Chapter 88: Racing All the Way

After their playful tussle, both were somewhat exhausted. They dressed and stood up, and Mu You gazed at the hundred or so corpses, licking his lips. The souls of these dangerous convicts were far stronger than those of ordinary people; after Mou You absorbed them all, the soul power flowing into his body made every cell sigh in pleasure. If only he could devour the Meridian Severing Soul Parasites within them as well, not only his mental power but his physical constitution would undergo a qualitative leap!

Unfortunately, each Meridian Severing Soul Parasite had infinite potential for evolution—Deadman’s Paradise valued them dearly, never discarding them lightly. So, Mu You, quick-eyed and dexterous, seized the moment as Dongguan was tidying up the corpses, intending to snatch one or two for himself. Striding over to Lin Leng’s lifeless body, guided by Mou You, he swiftly pulled a plump Meridian Severing Soul Parasite from the chest cavity.

This fellow, like Xu Chen, possessed ice attributes but was even more powerful. Yet, lacking intelligence, he had tried to save himself from a rooftop fall by freezing his body into solid ice, not realizing that would make him far more brittle and lead to his shattering end. Still, the man’s transparent blood and the devastating Ice Dragon Skyshrieker Bow left Mu You with a deep impression. If Xu Chen could ingest a new Meridian Severing Soul Parasite, who knew how much his abilities would advance?

Regrettably, there was no water-attribute corpse here; otherwise, why wouldn’t Jing want one too? As Mu You headed out, passing Zhenmei’s body, he meant to procure her parasite for An Ruxiang as well—when Mou You suddenly murmured, “Hmm?”

“What is it?” Mu You asked inwardly.

“There’s no sign of a Meridian Severing Soul Parasite inside her. In fact, rather than a corpse… this is more like a puppet.”

“A puppet… Could it be Zhenmei isn’t dead? How is that possible?” Mu You was stunned.

“I’m not sure. And that convict named Longtong from earlier also carries a trace of that woman’s scent, even more deeply concealed. Brother Mu, you’d best be careful with that woman.”

Hearing this, Mu You nodded imperceptibly. He was about to scavenge a bit more when Dongguan tossed out a blood-red hive, dripping her cherry-pink blood onto it. Instantly, the hive began a low hum, and Meridian Severing Soul Parasites crawled frantically from the corpses, swarming into the blood hive.

Mu You felt the parasite in his hand struggling desperately. With a flick of his wrist, a red lotus bud enclosed it, shielding it from the hive’s summons. Dangling the bud before Dongguan, Mu You signaled his intention to keep one for himself. Seeing Dongguan huff and wrinkle her nose at him, Mu You broke into a grin and turned to leave.

As he walked the path back, Mu You’s expression grew more grave than ever. The coming days would be truly tough. Never mind the terrifying instructors—in a full-on confrontation among the convicts, he couldn’t even be sure he’d rank among the top. Besides Longtong, there were the kingpins of blocks D and G; who knew what other hidden bosses lurked among the convicts?

Those who concealed their strength were the most troubling, and those like Zhenmei, half-shrouded, half-revealed, left one even more unsettled. Still, Mu You didn’t regret exposing his power early. As Dongguan had said, the more attention he drew, the more quickly resources would gather around him. Besides, the real battles were only just beginning. Mu You never believed individual strength could prevail over the might of a team—he understood this deeply.

When Mu You returned to Block A, nearly every convict was discussing the recent massive collapse. Spotting his return, they all gazed at him with newfound respect. The sudden attention made Mu You uneasy.

Back at Room Zero on the thirteenth floor, Mu You found all the block leaders lined up outside, even Jing Fei had come. As soon as they saw him, they formed ranks on either side to usher him into the room.

“What’s going on with this door…” Mu You shivered at the sight.

No one answered, gesturing for him to open the door first.

Once inside, as soon as Mu You shut the door, the group erupted:

“How did you manage to win over Dongguan?!”

“Damn, Boss’s awesomeness shakes heaven and earth. Once we get into the Academy, we’ll have someone to rely on!”

“Master, please accept a humble disciple’s kneeling—teach us a trick or two!”

“All hail, all hail! Only by basking in your glory, Boss Mu, can we hope to thrive!”

…

“Stop, stop, stop!” Mu You quickly cut them off before they could eat him alive. Wiping the spit from his face, he signaled for quiet.

Good grief, it was just a little flirtation with Dongguan, had these guys really been denied women for that long? They were on the verge of madness!

Of course, those making a racket were all male convicts. An Ruxiang, meanwhile, leaned quietly against the window, lost in thought.

Mu You approached her slender silhouette, and the room fell silent. The men’s breathing quickened, their gazes brimming with utmost respect for Mu You. Blossoms at home, fragrance at night! Boss had just won over Dongguan, and now was he about to conquer An Ruxiang? Remembering how An Ruxiang had risked her life for Mu You, and how Xuan Yao made her bare-boned confession at the last moment—Boss Mu, your path of pleasure was truly a wild, blessed sprint!

“Here.” Mu You handed a weapon, cold as ice and jade to the touch, to An Ruxiang.

“The Crystal Mother’s Thorn?!” An Ruxiang was slightly surprised—this was the weapon Zhenmei had used in battle.

“Ahem, well, I saw you wielding those Minghua Blades so deftly with both hands, and thought that dual blades would make you even safer. Besides, if you hid a Minghua Blade in your hair and wore the Crystal Mother’s Thorn openly, you’d be even more unpredictable in a fight. And… more beautiful…”

As he spoke, Mu You deftly inserted the Crystal Mother’s Thorn into her elegantly coiled hair. Instantly, she looked even more heroic. Mu You inhaled her intensifying fragrance and let a barely perceptible smile curl his lips.

“Everyone, come here.” Mu You plopped onto the bed, calling the group to gather.

Seeing his seriousness, the laughter faded and everyone’s expression grew grave. The road ahead would be hard indeed.

“After the opening ceremony, all convicts get three days to recuperate. On the fourth day, we’ll participate in the ‘exchange activities’ we’ve each chosen. Let’s each pick our project, and plan accordingly.”

As he spoke, Mu You took out Lin Leng’s Meridian Severing Soul Parasite and tossed it to Xu Chen.

Staring at the parasite struggling against the red lotus’s bindings, Xu Chen asked uncertainly, “Boss… what’s this?!”