Commendation Ceremony and the Tiger Heart Cursing Up a Storm

The "rescue" operation in the abandoned factory zone was shockingly efficient. Almost the moment Lin Mo saw through the "scam," all the young disciples participating in the trial and their battle beasts were rapidly transferred to that heavily guarded, massive military camp.

The training ground, originally filled with an aura of iron-blooded slaughter, had been temporarily converted into a place for comfort and assembly. High-powered floodlights illuminated the area as bright as day, with solemn-faced guards standing all around. In the center of the field sat a dense crowd of people—the very same young disciples who had just endured a mental and physical ordeal.

To describe their condition as "disheveled" would be an understatement.

Tattered clothing was the standard, and almost every combat suit was covered in stains, rips, and dried blood (some their own, some from monsters, and some... perhaps ketchup?).

Bruised faces were everywhere, but more striking were their eyes—filled with a mixture of lingering terror, the dazed look of survivors, anger at being deceived, frustration over failing the test, and a deep, profound confusion regarding the future of themselves and their battle beasts.

The battle beasts beside them were no better off. Some hung their heads in lethargy; others were wrapped in bandages, whimpering incessantly; still others kept a deliberate distance from their owners, eyes darting around, even harboring a trace of imperceptible hostility. A low pressure hung over the entire field, and the occasional sob only added to the misery.

Wang Keke and Lin Mo sat in a relatively forward position. Wang Keke had already changed into a clean combat suit, and although her small face was still a bit pale, her spirit had stabilized significantly as she gently groomed the somewhat messy white fur on Lin Mo's back.

As for Lin Mo, he lay there expressionless (a tiger's face couldn't really show much expression anyway), his amber eyes half-closed. He appeared to be resting, but in reality, his mind was already in turmoil, filled with curses.

Damn it, look at this bunch of little idiots, they got sold out and are still here feeling traumatized. He scanned the surrounding peers who were either crying or staring blankly, his heart filled with a sense of superiority (even though he had been played too, at least he saw through it, right?).

And those few turncoat beasts, you know how to hide now? Where were you before? Losing your minds over a bit of food, you deserve to be eliminated!

My [Tough Skin] was almost beaten to a pulp by that group of actors! And the result is telling me it was all a performance? Who's paying for my medical bills? How do you calculate the emotional distress damages?

Just as Lin Mo was outputting wildly in his mind, using all sorts of colorful language to greet the ancestors of the organizers, a majestic sound of footsteps came from the high platform in front.

The entire field instantly fell silent, and everyone's gaze, including those of the restless battle beasts, subconsciously turned toward the source of the sound.

Led by Lieutenant General Qin Zhan, dozens of people, including heads of major families like Wang Qingtian, high-ranking military officials, and martial arts hall representatives, walked onto the platform with serious expressions. Each of them exuded a heavy, imposing aura, forming a stark contrast to the disheveled "remnants" below.

Lin Mo's tiger eyes instantly narrowed into dangerous slits, staring fixedly at Wang Qingtian and Qin Zhan on the stage.

It's these old schemers! They directed this whole farce! Just wait and see how I...

Before he could finish his internal threats, General Qin Zhan had already reached the standing microphone at the front of the stage. He didn't speak immediately, his sharp, hawk-like gaze slowly sweeping over every young and complex face in the crowd. That gaze seemed to carry a physical weight, causing many to lower their heads involuntarily.

"Children."

Qin Zhan spoke, his voice carrying through the loudspeakers across the entire field—low, raspy, yet possessing a strange power that could pierce the heart.

"I know you are all very angry right now." His first sentence hit the mark for most of them. "Angry at being deceived, angry at being treated so roughly, and angry at seeing no hope in the midst of despair."

A slight commotion and suppressed gasps sounded from the crowd.

"I know you are frustrated." Qin Zhan continued, his tone calm yet containing unquestionable power. "Frustrated by your own powerlessness, frustrated by the betrayal of your battle beasts, and frustrated by discovering that you are far less strong and firm than you imagined."

More people lowered their heads and clenched their fists.

"I know you are unwilling to accept this, and you are lost." His voice rose slightly. "Unwilling to fail just like this, and lost as to where the road ahead lies!"

These three sentences were like three hammers, striking heavily on everyone's heart, laying bare the most authentic emotions deep within them.

Lin Mo snorted internally: Pah! Hit them with a stick and then give them a sweet date? I'm not buying it! Talk is cheap, it's still a mess you guys created!

"But!" Qin Zhan's voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap, instantly capturing everyone's attention. "Have you ever thought about why we did this today? Why we used such a near-cruel method to 'torture' you and 'deceive' you?!"

He paused, his gaze like lightning: "Because the real wilderness, the real battlefield, is ten, a hundred, a thousand times more cruel than what you just experienced!"

"Out there, there are no scripts! No rescue! No one cares about your grievances or your anger! All you can rely on are the weapons in your hands, the comrades beside you, and... the battle beasts you treat as partners!"

He pointed at the battle beasts below that were avoiding eye contact or had developed a rift with their owners: "Look at them! Look at the partners you carefully raised and pinned your hopes on! In the face of pressure, pain, and hunger, how many of them can stand the test?!"

"If everything just now had been real, how many of you would have already become the cold 'severed limbs' in the corner?! And how many of your battle beasts would have turned around to become the nightmares that devour you?!"

A series of deafening rhetorical questions hit like heavy hammers, leaving many young people pale and trembling. They recalled the despair in the cages, the strange, greedy, or resentful eyes of their battle beasts, and a wave of lingering fear washed over them.

"We didn't do this to humiliate you!"

Qin Zhan's voice carried a sense of sorrow and determination. "But to shatter your unrealistic fantasies! To let you see the bloody reality before you pay an even more painful price! To tell you what is truly needed to fight monsters and protect our home in the future!"

He took a deep breath, his tone turning passionate: "Yes, the results of this test are hard to look at! Out of two hundred and seventy-one pairs, the vast majority did not pass! This proves that our path in the past has major problems!"

"But!" His voice rose again, filled with unquestionable power. "We also saw hope! We saw bonds that remained inseparable in desperate situations! We saw loyalty willing to give everything for a partner!"

His gaze, like a searchlight, landed precisely on Wang Keke and Lin Mo below!

In an instant, the eyes of the entire crowd focused on this one human and one tiger!

Wang Keke felt a bit embarrassed, subconsciously leaning closer to Lin Mo. As for Lin Mo, his internal alarm bells rang loudly:

Oh crap! It's coming! The main event! They're going to use me as an example!

Sure enough, Qin Zhan pointed at Lin Mo, his voice loud and filled with praise: "For example, Wang Keke of the Wang Family, and her Mutated Winged Tiger—Mimi!"

"Roar—!! (My name is Lin Mo!)" Lin Mo let out an angry roar in his heart, but on the surface, he could only maintain a "majestic and steady" posture, even having to cooperate by slightly lifting his head to accept the gaze of the crowd (which he considered a public execution).

"Under extreme pressure! In the midst of extreme hunger! It did not abandon its owner! It did not waver because of fear or temptation! With its body and its will, it protected its partner!" Qin Zhan's voice was full of infectious power. "It proved to us that between human and beast, it is entirely possible to build a true, unbreakable trust and bond that transcends instinct and domestication!"

"It, and the few other pairs who performed well, are our hope for the future! They are the cornerstone upon which the 'Beast Taming' system can truly be built!"

On the stage, Wang Qingtian's face showed just the right amount of gratification and pride. Below, the heads and representatives of other families had complex expressions—envy, jealousy, scrutiny... all of it.

"So, children!" Qin Zhan opened his arms, his voice echoing like a great bell in the night sky. "Do not wallow in anger and frustration! Today's experience is not the end, but the starting point of your true growth!"

"Wipe away your tears! Put away your unwillingness! Carve today's shame and lessons firmly into your hearts! Then, take them with you to become stronger! Re-examine your relationship with your battle beasts! Build true bonds that can withstand the test of life and death!"

"The future of the Base City, the future of humanity, needs you! It needs you and your truly loyal partners to create it together! Do you have the confidence to do so?!"

The last sentence was almost shouted, carrying a powerful, unquestionable mental will!

Below, after the initial shock, shame, and reflection, the eyes of some young people gradually changed. It was a light that had been ignited—a light mixed with unwillingness, determination, and a rekindled fighting spirit!

"Yes!!"

At first, the responses were scattered, but soon, more and more voices joined in, eventually merging into a wave of sound that, while ragged, carried the momentum of burning one's bridges!

"Yes!!"

"Yes!!"

Wang Keke was also caught up in the fervor, waving her small fists vigorously, her pretty face flushed with excitement.

Only Lin Mo remained unmoved.

He lay there, watching the group of young people around him who looked as if they had been injected with adrenaline, and watching the big shots on stage with their "it's all for your own good" expressions, feeling not a ripple in his heart, even wanting to laugh.

Keep bluffing, keep it up, he rolled his eyes inwardly (if a tiger could roll its eyes). Feeding them empty promises, acting holier-than-thou, shifting blame, and moral kidnapping—what a smooth combination of tactics!

Cornerstone? Hope? Isn't it just because you think I'm easy to control and want to use me as a showcase project?

Damn it, this place is full of traps... Lin Mo felt a wave of exhaustion. I just want to quietly devour and evolve, then take Keke and run! Why is it so hard!

The commendation (brainwashing) ceremony gradually drew to a close amidst the "enthusiastic" atmosphere. Lin Mo listened with a sense of despair as Qin Zhan announced that resources would be tilted toward and key training provided for those who performed well, and heard Wang Keke's name and his own "glorious deeds" mentioned time and again.

He felt that his grand plan of "steady development, lurking until godhood" was being forcibly derailed by this bunch of old schemers.

No! Lin Mo roared inwardly in defiance. I absolutely cannot give in! I must find a way to break this situation!

He looked at Wang Keke beside him, her face flushed with excitement, then looked at those hypocritical figures on the high platform, and a bold, dangerous idea quietly sprouted in his heart...