Shrek Academy's freshman promotion assessment has always been a major event.
It is not only a test of the freshmen's learning achievements over the past three months, but also a brutal elimination round. Those who fail the assessment, no matter how deep their background or how high their talent, will only face one outcome—packing their bags and leaving.
And this year's assessment format is even more rigorous than ever before.
The Confrontation Match!
All freshmen will be divided into teams of three and enter a designated assessment area to confront "Hunters" played by second and third-year students.
The goal of the assessment is simple: under the pursuit of the "Hunters," survive as long as possible and seize integral badges from them. The final score will be determined by both survival time and the number of integral badges.
As soon as this news was announced, the entire freshman year erupted into chaos, with wails of despair echoing everywhere.
"Are you kidding? Make us fight against the upperclassmen? Isn't that just asking to be beaten!"
"Exactly! The worst second-year students are all Second Ring Great Soul Masters. How could we possibly win?"
"It's over, it's over. I feel like my Shrek journey is about to end here."
Panic and unease spread among the freshmen like a plague.
However, amidst the cries of lament, Freshman Class One, especially Dormitory 108 with Huo Yuhao at its core, appeared unusually calm.
"A Confrontation Match? Interesting."
When Teacher Zhou Yi finished announcing the assessment rules and coldly asked if anyone had questions, Huo Yuhao was the first to raise his hand, a hint of intrigued smile on his face.
His calmness, in stark contrast to the worried expressions of his classmates, instantly drew everyone's attention, including Teacher Zhou Yi's sharp gaze from the podium.
"Huo Yuhao, what do you want to say?" Teacher Zhou Yi's voice remained cold. Ever since Huo Yuhao chose Dual Cultivation, her attitude towards him had become lukewarm, neither suppressing him nor showing the same appreciation as before.
"Reporting, Teacher Zhou, this student has three questions." Huo Yuhao stood up neither subserviently nor arrogantly.
"First, how large is the assessment area? What is the terrain like? Do we have time to familiarize ourselves with it beforehand?"
"Second, what is the strength of the 'Hunters'? How many are there? Will they fight individually or cooperate as a team?"
"Third, and most crucially, do the rules allow us to... counter-kill?"
When the last two words left Huo Yuhao's mouth, the temperature in the entire classroom seemed to drop a few degrees.
Everyone looked at him as if he were a lunatic.
Counter-kill?
You, a One-Ring Soul Master, with two teammates who are also One-Ring Soul Masters, want to counter-kill a group of upperclassmen who are at least Second Ring Great Soul Masters? Are you still dreaming?
Even Wang Dong's eyes widened in disbelief. He knew Huo Yuhao was arrogant, but he never expected him to be this arrogant.
However, in Teacher Zhou Yi's calm eyes on the podium, for the first time, a spark of appreciation reignited.
Now that's more like it!
Shrek is not meant to Cultivate sheep, but lions! If you don't even have the courage to resist when facing a strong enemy, then what kind of Spirit Master are you!
"Very good, excellent questions." Teacher Zhou Yi's lips curved into a rare, cruel smile.
"To answer your first question, the assessment area is a specialized simulated Cultivation Zone opened by the academy, approximately ten square kilometers in size. The terrain is the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest, which you are most familiar with. You will not have time to familiarize yourselves with it beforehand; once you enter, everything will be up to you."
"For the second question, the 'Hunters' are all second-year students, totaling thirty people, with cultivation levels between twenty-first and twenty-fifth rank. They will operate in three-person teams, patrolling and hunting in designated areas."
"As for your most pressing third question..." Teacher Zhou Yi's gaze swept across the class, and her voice suddenly rose, "The rules not only allow you to counter-kill, but also... strongly encourage it!"
"For every successful counter-kill of a Hunter, your team will directly receive one hundred points! These points are enough to propel you directly into the top three of your year!"
"Of course, the premise is that you have the ability!"
Boom!
Teacher Zhou Yi's words exploded in the classroom like a bombshell.
If before, everyone was merely in despair, now, in the eyes of many, a flame called "ambition" had ignited.
One hundred points!
What an immense temptation!
Just one successful attempt would be worth all their efforts of hiding for an entire day!
Risk and opportunity coexist!
Looking at the excited yet fearful expressions of the students below, Huo Yuhao's lips curved into a knowing smile, as if his plan was succeeding.
This was the effect he wanted.
The reason he publicly proposed the concept of "counter-kill" was to draw everyone's attention to this point.
When everyone thinks about taking risks, about using a small advantage to gain a big one, the entire assessment area will transform from a simple "cat and mouse game" into a chaotic... hunting feast!
And chaos is most beneficial for a "strategist" like him to excel.
"Alright, the team assignments have been sent to your soul tool communicators; check them yourselves." Teacher Zhou Yi threw out the last sentence, then clicked her high heels and left the classroom.
Huo Yuhao opened his communicator, and the team assignment list was clearly displayed.
[Team 108: Huo Yuhao (Captain), Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao.]
Xiao Xiao?
Huo Yuhao's eyebrows raised slightly.
He had some impression of that name. She was the only other Genius girl in the class, besides him and Wang Dong, who possessed twin spirits. Her Spirits were the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron and the Nine Phoenix Flute, one a strong control system and the other a strong attack system, making her a very good teammate.
It seemed Teacher Zhou Yi had put some thought into the team assignments after all.
"Hey, who's Xiao Xiao?" Wang Dong leaned over, evidently knowing nothing about this new teammate.
"A very strong control system Spirit Master," Huo Yuhao explained concisely. "Before the assessment begins, we need to meet with her and unify our tactics."
"Tactics? What tactics do we need?" Wang Dong pouted, saying arrogantly, "When the time comes, you'll be responsible for scouting, I'll be responsible for the main attack, and that Xiao Xiao will be responsible for support, won't that be enough?"
Huo Yuhao heard this and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
This guy was still so naive.
"Wang Dong, put away your personal heroism." Huo Yuhao bluntly criticized, "I admit you're strong, but our opponents this time are thirty second-year students whose cultivation far surpasses ours. Do you think the three of us can directly contend with any one of their three-person teams?"
Wang Dong's expression froze. Although he was very unconvinced, reason told him that Huo Yuhao was speaking the truth.
"Then... then what do you suggest we do?" Wang Dong asked somewhat reluctantly.
"What to do?" A cunning, fox-like glint flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
"It's simple."
"Since we can't beat them, then we'll... stir up the waters."
"We won't be the prey, nor will we be the Hunter."
"We'll be... the fisherman."
He caressed the cold "illusion god wristband" on his wrist, a cold curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
This promotion assessment, from the very beginning, was not a fair contest.
In that case, don't blame me for... not playing by the rules.
This game, from now on, will have its rules set by me, Huo Yuhao
On the evening before the assessment, in a secluded grove at Shrek Academy.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong met their new teammate, Xiao Xiao.
This was a petite girl with neat black short hair, delicate features, and unusually calm eyes, forming a stark contrast with her seemingly delicate appearance.
She just stood there quietly, giving off a feeling of unshakeable stability.
"Hello, I'm Xiao Xiao," she said first, her voice clear and pleasant, without any superfluous emotion.
"Huo Yuhao, captain." Huo Yuhao nodded, getting straight to the point, "Time is short, let's get down to business. I'm sure you're all aware of the brutality of this assessment. I need to know your Spirit Abilities and combat habits to formulate tactics."
Wang Dong pouted, clearly annoyed by Huo Yuhao's commanding posture, but remembering the fear of being dominated by Spiritual Impact before, he wisely chose to keep quiet.
Xiao Xiao, however, appeared very professional. She concisely introduced, "twin spirits. First Spirit, Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron, a control system Tool Spirit. Currently, I only have one Spirit Ability, 'Cauldron's Tremor,' which provides area-of-effect shock and dizziness. Second Spirit, Nine Phoenix Flute of Auspiciousness, an attack system Tool Spirit, currently without a spirit ring."
Huo Yuhao's eyes instantly lit up.
Area-of-effect control!
This was simply a divine ability!
In team combat, a powerful control system Spirit Master was even more important than an attack system Spirit Master.
"Very good." In Huo Yuhao's mind, countless tactics instantly formed. "Wang Dong, what about you?"
"Hmph, do I need to say?" Wang Dong raised his chin proudly, "Light Goddess Butterfly, attack system. First Spirit Ability, Butterfly God's Light, which can split into light blades for long-range attacks."
"Got it." Huo Yuhao's reaction was very calm, as if Wang Dong's proud Spirit was nothing out of the ordinary in his eyes.
This feeling of being ignored made Wang Dong grit his teeth in anger, yet he was helpless.
"Alright, I understand the situation." Huo Yuhao clapped his hands, attracting their attention. "Now, I'll explain my plan."
He looked around at Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, and slowly said, "My plan is simple, just two words —"
"Disrupt the situation."
"Disrupt the situation?" Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were both stunned.
"Exactly." A profound smile appeared at the corner of Huo Yuhao's mouth. "In this assessment, everyone is eyeing that one hundred points for 'counter-killing,' everyone wants to be the 'Hunter.' But they've overlooked one thing: when everyone wants to be a Hunter, who is the real prey?"
He extended a finger and gently shook it.
"No, we won't be Hunters, and we won't be prey. We'll be the... fisherman who quietly casts his net when the snipe and clam are fighting."
Wang Dong was utterly confused, but a strange light flashed in Xiao Xiao's calm eyes. She seemed to... somewhat understand Huo Yuhao's meaning.
"How exactly do we do it?" Xiao Xiao pressed.
"It's simple." Huo Yuhao pulled out a simple map from his In my arms. This was a topographic map of the assessment area he had drawn himself based on the appendix in the enrollment manual.
He pointed to a canyon on the map and said, "This is one of the necessary routes in the assessment area. The terrain is narrow, easy to defend but difficult to attack. But at the same time, it's an excellent ambush point."
"My plan is for me to use my Spiritual Detection to monitor the entire battlefield. Once I detect that a new student team and a 'Hunter' team are about to encounter each other, I will notify you in advance."
"Then, Xiao Xiao, your task is to lay down your 'Cauldron's Tremor' in advance at the location where they are about to start fighting. Remember, do not activate it immediately. Wait until they are fighting most fiercely and both sides are injured."
"Wang Dong, your task is to ambush on the high ground on the other side. The moment Xiao Xiao's control ability takes effect, your 'Butterfly God's Light' must cover the entire battlefield at the fastest speed, attacking indiscriminately!"
"What? Indiscriminate attack?" Wang Dong exclaimed, "Then... then it'll hit our own people too!"
"Exactly, it's meant to hit our own people too." Huo Yuhao's eyes were terrifyingly calm. "What we want to create is chaos! A massive free-for-all where everyone can't distinguish between friend and foe!"
"When they fall into chaos, that's the best time for us to harvest points. Our goal isn't to clash head-on with powerful 'Hunters,' but to pick up those point badges that we've 'created' and dropped on the ground."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were completely shocked by Huo Yuhao's crazy and bold plan.
This plan was simply... too insidious!
Using human Greed to provoke conflict between other teams and "Hunters," then hiding in the dark to reap the benefits!
This was no longer a tactic; it was a conspiracy!
"But... how do you guarantee we can accurately seize the timing? And how can you make sure those 'Hunters' just happen to walk into our trap?" Wang Dong questioned.
"That's my job."
Huo Yuhao smiled mysteriously and slowly raised his left hand.
That silver-white "illusion god wristband" with mysterious blue patterns, for the first time, revealed its true power in front of his teammates.
"This is... a spirit tool?" A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Xiao's eyes.
"Exactly." Huo Yuhao stroked the wristband, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "It's called 'illusion god,' and I made it myself. Its function is 'Spiritual Interference.'"
"I can use it to simulate various spirit power fluctuations. For example..."
Huo Yuhao's mind moved, and a vast mental force was injected into the wristband.
Buzz—!
A faint yet incredibly real spirit power fluctuation instantly emanated from him.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's expressions changed dramatically!
"This... this is the aura of a thousand-year Spirit Beast!" Wang Dong exclaimed in horror.
The oppressive feeling contained within that aura was definitely not something a hundred-year Spirit Beast could possess!
"Not just that." Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, and his mind shifted again.
The aura of the thousand-year Spirit Beast instantly disappeared, replaced by a tempting, peculiar fragrance, like some Heaven And Earth Treasure.
"This is... Cleansing Heart Grass? No, it's older, at least five hundred years old!" Xiao Xiao was also moved.
"Now, do you understand?" Huo Yuhao withdrew his mental force, and all anomalies instantly vanished.
"I can simulate the aura of a 'Hunter' team to lure other new student teams into our encirclement. I can also simulate the scent of rare medicinal herbs to attract 'Hunters.'"
"In this hunting ground, I am the director."
"And you will be the best protagonists of this grand play."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were completely speechless.
They looked at the calm young man in front of them, and a thought simultaneously arose in their minds.
This guy... is a monster!
He not only possessed intelligence far beyond ordinary people but also such a bizarre and powerful trump card!
Wang Dong's heart was a mix of emotions. He remembered how he had previously mocked Huo Yuhao's research into spirit tools as "toys for the weak." Now, it seemed he was the ridiculous weakling.
It turned out that in places he couldn't see, Huo Yuhao had played with "toys" to such an unfathomable extent!
"How about it?" Huo Yuhao looked at the two. "Is there any problem with this plan?"
"...No." Xiao Xiao took a deep breath and was the first to state her position. For the first time, the flame of "excitement" ignited in her calm eyes.
Following such a captain, perhaps, they could truly create a miracle!
Wang Dong opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed all his doubts, muttering, "...I'll listen to you."
"Very good." Huo Yuhao nodded in satisfaction.
"Then, welcome to..."
"The Fisherman's Game
The next day, early morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Outside Shrek Academy's simulated cultivation area, all the new students had gathered, their faces filled with tension, excitement, and a hint of unease.
Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao stood in a corner of the team, looking inconspicuous.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's expressions were a bit solemn; they kept replaying Huo Yuhao's almost insane plan in their minds, their palms even sweating a little.
Only Huo Yuhao remained calm and composed, as if what was about to begin wasn't a cruel assessment, but an interesting outing.
"Remember, once we enter the assessment area, all actions are to follow my command," he issued his final instruction to the two through Spiritual Detection. "Don't panic, don't be afraid. Trust me, and trust yourselves."
His calm and confident voice was like a tranquilizer, miraculously calming Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's restless hearts.
"Assessment begins! All students, enter the assessment area!"
As the invigilating teacher gave the order, hundreds of new students surged into the vast simulated forest like a tide.
A grand "hunting game" officially began.
"Let's go, this way."
After entering the forest, Huo Yuhao did not hesitate for a moment, immediately leading the two to quickly traverse towards the canyon marked on the map.
His Spiritual Detection was fully activated without reservation the moment he entered the assessment area.
Everything within a five-hundred-meter radius centered on him, from the rustling of leaves to the swaying of grass, was presented in his mind with the precision of the most detailed 3D modeling.
The texture of trees, the veins of grass leaves, and even the crawling of an ant, nothing could escape his notice.
Under this "God's perspective" reconnaissance ability, they perfectly avoided all potential dangers and other new student teams, moving like ghosts through the complex jungle, following an optimal route.
About half an hour later, they successfully reached their designated ambush point—the One-Line-Sky Canyon.
"Alright, this is it," Huo Yuhao stopped. "Xiao Xiao, go to the center of the canyon, find the best position to unleash 'Tripod Quake,' and hide yourself. Wang Dong, go to the highest rock on the east side; the view there is best for your fire coverage."
"What about you?" Wang Dong asked subconsciously.
"Me?" Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, pointing to the canopy of an inconspicuous towering tree on the west side. "Of course, I'll be in the spot with the best view, enjoying this good show I'm directing."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao exchanged glances, said no more, and immediately followed Huo Yuhao's deployment, quickly moving into their combat positions.
All preparations were complete.
Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged on a thick tree trunk, closing his eyes, his vast mental force spreading out in all directions like an invisible spider web.
Soon, the first tremor came from his "spider web."
"Found them," a slight smile curled at Huo Yuhao's lips.
Within his Spiritual Detection range, a team of three new students was cautiously searching their way towards the canyon. From their appearance, it seemed they intended to use the canyon's terrain to evade the "Hunter"'s pursuit.
In another direction, about a kilometer away, a "Hunter" squad had just finished patrolling an area and was preparing to move.
Good, the actors are in place.
Next, it's about how to make them appear at the right place at the right time.
"Tianmeng, lend a hand," Huo Yuhao called out in his mind.
"Hehe, leave it to me!" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's lazy voice responded.
The next second, the illusion god wristband on Huo Yuhao's left wrist suddenly glowed with a faint blue light.
A precisely controlled mental force, amplified and transformed by the wristband, simulated an extremely realistic spirit power fluctuation, silently covering the direction of that new student team.
That spirit power fluctuation was mimicking the aura of the "Hunter" squad!
..."Captain, what should we do? It seems we've been targeted!"
Outside the canyon, the support system Spirit Master responsible for reconnaissance in the new student squad said with a pale face.
Their captain, a burly attack system Spirit Master, also looked extremely grim. He could clearly feel a powerful aura belonging to a Spirit Grandmaster, faintly present not far away, seemingly ready to attack them at any moment.
"Damn it! Our luck is too bad! We just came in and ran into a tough opponent!" The captain cursed in a low voice, then decisively ordered, "Don't panic! We'll enter the canyon ahead! Use the terrain to contend with them!"
The three new students quickened their pace without hesitation, plunging into the "stage" Huo Yuhao had meticulously prepared for them...
"Hmm? Something's happening?"
On the other side, the "Hunter" squad that was about to move also stopped simultaneously.
Their captain, an agility-attack system Spirit Master with sharp eyes, looked towards the canyon in confusion.
"What's wrong, boss?" a teammate beside him asked.
"Strange..." The captain frowned. "I just felt a peculiar spirit power fluctuation, very similar to a plant-type Spirit Beast of considerable age... but it was fleeting, and now I can't feel it anymore."
"Plant-type Spirit Beast? Are there such easter eggs in this simulated cultivation area?" Another teammate immediately became interested. "Boss, why don't we go and take a look? If it's really some treasure, won't we be rich?"
The captain pondered for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Alright, let's go take a look. Everyone stay alert!"
The three second-year seniors, thus, under the deceptive allure of the illusion god wristband, stepped by step, walked into Huo Yuhao's encirclement.
On the treetop, Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes, a cold smile flashing in them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats."
"The show... is about to begin."
He sent instructions to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao through Spiritual Detection.
"Prepare."
Inside the canyon, the atmosphere instantly became tense.
The new student squad first spotted the "Hunter"'s tracks, immediately forming a defensive formation, as if facing a formidable enemy.
And the "Hunter" squad, upon seeing these three "voluntarily delivered" juniors, first froze, then their faces revealed a playful, cat-and-mouse grin.
"Oh, lucky us, just when we were about to doze off, three pillows were delivered."
"Let's finish this quickly, deal with them, we still have treasures to find."
The battle was on the verge of breaking out!
Just as the "Hunter" captain's figure flashed, preparing to launch an attack—
Now!
"Xiao Xiao, do it!" Huo Yuhao's command exploded in Xiao Xiao's mind like a thunderclap.
Xiao Xiao, who had long been ready, unhesitatingly injected her spirit power into the earth beneath her feet!
Boom—!
An ancient bronze tripod instantly emerged from beneath her feet, then boomed as it expanded, crashing heavily onto the ground!
Three Lives Soul Suppressing Tripod, First Spirit Ability—Tripod Quake!
An invisible shockwave, centered on the bronze tripod, suddenly spread out!
The ground of the entire canyon seemed to turn into a jelly struck by a heavy hammer, trembling violently!
Whether it was the attacking "Hunter"s or the defending new students, all of them paused, falling into a brief state of dizziness under this sudden area-of-effect attack!
"Wang Dong! Release!"
Huo Yuhao's second command seamlessly followed!
Above the high rock, Wang Dong had already pushed his spirit power to the extreme!
The magnificent butterfly wings on his back suddenly burst forth with dazzling blue-gold light!
Light Goddess Butterfly, First Spirit Ability—Butterfly God's Light!
Swish swish swish swish—!
Hundreds and thousands of light blades, condensed from the ultimate power of light, rained down from the sky like a storm!
Indiscriminately, covering the entire battlefield!
Ah—!
Screams of agony instantly echoed throughout the canyon
Inside the canyon, a storm of light blades raged, and the screams intertwined with the roar of colliding spirit power, forming a chaotic symphony.
Whether it was the three freshmen caught off guard, or the three 'Hunters' who thought highly of themselves, all of them were left disoriented and in a sorry state by Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong's seamless 'control + AOE' combo.
"Who! Who is ambushing us!"
"Damn it! My eyes! My eyes!"
"Which bastard is attacking indiscriminately!"
The people from both teams instantly saw red. They didn't understand the situation at all, only assuming that the other side had used some despicable means, and subconsciously unleashed their fiercest attacks on the 'enemies' beside them.
A grand melee, meticulously directed by Huo Yuhao, completely erupted!
Meanwhile, atop the trees on the west side of the canyon, the instigator of this chaos remained as calm as an outsider observing a play.
"Now is the time."
A sharp glint flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
His mental force, like the most precise probe, instantly locked onto the six score badges that had fallen to the ground due to their owners' disarray.
"Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, prepare to act!"
"Follow the predetermined route and harvest the spoils!"
The command was clearly transmitted into their minds through spiritual sharing.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, already prepared, shot out from their respective hiding places like arrows released from a bow!
Wang Dong's speed was the fastest; with a flap of the Butterfly God's wings on his back, he transformed into a streak of light, moving at high speed through the chaotic battlefield in an incredible Z-shaped trajectory. His target was the three badges furthest away and closest to the 'Hunters'.
Xiao Xiao followed closely behind. Her target was the three freshmen's badges. As she ran, she once again activated her spirit power. The enormous Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron hummed, releasing another shockwave, providing perfect cover for Wang Dong's charge!
"Who's there!"
Finally, someone discovered these two 'fishermen' who had suddenly intruded.
The 'Hunter' captain reacted the fastest. Enduring the dazzling light of the Butterfly God's Light, he roared, his second spirit ring flashing. Sharp cyan light blades extended from his claws, slashing fiercely at Wang Dong, who swept past him!
However, just as his claws were about to touch Wang Dong—
Buzz!
An invisible Spiritual Interference, like Gui Mei, precisely enveloped his body.
The captain's body stiffened abruptly, feeling a sharp pain in his brain, and the circulation of his spirit power experienced a zero-point-one-second pause!
In a contest between experts, a hair's breadth difference can lead to a thousand-mile error!
It was this zero-point-one-second pause that allowed Wang Dong's figure, like a butterfly flitting through flowers, to brush past him, effortlessly collecting the two badges on his chest and waist, as well as another badge that had fallen to the ground!
"Got them!" Wang Dong rejoiced inwardly, not lingering in battle, and immediately rushed towards another exit of the canyon according to the route planned by Huo Yuhao.
On the other side, Xiao Xiao's operation was also exceptionally smooth. The three freshmen were already lacking in strength and had been dazed by successive controls and attacks, making it impossible for them to organize effective resistance. Xiao Xiao obtained the three badges almost without shedding blood.
"Retreat!"
Huo Yuhao's command was given again.
Without any hesitation, the two immediately disappeared into the depths of the jungle in different directions.
From launching the surprise attack to harvesting the badges and then safely withdrawing, the entire process was smooth and flowing, taking no more than thirty seconds!
By the time the two teams in the canyon finally recovered from the chaos and realized they had been played for fools, Huo Yuhao and his two teammates had long vanished without a trace.
Only six unlucky eliminated individuals were left roaring furiously on the spot, their shouts filled with frustration and... confusion.
They hadn't even seen the faces of the attackers!
...Meanwhile, outside the Mimetic Cultivation Zone, in the central monitoring room.
More than a dozen teachers responsible for supervising the examination were staring, dumbfounded, at the footage returned on one of the soul tool screens.
The screen showed everything that had just happened in the canyon.
The entire monitoring room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The faces of all the teachers were filled with the same emotion—shock!
"Wh-what was that just now?" a young teacher stammered, rubbing his eyes hard, wondering if he had seen wrong.
"It... it was a... perfect ambush," a senior veteran teacher beside him said with a dry voice, swallowing with difficulty.
"From tactical design, to timing, to the final execution and retreat... it was simply... simply textbook-level!"
"That control system little girl, and that attack system boy, cooperated flawlessly! But... the most terrifying thing is the commander behind them!"
Everyone's gaze subconsciously fell on the corner of the screen.
There, the soul tool camera had captured a blurry figure sitting cross-legged on a treetop.
Although his face was unclear, everyone knew that the classic ambush, which was worthy of being recorded in Shrek's textbooks, was definitely orchestrated by this person!
"Investigate! Find out who this Team 108 captain is!" The Chief Examiner responsible for this assessment, a Spirit Emperor-level middle-aged man, slammed his hand on the table and shouted excitedly.
Soon, the information was retrieved.
"Reporting to the Chief Examiner, the captain of Team 108 is Huo Yuhao, class monitor of Freshman Class One. His Spirit is the Spiritual Eye."
"Huo Yuhao?" The Chief Examiner was stunned for a moment. He had some impression of this name. Wasn't he that 'Prodigy' who caused a stir recently, wanting to Dual Cultivate both Spirit and soul tool?
"Spiritual Eye... an auxiliary system innate Spirit, yet he could design such an intricate tactic?"
"Also, why did that 'Hunter' captain pause at the crucial moment? That feeling... it was like he suffered a mental attack?"
"How could a One-Ring Soul Master cause an effective mental attack on a Second Ring Great Soul Master? This is impossible!"
A series of questions arose in the minds of all the teachers.
They looked at the screen, at the canyon that had returned to peace, and then at the score rankings, where 'Team 108' had shot up from the bottom to the top like a rocket. A storm surge of emotion rose in everyone's hearts.
They suddenly realized that this year's freshman promotion assessment seemed to... have an extraordinary variable.
A Prodigy capable of overturning everyone's perception!
"Display all surveillance footage of Team 108 on the main screen!" The Chief Examiner took a deep breath and issued a new command, an unprecedented light erupting in his eyes.
"I want to see what kind of surprises this Huo Yuhao will bring us next
"We... succeeded?"
In a dense forest far from the canyon battlefield, Wang Dong looked at the three heavy score badges in his hand, his face still showing a hint of disbelief.
The experience of those brief thirty seconds was, for him, even more thrilling than his past decade-plus of life.
That feeling of dancing on the edge of a knife, toying with two teams stronger than his own, made him, a favored son of heaven, experience for the first time a pleasure called "strategy," completely different from pure strength.
"It's not that we succeeded, it's that the plan succeeded," Huo Yuhao's calm voice came from the tree. He emerged from behind the trunk and lightly landed in front of the two, "One successful sneak attack is nothing. The real test has just begun."
Xiao Xiao nodded in deep agreement, her gaze towards Huo Yuhao now filled with undisguised admiration: "Captain, what do we do next? Do we continue to look for opportunities, or hide first?"
"No," Huo Yuhao shook his head, his eyes gleaming with an even crazier light than before, "One sneak attack at a time is too slow, and it's easy to be detected. If we're going to play, let's play big."
"Play... how big?" Wang Dong suddenly had an ominous premonition.
Huo Yuhao slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the dense canopy, looking towards the deepest part of the forest.
"I want to gather all the 'Hunters' and all the living 'prey' in this forest together."
"Then, let them put on for us... the grandest fireworks show."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao simultaneously gasped!
Gather everyone together?
Is this guy crazy?
Those were over twenty second-year seniors and nearly a hundred freshmen! What kind of chaotic situation would such a large-scale melee create? With the slightest carelessness, their small "fisherman" would be torn to shreds by the out-of-control giant waves!
"Are... are you sure?" Xiao Xiao's voice was trembling slightly.
"I'm sure," Huo Yuhao's tone was firm and unwavering, "The greater the risk, the greater the reward. You just need to trust me and follow my orders, that's enough."
Looking at Huo Yuhao's deep and confident eyes, the fear and unease in Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's hearts were forcibly suppressed once again.
They chose to trust this young man, who constantly created miracles, one more time!
...The next two hours became a nightmare for all the students in the assessment area.
An eerie "ghost" began to wander through the forest.
Sometimes, a freshman team would suddenly "feel" the aura of a "Hunter" ahead, so they immediately changed direction, only to run headlong into another "Hunter" team.
Sometimes, a "Hunter" team would "discover" a hundred-year-old rare medicinal herb, but when they excitedly rushed over, they found three or four freshman teams, full of pent-up anger, already ambushed there.
Conflicts were constantly breaking out.
Battles were unfolding in every corner of the forest.
The entire assessment area had completely turned into a boiling pot of porridge!
And the instigator of all this, Huo Yuhao, moved leisurely along the edge of the chaotic chessboard, like the most skilled chess player.
Through the "illusion god wristband," he continuously released various false spirit power signals, like an invisible shepherd, driving the "flock" in the forest, making them constantly move towards conflict and... destruction according to his predetermined routes.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, under his command, transformed into the most efficient "cleaners."
They no longer actively initiated battles but followed behind the teams in the melee, specifically picking up what was left.
"Three hundred meters ahead to the left, a lone freshman, spirit power exhausted, go collect the badge."
"Five hundred meters behind to the right, a 'Hunter' has lost a member, the badge fell in the grass, Xiao Xiao, go get it."
"Wang Dong, prepare to finish them off! That attack system team is about to collapse!"
Huo Yuhao's commands were like the most precise surgical knife, each one delivered at the most critical juncture.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were completely numb.
They went from initial tension and excitement to being accustomed to it now. Collecting score badges had become as simple as eating and drinking for them.
The number of badges in their hands was also accumulating at an alarming rate.
Ten... twenty... fifty!
...In the monitoring room, all the proctors had risen from their seats, staring intently at the constantly switching images on the main screen.
The entire monitoring room was eerily quiet, with only the increasingly heavy breathing of everyone present.
They witnessed firsthand how Huo Yuhao, by himself, turned the entire assessment upside down.
They witnessed firsthand how Team 108 leisurely reaped one score after another amidst the chaos.
If the first canyon ambush brought them "shock."
Then now, all they felt was "fear."
Is this... is this really the wisdom an eleven-year-old boy can possess?
This is no longer tactics, this is Demonic Technique!
"Chief... Chief Examiner..." A teacher's voice trembled, "Team 108's score... has... has broken through three hundred!"
Three hundred!
This number hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
One must know that the highest record for previous promotion assessments was only one hundred and fifty points!
And now, less than three hours had passed since the assessment began!
"Mon... monster..."
The Chief Examiner unconsciously uttered these two words.
He looked at the screen, at the young man who still looked calm, as if he had done something insignificant, and a strong premonition suddenly surged in his heart.
Shrek Academy, no, the future of the entire Douluo Continent, perhaps, will head in an... unpredictable direction because of the appearance of this young man!
..."Alright, that's enough for today."
When the number of badges in their hands accumulated to fifty-two, Huo Yuhao finally gave the order to stop.
"Is... is that enough?" Wang Dong licked his somewhat dry lips, asking with a lingering sense of unfulfillment.
"It's enough," Huo Yuhao smiled faintly, "It's no fun to keep playing."
He looked up at the sky, then made a decision that once again left Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao dumbfounded.
"Let's go, we're going to the finish line."
"Go... to the finish line? Now?"
"Yes, now."
A lazy smile flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
"It's time for this game to end early."
Half an hour later.
When the blood-soaked, exhausted proctors finally saw the three leisurely youths, who looked as if they had truly come for a picnic, in the rest area at the finish line, everyone fell into a long silence.
Especially when Huo Yuhao casually threw the fifty-two score badges, shining with various colors, from his full pocket onto the table, making a clear "clatter" sound.
The entire World seemed to stand still.