Chapter 74: Wait and See

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Wait and See

In just an instant.

Huang Xiaoyue shot behind the two men.

Raising her sharp, glinting claws, she slashed violently at the bald uncle’s back.

Seeing this, Lin Tianyang immediately shoulder-checked Huang Xiaoyue.

With a dull THUD.

Huang Xiaoyue was sent flying.

And Lin Tianyang himself suffered the backlash from Newton’s third law. A massive rebound force made his shoulder go numb, and he staggered back two steps.

"Damn it!"

"This Ratman’s body is as hard as a steel plate!"

"We have to run!"

Cursing, Lin Tianyang steadied himself and immediately took off running.

Huang Xiaoyue, who had been sent flying, quickly regained her footing and gave chase again.

Seeing Huang Xiaoyue rapidly closing the distance,

the bald uncle realized that just running was useless.

He immediately snatched up a basin-sized rock.

And hurled it fiercely at the pursuing Huang Xiaoyue.

Huang Xiaoyue didn’t even try to dodge, simply raising a claw and swatting it violently.

"BANG!"

The rock instantly exploded on impact.

Shattered fragments flew everywhere.

Lin Tianyang also knew that simply running was pointless.

He immediately picked up a thick iron pipe from beside the factory wall.

And with a powerful heave, threw it like a javelin at the approaching Huang Xiaoyue.

Again, Huang Xiaoyue didn’t dodge. With a single, effortless swipe of her claw, she sliced the incoming pipe in half.

Lin Tianyang and the bald uncle’s expressions turned ugly.

’This Ratman’s power is terrifying. We’re no match for it at all.’

But they had no choice. All they could do was fight for time with everything they had and hope that backup would arrive soon.

And so, the two men attacked the pursuing Huang Xiaoyue while trying to flee.

After just a few minutes, both men were covered in claw marks, their clothes soaked with blood, and cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.

"Ahyang, let’s split up. At least one of us might make it out alive."

The bald uncle said, gasping for breath, "Otherwise, it’ll catch up to us sooner or later, and we’ll both die by its claws."

He could clearly feel the rat poison in his system worsening, his running speed visibly slowing down.

If they didn’t split up now, both he and Lin Tianyang would die.

Lin Tianyang disagreed. "Just hold on a little longer! Backup should be here any second!"

"Alright, then. A little longer."

The bald uncle had barely finished speaking when a wave of weakness washed over him. His feet faltered, and he came to a dead stop.

The rat poison that had been accumulating in his body had reached a critical point and finally erupted.

Seeing this, the rapidly approaching Huang Xiaoyue’s eyes flashed with a vicious glint. She immediately pushed off the ground and lunged at the bald uncle.

She opened her cavernous maw, revealing two rows of sharp fangs, and snapped at the bald uncle’s head.

Lin Tianyang reacted in a flash, yanking the bald uncle aside to dodge the fatal blow.

He dodged.

But not completely.

Huang Xiaoyue’s cavernous maw missed the bald uncle’s head but clamped down on one of his thighs.

"RRRIP!"

With that sound,

the bald uncle’s right leg was brutally torn off by Huang Xiaoyue’s jaws.

Blood instantly gushed out.

The intense pain made the bald uncle let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Shit!"

Lin Tianyang’s eyes were practically splitting with rage as he roared a curse.

The next moment, like an out-of-control beast, he drew the Fine Steel Short Knife from his waist and charged crazily at Huang Xiaoyue, engaging her in close combat.

The short knife struck Huang Xiaoyue’s body as if hitting a steel plate. After just a few blows, the blade was covered in nicks until finally, unable to take the strain, the blade snapped in two.

Without his knife, Lin Tianyang could only resort to his bare fists.

In an instant.

His fists rained down, each one filled with all his strength and fury.

Huang Xiaoyue licked the blood from the corner of her mouth, taking several punches head-on without dodging or flinching.

Then she backhanded him with her claw, striking heavily on his shoulder, and several claw marks deep enough to reveal bone appeared instantly.

Lin Tianyang grunted in pain.

But he didn’t retreat in the slightest, continuing his frenzied attack.

Unfortunately, the difference in their strength was too great.

After just a few exchanges, Lin Tianyang was covered in bone-deep wounds. His stamina was nearly depleted, and he was completely exhausted.

Just as Lin Tianyang was about to collapse in defeat,

"VRRROOOM—!"

the urgent roar of a motorcycle engine came from the distance.

’Backup has arrived!’

Lin Tianyang, who had been on the verge of despair, felt his eyes light up.

Across from him, Huang Xiaoyue’s expression darkened, her face full of unwillingness.

’Just thirty more seconds and I could have eaten both of them.’

’But their reinforcements had to arrive right at this moment.’

’What rotten luck!’

Huang Xiaoyue cursed inwardly.

And immediately chose to retreat.

She turned, picked up the bloody, severed leg from the ground,

and quickly scurried into a pre-dug hole in the ground.

Disappearing in an instant.

Lin Tianyang watched her escape, grinding his teeth in anger but powerless to pursue.

He could only drag his wound-covered body over to the bald uncle’s side, his eyes filled with anxiety as he checked the man’s severed leg.

...

「At the forest entrance.」

A staff member was patiently explaining the test rules:

"The final comprehensive test is an obstacle course. There’s a high platform at the far end of the forest. The first person to reach the platform and stay on it for a full ten minutes will be the winner."

"There are numerous traps set up along the way, including hidden arrows, falling boulders, and mazes."

"You are allowed to fight each other during the test, but lethal force is strictly prohibited."

"Violators will be disqualified and held accountable afterward."

"That’s all I have to say. Does anyone have any questions?"

The staff member asked, looking at the group of test-takers.

No one had any questions.

Seeing this, the staff member raised a hand and waved.

"The test begins now!"

At this command,

the twelve test-takers shot forward instantly.

At the same time,

twelve drones took off in sync, following each test-taker in real time.

Deep in the forest, danger lurked everywhere.

Hidden arrows flew from the shadows.

Boulders rolled down from above.

A sprawling maze left people disoriented.

Gu Qing, Wu Jiahao, and Liu Yue took the lead, rushing ahead of the pack.

The other Extraordinary test-takers proceeded cautiously, dodging traps, their pace a huge step behind the three leaders.

Among them, Gu Qing was the fastest.

He didn’t follow the beaten path at all, simply ignoring any obstacles in his way and moving in a straight line.

When hidden arrows flew at him, he didn’t dodge or evade, letting the arrowheads shatter against his body.

When boulders rolled down, he met them with his chest, putting on a live performance of "breaking a boulder on one’s chest."

When he encountered the maze, he simply plowed a path with his body, crashing straight through.

The plants and trees in his path were knocked askew, as if screaming in protest.

In just a moment, he had left the other test-takers far behind.

...

「Inside the base office.」

A leader in charge of this recruitment drive, along with He Haikun, one of the Field Operations Department’s Deputy Captains, were staring at the large screen on the wall, watching the progress of the comprehensive test.

The recruitment leader asked with a smile, "Captain He, who do you think will take first place?"

He Haikun pondered for a moment, then said with conviction, "Wu Jiahao will be first, Gu Qing second, and Liu Yue third."

The recruitment leader replied, "Gu Qing’s Physical Strength is indeed far beyond his peers. Liu Yue’s Spiritual Control is more of a late-game ability, so she’s certainly not his match in the early stages."

After saying that, he asked with some curiosity, "Why are you so confident in Wu Jiahao? What’s your reasoning?"

He Haikun laughed. "Wu Jiahao has fused with multiple genes that are extremely powerful in actual combat. He just didn’t have a chance to show it in the previous Physical Strength test."

"This final comprehensive test is his stage to perform."

"Forget Gu Qing; even Gu Qing and Liu Yue combined would be no match for him."

As he said this last sentence, He Haikun’s face was filled with confidence.

"Oh?"

The recruitment leader raised his eyebrows, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes. "I didn’t expect you to have such high hopes for this Wu Jiahao, Captain He. In that case, I’ll have to wait and see."

...