"Fight them!"
By the coach, the talented students who had not escaped immediately shouted and charged at the men in black.
However, the next second, they were beaten senseless.
Although they were all Awakened, they were only eighteen and had just stepped into the third grade.
Compared to Third-grade Martial Artists of the same age and rank, they were much stronger.
But the weakest of those men in black were Fifth Rank. How could they possibly be a match for them?
"They're too strong! Retreat!"
Seeing that they were outmatched, some of the students worked together and quickly withdrew.
Yet there were still some stubborn fools charging ahead.
Some were even more pathetic.
They were frightened limp, collapsing to the ground and wailing to the heavens and earth.
At the peak of the mountain, three Seventh-grade Martial Artists stood watching everything below.
When they saw the students who charged ahead mindlessly, as well as those who collapsed and begged for mercy without even the courage to flee, they repeatedly shook their heads.
"What trash!" One of them had a close-cropped haircut and looked only around forty, his eyes full of contempt.
"Heh, they're only a bunch of eighteen-year-old children, after all."
The other was an elderly man with a kindly appearance.
"Knock these people out and send them back. Eliminate them. Those with nothing but brute strength and no brains will become nothing more than reckless brutes even if they grow stronger—utterly useless. As for those cowards, who lack even the courage to fight or run, there's no need for them to continue with the assessment."
The third was a woman who looked elegant and noble.
Yet her expression was icy, keeping people at arm's length.
The moment she opened her mouth, she determined the results of those students' assessments.
Before long, one-third of the gifted students from the twenty-five coaches were eliminated outright.
The rest all fled into the Star Beast Forest.
Only then did the men in black stop driving them onward. They all stood guard at the forest entrance, waiting in full battle formation.
The three people on the mountain exchanged glances and vanished from where they stood in a flash.
Three breaths later, they had actually appeared beside the coaches.
Their speed was enough to leave one sighing in wonder.
"Team A, continue following them. Do not act or reveal yourselves unless their lives are in imminent danger. Anyone who requires your intervention will be eliminated."
The elegant woman spoke, her face still expressionless, like a block of ice.
"Yes, Instructor Luo."
"Team B, guard the entrance. Anyone who runs out is to be knocked unconscious and sent back, eliminated on the spot!"
"Yes!"
"Shall we go, you two?"
After saying that, Instructor Luo glanced at the man and the old man before vanishing from sight.
The man's expression did not change before he too disappeared.
The old man merely chuckled and shook his head slightly. With one step, his figure vanished as well!
Star Beast Forest.
The gifted students who had been forced inside were all driven to an open clearing near the forest's outskirts.
When they saw the other students, an ethereal voice rang out.
"Welcome to the Great Star Beast Forest. Those who have made it here have passed the first assessment.
"Those who cannot discern the gap in strength between themselves and their enemies, and can only charge ahead blindly, are not qualified to enter the Elite Camp.
"Of course, those who lack even the courage to fight or flee are even less qualified.
"First, congratulations on passing the first assessment.
"Next, the second assessment begins—kill Mutant Beasts.
"Within five days, accumulate five hundred points and safely reach the Elite Camp's marked location on the map to pass.
"Failure means elimination!
"Level One and Level Two Exotic Beasts are worth no points!
"One Level Three Exotic Beast is worth one point.
"One Level Four Exotic Beast is worth two points.
"One Level Five Exotic Beast is worth ten points.
"One Level 6 Exotic Beast is worth fifty points.
"Points will automatically be recorded on your number tags.
"Additionally, points gained through combat will be counted regardless of the means used.
"Have fun!"
"What?!"
Hearing that voice, everyone froze before crying out in alarm.
"So that was the first assessment just now?"
"Damn it, even running away counted as an assessment?"
"Holy shit, I thought we'd run into Heretics. So it was an assessment?"
"..."
For a moment, most of them were taken by surprise and began complaining.
Only those who had smashed through the windows and escaped from the beginning seemed unsurprised.
Clearly, these people had learned about the assessment in advance.
Lin Mo gave Lin Dabao a long look.
This dead fatty was not simple.
Anyone who could learn the contents of the Elite Camp assessment beforehand could not possibly have a simple background.
This was confidential information.
Without sufficient status and standing, there was no way to hear about it.
Otherwise, so many children of influential families would not have been eliminated. Clearly, even those families did not have enough influence.
Conversely, those who had received the news in advance must have powerful forces behind them.
Lin Mo could not help clicking his tongue inwardly.
Southern Province alone had so many descendants of major powers.
If he entered the Elite Camp, where the top talents from every province gathered, who knew what kind of spectacle it would be?
"Five hundred points in five days? Doesn't that mean we have to earn at least one hundred points a day? A Level Three Exotic Beast is only worth one point. Do we have to kill a hundred of them every day?"
"Level Four Exotic Beasts are only worth two points. Even if we focus solely on killing Level Four ones, we'd still need to kill fifty a day. My god, are they even letting us live?"
"Aren't there Level Five Exotic Beasts? Killing one gives ten points."
"Level Five? Are you kidding? With your current strength? It's still uncertain who would kill whom."
"..."
Right after that, Lin Mo heard the discussions around him.
Killing a hundred Level Three Exotic Beasts in a day was indeed exhausting.
That meant there was simply not enough time to hunt down lone Level Three Exotic Beasts.
They could only look for herd-type Mutant Beasts.
But trying to handle herd-type Mutant Beasts alone was undoubtedly a fool's dream.
Clearly, this assessment tested team combat.
With their current combat strength, only by forming teams and groups would they have a chance of killing herd-type Mutant Beasts.
Before long, they all figured this out and quickly began forming teams.
After all, the assessment lasted only five days. They could not afford to waste time.
Otherwise, when time ran out, insufficient points would still mean elimination.
Lin Mo did not particularly care about that.
He was still confident in fighting herd-type Level Three and Level Four Exotic Beasts alone.
"Lin Mo, let's find a few more people and form a team."
At that moment, Lin Dabao sidled over and spoke in a low voice.
Lin Mo had originally intended to refuse.
Acting alone would be more convenient.
But on second thought, this dead fatty seemed to know quite a lot.
Keeping him nearby might prove useful.
Besides, judging from how he had smashed through the window earlier, as well as how even Huo Zihao had failed to shove him on the Southern Province Military District square, this kid was clearly not weak.
He might even be stronger than Huo Zihao, so he would not necessarily hold Lin Mo back.
Thus, he nodded and agreed.
Seeing Lin Mo agree, Lin Dabao immediately went off to form a team with a beaming smile.
Not going to lie, this guy had a kind, approachable face.
Coupled with his naturally friendly and likable personality, he quickly recruited three people.
However... when Lin Mo saw the three people he brought back while wiggling his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth twitched.
"This dead fatty really isn't reliable!"
Before you continue