You think my wife is smart too? You've got good taste!

Hearing the voice, Xiao Lie turned to look, then smiled.

"Well, if it isn't the confident Omega!"

Xie Lin had left a deep impression on him: pretty and cocky.

He was less like an Omega and more like an Alpha!

Xie Lin craned his neck and finally noticed someone in a blue vest sitting tied up beneath the tree.

Seeing it was him, He Jianing immediately screamed.

"Xie Lin, run, aaaaah... ugh!"

Xiao Lie frowned as he withdrew his knife-hand, looking disdainfully at the person slumped on the ground.

"So damn noisy. This is why I hate most Omegas. Always screaming over everything and nothing."

The corners of Xie Lin's mouth rose briefly before he pressed them down again. He stood with an awkward smile, ready to leave.

"Carry on. Don't mind me..."

"Where are you going?"

A rush of wind came from behind him, and he spun around.

Wearing a tight black tank top and camouflage pants, Xiao Lie stood less than two meters away, a faint scent of rum drifting on the breeze.

Xie Lin couldn't help frowning. He covered his nose and stepped back.

"Your pheromones are leaking!"

Xiao Lie froze, then hurriedly backed away several steps.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to!"

Xie Lin's expression relaxed a little.

Good. He wasn't a creep!

He flashed a smile.

"I'll be off, then. Carry on!"

"Not happening. Now that you're here, don't think you can..."

Before he finished, Xie Lin pushed off the ground and shot backward.

A fist came hurtling toward Xiao Lie's face with a howling rush of air. The combat instincts in his blood made his pupils contract sharply, and he retreated dozens of steps without thinking.

Lu Ye's face was thunderous, his tall frame shielding Xie Lin behind him.

"Stay away from my wife!"

"Tch!"

Xiao Lie grinned roguishly, but before he could speak, several cries of alarm suddenly came from behind him.

"Xiao Lie!"

His smile vanished as he whipped around.

Of the Red Team's five remaining members, two sat on the ground looking utterly hopeless, red smoke signaling elimination rising from their bodies.

A shrill electronic voice blared from the drone overhead, tearing through the entire jungle.

"Red Team's Qi Zihao, eliminated!"

"Red Team's Wen Yu, eliminated!"

More than half a day had passed since the competition began, and these were the first eliminations.

Two at once-and from the Red Team, which was made up of military veterans!

Xiao Lie's pupils trembled as he looked at the two men and one woman facing off against his three remaining teammates-two Omegas and one Alpha!

"Hey!"

Lu Ye spoke lazily.

"I'm your opponent. Pay attention!"

Xiao Lie smiled through gritted teeth.

"Clever. Using you to hold me here while the others gang up on my teammates!"

Lu Ye beamed, looking immensely proud on his behalf.

"You think my wife is smart too? You've got good taste!"

"Too bad Huang's S-Rank too. Which of those three teammates of yours do you think can take him?"

Lu Ye shrugged and rolled his wrists.

"I believe in my wife! As for you, villains die from talking too much. Make your move!"

Before he finished speaking, Lu Ye's fist blasted toward Xiao Lie's face again.

This was a contest of strength between S-Class Alphas!

Meanwhile, Xie Lin looked at the A-Rank Alpha before him, then turned toward Wu Xinyou.

"Switch?"

Wu Xinyou didn't feel discriminated against in the slightest and readily nodded.

"Sure. S-Rank really is beyond me!"

Chewing on a stalk of foxtail grass, Yue Lan raised her chin at that.

"How about I do it?"

Xie Lin switched places with Wu Xinyou, grinning as fierce flames blazed in his eyes.

"Yue Lan, give me a chance. I want to see just how big the gap between me and an S-Rank Alpha is!"

Huang Jingrui stared straight at Xie Lin, looking as though he'd seen a ghost.

Did this cocky Omega even know what he was saying?

"Aren't you underestimating me a little too much?"

"Not really. As long as you don't use your pheromones, I won't necessarily lose to you!"

[Aaaaaah, Tao Miaomiao is so Alpha!!]

[Wait, does he really stand a chance against an S-Rank?]

[Xie Lin just knows how to grab attention. Beating up Fu Yunxi is one thing. They've known each other for ten years; he was going easy on him. Actually facing an S-Rank? Isn't that just asking to die?]

[Shut up, whoever posted that. I believe in Tao Miaomiao!]

[I'm fired up! I'm fired up!]

The barrage of comments had already exploded.

Xie Lin looked serious.

They had just eliminated two Red Team contestants in a surprise attack. Now it was three against three, and their chances were good.

As long as they took out the Red Team's two S-Ranks, the rest were all small fry!

Huang Jingrui had long been seething with frustration. No Alpha could tolerate being underestimated by an Omega.

He snorted, glancing at Lu Ye out of the corner of his eye.

"You asked for this!"

Before the words had faded, he pushed off the ground, one palm chopping down with terrifying force.

Xie Lin narrowed his eyes, not daring to meet him head-on.

He had no advantage in strength.

As the palm chopped toward his chest, he turned sideways, his long leg tracing an arc across the ground.

His fingers curled into claws, one hand above and one below, precisely locking onto the descending arm.

His wrists flicked, unleashing deft force!

He stepped back half a pace, pressing both hands down with the motion to dissipate half his opponent's force, then twisted at the waist, raised his arm, and struck with his elbow.

Huang Jingrui's pupils contracted, and he leaned aside to dodge.

Xie Lin ducked under his arm, lifted his foot, and kicked hard!

Huang Jingrui staggered, nearly falling to the ground.

He spun around and steadied himself, wisps of red smoke rising from his body...

He was injured!

The pretty Omega traced a circle with his foot, bent his knees slightly, sank his waist, and extended his long arms-

One palm forward, a hooked hand behind, his presence overwhelming-

Tai Chi, single whip!

Huang Jingrui's breath abruptly caught!

[Holy shit, Tai Chi! Aaaaah, that's so fucking badass!]

[Oh my god, you can actually use that in a fight?]

[Depends on who's using it!]

[Okay, now I believe Xie Lin holds the national Wuying Rank!]

[Me too!]

[A friendly reminder from Xie Lin: don't try this lightly. No liability for broken arms or legs!]

[You really overestimate me...]

He stared at Xie Lin for a long while, then smiled.

"Your name's Xie Lin?"

Xie Lin raised an eyebrow.

"What the fuck is it to you? Fight if you're going to fight. Otherwise, shout 'I give up' three times!"

Huang Jingrui's mouth twitched, and he charged again.

For a time, the eight people on the field were locked in a fierce, evenly matched fight.

Hugging his backpack, Song Yunshen quietly backed away, preparing to seize the chance to escape.

But the moment he turned around, he spotted two more red vests approaching through the woods nearby.

"Fuck, what kind of shitty luck is this!"

He simply turned back and shouted toward the fighting.

"More Red Team members are here!"

Xie Lin narrowed his eyes, his heart sinking as his hands moved faster.

More and more smoke rose from Huang Jingrui's body. It looked as though only one final hit remained.

Suddenly, his hair stood on end, an inexplicable sense of danger rising within him.

At the same time, Lu Ye shouted, "Watch out, honey!"

Xie Lin slammed a palm into Huang Jingrui's chest and arched sharply backward, landing on all fours like a spider to dodge a whip kick from the side.

Xiao Lie froze for half a second.

He hadn't expected Xie Lin to dodge!

In that half second, Xie Lin pushed through his arms into a handstand, wrapped his legs around Xiao Lie's neck, and violently twisted his waist and abdomen-

Headscissors takedown!

The world spun, and Xiao Lie was thrown flat onto his back.

Before Lu Ye could approach to finish him off, he broke free of Xie Lin's hold and bounded dozens of meters away in a few movements.

Xie Lin kipped up and looked over.

Xiao Lie gazed deeply at the pretty Omega, his eyes filled with complicated feelings and undisguised admiration.

He silently raised his right hand and rested it against his chest.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. It seemed... he'd fallen for him!

After one last glance at Huang Jingrui, who sat dejectedly on the ground, Xiao Lie plunged into the dense forest without looking back.

A few leaps, and he vanished!

"Red Team's Huang Jingrui, eliminated!"

"Red Team's Yang Lezhi, eliminated!"

"Red Team's Zhou Zheng, eliminated!"