Lou Cheng was baffled. It was as if fate had played a trick on him. He had been momentarily distracted, dealing with other matters, and in that brief lapse, Lin Qin had gone from unleashing her genetic technique to dissipating into particles of light. Her expression, in those final moments, was one of sheer disbelief.
"How could Lin Qin lose?" Lou Cheng exclaimed as he sprang from his seat.
"She's the famed Dragon Soul Mech candidate, a direct descendant of a noble family, with a 5% genetic activation rate, ranking her among the top three in her age group. Her combat skills are at the pinnacle for non-evolved individuals. And she lost? Is Li Yi some kind of monster?"
"What sort of monster has Lin recruited?"
The specifics of Lin Qin's defeat were no longer important to Lou Cheng. With Lin Qin's "death," all 17 points she carried were transferred to Li Yi, propelling him far above the second-place Liang Shaocong.
"Lin, the situation is already so clear by noon. Can your script still play out?" Lou Cheng muttered, immediately dialing a number.
...
"Old Lin, it seems you've picked a remarkable candidate this time, congratulations."
"Old Lin, did you understand how Li Yi won in the end?"
"Old Lin, don't forget your friends when you rise."
"Lin Guotao, maybe it's time to let bygones be bygones?"
Amidst the flood of congratulatory messages, Lin Guotao realized he had lost control. His plans were in shambles, and he couldn't predict what would happen next. He had recognized Li Yi's combat prowess and rated it highly, yet he had still underestimated him.
Defeating a non-evolved peak like Lin Qin, who was using a genetic technique, within ten moves indicated that Li Yi's combat skills were at the pinnacle. Such skill levels allowed him to negate many disadvantages in battle. Even in the realm of evolved beings, his techniques would remain competitive.
Lin Guotao knew he had to quickly meet with the squad leader to gauge the situation.
...
"Maybe it wasn't about Li Yi doing something particular, but rather that his combat skills are on a different level," a comment popped up in the live feed.
The bustling chat quieted momentarily.
"That makes sense. Lin Qin had greater strength and speed, but if Li Yi's skills were superior, he could have predicted her moves, effectively neutralized her force, and led Lin Qin into his rhythm, defeating her instantaneously."
"So Li Yi was toying with Lin Qin?"
"No, Li Yi was merely waiting for Lin Qin to show an opening. The moment she unleashed her power was also when her defenses were most vulnerable. A master like Li Yi only needed that instant."
"Stop with the conspiracy theories. Clearly, Li Yi's speed and strength were inferior to Lin Qin's."
The debate reignited, though many leaned towards acknowledging Li Yi's superior combat skills and precise predictions. After all, his point lead over the second place by 15 points was undeniable proof of his strength.
Moreover, eight more opponents remained, like lambs to the slaughter.
"Ultimately, Li Yi is incredible!"
"Indeed, after watching years of rookie tournaments, Li Yi is the most powerful we've seen."
"Liang Shaocong hasn't even used his genetic technique yet. As long as he's around, Li Yi's first place isn't guaranteed."
"The remaining eight could still pose a threat to Li Yi. Why isn't anyone discussing that?"
"Fool, can't you see that only Liao Hang's will hasn't been crushed among them?"
"Doesn't it seem like Li Yi has some of the momentum of past greats like Zhang Shengfeng, Yang Ziliu, or Cai Guangxu?"
"A little, but not quite. This is still a non-evolved setting. The true test starts with piloting the divine mech."
...
With Lin Qin, the strongest in the group of ten, defeated, only Liao Hang could barely stand against Li Yi. His punches and kicks seemed to carry a unique force, dissipating about 30% of Li Yi's strength, and he was adept at defense, making the fight drag on.
Recognizing the impracticality of a prolonged battle, given the possibility of the remaining seven regrouping and posing a threat, Li Yi decided to act decisively.
Using a poking and grabbing technique, he incapacitated Liao Hang's movements, then targeted his eyes, knowing this would leave a significant psychological impact.
Li Yi had no choice, as he wasn't invincible against eight skilled opponents attacking simultaneously. Even with perfect combat skills, if their attack frequency exceeded his reaction time, he could be injured.
Fortunately, breaking their formation proved relatively straightforward. With Liao Hang defeated, the others lost their will to fight. Li Yi used a few more tactical maneuvers, spending nearly seven to eight minutes to systematically take down the remaining seven.
The ensuing battle was less exciting, leaving Li Yi feeling disengaged. The earlier duel with Lin Qin, in terms of satisfaction, was unparalleled.
"Taking down Lin Qin's group should secure my first place, right?" Li Yi mused, though he remained cautious. With less than half a day passed, other teams might be lurking, biding their time to strike.
He needed to keep searching for targets to ensure his lead wasn't compromised. After all, Lin Qin's genetic technique was countered by his strengths. Facing another noble's skills might not be as simple.
...
Hours later, in the central area of Base 11, a five-person team checked the leaderboard.
"Wanwan, you're in seventh place! Amazing," said Chen Yuanyang, a friend of Miao Wanwan from Base 23, who had joined her team.
Miao Wanwan was surprised. "Already?"
Looking up at the leaderboard, she was taken aback. Only 11 points for seventh place? Higher up, 12 points for sixth, Mo Qingcheng; 21 points for fifth, Shi Zijun; 28 points for fourth, Zu Dun; 30 points for third, Jiang Tianfeng; 46 points for second, Liang Shaocong; first...
Wait... Li Yi?
"Oh my, Wanwan, this Li Yi is incredible, he's earned 67 points alone, 21 more than the second place Liang Shaocong."
Miao Wanwan was wide-eyed, almost in disbelief. She recalled her cousin's words and thought, "Could it be true that Li Yi really stopped a moving train with his bare hands?"