The practical assessment, second day, noon.
Under the scorching sun, the temperature in the Black Iron Forest had already climbed to forty degrees Celsius. The air hung thick with the stench of rotting leaves and a faint metallic tang of blood.
Beep.
Su Yu raised his wrist, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and glanced at the latest leaderboard.
NO.1 Li Xinghe: 1850 points
NO.2 Su Yu: 1005 points
NO.3 ...
"Still second, and the gap has widened," Su Yu muttered, leaning against the trunk of an ancient, towering tree, his brow furrowed.
He hadn't closed his eyes since yesterday afternoon.
Thanks to his Chaos Body's acute sensitivity to qi and blood, his efficiency in hunting feral beasts was more than ten times that of ordinary candidates.
In a one-on-one fight, Li Xinghe couldn't even hold a candle to him.
"These Martians really think the examination hall is their backyard," Su Yu scoffed.
Having learned from some Earth candidates, he already knew what Li Xinghe was up to—teaming up.
While the rules didn't explicitly prohibit forming teams, Li Xinghe had assembled four elite martial artists with clearly defined roles.
With such a streamlined operation, how could their scores not skyrocket?
Just as Su Yu was about to rise and continue hunting,
Buzz!
An extremely chaotic and intense surge of qi and blood suddenly erupted within his perception range.
It was the aura of human martial artists clashing, and... one of the auras felt strangely familiar, yet now it was filled with panic.
"Hmm?"
Su Yu froze, his gaze sharpening instantly.
Without hesitation, he activated his Leaf-Treading Footwork, his body transforming into a silent phantom of the forest. He moved soundlessly toward the source of the disturbance.
A clearing in the forest...
"Run! Keep running! Weren't you so fast just now?"
Piercing laughter echoed through the clearing.
Five Martian Candidates in silver combat suits circled Xu Lele like spectators watching a monkey in a cage.
Xu Lele was a mess. Her once-high ponytail had come undone, her face was smeared with dirt and cuts, and her pristine white martial dao uniform was slashed in several places, crimson blood seeping through the tears.
Her left arm hung limply, clearly dislocated, while her right hand gripped a broken dagger, her eyes burning with fury and humiliation.
At her feet, the points bracelet lay crushed to pieces.
"You... you've gone too far!" Xu Lele gritted her teeth, her eyes rimmed with red. "You've already taken my bracelet and claimed my points. Why... why are you still humiliating me like this?"
"Why?"
The crowd parted as Li Xinghe strolled forward, his signature folding fan swaying leisurely.
He gazed at Xu Lele, his eyes devoid of pity, only a condescending amusement.
"Because I'm bored," Li Xinghe shrugged. "Killing feral beasts is so tedious. I need some entertainment. Someone mentioned you're quite close to that second-place guy, Su Yu."
Xu Lele's face paled at the mention of Su Yu's name.
"Tsk, tsk, looks like it's true," Li Xinghe's eyes flashed with malice. "That Su Yu is breathing down my neck in second place. I hate having someone nipping at my heels."
"Since I can't get to him, I'll start with his little girlfriend."
Li Xinghe snapped his fingers.
A lackey at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm grinned savagely and stepped forward, his alloy battle blade clanging ominously in his hand.
"Heh heh, little sister, don't blame me for being rough!"
Xu Lele closed her eyes in despair.
Whoosh!
Just as the blade was about to strike Xu Lele, a piercing sound tore through the air.
No one saw what happened. One moment, there was a blur, and the next, a black figure shot into the encirclement like a cannonball.
Bang!
The Martian Candidate wielding the long staff didn't even have time to scream. He was struck with the force of a speeding train, his chest collapsing as he was sent flying over ten meters before crashing into the bushes, his fate uncertain.
The dust settled.
A tall, slender figure stood protectively in front of Xu Lele.
The young man's bare upper body revealed sharply defined muscles, radiating an oppressive aura of primal ferocity. This story is hosted at g.com.
His eyes were as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice, fixed intently on the group of Martian Candidates before him.
"Su... Su Yu?!"
Xu Lele opened her eyes, recognizing the familiar figure. Tears instantly streamed down her face. "You... what are you doing here? They outnumber you! Run!"
"Run?"
Su Yu turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Xu Lele's dislocated arm and the bruises on her face. The fury in his heart instantly burned through his restraint.
He reached out gently, wiping the dirt from her cheek with a tender touch that belied the murderous intent in his voice:
"Why didn't you press the distress button when they were bullying you?"
"I... I didn't want to be eliminated..." Xu Lele choked out.
"Silly girl."
Su Yu turned back to face Li Xinghe and the others, slowly drawing the alloy battle blade from his back.
"Yo."
Li Xinghe, far from panicking at Su Yu's sudden appearance, closed his folding fan and a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"Su Yu, I've been waiting for you. I thought I wouldn't encounter you until later, but you've come right to my doorstep."
He glanced at the subordinate Su Yu had sent flying with a single punch, his eyebrow arching slightly. "One-shotting a Great Perfection of the Innate Realm? Impressive. It seems you do have some skill after all, not just relying on luck to rack up points."
"However..." Li Xinghe's tone shifted abruptly, his aura exploding outward. "Do you really think you can turn the tables alone?"
Boom!
Late-stage Master Realm!
A torrent of qi and blood surged from Li Xinghe's body, the shockwave lifting fallen leaves into the air and pulverizing them.
Simultaneously, the three other Martian Candidates behind him assumed combat stances—three early-stage Masters!
In the command center, the Federation inspectors straightened in their seats as they watched the scene unfold.
"This is bad," Zhang Ye said, his brow furrowed. "Li Xinghe is a late-stage Master, and he's well-equipped. Su Yu is also a Master, but only at the early stage. With three more opponents backing Li Xinghe... this is practically a death sentence."
Uncle Li sat calmly in his chair, a teacup in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips as he glanced almost imperceptibly at Su Wu beside him.
"Mr. Su, it seems your son is acting rashly. Rescuing a damsel in distress is admirable, but one must know their limits. If he presses the distress signal now, there might still be time."
Su Wu remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on the large screen as his fingers tapped lightly on the table.
"Senior Li, you worry too much. In this world, some battles must be fought, even if they end in bloodshed."