Chapter 305 - 27: I Am the Circle

Inside the Superpower Bureau building.

Figures stopped what they were doing. Whether processing files or cultivating, they all now stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring in utter disbelief at the scene below.

"This..."

The man on the ground hailed from an Elder Family of Red Maple Shelter City, a renowned Superpower Level expert. But now, his head was covered in blood, beaten so brutally by Lu Chao that his eyes had rolled back as he fainted.

The sight shattered everyone’s perceptions, and an uproar immediately erupted from all sides.

"Did Captain Lu... did he break through to the Superpower Level?"

"That’s unbelievable, isn’t it?"

"Isn’t the Superpower Level supposed to be hard to break through? How did he do it so quickly?"

"He’s only twenty-one, right?"

A series of shocked voices echoed one after another, spreading from the first-floor entrance to the main hall, and even up to the second and third floors.

Hearing the whispers around them, the few team captains from East Port standing in the third-floor training area wore flickering expressions. They were utterly shocked, still immersed in disbelief.

’He actually... broke through to the Superpower Level...’

Xu Wei’s face was pale, her gaze wavering.

The battle she had just witnessed was undeniable proof of his strength. His signature Martial Arts Flame, and the fact that he had single-handedly and severely wounded a Superpower Level expert from an Elder Family—it was all the evidence she needed.

In an instant, a storm of complex emotions washed over her, and her face flushed red then turned pale.

Worse, she glanced at the circle of East Port captains she had worked so hard to finally integrate into and be accepted by.

Her skin felt hot, and she felt as if a fundamental belief of hers had been completely shattered.

...

’The Superpower Level...’

He watched as Lu Chao tossed the blood-soaked Tan Yue to the ground at his feet like a dead dog.

Li Xiyuan stood at the entrance of the Superpower Bureau building, his eyelid twitching uncontrollably as his expression flickered.

The man from a minor city circle, whom he had once deemed to have limited potential, insufficient experience, and unfit for great responsibility, had actually broken through to the Superpower Level.

A strange, complex feeling rose in his heart, tinged with a hint of regret.

’Not only did I fail to befriend him, I even slightly offended him.’

’Not to mention, I missed out on the contribution award for having a subordinate become a Superpower Level expert.’

’If I hadn’t switched the captains back then, everything would have been different.’

Suddenly, the surrounding chatter seemed exceptionally grating.

Li Xiyuan’s face was stiff as he stood rooted to the spot. He could faintly sense some of the Superpower Members casting furtive glances his way, their eyes seemingly filled with a hint of schadenfreude.

In contrast, Lu Chao, standing on the street, was exceptionally calm. He simply stood there and swept his gaze across the surroundings.

The patrol team members who had tried to frame him were sprawled on the ground, most of them severely injured and unconscious, practically crippled.

He knew these men were all acting under Tan Yue’s orders.

But...

’How should I handle this?’

Lu Chao’s gaze flickered as he looked down at the unconscious Tan Yue on the ground.

’This is Satellite City No. 4, after all. The reason the Elder Families can control this place isn’t just because of their deep-rooted connections and influence; the key is that they have a third-gate, Transcendence Level expert watching over it.’

’Severely injuring one Tan Yue is nothing, but killing him would be a different matter entirely.’

’In other words, my identity as Lu Chao isn’t suited for doing such things out in the open.’

As the thought crossed his mind, he saw Chen Xiao and the rest of Team Five rushing out from the Superpower Bureau building. Their faces were a mixture of shock, excitement, and agitation.

Amidst their calls of "Captain," Lu Chao nodded and temporarily suppressed his other thoughts.

Then, as if sensing something, Lu Chao looked up at the sky and soon saw a Superpower Bureau hovercar rapidly returning.

VMMMM!!

The vehicle’s hum was accompanied by a blast of air that sent dust and debris flying.

In just a few breaths’ time, the hovercar’s hatch opened. Yao Jin stepped out, leading a mission squad that had been hastily recalled.

"This..."

Scanning the surroundings, Sun Jiayuan and the others standing behind Yao Jin were all dumbfounded.

They had all received an urgent communication and been brought back by Yao Jin, so they knew what had happened earlier.

They had expected a vicious fight and had come fully armed with live ammunition.

But...

Now, upon seeing Tan Yue with his head covered in blood and his eyes rolled back, Sun Jiayuan and the others held their breath one by one and swallowed hard.

Even the usually composed Yao Jin’s eyes flashed with an unusual brilliance as she stared at Lu Chao for several long seconds.

"Captain Lu..."

"Team Leader."

Lu Chao smiled and nodded, tacitly answering her unspoken question.

He was now at the Superpower Level.

’Appropriately revealing some of my talent and strength definitely has more pros than cons.’

"I knew it."

Having gotten her answer, the light in Yao Jin’s eyes grew even brighter.

"Congratulations, Captain Lu."

"It seems it won’t be long before our Fourth Bureau has a new Superpower Team Leader."

She nodded repeatedly, offering a few more words of smiling congratulations. Her gaze toward Lu Chao had unconsciously shifted to one of equality and respect, as if looking at a peer.

The significance of breaking through to the Superpower Level at such a young age was self-evident.

Moreover, unlike her, he had never received special training from the Superpower Bureau, which only served to highlight how extraordinary he was.

"If it weren’t for your help, Team Leader, I wouldn’t have been able to break through so easily."

"Speaking of which, I have to thank you for taking such good care of me."

Lu Chao said with a grateful smile.

This wasn’t just empty flattery. If she hadn’t covered for him and allowed him to take on the mission to capture Ma Kui, his breakthrough might have come much later.

The same went for the three thousand contribution points she had given him back then.

Seeing his sincere words, Yao Jin’s smile deepened. No one dislikes dealing with a genius who values loyalty and relationships.