Melee, Cost-Effectiveness

In the third round, Lin Ye finally encountered an opponent who looked somewhat formidable.

The moment they clashed, the shockwaves from the impact told Lin Ye that his opponent's strength was likely at the Late Body Tempering Stage, numerically similar to his own. Coincidentally, this tall, thin boy also used the Rolling Stone Fist, executing the moves with a casual ease that clearly signaled the Great Success level.

Lin Ye felt a flash of surprise; it reminded him of himself not long ago. A sense of curiosity welled up in him, and instead of immediately using Lost Track Steps or the Mountain-Suppressing Fist, he met the opponent head-on with his own Perfection-level Rolling Stone Fist.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The dull thuds of fists hitting flesh exploded across the arena. Though both used the Rolling Stone Fist, the gap between Perfection and Great Success was undeniable during the exchange. Lin Ye's fist force was more condensed and heavy, his power output more fluid and seamless, and his control over the rhythm was superior.

Seeing this, the tall, thin boy's expression turned to one of shock. He hadn't expected his opponent to have a higher mastery of fist techniques than himself, and his offensive momentum faltered for a moment.

After a dozen exchanges, the tall, thin boy began to fall behind, and openings started to appear in his defense.

Lin Ye stopped holding back. He activated Lost Track Steps, cut into the opponent's flank with a precise, arcing maneuver, and slammed a heavy Crushing Fist into the boy's chest. The boy was sent flying backward, and the battle came to an end.

[Third round, victory.]

Watching the notification for his third-round victory appear, Lin Ye felt quite sentimental. He had been eliminated in the third round last time, yet this time he had won with ease. Furthermore, his opponent was so similar to his former self that he couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

However, before he could dwell on his thoughts for long, the fourth-round melee began.

[Fourth round: Survival Melee.]

[Rules: Twelve candidates are randomly assigned to the same large arena scene (simulated abandoned district). No restrictions on combat style. The final five surviving candidates will advance to the next round.]

[Note: During the melee, malicious teaming up to gang up on a single target is strictly prohibited. The system will monitor this automatically; violators will be disqualified.]

A flash of light passed, and Lin Ye found himself in a district of broken walls and ruins. Beneath his feet was cracked asphalt, surrounded by crooked streetlights and half-collapsed buildings.

Twelve figures were randomly scattered throughout the chaotic district.

In an instant, his ears were filled with the sounds of chaotic shouting, the collision of fists and feet, and the crumbling of building debris.

Lin Ye felt a chill in his heart. He looked toward the source of the noise and saw that a fierce melee had already broken out at the center of the district, at the intersection.

From a distance, he could see at least five or six candidates colliding immediately, their blood energy erupting and their fists whistling through the air.

They were likely the unlucky ones who had spawned in the center of the district and wanted to seize the initiative or eliminate threats early in the chaos.

His own luck was better. Looking around, he saw he was behind the ruins of a half-collapsed small building, a relatively hidden position that was not easily noticed.

Lin Ye immediately suppressed his aura, leaned against the rubble, and observed the center of the battlefield using only his eyes and senses.

There were few weaklings among those who had made it to this round.

But the intensity at the center of the battlefield was high. Before long, he saw candidate after candidate dissolve into white light. Finally, only four candidates remained in a brief stalemate, scanning each other with vigilant eyes. None dared to strike first, fearing they would become the target of the others or that a "mantis stalking the cicada" hidden in the shadows would reap the rewards.

However, this delicate balance lasted less than ten seconds. A tall, sturdy boy with a faint scar on his face and a fierce look in his eyes broke the silence. He snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping toward the outskirts of the district like a hawk.

"Since none of us want to be the target of a group attack, why don't we clear the field first?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the other three understood instantly.

Indeed, rather than wasting time here in mutual suspicion, it was better to clear out the "small fry" hiding in the shadows first. If the number of people remaining was still too high, they could decide the victor later.

The four exchanged glances, reached a tacit understanding, and moved almost simultaneously. Like four sharp arrows, they shot off in different directions to actively search for and hunt down the other candidates.

A moment later, screams and the sounds of battle erupted throughout the district.

The ruins where Lin Ye was hiding had not yet been affected, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they searched this area. His brain raced, analyzing the situation; fighting any one of these four strongest candidates head-on was not a wise move at the moment.

His goal was to reach the top five, not to fight to the death here, which would only make him an easy meal for someone else.

Therefore.

"I can use the terrain to maneuver. As long as I make them feel that the 'cost' of clearing me out is higher than the 'reward' of clearing out others, I have a chance to avoid being the primary target."

His thoughts shifted rapidly, and Lin Ye set his strategy. Like a ghost, he moved silently through the shadows of the ruins. His Proficient-level Lost Track Steps gave him more than just short-distance speed; they provided a strange sense of blending into the environment.

He avoided open areas, sticking to wall bases and broken alleys, passing through the interiors of buildings via shattered windows, constantly changing his position.

However, he was not the only hunter.

A thin candidate who was also hiding nearby, wielding a pair of short daggers, saw Lin Ye "alone" and seemingly not particularly strong, and a flash of greed appeared in his eyes.

In his view, compared to those four, this candidate hiding nearby might be a better prey. Defeating one person would mean one less competitor.

He crept out from behind a broken wall and, like a viper, suddenly lunged at Lin Ye's back, his daggers aimed straight for his heart with ruthless intent.

Fortunately, Lin Ye's alertness was at its peak, and he sensed the anomaly the moment the opponent moved.

He didn't look back. His feet stepped out in the Lost Track Steps, his figure seemingly flickering and leaving behind a fleeting visual phantom. The thin candidate was overjoyed, but when his daggers pierced through the space where Lin Ye had been, he realized he hadn't hit anyone and felt a jolt of alarm.

Before he could change his move, Lin Ye's true form appeared like a ghost at his side and threw a punch at him.

The thin candidate felt a chill and immediately brandished his daggers to block.

Clang!

The fist collided with the blades, emitting a crisp sound like metal striking metal.

Lin Ye knocked him back with one punch and then looked at him calmly.

Seeing Lin Ye looking at him so calmly, the thin candidate understood that the other party was showing him that he was not someone to be trifled with.

The thin candidate felt a bit unwilling, but considering that there might be others acting as the "mantis" in the shadows, he could only glare at Lin Ye fiercely before darting into another ruin without looking back to find someone else to trouble.

This scene was witnessed by a candidate searching from the west. It was a cold-faced boy wielding a narrow-bladed long sword who had watched the entire process of the thin candidate ambushing Lin Ye, only for Lin Ye to easily resolve it with strange footwork and scare him off.

"Tsk, that movement technique has some merit."

The cold-faced swordsman glanced in the direction where Lin Ye had vanished, then swept his gaze over the other battles erupting throughout the district, his brows knitting together.

He loathed dealing with fellows who possessed such agile movement techniques and were clearly adept at hit-and-run survival tactics. In this environment, dealing with someone like Lin Ye would consume a significant amount of time and energy, and he risked being ambushed by others; it simply wasn't cost-effective.

"Forget it, I'll deal with the others first."

The cold-faced youth muttered to himself. He decided to let Lin Ye go for now and prioritize easier targets; if the headcount remained too high in the end, it wouldn't be too late to circle back and deal with a slippery enemy like Lin Ye.