Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Following, the committee announced the test results. The rules had already been announced, so everyone was filled with a different fervor.
The respective members and teams were split up and transported to subsidiary satellite stars. These were basically small stars that were mostly covered by sea. Their conditions were harsh, and the seawater toxic. Only a few islands remained, and they became natural, large-scale experiment grounds. Especially closed-door experiments.
They had been dropped on two Zerg islands. Cyborg zoids. They were perfect amalgamations of biological and robotic technology, and possessed terrifying battle power. It was said that these Zergs had already been released into the abyss battlefield, and the Milky Way Alliance had requested Aslan’s aid. But such tools of war had been heavily limited within a boundary. If it were not an abyss problem, then such Zergs would never be allowed to be deployed.
“All the cyborg Zergs’ fighting modes have been set to B-grade,” Colonel Catelo said. These Zergs were designated with two fighting modes. One was B-grade, which was normal attack patterns, and was natural for Zergs. The other was A-grade, a berserk mode, which was a mechanically driven slaying.
Although they had been strengthened, but they were not abyss Zergs. If they were not set to A-grade, then they did not pose much of a danger to these experts. Of course, everyone present knew that the Zergs were not the real opponents.
“In your packs are three days of rations, one titanium blade, one laser gun. Each person has a tag. Seeded team leader tags are worth two points, seeded team members are worth two points. All other teams are worth one point. First to five points wins their way free.” Catelo paused. “Losing your tag, dying, or surrendering result in elimination. Leader elimination disqualifies the team. All teams will be ranked in the end. The main competition only needs 64 teams, no more, no less.”
Everyone present was handed a military bag. At the same time, each person’s arm was fitted with a bracelet.
“Your bracelets are emergency equipment. If you are about to die or if you surrender, trigger the shield symbol on the bracelet. At that time, you will give up on the competition. Perhaps you have already felt it, but this bracelet restricts Ability X. Unless you have an A-rank ability, you won’t be able to use Ability X.” Catelo’s expression was amused.
Any Aslan person would not be disposed towards anyone looking to win the Princess. No matter who he was, he had to be from Aslan, or he would not do.
The Saruman Snake battle team’s skill level aside, Wang Zheng was unquestionably strong. He had single-handedly taken down two Earth-rank pros in the Greatest King Competition. His ferocious Wind, Fire, Ice combination ability had seared its way into public memory. Perhaps there were imbalances in the Saruman Snake battle team, but no one present dared to snub or underestimate Wang Zheng.
The fundamental five affinities Ability X was seen as weak, but at Earth-rank, they were strong. If one could master hybrid abilities, then it would be switching a bird rifle for a cannon. In a straight up fight, such a person was extremely terrifying.
But without Ability X!
Many present smiled carelessly.
“All captains board plane one. All other members board planes two, three, four, and five. Leaving immediately. Good luck!” Catelo hollered.
Just then, everyone’s bracelets shimmered red, as though something had pierced their arms.
Wang Zheng was not at all unfamiliar with the sensation. At Maklou, he had had his fill of it. Only, the Aslan product was of a higher quality. In an era where Ability X was growing stronger, there were all kinds of misuse and criminal activity. Subduing these people was a bother, and then difficult to deal with. Ability X bracelets were necessary.
Of course, these things had a much wider purpose and usage when Aslan made them.
Wang Zheng did not need to see. He could feel the malicious glares behind him. Kashawen had successfully nudged him towards the cliff, and he did not doubt at all that the Aslan people wanted to kill him. Everyone had already signed the waiver pre-competition, and this was the truth of SIG. It was like a special forces competition in the military. Only death could separate the winners from the losers.
The cabin was silent. This spaceship was full of the leaders of the major teams. Seeded teams were just a name. Mars and the rest similarly had the ability to enter the top 10, and the top 30 teams were all roughly evenly matched. Seeded teams were just magnets for enmity. Finishing off a seeded team was as good as two normal ones. The difficulty would give others pause, while those ranked 11 to 30 would come out ahead with little risk. Such a format would never appear at IG, but this was SIG.
And Wang Zheng was basically a beacon. Most importantly, his awesome Ability X was gone. Points, reputation, and the hate that he had received from his clash with Kashawen. Wang Zheng had to take care now. Failure aside, he might not even survive this.
In truth, the one that Wang Zheng was most worried about was not himself. He was a man, and perhaps dying on the sandy battlefield for his woman was a little silly. But he did not regret it. Only, he was afraid that he had landed the Saruman Snake battle team in trouble.
Lin Feng, Jondi Lilick, and the rest had already given their team orders. They would not allow Saruman Snake’s members to leave this island.
Even without them saying, their members knew what to do. On the battlefield, not even Aslan or Arbiter dared to flex. And now an Earthling had dared to raise himself up. That was asking for it.
Was the Aslan Princess someone that just anybody could covet after? He really made himself food now.
On the other side, Zhang Shan and the rest were feeling some heavy enmity on the transport carrier. Perhaps the leader side was a little more reserved – there was no need to show it. But here with the members, they did not need to conceal it. Dropping was random, and many would remember where Saruman Snake had dropped. The hate aside, each of their tags was worth two points. And that Zhang Shan, for example, his greatest ability was translocation. After his Ability X was shut down, he was a sitting duck. Free points, take and win.
Everyone would dearly love to sit beside Zhang Shan, and jump off with him.
Some felt that this bunch was rather pitiful, to be saddled with such a captain. To dare to stand out on such an occasion was asking for it.
Zhang Shan and the rest knew that Wang Zheng did startling things, but they had underestimated his guts. This guy was born to take on the world.
Seeing the hostile glances all around, Zhang Shan was hyped. Damn, this was thrilling. He had never been the center of so much attention before. Finally, he was going to be the hero.
Perhaps Achilles and Lie Xin, in the past, would not have approved. But having been through so much, the Saruman Snake battle team was a cohesive whole now. If Wang Zheng had not done that, he would not be Wang Zheng. This kid was not that “smart” at times.
As a woman, and a woman that admired Wang Zheng, Lie Xin was in full support. If Wang Zheng had not done so, and seen the woman of his heart be snatched by others, then in Lie Xin’s terms, he could f*ck off and die.
But given the current situation, Saruman Snake’s members were prepared now. Forget about taking tags, they might not even be able to protect their own tags. These people were stirred up.
“Wang Zheng has said so as well. Don’t get ahead of yourselves. If there is danger, surrender. The mountain is green, and firewood aplenty,” Achilles quoted. Some things still had to be said. They really had to keep their heads down now. They would receive no mercy.
The rest nodded. The atmosphere in the cabin was extremely stifling.
At the Royal College, once everyone boarded the planes, the four girls were also shocked.
“Oh, if there was a guy who dared to do that for me, I would marry him,” Qian Xuedie exclaimed. “In all these years of my life, I have never seen anyone who dared to talk to the Prime Minister like that.”
Kashawen was not only influential in the Milky Way Alliance, but her threat within Aslan was even more severe.
“I really did not expect Wang Zheng to go so hard. It’s really not smart, equivalent to digging his own grave. Must be Her Highness Aina who told him,” Ouyang Ruoliu said. She had also suspected that their love had been interfered with by the royal family. That was normal, but perhaps counter-productive and excessive. If the royal family had not intervened, their interest might have waned, but the more they blocked it, the more intense it grew. “Too naive. Dong Er, looks like he won’t be able to finish the agreement with you.”
The situation was obvious to see. Forget the fighters, even she could feel that something wrong with the situation. This was the crowd mentality, and she had suspected this was Kashawen’s hand as well. Why would they have to limit Ability X? That was Wang Zheng’s greatest support. Without it, they could simply wear him out. The worst thing was that he would be alone and without support.
