Douluo Continent 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 157: Infiltration Having successfully infiltrated the academy, Tang San was exactly where he had calculated he would be. With the cover of shadows and his night-cloak, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to spot him. The reason for this plan was tied to his experiences over the past few days. Every day, he entered and exited through the back door. It was true that Jiali Academy had a defensive alarm array, but if the door was opened normally, the alarm would naturally not be triggered. When he left through the back door, he had once run into some monster-clan students and overheard their conversation. At the time, one of the monster students had said, “Let’s sneak out for a drink tonight! I’ve already talked to the gatekeeper.” This piqued Tang San’s interest, so he’d occasionally come out at night to observe over the past few days. Good grief, over by the back gate, there were several groups of students returning late every single night. Jiali Academy operates under a closed-campus system; students aren’t allowed to leave on weekdays unless they’ve requested leave. But where there’s a will, there’s a way! These monster trainees are all young and full of energy””who can stand the loneliness? Sneaking out to have some fun is only natural. The guards turn a blind eye; they even get a little something out of it, so why not? It was by taking advantage of such an opportunity that Tang San managed to sneak back into Jiali Academy. He took a black metal mask from his storage pouch and put it on, covering the upper half of his face. Forged from black metal, it not only concealed his features but also provided some protection. Only after the two monster trainees and the guard had left did Tang San move again, quickly sneaking deeper into Jiali Academy. His week as a janitor hadn’t been in vain; he was already quite familiar with the layout of the place. He headed straight for the training area. He had sneaked in in the middle of the night, not to have a tryst with Mei Gongzi, but for a different purpose. The two demon guards were both burly figures, each over three meters tall, with broad shoulders and thick waists. Their arms were extraordinarily long, and each held a metal staff””five meters long and as thick as an adult’s arm””that looked incredibly heavy at first glance. These were Mighty Ape Demons. Among the demon races, the ape-like species hold a respectable status, ranking among the Ten Great Races. Though not the cream of the crop, the Mighty Ape Demons still constitute the main combat force of the ape demon lineage. Based on Tang San’s perception, these two were at least at the Eighth-Rank cultivation level. Within the entire Jiali Academy, this was the only place with guards. Because this was Jiali Academy’s “convenience store”! Of course, here they didn’t call it a convenience store, but rather the Academy Store. Jia Li Cai had mentioned that the items sold here are exclusively for Jiali Academy students; they’re slightly cheaper than outside, and there’s a wide variety of quality goods””far surpassing anything the Redemption Academy’s “convenience store” could offer. The Academy Store not only sells goods but also buys back items such as beast carcasses and rare plants, making it an exclusive perk for students. Tang San’s target for today is precisely this place. The presence of two Eighth-Rank guards speaks to just how important this place is. Moreover, the store is equipped with its own alarm array. The moment anyone sneaks in, the alarm will sound immediately. Neither the guards nor the alarms are actually intended to deter outsiders. Rather, they’re meant to prevent students from committing the grave offense of embezzlement. Such incidents have occurred in the past. Tang San chose this location not because he was confident he could take down two 8th-tier guards and evade the alarms. Jiali Academy definitely has god-tier powerhouses””and not just one. If discovered, escaping would be harder than climbing to the heavens. Therefore, to succeed, he must rely on cunning rather than brute force. Tang San watched from a distance as two Eighth-Rank Strong Ape Demons strolled back and forth in front of the gate. He didn’t rush; instead, he waited quietly. It was still the early hours of the night; their vigilance was high, so this wasn’t the best time to act. He was patient. He sat down in a dark corner, resting while quietly waiting for his chance. Time ticked by second by second. About two hours later, the two Mighty Ape Demons gathered together. “Is it about time?” one of the Mighty Ape Demons glanced at the sky. The other nodded. “About right. Let’s go inside and check things out. It should be dawn in just over an hour.” “Let’s go.” The two eighth-tier demons walked together toward the convenience store’s main entrance. As they approached, a faint yellow glow emanated from their bodies. The storefront also naturally emitted a glow of the same color. When the two auras touched, the alarm array did not sound. One of the mighty ape demons opened the convenience store door and walked inside, while the other turned to face the outside, standing guard at the entrance. Tang San’s move was timed precisely for the split second when one of the two mighty ape demons turned around and the other stepped inside. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He approached from the side. Just before making his move, he flapped his wings mid-air, propelling his body forward and darting into the blind spot on the side of the ape demon guarding the entrance. At the same time, he activated Time Warp, causing the opponent’s body to momentarily freeze. Seizing this split-second opportunity, he had already slipped through the yellow aura’s range and slipped inside. The defensive array of the surveillance system was merely a barrier at the entrance, and at that moment, the powerful ape demon guarding the gate happened to be in a state of self-absorption. Tang San seized this opportunity; as his body neared the target, he executed a Leopard Flash and slipped right through. The Golden-Winged Great Peng’s wings accelerated, and the Leopard Flash flickered a second time. This time, he had exerted every ounce of his strength, using the Divine Insight Eye to capture every possible change in his surroundings. The instant he slipped into the academy store, Tang San had already unleashed his second Leopard Flash. With the Divine Insight Eye’s powerful observational ability, he found a dark corner the moment he entered. Hiding in the shadows, Tang San completely suppressed his aura and remained motionless. No alarm sounded. The eighth-tier ape demon outside remained unaware, while the one inside had already entered to patrol. The academy store had a rule: guards would patrol the interior once every four hours, day or night. Thus, Tang San had been waiting for precisely this opportunity. With the exception of those who specialized in spiritual power, most demonic beings did not possess outstanding spiritual abilities; their true strength lay in their innate talents. The loophole Tang San exploited could hardly be called a loophole anymore, but thanks to his boldness, meticulousness, and careful preparation, he had successfully infiltrated his intended destination. Who else could possess all three abilities””Time Shift, Golden Phoenix Transformation, and Flash Leopard Transformation””at the same time? In this world, no other race possesses the ability to become invisible. In a short span of time, Tang San perfectly executed all three Demon God Transformations, finally succeeding in infiltrating the premises and arriving at his destination without a hitch. Now that he was inside, he felt even less urgency. His gaze swept across the academy store, which featured a massive horizontal counter at least thirty meters wide. Signs hung above different sections of the counter, labeled with categories such as weapons, medicines, potions, plants, and daily necessities. Behind the counter stood rows of massive cabinets filled with items””presumably the merchandise currently for sale. Tang San understood that the most valuable goods would certainly not be displayed in these outer cabinets; even if they were, they would undoubtedly be protected, and any disturbance could trigger an alarm.