Chapter 200: Chapter 90: Before the Battle Chapter 200: Chapter 90: Before the Battle At the crack of dawn, the citizens of Steel Dome City were already up and had turned on their television screens.
News was everywhere, all discussing the same issue.
The Eight Extraordinary Colleges were set to engage today in real combat with the Southern Military District in the ruins.
All media in Steel Dome City were focused on this event.
It wasn’t just the media; the public was equally engrossed.
After a whole month of anticipation, the day had finally arrived.
The battle location was set in the Ruins World.
The Extraordinary Academy and the Military District had jointly cleared out the monsters around the battlefield and imposed a ban.
Clearly, the Extraordinary Academy did not trust the Southern Military District; hence the cleaning was a joint operation, and both parties had stationed personnel there.
At this moment, the Eight Extraordinary Colleges were also abuzz, and students rose early, left their dorms, and gathered in their respective colleges’ squares.
A send-off.
The selected combatants were about to depart for the real combat site in the ruins.
They were personally escorted by flying devices and Mecha guards from the Extraordinary Academy, a procedure of the highest standard.
This battle was of great importance.
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It concerned the honor of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges, as well as their future.
The selected combatants all wore solemn expressions.
Despite the outside world’s unanimous pessimism, they still carried a strong belief that they could defeat their opponents.
They believed in their own strength.
Countless citizens of Steel Dome City swarmed the streets, looking up at the screens mounted on the city’s steel buildings.
The Eight Extraordinary Colleges each had media coverage, broadcasting live.
“Noah Academy has set off,” someone said, looking at one of the screens.
On the screen, an impressive line-up of flying devices and Mechas took off simultaneously, crossing over the airspace of Steel Dome City.
The cameras struggled to keep up with the magnificent scene.
“Nanming Academy has also departed.”
Another group looked toward a different screen, where Nanming Academy’s departure was equally imposing.
“Is that Nanming Huowu?” someone asked, pointing to a figure in red armor taking to the skies.
“It should be her.”
“Nanming Huowu is also going to the frontlines to watch.”
Unfortunately, they had no chance to attend, as the frontlines were closed to the public, accessible only to specially invited media.
The common people could only watch the live broadcast of this real combat.
However, this was somewhat more direct, though not as impactful.
“Noah Academy has also set off,” someone else remarked.
“Noah Academy…” The public had mixed feelings when discussing Noah Academy.
Recent controversies all revolved around Noah Academy.
From the earlier Ming Group incident to the corruption scandal, Elder Tantai’s retirement, and Xu Mo’s withdrawal from school, one issue followed another.
Since the school term began, Noah Academy had never been peaceful.
“Will Xu Mo participate in the battle?” someone asked upon seeing Noah Academy.
“He has withdrawn from school, so he’s no longer considered a student of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges.
Moreover, there’s no mention of him joining another academy, so naturally, he cannot participate according to the rules,” someone replied.
“Not participating,” someone murmured.
What a pity.
The controversies started because of Noah Academy, and if Xu Mo participated, perhaps the situation would have been even more intense.
Furthermore, as the public in Steel Dome City collectively doubted the Eight Extraordinary Colleges, Xu Mo was undoubtedly one of the strongest figures among the new generation.
If he had participated, even if he couldn’t change the outcome, he might have allowed the Eight Extraordinary Colleges not to lose so badly.
However, this was not something the public could influence; it was just regrettable.
At this moment, Xu Mo had also risen.
Today, he hadn’t entered the Ruins World’s Super God Arena.
All of Steel Dome City was in a frenzy, and he didn’t know the specific arrangements his teacher had planned.
The teacher was very busy; since the morning, the communicator had been bombarded continuously without stopping.
Even now, the quarreling continued.
“Old man, what exactly are you thinking?
I just asked to borrow a person.
Just issue a statement to join my Nanming Academy first, and he can withdraw later.
I’m not stealing your student, is it necessary?” Dean Nanming cursed.
“I’m not lending,” Elder Tantai responded.
“Don’t you care about this loss?” Dean Nanming continued.
Elder Tantai ignored him.
Dean Nanming glared at him angrily, fell silent for a moment, and then calmly said, “Big brother, honestly, what are you thinking?”
Elder Tantai still did not respond.
“Fine, then let’s see how you handle losing,” said Dean Nanming helplessly as he hung up the communicator.
He knew that Xu Mo had gone to the Military District for special training, and it was individual training, but the Southwest Military District kept the results of Xu Mo’s training confidential, and he hadn’t obtained them.
It must have been that guy Tantai who instructed the Military District to do so.
Afterward, Dean Tantai contacted Lin Qingze and instructed him on a few matters.
Xu Mo walked over.
“Not participating in the battle?” Xu Mo asked, somewhat curious.
Since returning from the Military District training, he had actually been waiting.
His teacher said there were arrangements, so he didn’t ask anything and just waited for the arrangements to be made.
But even today, as both sides were about to start fighting officially, he still hadn’t heard from his teacher about these ‘arrangements’.
“If you want to participate in the battle, you need to rejoin an Extraordinary College.
Those on the other side forbid non-college participants from joining the battle.
This is clearly targeted at you, they are obviously worried about you becoming an unpredictable factor,” the Old Dean told Xu Mo, “Moreover, within the Academy Faction, there was some resistance.
I don’t know if it is sheer overconfidence or deliberate sabotage, but they think that you, having left the academy, need not participate.”
Xu Mo’s expression changed, surprised.
The Academy Faction was supposed to be his own people, yet there was resistance?
It seemed that someone in the Academy Faction had been bought off.
Such an incident had occurred during the teacher’s withdrawal previously.
So, was he being excluded from the battlefield?
“Join me in watching the live broadcast,” the Elder finally said.
“Alright.”
Xu Mo nodded, not asking further.
……
Outside the city, the ruins.
There was a vast sealed area of ruins that would serve as the battlefield for both sides.
On either side of the sealed ruins area, the Eight Extraordinary Colleges and the Southern Military District had set up camps.
In the air above, many flying devices entered, equipped with numerous cameras aimed at the ruins below.
They would broadcast this battle live from all angles.
At the moment, on one of the flying devices, a reporter spoke into the camera: “There’s half an hour until the battle starts, and we have been permitted to enter the ruins battlefield to report live in real-time.
The battlefield has been put under seal, monsters in the vicinity have been cleared, and there are several blockades to ensure that the fight proceeds without any outside interference.
What you see now is the battlefield before the battle begins.”
The reporter glanced in a certain direction as he spoke and continued, “The fighters from the Eight Extraordinary Colleges have started arriving gradually; it’s a grand sight.
The Eight Extraordinary Colleges have sent their participants with the highest honors, highly valuing this battle.
Over the last few months, the Eight Extraordinary Colleges have been under a lot of scrutiny, and the battle is universally predicted to be a loss for them.
In response, these colleges jointly went to the Southwest Military District for a month of military special training.
It’s unclear what the outcomes of the training were, and whether they have the strength to fight.”
“The people from the Southern Military District have already arrived early.
As far as I know, the soldiers participating in the battle arrived here yesterday and conducted a basic rehearsal on the actual battle terrain to familiarize themselves with it.
It seems the Southern Military District is taking this battle even more seriously, something the Eight Extraordinary Colleges are already falling behind on.”
“Next, let’s take a closer look at the two sides on the ground,” the reporter continued, as the flying device flew high above toward the residential area of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges.
The base of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges.
People had arrived early.
At that moment, flying devices and mechas began landing periodically, and the representing fighters of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges arrived at the battlefield, their young faces bearing a solemn look, each suppressing a sense of rage.
As the favored children of the Eight Extraordinary Colleges, they were all the elite of their academy, highly proud individuals, accustomed to receiving the highest honors wherever they went.
But this time, they had been humiliated.
No one regarded them favorably, as if they were just going to be a backdrop for the Military District.
They would prove themselves on the battlefield.
Lin Qingze, as the leading figure of Noah Academy, also arrived at the scene.
Watching the group of students head towards their respective colleges, Lin Qingze understood that in many ways, the Eight Extraordinary Colleges truly fell short of the Military District.
This time, it was a real crisis for the Eight Extraordinary Colleges, a crisis for the entire Academy Faction.
Meanwhile.
At the Southern Military District’s camp, several military trucks drove in, entering the camp while the soldiers inside promptly stood up and saluted the trucks.
At the forefront, Shen Qianzhong stepped down from a military truck.
Facing everyone, he also gave a military salute.
As he lowered his hand, Shen Qianzhong spoke, “Can we win?”
“Yes,” everyone cried out in unison.
Shen Qianzhong stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over those resolute faces, as he said to them, “All along, the Extraordinary Colleges have been the darlings of the public, gathering various privileges.
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Whatever they want, they get – resources, fame; they are the darlings of the heavens, regarded highly wherever they go.”
“Moreover, they don’t need rigorous training, no constraints at all; they just need to grow happily to enjoy all the glory.”
Shen Qianzhong looked over the crowd: “But you…”
“You are unrecognized, unknown.
You undergo the most grueling training, fight on the front lines, and protect this city with your blood.
Even if you fall in the ruins, no one would know.”
“That is your duty, you are soldiers, protecting the city is your responsibility.
You are unknown, yet you are the heroes of this city, but…”
“Why should others reap the rewards of your bloody sacrifices while they sit comfortably in their academies enjoying honors and adoration?
That should rightfully be yours.”
Shen Qianzhong’s voice was impactful, the eyes of the soldiers before him reddened.
“I fought for this battle so that the public could recognize you again, let everyone see who has always been protecting them,” Shen Qianzhong stared at them and said, “Today, go and reclaim the glory that belongs to you!”