Chapter 68: The Great Loss.
Two days later.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Ah! You’re not updated on the current news going around the city. Let me tell you, I heard the ruin entrance has disappeared."
"Really? When?"
"Yesterday."
"Ah! What would happen to those inside?"
"Do you need to ask? Dead, of course."
The news of the disappearance of the Tier-2 Ruin entrance had spread throughout the Soaring Cloud Region.
When the Tier-2 Ruin appeared, everyone thought this was a golden opportunity for them.
But now, most of the clans and forces were covered in grief.
The Silver Star City Lord sat with a lifeless expression on his throne.
His face filled with grief and regret. He had lost his two sons and more than half of his men.
With this loss, their foundation had been weakened. Forget about promoting his clan to one of the major clans in the Soaring Cloud Region.
He did not think his clan could survive the next couple of years.
His eyes twitched in regret. He gripped the armrest tightly and was ready to scream.
His eldest son was talented with all his hopes on him. But now...
"Why? Why?" He screamed.
While he was drowning in grief, the Gu clan was also wallowing in grief.
Apart from the Gu clan master that managed to return, every member of the clan did not make it back.
"My clan is doomed." The Gu Patriarch muttered, his heart ached, sorrow etched on his face.
"Why did I have to send everyone into the ruin?" He asked but no one was around to answer him.
He stared at the Mortal Grade weapon in his hand and rage surged.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"I lost my son and everyone for this damn weapon."
He vented his anger, hitting the broadsword on the ground continuously.
....
Inside the Mystic Path Academy. Everywhere was silent like a graveyard.
The few students walking around were quiet. No one dared talk loudly.
Classrooms were empty.
Sorrow hung over the academy like a thin veil.
"What’s our loss?" The Vice Dean asked in a solemn tone.
"Three hundred students did not make it back." A teacher responded in a low voice.
Huh!
All the teachers sucked in a cold breath. This was the greatest loss since the founding of the academy.
The Vice Dean’s eyes twitched. He opened his mouth to speak but paused for a moment.
"What about the teachers?"
"We lost all of them except one."
Out of all the Peak Stage First Rated Martial Artists that went into the ruin, only one returned.
Huh!
The loss was too great.
Too great.
Bang!
"How could this be?!" The Vice Dean banged the table in fury.
Why would it turn out like this?
This was the question on everyone’s mind. They had explored many ruins, though not Tier-2 Ruins.
Yet, none had turned out like this.
What changed?
Watching the Vice Dean rage, all the teachers held their breath.
"You can all leave. Try to maintain the academy and stop any rumor from spreading." He commanded.
....
Inside the Frostwind Academy, the situation was a lot better than the Mystic Path Academy.
Although they lost students, it was fewer than the Mystic Path Academy.
The Vice Dean looked at the teachers in charge of the exploration.
"How is our loss?" She asked, her voice was neutral, giving no room for anyone to guess what she was thinking.
"We lost fifty students and four teachers." The teacher responded, slightly wiping off the bead of sweat from his forehead.
The Vice Dean’s piercing gaze made the male teacher uncomfortable.
"I heard Mei Ling made it back." She said, resting her back on her seat.
"Yes. She sustained a deep injury and she’s recovering."
"You can leave." She waved her hand to dismiss the teacher.
With the teacher gone, she tapped her expensive wooden table gently, lost in thought.
Although the academy lost many people during this exploration, they learned something important.
Ruins were not as safe as they thought. The impression that ruin entrances could not stop people from entering had also changed.
They knew little about the ruins which was their weakness.
"I need to find out more." She thought out loud and vanished from her spot.
.....
The Gong clan matriarch sat on her throne with a cold expressionless face.
She looked at the quiet and asked.
"Who can tell me what happened?"
Although her voice was calm, all the elders could hear the cold biting blade in her voice.
They forcefully swallowed the lumps in their throats and exchanged subtle glances.
Who would step forward? They thought.
Watching the elders shifting on their seats, the Matriarch’s rage grew.
Bang!
She shattered the armrest and a suffocating aura erupted from her body.
Anyone who did not know her would have thought she was easy to handle, but those from the Gong clan knew how terrifying she was.
She had killed her way to the throne.
For the clan and her mission, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill any of them.
Under her rage, the proud and arrogant were shivering like kids.
"M-Matriarch..." An old elder said with a trembling voice.
"Yes..." She turned and faced him.
"We sustained such a great loss because we never had experience of a Tier-2 Ruin. But now, we know better and if any Tier-2 Ruin appears we will be more prepared."
"Really?" The Matriarch’s cold biting voice hung in the air but no one dared to respond.
"We’re barely strong enough to contend with the Jun clan but with this loss, do you think we stand a chance?"
"Matriarch, I heard their loss is way greater than ours. Also, Gong Tao led a group to kill a lot of their younger generation." A female elder responded.
"And you think that’s a good idea?"
No one responded. The Jun aristocrat clan were their arch-enemies.
Killing them should have appeased the matriarch but why did she seem annoyed?
Watching the elders that failed to understand the gravity of the situation.
"You bunch of trash. Have you ever thought how the Jun clan would react?" She asked, her anger rising.
Killing the Jun clan younger generation was not a bad idea but that was when they killed them without leaving any eyewitness.
But now...
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Thanks.]