"Three Seventh Stage Black Forest Boas, Wang Ping, you and I will take them on, Little Yu, support from a distance!"
"Got it!"
…
"Ninth Stage Saw-Toothed Giant Bees! Damn, flying creatures are really hard to deal with, even if all of us attack together, we wouldn't be their match."
"Don't overthink it, just run!"
…
"Why did we encounter a wolf pack as soon as we got here? Is this teleportation point doing this on purpose to mess with us?"
"Isn't it because you guys talk so loudly? I told you to be quiet when we come out, but you just wouldn't listen!"
"Brother Hao, we should call for help directly, otherwise we're really going to become food for this pack of hungry wolves today!"
…
Most of the areas in the Secret Realm are either yellow or orange zones.
So not just Su Yuan, but shortly after arrival, most students encountered Star Beasts and engaged in battles.
Even those with a bit of bad luck just landed on the ground and before they could react, were attacked by Star Beasts…
Inside the command center of the Secret Realm camp, more than twenty members of the City Guard responsible for the trial assessment were using Star Power-powered drones to monitor the situations of many students.
"Students No. 34 and 35 from Zone A are calling for help."
"Student No. 744 from Zone C is calling for help."
"Student No. 253 from Zone D is calling for help."
…
"We just landed, how come so many students are calling for help..." a younger looking City Guard sighed deeply.
After reporting over twenty rescue commands, the number of students calling for help finally began to decrease.
Another team member laughed and said, "Little Liu, you just joined our City Guard and are not familiar with the United Trials.
It's like this every year during the trials, there are many eliminations at the start because the students are young and some have never even encountered Star Beasts.
Even if some of them have trained in the Great Barbarian Mountain Area a few times, it does not mean they can immediately adapt to the conditions in the Secret Realm.
After all, in addition to the absence of Silver-level Star Beasts, here the complexity of the environment, as well as the variety and density of Star Beasts, are incomparable to those in the Great Barbarian Mountain Area."
Little Liu nodded, understandingly, "So that's how it is..."
Feeling a bit more relaxed, the people in the command center also started conversing while monitoring the situation.
"Although a number have been eliminated upon landing, there are also some students who look quite formidable."
"Yeah, for example, student No. 389 named Jiang Jun, her moves are clean and decisive, her swordsmanship is fast, fierce, and accurate. She must be at least at the Master Level."
"Yours is still lacking, look at this one here, No. 002 from First Middle School, Lv Xinghen.
His swordsmanship must be the exclusive technique of Master Liu Chen from East City Fanxing Martial Arts Hall, the Green-grade Star Pointing Sword Technique, right? Judging by his proficiency, he should be at the Master Level. He has a good chance to be in the top three!"
"My family lives in the east of the city; I know this Lv Xinghen. He's Liu Chen's nephew."
"No wonder he can learn this sword technique at such a young age."
"Speaking of which, those two specially recruited students from First Middle School and Fourth Middle School are indeed incredible. This Fang Kun killed a Ninth Stage Rampant Pig Demon with a single slash. And Chen Jiujun has already killed four Eighth Stage Wind Spirit Birds with his Lightning Beam."
"Naturally, the specially recruited students are expected to be in the top three. Green Weapon Cards, truly enviable. I'm still using a white-grade Star Device."
…
The people were engaged in spirited discussions when Yang Jian, who had also joined the Guangchuan City Guard recently, suddenly widened his eyes.
"This student seems to be really powerful too, surrounded by three Eighth Stage Poisonous Snakes, he actually managed to counter-kill them!"
"An Eighth Stage poisonous great serpent? Pretty average, it would barely count as decent with at least three Ninth Stage poisonous great serpents."
"But Brother Wang, this student seems to be only at the Eighth Stage too."
"A student at the Eighth Stage?" The City Guard referred to as Brother Wang shook his head, "Then there's even less to see, after all, there are almost ten people at the Ninth Stage in this trial. It's hard for someone at the Eighth Stage to even make it into the top ten~"
Yang Jian thought about it, and Brother Wang's words weren't wrong, but student number 388 was indeed not bad, and was worth paying more attention to.
"Quiet, the captain is coming!"
Suddenly, a member at the Command Post's entrance whispered a reminder.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the Command Post immediately stopped their discussions, each putting on an attentive front as though deeply engrossed in their work.
Soon, Xiao Yong entered with a few people.
Scanning the Command Post personnel, Xiao Yong said expressionlessly, "I see you were all enjoying your little chat. I could hear it all loud and clear from outside... Han Guangyuan!"
"Present!"
The City Guard member who had just spoken stood up immediately.
Xiao Yong sized him up and snorted coldly, "You've got time to tip the others off, must be pretty idle. Well, since that's the case, you're going to Area B to replace Luo Fei for the rescue operation."
Han Guangyuan's face turned bitter, knowing that rescue work was by no means as comfortable as sitting in the "office", but under Xiao Yong's gaze, he promptly responded, "Yes, captain!"
With that, he obediently picked up his equipment and hurriedly ran out.
The rest of the personnel breathed a sigh of relief, secretly glad they hadn't been punished.
"How's the situation?"
As soon as he walked in, Xiao Yong asked.
"Reporting to the captain, all students have successfully entered the Secret Realm. Currently, 78 people have been eliminated, and our men are escorting them back."
"Hmm, no casualties, right?"
"None. Of the 78 eliminated, 42 are lightly injured, 3 are critically injured, emergency treatments have all been administered, and Doctor Wang is already waiting in the square with the medical team."
"Good, continue monitoring," Xiao Yong nodded and started walking around looking at different screens.
...
Half a day later, Su Yuan finally entered the targeted red zone.
"Steel Flame Finger!"
Su Yuan's figure was elusive as he easily pierced through two Eighth Stage forest wolves that suddenly pounced out from the woods with his steel-hardened right index finger.
Ever since the battle with the Green Flame White Wolf, Su Yuan had found that combining Hardened Iron Armor with Steel Flame Finger could produce much more power than releasing Steel Flame Finger alone!
So along the way here, aside from the beginning with three poisonous great serpents, Su Yuan had been trying to resolve battles with a combination of Hardened Iron Armor and Steel Flame Finger.
The effect was surprisingly good. When using Hardened Iron Armor to harden his fingers locally, Steel Flame Finger at only thirty percent of its power could easily take down all Eighth Stage Star Beasts, and increasing the power to fifty percent could kill most Ninth Stage Star Beasts.
This not only saved a lot of Star Power but also retained considerable might!
Of course, the prerequisite for such ease was the ability to hit the opponent's weak spots.
However, that wasn't much of a problem for Su Yuan, who possessed a C-grade Talent in Agility and the skill of Wind Walking...
Su Yuan casually took out the Locator to snap pictures of the two forest wolves and extract their Star Cores before opening the map on the Locator to check.
"I've almost scoured this entire red region, yet to find the Bronze-level Star Beast. Could it have left?
Naturally, a Bronze-level Star Beast would have a strong sense of territory, and it shouldn't be wandering around. Am I really that unlucky?"
Along the way, Su Yuan had also slain his fair share of Star Beasts, including three Ninth Stage Star Beasts, but that was far from enough. The Bronze-level Star Beast was the key.
"Then I'll search the area again more thoroughly." Su Yuan shook his head, put away the map, and decided to start sweeping the area methodically...