Origin Paradise!

Funds sufficient to support a regular regiment were quickly submerged.

In the VIP room, Jiang He had no interest in this power. Firstly, he was short of money, and secondly, he preferred to invest in a regular legion. The return on investment for the academy's gambling rights was too long, and it was not something that a single large gathering could handle.

"Four hundred and fifty million!"

The huge sum of money brought a brief silence to the room, but just seconds later, a new offer appeared.

The wealthy merchants of the Ninth Fortress fiercely bid, and the final auction price for the Academy's betting rights was set at 690 million, enough to support four regular guilds for a whole year.

The woman in the red dress brought down the gavel.

"The betting rights have been purchased by VIP Room No. 9. Buyer, rest assured that any betting on the Military Academy Survival Competition, except for yours, is illegal. During the competition, the Security Bureau, the Investigation Team, and the Inspection Team will crack down on related activities."

The Security Agency is under the administration of the government, the investigation team is directly under the council, and the inspection team is the disciplinary force of the Ninth Army. With the backing of the three giants, even families of members of parliament are unable to get a share of the pie.

As the heat in the venue subsided, countless eyes, each with its own hidden agenda, turned to VIP Room No. 9. Assassination and similar acts would cross the line for the three giants, but other legitimate means of suppression would test the organizer's abilities.

But everyone knows that as long as the event and betting conclude successfully, VIP number nine will definitely be rewarded and promoted; otherwise, no one will be willing to act as a black glove next time.

In the VIP room, the Inspector General sighed enviously, "The profits from this auction will be at least one billion, and eighty percent of them will end up in the hands of the Governor. He can take the lion's share with just a few words, Mr. A will take the smaller share, and the rest of us won't even get a whiff of the soup."

Jiang He glanced at the guy. He now believed that the other party was Mr. A's deceased wife's younger brother. Otherwise, with that mouth of his, he wouldn't be enough to die ten times over. With the power of the governor, there were too many ways to make money, and the power of the betting market was probably just one of them.

The auction ended an hour later.

Under the cover of night, the fortress's commercial district was brightly lit, with shopping malls and hotels lining the streets. Young women dressed in colorful clothes could be seen everywhere on the streets. No matter how bloody it was in the shadows, at least the fortress appeared safe and peaceful on the surface.

The chief inspector took a picture of the invitation, and then someone stuffed the earth dragon's corpse into the jeep.

"President Jiang, the banquet at the Venus Hotel is the night after tomorrow. Why don't we go and relax?"

The Inspector General enthusiastically introduced, "The commercial district is the most prosperous area of ​​the fortress. I know the owner of the Forgotten Life Hotel. Our Heaven on Earth in the park was built in imitation of Forgotten Life, but due to its location, it is ultimately not quite the same."

"You're paying?"

Jiang He raised an eyebrow. This guy showed obvious closeness, which was related to the current situation. With the death of the chief inspector, he would have countless troubles in obtaining the park development order. That's why the park owner couldn't wait to kill the chief inspector. Right now, the chief inspector's biggest protector was actually himself.

"A minor issue." The chief inspector rubbed his hands together. He might lack management skills, but when it came to how to skim money, he considered himself a genius, a natural-born expert.

"Then let's go."

Jiang He got into the driver's seat. Behind him, through the second-floor window of the auction hall, a gaze had been fixed on him and the chief inspector the entire time. If there was no doubt, it was the park owner who wished he were dead eight hundred times over. The other party probably wouldn't miss this opportunity.

The jeep left the venue and headed straight for the Forget-Life Hotel, which was also located in the business district.

Within the Ninth Fortress, there are more than two families of politicians. The Tu family is involved in chain hotels and auction houses, the Chang family controls tobacco sales, the Ai family dominates network information, the Yin family runs real estate, the Jing family produces light and heavy industrial products, and the Tong family manufactures weapons. Behind every important industry, there is the figure of a family of politicians.

Wang Jinsheng belongs to the Tu family, and this family has an extraordinary relationship with Mr. A.

……

At the same time, Queens.

A line of black cars drove out of the courtyard of the investigation team's office building.

"Secretary-General Yin received a tip from the public that Jiang He, a traitor in the investigation team, appeared at the Venus Auction House in the commercial district at 2:00 PM. This operation is not official business and is only accountable to the Secretary-General. All members, remove your epaulets. Repeat, all members, remove your epaulets."

In the lead car, the head of the newly established special investigation team of the council issued a notice to all his subordinates.

The council has five top-level special investigation teams. The main members must be at the level of high-level superhumans. These teams are the council's sharpest weapon.

The driver of the lead car got into his seat, and player Spalasi lit a cigarette. His hair looked like a messy bush. He exhaled a puff of smoke, turned his head, and said, "Vice President, this operation is the so-called pledge of allegiance, isn't it?"

"Isn't this what a traitor's life is meant to do?"

The vice president stroked the longsword at his waist; his LV18 player level gave him ample confidence in his actions.

"The guild leader has successfully acquired the academy betting rights. The funds the guild has accumulated over the past six months are about to pay off. As long as the seven of us main members hold our positions in the special investigation team, we can protect the guild leader and his team and crack down on other betting platforms. The 690 million Fortress Coins are the guild's entire fortune, and we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes."

The vice president's words were resolute.

In the last two rows, the core members remained silent. For this world mission, the guild had used multiple Legion Tokens, making a huge investment in the early stages. Whether this would elevate the guild's overall level depended on this academy bet.

Chapter 205 Encirclement and Suppression

Business district, Forget This Life Hotel.

As the jeep arrived, the magnificent building seemed to gleam in the darkness. Two five-meter-tall skeletons of wild beasts stood at the entrance, their shapes resembling lions. White jade pillars lined the hotel walls, making the whole building look like an ancient city-state's sacrificial temple—grandeur, solemnity, and elegance.

The chief inspector had called in advance; he was Mr. A's brother-in-law, so he had unimpeded access to most parts of the fortress, and a dedicated manager was coming out to greet him.

"Welcome, distinguished guests."

The manager in charge welcomed the two into the hotel. What came into view was a gambling area the size of a football field, with waves of shouts and howls. The lights were so bright that it was like daytime, making it impossible to distinguish between day and night.

There is no ceiling overhead, and looking up, you can see the inner walls of the sixteen-story building. Since the Parliament Building is seventeen stories high, the Forgotten Life Hotel had to make concessions in terms of height.

"No gambling today, just take us straight up." The Inspector General smiled. "The expenses will be on the Security Bureau's bill."

"Of course, your presence has already made our humble abode proud." The manager in charge smiled obsequiously. The hotel doesn't earn any service revenue from citizens of G3 level or above. Just like its main gambling business, the management team doesn't need to cheat; they can maintain long-term profitability through commissions.

The three of them took the glass elevator up to the fourteenth floor, where they could look down at the noisy gamblers below.

Beyond the corridor, amidst layers of silk curtains and a misty atmosphere, artificial hot spring pools of various sizes lay before you.

A young woman adorned with a phoenix coronet and a rosy cloud walked in with a graceful, palace-like gait. Her beauty was striking, her charm captivating, and her demeanor elegant and noble. However, her attire was shockingly revealing. Her long skirt appeared to be modest, but the slits on both sides reached up to her waist, and the curves of her body were a work of art.

"Please allow me to help Your Majesty undress."

Behind the woman in the phoenix crown, beautiful women dressed in palace attire bowed in unison, each with their own unique demeanor. Upon closer inspection, their clothing was identical to that of the Silver City royal family's inner court. Normally, this would be a capital offense, punishable by death and extermination of the entire clan. However, with the emperor far away and the realm so vast, even if the transgression were several times greater, it wouldn't be worthwhile to provoke an alliance war over it.

The manager in charge has already quietly left.

The chief inspector became visibly excited and joked, "Guess which one of us is His Majesty?"

The woman with phoenix eyes glanced at him and said, "No matter who it is, I can serve five emperors at once."

The chief inspector was initially a little confused, but then he saw the other man raise his arms, revealing his armpits, which surprised him so much that he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"President Jiang, I'm afraid I'm not worthy of such allure. You'll have to be the one to subdue this demon."

Jiang He's expression remained unchanged. In terms of entertainment value, the Forgotten Life Hotel was indeed quite good, but in terms of the level of gore and the variety of dishes, it was still slightly inferior to some places outside the border and in Southeast Asia. He had no reaction when he first slaughtered his own kind, and he was already used to similar things.

"Hide when you hear gunshots."

The chief inspector thought the other party was telling him dirty jokes, and nodded and smiled repeatedly.

The woman in the phoenix crown smiled charmingly and said, "Your Highness, many barbarian women have been sent as tribute from all directions. Please choose one of your choice."

She clapped her hands, and another group of beautiful women walked up in a line. Their appearances were all excellent, or rather, appearance was just one of the criteria for a product to pass the test.

The chief inspector looked around and saw a variety of outfits, including rabbits, foxes, black people, blondes, leather jackets, wedding dresses, Christmas costumes, and soccer uniforms, which almost made him dizzy.

Is it fair not to pay?

"We don't want money, please feed us well."

The chief inspector grabbed the man who was talking nonsense, turned around and took him away.

"You talk too much, let's start with you."

The woman in the phoenix crown bowed, her appearance and demeanor being the most outstanding here.

"Your Majesty, please follow me."

Jiang He reached out and covered Zhuang Ya's curious gaze.

The two walked towards the hot spring pool one after the other.

Across the layers of curtains were pavilions and waterside terraces for enjoying the view, while in the office building opposite the Forgotten Life Hotel, Black Gun, a member of the special investigation team, pulled the trigger.

On the line, bullets flew.

The bullet shattered glass, pierced curtains, and traveled 600 meters, its considerable penetrating power aimed directly at the target's head.

In an instant, Jiang He turned her head and looked back calmly. A crimson baptism appeared in her left hand. She aimed and fired in one smooth motion, activating all three shooting skills. A dark red stream of light returned the favor in an instant.

boom!

The loud noise from the primer explosion shattered the hotel's bustling atmosphere.

On the office building, the sniper's head exploded.

[Notification: You have killed LV14 player - Black Gun]

At the same time, the woman in the phoenix crown disappeared from the head and neck. As if she had been struck by a heavy hammer, she fell forward and blood gushed out, dying a violent death.

Wow!

The hotel ceiling shattered, and a group of professional mercenaries rappelled down, all fully armed. The SKS team received their first mission immediately after signing a contract with their employer.

Forty men descended from the sixteenth floor to surround the area, while ten rappelled directly down to the front. Modern rifles opened fire simultaneously, unleashing a storm of metal that tore the curtain in front of them to shreds.

The intense gunfire roused the gamblers from their daze, and panicked screams filled the air. Thousands poured out of the Forget-Me-Not Hotel, and in the ensuing chaos, some people slipped and fell, dying in the tsunami-like stampede.

Bang bang bang!

Ten chains of fire struck someone, and in an instant, a menacing, jagged suit of armor appeared, perfectly fitting and covering the body. Bullets clanged and clattered against it, scattering dazzling sparks, but the armor itself remained unharmed.

Several drones circled the surrounding corners, transmitting the battle situation in real time to the command center in the combat vehicle outside the hotel. The park owner and the vice president were watching the screen at the same time. The former, as the whistleblower, had already reached a cooperation agreement with the special investigation team.

"His defensive ability can withstand assault rifle bullets." The park owner clenched his fist. Being able to withstand ten assault rifles head-on was already a top-tier defensive ability user.

“It seems we’ve run into a very troublesome opponent.” The vice president narrowed his eyes. “Plant Master and Demon Shield, you two go and help SKS’s ability user. Concentrate your superior forces to take him down. The rest of you, get into position immediately and set up the encirclement.”

The operatives responded one after another, and just then, the figure on the screen stepped out despite being hit by bullets.

A fist-sized, crimson fireball rose up.

The park owner and vice president looked at each other in bewilderment. The No. 8 ability on the sequence list, Fireball, was undoubtedly a lower-ranking ability. The appearance of an ordinary hand grenade on the battlefield seemed like a joke.

"and many more……"

The park owner's pupils constricted, and his face gradually filled with disbelief, turning into utter horror.

The vice president turned around and was equally startled.

"I rely on!"

On the screen, hundreds of fist-shaped fireballs suddenly appeared around the armored figure, their crimson light reflecting off the target, making it look like a small sun surrounded by stars.

He raised his hand, and more than a dozen fireballs shot out.

The twenty SKS mercenaries who poured out of the fourteenth-floor stairwell were immediately met with a fierce attack; these fireballs unleashed power several times greater than the same number of hand grenades.

boom!

The walls and floor at the stairwell were completely blown apart, and the shattered remains, engulfed in flames, bloomed like fireworks. Embers fell from the fourteenth floor, as if a rain of fire had fallen.

Inside the command vehicle, the park owner gritted his teeth.

"The principle of a multi-element bomb".

The vice president muttered to himself, his expression revealing that the enemy's skill in manipulating the fireballs to such an extent, as if controlling his own arm, was incredibly close to mastering internal energy. The cluster bomb was composed of multiple smaller bombs, which were called submunitions. When detonated, these submunitions were characterized by their instantaneous high density of firepower, wide coverage area, and great destructive power. Moreover, they clearly incorporated internal energy, and the fireballs resonated with each other, further increasing their power.

Chapter 206 Melee

Forget This Life Hotel.

The deafening roar caused by the cluster explosion reverberated high in the sky.

The flying stones, with the force of bullets, shattered the precious porcelain used for decoration.

At the top of the stairs, amidst the charred remains of a man-sized heavy shield, its surface blackened, a player with a demon shield peeked out, his expression unusually tense. The explosion had instantly reduced the durability of his rare heavy shield to nearly half its previous value, indicating that the target's strength far exceeded his expectations.

shhhhhh!

The shockwave from the explosion scattered the rappelling soldiers. After firing more than a dozen fireballs, Jiang He flicked his fingers ten times, and the light from his small withered sword flew out.

The sword-pointing technique, like a sniper bullet, was enhanced with a spiraling force of light and darkness, resulting in a significant increase in kinetic energy and penetrating power. The streak of light struck the torso of the rappelling soldiers, easily piercing their professional bulletproof vests, tearing through their skin and injecting potent poison. In an instant, the ten rappelling soldiers were reduced to dangling, swaying corpses.

For an ordinary person, a perfect level of blood poison is enough to take their life instantly.

"Here it comes!" Demon Shield shouted. He saw the guy's gaze as he turned his head. As a Bone Demon player, he had a very strong physique, but he had absolutely no confidence in the current situation.

Before the Demon Shield could finish speaking, the botanist behind him had already launched an attack. Four bright red vines, as thick as a person's waist, spread out from his back like octopus tentacles, merging and crashing down from a distance of dozens of meters.

Snapped!

Four bright red vines lashed out, cracking the floor and sending dust billowing up. This carefully cultivated rare plant, capable of rapidly absorbing the blood of its prey, had failed to capture its target at this moment.

Whether it was the two players fighting on the spot or the command vehicle outside the hotel, both sides could only vaguely see the crimson afterimages left by the enemy's rapid movement.

Whoosh!