Chapter 828
Chapter 828 - 814 Qualified?
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This time, when the Flaming Knight came again, even the dull-witted examinees knew something was amiss.
He raised his fist of flame.
This strike seemed truly capable of shattering stars.
The explosion of flames burst from the center, the earth trembled, and when the smoke cleared, all that remained was a circle of scorched earth.
"...What if this strike had hit?"
Though the strike seemed to have missed, if it had really hit...
Fear brought about the instinct to survive; the silent monsters never uttered a word from beginning to end, cutting off any possibility of communication and bringing more helplessness and dread.
Perhaps some had guessed something... but could they entrust their lives to guesses?
The knight didn’t use weapons because unless it was with a desire to kill, overly powerful weapons would become his shackles... the flames covered his arms, and "Elemental Binding Hand" was effortlessly and stably successful.
The overflowing thermal energy transformed into a terrifying force, "Rocket Punch" and "Missile Martial Arts" had actually become reality.
The strongest combatant in the team clashed head-on with him, and then in an instant, was pressed into the ground. The "Assassins" hiding behind the combatant didn’t even get a chance to get closer before they were slapped away.
"What kind of monster is this? The previous defensive power and flames were already outrageous, and now there’s this physical force..."
In a desperate situation, some tried to resist, some tried to flee... but there was no difference in front of a serious Flaming Knight.
The professional who ran the farthest, when he showed a relieved smile, thinking he had escaped to safety...
That was the sound of a "little stone" being pressed into the ground.
"Rocket Boots" brought explosive speed, allowing the Flaming Knight’s short-term linear speed to far exceed that of an ordinary third-tier Runner.
A monster that couldn’t be outrun, overpowered, or even breached in defense, how could it be dealt with? The answer was it couldn’t.
The sound this time was that of several Holy Water bottles being smashed. Perhaps they were no longer of much use now, but this was at least a gesture.
And when the professionals confirmed that the Holy Water was indeed ineffective, they fell into despair.
Effort, collaboration, struggle, bursts of power, risking their lives... they brought out everything they had, trying to find a way to survive, but in front of this seemingly flawless monster, it all seemed meaningless.
Attacks were ineffective, escape speeds inadequate, and desperate strikes couldn’t even breach the defense. The battlefield became a crushing display of absolute power.
One by one, the combatants were knocked down, then maliciously stuck into the earth, and the fate of the fugitives was no different. In this inescapable battlefield, after a few minutes, the ground was littered with "corpses."
Only a college girl stood trembling in the original place, completely afraid to move... Strangely, the giant really seemed to ignore her.
"No one died, huh..."
"...As expected, it’s too outrageous. Such a strongman actually acting as..."
Finally, speculation was confirmed by fact, the reality that no one died was the best clue.
The metallic giant pointed out his finger toward a target.
"You, are qualified. You have been leading the team all this time, seeking a way to survive even in desperate times, especially at the end. Trying to use others as bait to lead the remaining people to escape may look ugly, but indeed, it’s a quality that an Explorer needs."
The synthesized metallic voice was somewhat stiff yet inexplicably familiar.
He didn’t wait for a response and pointed his finger at the next person.
"You barely passed. Your regeneration ability and toughness are adequate, and the frontline really needs cannon fodder like you, but remember to bring your brain next time."
"Although you’re a bit weak, your will is strong, your fighting spirit is sufficient, and barely..."
"I am an invigilator...." The poor sap covered his face, truly "passing" the test would mean he no longer had to show his face.
At this, seeing the unlucky guy lying on the ground, Lu Ping’an also fell silent for a second, then pointed his finger at the next target.
The situation was quite delicate for a moment, not because the invigilator was really all show and no substance... when Lu Ping’an erupted with full force, ordinary Law Professionals didn’t even have the chance to use all their abilities and were thus "underestimated".
Since they were all taken down with a single punch, from an outsider’s perspective, there was no essential difference.
When the gap in strength reaches a certain level, the weaker don’t even get a chance to show what they can do. That is the fundamental reason for the existence of invigilators: they need time to observe to determine the quality and caliber of the candidates, but clearly, Lu Ping’an didn’t plan on playing it slow.
He pointed out one by one, identifying five qualified candidates—all more miserable than the last... The will to resist to the end is the most necessary quality for an Explorer, and naturally, they also ended up being the most battered.
No one objected. Strength is the most convincing name card, and although he hadn’t revealed his true face, just this absurd combat ability alone made people suspect he was a veteran Strongman... but many (non-Ancient City people) racked their brains and couldn’t imagine such a famous fighter would fight this way.
Flame, brute force, heavy equipment—obviously that of a terrifying battlefield killing machine—should have been well-known by now.
And the ones he pointed to, one after another, showed joy and delight... Being qualified was one thing, but being recognized by a true Strongman was a great honor for any professional.
But when it came to the sixth, someone gasped, because that person was just too outrageous...
Fang Lingguo’s mouth hung open, her face full of disbelief. She had managed to hold on until now only because someone had gone easy on her. Could it be that Young Lu... Brother Lu intended to give her another break?
"You, don’t qualify! Absolutely do not qualify! Go back and train hard. The training I arranged for you has been a waste; wait for me to file a report when I get back, wait for a retake of the combat class... senior."
The metal armor disassembled, and a far-too-young figure slid out from within.
Many people suddenly remembered—that’s the "little junior" who had been mingled in with the group earlier, right?
"I am Lu Ping’an, Lu Ping’an of ’may your journey be without mishap’."
This time, finally, someone recognized him... Lu Ping’an’s real name and title had a bit of fame in Changping State.
𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
After a brief self-introduction, Lu Ping’an disdainfully kicked the senior who was crying out, "No, don’t fail me, don’t make me flunk."
Even if she was a specialised talent, her base combat quality was almost zero; it’s better not to fool people with a temporary license.
Want to go to the Exotic Realm? Just accept academic employment and be a working stiff over there—in that case, someone will be responsible for your safety.
And Lu Ping’an’s threat was no empty talk. For this trip, Ancient City University had given Lu Ping’an mentor privileges, and they had linked this "test" and "combat class". Lu Ping’an merely had to file a report saying someone "severely lacks combat quality, recommend a repeat of the course." Don’t talk about failing—being held back a year was a possibility.
This was originally a tactic the mentors used to make the students obey Lu Ping’an, but now it had become his ace in the hole.
"I’ve cut too many classes (grave-digging), my credits are already in jeopardy. If you make me carry the can again, the other mentors will also give me failing grades, then I’ll really have to repeat the year and be your classmate... uh, still your senior."
This person was smug for no apparent reason, with not a hint of self-awareness, which made Lu Ping’an want to slap her a bit.
But time was limited now, so he started to herd people out.
With the Holy Water losing effect and the battlefield escalating, these candidates should have left long ago. Lu Ping’an’s actions were not excessive.
But as he was shooing people away, he left two behind.
The first was the one who had been identified first as "qualified"—the "Captain", that super Sentry likely to be a Scout.
"...I have a private commission here, interested? I can offer a Brass-level Taboo item as a reward."
In an instant, that person stopped in his tracks. What else to say—a Taboo item!
The next moment, Lu Ping’an’s gaze turned to his feet; he didn’t have much time and was in no mood for chit-chat.
"You want a License? You want credits? Fine, work for me using your genuine capabilities."
This Sister Fang, despite dragging her feet all the way, had a specialized skill in treasure-hunting, which was quite useful at this moment.
— End of Chapter 828 —