Chapter 28: Chapter 28: The Superpowered Trio

"What? It’s only been a few days. Don’t you recognize me?"

Meng Li walked up to him, her eyes scanning Chen Yu from head to toe.

"Of course I do."

Chen Yu said nonchalantly.

"We haven’t seen each other in a few days. Have your powers improved? Come on, show me what you can do," Meng Li said, looking at Chen Yu with a curious expression.

Chen Yu was speechless.

’Am I some kind of performing monkey for you to watch?’

"I’m not in the habit of performing. If you want to see a show, go to the circus," Chen Yu said coolly.

"You must be Chen Yu, the Ice Ability Awakener Senior Sister Meng told us about, right?" a short-haired girl to the side spoke up, her voice gentle and sweet.

"My name is An Ran, a first-year student at the Superpower Academy. It’s nice to meet you."

The short-haired girl smiled and extended a small, fair hand.

"Chen Yu, Qing City’s 12th Mercenary Team." He shook her hand and replied.

"This is my senior, Cai Kun. He’s a second-year student at the Superpower Academy!"

The short-haired girl introduced him enthusiastically. The young man in overalls looked at Chen Yu and nodded in greeting.

Cai Kun...

’That name sounds oddly familiar.’

"Are you also headed to the Crane Ridge Anomaly?" An Ran asked Chen Yu.

"Yeah, orders from above," Chen Yu nodded.

"Since we’re all Awakened, why don’t you travel with us? What do you say?" An Ran said with a wide smile.

Chen Yu paused for a moment, then said, "Sorry, but I have to follow my orders."

"I can put in a word. I’m sure it won’t be an issue," Meng Li suddenly interjected.

"Junior Sister Meng, Mercenaries have their own rules. Don’t interfere," Cai Kun said.

"What’s there to worry about? Uncle Xu is family," Meng Li said with a dismissive pout, looking unconcerned.

"Chen Yu, over here!"

Just then, Duan Feng’s voice called out from a short distance away. Chen Yu looked over and saw Captain Duan waving at him.

Looking at Meng Li and the other two, Chen Yu said, "Sorry, my captain’s calling me. I have to go."

An Ran and the others nodded, and Chen Yu walked over to Duan Feng.

"An Ice Ability Awakener who froze a Level 3 Mutant Beast... He’s got some serious potential."

An Ran clicked her tongue in admiration as she watched Chen Yu walk away.

"He’s average. There’s more than one person with his kind of ability at the academy."

Meng Li said coolly.

"But he just awakened. His potential is still huge," An Ran said.

"Brother Cai, what do you think?" An Ran asked, looking at Cai Kun.

Cai Kun’s expression was calm. "His ability isn’t bad, but it all depends on how he uses it."

"Alright, let’s go. We’re about to assemble," Meng Li said, heading for the assembly point.

The other two followed her, and they walked toward the assembly point together.

...

"Captain Duan." Chen Yu greeted him as he walked up.

Duan Feng looked him up and down. "How have you been these past few days?"

Chen Yu: "Not bad. I broke through to Level 2."

"Huh?"

Duan Feng was stunned, staring at him in disbelief. "You broke through to Level 2?"

Chen Yu nodded. "It was a lucky breakthrough."

"Let me see."

As he spoke, Duan Feng placed his hand on Chen Yu’s abdomen.

"It’s this vast!"

"Did you really just break through?" Duan Feng looked at him, shocked.

His Qi Sea was so vast and powerful. This wasn’t at all like a Martial Artist who had just broken through to Level 2. This Qi Sea was nearly at the third level.

"I broke through a couple of days ago," Chen Yu said.

Duan Feng withdrew his hand and looked at Chen Yu. "You kid, after you Awakened, did your innate talent improve too? Not bad at all. Maybe our 12th Team will produce a Superpower Academy student in the future."

"...I think being a Mercenary is just fine."

Chen Yu said honestly.

Duan Feng rolled his eyes at him. "Bullshit. That’s because you haven’t been to the Superpower Academy. Once you get in, you’ll see."

"So you’re the Chen Yu who awakened?" a woman’s voice interjected.

Chen Yu and Duan Feng both turned to look. A voluptuous woman had walked up to them.

Chen Yu looked at the voluptuous woman and quickly recalled who she was.

Lola, the vice captain of the 9th Team.

And the woman Duan Feng had a crush on.

"Captain Luo," Chen Yu greeted her.

Duan Feng, however, gazed at Lola with a tender expression. "Lala, stick with me when we enter the Anomaly Realm. I’ll protect you."

Chen Yu was speechless.

Lola was speechless.

Gag...

Hearing Duan Feng’s pet name for her, Chen Yu felt goosebumps break out all over his body.

’As expected, people in love are nauseating!!’

"...Just call me by my name," Lola said, glaring at Duan Feng.

Duan Feng nodded. "Okay, Lala."

"..."

"Can’t you just be normal for once?" Lola looked at Duan Feng, exasperated.

"La—"

"Ahem, Captain, there are other people here," Chen Yu coughed, unable to take it anymore.

Duan Feng looked completely unconcerned. "What’s there to be afraid of? My feelings for Lala are open and aboveboard. It’s not like we’re having some secret affair."

Chen Yu face-palmed.

’I give up!’

"Get lost! Who said anything about being open and aboveboard with you?" Lola shot a glare at Duan Feng.

"Oh, so you prefer to do things secretly, Lala? That’s fine too. I’m okay with that," Duan Feng said, patting his chest.

"!!!"

"Get lost!" Lola couldn’t stand it anymore and stormed off.

"La—"

"Captain, rein it in a little. Everyone’s watching," Chen Yu said, grabbing Duan Feng just as he was about to follow her.

"Let them watch. I don’t care," Duan Feng said nonchalantly.

Chen Yu was speechless.

’How did my Captain end up being such a love-struck idiot? It’s mortifying! Utterly, cosmically mortifying!’

...

At nine o’clock, two figures emerged from Building C, and the square instantly fell silent.

Chen Yu watched the two figures. The one in the lead was the Head Captain of the Mercenary Teams.

The one behind him was the Vice Captain of the Mercenary Teams.

They were the two most powerful individuals among all the Mercenary Teams in the entire Qing City Safety Zone. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Fourth-level Martial Artists!

"Assemble!"

The Vice Captain’s voice rang out.

Chen Yu and the others immediately fell into formation.

Each of the fifteen Qing City Mercenary branch teams had sent one vice captain.

That was fifteen people, plus Chen Yu made sixteen. With the three students from the Superpower Academy, it was a total of nineteen people.

Aside from Chen Yu, the other fifteen vice captains were all Third-level Martial Artists.

This was an incredibly powerful lineup!

Even if they were to encounter dozens, or even a hundred, mutant beasts, their combined strength would be enough to eradicate them with ease.

While Chen Yu and the other fifteen Mercenaries assembled, Meng Li and her group stood to the side.

The Vice Captain glanced at the crowd and announced, "And now, let’s have Captain Xu address us!"

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Uniform applause broke out. Captain Xu stepped forward, looked at the crowd, and said, "You all know very well why we’re gathered here today, so I won’t waste your time with nonsense. I’ll just remind you of one thing: exploring the Anomaly Realm is secondary. Your top priority is to ensure your own safety. Understood?"

"Understood!" the sixteen of them roared.

Captain Xu nodded. "Very good. Vice Captain Lin will be leading you this time. You are all to cooperate with him. Additionally, the Superpower Academy has dispatched three of their students. You will need to coordinate with them as well."

Hearing this, the gazes of the more than a dozen Mercenaries fell on Meng Li and her two companions, who were standing off to the side.

Cai Kun stepped forward from the trio. He came before the crowd, nodded to Captain Xu, and then turned to Chen Yu and the other Mercenaries. "Everyone, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cai Kun, and I’m a second-year student at the Superpower Academy. You are all my seniors, and far more experienced in dealing with mutant beasts. I hope we can all work together. Thank you."

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Uniform applause broke out once more.

Captain Xu raised a hand, and the applause stopped instantly. He looked at the crowd and said, "Alright, it’s about time. Everyone, get your gear. Then, move out!"