[Real World, Site 13]
Watching Tendo, who was smiling as he declared his intention to find his next prey, on the screen.
The bullet comments on Site 13 immediately became active.
'The episode that makes children cry.'
'Folks, the Stellar World Man-Eater is here, catching people and devouring them frantically.'
'So this assessment is actually a Battle Royale? Others are responsible for running, and Tendo is responsible for killing.'
Amidst the playful jabs in the bullet comments, the previously relatively stable assessment situation immediately underwent a drastic change with Tendo's sudden 'rampage.'
Many contestants who, like Chen Kong, had thrown away their Tears of Starlight and planned to 'lie low until the end' before snatching them up, could no longer sit still.
This was because they found that the central plains were completely 'monopolized' by Tendo, and small-scale alliances were starting to emerge in the peripheral areas.
Now, they had only two basic choices: either join another alliance to compete for the Tears of Starlight, or be robbed by another alliance. There was virtually no third option.
As for lone wolves?
Unless you possess a strength gap that is nearly insurmountable compared to other contestants, it is very difficult for a lone wolf to enter the final 'final round.'
[Flowing Light Great Grassland · South]
"Miss, the red dots in the center..."
A Star Envoy from the Blazing Sun Family spoke with a grave expression, looking at the cluster of coordinates on the overhead screen, which consisted of over fifty red dots representing Tears of Starlight.
"It's nothing, just Tendo's twisted sense of humor, don't worry about it."
Chen Xing merely glanced at it and quickly noticed that among the fifty-plus red dots, besides Tendo and Caroline's information, there was no one else.
This indicated that these fifty-plus red dots meant one person had hunted over fifty Tears of Starlight contestants and collected all their Tears of Starlight.
It did not mean that fifty-plus people had formed a large alliance.
As for who was responsible for this, Chen Xing knew instantly.
"Let's go, we're heading west. Those isolated holders are our targets."
As Chen Xing spoke, she looked toward the western direction of the large map overhead.
In that area, three or four isolated red dots were moving quickly.
In truth, if it weren't for the need to help others in her family successfully pass the assessment, Chen Xing would be quite happy to go and 'play' with Tendo.
But for the sake of her family's interests, she ultimately restrained her inner desire for battle and chose rationality.
Led by Chen Xing, the Blazing Sun Family's Star Envoys uniformly headed west.
They moved like a well-trained army, their goal clear and their movements decisive.
A similar situation was also occurring among other contestants in the Great Grassland.
Only a fool would approach an area where one person has collected so many Tears of Starlight.
[Flowing Light Great Grassland, East]
"Kong."
Liu Ma suddenly stopped, lowering his voice and pointing toward a patch of grass not far away.
"I noticed."
Chen Kong followed the direction he pointed. Over ten contestants, dressed in various outfits, were standing there, forming a large net that blocked their path.
Not only did these individuals have the advantage in numbers, but three of them also possessed the aura of a Third-Grade Star Envoy.
Facing such a situation, it was clearly difficult for Chen Kong and his three companions to contend with them.
Not to mention that the Tears of Starlight would immediately transfer if merely touched.
This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of protecting their Tears of Starlight.
However, there was only one hour left until the assessment ended.
And their team currently only had two Tears of Starlight.
Neither Chen Kong nor Vivian had their own Tears of Starlight.
If they wanted to pass the assessment, they had to not only guard their current Tears of Starlight but also prevent others from seizing their own required Tears of Starlight.
"Trouble."
Vivian adjusted her glasses, the tactical tablet displaying the opponent's information, as she evaluated the combat strength of both sides.
Isabelle clenched her fists, and a pale blue starlight began to condense at her fingertips.
However, what surprised Chen Kong and the others was that the opponents did not immediately attack. Instead, they sent one person forward.
The person was wearing a gray hoodie and playing with a game console in his hand. It was exactly Mi Yao, Stellar NO.13, whom Chen Kong had met three months ago.
He walked up to Chen Kong, his face devoid of the earlier playfulness and replaced with a certain seriousness.
"Don't be so nervous, Kong, we're not here to steal the Tears of Starlight you have."
Chen Kong was stunned for a moment, then realized.
Mi Yao's alliance had over ten people but only three Tears of Starlight.
Even if they snatched their two, it wouldn't be enough to divide among themselves and would likely cause the alliance to collapse due to 'uneven distribution.'
Thinking of this, Chen Kong raised his head and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Cooperation?"
Mi Yao nodded: "Cooperation."
Chen Kong pondered for a moment and asked, "Then what are you planning to do?"
Mi Yao pointed toward the area on the large overhead screen with the most red dots.
"Find a way to take some Tears of Starlight from Tendo."
"..."
Looking at the serious Mi Yao, Chen Kong thought he had misheard, and it took him a long time to react.
"Are you sure you're not joking?"
"I'm very sure."
Mi Yao put away his game console, his expression becoming serious.
"Kong, Tendo only has himself and Caroline over there right now, and they have the most Tears of Starlight."
"As for the remaining Tears of Starlight, they have either fallen into the hands of the Great Families, like Chen Xing and her group, or into the hands of some powerful lone wolves."
"The former are tough to provoke, and the latter have too little 'meat'; snatching from them won't be enough for us."
"Only Tendo has over fifty, which is enough for all of us to share, and only the act of 'snatching from Tendo' can unite this temporary alliance."
That made sense logically.
But trying to snatch Tears of Starlight from Tendo—how was that any different from skipping the minor monsters and directly challenging the final boss at the beginning of a game?
Forget over ten people, even if ten times more people came, they probably wouldn't be able to get close to Tendo.
Therefore, after a brief consideration, Chen Kong made his decision.
"I apologize, we don't want to provoke him."
With that, Chen Kong immediately turned to lead Vivian and the others away.
But before he could take two steps, three bursts of Third-Grade Star Envoy starlight instantly locked onto Chen Kong. The surrounding contestants also stepped forward, forming a circle of encirclement.
Chen Kong turned around to find that Mi Yao had already adopted a different demeanor, a cold arc curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Kong, you seem to have misunderstood one thing: I'm not discussing this with you right now."
"You either choose to cooperate, or... you hand over your Tears of Starlight to us."
The glowing grass rustled in the wind, and the air immediately became tense.
Chen Kong stopped, slowly turned around, and the Void Weaver condensed in his hand, as he adopted a fighting stance.
The difficult choice was now truly laid out before Chen Kong, leaving him in a dilemma: to fight the over ten people in front of him, or to join them in challenging the 'monster' he considered nearly invincible.
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