"Gris! Stack the Phosphorus Shrimp talent!""This is our last chance!"
Morde barked the order as he parried Cao Linxuan's relentless strikes and scrambled backward. Gris — the glowing man who'd baited the Huaxia team here — answered with a fierce nod. His white radiance flared again; his [Fluorescence] talent could stack, each layer amplifying the light until it blinded.
Cao Linxuan and the others read the plan instantly. "Zhiyuan, cut him down!" Cao ordered.
Yan Zhiyuan moved like a knife through air — his steps oddly measured but blindingly fast.
"Stop him!" the Maple Leaf fighters cried. "Quick, stop him!" Olivia leapt forward, tearing open her shirt to reveal a rippling torso. "Bear Form!" With a roar, thick black fur erupted across her skin; she swelled into a towering, furious bear, claws bared.
Yan Zhiyuan didn't flinch. "Tongbi Fist — Thousand Jin Hammer."
Boom.
A single, effortless punch drove through Olivia's chest. Her heart popped into Yan Zhiyuan's hand, still slick with blood.
"Captain Cao, mission accomplished," Yan said coldly.
Olivia's massive form slumped, crushing Maple Leaf's morale. Gris made a break for it, but Yan Zhiyuan's hand closed in his hair; a merciless knee shattered Gris's skull.
"Huaxia… why are you so terrifying!" someone gasped."Who can stand against Huaxia…!""Why did I join this game?!"
They charged anyway — one last, desperate wave. Blood stained the Hexagonal Sky within seconds. The Maple Leaf Camp was decimated; Huaxia suffered no casualties.
That was the difference in foundation. Huaxia had only sent a handful, but each one carried a mountain of training and lineage.
"Retreat for now. That white glow was too bright — we've been spotted," Cao Linxuan said, dabbing blood off his hands with a wet wipe, eyes sharp.
Duan Nanyang objected. "Retreat? What if Argentina or South Continent shows up?"
Cao shook his head. "If only one camp comes at a time, we can handle it. But can you guarantee the others won't unite? We've flashed our strength in the first stage; they're prepared. Better to let them fight among themselves, then reap the spoils. Only one side can win."
Yan Zhiyuan nodded. "Lay low. Let them tear each other apart."
The others agreed. Under Cao's direction, they melted back into the forest. In a six-cornered field this vast, encounters were rare; without Gris's lure, Maple Leaf might have survived. Huaxia had simply stumbled into them by accident.
Once clear of the glare, the Huaxia team stopped to rest. Gu Liao approached Chen Xiao and A Yao with an awkward politeness. "A Yao, the opponents are strong. India's leader is no joke. If the real fight starts, hide behind me."
A Yao chuckled. "Thanks, Gu Liao — but I can't hide in one spot. I need to move."
Gu Liao's face fell; rejection stung. He tried again but the girl waved him off. "I'll hide behind Zhou Xun's bright lamp! We'll lie low and get stronger together." She turned to Chen Xiao with a grin.
Chen Xiao nodded. "Of course. The bright lamp's small space is always open to you."
Gu Liao seethed but said nothing. Bright lamp? Could it really protect them both? He'd see soon enough.
A Yao's conscience nagged her — she hadn't meant to bolt earlier. Chen Xiao soothed her, then she said, "If I run off again, pull me back."
Chen Xiao grinned mischievously. "No need. We'll use a physical restraint."
"A physical—?" she asked, puzzled.
He produced a thick hemp rope and, without a word, tied their arms together. "Now you can run with me — or I can drag you to safety. Win-win."
A Yao stared, then laughed. "You're a genius. Now I won't act on impulse!"
Their easy laughter and the sight of them linked arm-in-arm made the others relax; for a moment they looked less like combatants and more like kids on an excursion. Cao Linxuan watched them with an unreadable chill. Most dismissed the pair — one only speed, the other only defense — but something about them kept nagging at him.
Night fell. The camp dozed. A faint rustle woke Chen Xiao; he nudged A Yao and whispered, "They're coming."
Under [Dragon's Breath] Chen Xiao had already picked up dense approaching energy signatures. At least thirty figures were closing in. Had three of the five other corners formed an alliance to ambush Huaxia?
"They're getting closer," Jiang Ling confirmed — a scout with an absurd detection range, surprised Chen Xiao had noticed first.
"How many?" Cao demanded.
"About… twenty," Jiang Ling said after tuning in.
"No. At least thirty — maybe more," Chen Xiao replied, calm but grave. "Three corners have allied. We're surrounded."
Cao Linxuan looked from Jiang Ling to Chen Xiao. The worst-case scenario had arrived. Their small victorious sweep had painted a target on their backs — and now every hunter in the Hexagonal Sky was converging.