Cosmic Demon

Chapter 164 The top competition officially begins, with powerful opponents with combat power exceeding one billion!
Zhou Yuanchen's appearance made the many contestants gathered on the wide lawn feel a heavy pressure that seemed to be real.

Behind him was a helicopter taking off, its propeller spinning rapidly, creating strong wind pressure that made grass clippings dance wildly and clothes roll.

But the favorite to win the championship stood straight and motionless, and his surging vitality burst out like flames, distorting the surrounding space.

"Zhou Yuanchen... I remember he has already graduated from Qiguang Hengda, how can he still participate in the competition! Isn't this just a stunt?"

Among the crowd of people, questioning voices were heard.

The vitality radiates from the inside out, indicating that Zhou Yuanchen's "seed" has been nurtured to the extreme and is about to condense into a crystal.

You only need to take one more step to become a professional martial artist and even win a title.

There's no reason to put a newcomer of this level into the top 100 pool.

"He is old enough and just barely made it to the line, so he didn't violate any rules. However, the Wushu Association has changed the rules this time, and they will place people in different areas based on their vitality. Zhou Yuanchen is expected to go directly into the core circle of the Great Rift Valley."

Someone who was well-informed took the initiative to explain.

"The Martial Arts Association is finally here to help. The wilderness trial is already dangerous, and now there's a ferocious dragon crossing the river. We can just give up the competition."

Some people secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The top three in the top 100 competition will have the richest rewards, but the difficulty also increases.

Many contestants actively participate, not aiming to win the championship, but just want to achieve a relatively outstanding ranking so as to get extra points in the college entrance examination.

Such high-profile, open competitions, led by government agencies, have always used college entrance examination bonus points as a basic reward to stimulate top students from major universities to sign up enthusiastically.

"By the way, have you seen the heir of the Nanhuang Dojo?"

Suddenly someone asked.

Just like a stone causing a thousand ripples, the crowd of people looked around and stared at each other.

"You also 'took orders'?"

"How can I not take advantage of this free gift?"

"The Ying family is very generous. As long as we stop the heir of the Nanhuang Taoist Temple, we will give him cultivation resources. If we cause him damage or eliminate him, we will directly get a contract worth over 1.5 billion..."

As they whispered to each other, everyone's attention was diverted from Zhou Yuanchen and they began to look for Qin Shi.

"That kid named Qin has stolen my limelight. For the sake of 1.7 billion, forget it."

Zhou Yuanchen thought that his posture of standing with his hands in his pockets was handsome and impressive enough to attract the stares of these mediocre people, who looked up at him in worship. However, he did not expect that everyone was more concerned about the successor of Nanhuang Taoist Temple.

Eyes crossed, converged, and passed on, like a gurgling stream rushing towards the estuary, and finally fell on the tall figure wearing a long windbreaker and holding a black-scabbarded red-handled saber.

"The third-level bulletproof vest of the Patrol Department has a stab-proof lining. This guy has a license, so his quality is pretty good."

Some people had sharp eyes and could tell that Qin Shi was fully armed.

"What about that knife? It's not made of some high-grade alloy material, is it? The dead iron tactical straight knife used exclusively by the legion?"

Someone asked secretly, evaluating this heir of Nanhuang Dojo who was put on a bounty by the Ying family and became the only target of the Top 100 Competition.

"It doesn't look like that. It seems that Ying's money is easy to make."

Some people looked at him for a long time and felt that Qin Shi looked harmless and not threatening.

"The competition hasn't even started yet, and more than half of the contestants have become my enemies."

Faced with numerous looks that were mixed with scrutiny or malicious intent, Qin Shi remained quite calm.

He had learned from the "Sha Sha Ma" app that Ying had issued a "reward" and used the method of throwing money around to win over a large number of top 100 contestants.

Nanhuang Taoist Temple was relatively silent about this blatant act of spending money. Although Third Senior Sister Yu Weiwei, Fourth Senior Brother Nie Zongwen, and Eighth Senior Sister Jian Yuzhu, who was said to be a small wealthy woman, were willing to confront the Ying family, they were stopped by Qin Shi.

This behavior is meaningless. To the "Nine Clans" of the highest class in Dongxia, wealth is almost a blank check that can be filled out at will.

Emptying the Nanhuang Gym's savings just to make the top 100 competition fairer is not worth it.

Before he set out, he met Lao Zhang, who admired his move very much. He said that a truly strong person must have the courage and guts to break through everything.

"Is this person the last disciple of Nanhuang Dojo?"

Zhou Yuanchen, who was standing alone in the front row, was also looking at Qin Shi, who stood out in the crowd.

"His physique, aura, and spirit... are more than one level stronger than these mediocre guys. Although we haven't fought each other, judging from his overall qualities, he can be called a powerful opponent worth a billion!"

He couldn't help but be full of expectations. Looking at the entire central city, there were not many geniuses at the billion level.

"Except for Qin Shi, the true disciple of the Nanhuang Dojo, there are also Ji Yuqi and Pei Han from Qiguang Hengda, who are almost all at this level."

Zhou Yuanchen raised the corner of his mouth. On the path of martial arts, who doesn't want to have an equally strong enemy to serve as a whetstone to sharpen oneself and improve one's cultivation?

If you walk alone on the road to heaven with a bright future, you will not only feel lonely but also lack motivation.

But if there are more followers and peers compete together, it will motivate people to move forward and strive to be the best.

"Contestants please be quiet."

The black-faced man in combat uniform stood like an iron tower. His voice was powerful and loud, like rolling thunder, making everyone's eardrums bulge and buzz.

Just from the vigor in his voice, it is not difficult to judge that this man is a professional martial artist.

"With the Ghost Crying Rift Valley two hundred miles away as the battlefield, we have divided it into three areas: the outer circle, the middle layer, and the core. In the next two hours, you will be deployed to different areas.

According to the vitality score, you will enter different areas and complete the mission. "

The black-faced man must be a soldier. He was decisive in what he said and did. He pointed at the hundreds of tactical backpacks piled up like a small mountain and said in a loud voice:

"It contains water bags, anti-radiation drugs, and the oldest positioning tool, a portable compass. As for rations, there are protein bars and nutritional paste for less than two days.

There is no time requirement. As long as you can complete the task and break through this big rift in one day, you will be considered the winner.

There is a task manual in the backpack interlayer, which records in detail the materials you need to collect. Look carefully, each one is related to points.

The person with the highest score at the end will be the top 100 and the overall champion of Hengzhou... Now, line up and get your tactical backpack!"

All the contestants are top students and outstanding individuals from major universities or government agencies.

They quickly lined up, picked up tactical backpacks of the same weight, checked resources on the spot, and looked through the mission manual.

After all, paper texts are easily damaged and difficult to preserve, so it is best to remember them in your mind so that you don’t forget what the task is.

The black-faced man glanced at the crowd. Everyone was very orderly and efficient. After receiving the tactical backpacks, they immediately opened them and counted the water bags, anti-radiation drugs and individual combat rations.

He could not help but nod his head. These contestants were indeed elites in the martial arts field, and their overall quality was quite high. He believed that after this wilderness trial, many good talents would emerge to challenge the professional level.

Qin Shi was in the middle of the line. He picked up the tactical backpack on the ground, then sat on the ground and opened it to check.

Just as the black-faced man said, there weren't many things, only enough to sustain survival for two to three days.

In other words, unless he breaks through the Great Rift within this period of time, completes the final mission, and ends the trial assessment.

Otherwise, you have to consider how to survive in the wild.

"For me, it's no problem. I can even digest Third Senior Sister's dark cuisine. With the [Overgrowth] achievement characteristic, I can survive by eating dirt."

Qin Shi flipped through the task manual, which recorded the three major areas: the periphery, the middle level, and the core, and the materials that needed to be collected for each area.

"Crystal cluster cores, flesh and blood active glands... they are all rare items."

Qin Shi estimated that he should have landed in the outer area close to the middle layer. Judging from his vitality alone, he was indeed not outstanding, just over 70 points, almost 80 points. Among all the players in the top 100 competition, he was barely in the middle level.

Compared with Zhou Yuanchen's ninety-nine points, Ji Yuqi's ninety-two points, and Pei Han's ninety points, the gap is quite large.

These favorites to win the championship may be directly deployed to core areas to face more challenging and difficult tasks.

Qin Shi was thinking about how to break through the Great Rift Valley and reach the core area when several young men and women who knew each other approached him. The long-haired man in the lead was called Wang Xuan. He smiled kindly:
"Hey, buddy. I'm Wang Xuan, a junior from the Martial Arts Department of Qiguangheng University. Are you interested in forming a team? According to the rules, if you want to get extra points for the college entrance examination, you must at least pass the middle level. We have strength in numbers, so there is hope only if we stick together!"

Qin Shi wanted to scratch his head. He didn’t know whether this brother was ill-informed or had evil intentions and was acting on purpose.

"Are you sure you want to team up with me? Are you sure you want to go up against at least fifty contestants?"

Wang Xuan was stunned for a moment and asked in confusion:
"What do you mean by that, bro?"

Qin Shi shrugged and said:
"Didn't you hear me just now? I am the successor of the Nanhuang Dojo that they are talking about. Half of the contestants in the top 100 competition would rather give up the rewards and extra points in the college entrance examination to kick me out.

So it will be much more difficult for you to team up with me than for you to hide in the middle area with your group."

Wang Xuan's face changed slightly. As expected, when their small group approached Qin, they instantly attracted many people's attention, some openly and some secretly.

"Brother, you're on your own! I can't afford to offend you..."

He and other teammates left in a hurry.

In addition to dealing with the dependent creatures of the Great Rift Valley and the deformed natives, he also had to deal with a total of fifty contestants.

The difficulty is comparable to hell!
If we deploy them in the core areas, it might be better, after all, there are fewer people and they won't face siege.

But if you land in the outer area, there is a high probability of encountering large-scale "group hunting".

"That's right, stay away from me, it's safer."

Qin Shi grinned.

He had no intention of forming a team in the first place, and without a solid foundation of trust, his teammates would only become a nuisance and a burden.

"Team up?"

Just after Wang Xuan was sent away, someone else came over.

The other party was wearing plain glasses and was also fully armed, with the latest bulletproof vest and stab-proof suit. Apart from this combat equipment, he looked gentle and bookish.

"Qiguangheng University, Department of Martial Arts, senior student, Pei Han."

Qin Shi was surprised when he heard the other party's self-introduction.

He remembered that this person was also the favorite to win the championship and had the hope of competing with Zhou Yuanchen.

"We shouldn't be dropped into the same area."

Qin Shi's refusal was very clear.

"I can wait for you in the core area. I think it won't be difficult for you to get through the middle area with your ability. I know Lin from the psychic path, and she asked me to take care of her."

Pei Han spoke slowly and leisurely, as if no matter how big a matter happened, it would still be the same.

"Oh, Teacher Lin. No need, Senior Pei, the core area is very dangerous, you should just focus on accumulating points and strive for the first place."

Qin Shi has a bright smile and is very likable.

"Since Senior Pei knows Teacher Lin, if we meet in the core area later, I will definitely not refuse if I can help you."

Pei Han smiled, raised the corners of his mouth, and said gently:
"Then...thank you, classmate Qin. We'll meet again in the core area."

He had read Qin Shi's information and knew that his opponent's actual combat ability far exceeded his vitality value.

However, there is still a big gap between himself and the "reserve forces" including Ji Yuqi and Zhou Yuanchen who have touched the threshold of full-time level.

help?

Pei Han shook his head, thinking it was just the blind self-confidence of a young man.

For the next forty minutes, no one came to disturb Qin Shi.

"Rest complete!"

The black-faced man looked like a military instructor, his voice as loud as a bell:
"Those whose names are called, board transport plane number one! Zhou Yuanchen, Ji Yuqi, Pei Han..."

The popular contestants heading to the core area all followed instructions, stepped into the door of the transport plane, and sat down firmly.

Then the contestants who were dropped into the middle area began to report, and they filed into transport plane No. 2.

Not until the sun gradually sank below the horizon did it come to the outermost areas' turn.

Qin Shi counted the number of people and found that there were a total of one hundred contestants in the top 100 competition.

There are probably less than ten people who can enter the core area, and about thirty people in the middle area.

The rest are all in the outermost area.

"If you're not careful, you'll be attacked by a group of people as soon as you land. A good survival game in the wild will immediately turn into a battle royale, and the risk of being killed as soon as you land is very high."

Qin Shi carried a tactical backpack in his right hand and a perfect-grade electric shock saber in his left hand, and followed the large force to transport plane No. 3. He leaned tightly against the seat on the side of the cabin wall and fastened his seat belt.

The atmosphere was very depressing, and no one seemed to want to talk. They all closed their eyes and waited to reach the Great Rift Valley two hundred miles away.

……

……

At the command base not far away, Chen Ruofu and the head of the Education Commission, Fang Butang, were in charge. There were also two "examiners" from the central city, one of whom was a representative of the Wushu Association and the other was a representative of the Education Department.

"This time the Top 100 competition has mobilized a large number of people, and the Wushu Association must be under a lot of pressure. Representative Li, can you tell us how many death quotas you have obtained?"

Chen Ruofu tapped the table with his fingers. The three transport planes followed the set route and passed through the thick black clouds above the Great Rift Valley. In ten minutes, they would start dropping their cargo. He looked at the middle-aged man in a gray lapel suit, hoping to get an answer.

Representative Li silently stretched out a hand and then opened it.

"Five?"

Fang Butang breathed a sigh of relief. These good seedlings were all the "achievements" of the Education Commission.

If only five were lost, it would still be within acceptable range.

But Representative Li shook his head with difficulty and uttered two words:
"Fifty."

Fang Butang's eyes bulged, and he was inexplicably shocked:

"The Martial Arts Association has gone crazy! Fifty people? How am I going to explain this to the Education Department! This is considered a vicious incident, and the Dongxia Martial Arts Association will definitely hold them accountable!"

Representative Li said in a deep voice:

"We have obtained permission from the Wushu Association."

Fang Butang wanted to slam the table and turned his gaze to Representative Zhou from the Central City Education Department.

The latter was calm and composed, sipping his tea and speaking slowly:
"The Education Department has also agreed. Since we are restarting the wilderness trials, necessary sacrifices are inevitable if we want to achieve the same results as before.

A while ago, the military had just held a meeting, and they believed that the promotion and popularization of new weapons would certainly provide more fresh blood for the Great Expedition, but judging from the large and small encounters, raids, and army group operations in the past four hundred years, the combat power level and survival rate seemed to have declined.

Moreover, the number of new recruits who can be selected for the battle group is decreasing. The military boss has said that they do not want the war bases on the ancient stars to only have young soldiers. "

Chen Ruofu said with a sullen face:

"That's why the Martial Arts Association and the Education Department are willing to make an opening and use Hengzhou as a pilot to see if restarting the wilderness trials and using more cruel methods can hone out more powerful talents?"

Representative Li nodded and said:

"That's right. Two months later, the Fourth Regiment stationed at the border will arrive in Hengzhou.

The long-lasting blockade of Hengzhou will also be lifted on that day. We hope to let the military see that even the Fourth Regiment, which has the most stringent selection criteria, still recognizes the talented talents of Hengzhou. "

(End of this chapter)