Chapter 44: The Death of the Former Headmaster

[Your passionate emotions had a profound impact on everyone.]
[The despair in their hearts was largely dispelled under your influence.]
[However, you knew this was only temporary.]
[After all, the crisis unfolding in the outside world was an objective reality, one that could not be altered simply by your subjective will.]
[You were still far too weak at this moment.]
[If you possessed the power of a Tier 5 or Tier 6 being, this demonic tide crisis would simply cease to exist!]
[Although this felt like an unrealistic fantasy for your current self.]
[You knew that as long as the timeline was stretched, and as long as the gifts of space-time were fully accumulated, you would one day attain the strength you now dreamed of at this very point in time.]
[Or rather, a strength far exceeding your wildest imagination.]
[What you could not accomplish, another version of you would entirely be able to achieve!]

In February of the 133rd Year of the Transcendental Calendar, twenty-eight predatory loan agencies in the Jiangcheng Black Market joined forces. They spent a massive sum to hire a debt-collection squad composed entirely of Tier 2 professionals, dispatching them to Ningcheng to recover the loans borrowed by the Red Heart Legion.

The captain of this debt-collection squad spoke with extreme arrogance outside the headquarters of the Red Heart Legion, declaring that as long as the Red Heart Legion cooperated, everything would be smooth and mutually beneficial.

He added that if the Red Heart Legion treated them well, their squad could even remain in the area for the foreseeable future to help the Red Heart Legion fend off the demonic tide.

After all, they were well aware of the dire situation at the Ningcheng Demon Cave.

The attitude and words of the debt-collection squad simply angered you to the point of laughter.

Since when could a mere Tier 2 professional squad act so pompously in front of the Red Heart Legion?

That very night, reinforced by the 13th and 15th squads of the 5th platoon under the assassin division commanded by Deng Qi, the entire debt-collection squad stationed outside Ningcheng mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Compared to veteran soldiers who had survived numerous brutal battles, the combat power of these debt collectors was utterly insignificant.

Moreover, given the immense wealth of the Red Heart Legion, the equipment they wore and the skill cards they possessed far surpassed those of the debt collectors.

Under such circumstances, it was a complete and utter massacre.

After obliterating the debt-collection squad, the 13th and 15th squads utilized the teleportation array under the cover of night and arrived in Jiangcheng.

The next day, news spread that all twenty-eight predatory loan agencies in the Jiangcheng Black Market had been completely wiped out.

After a brief investigation pointed the finger directly at the Red Heart Legion, the Jiangcheng Law Enforcement Team decisively pushed forward a scapegoat and promptly closed the case.

There was no need to investigate any further!

Since the Red Heart Legion was currently fighting on the front lines in Ningcheng, they certainly couldn't let such minor trifles affect military morale on the front line!

With the destruction of the twenty-eight predatory loan agencies, the loans the Red Heart Legion had previously borrowed there naturally no longer needed to be repaid.

After all, with the creditors gone, the so-called debts simply vanished into thin air.

This incident also made the loan agencies of Jiangcheng and Yuncheng understand that the Red Heart Legion was not some civilian mercenary group, nor were they ordinary individual professionals.

Therefore, any attempts to collect debts must be approached with careful thought and proper methods.

Offending them meant running the risk of having one's debts physically eliminated.

In March of the 133rd Year of the Transcendental Calendar, earth-shaking roars echoed from the depths of the Ningcheng Demon Cave, followed by the surge of a massive demonic tide.

The terrifying aura erupted by the ten Level 40 lava behemoths at the rear of the Ningcheng Demon Cave caused the morale of the Red Heart Legion to dip slightly.

However, a rousing pre-battle speech from you successfully rallied their morale back up.

When the demonic horde, composed of abyss monsters, began to assault the defense line, the outbreak of this protracted war of attrition became inevitable.

In April of the 133rd Year of the Transcendental Calendar, a Level 45 abyss fiend used its massive body to smash a huge breach in the Ningcheng defense line, resulting in the destruction of one-fifth of the magical crystal cannons deployed there.

To swiftly clear out the abyss fiend blocking the breach and the continuously pouring abyss monsters, Wang猛 led five hundred of his subordinates. After swallowing spirit-burning and blood-boiling potions, they charged into the demonic tide brandishing spiritual energy bombs.

In May of the 133rd Year of the Transcendental Calendar, a Level 35 mental-type lord began directing operations from a distance, exerting a heavy impact on the Red Heart Legion's defense line.

Deng Qi led his assassin division, having used magical potions to push their attributes beyond their peak. Cooperating with the forces under Xiahou Chuan, they executed a desperate, life-or-death decapitation strike against the mental-type lord.

In July of the 133rd Year of the Transcendental Calendar, the demonic tide erupting from the Ningcheng Demon Cave grew increasingly ferocious with each successive wave.

The headmaster of Yuncheng University gripped his staff, burning the soul essence within his body to unleash an overwhelmingly powerful spell attack that transcended his tier—Myriad Thunders Annihilation.

This terrifying might was something even Level 40 abyss monsters could not withstand.

Already frail and aged to begin with, the headmaster, compounded by this burning of his soul essence, was clearly beyond saving after this battle.

Yet, upon seeing you, his spirit suddenly surged with intense vigor.

You knew this wasn't a recovery on the old headmaster's part; rather, it was a flash of brilliance before death—he truly was at his end!

Dragging his broken body, the old headmaster lingered solely to impart a few final words to you.

He understood your youthful vigor and the pride hidden deep within your heart.

You were unwilling to abandon your comrades and brothers, refusing to live as a coward scrambling for mere survival.

Yet you must always remember: a living spark is far more important than a lifeless monument!

No matter what, you must maintain your rationality and never be swayed by your emotions.

Whatever you decide to do, you must carry it through by any means necessary.

Since my death is already a foregone conclusion, use every possible method to maximize the value of my demise.

After my death, sell the mage equipment on my body. This staff has a Level 45 life core embedded within it; prying it out and selling the components separately will yield the highest value.

Do not grieve, and on the battlefield, there is no need to mourn my departure.

As long as my arrival and my death can aid you and contribute to the growth of the Red Heart Legion, I can close my eyes in peace even if I descend into the nethermost hell.

You cradled your mentor's remains, shedding tears of grief so intense you lost your voice for the very first time beneath the battle banner.

Even though you knew that the mentor before you was dead, yet in another sense, he was not truly gone.

In that other world—one continuously receiving the gifts of space-time—that same mentor was still living a perfectly fine life.

And you firmly believed that the mentor in that world would undoubtedly continue to live well in the future!

Yet, looking at the white-haired old man before you, you could not help the surging waves of pity and endless tears in your heart.

This old man had given his all for you and for the Red Heart Legion.

You swore an oath in your heart: no matter how arduous the road ahead, the ideals and ambitions you once promised your mentor—to change this world—would definitely be fulfilled!

"Rest assured, they certainly will!"

Seeing this, Lin Xia nodded slightly.

There was also this elder who had burned his life and soul essence for his sake, offering earnest advice and teachings even on the verge of death.

He truly never expected that anyone in the world could treat him with such profound kindness.

A Tier 4 mage—such a powerful figure could live a carefree and comfortable life amidst any national turmoil, provided they didn't deliberately throw themselves onto the front lines.

Especially someone like the old headmaster, whose former students filled the world; such a person should have lived a most prosperous existence.

Yet the other party had still laid down their life for him.

"Let's start with a small goal: make Yuncheng First University grow strong and prosperous, matching or even surpassing the top academies of the Federation!"

After pondering for a moment, Lin Xia thought to himself, "Since the old headmaster held this ideal, I shall take responsibility for helping him realize it!"