Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant-Chapter 220: Not What We Wanted

At this moment.
He was no longer that outsider who needed to carefully disguise himself.
He seemed more like an ordinary youth pushed to the brink, finally unable to endure any longer and erupting.
Weeping bitterly for his fallen comrades.
Also roaring for his own unspeakably tragic circumstances.
Ye Hongyu was clearly taken aback for a moment.
As the dean of Vermilion Bird Academy, with her esteemed status and extraordinary strength, it had been a long time since any student dared to speak to her so bluntly, and with such an accusatory tone.
Ye Hongyu remained silent for a moment, her eyes filled with regret: "Regarding Xie Xi's matter, I deeply regret it. The fall of an SS-grade Life Soul is a tremendous loss for the academy and even for Daxia. My heart aches no less than yours."
She patiently explained: "You ask me why we sent you to the battlefield? Think this is forcing growth? Fine, I'll tell you today the profound meaning behind this decision."
Su Zhan listened quietly, anger burning in his eyes.
"First, time."
Ye Hongyu's voice suddenly intensified: "How much time do you think Daxia has left for you to grow step by step? Border conflicts rage daily, Mist Creature activity grows increasingly frequent, on a scale far exceeding anything before!
We don't have ten or twenty years to slowly cultivate flowers in a greenhouse.
The fastest growth always comes from being forced to the edge of life and death amidst blood and fire. This is currently the only, unavoidable choice we have!
Second, support.
Do you think the academy would place you in certain death situations?
The mission area this time was originally not a core danger zone.
According to standard procedure, once a medium-scale Mist Surge occurs, the stationed experts from three nearby fortresses would rush to reinforce immediately, enough to control the situation before the crisis escalates.
But we never expected that this Mist Surge's scale and scope far exceeded our estimates!
Over ninety percent of fortresses in the southern war zone were simultaneously hit with fierce assaults, each struggling to defend themselves with no troops to spare!
Creating an isolated situation where each had to fight alone!
Do you know why I arrived so late?
Because the Blood Blade Pass I guard is one of the core hubs of the southern war zone, bearing pressure several times greater than here.
I had to first stabilize my defense line, repel the main attacking Mist Creature forces, before I could break away to come here.
Even so, I came immediately after resolving that crisis.
You saw Senior Qin Hanyue who just left—he didn't even rest for a moment before rushing to the next emergency fortress!
And I, after repelling that Abyssal Colossus, must immediately take over guarding this place to prevent the Mist Creatures from returning, and wait for reinforcements to rebuild the defense line.
All of us are operating beyond our limits!
Third, conspiracy.
We suspect that this nearly simultaneous large-scale assault targeting Daxia's southern war zone was not accidental.
We've obtained some clues suggesting the Transcendence Society's shadow likely lies behind this.
It's highly probable that they leaked our decision, our strategy regarding the new generation of Awakened individuals.
High-level Mist Creatures are different from those lower-level ones—they possess intelligence, some no less than humans. After learning this information, they launched this massive-scale Mist Surge."
After hearing all this, Su Zhan's eyes showed complex emotions.
"Now, do you understand?"
Ye Hongyu finally said gravely: "Sacrifice is not what we desire, but sometimes, it cannot be avoided."
"Su Zhan, calm down."
Wang Mingyuan approached from nearby, first giving a slight bow to Ye Hongyu: "Dean."
Then he quickly walked to Su Zhan's side and patted his shoulder:
"What the dean said is all true. The situation is worse than we ever imagined.
Having freshmen like you and Xie Xi experience the battlefield early was indeed risky and cruel.
His words were meant for both Su Zhan and Ye Hongyu.
Wang Mingyuan then shifted his tone:
"But Dean Ye, the academy, and indeed the entire Daxia frontline are now facing unprecedented pressure.
Severe manpower shortages, defense lines everywhere in crisis.
As the dean said, often it's not about what we want to do, but what we must do.
This is a kind of... helplessness where there are no alternatives.
Wang Mingyuan looked at Su Zhan's reddened eyes, his tone softening further with a promise:
"That child Xie Xi sacrificed herself to cover her comrades, to protect Daxia.
She is a hero, and the academy will never forget her contribution.
I promise you in my capacity as your mentor that the academy... no, Daxia will definitely posthumously award her the highest honors she deserves.
These words defused the confrontational atmosphere.
Su Zhan's mood settled somewhat. He glanced at the silent Ye Hongyu, then at the sincere-looking Wang Mingyuan.
He lowered his head, said nothing more, and his tense body relaxed.
Not long after.
The roar of engines came from the distance.
Several military-marked off-road vehicles arrived at the periphery of this devastated fortress.
The officially dispatched retrieval team had finally arrived.
After a brief handover.
Wang Mingyuan escorted Su Zhan onto one of the vehicles.
He looked back at Ye Hongyu, who stood firm like an unshakable pillar guarding this area.
The fortress ruins still needed powerful experts to hold position.
Preventing the Abyssal Creatures from returning and waiting for subsequent professional reconstruction teams—this heavy responsibility naturally fell on the dean's shoulders.
The vehicle started up.
Drove away from this battlefield.
The journey passed in silence.
The vehicle eventually entered a medium-sized city located about forty kilometers behind the South Cang Fortress.
Tancheng.
The tense atmosphere of the frontline could be felt here.
Military patrols moved through the streets, aircraft occasionally streaked across the sky.
The authorities had established designated settlement points and medical stations here.
Wang Mingyuan safely delivered Su Zhan to the specified location, arranged temporary accommodation and necessary checks, offered a few more words of advice, and only then relaxed slightly.
He said: "Rest well here for now, don't think about anything. I'll handle the follow-up matters at the academy."
When Su Zhan pushed the door open.
He saw three familiar figures, equally bearing exhaustion and wounds.
Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, Xu Hao.
These three had clearly also been brought here by official personnel.
Seeing Su Zhan enter, all three stood up almost simultaneously.
"Su Zhan!"
"Glad you're okay."
"We were worried about you!"
The relief of surviving disaster briefly dispersed the gloom.
But soon, the atmosphere in the room turned heavy again.
The joy was short-lived, because one person's absence weighed on everyone's hearts like a massive rock.
After a moment of silence.
Xu Hao was the first to break the quiet: "...Xie Xi she... really..."
Liu Ziming punched the nearby wall, head lowered, shoulders trembling slightly: "Damn it!"
Feng Jue leaned against the window, brows tightly furrowed: "She could have reached heights none of us could imagine."
Su Zhan felt the temporarily suppressed emotions surging back: "I encountered Dean Ye later... she confirmed, nearby... no signs of life."
This statement completely shattered the last shred of hope in the room.
The four fell into a prolonged silence.
An indescribable oppression permeated the air.