บท 44: Chapter 44: One Relaxing, the Others in Chaos
Dong Wushuang slammed his fist into his palm with force before sitting back down. He had initially planned to take a break and grab some food, but now he decided to stay, eagerly anticipating what was about to unfold. He never expected that this young man, whom he had always regarded highly, still had more surprises in store.
In the secret realm, almost no one was trying to work together to hunt for Divine Cores anymore; instead, everyone was engaged in fierce competition. Zhong Jing wasn't wrong—this test had escalated much earlier and more severely than expected, turning into utter chaos.
Everyone was scrambling for points—something that originally held no inherent value, but now, with meaning attached, it drove the candidates to madness. Former teammates quickly fell apart, sometimes even turning on each other to steal what they could.
Even the group of over twenty who had previously ganged up on Liam had now splintered due to disputes over how to divide the spoils, leading to violent clashes. The only groups still intact were either those with equally matched members who could keep each other in check or those with a clear leader who commanded authority.
In this chaotic environment, many students were surprisingly rising to the challenge, displaying remarkable abilities. Some became more adept at controlling their powers, some showed extraordinary leadership skills, and others acted with extreme caution, their every move meticulous. The judges watched these performances closely, and the heads of various academies pondered which students might be worth extending an olive branch to.
The 126 staff members responsible for recording the candidates' performances were furiously typing away, documenting every detail as the test reached its peak. Of course, one of these staff members was in a much more relaxed state—Liu Peng's recorder, who, having nothing to do, was enjoying a leisurely break while still on the clock.
By the twenty-second hour, every candidate in the test had been swept up into this grand melee! The screens were filled with scenes of students fighting and chasing each other. Everyone was either plotting to steal from others or anxiously guarding their own assets; no one could remain unaffected.
Well, almost no one.
Liam sat in front of the eerie green gate, rocking on his ice-made lounge chair. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out the ring Sophia had given him and retrieved a bottle of soda from it. He blew some cold air onto the bottle to chill it, then began sipping it while humming a tune, enjoying himself as if he were on a beach vacation rather than in the middle of a high-stakes test. His behavior was so out of place that it baffled everyone watching the screens.
The judges, especially the bald superhumans responsible for maintaining the stability of the secret realm and controlling the portal, were the most exasperated by Liam's actions. According to the test rules, as long as a candidate was within a hundred meters of the exit, they had to keep the portal open to allow them to leave. But with Liam just sitting by the gate and not leaving, they had to keep the portal open, adding unnecessary strain to their workload.
The superhuman known as "Old Xu" was already on the verge of cursing out loud. "Couldn't you block the gate from a little farther away? If you were a hundred meters out, I could at least take it easy!"
Of course, Liam couldn't hear the "worker's" complaints as he leisurely rocked in his chair at the secret realm's entrance, looking as if he were asleep.
Hours passed, and the stark contrast between Liam's relaxed demeanor and the chaotic struggles of the other students created a striking dissonance, as if they were in two entirely different worlds. Finally, Liam's behavior changed—his body, which had been gently swaying on the lounge chair, suddenly stilled. It was as if he sensed something, and he opened his eyes.
Scattered around his lounge chair were all the Divine Cores he had collected during the test, along with an empty soda bottle. These were his "bait."
Now, feeling a slight tremor, he sensed that someone was sneaking around nearby. Having copied Cain's stealth ability, he was highly attuned to any covert movements around him. Without wasting a moment, he casually flicked out an energy chain.
The chain cut through the air with a whooshing sound, distorting the space in the distance, and an invisible figure was suddenly bound and revealed. Liam's attack came without warning or hesitation, leaving the opponent no time to react.
The captured figure let out a loud cry, their body glowing as they tried to pull Liam up with the chain.
Liam frowned, shifting from a lying position to sitting upright. The energy chain stretched taut as the two of them engaged in a tug-of-war. But despite sitting casually, Liam held the upper hand, and the ground beneath his opponent's feet began to crack as they were slowly dragged toward him.
Suddenly, another figure, clad in black armor, burst out of the ground. With a two-step acceleration, they seemed to teleport in front of the first figure, slashing the energy chain in half with a powerful strike.
"Get out of here!" the armored figure shouted to their companion before launching themselves at Liam like a missile.
Seeing this, Liam raised an eyebrow, stood up from his seat, and unleashed a palm strike.
Boom!
His palm connected with the black-armored figure's chest, sending a wave of icy energy that knocked the figure back even faster than they had come. As they flew backward, the cold gradually enveloped their entire body, covering them in a thick layer of ice.
The figure crashed to the ground, becoming an ice sculpture, momentarily immobilized.
Liam then flicked out another chain, this time infused with the chilling energy of an ice age, instantly freezing the second person.
It was a complete and utter defeat—purely a one-sided massacre!
After a long rest and the sugar rush from the soda, Liam was now in peak condition, his combat power in this secret realm unmatched.
Gently dragging the two frozen figures closer with the chains, Liam finally saw that they were a man and a woman. He couldn't help but smirk, realizing that in this secret realm, it was only the power of love that could make someone say something as selfless as "You go first."
He unsealed the ice around their heads and, seeing their terrified expressions as if they were staring at a monster, greeted them with a friendly smile.
"Hey there, nice to meet you," he said, using his catchphrase. "How about we make a deal?"
"Hand over all the Divine Cores you have, okay?"
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง