Chapter 160: Calculation and Entanglement in the Storm

Silence!
An absolute silence where even the drop of a pin could be heard!
The entire assessment room plunged into a profound stillness in an instant.
Numerous Dream-Crossing Masters looked with playful and bizarre gazes at Zhu Hao, who had been smashed flying and spitting blood like a puddle of mud.
The metal disc that Zhu Hao had activated was recognized by quite a few City-Level Dream-Crossing Masters. It was the latest research achievement of the Research Office—a defensive taboo artifact, extremely expensive in price, capable of instantly blocking attacks from high-tier City-Level powerhouses.
It could even stall a National-Level powerhouse for a brief moment.
However, this time, the defensive gear seemed to have flipped over, utterly shattered by a single punch from Du Fang without forming any effective defense.
Du Fang's strength was obvious to all; he was a ruthless person capable of pushing a meteorite-steel wall three meters back.
His physical might was comparable to a National-Level powerhouse.
With this punch landed, Zhu Hao would likely lose a layer of skin even if he managed to survive.
However, satisfying as Du Fang's punch was, it had completely offended the Research Office.
The Research Office cherished their researchers dearly.
Any action that caused the slightest injury to a researcher would incur massive punishment.
Over the years, the conflict between Dream-Crossing Masters and researchers had been growing increasingly intense.
Yet, constrained by the fact that the artificial taboo artifacts researched by the researchers were becoming more and more powerful—special taboo artifacts for defense, offense, exploration, and so on, which provided great guarantees for the personal safety of Dream-Crossing Masters—this conflict had always been suppressed.
Instead, this caused the researchers' tempers to grow larger and more inflated.
President Ye Zong was often troubled by this matter.
After all, toward this group of stubborn-headed, foul-tempered, and somewhat fanatical researchers, Ye Zong could do nothing either.
Hitting them was easy, but he feared beating them to death.
With the intervention of the financial conglomerates and the establishment of the Council, the researchers became even more unscrupulous.
Because the conglomerates pampered these researchers even more; after all, these researchers might eventually invent something that could break through the limits of life, prolonging the lives of the conglomerates' elites, and even allowing ordinary-talented scions of wealth to become powerful figures wielding might.
This caused the researchers to inflate further, blindly obsessed with research.
As long as it was something they wanted to study, the conglomerates would help them acquire it; as long as it was something they needed for their research, they had to obtain it.
Therefore,
many Dream-Crossing Masters also began to worry about Du Fang.
The two researchers beside Zhu Hao turned pale, staring at Du Fang in disbelief.
They were not minor researchers like Da Lei and Da Zhou; they were directors, belonging to the upper echelon within the Research Office.
Their status and position were comparable to City-Level Dream-Crossing Masters!
Yet, Du Fang still beat them whenever he felt like it.
In the distance,
Zhu Hao, covered in blood, tremblingly climbed up from the ground.
His body was covered with a dense, honeycomb-like layer of taboo-artifact armor crafted from special materials.
However, at this moment, this armor was also covered in cracks, continuously shattering and falling off...
This was the protective talisman Zhu Hao had provided himself, the last bottom line ensuring his safety.
Even so, Zhu Hao was still beaten until covered in blood, his eyes filled with madness.
"You dare hit me? You actually dare hit me?! I'm going to report you! I'm going to report you to President Ye Zong!"
"And! I'm going to blacklist you! Blacklist you across the entire Capital!"
"Whether in the open or on the black market!"
"I'll make sure you can't even buy a single taboo artifact!"
Zhu Hao roared.
His roaring voice echoed,
but
before the echoing voice could fade away,
a figure appeared right in front of him as if by teleportation.
With his hands tucked in his pockets, Du Fang raised his foot.
He kicked out with a speed so great that the shadow of his foot was virtually invisible.
Zhu Hao only felt the armor all over his body burst apart consecutively, as if every bone in his body was about to snap!
Like a ball, he continuously rolled across the ground, finally slamming heavily into the wall. Curling up into a ball, clutching his stomach, tears, snot, and saliva streamed endlessly from his face.
Du Fang's single kick had nearly burst his stomach open.
Du Fang slowly withdrew his leg and glanced down at Zhu Hao.
"Blacklist?"
"Suit yourself."
Du Fang said indifferently.
He did not have a strong demand for taboo artifacts, so he had no special fondness for the Research Office and had no need to act submissively or compromise.
For Zhu Hao to pull this stunt in front of him was truly picking the wrong target.
After speaking, Du Fang turned around, and amidst the fluttering of his black windbreaker, disappeared from the assessment room.
Inside the assessment room, the silence was gone, and a murmur gradually began to fill the air.
Many City-Level Dream-Crossing Masters cast cold glances at Zhu Hao, who was being supported by the two research directors, their eyes carrying sneers.
The researchers, who were always arrogant in the Capital, finally had a day when they got a taste of defeat!
In fact, quite a few Dream-Crossing Masters had long since had enough of these researchers.
It was just that they needed the newly researched taboo artifacts and still needed to look to the Research Office for face, hence they rarely had a falling out.
Cang Yuan looked at Du Fang's departing back and sighed inwardly.
Du Fang looked gentle and very polite,
but without a doubt, this was yet another prickly thorn.
A prickly thorn even harder to handle than Zhao Lingyin.
However, although Cang Yuan had stepped in to block earlier, watching Zhu Hao get beaten brought him an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
"Scatter, scatter, nothing more to see."
Cang Yuan said.
The crowd chuckled lightly; some whistling, others barely containing their smiles, they successively left the assessment room.
Zhu Hao's expression was unsightly, accompanied by a lingering sense of shock and fear.
He had underestimated Du Fang's strength. He was heavily equipped, outfitted not only with defensive armor but also a defensive disc.
These were all high-end defensive taboo artifacts newly researched by the Research Office, capable of withstanding attacks from high-tier City-Level Dream-Crossing Masters. Even National-Level Dream-Crossing Masters would find it hard to pierce his defense in a short time.
Yet, they had been beaten to pieces by Du Fang.
If Du Fang wanted to kill him, he truly could have killed him.
"Du Fang..."
"His strength completely defies conventional logic. It must be the power of a fallen god!"
Zhu Hao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, the fanaticism in his eyes gradually fading and turning into a smirk.
"Furthermore, he made a move. He beat me up. With so many people watching, Du Fang cannot deny it. I want to request the Council and the General Engineering Union to sanction Du Fang!"
"Once he struck, he lost."
"Is this a激将法 (provocation/reverse psychology)?" The two directors beside Zhu Hao looked at Zhu Hao and chuckled.
"However, you almost got beaten to death... the price for this provocation is a bit high."
One of the directors said.
Zhu Hao shook his head: "I miscalculated Du Fang's strength, but it doesn't matter... As long as I'm not dead, sacrificing oneself for science and research is the spirit of our generation of researchers."
"He made a move and beat me. There's nothing wrong with me going to the Council to report him, right? I can even invite the General Engineer to step in. Without him shedding some blood... this matter won't end easily!"
"A small divine core, and the power of a fallen god... both are things of great research value."
Zhu Hao was actually not stupid; very few researchers were stupid.
In fact,
they had been setting a trap for Du Fang. Zhu Hao deliberately provoked Du Fang, and if Du Fang made a move, it would mean handing them leverage to manipulate him.
This was his habitual tactic.
If it were an old-school Dream-Crossing Master in the Capital, they might be familiar with this routine,
but Du Fang was merely a newcomer, a fresh rookie newly arrived in the Capital.
What did he know about the deep套路 (tricks/routines) of the big city?
Zhu Hao smiled,
took out his black phone from the pocket of his white lab coat,
and dialed a phone number.
......
......
Du Fang walked out of the assessment room, and Zhao Lingyin quickly caught up with him.
Zhao Lingyin was very excited, carrying the God of Fire spear on her back and dancing around.
"Brother Du, the beating you gave them just now was simply so satisfying!"
"I've long found this group of researchers annoying!"
"However, my teacher allows me to fight any Dream-Crossing Master, but strictly forbids me from fighting researchers."
Zhao Lingyin hopped and chirped around Du Fang.
Du Fang kept his hands in the pockets of his black windbreaker, listening quietly.
Suddenly,
Du Fang stopped in his tracks, raised his head, and looked into the distance.
Over there, three figures were watching Du Fang with smiles.
"Lingyin, don't underestimate the Research Office. Although the Chief Engineer of the Research Office is not a ceiling-level powerhouse, he holds the lifeline of all artificial taboo artifacts in the entire Great Xia Nation. Therefore, the combat power of the Research Office should not be underestimated either."
"And Du Fang, right? You shouldn't have made a move just now. The researchers of the Research Office are like sticky plaster; once they latch onto you, they won't let go until they tear off a piece of your flesh."
A man carrying a giant sword resembling a coffin board crossed his arms and said indifferently.
"Uncle Gong Chao!"
Zhao Lingyin's eyes lit up as she smiled.
"Brother Du, this is Uncle Gong Chao, captain of the Super-Star Team Sky Sword! One of the most powerful National-Level sword-wielding Dream-Crossing Masters in Great Xia!"
Zhao Lingyin introduced him to Du Fang.
"Newcomer, you are a newcomer. You still harbor a fallen god within your body, and you even absorbed a small divine core in Jiangling City. You had already been targeted by the Research Office before you even entered the Capital."
"Tsk tsk tsk, now that you've just entered the Capital, you've gotten embroiled in a storm between the Dream-Crossing Masters Association and the Research Office—two of the most powerful factions in Great Xia... May fortune favor you."
Cao Kong, dressed in a blue suit, smiled: "Beating someone feels great for the moment, but it requires a price. Probably... needing your blood as compensation or something. Researchers just love playing tricks."
Du Fang looked at the three individuals who had appeared. The dream energy in the air seemed to suddenly boil.
These three people were exceptionally powerful!
These were three National-Level Dream-Crossing Masters,
and they were unlike primary National-Level figures like Li Ang and Cang Yuan!
Their auras were stronger, and their dream energy was even more formidable!
Among National-Level Dream-Crossing Masters, they were likely among the absolute top existences!
The Capital was indeed the Capital; National-Level figures, who were rarely seen elsewhere, appeared three at a time!
However, the Capital Dream-Crossing Building was, after all, the headquarters of the Dream-Crossing Association.
Running into three National-Level Dream-Crossing Masters was not particularly strange or difficult to understand.
"Kid, your potential is huge. Come learn the spear from me!"
Yan Fei, a burly man carrying a double-jointed iron spear, burst out laughing, staring at Du Fang with full admiration.
"Great temperament, right up my alley! Want to learn the spear? My spear... is both fast and fierce!"
Yan Fei said.
Zhao Lingyin introduced them to Du Fang: "This is Cao Kong, captain of the Super-Star Team Splitting Moon, and this is Yan Fei, captain of the Super-Star Team Madman."
Du Fang nodded in response to the three of them.
As for Yan Fei's invitation to learn spear techniques, Du Fang naturally declined.
He hadn't even fully studied or mastered the abilities of his family members yet; how could he have the spare time to learn other skills.
"Alright, we should be heading off too. We just came over to see what kind of genius beat up Lingyin. Now it seems... you didn't disappoint us."
Cao Kong smiled with scholarly elegance: "Of course, having offended the Research Office, you don't need to worry too much either. People from the Research Office like to play tricks to get research materials, but President Ye appreciates you and shouldn't let anything happen to you."
"So, rest assured a hundred percent and prepare well for the Top Scholar Contender match. I heard... President Ye specially changed the finals format for this Top Scholar Contender match... It's quite interesting, I'm looking forward to it a little."
Cao Kong looked at Du Fang, blinked his left eye, and then turned and left alongside Gong Chao, who carried the giant sword, and Yan Fei, who carried the double-jointed iron spear.
After the three of them left,
Du Fang originally intended to leave as well.
The elevator he was waiting for just stopped, and its doors opened.
Inside the elevator was a blonde woman wearing a secretary uniform, with an unimaginably explosive figure.
Holding documents and wearing fiery red lipstick, she looked at Du Fang
and smiled slightly.
"Mr. Du Fang? I am Lisa, secretary to President Ye."
"The president asked me to invite you to his office for a visit."