Ji Jue turned around in confusion. “Was that a dog barking?” 

Through the iron door, the sound was faint and muffled, too indistinct to make out clearly. He almost wondered if he had imagined it.

By all rights, the person who had assigned him the repair job was effectively part of the examination staff. So why was the guy outside screaming like he’d just seen a ghost? Had Jian Yuan finally mastered some terrifying new technique and led the forces of the Depths in an invasion? If so, did Ji Jue still have time to change his identity, sew a black banner overnight, and pretend he’d been eagerly awaiting their glorious arrival all along?

Boom!!!

The earth heaved, curling like a rolled carpet. The ceiling of the basement cracked, showering dust down from above.

Beyond the narrow window, something like a bolt of lightning tore across the sky. A momentary flash illuminated an enormous silhouette...