After the Lord of the Abyss Awakens - Chapter 52.2

Levin wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, thinking, “Can hard work really achieve that?” Indeed, the perception of the world’s number one ranked human was truly different.

It made sense. No wonder Mr. Yi Xiusi said he raised twenty-four children. He certainly had the ability to raise so many children. No, rather, he was too capable. With the strength of being ranked first among humans, raising a few countries wouldn’t be a problem, let alone children.

Levin dared not imagine what the other “children” were like, feeling certain they must all be monstrously strong.

Come to think of it, he had felt something was a bit odd earlier. Mr. Yi Xiusi referred to his pets as “children,” which Levin had thought was just affectionate. Now he realized… it might be more than just affection.

Levin’s brain was about to explode, to the point where he couldn’t notice Millard’s inquiring gaze.

Millard desperately tried to catch Levin’s eye but received no response, which was quite frustrating.

Millard deeply regretted that the Prime Minister wasn’t present. At least then he would have had someone to consult with.

Meanwhile, news from the competition venue spread by word of mouth, with the major noble families in the imperial city being the first to know.

“Is it true? We thought it was just another of the king’s whimsical events, but it turns out there’s a scheme behind it?”

“Let’s go see. By the way, young master Febi from the Sword Saint family is also there. If he’s participating, he’s surely aiming for first place. The king must know this, but given the current situation, is the king trying to snatch first place from Febi? Is he really going to clash head-on with the Sword Saint family?”

This possibility was quite shocking. As everyone knew, King Levin was just an ordinary person. Even with all his resources, he could only reach level 43, far behind the kings of other countries.

Without comparing to distant lands, just look at King Roman, that delinquent king. Even though Roman Ross was obsessed with art and beauty, he had still reached level 83! Level 83 could qualify one as a general in ordinary countries. It’s just that Roman Ross was eccentric; despite his extreme talent, he simply refused to train.

In today’s world, why would the weak submit to a king? Why would you serve someone weaker than you, someone you could kill with one finger?

One must either be strong in power or strong in other aspects. Otherwise, one is not fit to be king.

However, looking at it now, it seemed King Levin had been hiding something.

But slapping Febi’s face was equivalent to slapping the Jupius family’s face. The elders of the Jupius family were so protective, who knew what might happen…

“Let’s go take a look. Are there still seats available?”

Thus, within these ten minutes, many nobles with free time came to watch the commotion.

As for the Jupius family, Febi’s servant had also notified the elders.

Normally, their family elders wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters, and might even scold Febi for causing a fuss. But today, things were different.

“King Levin, is he trying to rebel?”

The white-haired elder narrowed his eyes, instantly releasing a terrifying killing intent.

His figure was thin yet robust. When he stood up, he resembled a bamboo pole. As his magic power circulated, his muscles swelled, transforming him into a muscular body on the spot.

He was the previous generation’s Western Sword Saint. At his peak, he had reached level 97, ranking eighth among all humans. Age had diminished his strength, and in recent years he had even fallen out of the top hundred human rankings. But those who knew understood that rankings didn’t represent everything. The God of Ranking ranked normal state power, but in this world, there were plenty of abnormal state powers. Like him, for instance.

“Heh, how interesting. A mere small king dares to challenge our Jupius family? If we don’t teach him a lesson, he might forget who helped establish the Great Empire of Oedipus.”

The old man suddenly broke into a vicious smile, his eyes extremely cold.

Meanwhile, in the waiting room. Other cats huddled nervously near the door, while the four cats occupied most of the space.

Aelioge instructed them one by one, “Keep a low profile, understand?”

Beelzebub nodded, “It’s just a small competition, don’t try to win first place in everything.”

Buer, unusually restrained, said, “As long as one of us gets first place, Father will be very happy.”

They exchanged glances, for once unified in their outward opinion, speaking in unison.

“For Father!”

“For Father!”

“For Father!”

Their voices sounded like “meow meow meow” to humans, completely unintelligible, but humans could sense their determination.

At this moment, Xiu Si was on the platform playing with the little black bird. Looking back, he noticed more and more people on the platform, all from noble families.

Perhaps they knew something, as their gazes towards him carried varying degrees of curiosity. But most discussions seemed to be about the king, not him.

“The king isn’t here? Where did he go?”

“He must be here, just in disguise. Let the intelligence agents find him.”

Some people whispered.

Millard surveyed the scene, hesitating to speak. The original purpose of this competition was to find the “number one ranked”, but who could have imagined it would turn into a crusade against King Levin, suspecting him of ulterior motives, using an animal competition as a facade to intimidate other nobles.

Otherwise, look at how the cats brought by the person recommended by King Levin overwhelmingly pressured the pets of other nobles into submission.

Bullying pets was no different from bullying their owners. Wasn’t this a form of power struggle?

The platform was a scene of intrigue, and Levin’s disguise was quickly seen through by some intelligence agents.

Rumors spread among the nobles.

“Hmph, we knew he was here, but didn’t expect him to be so bold, standing right next to that owner.”

“Hiding in plain sight, this guy is becoming more and more scheming.”

Levin himself had no spare attention for their concerns. His mind was fully occupied with how to befriend Mr. Yi Xiusi.

As time ticked closer, the servant…

Just then, the ten-minute break was announced to be over.

The doors below opened, and staff members walked out, leading the “contestants” out.

The four cats were in front, with other cats and tigers maintaining a distance of two to three meters behind them, not daring to get closer. It was as if this competition had been their stage from beginning to end.

Seeing is believing. Those who had just arrived were stunned.

“These… these are just little cats, aren’t they? What’s wrong with them?”

Others shook their heads. What kind of little cats could run at the speed of sound?

“Just watch and you’ll see.”

Those people were skeptical.

Febi, however, was furious. He cursed, “How are they still alive?”

The servant’s face turned pale, as he had just received news that all those tasked with the mission had died.

“They all died suddenly, without exception. We don’t know who did it. It might be King Levin’s doing.”

Hearing this, Febi’s face turned green with anger. He was about to draw his sword and charge over.

Just then, a figure appeared in front of him. He hated it when people blocked his way, but now he dared not say a word. His gaze trembled, and it took several seconds before he managed to say.

“Grandfather, you’re here.”

The old Sword Saint glanced at him sideways, his cold gaze sharp as a blade, as if it could pin him to the spot.

Febi trembled in fear.

Fortunately, the old Sword Saint shifted his gaze after a few seconds and coldly snorted, “I want to see what exactly is going on here.”

Millard looked around and suddenly sensed killing intent. Turning his head, he saw it came from the old man next to Febi.

The old Sword Saint!

Millard broke out in a cold sweat, thinking that things were developing too quickly. Even the old Sword Saint of the Jupius family had shown up. Would this end well?

Millard vividly remembered that the old Sword Saint was a villain in his youth and hadn’t mellowed with age. He was extremely protective of his family. Anyone who offended his younger generation would be lucky if he didn’t wipe out their entire family.

Strong individuals could kill without leaving a trace, and even if someone had the courage to investigate, they might not be able to find anything. Moreover, most people didn’t have the courage.

It was most likely that Feroll losing an arm had upset him, but he had to hold it in.

How could Millard have imagined things would turn out like this? He turned his head again to look at Levin.

Levin had obviously noticed the old Sword Saint’s arrival, but for some reason, he didn’t seem as nervous as he used to be when facing the old Sword Saint.

Instead, it seemed like he had something even more nerve-wracking to deal with.

Millard was completely baffled. The old Sword Saint had appeared on the other side, yet you’re not afraid at all? The number one ranked human was nowhere to be seen, but you’ve become inexplicably strange.

Millard’s gaze shifted, landing on Xiu Si.

Before he could think further, the host announced the start of the sixth round.

So far, only five cats remained after the screening.

This round was different from the previous five. It tested intelligence, specifically problem-solving!

Considering that cat paws couldn’t hold pens, they had set up ten multiple-choice questions. The cats could answer by moving the fur balls in front of them.

Upon hearing about this competition setup, the audience buzzed with discussion.

“The sixth round seems a bit strange. Cats are cats, how would they understand human knowledge?”

“Why wouldn’t they understand? Don’t underestimate the wisdom of magical beasts!”

Xiu Si, on the other hand, was a bit worried. His children had lived in the Abyss for many years and might not understand the knowledge of the human world.

Then, the host announced the start of the competition, presenting questions one after another.

Ten minutes later, the entire venue fell silent.

The four cats had won again. They answered all the questions correctly, while the one next to them was eliminated after barely three questions, their mind going blank.

The audience was shocked internally.

These cats were not only powerful, but their intelligence was so extraordinary. Were they really cats?

It completely redefined their understanding of “cats”…

On the other hand, Xiu Si let out a sigh of relief. He had thought they wouldn’t know such complex knowledge, but unexpectedly they could answer everything correctly.

“My children are so clever,” he thought.

Then, the seventh round began.

This round still tested intelligence, but the difficulty increased sharply, involving advanced knowledge. The person who set the questions was Millard, and the one who read them out was also Millard.

Millard walked up to the platform, the focus of everyone’s attention, yet he didn’t feel as much pressure from the four cats’ gazes.

Among them, the little ragdoll seemed impatient, its eyes urging him to hurry up and ask the questions.

Millard found it hard to imagine that he would be frightened by a little kitten, but he was indeed scared, goosebumps all over his body.

He quickly looked at the questions and read out a somewhat complex mathematical calculation problem.

More than half of the people present couldn’t figure out the answer and were discussing. “Is this for real? Giving cats math problems?”

But all the cats on site except for the little ragdoll answered immediately.

The little ragdoll was dumbfounded. It was eliminated. In its mind, it cursed, “Damn it, math is the only thing I’m not good at!”

It returned to Xiu Si’s side, complaining by rubbing its head. Xiu Si comforted it, “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.”

The little ragdoll meowed once.

The questioning continued. The audience originally thought that at most three questions would be enough to decide the winner, but reality once again slapped them in the face.

The three cats not only made it to the third question, but they went all the way to the thirtieth, and their answers were incredibly fast.

Questions that human brains couldn’t process, these three cats could solve, and so quickly?

Were these really cats?

The people present could no longer comprehend what was happening.

From surprise to shock, then to amazement, and finally to stupefaction and blank minds.

At the end of the questioning, Millard wiped away his sweat. He closed the question booklet because he had run out of questions.

However, there were still three cats left. Should he announce them all as first place winners, or something else?

Millard was in a dilemma. Unlike others, being closer, he noticed the cats’ ease, indicating that these questions were nothing to them.

Millard’s thoughts shifted slightly, and suddenly he had an idea – to come up with questions on the spot.

Amidst the discussions, he actually spoke up and posed a question about space magic, asking them to solve this incomplete space magic – whether it could be repaired or if it was irreparable and needed to be erased and redrawn.

As he spoke, he actually drew out a magic circle.

As soon as the question was posed, it naturally caused a commotion.

Aelioge and Beelzebub were about to curse. Space magic was what they were least proficient in. How could he ask them to answer that?

Damn humans, you’re just looking for trouble!

Beelzebub was naturally eliminated because it really didn’t know! And its curse also acted up.

Only Aelioge and Inpos remained. Aelioge had guessed correctly.

Aelioge thought to itself, Inpos had been honest all along, and quite low-key. It hadn’t expected it would be the last one remaining.

The two cats’ gazes crossed.

The pressure was on Millard.

Millard pondered hard, with a strange determination that he must stump them with this question.

Meanwhile, Xiu Si, standing on the platform, caught Beelzebub and anxiously watched the situation unfold.

In a sense, Levin was even more nervous than him.

Then, Millard’s brows furrowed slightly, and he asked a question that shocked everyone.

“The Matros Problem, one of the three great problems of modern magic proposed by Great Mentor Matros over 800 years ago.”

As soon as Millard finished speaking, the whole venue fell silent.

Both those who understood magic and those who didn’t were stunned. Those who understood magic doubted if Millard was serious. This problem had stumped so many magicians, even humans couldn’t solve it, yet he was asking a little kitty?

Most of the magicians present were dumbfounded.

Those who didn’t understand magic couldn’t comprehend the question itself.

Xiu Si hadn’t learned about the “Matros Problem” yet, but he knew it must be an extremely difficult problem to solve. After all, it was called a “problem”. Could the children solve it?

They shouldn’t force themselves if they couldn’t.

In fact, the moment Aelioge heard this question, it knew it had lost.

Of all the questions to ask, they had to ask about this demon “Matros”. How could it not know! It probably answered instinctively.

Inpos smiled, without even thinking, happily using its paw to grab a pen, and actually wrote out the answer stroke by stroke.

Wait, could cats actually write?!

At this point, the entire venue was silent as if suffocating, as if witnessing a moment that would be etched into history.

The questioner, Millard, doubted his own existence, almost falling over on the spot. After checking the answer, everyone was stunned.

“It… it actually solved the Matros Problem that has puzzled human magicians for years!”

As soon as the judgment was announced, the whole venue was in an uproar.

“Ahhh! I’m going crazy. Humans are no match for cats, humans are no match for cats!”

A group of magicians were about to lose their minds.

“Impossible, there must be something wrong somewhere. How did it solve it!”

“I think maybe its owner knew the answer…”

“Who on earth is its owner?!”

“The gray cat with participant number 023 has won first place!”

The host’s voice was hoarse as he announced the result, almost screaming at the top of his lungs.

The applause from the audience was thunderous. Who would have thought that they had come just to attend a pet competition, yet they had witnessed such a scene.

Was this something they could watch for free?

Ge-genius cat!

Levin almost fainted, with only one thought growing stronger and stronger in his mind!

In stark contrast to the excitement of others, the Jupius family was deadly silent.

The old Sword Saint’s expression was extremely unpleasant, his thoughts unknown, as a murderous aura permeated the entire platform.

Die, he wanted them to die!

Inpos, having won first place, immediately rushed into its father’s arms, meowing.

Xiu Si didn’t question anything, just patted its head and praised it for being amazing.

Aelioge followed behind, its dark eyes slightly sinking. But a win was a win, and it let this younger sibling take the victory.

However, they had agreed earlier to keep a low profile. Solving the “Matros Problem” in one go was anything but low-key. What cat could possibly do such a thing? Though it could be explained, since their father was nominally Matros’s student.

Damn it, the seemingly honest younger sibling turned out to be the least honest.

It glared fiercely at Inpos.

Unexpectedly, Inpos turned its head and looked back from its father’s arms.