"..."
On the award podium, Zhang Dali remained motionless, like a sculpture.
He felt no pain, but his thoughts were gradually scattering, and even his vision was blurring slightly.
The next second, he slowly lowered his head and saw the bloodstain on his chest, where his heart was.
"I'm dead?"
Fear and confusion filled his eyes as he sensed his life force being slowly drained away...
"Dali!"
"Someone is assassinating the God of Cookery!"
"Help..."
The surrounding clamor reached Dali's ears, but he could no longer hear clearly.
His vision went black, and his body crashed heavily onto the podium...
Bang!
The trophy he clutched tightly rolled a short distance, stained with the blood from his heart, looking appallingly shocking...
"Dali!"
Chen Shu roared. Without a moment's hesitation, he instantly summoned his three contract spirits.
He no longer cared about any rules, his mind filled with fury and panic, devoid of his usual rationality and composure.
"Why? Where are your protective measures?! Where are your damn reconnaissance contract spirits?!"
"Why would such an absurd event happen at the God of Cookery Cup?!"
Xiao Huang's massive body shielded Zhang Dali, and Chen Shu roared at the four King-level beast tamers in the sky.
"Chen Shu, don't get agitated..."
Mi Kun, a King-level beast tamer from the Immortal Kingdom, quickly said, "The priority now is to maintain order..."
"Go to hell!"
Chen Shu, his eyes red, roared and directly interrupted the other's nonsensical words.
"..."
Mi Kun's brow furrowed, and he was about to reprimand Chen Shu, but upon seeing his ferocious expression, he paused in his heart and remained silent.
"Save him quickly! Where are your healing contract spirits?!"
"I'll do it."
Fu Ning felt a pang of guilt and summoned a small green sapling, which landed beside Zhang Dali.
Swish, swish, swish—
The leaves rustled, and green streams of light descended, merging into Zhang Dali's heart.
However, even a King-level healing contract spirit could not mend his wounds.
Zhang Dali's life force continued to ebb away...
Chen Shu's gaze was anxious, and he quickly asked, "How is it?!"
"..."
Fu Ning did not speak, allowing his contract spirit to cast several healing skills in succession.
Just then, Zhang Dali's life force finally stabilized, and his condition seemed to improve slightly.
"He can be saved?!"
Chen Shu's eyes lit up with immense excitement, and he quickly asked,
"Senior, if you can save him, I, Chen Shu, owe you a great favor!"
"Alas..."
However, Fu Ning sighed and said, "My skills can only temporarily preserve his life. Once the skill effect wears off..."
Although he did not finish his sentence, Chen Shu already understood. The other could only keep Dali alive, not save him.
"It's no use..."
Another King-level beast tamer from a medium-sized kingdom walked over, holding a blood-stained bullet...
He sighed and said, "It's a Death Bullet..."
"..."
The four Kings fell silent, their eyes filled with sorrow. Clearly, the outcome was predetermined...
Chen Shu's heart panicked, and he roared, "Stop speaking in riddles! What do you mean?!"
"It's the exclusive bullet of the Dark Organization's leader..."
Fu Ning lowered his head and explained,
"A King-level beast tamer once died under this bullet. The cost of a single one is over a hundred million, and there have been no survivors so far..."
He sighed deeply. It was no wonder the protective measures at the scene had been useless, and even the King-level reconnaissance contract spirits had not detected it.
The leader of the Dark Organization could be considered the foremost assassin. Although merely an ordinary person, he could instill fear in Kings.
But to kill an ordinary person today was indeed overkill. No one could have foreseen such a situation.
"No... there must be a way... there must be a way..."
Chen Shu ignored Fu Ning's words, as if possessed, muttering to himself.
"Old Man! Yes! The Old Man must have a way! He's a legendary beast tamer!!"
Hope rekindled in his eyes, and he quickly dialed Qin Tian's number.
"Principal, answer the phone, answer the phone..."
He didn't have the Old Man's contact information and could only contact him through Qin Tian.
"Chen Pi..."
Qin Tian's voice sounded somewhat heavy. He too had witnessed the scene through the live broadcast.
"Principal, quickly! Help me contact the Old Man, Dali... he's dying!!"
Chen Shu's eyes blurred, and his voice became choked.
"..."
Qin Tian remained silent, his expression moved. He hadn't expected Chen Pi to become like this.
But he was powerless, and didn't even dare to tell him the outcome.
"Principal! Principal! Say something!"
"Dali can still be saved, right? The Old Man is on his way, isn't he?"
"I said I would bring Dali back safely! He can't die, he absolutely cannot die!"
Chen Shu clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, but he paid no mind, instead desperately pleading with Qin Tian like a madman.
"Chen Pi..."
Qin Tian took a deep breath and said with some reluctance,
"We can invite a legendary healing-type contract spirit from the Snow Country to help, but it can only keep Dali alive for five days. It won't be able to salvage anything..."
"..."
Chen Shu's heart sank, and sank, as if falling into an abyss...
He kept muttering to himself:
"It's my fault, I shouldn't have brought Dali out, I was too arrogant, I should have brought more people..."
"I was wrong, I was wrong..."
"Chen Shu..."
Qin Tian's eyes also showed anxiety. He hadn't expected Chen Shu to become like this because of Zhang Dali.
It seemed like he was seeing the notorious Chen Shu of Nanjiang for the first time...