Chapter 220: Why Are You the Nation's Hope?
Zhang Yi and his companions entered the corridor where Liang Yue was fiercely battling the black monster. The ground was littered with steel needles, emitting a dark, eerie glow. Zhang Yi, wearing cut-resistant gloves, picked up two of the needles and stored them in his spatial space for later study.
"Fatty, do it!" Zhang Yi signaled to Fatty Xu.
Fatty Xu stepped forward, raising his hands towards Liang Yue and the black monster, activating his powers. "Crack—" Huge cracks appeared around the ice and snow corridor. Liang Yue’s pupils contracted as she quickly retreated.
The next moment, hundreds of tons of ice and snow collapsed from above, completely blocking the corridor and separating Liang Yue from the black monster. Enraged, Liang Yue turned to Zhang Yi and Fatty Xu, trembling with fury.
Fatty Xu hid behind Zhang Yi, terrified. Zhang Yi, however, smiled and placed his hand on the trigger of his Desert Eagle. "No need to thank me. We're all human, and it's only right to help each other."
Liang Yue was furious, her whole body shaking. She raised her Tang sword, pointing its tip at Zhang Yi's face. "Do you know what you’ve done? I was just about to defeat that monster!"
"This was my last chance. If I missed this opportunity, the monster wouldn’t fall for my trick again!" she shouted, her voice filled with despair. Liang Yue had burned all her strength for this showdown, and failure meant death for her and her students, one by one.
He pointed to the classroom where Yang Xinxin was. "If not for your student worrying about your safety and asking for my help, I wouldn’t have intervened."
Liang Yue’s eyes blazed with anger and hatred for Zhang Yi. "You bastard!" She charged at Zhang Yi, her speed like a whirlwind, not inferior to the black monster’s.
Seeing her intent to kill, Zhang Yi’s expression turned serious. "Such a pretty woman, but anger doesn’t suit you!" he said, raising his Desert Eagle.
The enormous recoil shook Zhang Yi's shoulder. The bullet's power, enhanced by his abilities, was immense. Liang Yue, determined to kill Zhang Yi, swiftly slashed her sword, creating a fan-shaped arc that deflected the bullet into the walls on either side.
A top-tier iaido master could cut through a tennis ball traveling 820 km/h. With her abilities, Liang Yue could even split a bullet. Within moments, she was upon Zhang Yi, her sword ready to strike.
Zhang Yi smiled, waiting for this moment. A Dimensional Gate opened in front of him. Liang Yue sensed the danger but couldn’t stop in time. "Whoosh—" She disappeared into the gate. Zhang Yi counted to two and released her, ensuring she wasn’t trapped long enough to die.
Reappearing, Liang Yue collapsed, exhausted and terrified. "What was that?" she gasped, weak from the fight with the monster and her drained energy. Days of hunger and fatigue left her unable to stand.
Zhang Yi shrugged. "I tried to help, but you attacked me. What a difficult woman to understand." He walked over and took her Tang sword. "I’ll keep this dangerous weapon safe for you," he said with a smile. The sword, capable of splitting bullets, was a rare and valuable weapon.
Liang Yue glared at him, seething with anger. "Give me back Loong Roar Sword!" She nearly fainted from the loss of her precious sword. "Alright, calm down. Getting angry is bad for you. Students, help your teacher to rest," Zhang Yi instructed.
Several students nervously approached, helping Liang Yue to a corner. She leaned against the wall, too weak to stand, glaring at Zhang Yi with impotent rage. "Who are you? Why are you here?" she demanded.
Zhang Yi looked at Yang Xinxin and replied, "I’m here on behalf of her family to take her away."
"Take her away?" Liang Yue and the other students looked hopeful. "Can you take us too?" they pleaded. "It’s too dangerous here. That monster has killed hundreds of us already!"
"Please, take us with you! My father will reward you greatly! You can name any price!"
"My father is a director!"
"My father is a minister!"
Zhang Yi grew impatient with their pleas. "I’m here only to take her away. The rest of you should contact your own families for help."
The students, realizing Zhang Yi wouldn’t help them, grew desperate. "We can’t reach our families! Please help us! We’ll reward you richly later!"
Liang Yue recognized Zhang Yi and his companions' strength and knew they were exceptional. "You must have a good place to live and plenty of food," she said. Please, save these children. They are the future hope of our nation!"
The students looked at Zhang Yi eagerly, but he only laughed coldly. "The nation’s hope? Are you saying only the children of officials and the rich are the hope, while ordinary children are not?"
"I don’t see anything special about you. Is it your arrogance?" Zhang Yi scoffed, shaking his head. "If you’re so exceptional, you should be able to survive on your own. Sorry, I’m just an ordinary kid. I can’t save you ‘elites.’"