116 - 123

Chapter 116: The Sun God

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

"Cruel?" Zhang Shan laughed. 'Cold' would have been an understandable description, but 'cruel,' wasn't that too much?

Meng Tian glanced at him and said, "A hundred and one people took part in the last training camp, and 61 of them dropped out halfway. Of these 61 people, 20 are still lying on hospital beds in the intensive care unit at Alliance Hospital."

Zhang Shan twitched. They had been in the hospital for a year?

"The results from the last batch were not satisfactory, so the level of intensity for this year's training program will definitely go up. Do you know how the Solar System trained to breakthrough to become one of the top 20?" Zhang Runan spoke too. It was evident that she had looked closely into the subject.

Zhang Shan shook his head. "I don't wanna know. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss."

Wang Zheng chuckled. "Who cares? With so many elites out there, we're unimportant."

The three of them looked at Wang Zheng. This lad was blindly humble when he shouldn't be. But now that he said that, they all felt better.

"That's true. We're definitely not going to be their targets." Meng Tian smiled weakly.

After having been through Bonehead's hellish training, no matter how tough or tiring things got, it would still feel heavenly to Wang Zheng.

The next day. Beijing's Space Elevator.

No ground buildings in any other city looked more magnificent than this elevator. At 1,800 meters tall, the grand facade could be seen anywhere, anytime. Blocks and blocks of elevators disappeared into the ozone layer at top speed, and blocks and blocks descended from back into the building, led by the ultra-fiber guiding cables.

The whole process was just like the elevators in a Ferris Wheel building, just that there were only 2 "levels" in the space elevator: Earth and an orbitally aligned space city.

To get to the moon, there were two modes of transportation. One was for the wealthy. They'd book a mini business class spaceship to fly directly from Earth to the Moon. It was convenient, but very expensive.

The other way was much more cost effective and economical. Anybody could easily afford it. Take the space elevator and arrive at the space city. Then, pay a nominal amount on the space city and you could make your way onto the Moon. The problem was, there were many checkpoints to go through.

Wang Zheng and Zhang Shan arrived at the space elevator building. Here, they only had to swipe the transport card built into their Skylinks to board the elevator.

Zhang Shan carried with him a huge bag that was filled with all sorts of Earth's products.

But moments later, Zhang Shan, with the bulging haversack, dropped his jaw. He gaped as Zhang Runan made her way over, carrying an enormous backpack that was over a meter tall.

"Sorry I'm late."

Meng Tian appeared from behind. Zhang Shan gulped. For the first time ever, Zhang Runan had completely overshadowed Meng Tian. He didn't even notice Meng Tian following behind Runan!

"We were early." Wang Zheng smiled.

"Let's go."

It was the first time Wang Zheng was going to leave Earth. He found a window seat and sat down. In terms of service and comfort level, it wasn't much different from city transport.

But looking out of the window and seeing the buildings become smaller and smaller, there was a special feeling that grew within him.

As the gravitational field of Earth gradually weakened, the gravity generator in the space elevator made a humming noise. It was activated to counteract the fainting force of gravity in the elevator. This was what leaving Earth felt like.

At her seat, Zhang Runan unpacked her one-meter-tall backpack. There were tons of meat jerky snacks. There was a reason why she was so strong!

The elevator arrived at the Asian District Space City. When Wang Zheng and his friends arrived, they went to the observation deck in the space station. The boundless galaxy was opened up to them and a sea of blue was right below their feet. That was Earth. The impact of looking at this with their own eyes was definitely not something that could be felt through looking at high definition pictures.

But right now, nobody had the mood to enjoy this view. Instead, they hastened their pace and made their way to the transport hub in the city.

The Space City was generally not much different from Earth. Even the man-made gravitational force was modelled to be exactly the same as Earth's. Above, the ceiling was filled with high definition projected displays of blue skies and fluffy, white clouds. On the surface, there was plenty of greenery. It was a beautiful environment, where technology and greenery were perfectly put together. People were rushing from place to place, creating a highly effective atmospheric image in the city.

They went straight to the Moon's depot station. Here, a large ship left for the Moon every five minutes. But to board the ship, they had to go through an identity check. For ordinary citizens, it meant a very long wait.

But for students from military schools, they could go through visa-free.

The ticketed ship was just like a cable car. A laser light that never went out pointed to the position of the Moon's base, and the ships were all guided by the light. This was a fixed but busy route. At any one point, other ships that did not have the proper permits had to stay at least a 100 kilometers away from the path no matter what.

The ship arrived at the Moon very quickly. After only 45 minutes, Wang Zheng and friends had come to the Moon's space port.

There was someone waiting for them at the platform. A pretty girl held a sign that said: "Welcome, Earth's IG contestants".

"Are you the seniors who are here to take part in IG?" The girl smiled brightly.

"Yes, we're from Ares College. How do we address you?" Zhang Shan put out his hand, smiling.

The girl shook it gently. "Hello, seniors, I'm Mixiu from Moonlight College. I'm a chaperone. The seniors from Zeus and Apollo college have arrived."

"We're freshmen too, not seniors. Please show us the way, Student Mixiu," Wang Zheng said.

Mixiu gave them a sweet smile. "Please follow me."

Not far away, a magnetic bus was waiting for them. The bus was printed with the Moonlight College's logo everywhere.

On board the bus, the four introduced themselves. Mixiu was a cheerful girl. She said, "Sister Meng Tian, you're so pretty."

Such a bubbly girl. Meng Tian chuckled. "You're very pretty, too."

"Bus driver, please open up the sky window, I'd like to show our guests the view," Mixiu said. The bus' top opened, and the Moon's scenery appeared in front of everybody's eyes.

Beijing was considered one of the top cities on Earth, but compared to Moonlight City, it was rather shabby. In the short development history of the Moon, Moonlight City did, in fact, have a "long history". Yet Moonlight City was not even involved in some of the more significant battles.

The reason was that this was also the Moon's political and financial center. At one point, it also housed the Mankind Federation's headquarters. But as galactic navigation developed and strategic cores shifted, the Solar System faded out. But even then, Moonlight City unquestionably remained as one of the top hundred cities in the Milky Way.

At their roots, Moon people were once genetically modified to be superior. But under the technological limitations faced, there were plenty of side-effects. It was through natural selection and evolution that the situation improved and stabilised, eventually leading up to the high level of genetic capabilities they possessed today. The average level was above the galactic average, but even though they had the capabilities, they were not fated to lead.

During the periods where the Moon prospered, they were within reach of the peak, but they were beaten by the Earth or Mars people. Afterwards, more competitors got into the picture, and yet still only the Moon remained competitive. They were since nicknamed "Forever Number 2".

"So many pretty girls everywhere." Zhang Shan giggled. "The Moon's atmosphere has got to be nourishing."

Mixiu smiled. "The Moon's temperature is constant; there are hardly any changes. But it lacks the Earth's excitement. I stay on Earth for some time every year."

Wang Zheng leaned back on his seat. As he looked up at the sky, he felt relaxed. Naturally, he stretched, as if becoming one with the world.

It was a wonderful feeling, but it was clear that the Moon had a very shallow world of nature that could not even be compared to Earth's. If you experienced such a tingling feeling on Earth, you would feel greatness. However, there was nothing on the Moon to make you bow down.

"Wang Zheng, I heard you were the MVP at the exchange between military schools on Earth. I very much look forward to your performance this time," Mixiu said, while sizing Wang Zheng up.

"MVP? I don't know anything about that, we came here to learn." Wang Zheng smiled.

"This lad's always like this, don't listen to him. We came here to beat everybody," Zhang Shan said boldly, his arms wide open. "Moon girls, here I come!"

His three companions rolled their eyes. Mixiu was astounded. What…

Zhang Runan kicked Zhang Shan back onto his seat. "Stop embarrassing us. Behave."

"Superman, we are friends, yeah, but if you do that again, I'm taking you on, one on one!" Zhang Shan yelled.

Zhang Runan didn't even glance at him, she just munched on her snacks. "Sure."

"Sister Runan is so cool!" Mixiu exclaimed.

This girl looked like she had ill intentions. It was very likely that she was here to fish for information.

The Moon was clean and beautiful, but Wang Zheng felt that everything was too exquisite. It'd be enjoyable to stay for some time, but in the long run, he'd run berserk.

"Has Achilles arrived?" Meng Tian asked.

Upon hearing this name, Mixiu's eyes lit up. They were filled with admiration and idolisation. "His Highness the Sun God has arrived. I'm really jealous that you get to take part in the same contest as him!"

"The Sun God! What a name! What does that guy do?" Zhang Shan asked in disdain. How old was this kid? To think he called himself a god.

Mixiu looked at him pitifully, "That's because you haven't seen him. Anybody would definitely bow down to the Sun's rays."

Zhang Shan shook his head. So she was just a silly, smitten girl.

"She's not exaggerating. Achilles is the most highly ranked among the young generation in the Solar System. The nickname is not unacceptable," Meng Tian said.

"What? How come I have never heard of him?" Zhang Shan scratched his head. Seemed like his was not kept up to date.

"Masasi is his underling," Meng Tian went on.

"Damn, really? This guy is that great? What about Earth? Where would I rank?" Zhang Shan asked.

Mixiu giggled. "Senior Zhang Shan, only those who can make it into Academy X are fit to enter the Milky Way Potential Ranking. Earth's strongest is Lear. Nicknamed King Lear. He's very powerful."

Zhang Shan was stunned. What was all that? It was as if he had been living in an entirely different world.

Chapter 117: Europa

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Wang Zheng already knew about all this, so there was no need for so much talk. It was more important to battle first.

He was very interested in ability X. Xie Yuxin seemed to have the ability to make a certain level of prediction. He wondered what special abilities these people had.

Interesting.

Mixiu observed the quartet. Meng Tian was the calm type, Zhang Shan seemed average, impulsive, and careless. Zhang Runan, average. Wang Zheng… average. This particular group from Earth didn't appear to be special at all. Seemed like it was still only Lear they had to be wary of.

In fact, she thought that her sister was being paranoid. Even Lear wasn't much of a match for the Sun God, let alone the rest. It was those from Mars and a couple others that they had to watch out for. Earth people were too arrogant for their incapabilities. Plus, they'd rather suffer than lose face.

The more she thought about it, the more relaxed she felt. She continued to introduce some famous architecture and their histories.

Explaining history to Earth people was such a waste of time.

It could have been the beauty's warmth at work, as the four of them listened attentively. They were guests after all, and it was only right for them to show their host some respect.

They finally arrived at the highly prestigious Moonlight College an hour later.

This place had groomed countless significant characters, including some ground-breaking ones.

Even though it had been a long time and these people were no longer around, the school's name and status were built up.

On the Moon, changes were seldom made to colleges' names. Even at their lowest, they would hold on tight to their names. It was a habit as well as a tradition. Earth, on the other hand, did not take things to heart. It may have been because names with good history were the last thing they lacked.

Ares College was not always known as Ares. Nobody could remember which headmaster it was who wanted to bring the school out of the trenches using an extraordinary name. But it didn't seem to have any effect anyway.

"This is Moonlight College. You may leave your belongings on the vehicle. There'll be someone to bring your baggage straight to the dormitory where you'll be staying later," Mixiu said. "Do bring with you your valuables."

"Where are we going next?"

"To the Moonlight Assembly Hall. All contestants are arriving today, and everyone is to wait in the hall for a bit," Mixiu answered. "The contestants who've arrived are already there."

"Well, then let's go take a look! What are we waiting for?" Zhang Shan could not wait any longer. After so much exaggerated talk, he'd just like to see if the people there had three heads and six arms.

"Please come with me." Mixu smiled. Moonlight College was truly a beautiful place. The whole school was shimmering silver and yet did not appear too dull. The buildings seemed focus mainly on arts and humanities, unlike the overall high tech status of the Moon. The contrast highlighted how outstanding the college was.

Just a few hundred meters into the college, they could see the striking Moonlight Assembly Hall. It was a typical crescent-shaped structure.

As they neared the Hall, they could hear the unending chatter and laughter. Seemed like many had already arrived.

Every time someone made an entrance, it naturally attracted the attention of everyone in the hall.

There were over a hundred people seated inside. When Wang Zheng and his friends entered, the whole hall stood still immediately. But the moment they noticed their school logo, the bustling resumed.

It was okay to disregard Earth's Ares College.

Wang Zheng and his friends didn't give it much thought. They found an empty spot and sat down. It was the first time they had seen so many people of different shapes and sizes, so they looked around curiously.

About then, a young, fat boy appeared. It was Luo Fei from Zeus College. Ares College would not have had the opportunity to be here if not for his mistake. To think that he was allowed to attend the contest despite having made such a grave mistake!

"Do you guys remember me? I'm Luo Fei. From Zeus." The fatty was all smiles.

"Of course we remember! You're our benefactor. You're here too!" Zhang Shan said, mockingly.

"Haha! It's all luck, luck. This time around we're comrades in the battle trench. Please treat me kindly, treat me kindly." The fatty had a positive attitude.

"You're too polite. We should help one another. Who are all these people? They all look cocky," Zhang Shan asked.

The fatty laughed. "Almost all the highly skilled players from the top military schools in the Solar System are here. There, that group in the fiery red uniforms, they're from Mars. Those in black are from the Republic of Caragal. These space city guys have always liked to behave arrogantly. Those in silver are from the Moon."

"I heard there's some guy called Achilles who's extremely good. Who is that?"

"Hush! Softly." Fatty looked around and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that no one had noticed them. "The big guys are not here yet. They wouldn't appear in this room anyway. Also, don't bring up the Five Heavenly Kings here. You'll get into trouble."

"Damn! Five Heavenly Kings! Can't even talk about them when you don't even get to see a strand of their hair here." Zhang Shan shrugged. What sort of trashy place was this? They hadn't even began competing and everyone seemed to be better than everyone else.

Wang Zheng was making his observations too. Lear was indeed not in the room, but there were a few familiar faces. There was Masasi, and Carlos too, but times had changed. They were no longer on the same side.

With so many people, even if it was safe to say that most disregarded Earth, there were some who had spied on them.

Their eyes would light up when they saw Meng Tian, but as they glanced across, they'd turn into stone.

"Ew. Can that even be considered a woman? She's hideous! Oh, my eyes!"

"This is IG training, not Jurassic Park! Who let her out here?"

As the discussion grew louder, so did the laughter. Zhang Runan continued to snack, her expression unchanged.

But Wang Zheng noticed that Zhang Runan's hands were shaking uncontrollably.

Luo Fei shrugged. "Ignore them. These people are uncultured."

"Fatso! Who are you talking about?" Four people made their way over.

Luo Fei pouted his chubby face. "Ah, I was talking about uncultured people. Why? That got you nervous?"

"Yo. Have the ways of the world changed? Zeus College?"

"What's wrong with Zeus College?" Fatty was unafraid. He stuck his tummy out, showing his school crest off.

The four looked at each other. "We'll give King Lear some face. You, watch your tongue."

These signs were useful everywhere.

"No need for that. You four should wash your mouths. Your breaths stink!" Zhang Shan said.

The quartet was ready to leave, but they stopped immediately and said, "Tsk tsk. This is interesting. Did we say anything wrong? She is hideous, right, bros?"

Wang Zheng smiled and stood up. "You better apologize. Or things will get out of hand."

The four clad in purple clothes were from the Europa Federation, Europa Military School.

"So what if we don't apologize? We don't see a need to!"

They were a bunch of youngsters with raging hormones, and all of them were overly excited to show themselves off. They had nothing to watch out for since the 'big guys' weren't around.

"So I'll beat you till you apologise," Wang Zheng said coolly.

"Please don't, don't. Fighting is prohibited here. You'll be asked to return." Luo Fei tried stopping them, but he quickly changed his stance. "However, there's a way to resolve conflicts. How about an arm wrestle? Losers shall apologise."

The leader of the Europa group burst out laughing. "You asked for it! You're pretty big, eh? Let's see if you're big for nothing! Come on!"

"Are those guys from Ares crazy? Competing with strength against people from Europa?"

"Earth people are always like that."

Because of their physical environment, the Europa College from the Europa Federation groomed herculean men. Even the soldiers in their armed forces mostly rode heavy mech. They were immensely strong.

Fatty blinked innocently. "Zhang Shan, you're bulky, so you've got to be the strong type. Take care of them, you have my support!" he whispered.

Meng Tian looked coldly at Luo Fei. He was no good guy, hitting others when they're down.

"Here! Who's afraid!" Zhang Shan had been waiting for this opportunity. He had been training for a long time and could not wait to give it a shot.

The tables were immediately cleared out, but the people in the room did not crowd around because of that. They simply watched from afar.

Highly skilled people all had a high self-esteem. This was merely child's play.

As long as they didn't break or smash anything up, nobody would be bothered by them. Zhang Shan rolled his sleeves up. "Come on!"

"My name is Yuan Ye. Remember my name. You are the first person ever who dared to compete in strength with me."

The name attracted some attention. Yuan Ye was one of the names in the list of top fighters. His immense strength and ability to sustain it allowed him to ride in heavy mechs.

It was evident that the contestants were now paying more attention. Yuan Ye was pleased with himself. Pride was very important out here in the field. To be able make people who were equally skilled remember his name, he had to have some kind of specialty.

Comparing their body builds, Zhang Shan was slightly bigger than Yuan Ye. But when Yuan Ye removed his jacket, everybody's eyes widened.

His body was not just muscles, it gave people the illusion that it had a golden shimmer. From what the naked eye saw, the muscles' strength was unlike that of ordinary men.

Leaving one's name in IG was indeed no small feat.

"Lad, I will not use any strength in the first three seconds!" Yuan Ye said, full of himself.

"Don't be too cocky! Show me what you've got!"

"Haha, I shall be the judge. Friendship before competition. Fair play. Only start when I count to three!"

Fatty Luo Fei placed his hand on the two's hands. Any tricks played would only cause embarrassment in front of everybody present, so nobody would try to play foul.

"Three, two, one, go!"

Fatty had just finished when Zhang Shan roared. His biceps bulged and there was an outburst of strength. But seated opposite him, Yuan Ye smirked. He did not move a single bit.

"One. Two. Three." Yuan Ye began using force. Zhang Shan's veins popped. He tried to withhold it as much as he could, but he still couldn't stop his arm from being pushed back.

This was the strength of the Europa College. The students from the college mainly rode on heavy mechs, and they adapted extremely well to harsh conditions. They were similar to professional truck drivers in ancient Earth.

Bang!

Zhang Shan was completely flushed, but he still failed to stop his arm from falling back. It was finally slammed against the table.

Yuan Ye smiled. "Lad, declare your name! You're considerably strong."

While he appeared relaxed, Yuan Ye was surprise for a moment. How could Earth produce someone so strong? He had wanted to defeat Zhang Shan in an instant, but his opponent managed to hold on for some time.

Having remained silent all this while, Zhang Runan made her way over. "If you can hold me back for three seconds, you win."

Chapter 118: Brother Runan's Might

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

The entire Hall fell silent when she finished. The teams from the Moon and Mars turned their attention to her. Yuan Ye was undoubtedly good at strength, but someone actually dared to challenge him?

Yuan Ye was ecstatic. "Little dinosaur, are you trying to frighten me? If you can beat me in three seconds, I'll eat that table!"

Zhang Runan put her elbow on the table, but Yuan Ye waved his dismissively. "What happens when you lose?"

"I'll withdraw." Zhang Runan was always straight to the point.

"Runan, don't stoop down to their level," Zhang Shan urged. Zhang Shan was not the kind who'd fight a wolf. Despite having lost, he saw what the opponent was capable of. It was okay to lose out sometimes. Moreover, he used to major in physics.

"Alright, straightforward! I'll compete with you!" Yuan Ye dropped his elbow onto the table.

Immediately, Judge Luo Fei placed his hand on theirs. "OK! Three…. Two…. One GO!"

They'd only just began and Yuan Ye felt an enormous force coming at him. Out of instinct, he flexed and tightened his whole arm, making it as hard as steel. When he had mustered all his strength, his body was no different from a chunk of metal. He would never fall unless his bones were broken.

One second… Two seconds!

Just then, Zhang Runan's baggy clothes moved and CRASH!

Yuan Ye's body was lifted and he was completely pinned to the ground.

The entire hall went completely silent. Yuan Ye had lost consciousness.

In that instant, Wang Zheng thought he had seen something burst out of Zhang Runan.

"Ability X!"

"And it's strength type ability! Since when did Earth have someone like that?"

A few moments of silence later, people started whispering amongst themselves. The guys from Europa came forward and clumsily lifted Yuan Ye up, but Yuan Ye could still hold up. He woke up very quickly and stared at Zhang Runan, eyes wide open.

"F*ck off! I am not dead!" he said as he struggled to get up. In an abrupt movement, he wiped his mouth. He was aching all over. Was this the power of someone with Ability X?

"Boss, this.. we…"

Seeing that Yuan Ye wanted to cause more trouble, everyone rushed to stop him. That would be putting his life at risk! Competing with someone with Ability X was not a smart thing to do.

"I've lost. I said stupid things, you're very strong!" Yuan Ye was very earnest. People from Europa were impulsive, but they admired strong people the most.

"What's your name? Do you have a boyfriend? Let me be your boyfriend!"

Yuan Ye chirped passionately. Even though there were no stark differences in the way they perceived beauty, each planet had their own specific preferences. Take for instance those from Europa, they actually liked women who were fit and strong.

Given the extreme contrast from before and after, the whole bunch of them stared hard at him.

Zhang Runan looked coldly at Yuan Ye and said only one word: "Scram!"

Yuan Ye smiled. "No hurry, no hurry, let's get to know each other people when we have time. What are you staring at? Send me to the sick bay!"

He couldn't even remain upright as he spoke. He was only putting up a front. That was a harsh one. His friends from Europa quickly ushered him off.

The fatty's eyes lit up. "Wow. Powerful. Undoubtedly the no. 1 from Earth! I've not met this senior. Sigh, seems like you guys didn't give everything you had the last time."

Zhang Runan ignored Luo Fei and continued eating, but nobody dared to belittle Ares College now. A strength-type Ability X person! There was no way that could be disregarded. In a place like this where the best of the best were gathered, only those who were truly capable could earn respect from others.

"Ah, there are actually people like that from Ares? Masasi, you never told us." Atos chuckled.

"Seems like we really cannot underestimate our opponents." Milo smiled. "Apart from that Wang Zheng, we should keep an eye on this Zhang Runan. And Meng Tian. Only that Zhang Shan is sub-standard."

"We'll fight them as we go along. Our only true match is Lear," Masasi said coolly.

"Ha. Lear is still pretty raw, not Boss' match. What we should focus on now is keeping things in control. We can't breed and sow discord," Milo answered.

Apart from making it through the selection, the contestants were also here to fight for the titles of best player and best team.

Contestants continued to arrive, but none of the strongest few were in sight.

Luo Fei had returned to the Zeus College group. Half an hour later, an officer clad in the Solar System Federation Army's uniform entered and the hall settled down.

The officer smiled. "Hello, everybody. I'm Su Yan. I can be considered your senior. IG is a good opportunity for everyone to level up and to make friends. I hope all of you will have a good time here."

One look and you could tell that Su Yan was a Moon person. He was handsome and looked like he was only in his thirties. His rank was colonel.

"Haha. Everybody, relax. There is no task for today, it's just for everybody to get to know one another. It'll be free and easy when you're dismissed from here later. Just assemble back here tomorrow morning. Feel free to ask if you've got any questions. You can see me as a friend."

Those from Moonlight College smiled awkwardly and remained quiet. Those from other colleges couldn't care much.

"Colonel Su, when will the contest begin?"

"Right here in Moonlight College?"

"Are we allowed to woo the pretty girls here?"

The hall burst into laughter. Su Yan was amused. "That will depend on your capabilities! Information pertaining to the contest will be released right here at 8 AM tomorrow. You'll know then. Anything else? Ask!"

"We'd like to know how many people will be selected this time around," someone from Kalaka asked.

Su Yan nodded. "Good question. There's no limit. You'll get to stay on as long as you make it through the rounds. It is something you should feel honored for. Those who make it through will have their portfolios recorded in the Federal Army and may even get to represent the Solar System in the actual IG. This can be described as your stepping stone to the universe."

"Colonel Su, have you taken part in the actual IG contest?"

Su Yan chuckled. "Yes, but I did poorly."

Those seated could no longer bring themselves from laughing anymore. There was no way anyone who qualified to compete was weak.

"A friendly reminder. To make it through the selection, apart from tough individual capabilities, character is also very important. Perhaps some of you here have character but are merely average in skills. That is okay as long as you pass the round. If your character is outstanding, you'll stand the same chance. So, putting yourself on display is the most important thing. The judges will naturally assess you."

Su Yan's words caused some commotion. The IG selection had always been the cradle for generals. Other than picking out the outstanding warriors, other capabilities were important too. This was every contestant's opportunity. If they won, their lives would take on an entirely different path from here on.

It was indeed as relaxing as Su Yan had described. The briefing ended promptly, and they were simply dismissed. It didn't feel like a contest, more like a holiday.

Masasi did not shun away. He took the initiative to say hello. "Welcome to the Moon. Even though we're now opponents, I hope everyone gets great results."

"Same goes to you! The Moon is a beautiful place." Wang Zheng smiled.

As for Carlos, he didn't have a good impression of Ares and couldn't be bothered with them. Masasi didn't say much. At this point, everything could be left to the battlefield.

Thanks to Zhang Runan's outburst, they immediately won respect from everywhere. Even the treatment they received was not the same. Moonlight College had specially appointed someone to bring them around. Otherwise, nobody would have cared about them at all.

Fatty had disappeared the moment they were dismissed. Soon, he reappeared in a mansion outside of the college's campus.

Luo Fei looked around and sized up the place. He smiled upon seeing Lear walk out after a gym session.

"Boss, I've acted according to plan. But there was a little mishap. Ares College has got someone with the ability. Her name is Zhang Runan, she's got a strength-type ability."

Fatty remained relaxed in front of Lear.

Lear nodded. "Not too bad."

"Boss, there's something I really don't understand. You had asked me to fail on purpose at the exchange, and now, to provoke Ares. But now at IG, they're not even our targets!"

Luo Fei was troubled. He didn't care much about being teased, but he just didn't get it. Yet Boss didn't like it when he asked questions.

This time round, Lear smiled lightly. "And who is our target?"

"Achilles."

Lear gazed out of the window and smiled. "Did you know that the Moon never had someone who was destined to be king?"

Luo Fei shook his head truthfully. Were they simply unlucky?

"The Moon's status is considerably good in the whole of the Milky Way. But historically speaking, they're powerful, yet never once rulers. That's because they seek perfection. Not just perfection for themselves, but also for their opponents. I told you to make a mistake, so strategically speaking, it was actually my responsibility. A poor understanding of the situation means misplacing the right people. How do you think Achilles will feel when Masasi reports the situation to him?"

"Aha! His pride will definitely make him feel uncomfortable about it."

"Having buried this seed, whatever grows out will be a positive result to us. Moreover, the title from the exchange doesn't matter to us. As for Ares, there's no need for you to know. Let everybody have a good rest and get ready. We had better not embarrass Earth people."

"Yes, Boss!"

Luo Fei nodded. The fatty was Lear's cherished comrade, it's just that it was hard to understand what sort of abilities a cheeky, mischievous fatty had that caught Lear's attention.

For a very long time now, the Chronos discovered young people with potential from all over the Earth and groomed them. The Chronos' family motto, "To charm your warriors into dying for you", worked extremely well on Lear.

After Luo Fei left, Lear sipped on his afternoon tea which was in unadorned silverware. This was extremely rare on the Moon.

The state of mind for the way of a king. Somehow, Lear had been in excellent condition. It was as if he was enlightened, and he had the feeling that he had everything in control. It seemed like his Ability X was getting better.

Achilles, Lie Xin, Raston, and Taros were his four opponents at the moment.

Achilles was thought to represent the younger generation of the Solar System. He had maintained the best score at Academy X. He was flawless, he was calm, he was wise.

But to Lear, people like that were just long term opponents who would not affect him regardless. Moon people simply did not have strong desires and were overly idealistic, especially when it came to power. They were more concerned with "a good name".

Chapter 119: Command or Support

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Lie Xin came from Mar's strongest family, which had held its title for over a thousand years. Pursuing strength was ingrained into her. Although she was a female, she was very strong. However, Lear had never felt that a woman would be able to obstruct his path to conquest, even though she was nicknamed the Flame Queen.

Raston was from the Republic of Caragal. It was made up of a federation of one hundred space cities. He was a person who was not rooted to a specific location. Even though he was strong, his might was fleeting. He was known as the Hundred Battles King.

Taros was from the Pluto Republic. It was actually a small planet on the edge of the Solar System. The environment was terrible, but as the exit point of the Solar System, It was an important location. However, from a personal perspective, he was a true genius and was known as King Pluto.

In a situation like this, a one on one fight was dumb. If one was able to take one competitor out, they would technically be strong enough to take all of the competitors out. The rule of the game was simple: whoever had the last laugh would be the victor. The process was not important.

However, as a competitor from Earth, he needed someone to distract and disrupt the others. Ares College was useful for this.

This Wang Zheng person was quite capable. It was a pity he was not an Ability X user. As a result, he would only be able to go with the flow and play a supporting role. Who was important was Meng Tian. Meng Tian's abilities were sufficient to attract everyone else's attention. He had never expected a wildcard like Zhang Runan to appear with a strength-based Ability X. In this situation, the board was set.

Zhang Shan, on the other hand, was easily provoked. This small team was quite flawed, but it would turn out to be quite a good weapon.

Compared to Lear's leisurely mood, a group of people were not taking it so easy.

Su Yan was standing at the side respectfully. In front of him were three aged soldiers with numerous shining stars on their shoulders.

"Old Meng, your daughter's temper isn't bad. She is still able to hold back in such a situation. If it was you in the same situation back then, you would have knocked everyone down."

The three of them were able to see the situation clearly on the video screen.

All three were generals of the Solar System Federation.

Meng Ao who was from Earth.

Lie Wuqing who was from Mars.

Drachmach who was from the Moon.

Although space cities developed quickly, in the Solar System, the core was still dominated by the big three, the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. The Solar System was always quite peaceful, with peace lasting for uncountable hundreds of years. However, the peace had also brought about checks to its power, but in light of the serious challenges that arose, the Solar System's power had gradually increased once again.

Meng Ao let out a smile. "That Zhang Runan is very interesting. I hope that there are more youths like her."

"Although the main competitors have been chosen, stronger helpers are always better."

Drachmach said, "In order to bring out the full potential of these kids, let's make this selection a bit more chaotic."

"You are trying to say that we ought to increase the stakes?" Lie Wuqing revealed an interested smirk.

"Exactly. Taking it step by step isn't good. Why don't we go with Plan A? Instead of going out there to humiliate ourselves, why don't we settle things here?"

"Meng Ao, you are quite vicious. I am beginning to think that Meng Tian is not your biological daughter."

"Old Lie, your niece doesn't look like she's faking it. If she is not able to survive such a small test, what hopes can you have?"

With regards to the experiences these three had, it was likely that an average person would not understand what they were talking about. Hence, Su Yan just quietly listened.

"Xiao Su, go and carry out the plan. No need to be nice. We have faith that we can make this event a little more chaotic," Lie Wuqing said.

Su Yan saluted. "Yes, Sir. I will accomplish this task."

This session was indeed different, and their luck had changed. Su Yan could only envy this situation. Their confidence had stemmed from the appearance of those five. They had already gone through two sessions of Academy X and had even officially graduated. In the Solar System Federation, this was something that had rarely happened. However, this time, when it actually happened, there were five of them! This was their human capital.

The tone for this IG had already been set. The five of them were the key actors and the teams would be tailored around them. At the same time, the three old generals had plans of their own. They needed a proper leader this time.

The Solar System Federation's disease was not something that happened deliberately. Before peace happened, everything was fine. At that point, there existed only the Solar System Federation, but things were not the same now.

Currently, there were several strong empires and republics who had centralized their administrations and placed their strength and efficiency as their priority.

The Solar System Federation also required a strong leader. At least strategically, the transition had begun.

Whether it would be successful or not would depend on whether there were capable individuals. The stage had already been set and the opportunities were available; however, if the people were not capable, it was because they were just too weak.

Lear, Achilles, Lie Xin, Raston, and Taros. Which of the five would eventually become the true king?

Su Yan did not know that the five of them had already made preparations. It looked as though Lear and Achilles had taken advantage of the opportunity to develop their teams. However, no one knew if others would be given an opportunity in the current political situation.

Lie Xin was the only female and seemed to be at a disadvantage. However she had become the number one amongst all the females in the Solar System Federation, so it was not impossible. Although they needed to choose a strong leader, there was still a need to maintain a certain amount of stability in the system. In the Solar System Federation, many standards were relative.

Regardless of what happened, it would definitely be exciting.

The vast majority of students selected for this competition were very excited. It was the first time many of them had gone to the Moon. Furthermore, Moonlight College was famous in the Solar System. It had always been the top college for countless years, leading to the envy of many. However, it also had to do with the strength of the Moon people.

Every planet had their own traits, and the Moon was unique. In the Solar System, the Moon's welfare was the best. As the Moon's best military college, the cradle of human talent, Moonlight College's students were able to enjoy significant benefits. Transport within the city was free and so was the food provided. Even if there were administrative fees, they were negligible and were for show.

Moonlight College also possessed large amounts of scholarships, unlike many other top colleges of different planets, which might have issues with funding.

Coming to this place could be described as going back to a home away from home. However, there were some students who were exceptions to this. Wang Zheng, for example, was not very interested in all this. To be frank, he was not interested in going to the moon. The place felt ephemeral to him. Even though everything was wonderful, it felt fragile and without a foundation to hold it down.

However, this feeling was what he felt. If he dared to speak his thoughts aloud, he would definitely be beaten up by everyone around or taken to be a petty individual.

Meng Tian and Zhang Runan acted like little girls. They were very curious about this different place. Zhang Shan was also actively exploring the place. Only Wang Zheng quietly stayed in his dormitory.

Wang Zheng was not wasting time, however. He cultivated his breathing technique in his free time. Although his Primordial Regression Technique could not advance, after experiencing the Five Elements training, Wang Zheng felt that his technique had changed qualitatively. If he experienced some external shock, it would be possible for there to be a breakthrough.

This was his epiphany.

After experiencing Bonehead's torment in the Rubik's Cube, Wang Zheng's strongest trait was perseverance. This sort of stability was something that could not be developed without ample experience.

The next morning, Wang Zheng finished his breakfast and headed to the venue. Although he thought that he was early, he realized that there were many people already there.

Everyone there was wearing the uniform of their school. It was a form of pride and it was easy to identify rivals.

Even before 8 o'clock, almost everyone was here. Su Yan had also arrived with a slight smile that comforted the people around.

When he was about to speak, a small fatty stumbled over quickly. "Sorry, sorry! I lost track of time while eating."

The entire venue erupted with laughter. Was he actually a pig? He was still concerned with eating now.

Luo Fei immediately found a seat and sat down. Even if it wasn't here but his classroom in Zeus College, a situation like this would definitely cause him to be scolded and cursed at immensely. However, Su Yan merely smiled as though this was all just a small matter.

"Hello, everyone. I am extremely happy to meet you all. I am Su Yan, as per my introduction yesterday. I will be the Solar System's IG selection's team leader. If anyone has any questions, they can look for me. My Skylink can be found on the booklet in your hands. Right now I would like to introduce the selection test."

After he finished speaking, everyone perked up and listened intently. It was finally time.

Wang Zheng looked around in every direction and realized that Lear had not appeared.

"F*ck, it looks as though we cannot be compared to him. Is Lear that good?" Zhang Shan curled his lips in disgust. It seemed that nothing would be fair from the very beginning.

"Everyone might be wondering why some people have not arrived. I will explain why later. This time, the selection has been divided into two. One group will be tested on their ability to lead as part of the commander's test, while the other group will be tested on their ability to work as a team as part of the supporter's test. The first group will be testing one's ability to fight and their leadership abilities. The second group will be testing one's ability to work as a team and collaborate. We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the selection tests." Su Yan smiled.

The entire audience burst into an uproar. This selection was quite different from before.

The problem was who would be chosen for the commander's test and who for the supporter's test.

Everyone who came here was ambitious, so wherever they went, they wanted to be in the limelight; no one wanted to be in a supporting role.

"Currently on hand, we have temporarily chosen 20 commanders and 5 captain candidates. The rest will be part of the teamwork test."

After Su Yan spoke, the venue become even more rowdy. Currently, there were over a hundred people, but there were so few commanders. Did that mean that everyone else would be a supporter?

Su Yan beckoned for everyone to be quiet. "This is only a temporary arrangement. Everyone's training is the same. If you demonstrate the ability to do so, you will become a commander. The commanders who are incapable will not even become supporters."

At this point in time, the venue gradually quietened down. Everyone understood his meaning. Those who were chosen to be commanders or captains had to uphold greater responsibility. In the IG selection, being paid attention to was not necessarily a good thing.

Additionally, everyone now had the chance.

After which, Su Yan began to announce the 5 captains and the 20 commanders. Regardless, this was still a form of pride. The 5 captains were not around, but the 20 commanders were there.

Everyone whose name was announced had to stand up and let everyone see their face. When it came to the participants of Earth, Ares College's commander was Meng Tian.

Meng Tian stood up and was subject to the gaze of numerous people. Of course, it was due to her beauty. How could someone who was awarded the role of a leader be found in such a place?

Zhang Shan and the rest were a little shocked. Meng Tian's strength wasn't bad, but it wasn't exceptional. However, Meng Tian seemed quite nonchalant, as though it didn't mean much.

When it was Zeus College's turn, their commander turned out to be that fatty!

Chapter 120: Demon Island

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Unexpectedly, that weakling was a part of the main lineup, which immediately caused a commotion. Hadn't this guy been influenced by Lear?

Looking at how Fatty was waving his hands, he did indeed look like a commander.

After his introduction was complete, the remaining participants instead remained silent. Inadvertently, this had already demonstrated the difference between the teams.

Su Yan smiled. "Seems like most of the crowd was not prepared for this. But looking at the reactions of Luo Fei and the rest, it is obvious that they were already aware of it."

"Sir, where should we go?"

"Congratulations, you all shall be going to Paradise Island's… twin brother, Demon Island!"

Demon Island?

None of them had ever heard of it, and before they could prepare, they were immediately sucked away by the levitating bus through the door. Once on the bus, they verified their information with other members. Although all of them had done their research previously, none had any links to this Demon Island.

Luo Fei sidled beside Wang Zheng and the rest. "Dear brothers, please do take care of this little brother once we reach Demon Island."

"Fatty, how can you be in the main lineup? Where's the justice in that? When the time comes, taking care of us is of course a given," Zhang Shan replied.

"No, no, this is just luck. Sometimes your luck is good, sometimes bad. Since our boss isn't here, we must cooperate fully when on this damned Demon Island," Luo Fei helplessly said.

"He's not here? Lear isn't participating?" Zhang Shan questioned.

"Our boss, Achilles, Lie Xin, Raston, and Taros, the five of them don't need to. Seems like they already participated when they were still taking classes at Academy X. Don't compare ourselves to those monsters."

"Damn, this isn't fair."

Luo Fei just smiled, refusing to comment.

The guy built like a titan suddenly leaned over and asked, "What is this Demon Island? How much do you know about it?"

"Since Demon Island is named as such, it mustn't be anything good. In any case, this is one of Academy X's training grounds, specifically one of the training grounds for their specialist squads. This should rarely be used in our IG selection round, but it seems like the old guys above are pissed. The casualty rate might be significantly increased this time. Everyone, I do not wish to alarm you, but please do quickly withdraw if you are afraid of death."

Luo Fei cautiously said, "In fact, I would already like to quit."

Everyone smiled. "Fatty, you might as well pass your spot in the main lineup to me."

"Indeed, there are quite a few others at your skill level. However, for those that are participating and can still be so optimistic, you can be considered one of a kind."

"Haha, thanks for the compliment. As for me, I have no other good points but to eat, sleep, and cherish my own life."

Fatty seemed to be rather cheerful, yet his eyes were fixated on Wang Zheng from the start till the end. Wang Zheng was just quietly staring out of the window and enjoying the ride, lost in his own thoughts.

"Student Wang, as our boss said, you are the one with the most potential out of all of us, and he definitely isn't wrong. When the time comes, please do cover our backs."

This single statement by Luo Fei suddenly attracted everyone's attention. Even if the younger generation of the Five Heavenly Emperors were not previously aware of him, the events of yesterday night had made it extremely clear. Amongst all of the legendary feats that had been circulating about, no matter how exaggerated, those five certainly possessed the skills to back it up, especially Lear, who was one of the most prideful people within the group.

And who would have thought that this Lear would actually be praising someone else.

Wang Zheng gazed back from the window and quietly smiled. "Is that so? I'm not really sure."

…

"What kind of response is this?" Luo Fei was speechless, but his aim had already been achieved.

"Wang Zheng, Zhang Shan, Runan, Demon Island is indeed dangerous. Rumor has it that the Zerg tribe is present there."

"Bugs? Why would there be bugs there? Those things are dangerous. What if… " Zhang Runan wrinkled her eyebrows and frowned.

Within the main territory of humans, the Zerg tribe was to be exterminated at all costs. Their species was similar to a cockroach, reproducing and spreading rapidly in the absence of proper countermeasures. Although they were no longer feared by humankind in current times, they were still a significant threat.

"Demon Island is a space city where everyone's position is being monitored. Additionally, the number of bugs is strictly controlled. On one hand, it allows for further research into the reproductive capabilities of the worms, or alternatively, to serve as a training ground for our students."

"Damn, they want to let us murder these insects, this is too cool! Give me any mech, let me trample them!" Zhang Shan said cheerfully.

Meng Tian glanced at Zhang Shan. "You are only half correct. They may use the bugs for our training, but they may not give us any mecha."

Immediately, Zhang Shang was petrified, only muttering after a long pause, "F*ck! Is this even training? Isn't this toying with our lives?"

"That's why it's called Demon Island…" Meng Tian slowly spoke up. "If you meet with any danger, do remember not to be overconfident."

Regarding IG, although there was a strong medical team and there were plenty of resources and funding, the technology was not omnipotent, so there was still a significant danger to one's life.

The spaceship swiftly left the moon, and after a two-hour voyage, it arrived at the spaceport of Demon Island.

Bit by bit, the spaceship glided into the spaceport and completed the docking procedure.

At this point, Su Yan appeared with a face full of smiles, causing his handsome appearance to be even more dazzling.

"Dear students, welcome to Demon Island. Next, everyone will be assigned to a launcher, which will leave at random intervals. You have one week to kill the Queen Zerg. The killer will awarded 20 points, while other participants will be awarded with 10 points. Survivors will be awarded with 5 points. Each of you will be provided with a bracelet that can be activated during emergencies. Of course, that will mean that you will be disqualified. However, I recommend that you do press it if necessary, or else those hungry bugs will not stand on ceremony. In fact, pressing it too late will leave you with a fate worse than death," Su Yan said.

Everyone was stunned. How was this a selection competition? It hadn't even started and they were already talking about death!

Each of them were quietly whispering amongst themselves, but everyone had the same confused expression.

"You can immediately withdraw now, and in fact, it is a smart choice. According to my knowledge, even the special forces have a casualty rate of 10% each year, so there is no shame in quitting."

Everyone hesitated. Some of them retreated slightly, but despite the warning, they were unwilling to drop out before even participating.

"Looks none you are very smart. Whatever. Head to the back to collect your weapons, each person may bring two. Once chosen, board the launcher yourself."

Su Yan pointed to the back.

"In a moment, let's look for adjacent launchers so that when they're fired, the distance will not be too far apart to for us to gather together," Meng Tian said.

Wang Zheng and the rest nodded. The weapon stockpile at the back of the ship caused a flurry of excitement. There were countless, rarely seen weapons, including cryo weapons and all sorts of laser rifles.

Zhang Shan carried out a submachine gun and an alloy knife, while Zhang Runan chose a small pistol and a large, alloy spear. 'That is the Overlord!' Zhang Shang recognized it and inwardly sweated.

Meng Tian also chose a small pistol plus an alloy bow. There allowed a greater focus on mobility.

Wang Zheng chose an alloy knife and a set of twenty flying knives which could be tied around the waist.

"Huh, Wang Zheng, you're not bringing a gun? That's too dangerous," Zhang Shan said.

"The main objective is survival, so you guys try not to shoot too much. The noise will only attract even more bugs," Wang Zheng said.

Su Yan had been quietly observing these people, and he noticed that only Wang Zheng was not carrying a gun. After listening to Wang Zheng, the surrounding students instantly reacted. Some students immediately put down the miniature cannons that they were holding, having realized that carrying that would only lead to their deaths.

Zhang Shan hesitated before putting down his favorite submachine gun. '…That gun is a little heavy. Let's still bring along the pistol though; it can still be useful at critical moments to attract the attention of the bugs and buy some time.'

Wang Zheng slightly smiled. "It would be the best if we could group up. However, without any coordinates as a guide, we can only depend on luck. Therefore, survival is the most important. If we survive, this round can be considered cleared."

Wang Zheng's statement saw through the underlying intention of this round, which did not mention that the condition for passing was to kill the Queen Zerg. Surviving was sufficient to pass, even if only a few points were gained. This was as none of them knew the difficulty in killing off the Queen Zerg and the kind of price they would need to pay.

In fact, they did not even know what the situation was like in Demon Island.

Excitement, apprehension, motivation, and even fear merged together. In the end, only anticipation remained.

"Let's depart!"

Those that were able to reach IG were the elites of each school. They could no longer be considered rookies and were brimming with confidence.

Each of them carried their own weapons and entered their personal capsules.

"Everybody, don't be impulsive, the main priority is to survive." Wang Zheng smiled.

"Good luck!"

"Good luck!"

"Demon Island, your brother Zhang Shan is coming, surrender to me!"

Ahh~~~

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One by one, the launchers were ejected, and the sky above Demon Island was filled with shuttles.

Demon Island, although it was called Demon Island, it was in reality a beautiful little island, with sunny beaches, lush forests, tall mountains, and flowing rivers, with little valleys dotted throughout, emitting the feel of a pristine resort location.

However, as the shuttles entered the airspace above, pairs of eyes emerged from the shadows with the foliage and emitted rustling sounds before disappearing back into the darkness.

Once all the students had flown towards Demon Island, Su Yan started up the video transmission.

"Reporting, all the students have entered the battlefield." Su Yan saluted.

Meng Ao nodded, and standing behind him were five youngsters.

Lear, Achilles, Lie Xin, Raston, and Taros.

"These hundred plus people are the elites of our solar system. Take a good look at them. In the near future, they will be your important assistants. Remember, those who want to succeed must break the national barrier. You must choose your own goals, then use your charm to win over the rest of the team, as those who remain stuck within their small groups will eventually be eliminated. What I need is the strongest team, one that is able to represent our solar system."

"Yes, Sir!" the five replied in unison.

Chapter 121: Zerg!

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

"What's next will be up to you," Meng Ao said before leaving the five in the room. Dozens of screens were showing what was happening in different parts of Demon Island. This also allowed them to see the participants' condition.

When Meng Ao left, the five of them relaxed. They would unquestionably become the commanders of the future. This event was a form of training; it was for them to better understand the team members they wanted. Whether they were able to select their team members would depend on the old rules between them.

Lear was more familiar with this.

Achilles was very delicate-looking. This seemed like something the people of the Moon could not change. They were tall and thin, almost perfect-looking. On their mouths hung a perpetual, slight smile, making it difficult for people to hate them.

Lie Xin was wearing a set of silver clothes with a purple flame emblem in the center. Even her military garb was unable to hide her sensual body. Martian beauties were known in the Solar System for their beautiful bodies and legs. Their slightly thick lips only accentuated their hotness.

Raston was a bit more mature-looking. He was the oldest in the group. His calmness came from ample battle experience. More appropriately, although he was a student, he had already become a true soldier. He had followed the Caragal Corps in an operation against space pirates and had even personally killed people.

Taros was not very tall and was slightly muscular. He did not seem very outstanding. His head was shaped like a walnut and he seemed to be a cold person. His lips were thin and tightly pursed. A small set of eyes focused on the scene ahead of him with a greedy look in them.

The five of them were very relaxed amongst each other. It was clear that they were quite familiar with each other. Even during such a competition their relationships were clear. However, it was not clear who was the most dominant.

To be the strongest, one not only had to have ability that far surpassed the rest, they had to have leadership skills and charisma. One could not lack any. This was not to say that one merely had to find the most skilled individual, but that such a person might not be a great leader.

Calmness and wisdom were important as well.

The five of them observed the 100 or so students. On another level, Meng Ao and two others were observing the five of them.

Everyone was making their choice, but every individual was different.

Boom!

Student Wang had landed on the ground. After a brief moment where he felt dizzy, Wang Zheng quickly opened the pod's door. The loud sound from landing was not a good thing. It would be best for him to quickly leave the area.

What was fortunate was that the sky was clear and he could see clearly. It looked as though the organisers were still quite nice. If they were deployed at night, this would have been a lot more difficult.

However, this was a completely different thing for Wang Zheng due to his training. He picked up his weapons and lied on the ground, then he pressed his ear into the soil to listen for tremors before quickly climbing a tree.

Everything seemed quite peaceful and there seemed to be no danger.

However, there being no danger did not mean that there were no problems.

Everyone else had also landed. There was a period of time before it became dark, and everyone's nerves were tense. However, they realized that nothing had happened.

Some people immediately went to search for the Queen Zerg and find opponents. Some people were already ready to react.

For example, Luo Fei. This fatty had not left the launcher pod. Instead, he looked into the forest and began to convert the launcher pod into a shelter. At the same time, he set up alarm tripwires in all four directions. Some simple alarms could be set up in the local area.

For this trial, no one had any equipment other than weapons. Survival was the most important.

However, those who were as cautious as Luo Fei were few and far between.

Their judgment was still good though. The launcher pod's tough exterior could be considered to be a good form of shelter.

Throughout Demon Island were numerous caves. They were likely to be nests of the Zerg. However, the problem was that no one knew which ones contained the nest of a Zerg Queen.

In the three major generals' room was a comprehensive map of Demon Island on a big screen. It even included the layout of all the complex caves belonging to the Zerg. Plenty of little red dots moving around on it tracked the positions of Zerg.

"This time it will be pretty vicious."

"The more foreign the environment is, the more likely we can see one's potential and essence."

"Even if we are able to find some talents, it doesn't warrant us getting into such big trouble."

"Haha, if the entire army was annihilated, we would get nagged by parliament once again."

"That bunch of scumbags. All they do is argue amongst themselves. If they do not give us more funding, how can we be expected to increase our combat strength?"

With regards to the performance of the students, it was clear that in the eyes of the major generals, an ordinary performance was insufficient.

Meng Tian was patrolling her surrounding area when she plucked a wild fruit. At the same time, she took a tree leaf and bit into it. She used the juices from the leaf to cover her skin before resting on top of the tree.

Zhang Shan, on the other hand, began to carry out large scale construction. He created a large stump trap near his launcher pod.

Runan had started a bonfire. She placed her rifle on her leg as she began to eat an unnamed animal.

The Zerg was only interested in the brains of a human. They were not interested in other animals. They were also not docile creatures that could be raised as livestock.

Additionally, they had to give these kids a way out, but these wild beasts were also not easy to catch.

In short, most of the students chose to defend themselves and to observe the situation before making a decision. The first day ended without incident.

However, there were bound to be exceptions… for example, Wang Zheng was one. That brat had done nothing at all. He just walked towards the back part of the island. On that side was a sea. The Zerg did not swim, and that was common knowledge. However, this did not mean that one would be able to reach the sea. Additionally, the trainers would not be that dumb either.

Everyone made preparations for nightfall. Some were blessed with good luck and quite a few had become quite courageous.

In the control room, the five of them were changing screens continuously, choosing interesting students to observe. Without surprise, Lear had chosen to observe Meng Tian.

Meng Tian was one which he had to have on his team. It was not only because she was Meng Ao's daughter, it was also her ability.

The rest of them were the same, they were observing interesting people or potential opponents.

Wang Zheng had appeared on Achilles' screen. This brat seemed to have no brains. He did not seem to know to bide his time and had rushed forward without preparations.

As they were observing people, at the same time they were observing who the others were observing.

Most of them were observing the same twenty individuals. Lie Xin gave Achilles a glance. He was actually observing an Earthling. Furthermore, one that was a support member.

This support member seemed to be randomly walking around; it looked as though he was looking to get himself killed.

"Achilles, why have you changed your tastes?" Lie Xin smiled. She was not old, but she had an unspeakable charm to her. Young Martian ladies would develop robustly. This was as they were full of vigor and vitality.

Achilles gave her a slight smile. "This is someone that Lear has put his sights on."

"Ah. Lear. Do your eyes have a problem? Meng Tian has not become yours yet. If I was a man, I would have already killed myself by smashing my head against tofu," Lie Xin said uncourteously.

Lear acted as though he did not hear a thing.

Raston was currently observing Masasi. He was one of the central players of the Moon and was part of Achilles' team. Achilles possessed eight strong team members, each with their own strengths, which made the team very strong.

Taros was the same. It looked as though everyone was treating Achilles as the most important opponent.

Even though Achilles saw Lear favourably, Lear's weakness was obvious. Lear did not have enough team members. His only strong teammate was a person by the name of Luo Fei, that fatty. Although the Earth had a lot of people, they should have had quite a few talents. However, compared to Achilles' Eight Stars, they were just too weak.

On the Martian side, Lie Xin had quite a few helpers. However, Lear seemed to be bitterly chasing Meng Tian. The Earthling's focus on insignificant things seemed to not have changed.

Everyone knew that Meng Tian was Meng Ao's daughter. They also knew that the Meng family had influence in the military. Everyone said that Lear was trying to take a shortcut. Those who came from Earth loved to play politics but would eventually play themselves to death. Times had changed, but they still had not changed their roots.

Would it be that just because Meng Tian was Meng Ao's daughter, they would be merciful?

The answer was obvious. They were not from Earth and would not hesitate.

Earthlings were more suitable to be tyrannical landlords, guarding their own little plot of land.

Achilles also changed his screen to observe others after a brief moment. He wanted to observe Masasi, Milo, and the rest of his team. Honestly speaking, their strongest opponent was themselves. If they did not reveal any flaws, the others would not be able to beat them.

When nightfall came, just as everyone expected, the Zerg started to move. More accurately speaking, they were let out. Meng Ao and the generals were more humane. If these were experienced soldiers, they would have engaged in a fierce battle the moment they landed. This time, they gave these students a chance to prepare.

Fatty Luo Fei did not hide in his shelter. Instead… that brat actually dug a hole and buried himself underground! Was that even possible?

After a short period of time, a fierce roar pierced through the sky followed by a pitiful scream.

A green dot on the screen had disappeared. "Republic of Caragal's College, no. 26 is out."

At this point, a student was trembling on the ground. An energy shield on his body had blocked the Zerg's claws. When the Zerg attacked a second time, he instantly fainted. However, the Zerg's claws were unable to break through the energy shield. After hacking at it a couple of times, it left. However, the student had lost his qualification to go on.

The student's luck was not bad, as the energy shield had activated in time. If not, the result would not have been pretty.

This was something that they had been warned of when they entered this IG competition.

However, it was clear that no matter how much had been said, there were still some that had not made preparations.

Very quickly, numerous individuals encountered the Zerg. Even if one did not include the military college students, everyone could recognize these aliens who had brought devastation onto the human race. However, as the human race was strong, they were defeated. Yet they were not extinct and continued to exist amongst the stars. Mankind could not afford to be careless, so pictures of the most common ones were circulated for everyone to see. Some even went for Zerg dissection classes and simulated combat against them. However, it was still the first time meeting them for most people. Their ferocity was completely different from the simulated ones.

"They only released one hundred and the situation is already this bad. I can't bear to keep watching." Raston bitterly smiled.

Ten people had already been eliminated, with one having a grievous injury. Demon Island had two layers of protection for the students. One was through self protection, with the energy shield activated by them. The other was when one's life was in danger, the energy shield would activate on its own. However, this would be delayed and injuries would not be avoidable.

Chapter 122: Become a Demon or Die!

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Underneath the tree, a sickle-wielding Zerg had crept closer. Very slowly, Meng Tian drew an arrow… Zoom!

A ray of silver light cut across the night sky and instantly disappeared into the Sickle Zerg's body. The Zerg fell to the ground without even the slightest chance to scream in pain. Its claws spasmed and it died.

Lie Xin looked over. "Hehe! That weapon has the ability to make nerves turn numb? Interesting. Seems like she's not merely Meng Ao's daughter."

Achilles smiled. "Not numb. Meng Tian has a rare Ability X that can mature and grow. Even I want to win her over."

That was enough said. Achilles didn't say it all, but Lie Xin had turned pouty. She could not stand how Earth women were always wishy-washy, neither could she appreciate it.

Masasi and his company's performances were rather steady. They did not panic a bit, and they knew the Zergs' weaknesses well. It was evident that they had a lot of practice.

What they needed was to calm their emotions and treat the battle like a routine practice.

To them this was just a test.

Another Zerg bounced and dashed towards Zhang Shan. Before it could reach him, a wooden stake pierced through it. Zhang Shan had been waiting for a long time now. He waved his knife and chopped the Zerg's head off.

"What an idiot! Your Grandpa Zhang works his brains! Playing mind games? You're still far from it!"

Unsure of the others' situations, Wang Zheng did not have much to worry about as long as he didn't play with fire.

On the other hand, Wang Zheng did not play with fire. Zhang Runan did.

The Zergs were not afraid of fire. Two Sickle Zergs stared hard at Zhang Runan with their bloodshot eyes and ran towards her, howling and bellowing.

Looking at the flames, Zhang Runan leapt up all of a sudden. The spear in her hand launched out like a flash of lightning.

Zoom!

It pierced right through the tough Zerg shell. Another Zerg made its attack from behind her, but without even looking at it, Zhang Runan fired a backhand shot.

The two Zergs fell and spasmed on the ground.

Having ended her battle, Zhang Runan sat right back down next to the fire.

Lie Xin's attention was drawn to the two red lights going out at the same time. Zhang Runan's performance piqued her interest. This was an interesting person. Physical appearance was unimportant to Mars people, and this one gave off a feeling of strength.

Not bad for someone with the Ability X of strength. The ability may not have matured, but it was decisive and strong.

It seemed like there would be pleasant surprises.

Fatty Luo miscalculated. He felt a strong sense of danger despite being underground and burst right out from the earth. A razor sharp sickle stuck in the ground, leaving a small cut on his buttocks.

"Damn you! You almost cut my important parts!"

Shocked, Fatty buried his head in his arms and ran. A Zerg chased him down furiously. He could never beat a Zerg with his speed.

The Zerg fell from the skies. Seemed like Fatty had no place to hide. He covered his head and squatted.

Zoom!

The Zerg was impaled.

Fatty was not sure when he had made that trap. He felt his bottom. "Sigh, it's better to have keep some tricks up my sleeve."

He felt blood flowing on his buttocks.

Fatty dashed right back to his shelter. He was obviously worried that his buttocks would rot.

But Zergs were not poisonous, or at least most were not. Their abilities as individual soldiers were sufficient, so there was no need to use tricks like poison.

The control room Lear was in did not have the highest authority.

The generals' control room had a more complete data analysis and could see things more clearly. Plus, whenever somebody's attack reached the standards of "outstanding", the screens would cut straight to those attacks.

"This woman has got monstrous physical strength! How did we not discover that earlier?" Lie Wuqing asked.

"You don't recognize her?" Meng Ao smiled.

"Uh, do I know her?"

"Actually, you've all met her before."

Lie Wuqing and Drachmach looked at each other, but neither of them remembered. A master like that should not be unknown. Moreover, with top-notch Ability X, this person should have entered Academy X.

The screens cut to another few faces. They were all that of the definite strong players. These people were emotionally calm and could display their abilities well.

Presently, with mankind's understanding of the Zerg and their all-rounded training, outstanding warriors should be able to take control of the situation. Moreover, their weapons were exquisitely made.

"All passable."

"A pity there are no surprises. With this standard, we can only rely on Achilles and the rest. It's a risk."

Just as the voice faded, the warning lights flashed across the screens, cutting to another scene.

A silhouette. A Sickle Zerg. Or more accurately, a Zerg was cut into half.

"Rewind."

The red warning indicated a high-level attack.

But the simple replay left the three generals stunned.

Wang Zheng wandered about aimlessly. The darkness didn't affect him. He wasn't sure why, but coming to this place felt like being in the Rubik's Cube again. It was kind of real, but also kind of dream-like.

This was not a good feeling. This could awaken some negative emotions.

What is the true meaning of being a warrior?

No matter how beautifully explained or packaged, the true essence was hard to mask – to kill!

But mankind were rational beings. That's why they converted these negative emotions to comfort themselves, be it justice or morals. But what Wang Zheng had to go through was too extreme. He could not die, and with the holding of the Primordial Regression Technique, his spirits would never be crushed. But some things were indeed not within his control.

This could not be controlled by Bonehead, and neither could he ever understand it. Luckily, Wang Zheng was a born optimist and a tenacious person, especially after meeting Aina, which allowed him to become even more firm and unmoving. But this did not mean that his innate desires to kill had disappeared. Some environments naturally awakened that desire.

As Wang Zheng moved about, he was unable to calm himself down. He tried his best to do it, but he could not suppress the excitement.

Darkness, danger, desire. They dangled right in front of him, seducing him, tempting him.

A greedy Zerg spotted Wang Zheng, and at top speed, pounced at this lost prey. In an instant, it was right in front of Wang Zheng. Wang Zheng could only look up and cut away the man-shredding sickle off the Sickle Zerg.

Meng Ao watched intently. This student was undoubtedly going to die. Had somebody come to his rescue?

In the next moment, a shocking scene unfolded before him. The Sickle Zerg missed, and this student's arm went right through the Zerg's body and tore it into two halves as though tearing up a sheet of paper.

Blood spewed, but all to the front. He did not even have a single drop of blood on him.

The control room was in complete silence. A few moments later, Meng Ao spoke. "Close up. I want to take a look at his face."

The three of them saw a calm, peaceful face that had a little smile and a tinge of satisfaction.

Become a demon or die.

"Ares College. Wang Zheng. 16 years old. Physics and mathematics prodigy. Outstanding contributions in space physics."

Meng Ao read the information. Wang Zheng's introductory portfolio was actually about science! This…

Drachmach was startled. "What? He is that Wang Zheng?"

Lie Wuqing clapped and declared, "What are you talking about? This kid has got character. I like it. He's mine!"

Meng Ao shot a look at him. "Are you off your meds? He's an Earthling."

"I remember someone saying that there are no boundaries," Lie Wuqing rebutted.

"Well, no one said he will go to you Mars people."

"You two, stop squabbling. Let's take another look. Tsk, tsk. This kid is universally renowned. To think he's actually here! It's incredible." Drachmach shook his head, smiling. He just could not believe it.

"Don't beat around the bush. Spit it out!"

"Remember Xiao Fei's latest achievements in space navigation recently?"

"No sh*t. The news of that was all over the place. If done well, it'll be a military revolution. What's with that?"

"Heh heh. From what I know, the core findings in the subject were done by this lad right here. I thought it was just some kid with the same name when I scanned through the name list," Drachmach said. "Seems like we were blind. We almost ignored a true god."

What space navigation and its developments meant, these soldiers knew best. If the theory could be applied in real life, it would first be employed militarily before civilian use.

"Brains and brawns. Just right as an assistant to Lie Xin. That settles it!" Lie Wuqing said.

"Is your Lie Xin a God?" Meng Ao was displeased. This kid came from Ares College and seemed to have a good relationship with his daughter. Meng Tian's Ability X was slow to develop, and her level was not high enough. Otherwise, he could really be made Meng Tian's right-hand man. Now with him, Lear's abilities would definitely be strengthened. It was going to be harder for the Moon to shine.

Frankly speaking, Meng Ao appreciated Lear very much. He knew about the Cronos' political appeals, but that was not the problem, it was actually a strength. Of course, Lear had to be good enough, and his daughter had to be willing.

Back in the days, he would have done everything to make it happen. But times were different now; it was no longer an intra-planet war era. The Solar System Federation had to unite. There could only be one leader out of the five, and Meng Tian should assist the strongest leader. However, Lear was not the one, not yet at least.

So he chose to sit and wait, to see what abilities this Lear kid had.

"I think this guy's style could make Achilles soar," Drachmach said very seriously. He rubbed his chin subconsciously, as if trying to make out the possibilities of this combination.

While the three men chatted, Wang Zheng entered a cave.

"Don't tell me this kid wants to…" the three of them started. Everybody knew that there was definitely not just one Zerg in the cave. Yet he went in.

Drachmach thought for a bit, and all of a sudden, he punched a button. Wang Zheng's signal disappeared from the screens of the five kings downstairs.

"Cover it up for a bit. Let us look at his abilities before deciding. Who knows, he might be a talented warrior," Drachmach said, smiling.

Wang Zheng was excited. He felt awake. Five Zergs were surrounding him, two above, three below.

"Has he gone mad? He didn't bring his laser gun!" Lie Wuqing exclaimed. The Zerg nests on Demon Island were controlled. Wang Zheng was in an average passageway, and there not many Zergs. If he had a laser gun and good reflexes, it wouldn't be a problem. Even the five people downstairs could take it down easily.

Chapter 123: Enjoying the Excitement of Blood and Fire!

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

The two Sickle Zergs hanging from the top of the cave came plummeting down. Voom!

Four enormous sickle-shaped claws sunk into the ground, sending stones flying all over the place. Wang Zheng had already jumped back. It was a familiar feeling, having stones and sand showering him. In fact, this felt even more realistic!

Zoom!

The alloy knife struck right into a Sickle Zerg's head. The other Zergs came rushing in, waving their sickle-shaped claws in the air. Wang Zheng leapt and jumped amongst the blades. Every time he struck out, a Sickle Zerg would collapse. His attacks were full of force and hit them right in their vitals. He did not give the Zergs any opportunity to struggle or to strike back.

Zergs were tenacious, and even these "domesticated" Zergs were fierce and scary. Attacks on them had to be accurate and strong enough in order to kill them.

Within a few short moments, the five Zergs had fallen to the ground, yet Wang Zheng remained standing, seemingly relaxed and idle.

He returned the alloy knife into its scabbard whilst spinning it in his hands. He was so adept at it, it seemed as though he had used it for over a decade.

"We may have made a mistake."

"Yeah."

"Things are going to get interesting."

The three men looked at each other. It was evident that they all had the same thing in mind.

Throwing Wang Zheng into the equation would mess up the equilibrium and the balance of their present situation, and this was precisely what they wanted.

"No!"

A Sickle Zerg almost twice the size of the others came running through. Every cave had a Queen Zerg.

Boom!

Two enormous sickle claws came crashing down. Boom!

The alloy knife shook violently as it blocked the Zerg's claws. The Sickle Zerg cried out, ready to shred Wang Zheng up.

But at that instant, its opponent vanished.

As the sickle claws landed on the ground, Wang Zheng stuck his knife into the Zerg's body, spinning like a hurricane. Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!

Light bounced off the knife's blade, shimmering. The enormous Sickle Zerg landed, lying flat on the ground like a turtle shell. It laid motionless while its head and claws fell, lining up next to its body neatly.

Wang Zheng felt famished after his little exercise, so he made a cut in the dead Zerg's leg. The meat here was not as disgusting as compared to its body. While it may have smelled like salted fish that had gone rotten, it could fill his stomach.

As if having a post exercise snack, Wang Zheng ate all four of the Zerg's enormous legs.

Mmmmm…

In the control room, the three generals watched the entire process from start to finish, without a word spoken.

It was apparent that they all found it nauseating.

Legend had it that back in the days where mankind and Zergs were in the depths of war, many warriors survived by doing that. But in this day and age, it was unbelievable that there were still men who could bring themselves to do so.

"I suggest nominating him."

"I agree."

"I agree."

The three men had never been so unanimous in their decisions.

They turned around, almost at the same time, shouting, "NO CHEATING!"

Lear watched Meng Tian for a while and then looked up the whole arena, taking an especially close look at the non-key players. The information on the main players was complete, and given the present situation, there was nothing much that remained to be seen. But intel on the others was not as detailed. Who knew if there were any undiscovered talents?

As all those who managed to make their way here were particularly skillful in a certain area, their abilities to fight were not what was most important. What they needed to have was an outstanding character and the ability to be a good team player. It was crucial for a leader to unleash the full potential of his pawns.

As Lear watched the screens closely, he sensed something was missing, but he could not remember what.

"You guys go ahead and continue watching. I'm going to catch up on some beauty sleep. Let me know if you find anything interesting," Lie Xin said, waving goodbye.

Achilles smiled and said, "I'm making a move, too."

The first days mainly comprised of some simple tests. Getting to know what was going on was sufficient.

After Achilles and Lie Xin declared their intentions, Taros and Raston left too. Staring at meaningless fights on the screens was extremely boring.

Lear glanced coldly at the four of them. "Suit yourselves. Someone has to stay behind anyway."

"Ha! An Earthling indeed. Always so egoistic. The General will not give you bonus points for doing this!" Raston laughed.

"Just don't tell on us," Taros said coldly.

Regardless, the General had wanted them to observe. Leaving just like that would leave a bad impression.

Lear let out a little smile, refusing to comment.

After the four left, Lear continued to observe in silence as the scenes changed.

This was evidently a sleepless night for most people. 13 had dropped out, but the overall capabilities remained decent; they were able to deal with sudden attacks calmly.

Dawn. When the first rays of sunlight lit up Demon Island, Wang Zheng opened his eyes. He had a good exercise, and he had eaten and slept well. Things were not too bad other than the poor quality of the food.

He took out a fruit and swallowed it down in no time. To maintain good physical fitness, he could not be picky when it came to food.

After stretching, Wang Zheng jumped down from the tree. Day time was obviously a good time to go looking for his teammates. The situation on Demon Island was way better than he had imagined. He rounded up two caves the night before and did not find too many Zergs. Moreover, they were all lowly Sickle Zergs. Given his experience, they had all been weakened and were far less ferocious compared to wild ones.

Back in the Rubik's Cube, Bonehead had shown him all sorts of oddly shaped objects and opponents. Some he had seen before, but he knew nothing about most of them. In reality, there were barely any differences when the species were similar.

From the top, Demon Island looked small. But in reality, it was vast, and Zergs could appear as and when they liked, regardless of day or night. Yet these Zergs were well behaved. Wang Zheng had hoped to encounter a few of them, but after walking all morning, there was nothing.

Still, his luck was considerably good. Wang Zheng had caught a rat. It was a big one, rather stout. On Demon Island, this was definitely a delicacy.

He gathered twigs and branches, rubbed his dagger blades together, made a spark, and started a fire. Life with a laser gun was much more convenient.

He skinned the rat and pierced the alloy knife through it. Before long, it sizzled and a fragrance filled the air. This was heavenly compared to the Zerg flesh the night before.

Student Wang swallowed his saliva. Just then, three men jumped out from the forest. They stared at the smoking rat, stomachs rumbling. It was clear that they had not eaten for a day now. War was physically draining, and the smell of barbecued meat was undeniably irresistible. But the rat was barely 300 grams, so it was not enough for Wang Zheng alone, let alone four people.

But Student Wang was more than willing to share. He did not have to worry about not having enough food, anyway.

The three looked at each other and dished out their laser guns. "Ares kid, lie down and put your hands up!"

Wang Zheng was taken by surprise. This….

"Don't blame us, man. A wise man submits to circumstances. Activate the wrist band and drop out." The three of them had their laser guns pointed directly at Wang Zheng.

He thought that they had only come for the meat. Who could have known that they wanted to eliminate opponents? How creative.

In fact, it wasn't just people from Pluto College. There were many out there doing this. Battling Zergs was one thing, but their competitors were not Zergs, they were other people.

With fewer competitors, their chances of being selected would improve greatly. Moreover, nobody said that they couldn't do this. It would be alright as long as they didn't kill anyone.

Even Student Wang found these people brilliant.

"It's a pity, but I don't intend to quit. Are you going to finish me off?"

The leader of the group waved his hand and the other two withdrew their alloy knives, walking towards Wang Zheng. "Don't move. We won't kill you, but don't blame it on us when we paralyze you."

"Just blame it on your tough luck, lad. Earthlings are more suited for drinking tea, playing cards, and talking about history. IG is not for your kind," one of them said while grabbing onto Wang Zheng's wrists. As long as the wrist band was activated, Wang Zheng would be disqualified.

With a knife held to his neck and a laser gun to his face, Wang Zheng kicked up and grabbed hold of the knife. His opponent wanted to exert force, but was unable to move. The knife was taken away in an instant and flew straight out. Nearby, the student holding to the gun screamed and held on to his arm. The knife had struck him.

Crack! The student entangled with Wang Zheng had his arm broken, then Wang Zheng tore his emergency wristband off. The first guy tried to make a run for it, but Wang Zheng took him by the collar and threw him against a tree. Unhurriedly, Wang Zheng took his emergency wristband off as well.

"You've got great ideas. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Don't, don't you dare come near! I will sue you in a military court! You have no idea who I am!"

Wang Zheng chuckled. "I don't need to you know who you are. Here, listen to me, let me help you take that knife out."

Weapons were still necessary after all, and Wang Zheng now had three more alloy knives. Meanwhile, the three men were sitting down plopped onto the ground. Very soon, there would be someone to take them away.

Some dogs' barks were worse than their bites. Some barks, on the other hand, brought about an even worse bite.

Wang Zheng picked up his lunch and left. It seemed like there was a new type of opponent.

Day Two. No Zergs had appeared, yet 15 participants were eliminated from internal fights.

The generals did not know whether to laugh or cry at this. But it was for sure that they didn't mind, as it was indeed still playing by rules. Those who got eliminated just had bad luck. To survive, it was important to have good luck too.

"That kid was pretty ruthless. He didn't even flinch," Drachmach said.

"Ha ha. If it were me, I would not have let them off this easy. This kid is strong and decisive. Very unlike Earthlings!"

Lie Wuqing roared with laughter. His admiration grew as he watched. What he detested most was Earth people's indecisiveness and Moon people's pretense to be serious. The true spirit lied in having clear lines drawn between love and hate.

"This lad is very vigilant and cautious. Did you notice his standing position when the three kids appeared?"

Meng Ao pointed at the screen, smiling. While he seemed relaxed, his body was evidently tense. He was very cautious. As a warrior, it was important to be vigilant and careful of one's surroundings. Any foreign existence, even those of the same species, could be one's enemy.

"Really? But he was still taken aback. My guess is he had wanted to share his meal with the three of them. Tsk tsk. What a weird child. He enjoys cruelty and killing, yet he remains a team player. How odd, how odd!"

Drachmach had noticed something different. Mercy and kindness were not required in the army, but some of mankind's nature could never be changed. One rat was clearly not enough to feed four people, but it could maintain a certain level of fighting spirit.

A leader should not be selfish. At least that was what Drachmach thought.