bookbashuk Page 88
Page 88
I didn't expect that in order to frame me, even my former enemies would put aside their grudges and cooperate with me. This world really is one where profit comes first.
At this time, Jumonji Katsuto came over and said to Shangguan Wen, who was a head taller than him:
"Shangguan, you are in charge of the third round of [Shield Combat], so be careful..."
Shangguan Wen also responded falsely:
“Thank you very much”
As Shangguan Wen responded, a barely perceptible coldness flashed across his eyes.
As the previous competitions progressed, students from each participating school shed their sweat and tears to achieve good results for their respective schools.
In the first six competition events, Yigao has achieved good results, and now in the final [Shield Fighting], this newly launched event has attracted even more attention.
When it was Shangguan Wen's turn to participate in the competition, the maintenance personnel in charge of CAD modified Shangguan Wen's CAD data inside, causing an internal explosion at a critical moment.
Shangguan Wen took it into consideration but did not expose it.
"Now, the next [Shield Fighting] match is between Shangguan Wen from High School 1 and Yashiro Jie from High School 2."
Shangguan Wen walked up calmly with the tampered shield.
On the other side, Yashiro Jie also came up with a shield in hand.
The competition between the two sides is about to begin.
With the referee's whistle, the entire arena was instantly engulfed in a tense and solemn atmosphere. The audience held their breath, their eyes fixed on the small area in the center that would determine the outcome.
Shangguan Wen gently stroked the seemingly ordinary shield in his hand, but his heart was as clear as a mirror.
"Ready--" the referee raised his voice again, and the atmosphere on the field was pushed to a climax.
Almost simultaneously, Shangguan Wen and Yashiro Jie unleashed their might, their shields colliding with a deafening roar that sent ripples of energy radiating outward. The audience, stunned by the sudden force, involuntarily recoiled.
During the battle, Shangguan Wen cleverly exploited his opponent's momentum, directing Yadai Jie's attacks to land precisely on the shield, where the tampered area had been located. With each impact, Shangguan Wen became more certain that the impending "accident" was approaching.
Suddenly, the shield held by Shangguan Wen and the CAD on his left hand exploded at the same time, injuring Shangguan Wen's right hand and making him unable to fight anymore. The opposite Yashiro Jie took this opportunity to push Shangguan Wen off the ring.
The referee blew the whistle and gave the answer that had already been set without even checking.
"Shangguan Wen, a contestant from No. 1 High School, has been found guilty of cheating and has been disqualified from the competition. He will also be detained for violating the Nine Schools Tournament rules."
Angelina, a member of the female group who was also preparing to participate in the competition, looked up in surprise. Shangguan Wen's strength did not require any so-called cheating. She did not expect that these old men would resort to such means to frame Shangguan Wen. Do they still have any sense of shame?
The young and energetic Angelina completely forgot what Shangguan Wen had said before and rushed straight to the stage and said:
"Wait, you're accused of cheating without checking anything and you're even put in jail. That's totally unfair."
Angelina's voice echoed throughout the empty arena, drawing the attention and chatter of the surrounding spectators. Her actions were undoubtedly a direct challenge to the referee's authority, but in this tense and unfair atmosphere, many people were excited to watch the game unfold.
The referee's face darkened, clearly unprepared for someone to challenge his decision directly. He was about to reprimand the referee when the tournament supervisor interrupted him. This supervisor, looking older, his eyes radiating wisdom and composure, slowly stepped forward, his gaze flicking back and forth between Angelina and the collapsed Shangguan Wen, seemingly assessing the situation. "Young lady, your courage is commendable, but according to the rules, our referee team has the final say in the match."
The supervisor's voice is not loud, but it carries an authority that cannot be ignored.
"However, to ensure the fairness of the competition, I propose an urgent review. All equipment will be inspected by a third-party team of experts. At the same time, we will conduct a full investigation into whether Shangguan Wen cheated."
As soon as these words were spoken, a murmur broke out in the audience. Obviously, this way of handling the matter would be more convincing than directly labeling it as cheating.
Angelina's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and there was a little more gratitude in her eyes when she looked at the supervisor, but more of it was concern for Shangguan Wen's current situation.
But when she looked at Shangguan Wen, the latter gave her a look that said you are stupid.
Since it was a trap set for him, naturally the contestants, referees, and even the extras in the audience who set the pace would be prepared.
Even if Angelina didn't go on stage, she would arrange for the extras to act dissatisfied, and then undergo inspection to discover the ironclad truth that they had cheated.
Chapter 198 Lao Deng's plan was ruined
Soon, through the playback on the big screen, the witnesses and material evidence of the maintenance staff of Shangguan Wen's CAD High School proved that Shangguan Wen tried to cheat but failed, which led to the explosion of his CAD and the competition shield. Then, the actors who mixed in with the audience began to lead the rhythm.
"Sure enough, this international student from Renlian got into No. 1 High School through the backdoor and became a student at Hua Rui."
"He's unwilling to admit he cheated, what a disgrace to No. 1 High School."
"The shame of cheating has reached the international level."
Then, another big shot, Jiu Dao Lie, appeared here because of the seriousness of the situation, and then he gave a series of performances that could win him an Oscar for Best Actor.
As a member of a famous magic family, it was determined that Shangguan Wen was cheating in this [Shield Combat].
Then, in order to prevent Shangguan Wen from getting angry and hurting others.
Jumonji Katsuto walked forward with grief, put on his so-called protective gear for war, and denounced Shangguan Wen for bringing shame to Yigao.
Shangguan Wen looked at this ridiculous scene of beasts fighting with cold eyes and said:
"Have you finished your acting? Then it's my turn now."
Shangguan Wen's words carried a subtle hint of sarcasm and coldness. He slowly rose from the ground, a mysterious aura surrounding him that seemed to freeze the air around him. The replay on the big screen continued to loop, but now, in everyone's eyes, the images seemed to have lost their original color, becoming pale and powerless.
"You accuse me of cheating? Well, let me tell you the truth."
He gently raised his hand and pointed at the large screen. The scene suddenly shifted, no longer showing the previous replay, but a never-before-seen angle of view recording. In the game preparation area, a maintenance worker was inspecting a CAD system. A stealthy figure approached nearby. Together, they began disrupting and sabotaging Shangguan Wen's CAD system.
"Who is this?"
Shangguan Wen asked coldly, his eyes like torches scanning everyone present.
"This person is the one who truly wants to disrupt the fairness of the competition. Not only did he try to interfere with my equipment, he also wanted to use this opportunity to frame me."
As Shangguan Wen made his accusation, the crowd began to stir and discussions arose.
Many participating students turned their eyes to the CAD equipment repairman from No. 1 High School. They all looked at him with contempt, ridicule, and sighs. At their age, they have been beaten by society and turned into adults who only care about profit. They should still have a sense of shame, especially when facing the national and international stage.
Jiudao Lie's expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal, as if he was going to continue denying everything. However, Shangguan Wen didn't give him a chance, but directly pulled out a small data storage device from his pocket. It was the evidence he had prepared in advance.
"It records the entire process of my discovery of the anomaly, my attempts to save myself, and the eventual loss of control by CAD. More importantly, it also captures the figure behind the scenes."
There was unquestionable firmness in Shangguan Wen's words.
"The truth is often more exciting than you imagine."
As the footage continued, Taro Kushima, a trusted aide of the highly respected Rei Kushima, walked up to the mechanic, whispered a few words, patted him on the shoulder, and handed him a Kushima family bank card. Even this brief moment caused an uproar among the audience.
Most people's eyes were once again cast on Kushima Taro who was standing behind Kushima Rei. As the steward of the Kushima family, he had been loyally following Kushima Rei for sixty years and was almost regarded as the direct agent of Kushima Rei's will.
His every move contained the will of the Jiudao family. At this moment, his appearance undoubtedly meant that the mastermind behind all this was Jiudao Lie, the magician who enjoyed a high reputation in Japan and was both inside and outside.
People were talking one after another, with shock and confusion mixed together.
Shangguan Wen is a high school student who has just been studying abroad for less than a year. However, he is now involved in a conspiracy carefully arranged by Jiudao Lie behind this seemingly simple maintenance incident.
"Why is Senior Jiudao Lie targeting Shangguan Wen?" someone asked in confusion.
"Yeah, there doesn't seem to be any direct grudge between them. Could they be descendants of the enemies from the last war?"
echoed another.
Just as everyone was talking about it, Taro Kushima in the picture had already turned and left, leaving behind only the bank card and the repairman's confused but seemingly enlightened expression.
At this moment, everyone realized that this seemingly ordinary CAD maintenance incident actually had undercurrents and hidden unknown secrets.
Seeing that things were not going well and the fire seemed to be spreading to his master, Rei Kushima, Taro Kushima was extremely anxious. In desperation, he began to improvise and try to divert everyone's attention.
"Everyone, please listen to me!"
His voice was particularly loud amid the clamor. "Today's incident actually stems from a personal feud between Shangguan Wen and me. It has nothing to do with my master, Jiudao Lie-sama."
Shangguan Wen knew that these shameless old men would immediately come up with a scapegoat. As soon as he thought of it, another clip was played on the big screen, involving more people.
The person who appeared in the picture was the famous Neon magician Yotsuba Maya.
"Teacher, the layout is complete. Now we just need Shangguan Wen to jump in. The army is ready and will cooperate with America and others to launch a preemptive attack on the Human Alliance."
Jiudao Lie nodded slightly and said:
"After the plan begins, the old and new grudges between the Yotsuba family and the [Dahan], no, the [Human Union] can be resolved together."
Jiudao Lie on the screen had a stern expression, his words revealing undeniable determination. His plan had clearly been brewing for a long time. Not only did he intend to accuse Shangguan Wen of a trumped-up crime and capture him in one fell swoop, but he also intended to seize this opportunity to accuse the [Human Union] students of sabotaging the Neon Magic World and start a war.
After the video finished playing, Shangguan Wen looked at Jiudao Lie in front of him with a sneer and said:
"By the way, does Lao Deng have any last words? Today, the entire Jiudao family will die in front of you."
Jiudao Lie's face turned ashen, his fists clenched, and his body trembled slightly, clearly angered to the extreme by Shangguan Wen's words. However, he did not lose his mind. Instead, he took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and sneered:
"There's no point in saying more, Shangguan Wen. You're a spy from the Human Alliance. You stole Neon's magical data and technology. You're unforgivable! Together, let's capture this thief!"
At Jiudao Lie's command, the Jiudao family's magicians drew their katanas, firearms, and CADs, and charged at Shangguan Wen with furious force. Their eyes were filled with murderous intent and determination, as if they would only quench their hatred by shredding Shangguan Wen into pieces.
Chapter 199 Jiudao Family One-Stop Service
Now that the play had reached this point, Shangguan Wen stopped pretending and deliberately said:
"Kyudo Laodeng, Angelina is your granddaughter, are you going to kill her too?"
Jiudao Lie looked at Angelina. Even though the girl had been mentally prepared, she wanted to see how her grandfather would express his opinion at this moment.
"Hmph, those who help accomplish great things can kill even their closest relatives. Moreover, our plot has been exposed. She must have betrayed you. Activate the magic seal array!"
After that, energy fluctuations of different rules suddenly appeared on the stage where Shangguan Wen and Angelina were standing, and fences rose on the stage to block all exits.
Angelina's face paled instantly. She stared at her grandfather in disbelief. The eyes that had once given her warmth and protection were now like an icy abyss, devoid of any emotion. With a trembling voice, she tried to awaken the last vestiges of humanity in Jiudao Lie's heart:
"Grandpa, how could you do this? I'm your granddaughter!"
Jiudao Lie was unmoved, his eyes were filled with determination and coldness:
"Angelina, you're too naive. In this world where the strong reign supreme, family ties are nothing but fleeting clouds. You've long been a discarded pawn, abandoned by Jiudao, Shields, and even America's Magical General Administration. As for the future of our family, with me here, we can usher in a new era."
Shangguan Wen sneered on the side. He had already expected Jiudao Lie to make such a choice. Although Lao Deng boasted to the outside world about magic being used for peace and other lies, he had already used all means to gain strength and power.
Shangguan Wen walked up to Angelina, with a hint of joking in his tone:
"It seems that I won the previous assumption."
Angelina wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. She was abandoned, abandoned by everyone, and became a homeless orphan.
"Well, you won, but you were also a burden."
Angelina watched the magician below the ring using CAD to perform a magic seal on Shangguan Wen. The gravity she felt, the gathering, expansion, and aiming of magic power, coupled with Shangguan Wen's previous injury to his right hand, all gave Angelina the illusion that they were destined to be together.
"Angelina, are you so fragile that you plan to just sit there and admit defeat?"
"No, I won't sit still and wait for death. A group of people who bully the weak with their numbers and use shameless conspiracies and tricks, don't even think about making me surrender. It's just gravity..."
In order to fight back, Angelina stood up decisively, ignoring the layers of gravity. Her bones seemed to be broken, her body was squeezed, and her skin was flushed red with blood.
Jiu Dao Lie never thought that his abandoned granddaughter had such will and strength to resist in the carefully laid trap.
"How can it be"
But then he sneered:
"This is the end of the rope, Angelina."
"Your struggle is futile. In this realm controlled by our Kujima family, gravity reigns supreme. Every increase in gravity is a test of your will and body. Look at you. Even a body made of iron would struggle to bear such a burden, let alone a body of flesh and blood like yours."
There was a hint of teasing in Jiudao Lie's words, as if he was both surprised and a little disdainful of Angelina's resistance.
Angelina clenched her teeth, sweat dripping like raindrops, but her eyes were extremely firm, as if they could penetrate the invisible constraints of gravity and look directly at Jiudao Lie's indifferent face.
"You are wrong, Jiudao Lie, you shameless old man. True strength is not just about outward tyranny or political calculations. It comes from inner weakness, which you taught me. Now you rely on what you think is your advantage, but you forget that the fire in the heart cannot be completely extinguished by any force."
As Angelina finished her words, a strength seemed to quietly awaken within her, a tenacity and indomitable spirit emanating from the depths of her soul. Though her body still trembled, her resolve allowed her to slowly straighten her back under the weight. The surrounding gravity, as if sensing this resistance to her will, wavered faintly.
Even though the CAD in her hand had been tampered with and could not be used normally, the magic power erupting from Angelina's body still allowed her to stand up straight.
Jiudao Lie's face changed slightly. He didn't expect that Angelina could summon such amazing willpower in such a desperate situation. This made him feel a little uneasy.
"Hmph, don't think this will change anything, Angelina. In the face of absolute strength, any struggle is meaningless."
Shangguan Wen was very satisfied with Angelina's performance and disdained the so-called magic seal. A scornful smile appeared on his lips, and he turned his sharp gaze to Juumi no Katsuto. His voice was as cold as the wind, piercing the hearts of everyone present.
"It is said that the [Linking Wall Array] of the Jumonji Kai leader is the world's top defensive magic, known as the most impenetrable shield in Neon."
There was a hint of amusement in Shangguan Wen's words, as if he was evaluating a toy that was not worth mentioning.
"So, you, Jūmonji Katsuto, can you use this legendary defense to protect Kyudo Reiroden? Seeing him so arrogant and complacent, I'm really upset."
Jumonji Katsuto's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew Shangguan Wen's strength was unfathomable, and every word he said was like a hammer, hammering at his heart. However, as the leader of the guild, he had his own pride and persistence.
"Shangguan Wen, your strength is obvious to all of us, but the [Linking Walls Square Array] is not just a name." Jumonji Keren's voice was steady and powerful, revealing an unquestionable determination.