DHMB - Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Kai Yun's saber was pressed under her backpack. Seeing the other party make a move, she first carefully placed her bag on the ground to avoid breaking the eggs inside, then pressed the saber hilt and assumed a defensive stance.
Lei Kaiding's anger intensified. Just as he was about to make a move, his teammate reached out and pressed his wrist, suppressing his attack.
Lei Kaiding turned his head and said angrily, "What are you doing? Are you still going to be gentle with women in the tournament?"
The boy with the watermelon haircut smiled at Kai Yun, then pulled Lei Kaiding, signaling him to step aside and talk.
Lei Kaiding was reluctant, but wanting to save face for his teammate, he followed.
"What's up?"
The two whispered.
Watermelon Head said, "Remember that double points sign above the swamp area?"
The only sign in the arena that offered extra points. They had accidentally looked up and seen it while rolling in the mud.
Lei Kaiding glared, "Haven't you tried enough with that thing? Going there again will cost you your life!"
The sign was tightly stuck in a tree, but the problem was that the tree was surrounded by mud pits, and countless beehives hung from the branches. They tried several times but couldn't even touch the trunk, falling directly into the trap.
Coupled with the fact that there were other examinees around at the time causing trouble just for the fun of it, the difficulty was too great. Finally, they ran out of energy and reluctantly decided to give up on that card.
There was no other way. The double points sign wasn't meant for ordinary students; it was like the last question on an exam, prepared exclusively for top students.
Lei Kaiding's team was equipped with various types of members, but they lacked a teammate specializing in Lightness Skill. They really hadn't expected that the points sign in this exam area would test Lightness Skill techniques.
According to records, in previous years, the tests were mostly about strength or intelligence, for example, the points sign would be placed under a giant rock or attached to a mutated creature. Things like that.
However, precisely because it tested Lightness Skill and the surrounding area was a mud pit where falling in still offered a chance to get out, it gave many examinees the illusion of "I can do this," helping to distract the attention of most teams and allowing them a chance to escape pursuit.
It truly embodied the saying, "Misfortune is what fortune leans upon..."
"Exactly, that one!" Watermelon Head winked and said, "Her Lightness Skill is good, remember?"
Lei Kaiding's eyebrows rose, instantly understanding. A knowing, sinister smile appeared on his face, then quickly vanished. He pressed his lips down, adopting a posture of righteousness.
"So, are we cooperating or..."
Watermelon Head turned his back to the camera and made a throat-slitting gesture, signaling to discard the donkey after it had ground the flour.
Lei Kaiding smiled slightly again but said nothing. Watermelon Head indicated he understood.
Lei Kaiding cleared his throat and said loudly, "Our team is already overburdened from the previous clashes. If we can get the double points, we still have a chance to push into the leading group of the tournament with the high score advantage from this round. Although I don't really like cooperating with her, for the sake of the team, I am willing to temporarily endure!"
Then, upon achieving the goal, they would turn hostile and take revenge without acknowledging the prior agreement. Anyway, killing her sooner or later would yield the same points, but it would allow Kai Yun to experience the feeling of betrayal after struggling, making it more painful, more cruel, and deeper.
Only this way could he soothe his currently wounded soul.
At this moment, another teammate said, "But she runs so fast. What if she takes the points sign and just leaves?"
Lei Kaiding said disdainfully, "Buddy, there are six of us! We'll feign support and spread out. If we can't even stop her like that, what's the point of fighting in the tournament?"
Watermelon Head also said, "Does she look like she can fight? Even if she gets the double points sign, it's useless if she doesn't get kills. Zero points doubled is still zero points. Why would she take the risk of being chased by the six of us to do that?"
That teammate looked at Kai Yun's figure, was instantly convinced, and nodded, saying, "Alright then."
Kai Yun waited boredly. Over there, Lei Kaiding finally returned with his teammates.
Kai Yun asked, "Finished discussing?"
"It's like this, we can temporarily put aside our grievances and talk about cooperation with you," Lei Kaiding said. "You're here because you're worried about encountering other examinees and being chased, right? I know, a girl, especially one without teammates, is very dangerous in the tournament. The fact that you've survived until now proves your strength isn't simple, but it won't be easy to go further. Caution alone isn't enough; you also need combat power. I guess you don't have that, right?"
Kai Yun responded vaguely.
"We found the double points sign for this round, but it's stuck in a tree, and we can't get it down," Lei Kaiding said. "As long as you can help us get the points sign, we'll safely escort you to the finish line. If we encounter other examinees along the way, we can even give you a few kills to help you advance to the next round. It's mutually beneficial, no one owes anyone anything."
Kai Yun looked at him steadily for a while. "Double points sign?"
"Yes, that's right. There are still many students around there. Neither you nor our team can get away unscathed by acting alone. But if we join forces, there might be a chance. You just need to go up and get the sign, and we'll cover your retreat," Lei Kaiding said, crossing his arms with a proud look. "Our team's combat power is among the best in this exam area. You saw it just now... uh... maybe you didn't see it, but anyway, even if dozens of people surround us, protecting one person to escape is no problem. How about it?"
Kai Yun said, "Really? But he said he wanted to kill me earlier. Won't he harm me halfway?"
Watermelon Head was amused and said, "Little sister, our captain not making a move directly is already showing sincerity. Otherwise, if he had thrown a punch, you wouldn't have had a chance to draw your saber at all. If we wanted to kill you, couldn't we kill you now?"
Kai Yun, in a tone of great admiration, dragged out a long "Oh—" with her mouth open.
Lei Kaiding felt her "Oh" was somewhat ambiguous and threatened, "Hey, what's it going to be? If we can't be teammates, we're opponents, so don't blame us for being impolite."
Kai Yun thought for a moment before replying. She smiled kindly at him and nodded, saying, "Okay."
Lei Kaiding didn't expect her to be so agreeable. This saved them trouble. Suppressing his joy, he said, "Then let's go."
Near the mud pit trap, the number of students had significantly decreased. Everyone had their considerations. After all, there was a time limit. Instead of wasting time on the double points that showed no progress, it was better to go out and steadily accumulate points. There was still a long distance to the finish line, and it would be embarrassing if they didn't even reach the finish line by the time limit.
Lei Kaiding quietly approached, found a spot to hide in the dark, pointed out the general direction to Kai Yun, and also mentioned the large number of beehives on the tree, telling her to be extremely careful not to disturb the swarm.
Kai Yun crouched down, staring intently at the towering tree.
Lei Kaiding observed her expression, gaining nothing. He asked in a low voice, "Can you do it or not?"
Kai Yun glanced at him, held up two fingers, signaling him to be quiet, then without a word, she gathered her strength and rushed out from the cover.
The students below the tree felt a sudden rush of wind behind them. They instinctively turned their heads and saw Kai Yun pushing off the ground at the edge, leaping and soaring over the large mud pit.
Her jumping height wasn't high, but she could fly far. Her perfect mid-air suspension successfully carried her to the target location.
Kai Yun clung tightly to the trunk with her hands and feet. Although her Lightness Skill techniques were already at their peak, the resulting tremor still caused the heavy beehives hanging on the tree to sway. Immediately, a dense swarm of large mutated bees flew out, covering their nests. The spectacular sight looked like patches of black clouds covering the tree.
Lei Kaiding's heart leaped. He pulled up his collar to cover his mouth and shrank his neck, retreating a little, ready to run at any moment.
They had witnessed the power of these mutated bees. They were numerous, highly venomous, and difficult to kill. If they were surrounded by a swarm, it would definitely be the most miserable way to die.
Considering the bees' pursuit range, if they were disturbed, the examinees within this distance would likely not be able to escape.
The group of students below the tree also scattered, lest they be affected. They weren't foolish enough to go and cause trouble now and perish together with everyone else. Instead, they retreated in various directions, preparing to contend for the prize later.
Lei Kaiding stared intently ahead, worried that Kai Yun might make a mistake and fail. However, Kai Yun's expression didn't change. She held her breath and remained motionless, hanging on the tree.
The mutated bees flew for a while. It seemed they didn't detect any danger and found new spots to land.
The crisis passed, and everyone let out a long sigh of relief, still feeling lingering fear.
Afterward, Kai Yun slowly climbed up. Amidst a heart-stopping moment, she successfully pulled the points card from the tree.
Her breathing remained steady, her eyes clear and firm, without any panic. The students around, however, broke out in a cold sweat first.
Fortunately, things went smoothly.
Lei Kaiding curled his lips into a smile, greatly relieved by his wise decision earlier. At the same time, he winked at his teammates, signaling them to prepare to cover Kai Yun's retreat.
The moment Kai Yun jumped back to the shore, the fierce battle was fully ignited.
The students who had been lurking earlier swarmed forward, ready to snatch the prize. Lei Kaiding issued a command and led his teammates out as well.
In the chaotic scene, Kai Yun quietly put away the points card and was grabbed by Lei Kaiding, who had arrived shortly after, and pulled behind him.
Kai Yun obediently followed him, quietly observing his skills and strength from behind.
Lei Kaiding seemed to genuinely regard her as an ordinary student incapable of self-defense. He exerted himself to the utmost, displaying his boxing techniques to protect her absolute safety.
Kai Yun's view was obstructed, and she couldn't see very clearly. She only caught glimpses of saber and sword glints deflected by the force of his punches through the gaps.
Although internal energy is formless, it can distort and ripple the air, causing the scenery to become blurry. She could see a faint layer of protective energy surrounding him, and at the same time, she could feel Lei Kaiding's internal energy rapidly depleting.
Everyone was only surrounding him, seemingly convinced that if they eliminated him alone, there would be no one in their team capable of taking Kai Yun away. In this situation, it was difficult for his teammates to provide cover for him.
Frankly speaking, Lei Kaiding's boxing was indeed excellent. The force of his punches was sharp and powerful, his reaction speed was agile and quick, and his muscular physique didn't make him seem clumsy at all.
He had almost no weaknesses; he was a well-rounded competitor.
More importantly, he was very resolute.
Yes, it should be called resolute. Even though the force of his punches was strong, he was still bare-handed, facing a group of frenzied attacking examinees. He hadn't gone far before his arms were covered in wounds, bloody and mangled. Yet, he only gasped a few times and continued to use his hands to block attacks for Kai Yun. He kept his back straight, not letting others see his weakness.
Such stubbornness made even Kai Yun admire him.
Although... although his original intention wasn't to protect her.
However, the collective anger was hard to quell. Lei Kaiding's team was already very tired from the earlier struggles. As the target of everyone's wrath, it was ultimately difficult to reverse the unfavorable situation. The situation was too disadvantageous for them.
Lei Kaiding weighed the options for a moment and finally decided to take a risk: sacrifice Kai Yun and the points sign first to let the enemy consume themselves internally. Once the number of opponents decreased, they would come out and reap the benefits. Perhaps they could even snatch a few kill points during the chaos, killing two birds with one stone.
Lei Kaiding was impressed by his own cleverness and immediately took action. He pretended to make an unintentional mistake, exposing Kai Yun behind him, giving the surrounding examinees a chance to strike.
As a result, Kai Yun was like a clingy piece of chewing gum, sticking tightly to him, moving with his actions, always standing in his blind spot, forcing him to defend.
That feeling was truly prickly and suffocating.
Lei Kaiding tried several times without success. Unable to do anything, he shouted, "Little sister, you attack from the left, I'll have Tutu cover you!"
Kai Yun glanced to the left, still sticking close behind him, and said, "No, I'm scared."
Lei Kaiding said, "Don't be scared, isn't your Lightness Skill good? We'll tear open a gap for you, and you can take the opportunity to get out. They definitely won't catch up to you!"
Kai Yun still shook her head and said softly, "No, I can't overcome it. I'm super scared of places with knives and guns. To be honest, I've never seen so many people."
Lei Kaiding almost spat out old blood. "Then why did you come to participate in the tournament?!"
Kai Yun: "To recruit citizens."
Lei Kaiding: "What?"
Kai Yun: "Citizens."
Lei Kaiding's ears were filled with wind, and he couldn't hear what she was saying at all, nor did he have time to discern her meaning. His mind was filled with how to break through the encirclement.
Just then, the girl who had just said she was super scared found a gap and slipped away.
Like a wild horse unbridled, she was gone and didn't return. She even left a high-profile message: "Little brother, I'll wait for you at our agreed spot! You must come after me!"
Lei Kaiding was a beat slow before realizing he had been used. He cursed loudly, "Damn it! Chase her!"
The opposing attack paused for a moment, then surged towards him even more fiercely.
Lei Kaiding was caught off guard and severely injured. While retreating, he was so angry his face turned red, and he cursed, "Are you blind?! Didn't you see the person with the points sign left?!"
A boy shouted, "They're in cahoots, don't be fooled by them! Kill them first!"
Lei Kaiding said anxiously, "Damn it! Didn't you see our uniforms are different?! We were fooled too!"
Everyone's eyes were already red with bloodlust:
"Aren't you First Military Academy and Alliance Military University birds of a feather?"
"We're not blind or deaf. Do you think I didn't hear just now?"
"I don't even want this points sign anymore. You tricked me once this morning and you're tricking me again now. Do you think I'm stupid? I'm killing you!"
Lei Kaiding felt like spitting blood. "Are you all crazy?!"
What he didn't know was that facing this scene, the audience in the live stream uniformly left a comment:
"Karma..."
Finally, Lei Kaiding reluctantly sacrificed two teammates to cover their retreat, and only then did he shake off the pursuers in the complex forest terrain and catch up to Kai Yun, who seemed to be running out of stamina and had slowed down.
Kai Yun also noticed them and voluntarily slowed down, maintaining a not-too-far, not-too-close distance, waiting for them to adjust their state.
Lei Kaiding exchanged a look with Watermelon Head, confirming their agreement.
Watermelon Head nodded his chin, signaling him to go. Lei Kaiding wiped his nose, decided to make a move, and was about to quicken his pace to sneak attack when Kai Yun suddenly stopped and turned around.
Lei Kaiding's body tensed up due to his guilty conscience. He asked, "What are you doing?"
"Let's eat first," Kai Yun said after thinking for a moment.
Lei Kaiding was stunned, thinking he had misheard.
"Eat?"
"Yeah," Kai Yun said as she put down her backpack. "Maybe it's everyone's last supper."
"Are you going offline? Didn't you put nutrient solution in your simulator?" Watermelon Head looked at the time and said, "Besides, if we're eating, it should be lunch, right?"
"I mean..." Kai Yun rummaged through her bag and pulled out a bag of rice. She enthusiastically invited, "Eat this."
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