Right Here, Open Fire!

Seeing how badly Ye Buyu was hurting, Little Whale showed a rare bit of kindness and reminded her, "Can't you heal yourself? You're a healing type, aren't you?"

Ye Buyu paused at the reminder, then silently patted her own curled-up body, looking rather like she was coaxing herself into advancing a tier.

Little Whale's eye twitched, and a sudden sense of guilt arose. How was this... any different from a cat licking its wounds?

Once the energy flowing through her meridians and blood vessels settled down, the cells nourished by it grew tougher and stored increasingly more energy.

When Ye Buyu finished soothing herself and was about to wipe away her tears, a hand reached out in front of her, hastily dropped a packet of tissues, then went straight back to work.

Ye Buyu looked up. Wearing a woebegone expression, Kou Ying stared fixedly at the progress on the screen, muttering under his breath.

"According to the calculations, the signal connection point is right here. Observation Group, try connecting."

A few seconds later, a brilliant blue light flared, illuminating everyone's eyes.

The Observation Group and the examinees cried out in unison, "It worked!"

Seeing the successfully opened Teleportation Channel, Kou Ying silently relaxed his shoulders before looking down at the crouching Ye Buyu.

A pair of tear-soaked red eyes stared blankly up at him. Dirt clung to her white hair, making her look very much like a cat that had rolled around in the soil.

And... she was only second tier.

"Uh, student... I don't have any dried fish."

Ye Buyu's mouth twitched. Why are you looking at me with pity? And who asked for dried fish?

She slowly stood up and looked at the Teleportation Channel. "So we can evacuate now?"

Kou Ying nodded. "You can go home now."

Ye Buyu frowned and looked toward the passage leading outside. "I wonder how they're doing."

"You mean the students outside?" Kou Ying planted his feet, his fingers flying as he brought up the Abandoned Warship's surveillance feeds. "Don't worry. Everyone can evacuate safely."

As he spoke, he pressed a red switch. The engines roared, and the dormant conduits hummed as energy poured into them.

"This warship has pretty good performance. Although it's been abandoned for years, some of its weapons systems still work, and parts of its surveillance system aren't completely damaged either."

Kou Ying stared at the images that appeared, his slightly drooping eyebrows lifting a fraction. "See? They're fairly safe for now."

Watching Mu Bingge and the other two making their way toward them on the screen, Ye Buyu breathed a sigh of relief.

The other examinees felt much more reassured as well.

"Evacuate in an orderly fashion. With this Abandoned Warship, we can still put up a fight." Kou Ying's words set everyone at ease.

The Observation Group leader reassured them even further. "Kou Ying is right. He's an expert in this field. Evacuate first. Don't hesitate."

Just in case, one student left behind the materials they were carrying:

"If the abandoned warship doesn't have enough energy, remember to feed these materials into it. Make sure you all come back safely."

The others followed suit. Being able to evacuate first hadn't stopped them from thinking about the danger everyone else faced.

Kou Ying nodded. "Understood."

Just as Ye Buyu was about to follow the main group out, the situation on the screen took a sudden turn for the worse.

As time passed, the tornado gathered by the Wind-Thunder Cantor grew larger and larger, until it blotted out the sky and the sun. The raging wind was like a sharp chainsaw spinning at full speed, slicing apart and destroying everything in sight.

Even the obstacles cobbled together by so many examinees working together couldn't halt his advance.

Su Wuwei gazed at the darkening sky. Deep within his amber eyes lay a bottomless abyss. The wind tousled his meticulously styled hair, leaving him irritated and restless.

"I really want to burn that damn thing inside."

"The makeshift shields, the formations, even the shells we cobbled together have all been destroyed. What do we have left that can stop that damned thing?"

"The examinees inside have already started evacuating. We just need to buy a little more time. Anyone who's out of strength, start retreating now. Let's save as many as we can!"

Someone crunched through a medicine bottle with their teeth and gulped down its contents.

"I can still fight!"

Someone bound their wounds. "Forget it. Most people have already retreated. If any more of us leave, we won't be able to hold the line. Without anyone stopping it, one slap from that thing will only kill more people. Let me fight to my heart's content!"

The gale roared at the young souls standing before it, and furious thunder exploded beside their ears, threatening the resolute youths beneath the sky. Yet they remained unmoved.

"All thunder and no rain. If it wants us to die here, let's see if it's got what it takes."

"It's just a Blessed One, isn't it? We've never fought one before, but now's our chance."

Glancing at the dozens of people beside him, Su Wuwei took a deep breath. "Then let's fight!"

Having recovered their strength, Mu Bingge and the other two stood up.

"If anyone's going first, it should be us." Wan Lan crunched the candy in her mouth, her piercing gaze fixed on the distance like a hawk's.

The heavy Mo Dao struck the ground. Lou Guanshan planted one foot on a rock and laughed loudly. "Only I can decide where my fate ends! What greater joy than to die on the battlefield!"

Mu Bingge merely stood silently in front of everyone, tightening her grip on her long whip.

"What are you fighting for? Everyone, retreat." A calm, level voice rang out beside their ears.

Everyone looked back in bewilderment. A metal cannon barrel rotated with the mechanical clanking of interlocking gears, passing over their heads and casting a vast shadow as it aimed at the distant enemy.

Kou Ying's voice came through the loudspeaker. "Stop staring. We still have an ultimate weapon. Don't be in such a hurry to get yourselves killed."

Lou Guanshan, who had just been shouting about what a joy it would be, took his foot off the rock and cheerfully ducked into the passage with the Mo Dao over his shoulder.

"You should've said so sooner. I already finished my last words."

Everyone: ...

The students who had been brimming with fighting spirit just moments ago all bounded inside.

Ye Buyu stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open. "That's... that's cheating."

Kou Ying calmly opened the weapons system. "Only three shells, but they're enough to buy us time."

He adjusted the angle. The Wind-Thunder Cantor was almost upon them, yet he still hadn't fired a single shell.

"Why aren't you firing?" Ye Buyu asked.

Kou Ying frowned and bit his lower lip. "The storm he's gathered is too big. It's completely hidden the Wind-Thunder Cantor's body. Tch. Looks like I'll have to take a gamble."

Just as Kou Ying was about to fire into the densest part of the gale, Ye Buyu stopped him.

"Wait. Let me aim for you."

Ye Buyu adjusted the cannon's angle, aiming at the Gundam she could see. "Right here, open fire!"

Without hesitation, Kou Ying pressed the fire button. An Ion Cannon Shell shot straight ahead, tearing through the storm and striking the Wind-Thunder Cantor at its core.

The wildly swirling tornado faltered for a moment. Kou Ying's eyes widened. "It actually hit?!"