Chapter 260: The Difference Between Those Who Attended the Military University and Those Who Didn

The short‑haired boy said in a slightly irritated tone, "These military assignments were just right for the three of us, and now there's an extra student—so annoying..."

"There's no choice; these missions are first offered to the top students, and only the leftovers get assigned to us."

The other long‑haired boy said dejectedly.

The sturdy girl Wu Yi waved her hand, looking indifferent, "It's fine, just treat it as taking a rookie through the mission; contact him first so he doesn't get lost and waste our time."

"Alright, I'll send him a message right now."

After some fiddling on his phone, the short‑haired boy laughed, "The kid is just nearby; he said he'll be here soon—shall we set off when he arrives?"

【Honestly, I've been using a source‑switching app to read books and keep up with updates; it switches sources, offers many narration voices, and works on both Android and iOS.】

"Okay, we'll wait for him."

Wu Yi tipped her head, downed a beer, then pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a hard drag.

At that moment, the long‑haired boy stood, looked toward the near distance, and said, "He's coming."

Wu Yi and the short‑haired boy also heard approaching footsteps and looked up.

A tall‑statured young man was crossing the road from the opposite side, carrying nothing except a long sword hanging at his waist.

The noon sun struck the blue‑purple blade, reflecting a faint, wavering glow.

As they drew nearer, they saw the newcomer's features clearly.

He was an eighteen‑ or nineteen‑year‑old youth, his eyes bearing a depth and calmness beyond his years.

"Looks pretty decent..."

Wu Yi smiled; she hadn't seen a guy this handsome in a long time.

"Lu Jing, Shogunate Military University student."

Lu Jing looked at the other and replied lightly.

"Hmm, come with us."

Wu Yi laughed as she stood and walked forward, with the long‑haired and short‑haired boys following behind.

After leaving the street, the four boarded a black van parked at the roadside.

Lu Jing and the short‑haired boy sat in the back row.

The long‑haired boy took the driver's seat and started the van.

The passenger Wu Yi turned her head, glanced at Lu Jing, and asked, "You've read the details of this mission, right? We'll head straight there in a bit."

"Read them."

Wu Yi nodded and said nothing more.

The long‑haired boy beside them laughed, "Kid, if you get scared later just stay outside; don't run around. We don't have time to protect you."

"Don't worry, I don't need your protection; just do your own part."

Lu Jing remained expressionless, not getting angry at the long‑haired boy's hostile words.

He turned his head toward the outside of the vehicle; not far away the azure sea surface appeared, the ocean already close.

A few minutes later, the van stopped at a harbor.

"We've arrived; get out."

Wu Yi called out to Lu Jing.

The group got out, and under Wu Yi's lead they walked toward the harbor.

It was clear the place had seen a battle; the ground was littered with wreckage, warning lines cordoned off the perimeter, and many soldiers in uniform marched in patrol.

After Wu Yi showed her credentials, the group entered without obstruction.

After walking a few more minutes inside the harbor, a massive abandoned cruise liner rose into view, seven decks tall, lying on the sea like a giant beast.

"This is the destination," Wu Yi said, pointing at the liner, then looked at Lu Jing seriously, "The Demon Beast this time is very powerful; are you sure you want to continue the mission?"

"Confirmed."

Lu Jing nodded and took the Thousand‑Blade Demon Sword hanging at his waist.

"Alright, I'll now explain the mission plan to you."

Wu Yi whispered, "We did some investigation before coming; this liner seems to have been used by those Demon Beasts as a nest, laying and hatching eggs on it.

That's why the military only set up a blockade—if no humans enter, the Demon Beasts won't launch an attack, but they're still a scourge, like a time bomb; it's better to eliminate them all.

The Demon Beasts aboard start at Level 8, equivalent to our Ninth‑Realm Warrior; I've seen your records—you're already a Grandmaster at such a young age, truly strong, but still far weaker than these beasts...

"This mission is indeed tough; what if there are dozens inside?"

The long‑haired boy furrowed his brows, "Let's scout first; if the Demon Beasts are too many, we'll retreat and wait for the main military force to arrive tomorrow before assaulting together."

Wu Yi nodded, "Okay, safety first. This mission isn't urgent; we'll take our time and move together once we're ready."

The short‑haired boy glanced at Lu Jing, a flash of impatience in his eyes, and said coldly, "When we go in later, stay sharp; don't cause any trouble, or else..."

The threat was blunt, and after speaking, the short‑haired boy fell in step with Wu Yi and the other as they walked ahead.

Lu Jing's eyes flickered once, but his heart felt no emotion.

If the chance arose, he wouldn't mind leaving the short‑haired boy on the liner forever.

It was obvious Wu Yi and the others were battle‑hardened soldiers, evident from the way they walked.

The three of them led, bent low and moving at breakneck speed, yet made not a single sound.

On the open beach only the rush of waves hitting the sand and occasional cries of seabirds could be heard.

Lu Jing kept a normal gait, following behind the three, his spirit power already extending forward.

Midway, Wu Yi looked back at Lu Jing's carefree stride, her brows furrowing as she was about to speak, then noticed his footsteps were silent, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

So she said nothing, just waved at Lu Jing, then sprang up from the ground and leapt onto the deck.

When Lu Jing reached the deck, he saw the three huddled together, whispering something.

"These Demon Beasts are disgusting, slime everywhere—yellow‑green goo. Can you tell what kind of Demon Beast this is?"

Wu Yi casually broke off a small piece of iron rod on the deck and poked the slime on the ground.

Hiss—

Smoke and mist rose, and the iron rod was corroded more than half in an instant.

The short-haired man's eye twitched. "There are plenty of demon beasts whose bodily fluids can corrode metal—who could tell that at a glance!"

At that moment Lu Jing spoke: "This was left by a demon beast water cannon spider."

"How do you know?"

The short-haired man asked doubtfully.

Lu Jing explained: "Martial University has a specialized demon beast course."

Wu Yi gave Lu Jing an approving look and smiled: "See? That's the difference between having attended Martial University and not having attended it."

"Tch, I think he's just talking nonsense—what would a book‑worm student know!"

The short-haired man was obviously unconvinced, his gaze toward Lu Jing turning colder.

Lu Jing didn't bother explaining further, turned his head to look at the short-haired man, and a flash of bluish‑purple light flickered in his eyes.

That gaze fell on the short-haired man's eyes; for some reason it made his heart jolt suddenly, and his legs went weak in an instant.