Chapter 173 Climb to the Top in One Move

The unusual scene caught everyone’s attention.

No one would have imagined that such a change would happen just as the instructors were almost finished counting everyone’s military merits. People couldn’t help but speculate what was happening.

Bai Lingxi said softly, “The unexpected variable is here.”

Zhao Yin’s expression altered subtly and he forced a smile. “I don’t think so. It must be because the totem brute rune is so damaged that it’s difficult to determine the amount of military merit it is worth.”

As Zhao Yin was speaking, he seemed to have regained his confidence. “Look, the totem brute runes that Lin Xun had acquired could at most be exchanged for one thousand military merits. It’s wishful thinking if he thinks that he could compete for the top three spots.”

He became calm and composed like he had predicted that it would happen.

However, soon, when the instructor announced Lin Xun’s score, Zhao Yin was frozen to the spot.

“Lin Xun has obtained 1,309 military merits!”

The audience broke into an uproar, their eyes wide with disbelief.

“How is that possible? He clearly doesn't have as many totem brute runes as Bai Lingxi. Why did he receive exactly the same amount of military merits as her?”

“This...this is too unbelievable!”

“If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean that Lin Xun and Bai Lingxi are tied for first place in the war zone assessment?”

The students were in an uproar. They couldn't believe what they heard.

Even Shi Yu and Ning Meng were dumbfounded. They thought that Lin Xun would at most obtain a similar score to them, but who would have thought that he not only surpassed them but climbed to the top spot!

In other words, they had both lost to Lin Xun in the bet.

Zhao Yin’s expression rapidly changed. If Lin Xun indeed achieved that score, he would drop from the third spot to the fourth!

Zhao Yin completely didn’t expect that to happen.

Not only the students were in disbelief, but the instructors counting the military merits and the Black Wind Army generals also couldn’t remain calm.

Their gazes turned strange as they looked at Lin Xun. But they all knew that the score that they had given Lin Xun was already the minimum.

If it was according to real military merit, Lin Xun would have even a higher score based on his military merits!

Everything was due to the badly damaged totem brute rune. It was only found on level-2 elite brute soldiers.

A level-2 brute soldier was equivalent to an expert at the intermediate Spirit Dipper Stage!

According to the empire’s reward standard, the assassination of a level-2 brute soldiers could be exchanged for 300 military merits at a minimum and 800 at a maximum!

Therefore, after a short discussion, the instructors awarded Lin Xun the same military merit score as Bai Lingxi.

This was because the totem brute rune that Lin Xun had obtained was too unbelievable and could have sparked a lot of controversy. If he scored higher than Bai Lingxi, the controversy would be even more intense.

Lin Xun was equally dumbstruck. He had confidence in his military merits and wasn’t worried that he would lose the bet with Shi Yu and Ning Meng, but he never thought that he would climb to the top and be tied with Bai Lingxi.

However, he soon realized it was likely due to the totem brute rune he obtained from killing Shui Ying.

Amidst the uproar and clamor of discussion, the military merit assessment had come to an end, and Lin Xun and Bai Lingxi were tied for first place.

The second place was Li Duxing. This was indisputable.

It was only a little awkward for Zhao Yin who was supposed to be ranked third. However, now that Lin Xun had taken the joint top spot, he was dropped to the fourth place.

“That’s the unexpected variable.” Bai Lingxi uttered as she turned around and left.

Zhao Yin’s expression changed indefinitely. He felt extremely uncomfortable like he had swallowed a fly. Lin Xun is the one who caused all this!

“You want to tie for first place with Bai Lingxi? You have to ask I, Zhao Yin, first!”

Zhao Yin fumed in his heart. He had decided to wait for an opportunity to teach Lin Xun a lesson after returning to Blood Kill Camp, so that Lin Xun would fully understand the gap between them.

Lin Xun had never thought that his assessment score would spark hatred from Zhao Yin. It was definitely an underserved catastrophe.

But some matters were absurd and full of unpredictable changes.

“You lost. You owe me a bottle of Floating Light Sky Wine.” Dong Lu smiled triumphantly.

Song Ling snorted, his face devoid of emotions but his heart was filled with complicated feelings. How could a True Martial youngster kill a level-two brute soldier?

How great of a stir would this incident cause if it were to spread out?

However, Song Ling knew that the students’ scores in Blood Kill Camp was a top secret of the empire. They were not allowed to leak their scores to anyone else.

……

The war zone assessment that had been going on for three months had finally come to an end.

Some people were eliminated and some were killed on Demon Cloud Ridge. Only a total of forty-two students remained in the camp.

After the students’ military merits were assessed one by one, the Blood Kill Camp instructors didn’t rest. They immediately took the forty-two students who had passed the assessment onto the battleship and left Black Wind Army Camp that evening.

On the battleship.

Shi Yu and Ning Meng were very quiet. They furtively glanced at Lin Xun from time to time like they were looking at a monster.

Lin Xun couldn’t stand it anymore and said helplessly, “Do you two have something to say?”

Shi Yu coughed out loud and uttered weakly, “Uh, I lost the bet, but do I really have to owe you one thousand gold coins…”

Lin Xun immediately raised his brows. “Do you want to go back on your words?”

Shi Yu hurriedly shook his head. “That’s not it. I just need some time to raise such a huge amount of money. You know that it isn’t a small amount. It’s equivalent to one hundred thousand silver coins and ten million copper coins. Given my current powers, it’s really hard to gather together that amount on such short notice.”

He looked very embarrassed. As the third son of Fortune God Shi, it was indeed humiliating if he couldn’t pay the amount he owed from a bet.

Lin Xun said bluntly, “Simple, sign a written promise to pay back the debt.”

Shi Yu nodded reluctantly, “That’s what I should do.”

Lin Xun turned to look at Ning Meng, only to see him mumbling in embarrassment, “That…I…actually…”

Lin Xun said angrily, “Do you also want to sign a written promise?”

Ning Meng readily agreed. He nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.

Lin Xun couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t actually take the bet seriously.

Of course, Lin Xun felt very proud to defeat the two.

“By the way, how did you do that?”

Ning Meng suddenly asked. He had been trying to solve the puzzlement in his mind and so he couldn't hold back from asking Lin Xun anymore.

Shi Yu also looked at Lin Xun curiously.

Lin Xun only said “secret” to the two and it made them speechless. Since Lin Xun didn’t want to say anything, they also didn’t question him further.

……

A few days later.

Lin Xun and the other forty-two students didn’t receive a warm welcome when they returned to Blood Kill Camp. Instead, they were ordered to return to their respective campgrounds as soon as they arrived.

The instructors responsible for bringing them back, such as Dong Lu, rushed to report back to Xu Sanqi.

After returning to his respective campground, Lin Xun headed straight to Old Mo’s warehouse.

The warehouse was empty and quiet. Xiaoman wasn’t around and Old Mo was gone. As he stood alone in the warehouse and gazed at the familiar place, he couldn’t help feeling a little emotional.

After standing in silence for a moment, Lin Xun lay down on a bench. His many experiences in Blood Kill Camp flashed across his mind.

A wave of fatigue washed over him and he closed his eyes.

He had been caught in countless fierce battles during his three months on Demon Cloud Ridge. His mind was always tense and he was constantly injured, and he even fell into life threatening danger many times.

His mind instantly relaxed now that he had returned. He was able to have a comfortable good sleep.

Meanwhile, in the central campground of Blood Kill Camp.

After Xu Sanqi patiently listened to the assessment situation on Demon Cloud Ridge, his expression altered subtly and he couldn't help but ask, “Are you sure Lin Xun killed the level-2 brute soldier by himself?”

The instructors who went to Demon Cloud Ridge with the students all nodded.

They didn’t know how Lin Xun did it, but they were certain that no one helped him in the assessment.

“Maybe he ran into a heavily wounded level-two brute soldier by chance.” Xiaoke said casually.

Many instructors nodded. They also had the same thought. After all, it was too unbelievable for a True Martial youngster to kill a level-two brute soldier.

Only that explanation made complete sense.

“Why would a Magi Brute expert of that level appear on Demon Cloud Ridge?” Xu Sanqi asked another key question.

“I heard from Song Ling that the Water Tribe was planning something, but we don’t exactly know what,” answered Dong Lu.

Xu Sanqi frowned. “Never mind. The assessment is over. It isn’t necessary to think about it anymore. Xiaoke, have a chat with Lin Xun when you return to the campground. But if he doesn’t want to tell you, you don’t need to force him.”

Xiaoke nodded.

“Everyone, the war zone assessment is over and a total of forty-two students are left. The Blood Kill Camp training will end in three months.”

Xu Sanqi drew a deep breath, his expression imposing and cold. “In the remaining time, we have to do one thing, and that is to eliminate another twelve students from the remaining forty-two!”

All the instructors stared at him blankly and couldn’t understand his reason.

Xu Sanqi quickly explained, “Because the Dipper Transformation Lake…can only take thirty students!”