"Are you still afraid of him?"
Slap! A loud smack echoed as Bian Li incredulously raised his head, only to see his father staring coldly at him.
"Haha..." Sun Jing’an laughed, "Good boy, using reverse psychology. You’re actually right. He’s registered in Yitelan. Wu Yanqing is a madman; indeed, it wouldn’t be easy for us to make a move."
"However, accidents that lead to fatalities among students aren’t uncommon, and I believe the Yitelan Civilization won’t pursue the matter."
Bian Li gritted his teeth, "Can’t we be open and aboveboard? Do we have to play dirty?"
"Open and aboveboard?" Sun Jing’an laughed as if he had heard a joke, "In what way can you compare to him? Strength? Reputation?"
"Hmm, how many rape charges do you have again?"
Bian Li was speechless.
"Do you hear me? Go ahead, the family will support you." His father finally spoke, his tone harsh.
Bian Li looked displeased; he was of course no gentleman, but he feared being used as a disposable pawn.
Even if he killed Li Ming, it was highly likely he would be thrown out to quell the outrage; he wasn’t the only son after all.
That’s why he didn’t want to act, but now it seemed he was probably already seen as disposable.
"I understand..." Bian Li murmured, his head hung low, his voice dull.
In the room, behind Li Ming, four metal mechanical arms danced. The tips of the two mechanical arms below should have been mechanical hands.
But now, as Li Ming focused his mind, they shaped like liquid metal, morphing again, and eventually solidified into drill bits identical to the two above.
"Two hundred points of metal energy, not much, I can keep going." Li Ming pondered, and then with a slight mental nudge, two masses of liquid metal began to form on either side of the back armor.
The liquid metal slowly extended out into slender mechanical arms.
Soon, as time passed, two more mechanical arms with slender drill bits appeared on the equipped back armor.
Six mechanical arms, swirling around Li Ming, their tips now thicker, the drill bits could flip to mechanical claws, more versatile and adaptable,
"It consumed over three thousand points of metal energy to make this kind of modification; the cost to benefit ratio isn’t much different from upgrading." Li Ming contemplated.
The [Mechanical Engineer]’s ability to [Modify] was, indeed, better used for detailed adjustments.
The next afternoon, as he stepped out of the school gates, he was stopped by several men in black. One of them, with a cold expression, said sternly, "Li Ming, someone would like to have a word with you."
"It’s fine." Li Ming waved off the driver approaching from a distance, who looked over suspiciously.
But this was the entrance to the University of Science and Technology; no one dared to make a scene here.
Not far away, a black hover car was parked, its windows rolled down, someone sitting inside, quietly watching him.
"Who might you be?" Li Ming inquired.
"You’ll know if you come over." The man in black replied with a hardened voice, standing beside Li Ming. Though unlikely to strike, he subtly surrounded Li Ming.
Li Ming’s eyelids drooped, "Not interested."
They didn’t speak, but edged closer to Li Ming, not intending to strike, seemingly resolved to forcibly push him onward.
Inside the premises of the University of Science and Technology, the ban on fighting held considerable deterrent power over the students.
The look in Li Ming’s eyes shifted, and without warning, he lashed out, his shoulders quivering as terrifying power erupted from his muscles, slamming into everyone around him.
[Justice Fighter] + [Armored Four Arms]
Bang! In an instant, five-fold power burst forth, sending four men in black, who were close by, flying backward, their bones shattered and their chests caved in, blood vomiting from their mouths, as they howled in pain.
The onlookers were shocked and puzzled.
The man sitting in the car’s expression turned grave as the door opened.
The man in black standing by the car quickly helped up the others, with one confronting the approaching city guard.
"Li Ming." The man approached him and took the initiative, "I just want to talk to you. Why the hostility?"
"You want to talk to me, not the other way around." Li Ming shook his head, "Why should I seek you out?"
He frowned, then said, "My name is Wang Yan, assistant to Fu Zongchen the Minister. "
Li Ming’s eyes slightly widened as he assessed the man.
"Of course, I have another name as well, the Director of Ashes." Wang Yan added, watching Li Ming closely to see surprise and astonishment on his face.
But then he frowned slightly, as the young man before him suddenly smiled, grinning as if he saw something amusing.
"So it’s you." Li Ming stepped toward the hover car not far away, "Now, I’m actually interested in talking, let’s go."
Watching Li Ming invite him in return, Wang Yan’s face showed displeasure but quickly smoothed over.
"I think there might be some misunderstandings between us." As the car window rose, he sat up straight, "Your father was once a member of the Dragon Hawks; you don’t need to hide it, both of us know what happened on Silver Grey Star."
"The assassination during the arrival of the interstellar inspection team must have been your doing, not bad, forcing my people to be wary." He praised, revealing a sense of control:
"The Dragon Hawks paid a significant price for you, didn’t they? You’ve hidden well until now, enduring much hardship."
"And indeed very impressive, even with your reputation so large, everyone looking at you under a magnifying glass still can’t find any flaws."
Li Ming remained silent. What exactly had this man concocted in his head?
"I know what the Dragon Hawks have instilled in you, but you don’t have to follow the path they’ve set for you. Minister Fu has intertwined relationships with the higher echelons of the Yitelan Civilization." Wang Yan continued, "Any attempt to assassinate him is pure fantasy."