Zhang Dingtian was momentarily stunned and said, "He is a friend of Zhoushan and also a Celestial-level expert."
Director Lian exclaimed, "Celestial-level? An Earthling?"
Lu Yin nodded.
Director Lian was even more surprised. "I didn't expect that besides the seven of you and the ascetic from Tianzhu, there would be someone else reaching Celestial level at this time. Incredible. Young man, how did you achieve this?"
Lu Yin replied calmly with two words, "Talent."
Director Lian accepted this explanation, as there seemed to be no other reasonable answer.
"Director, what exactly happened?" Bai Xue asked.
Director Lian sighed, "The Science Institute was breached, and all information was taken by that alien kid."
"What information did he get? It seems the Science Institute didn't have anything he cared about," Zhang Dingtian said with doubt.
Director Lian shook his head and frowned, "I don't know either. He connected that device on his wrist to the Science Institute's light brain, and shortly after, he was ecstatic."
"Personal terminal," Bai Xue said seriously. "That's alien technology, far beyond Earth's. Maybe it could identify information that the Science Institute couldn't. No wonder he wanted to destroy the Science Institute. Looks like he didn't want us to know."
"No, I destroyed the Science Institute," Director Lian said.
Everyone was surprised.
Director Lian smiled bitterly, "That guy came in and killed all the researchers while probing the light brain. I had to destroy the Science Institute; otherwise, the underground base would be exposed. Also, this was the only way to notify you all."
Lu Yin admired him. The old man was bold and wasn't afraid to bury himself.
Zhang Dingtian frowned, "The Science Institute was destroyed and all information burned. We can't even find them to take revenge."
Director Lian shook his head, "Who said the information is lost? If the Science Institute was destroyed and the information lost, what's the point of me being the director?" Saying this, he opened an underground entrance in front of Zhang Dingtian and the others. "All the Science Institute's information has backups underground. You should have alien technology, try it. Maybe you can analyze something."
Zhang Dingtian, Bai Xue, and Lu Yin immediately went down.
Soon, they watched the light screen projected from the personal terminal, their faces shocked.
The screen played the massive explosion from more than half a year ago. On the Science Institute's screen, the explosion seemed ordinary, everything was destroyed, but under the personal terminal's analysis, a black shadow rushed westward in the explosion and disappeared instantly. Except for the personal terminal, Earth's technology could not interpret this because the shadow was moving too fast.
Zhang Dingtian and the others looked solemn.
Director Lian was shocked, "What is that black shadow? A person?"
Lu Yin replied calmly, "More than half a year ago, I remember the Seven Saints hadn't reached Celestial level yet. This speed is equivalent to Celestial level. If I'm not mistaken, it should be that corpse. Only that corpse on the scene could have this possibility."
Director Lian was surprised, "You mean that it wasn't really a corpse? That person didn't die?"
Lu Yin nodded, "By using energy to cover the body and stop all functions, it looks like death. Earth technology can't tell the difference, which is normal. Looks like that's right. That corpse is the fugitive from the student trial mission."
Everyone was silent, staring at the screen.
Lu Yin looked at Director Lian, "May I ask, why did you transfer that corpse back then? Zhoushan told me it was because you couldn't control some substance."
Director Lian glanced at Zhang Dingtian and Bai Xue and said, "We analyzed that corpse and found a strange substance. Once it explodes, the consequences are unpredictable. We truly couldn't control it, so we had to transfer it."
"Back then, Number One was worried the substance might explode during the transfer, so he dispersed the seven of us to prevent that. Unexpectedly, it actually happened, and the apocalypse came. Fortunately, the seven of us guarded the area and protected the survivors," Bai Xue said solemnly.
Lu Yin sighed, "Number One was really a great man. If he had let you seven protect it back then, maybe it wouldn't have died."
Director Lian sighed, "There was no way. No one expected this to happen. Looking at it now, the root cause of everything is that corpse. It caused the explosion and the apocalypse."
Lu Yin frowned, feeling something was off. Why would that corpse cause the apocalypse? For Earth, the apocalypse meant evolution. Wasn't he afraid of attracting the Great Universe Empire?
"When we studied the corpse, our Science Institute placed nano-trackers in its skin tissue. Let me see if I can find its location," Director Lian said, fiddling with the light brain. After a while, he opened a world map and said excitedly, "Found it. The tracking signal last disappeared here."
Everyone looked, "Europe, Mediterranean."
"That alien student is heading to the western Mediterranean," Zhang Dingtian said in a low voice.
"Should we go?" Bai Xue asked.
Zhang Dingtian stared at the screen. "No."
Lu Yin said calmly, "That corpse was once a star-walking expert. Even if now severely wounded and dying, it surely still has life-saving abilities. It's too dangerous for us to go."
Director Lian said, "Don't worry. If those alien students didn't catch him, he will definitely come back."
Lu Yin looked at Director Lian with suspicion.
Director Lian said, "His belongings are kept at the Science Institute. He definitely won't give up."
"What belongings?" Lu Yin asked. When that corpse was brought back to Earth, no one knew what else was taken along except a battle sword.
Director Lian was about to answer, but Bai Xue stopped him, "This is a state secret and cannot be disclosed."
Lu Yin laughed, "The apocalypse has already come. You seven saints are the highest authorities in the country now. What secrets are left?"
Bai Xue stared at Lu Yin, "We don't know your background. Who's to say you're not an alien student?"
"Zhoushan can vouch for me. I was already in the penal camp before the trial students arrived," Lu Yin said with a frown.
Bai Xue's mouth curved into a beautiful smile, "I remember those students said Earth had long been under the surveillance of the Great Universe Empire. It wouldn't be impossible to arrive early."
"That's nonsense. You're making excuses for everything," Lu Yin was annoyed. This woman seemed to be against him at every turn. He'd heard she had a thing with Liu Shaoge—really annoying.
Bai Xue said calmly, "I'm just telling the truth."
"I have to tell you, those students were only the first batch of trial candidates. The second batch is coming soon, and there will definitely be enemies you can't handle. I can help you. Don't fail to recognize a good person's intentions," Lu Yin said.
Bai Xue snorted, "If you're an Earthling, you should help us. Otherwise, you're a traitor. If you're not from Earth, begging you is useless."
Lu Yin winced; this woman's analysis was quite reasonable.
Zhang Dingtian looked at Lu Yin and said gravely, "Your identity is unclear. Zhoushan can only represent himself. If you want to learn state secrets, the Seven Saints must vote."
Lu Yin waved his hand, "Forget it. Communications are cut off now. Where's the vote? Besides, this woman seems to have considerable influence. The one who'd lose in a vote is me." With that, he left directly.
Zhang Dingtian watched Lu Yin's retreating figure thoughtfully.
Bai Xue said, "This person is very strong. It's hard to understand. Besides the seven of us and those few foreigners the state compromised with to accept inheritance, how could someone break through to Celestial level now?"
"Not impossible. The ascetic from Tianzhu was the first to break through Celestial level without inheritance. He's only the second," Zhang Dingtian said.
Bai Xue nodded. She wasn't specifically targeting Lu Yin but genuinely found him suspicious—too strong and a bit greedy. She still felt uneasy thinking about how Lu Yin snatched the two alien students' Ningkong rings right in front of her.
After leaving the underground, Lu Yin's expression was serious. Earth was now in apocalypse; alien students were rampaging; a fugitive with unknown strength was hiding; and the second batch of trial candidates was about to arrive. Earth was getting more and more chaotic, and his own power improvement was still a bit slow.
The Great Universe Empire was only one empire within the Canglan Territory. There were many territories in the Outer Universe with countless geniuses. He couldn't even deal with ordinary students from the Great Universe Empire, let alone the top academy Yutang or the young elites from the Empire's Imperial Court Thirteen Teams. He had to speed up.
"Granny, come here!" Lu Yin shouted.
From afar, Granny came over. "What's up?"
"Send out the news: the fugitive is in the Mediterranean, Europe," Lu Yin said calmly.
Granny was startled, "Really?"
Lu Yin nodded, "Go."
Granny frowned, "If you know why, why don't you go yourself?"
"Just do what you're told. No need for so many whys," Lu Yin said impatiently.
Granny was frustrated but opened her personal terminal and sent the message to the star network.