Scummy Alpha CEO Keeps Courting Death [Transmigration into a Book] - Chapter 20

“My God!”

“Why is the Primal Spirit she summoned so huge?!”

“Judging by her Primal Spirit, the amplification is at least double!”

The person who had just said Zhao Qingqi was feeling guilty stood with their mouth agape, staring at the Primal Spirit behind her.

…

“It’s definitely more than double!”

“Didn’t you say Zhao Qingqi always looks like she’s on the verge of tears whenever she sees someone?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know her Primal Spirit was this strong.”

“Didn’t you see it during class before?”

“It wasn’t this big—”

…

The Sunbird behind Zhao Qingqi suddenly spread its wings, the gray feathers on the edges distinct and gleaming with a metallic luster.

The moment Zhao Qingqi’s Primal Spirit unfolded its wings, everyone felt a clear, prolonged “Chirp—” echo in their hearts.

“What’s happening? I think I heard her Primal Spirit cry out.”

“Yeah, I heard it too!”

“That’s weird, Primal Spirits aren’t supposed to make sounds, are they?!”

…

Lu Xibie stood there, looking at Zhao Qingqi across from her, completely unfazed by the shadow that enveloped her. She even hoped Zhao Qingqi would be stronger, strong enough to break her defense, and maybe even make this world just disappear.

Unlike Ren Feicheng’s somewhat “decorative” Primal Spirit, Zhao Qingqi’s Primal Spirit was lifelike, ready to take flight, as if it would swoop down on her at any moment.

The hem of Zhao Qingqi’s sailor uniform billowed without wind. With her eyes tightly shut, she formed a hand seal at her chest, her lips moving rapidly. Around her feet, layer upon layer of brilliant iridescent blue-green light accumulated, until she was completely enveloped in it.

“Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp…”

The continuous chirping echoed in the minds of the people in the stands.

“This is getting serious!”

“Could it actually break Lu Xibie’s Absolute Defense?”

“Absolute Defense isn’t that easy to break.”

“If you ask me, this is just a flashy display, useless just like Ren Feicheng’s.”

“We all saw how exhausted Ren Feicheng was in the last match.”

…

“…Sharpen!”

Zhao Qingqi’s shout was clearly audible.

“Whoa—”

“Where did she go?”

…

Under everyone’s gaze, the brilliant blue-green iridescence hovered in the air, shooting straight toward Lu Xibie.

Inside the rapidly swirling blue-green light, Zhao Qingqi opened her eyes. From the center of her hand seal, a light-brown beak emerged, sharp and pointed, glinting with a cold light.

The piercing silver light was reflected in Lu Xibie’s eyes. A slight tingle ran down her lower back, a primal thrill from her body’s instinct.

Maybe this one will work?

Lu Xibie’s eyes were filled with anticipation as she watched Zhao Qingqi.

“Shhhk—”

The sharp, light-brown beak thrust heavily towards Lu Xibie’s neck.

From her neck down, Lu Xibie’s light shield appeared naturally.

“Look, look!”

“That’s Lu Xibie’s Absolute Defense!”

…

Zhu Xiaotao tossed a sunflower seed shell into the automatic recycling bin and gave Chu Liruo’s leg a heavy slap.

“Yep, I’m watching.” Chu Liruo, who had been focused on the arena, turned her head to glance at Zhu Xiaotao, slightly retracting her leg.

It was an unintentional slap from Zhu Xiaotao, but Chu Liruo knew without looking that it would definitely leave a bruise.

An Omega’s body is still a bit weak. Chu Liruo recalled Fan Shuangyu’s strong arms. How could she strengthen her own body?

Chu Liruo rested her chin in her hand, watching the arena. Lu Xibie had given her a lot of physical enhancement supplements to drink these days, but such supplements have a limit to their effectiveness, and her physique had reached the maximum they could provide.

Chu Liruo had diligently taken many courses at Zhi Valley Military Academy, thirstily absorbing all the knowledge she could get. But her skills, unlike the defensive innate skills of Hardened Armor or Absolute Defense, or the deceptive skills of Mistification, Trace Evasion, or Illusory Form, couldn’t protect her from harm. Nor were they offensive like Poison Sting, or Water and Fire Control. Her Healing innate skill, just like her Primal Spirit, was a little white rabbit that could only turn red-eyed in the face of danger.

Thinking this, Chu Liruo felt a bit dejected, but she quickly cheered up. At least in this life, she had come to Zhi Valley Military Academy. This was the Federation’s top military school; her problems would surely be solved here.

Ji Ningyu frowned, pulled Zhu Xiaotao’s hand away, and scolded her, “Why are you slapping her? She’s an Omega, be careful. Don’t you know how heavy-handed you are?”

“Huh?” Zhu Xiaotao slowly blinked at Ji Ningyu. “You’re an Omega too. You didn’t say my hand was heavy the last time I hit you…”

Ji Ningyu gave Zhu Xiaotao a glare and gently poked Chu Liruo. “She has no sense of how heavy her hands are, sorry about that.”

Her thoughts interrupted, Chu Liruo turned to Ji Ningyu and shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“Hiss—”

“Holy crap! Is Absolute Defense about to break?!”

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen Lu Xibie’s defensive light shield so clearly!”

…

Exclamations constantly rose from the crowd, drawing all three of their attention back to the arena.

Chu Liruo looked at the arena. The glinting, sharp light-brown object, whose nature was unclear, was less than two centimeters from Lu Xibie’s neck.

The pale blue light shield around Lu Xibie’s body was being poked like a balloon that hadn’t been fully inflated, and a clear tear was appearing at her neck.

“It’s going to break! It’s going to break!”

“It’s so close!”

“Lu Xibie isn’t even dodging? How exciting!”

…

Chu Liruo’s heart was gripped by the crowd’s chatter. She leaned forward, concentrating, her hands clenched into fists, silently holding her breath.

Zhao Qingqi looked at the close-at-hand Lu Xibie. There was no fear in her light-colored pupils, nor was there any fighting spirit. It was so placid that one could even see a hint of anticipation.

What was she anticipating?

“Buzzzzzzz—”

The point where the light-brown beak touched the light shield gave off a hum, and with the energy’s agitation, a wave of light rippled outwards.

Before Lu Xibie enrolled, her Absolute Defense innate skill was already widely known. Not only because of her title as the “Little Tyrant of Lianglan Core City,” but also because Gu Ruyue, the acknowledged strongest Alpha of the last five hundred years, also had Absolute Defense as one of her innate skills.

According to the records in the Encyclopedia of Innate Skills, Absolute Defense means that attacks from those of the same rank are ineffective, and it can absorb attacks from one rank higher.

The Eternal Hero: Gu Ruyue wrote that Gu Ruyue’s Absolute Defense skill could be actively deployed to cover an entire defensive domain. When fully activated, it could shield several core cities. The protective shields now used by the Federation are all derived from her.

Gu Ruyue was a dual-skill user with a comprehensive strength of quasi-SSS rank. In the battle known as the “X-Mark Star System Calamity,” she died alongside the SSS-ranked mutated creature, the Eight-Faced Spider. The protective shields covering the Federation’s core cities were her final gift to the world.

Many people felt a sense of pity for her. If she hadn’t encountered an SSS-ranked mutated creature so early, she would have surely become the first SSS-ranked dual-skill user in human history.

It was for this reason that the notorious “Little Tyrant of Lianglan Core City” was allowed to enter Zhi Valley Military Academy.

“Sharpen, intensify!”

Zhao Qingqi’s pigtails flew upwards, and her eyes, which had been sparkling with a hint of tears, now surged with fighting spirit.

Many people said Lu Xibie’s Absolute Defense was like dirt compared to the strongest Alpha Gu Ruyue’s, that it could only defend passively.

But what if she could break Lu Xibie’s Absolute Defense? Would she, in time, be able to reach SSS-rank strength like them and protect the Federation!

A faint airflow stirred in Lu Xibie’s throat.

“It’s getting closer!”

“Look, look!”

“It’s gone in a bit more!”

“It’s about one centimeter from Lu Xibie now!”

…

“If it breaks right now—”

“Zhao Qingqi has been charging for so long, with that kind of impact force, there’ll be blood everywhere.”

…

“Dodge… Why isn’t she dodging…” Chu Liruo muttered softly, her heart tightening as she stared at the arena.

“Isn’t Absolute Defense supposed to make attacks from the same rank ineffective?”

“Lu Xibie isn’t the strongest Alpha, Gu Ruyue.”

“Compare her to my idol Gu Ruyue? Is she worthy?”

“She’s not a dual-skill user. She just got lucky with her birth and got a good Alpha, and then this innate skill. I think she’s finished.”

…

Halfway through the match, the people who had initially said Zhao Qingqi was nervous turned to sing Lu Xibie’s demise.

“It’s less than a centimeter now!”

“Why is Lu Xibie still standing there, not moving?”

“If I were her, I’d be terrified!”

…

The humming grew closer and closer. Lu Xibie calmly closed her eyes, hoping that soon she would hear a soft “shhhk,” and then everything would be over.

Zhao Qingqi watched Lu Xibie close her eyes in front of her, as if giving up all resistance. Since the beginning of the match, she had seemed uninterested, her brows furrowed. It was only when she closed her eyes that her expression relaxed, as if she had been released.

What’s going on?

Zhao Qingqi was suspicious, but her attack didn’t stop. This was a competition, not a practice session.

Almost there! Almost there! Just a little bit more!

“It’s going to break!”

“It’s going to break!”

“And I thought Absolute Defense was so strong… it’s broken in the second match.”

…

The expected faint “shhhk” sound did not come.

“BANG!!!”

A powerful impact sound echoed through the stadium.

Lu Xibie opened her eyes and saw a shallow pit about two meters in diameter on the arena. Zhao Qingqi’s sailor uniform was covered in dust, and the exposed skin on her face and body was gray. The Sunbird Primal Spirit behind her had lost its vigor, its wings retracted, with visible signs of injury.

This is—

Lu Xibie took a few steps forward to the edge of the pit and looked at Zhao Qingqi, who was struggling to get up. She bent down and reached out to help her.

The people who had been waiting for Lu Xibie’s Absolute Defense to break were stunned by the shallow pit in the arena.

“Didn’t it almost break just now?”

“So Lu Xibie closing her eyes wasn’t giving up, it was because she was so confident! Worthy of an Alpha who has the same innate skill as my idol!”

“Didn’t you just say she wasn’t worthy? You’re such a turncoat!”

…

“I don’t need you!” Zhao Qingqi swatted away Lu Xibie’s outstretched hand. A moment later, tears began to stream from her round eyes, leaving two white streaks on her dust-covered face.

“Don’t cry…” Lu Xibie lightly tugged at her hair. She didn’t have any tissues.

Due to the nature of the competition, contestants were required to wear special uniforms that could transform into any outfit and wouldn’t be torn in battles of the same rank, but also prevented them from carrying any items.

Chu Liruo, who had just been worrying about Lu Xibie, saw the unmoving Zhao Qingqi in the shallow pit, and certain images suddenly flashed through her mind. Some showed her lying on the ground unable to move, others showed Lu Xibie with a ferocious expression, clutching her collar.

She slowly unclenched her fist, then grabbed the edge of her pants, feeling the warmth coming from her leg. The smell of blood lingered at the tip of her nose and tongue, as if she had returned to those dark, hopeless days.

Lu Xibie. How could she have forgotten what kind of person Lu Xibie was?

Even if Lu Xibie seemed gentle now, there was no guarantee what she would be like later. The only strength she could truly rely on was her own.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Ningyu leaned past Zhu Xiaotao and noticed Chu Liruo. “Lu Xibie’s fine. You two have such a good relationship, getting so worried.”

Chu Liruo turned and forced a smile at Ji Ningyu. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry. Why are you so pale?” Ji Ningyu reached out to touch Chu Liruo’s face, but Chu Liruo, with a poor complexion, caught her hand and moved it aside.

“Ningyu, I’m fine,” Chu Liruo said with a smile again.

“Teacher, could you give me some tissues?” Lu Xibie walked to the center line of the arena and asked the supervising teacher.

Lu Xibie took the tissues, returned to the pit, and handed them to Zhao Qingqi. “Wipe your face.”

Zhao Qingqi sobbed as she wiped her tears, her face becoming a patchwork of gray and white, like a little spotted bird.

“Want to call a timeout, get some rest, and try again?” Seeing that Zhao Qingqi’s emotions had stabilized, Lu Xibie offered the suggestion.

“You!” Zhao Qingqi glared at Lu Xibie, her face turning bright red, then she started to cough.

Little Flower had just told her that this person was very wicked. She made it look like it was so close, but it was all on purpose.

Little Flower was her Primal Spirit and her best friend.

“How about I call a timeout, and then give you a few recovery supplements to drink? You don’t have to…”

The words “concede” were still on her tongue.

Struggling to move in the shallow pit, Zhao Qingqi raised her right hand in a clenched fist. “Teacher, I concede!”

Hearing the words “concede” from her own mouth and seeing Zhao Qingqi’s concede signal, Lu Xibie’s already faint hope “poof” and vanished into nothingness.

Lu Xibie: “Don’t concede.”

“Contestant No. 122, Rank 1 Innate Skill System Zhao Qingqi concedes! Contestant No. 257, Rank 1 Innate Skill System Lu Xibie wins!”

Upon hearing the announcement, Zhao Qingqi pouted angrily and said to Lu Xibie, “You won. The match is over. No more tricks. Help me up.”

“Tricks? I didn’t play any tricks.” Lu Xibie reached out to pull Zhao Qingqi up. “Do you want me to take you down?”

“Yes, you did. Little Flower…” Zhao Qingqi started to say, then stopped. Little Flower had told her that few people could communicate with their Primal Spirit.

Lu Xibie: “Hmm?”

Zhao Qingqi: “Thank you, by the way.”

“Lu Xibie’s innate skill is truly insane.”

“It looked like it was about to break… but then Zhao Qingqi…”

“The passive rebound of Absolute Defense… the backlash from the attack is bound to be like that.”

…

“Here, these are supplements.” Lu Xibie put her nameplate back on her chest and handed the supplements to Zhao Qingqi.

“Beep, beep, beep—”

Her Optical Brain chimed.

Lu Xibie opened it.

[Zhu Xiaotao: Chu Liruo was really worried about you. You don’t have any more matches today, do you?]

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