bookbashuk Page 174
Page 174
However, the competition wasn't over yet. Just as Li An was about to walk towards the podium, several figures suddenly jumped down from the audience and surrounded him. These people were Guo Yao's suitors; they looked at Li An with eyes full of jealousy and anger.
"Kid, don't think you're so great just because you won the game," one of the young men with dyed red hair said viciously. "You just got lucky."
Li An frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes: "What do you want to do? The competition is over, don't cause trouble here."
"Causing trouble? We just want you to know that Guo Yao is not someone you can lay a finger on." Another burly young man stepped forward, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked.
Li An sneered, "You? You think you can fight?" His eyes revealed a hint of disdain. "If you want to make a move, I don't mind teaching you another lesson."
The suitors exchanged glances, a hint of hesitation flashing in their eyes. They had just witnessed Li An's brilliant performance in the competition and knew they were no match for him. But in front of everyone, they couldn't bring themselves to leave so easily.
Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a familiar voice came from outside the arena: "Stop it, all of you!" Everyone turned to look and saw Accelerator walking over with his hands in his pockets and a cold expression on his face. He looked at the people around him, his eyes filled with disdain: "A bunch of ants, making a racket here, what kind of behavior is this?"
The suitors turned deathly pale upon seeing Accelerator. Knowing his power, they dared not linger and hastily slunk away.
Accelerator glanced at Li An, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes: "I didn't expect you to have some skills, kid. But don't think you can gain a foothold in Academy City just like that." With that, he turned and left.
Li An watched Accelerator's retreating figure, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. He knew that Accelerator's words were not an exaggeration; in this Academy City where the strong were revered, he still had a long way to go.
At this moment, Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Yuuki also walked over. Misaka Mikoto crossed her arms, looked at Li An, and showed a faint smile: "Well done, I didn't expect you to have such strength."
Shokuhou Yuuki stood to the side, a hint of jealousy in her eyes. She looked at Guo Yao and said coldly, "Hmph, don't think you can get too cocky just because you found a powerful boyfriend."
Guo Yao blushed slightly upon hearing Shokuhou Yuuki's words and was about to retort when Li An stopped her. Li An smiled and said to Shokuhou Yuuki, "Shokuhou-kun, you should mind your own business." After saying that, he pulled Guo Yao towards the podium.
On the podium, Li An accepted the trophy, and the audience erupted in cheers once again. Guo Yao stood to the side, looking at Li An with eyes full of admiration and love. She whispered, "Li An, you're really amazing."
Chapter 201 Finally succeeded
Li An turned to look at Guo Yao and said gently, "All of this is for you." Just as the two were immersed in joy, Tsuchimikado Motoharu quietly walked out from the crowd. He looked at Li An, a complicated look flashing in his eyes: "This kid is becoming more and more unpredictable. I need to find an opportunity to investigate him properly."
Meanwhile, in another corner of the arena, Touma Kamijou was looking at Li An, his mind filled with doubt: "This guy, I always feel there's something strange about him. Who exactly is he? Why do I always feel he's not as simple as he seems?"
The sky over Academy City was as blue as ever, the sunlight streaming unreservedly onto this technologically advanced land. Li An stood before the window of his small but tidy apartment, clutching the document that marked his enhanced superpowers, a confident smile playing on his lips. He had thought that this improvement would be the beginning of his rise to prominence in Academy City, a stepping stone to even greater heights. However, he never imagined that this was merely the calm before the storm.
"We finally succeeded, Guo Yao. Our efforts weren't in vain." Li An turned to look at Guo Yao sitting beside him, his eyes filled with tenderness and relief. Guo Yao looked up, her innocent face beaming with joy. "Yes, Li An, now you'll definitely have a brighter future in Academy City." Her voice was clear and melodious, like a mountain spring flowing through the small room.
However, before they could even properly celebrate this hard-won glory, trouble struck one after another. As usual, Li An went to the advanced research institute in Academy City, intending to use its state-of-the-art equipment to conduct in-depth research on his newly enhanced superpowers. But when he reached that familiar door, he was stopped by two security personnel in black uniforms.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Li An, but effective today, you are prohibited from entering this research facility." One of the security guards said sternly, his tone icy. Li An's smile instantly froze on his face. He frowned and asked in confusion, "Prohibited from entering? What's going on? I'm a contestant from Academy City. My superpowers have just been enhanced, and I need the equipment here for research." The other security guard replied expressionlessly, "It's an order from above. We don't know the specific reason either. Please leave."
A surge of inexplicable anger welled up within Li An. He forcefully shoved aside the security personnel, attempting to force his way in. But just then, several laser beams shot out from the surrounding defense system, firmly blocking his path. Li An was forced to stop, glaring angrily at the research institution before him, his heart filled with resentment. "I must find out what's going on!" he gritted his teeth, growling in a low voice.
Meanwhile, within the management offices of Academy City, the atmosphere was unusually tense. Accelerator, hands in his pockets, leaned against the wall, a disdainful sneer on his face. "That brat thinks he can cause trouble in Academy City? He's simply overestimating himself." His voice was low and cold, as if one could sense the coldness deep within him. Misaka Mikoto stood to the side, arms crossed, a worried look on her face. "Isn't this going too far? He's a participant in Academy City's competition after all. Improving his superpowers should be a good thing for him. Why restrict him?" Her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction, clearly disapproving of the Academy City leadership's actions.
Chapter 202 See your leader!
Shokuhou Yuuki sat on the sofa, elegantly crossing her legs, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "Hmph, who knows? Maybe someone's afraid his abilities threaten their position. But this is a good opportunity for me." A hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes, and when she looked at Guo Yao's photo, her gaze was filled with hostility.
Tsuchimikado Motoharu leaned against the doorway, a sly smile on his face, and muttered to himself, "Interesting. It seems this good show has only just begun." As he spoke, he fiddled with the communicator in his hand, as if reporting something to someone.
Li An left the research institute, his anger burning like an unquenchable flame. He decided to go directly to the administration of Academy City and demand an explanation. As he entered the administration building, he was met with strange looks from those around him—some curious, some mocking, and others disdainful. These gazes were like sharp knives, piercing Li An's heart.
"I need to see your manager," Li An said loudly, slamming his hand on the table as he walked to the front desk. The receptionist was startled by his action, and her voice trembled as she said, "Please...please wait a moment, I'll contact him for you right away." A moment later, a middle-aged man in a suit came out. He looked at Li An with a hint of impatience on his face. "You're Li An? What do you need? Speak quickly, I'm busy." His tone was full of arrogance and disdain.
Li An took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I want to know, why am I banned from entering Academy City's research institutions? I'm a participant in Academy City's competition, my superpowers have improved, which should be a good thing for Academy City. Why are you restricting me?" He stared intently at the middle-aged man, trying to find the answer on his face. The middle-aged man sneered and said, "This is a decision made by the higher-ups of Academy City. I don't know the specific reasons. You'd better accept it obediently and not resist in vain, or you'll bear the consequences." With that, he turned to leave.
Seeing this, Li An grabbed the middle-aged man's arm and said angrily, "This is unfair! I won't give up so easily!" The middle-aged man forcefully shook off Li An's hand and shouted, "Are you threatening me? Security, throw him out!" Immediately, several security guards rushed over from all directions and surrounded Li An.
Looking at the surrounding security guards, Li An's anger reached its peak. His superpowers surged within him, a powerful force ready to erupt at any moment. Just then, Guo Yao rushed over. Seeing the scene before her, she was startled. "Li An, don't be impulsive!" she shouted, then ran to Li An's side and grabbed his hand. Li An turned his head, looking at Guo Yao's anxious eyes, and his anger gradually subsided. "Guo Yao, why are you here?" he asked softly. Guo Yao looked at Li An, her eyes full of worry: "I heard you came to the management department, and I was afraid something might happen to you, so I rushed over. Let's go back first, and then think of something." Li An looked at Guo Yao, nodded, then glared fiercely at the middle-aged man, and under the watchful eyes of the security guards, left the management department with Guo Yao.
Chapter 203 feels much better
Back in the apartment, Li An sat on the sofa, silent, his eyes revealing deep resentment. Guo Yao sat beside him, gently holding his hand, comforting him, "Li An, don't be too sad, we'll definitely find a solution." Li An turned to look at Guo Yao, a warm feeling welling up inside him. "Thank you, Guo Yao, I feel much better with you by my side," he said gently, stroking Guo Yao's hair tenderly.
Just then, Saten Ruiko suddenly ran in. Seeing Li An and Guo Yao, her face lit up with surprise. "Li An, Guo Yao, you're here! I heard about what happened and came to check on you." As she spoke, she walked to Li An's side and asked with concern, "Li An, are you alright? Those people went too far. How could they treat you like that?" Looking at Saten Ruiko's innocent and adorable face, the gloom in Li An's heart dissipated slightly. "I'm fine, Ruiko, thank you for your concern," he said with a smile.
Saten Ruiko sat to the side, angrily saying, "The higher-ups in Academy City are too domineering! We can't just let this go. Li An, you have to find a way to fight back!" Li An nodded and said, "I will. I will never let them succeed. I will use my newly enhanced superpower to find the loopholes in their restrictions on me and break these unfair limitations." His eyes revealed a firm determination, as if declaring his indomitable spirit to the whole world.
So, in the days that followed, Li An began his arduous research. Utilizing his superpower's special sensory abilities, combined with the system's powerful analytical capabilities, he tirelessly searched day and night for loopholes in Academy City's high-level restriction system. Guo Yao and Saten Ruiko also assisted him, gathering various materials and providing all sorts of support.
During this process, Touma Kamijou accidentally learned about Rean. He mistakenly thought Rean was a bad guy and believed he was causing trouble. So, he decided to find Rean and get to the bottom of things. When he arrived at Rean's apartment, he saw Rean engrossed in his research.
"Hey, you must be Li An? What are you doing? Why are you disrupting the order of Academy City?" Touma Kamijou shouted. Li An looked up, saw Touma Kamijou, and was somewhat puzzled. "Who are you? I'm not disrupting the order of Academy City. I'm just resisting the unfair treatment," he replied calmly.
Touma Kamijou frowned and said, "I don't care what your reasons are, disrupting the order of Academy City is wrong. You'd better stop right now, or I won't let you off!" He then assumed a fighting stance. Seeing this, Li An also stood up, his psychic powers surging within him. "I won't stop. If you want to stop me, then try!" His eyes revealed a resolute fighting spirit, showing no fear of Touma Kamijou's threat.
Just as the two were about to clash, Guo Yao and Saten Ruiko rushed over. "Touma, you've misunderstood! Li An isn't a bad person; he's protesting the unfair treatment he's received from the Academy City's higher-ups!" Guo Yao explained anxiously. Saten Ruiko chimed in, "Yes, Touma, you've really misunderstood. Li An is a good person."
After hearing their words, Touma Kamijou was somewhat shaken. He looked at Li An and asked, "Is this true?"
Chapter 204 It seems I misunderstood you
Li An nodded and said, "That's right, I gained a boost in my superpowers. I thought I could make a greater contribution to Academy City, but I didn't expect to be suppressed and restricted by the higher-ups. I was just fighting for my right to fairness." Hearing this, Touma's doubts gradually dissipated. "I see. It seems I misunderstood you. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come to bother you so rashly," he said somewhat embarrassed.
Li An smiled and said, "It's alright. Now that you know the truth, I hope you won't interfere anymore. I'll handle it myself." Kamijou Touma nodded and said, "Okay, I believe you. If you need any help, just let me know." After saying that, he left.
After several days and nights of hard work, Li An finally found a crucial loophole in Academy City's high-level restriction system. This loophole was extremely well hidden; without his powerful superpowers and the system's assistance, he would have been completely unable to discover it. "Found it! This is it!" Li An shouted excitedly, his face beaming with the joy of victory. Guo Yao and Saten Ruiko, hearing his shout, rushed over. "You really found it? Li An, you're amazing!" Guo Yao exclaimed excitedly, her eyes filled with admiration. Saten Ruiko also cheered from the side, "Great! Li An, now you can break those restrictions!"
Li An took a deep breath, calming his excited emotions. "Now, it's time to witness a miracle," he said, concentrating his mind and using his superpowers to attack the vulnerability. As his superpowers continued to flow, the vulnerability gradually expanded, and the restriction system began to fluctuate.
In Academy City's monitoring room, an alarm suddenly blared. "Oh no! The restriction system is under attack!" a staff member shouted in panic. Academy City's high-ranking officials rushed to the monitoring room, their faces grim as they stared at the flashing alarm signals on the screen. "What's going on? Who's attacking the restriction system?" one of the officials demanded angrily. At that moment, Accelerator walked in, looking at the screen with a hint of surprise on his face. "I didn't expect that brat to be so capable, actually finding a vulnerability in the restriction system." His tone was a mixture of astonishment and admiration.
Misaka Mikoto was also nearby, watching the screen and silently cheering for Li An. "Li An, you must succeed!" she muttered to herself. Shokuhou Yuuki sat to the side, her face gloomy. She hadn't expected Li An to actually find the loophole, which made the flames of jealousy in her heart burn even more fiercely.
Li An's attack continued, and the fluctuations in the restriction system grew increasingly larger. Finally, with a loud bang, part of the restriction system's defenses were successfully breached. "Success!" Li An shouted excitedly, a proud smile spreading across his face. Guo Yao and Zuo Tian Ruizi also jumped up excitedly, hugging Li An tightly, overjoyed at his success.
0Request flowers0
The higher-ups of Academy City were shocked to learn that the restriction system had been breached. "How is this possible? How did he do that?" one of the executives exclaimed incredulously. Accelerator stared at the screen, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. "Interesting. This kid is indeed not simple. It seems I need to reassess him." His eyes revealed a hint of curiosity and anticipation.
Those who had once looked down on Li An now wore expressions of astonishment. They hadn't expected that Li An, whom they considered an ant, would actually be able to break through the restrictions set by the higher-ups of Academy City. Their hearts were filled with regret and fear—regret for underestimating Li An and fear for his next move.
However, Li An wasn't blinded by his victory. He knew that the Academy City leadership wouldn't let this go easily; they would definitely take even harsher measures to suppress him. He had to prepare a response as soon as possible. "Guo Yao, Ruiko, we can't let our guard down. The Academy City leadership definitely won't let us off the hook. We need to find a way to deal with their next attack as soon as possible," Li An said seriously, looking at Guo Yao and Ruiko. Guo Yao and Ruiko nodded; they knew Li An was right. The real challenge had only just begun.
Chapter 205 They're nothing but ants.
Beneath the seemingly peaceful surface of Academy City, dark undercurrents are surging.
Li An was walking down the streets of Academy City, sunlight streaming down his body, yet he had a vague feeling of being watched. Suddenly, a group of men in black surrounded him from all directions. They wore black masks and had cold eyes. "You're Li An? Come with us," the leader of the men in black said coldly. Li An frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. He was about to resist when he found that the space around him seemed to be imprisoned by an invisible force. "Who are you? Why are you arresting me?" Li An asked angrily, his eyes revealing wariness. The men in black did not answer, but simply dragged him away roughly.
After an unknown amount of time, Li An was led to a dark, damp place, the air thick with the pungent stench of blood and violence. He looked around and found himself in a massive underground fighting arena, surrounded by a group of menacing opponents. The shouts and jeers of the audience mingled together, making the place even more sinister and terrifying. "Where am I? What do you want?" Li An roared, his fists clenched tightly, his heart filled with vigilance. He knew he had fallen into a massive conspiracy.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared in his sight—Accelerator. Accelerator stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at him coldly, a slight smirk playing on his lips: "Hmph, I didn't expect you to have this day. You think you can survive in Academy City? You're nothing but an ant." Li An looked at Accelerator, his anger barely contained, and coldly replied, "I don't want to waste my breath on an arrogant guy like you. Bring it on if you dare." A cold glint flashed in Accelerator's eyes, but he didn't attack. He simply watched Li An with interest, seemingly anticipating something.
The battle was about to begin. Li An took a deep breath, preparing for the challenge. His opponents were a group of powerful superhumans, each with fierce eyes and exuding a dangerous aura. The battle whistle blew, and his opponents immediately launched a fierce attack on Li An. One superhuman waved his hands, and countless sharp wind blades shot towards Li An. Li An quickly dodged to the side, the wind blades grazing his clothes and leaving deep marks on the ground... Immediately afterward, another superhuman summoned a huge rock from the ground and hurled it at Li An. Li An's eyes sharpened. Using his system, he quickly analyzed his opponents' abilities, nimbly weaving between the rocks, searching for an opportunity to counterattack.
"Is that all you've got?" Li An shouted, trying to provoke his opponent. Enraged by his words, one of the superpowered individuals roared and charged forward at incredible speed. Li An's lips curled into a slight smile; he already had a plan. Just as his opponent was about to reach him, he suddenly crouched down, dodging the attack, and simultaneously tripped his opponent, sending him sprawling to the ground. "What?!" The opponent was shocked; he hadn't expected to fall for Li An's trap so easily. The surrounding spectators gasped in astonishment at this sight.
However, the battle was not so simple. Seeing this, the other superpowered individuals immediately changed their attack strategy. They cooperated with each other, forming a powerful attack network that tightly trapped Li An in the middle.
Chapter 206 Utilizing the System's Abilities
A serious expression appeared on Li An's face. Sweat streamed down his forehead, soaking his clothes, but his eyes remained resolute. "It seems I have no choice but to show some real skill," Li An thought to himself.
Just then, Misaka Mikoto appeared in the audience. Arms crossed, she watched the battle unfold, her brow furrowing slightly. "That guy's really tenacious." Although she was neutral towards Li An, she couldn't help but admire his performance. Shokuhou Yuuki, standing nearby, saw Guo Yao looking at Li An with concern and a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes. "Hmph, he's just an ordinary contestant, what's there to worry about?" Guo Yao felt a pang of displeasure at Yuuki's words, but at that moment, she was more concerned about Li An's safety and had no time to pay attention.
Hidden in the shadows, Tsuchimikado Motoharu quietly observed everything, a sly glint in his eyes: "This Li An is quite interesting. Let's see how he handles things next." Meanwhile, Saten Ruiko nervously gripped Guo Yao's hand: "Guo Yao, do you think Li An will be alright?" Guo Yao patted Saten Ruiko's hand, reassuring her, "He'll be fine. I believe in him." In truth, she too was filled with worry, but she didn't want to show it.
The battle intensified, and Li An gradually found himself struggling under his opponent's attacks. Several wounds appeared on his body, staining his clothes with blood. But he didn't give up, relentlessly searching for an opening. Suddenly, he discovered a gap in his opponent's attack network, and a surge of joy filled his heart. "Now!" Li An shouted, his body shooting out like an arrow, using the system's abilities to launch a fatal blow against that opening.
With a deafening boom, the superhuman was sent flying by Li An's attack, crashing heavily to the ground and losing his fighting ability. The other superhumans were all shocked. "How is this possible? He actually found our weakness!" one superhuman exclaimed in horror. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li An pressed his advantage, his attacks becoming increasingly fierce, and one opponent after another fell to the ground.
"This guy's interesting." Accelerator looked at Li An in the arena, his disdain gradually turning into curiosity. At that moment, Touma Kamijou arrived at the scene. Seeing Li An, he mistook him for a bad guy and immediately rushed over: "Hey, what are you doing? Stop it!" Li An was fighting with all his might when he suddenly felt a powerful force attacking him, and he quickly dodged to the side. "Who are you? Why are you attacking me?" Li An asked angrily. Touma Kamijou looked at him and said seriously, "I don't care what your purpose is, causing trouble here is unacceptable!" The two remained locked in a stalemate.
Just then, Li An suddenly discovered evidence of Academy City's higher-ups manipulating the fighting arena. A thought struck him, and he decided to expose the conspiracy. "You think you can control everything like this? Today I'll expose your conspiracy to the world!" Li An shouted, then displayed the evidence. The audience erupted in uproar upon seeing the evidence. The Academy City officials' expressions changed drastically; they hadn't expected Li An to discover this secret, and they immediately sent people to seize the evidence and cover up the matter.
Chapter 207 Hide Behind Me
While dodging attacks from those sent by the higher-ups, Li An spread the evidence. Soon, news of the Academy City leadership's conspiracy to manipulate the fighting arena spread throughout the city, severely damaging their image. Li An, on the other hand, became a hero in everyone's eyes, and even those superpowered individuals who had once been jealous of him had to look at him with new respect.
However, becoming a hero did not bring Li An any relief. He knew he had become a target of everyone's wrath, especially the higher-ups of Academy City, who would certainly not let him off the hook. What worried him even more was Guo Yao's safety; he had to find a way to protect her. At this moment, Li An stood in the center of the fighting arena, looking at everything around him, and silently vowed in his heart: "I will definitely protect you, Guo Yao."
"Yaoyao, don't be afraid, I'm here." Li An held Guo Yao's hand tightly, the warmth instantly reaching her heart. His gaze was firm and ardent, as if it could dispel all the gloom around them. At this moment, they were in a small alley in Academy City, the dim lights swaying in the breeze, casting dappled shadows, as if foreshadowing the impending crisis.
Guo Yao trembled slightly, her eyes flashing with fear, and said nervously, "Li An, I feel like there are many eyes watching us from the shadows, I'm so scared..."
She instinctively moved closer to Li An, seeking his protection.
Li An gently patted Guo Yao's shoulder, a confident smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, those small fry can't cause any trouble. I want to see what tricks they can pull." As he spoke, his gaze swept across the surroundings like a hawk, not missing a single corner that might be hiding danger.
Just then, a sinister laugh echoed from all directions, reverberating through the narrow alley and sending chills down everyone's spines. "Hmph, you overconfident fools, today is your death day!" With this malicious voice, a group of dark figures slowly emerged from the darkness, their eyes flashing with greed and murderous intent, as they approached Li An and Guo Yao step by step.
"Yaoyao, hide behind me." Li An quickly shielded Guo Yao behind him, crouching slightly in a ready-to-attack stance. His heartbeat was steady, his breathing even, as if he were facing not a group of vicious enemies, but a group of insignificant ants.
Guo Yao gripped Li An's clothes tightly, her nails almost digging into his skin, her voice trembling with tears: "Li An, you must be careful." Her eyes were filled with worry and fear, but also with a deep trust in Li An.
"Don't worry, baby." Li An turned to look at Guo Yao, his eyes filled with tenderness and comfort. "I won't let you get hurt."
Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, a powerful sense of oppression suddenly arose from the sky, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down. Li An looked up and saw Accelerator hovering in the air, his signature white hair flying wildly in the wind, his cold eyes revealing a hint of disdain: "You think you can cause trouble in Academy City? You're simply overestimating yourselves."
“Accelerator!” A hint of wariness flashed in Li An’s eyes. He knew Accelerator’s power all too well; one of the strongest in Academy City, he wasn’t someone to be trifled with. But he showed no sign of backing down. Instead, a provocative smile appeared on his lips: “I didn’t expect the higher-ups in Academy City to send you out. It seems they really think highly of me.”