deep in his pupils, a blood-colored magatama slowly rotated.

In his field of vision, the blood bar above Tian Xiaohai's head was plummeting at the speed of a falling elevator:

【134/848】→【120/848】→【99/848】

If he really hit the ground, not to mention certain death, some parts on his body would also need replacing.

"He's already unconscious, catch him."

Feng Mu was kind-hearted, and didn't want to take in a cripple for the Second Prison later; he said blandly, his voice light as if talking to himself.

The moment the words fell, Guan Zhong shot out like an arrow leaving the bow, without the slightest hesitation, arms spread wide, ready to catch Tian Xiaohai.

His face was full of focus, not a thought given to the possibility that Tian Xiaohai's heavy body might smash and break his own arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Interfering in the match will get you ruled as the loser, that won't do!"

Several urgent cries from students or teachers instantly rang out; everyone was shocked by Guan Zhong's action.

However, Guan Zhong seemed deaf to it all, merely treating those sounds as a swarm of flies buzzing noisily by his ears; his hands stretched straight forward, steadily catching Tian Xiaohai.

In an instant, an impact like a falling iron lump made his body involuntarily stagger in place, but he gritted his teeth and forcibly held firm, not letting Tian Xiaohai slip from his embrace by even a fraction.

On the platform, the referee lowered his head and glanced down, waited half a second, then.

Walked up to Feng Yuhuai, unhesitatingly raised the latter's slender arm, and announced loudly:

"Eight to Four, winner Feng Yuhuai!"

This shout seemed to ignite the entire arena; in a split second, the whole venue erupted in a mountain-shouting, sea-roaring cheer.

Feng Yuhuai tilted her head up slightly, her proud, fair neck like a beautiful swan.

She lightly hooked a finger to gather the scattered strands by her ear, re-tied the blood-stained hair tie; as the tie tightened, her face resumed its usual sweet smile.

However, her hair had already been dyed dark red by fresh blood, and blood still trickled down her strands, drip-drop, onto the ground, forming a pool of dark red that gleamed with a bewitching luster under the flashing spotlights.

None of the teachers, students, and audience below would still think her sweet, but strangely, their cheers grew even more fervent.

Not sweet, but a more heart-stirring beauty, one that fascinated them more, and fascinated Feng Yuhuai herself as well.

The referee waited patiently for a while, until the tide-like cheers gradually subsided, then slowly spoke to Feng Yuhuai:

"The semi-finals are still an hour away; you can use this time to recover and regulate your breathing, and prepare well for the next match."

Feng Yuhuai's mood was incomparably delighted; this feeling of being cheered under the gaze of thousands was simply no less wonderful than eating a sumptuous "feast".

No, these two feelings were completely different, yet equally wonderful.

One is that taste on the tip of the tongue; it stems from the body's most primal, most instinctive desire; the moment delicious food touches the taste buds, the genes in the body tremble;

The other, on the other hand, is the enjoyment from the depths of the soul, the trembling and joy from the depths of the spirit, the whole world cheering for me!

Feng Yuhuai reluctantly, unwillingly walked down the platform, chin raised, and walked up to Feng Mu.

She had spotted from the platform just now that it was the person beside Feng Mu who saved Tian Xiaohai; she secretly speculated on the relationship between Feng Mu and Tian Xiaohai.

Guan Zhong was surrounded by several entangling students, still reproaching them relentlessly; he ignored them expressionlessly.

Only when Feng Yuhuai walked over did those students, who didn't know they had nearly been shot in the head, resentfully disperse.

"Brother, you know Senior Tian Xiaohai; sorry, if I'd known you two knew each other, I would've gone easier just now."

Feng Yuhuai walked over, her voice delicate and sweet, a look of apologetic guilt on her face.

Feng Mu looked at Feng Yuhuai, his face likewise showing an exquisite smile, and explained gently:

"Mm, his father is my colleague; Tian Xiaohai counts as my subordinate from now on."

Feng Yuhuai's expression stiffened slightly; she had had no contact with Feng Mu during this period.

Or rather, she had called several times wanting to arrange a meal with Feng Mu, but Feng Mu never answered her calls.

Feng Ju, on the other hand, often talked on the phone with Feng Yuhuai, but on the phone he also absolutely never mentioned the "rebellious son's" situation.

Therefore, Feng Yuhuai did not know that her own brother had recently been thriving in the Second Prison.

Her impression of Feng Mu still remained at the time when the latter had the dog-shit luck to join some Martial Arts Hall and gained a few inexplicable Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters.

Simply put, the mental torment Feng Ju went through, Feng Yuhuai had not yet tasted; at this moment she still looked at Feng Mu with a superior posture of a genius younger sister overlooking a waste of an older brother.

Tian Xiaohai at this moment woke from his brief faint; he felt as if all the bones in his body had fallen apart.

"Director, he's awake." Guan Zhong's voice rang out timely, his tone full of reverence.

Feng Yuhuai's sense of superiority turned into a forehead full of question marks the instant the word "Director" came out.

Under her exquisite makeup, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, as if something had choked her throat.

Tian Xiaohai then struggled to turn his neck; upon seeing Feng Mu clearly, his face flushed bright red, and he said both excited and ashamed:

"Sorry for disappointing you; I couldn't achieve a better ranking."

Feng Mu smiled and cut off Tian Xiaohai's words, his tone gentle and soothing:

"It's fine, you performed very well; this result of yours is more than enough to enter the Second Prison, if you're still willing to come, that is?"

Tian Xiaohai hurriedly responded:

"Yes, I will definitely go to the Second Prison, report under your command, I still need to…."

Feng Mu patted Tian Xiaohai's shoulder:

"Don't get agitated, your injuries are quite severe, recuperating comes first."

Feng Yuhuai looked at Guan Zhong's face full of unconcealed reverence, as well as the thick excitement on Tian Xiaohai's face, her whole person's mood instantly became not very beautiful.

The pleasure just now on the stage under the gaze of ten thousand people dissipated much, like a bowl of fragrant thick soup into which a rat turd had fallen.

……….

(End of Chapter)