Chapter 27: We Can Only Embark on a Seafaring Adventure

Under the dazzling aurora, the sea swayed sluggishly. As the water surged into the fissures of the ice, it erupted with a sound like rolling thunder.

Blood stained the sea, turning the ice-blue shelves a pale red. The colossal beast let out a roar of fury, lashing its tail with such immense power that it triggered a terrifying tsunami, crashing violently toward the phantom figure suspended in mid-air.

Yet, the seawater passed straight through that figure, as if nothing existed there at all; the girl was merely an illusory projection.

Gungnir plummeted into the sea, instantly swept away by the torrential currents. Tang Xi did not stop it. She merely glanced back, but Chu Zihang’s figure had already vanished.

*As long as he escaped, that’s fine,* she thought, breathing a sigh of relief. Her phantom form finally dissipated completely, transforming into a streak of white light that returned to Gungnir.

Before her figure vanished entirely, she cast a provocative smile at the giant whale, raised an index finger, and shook it silently, mouthing the words:

"You're trash. Go practice more."

The wounded giant whale roared in rage, the water churning and the ice shelves shattering, but it was all in vain. The world was empty, save for the sounds of its impotent fury.

Tang Xi had learned through her experiments with Jormungandr that Gungnir was nearly indestructible.

During the three years she spent with the King of Earth and Mountains, Gungnir had often been in her possession. Whether for research or as a threat, she had frequently tried to snap the spear. Each time, it required considerable effort just to wear down its durability, which gave Tang Xi a rough estimate of its resilience.

Although Gungnir was crafted from tree branches, it was impervious to fire and water, and extremely resistant to physical damage. Below the level of a Dragon King, destroying it was near impossible—at most, it would lose a bit of durability. As for hybrids... Tang Xi felt that without the use of heavy weaponry, Gungnir wouldn't even lose a single point of durability.

That was why, once she realized this "fish" was not a Dragon King, she dared to engage it head-on without a hint of fear. Whatever the outcome, it certainly wouldn't be worse than Chu Zihang dying there and her being frozen in ice.

As it turned out, her choice was correct. Chu Zihang escaped safely, and she managed to slip away as well. The only problem was that she might be in for a nautical adventure.

Time passed. The turbulent sea finally calmed, the surface froze over once more, and the entire world returned to a desolate ice-blue, as if nothing had ever happened.

A lean, black figure emerged through the wind and snow. He seemed to be searching for something, painstakingly checking every crevice, yet he found nothing. The boy refused to accept it, convinced he must have missed something, so he started over from the beginning, searching again and again, endlessly.

The wind howled, the world was silent, and for that moment, it seemed as if time itself had frozen, leaving him entirely alone in the world.

...

Chu Zihang opened his eyes. Before him, on a silver tray, lay a whole apple. An aged, thin hand held the stem, peeling it in one continuous strip before handing the prepared fruit to him.

"Headmaster?" Chu Zihang was startled.

He appeared to be in a hospital room. The walls were stark white, and the rhythmic beeping of monitors filled the air. Angers sat by the bed, slowly wiping the fruit juice from his folding knife with a handkerchief.

"We rescued you from the frozen wilderness. You were nearly buried by the snow. It was fortunate that you had the locator installed by the Operations Department, or we wouldn't have known where to look," Angers said in a low voice, looking into Chu Zihang’s eyes. "What happened? The team sent to retrieve you reported signs of a struggle at the scene and discovered several desiccated corpses."

"Someone ambushed me," Chu Zihang replied. "It was the Gattuso family. They said they were curious about my bloodline and wanted to take me back for study. I refused, so they attacked."

"I killed them all."

"You are aware that the college is also suspicious of your bloodline, aren't you?" Angers noted. "There are many things about you that cannot be explained. Many people doubt you—myself included."

Chu Zihang nodded silently, saying nothing.

Angers stood and paced the room, as if in deep thought. "The Gattusos are a petty family. You killed their people, and they will not let this go."

"So, you still don't intend to explain?"

Chu Zihang remained silent for a long time. Just as Angers thought he wouldn't speak, he suddenly asked, "When you found me, did you find anything else there?"

The question was abrupt. Angers froze, then frowned. "Aside from the corpses and you, there was nothing. Did you lose something important?"

Chu Zihang shook his head and fell silent, but the disappointment in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Angers watched him for a long time. Finally, he said, "If you are unwilling to speak of these secrets, I will not force you. But the Gattuso family is dangerous. Have you thought about how you will handle them?"

"Moreover, the Gattuso family is the largest benefactor of Cassel College. As long as you remain at Cassel, you are essentially in their cage. It would be effortless for them to deal with you, and no one would save you."

He paused, then added, "To avoid trouble, I might even hand you over directly. Don't you intend to offer a defense for yourself?"

The old man toyed with his folding knife, the sharp blade glinting coldly in the light, as if it might be thrown at any moment to sever the boy's throat.

Yet, Chu Zihang seemed not to notice. He merely shook his head, the light in his eyes fading.

His heart was in turmoil. After these few years, Gungnir was far more than just a weapon to him, and Tang Xi was far more than just a spirit of an artifact. In his most desperate and dangerous moments, it was Tang Xi who led him to escape and gave him hope. She had taught him so much and guided his growth; in his heart, Tang Xi was his greatest teacher.

She had promised to help him find his father, and he did not believe she would break that promise. But the feeling of having lost something vital left him deeply unsettled.

In the end, he was only seventeen. He could feel sadness, pain, and, naturally, anxiety. With his abilities and bloodline, he might grow into a cold, indifferent killing machine who cared for nothing in a few years, but for now, he was still too young.

Angers looked at the boy’s pale face and sighed.

He put away the folding knife, sliding it into the leather sheath inside his shirt sleeve, and turned to leave.

"But I will not do that. Because you are my student. As long as you remain my student, I will protect you."

He opened the door to the ward and, without looking back, left one final remark:

"I will handle the Gattusos. Get some rest. And... remember your own resolve. I will not pursue the matter of the 'Blood Rage' technique you use, but..."

"If the day comes when you turn into one of the alien race, I will kill you with my own hands."