In just a few minutes, the mutated candidates had shown their abilities, breaking through the outer spiritual barriers and swaggering into the base.

It is said that the same profession expects their peers to die the most, right?

Among these mutated candidates who broke in, even the weakest had one or two techniques that made one want to cover their eyes when dealing with the spiritual barriers.

Ji Jue wanted to slap himself.

This is exactly as I feared...

Alright, now the real island survival game has begun.

Ji Jue sighed, helplessly looking up at the ceiling, as if he could see the gloating examiners outside the simulation.

So, you want to torment me like this?

Inside the workshop, Ji Jue waved his hand and shrugged helplessly.

Then, the deep underground suddenly shook violently, the terrifying roar causing the entire underground base to shake. Flames spread from the narrow corridors, instantly engulfing the figures charging at the front.

Then, from under the floor, crisp cracking sounds erupted.

Bouncing mines shot up from the cracks, and then shrapnel rained down like a storm amid the explosions.

Or, from the hidden compartments in the ceiling, incendiary bombs buried among the rocks were instantly triggered, turning the hollow hall into a sea of hellfire.

There should always be safety plans.

And safety plans for the safety plans.

After suffering under the hands of old Jian Yuan, Ji Jue never hesitated to create a new final safety plan whenever conditions allowed.

Besides the explosives and weapons buried at various entrances, Ji Jue also reinforced the topmost layer of the underground base, designing it as a combat zone to be used in case the defenses were breached.

The hidden surprises were countless.

Since the association clearly didn't intend to play fair, I don't need to pretend to be a gentleman...

As for this bunch before me...

Pathetic tricks, brazen enough to try to show them off in front of me!

— You lot are just asking for death!

Boom!

Amid the continuous explosions and roars, the sounds of artillery and machine gun fire added to the cacophony, and all the mutated apprentices who had infiltrated were greeted by the Federal military's baptism.

The first three or forty who charged in were instantly obliterated.

However, many more figures became alert, making no reckless moves. In the simulated data, they were clearly endowed with considerable intelligence.

The moment they detected the obstacles, they immediately sought cover and areas to fortify, with some even trying to dissolve rocks into mud to burrow down.

Until suddenly, the gunfire and explosions ceased abruptly.

The entire combat layer fell silent.

In the dead silence, the door leading to the lower level slowly opened.

All the figures stiffened for a moment, their original personalities and styles still showing through. Some retreated vigilantly, while others took the chance to rush through the defenses, heading straight for the entrance.

Then...

BAM!

They were blown back, splattering against the walls.

Or, they were cleanly crushed into a paste.

From the darkness beyond the gate, a low footstep was heard, steel clashing with steel, the echo like a hammer striking the heart, chilling.

A steel monster stepped out of the darkness, still covered in thick blood and flesh fragments.

Casually, it threw a half body to the ground, then lifted its foot.

Stomp!

Blood splattered.

The blood-stained eyes on the beast-like steel face glowed red, scanning the surroundings, overbearing over all intruders.

"A bunch of insignificant garbage, how dare they come to challenge me?!"

At this moment, he actually stepped out from the absolute safety of the core workshop...

— Hero Unit · Ji Jue, making his entrance!

As Ji Jue appeared, all the invaders hesitated no longer, charging towards him. Some had even disassembled weapons meant for defense.

Bravely pulling the trigger!

Bullets struck the armor, falling weakly to the ground without leaving a mark.

In the midst of the black tide composed of the many mutated apprentices, at the center, the indifferent, overlooking steel giant didn't even bother to react.

Only the sound of steel friction echoed as limbs slowly unfolded from his back. The arms, dismantled from the Evil Hand and transformed by the Melting Furnace and Fluid Alchemy, replaced flesh with metal, and crimson mercury flowed through the steely veins.

Dozens of Evil Hands opened, like a towering tree growing instantly.

The branches were steel and mercury-forged Evil Arms, with endless leaves being razor-sharp, blade-like fingers!

Now, just by casually reaching out, bright red, round, juicy fruit appeared on the branches.

Then, easily crushed to powder!

With the Evil Hand attached, the aura of the fearsome armor immediately surged! Wildly! Powerfully!

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

Not even needing weapons, the eighteen iron limbs of varying lengths and functions casually swiped, bringing instant destruction and ravaging.

A swing lifted an intruder, smashing them into the ceiling, turning them into a splat of pulp. Crossing two arms, and blood rains down, splitting the intruder into halves or more pieces.

When the iron fist fell, a storm and shockwave of blood erupted, spreading in all directions.

Slaughter.

Complete and utter slaughter.

From start to finish, Ji Jue never hesitated.

Daring to covet my mushroom cultivation center, my rat breeding base, my purification system, my swimming pool, and my materials...

And my workshop!

"— Today, I will annihilate all you useless mongrels to dust!!!"

It was almost like crushing cockroaches.

The constant crackling and bursting sounds were endless.

Having armored units against unarmored units was as easy as an adult man slaughtering children in a nursery, let alone with power armor—completely overwhelming the nursery.

And then, there were the Evil Hands and the newly equipped Blessing Modules on Ji Jue's armor.

The chaotic repulsion field continuously erupted, like bombs clutched in the hand, creating blurred vortices. Just sweeping across, it was enough to churn up blood and mutilated limbs, grinding everything to mush.

The unarmed candidates had only some craftsmanship skills unsuited for direct combat, completely countered by Ji Jue without any resistance.

Their vitality and threat levels had increased after mutation, but it was still not enough, only managing to infuriate Ji Jue to no end.

After Ji Jue stomped to death the last invader, the entire combat layer was stained crimson.

Corpses littered everywhere.

In the dead silence, Ji Jue shook his head in bewilderment: What pressure could these eliminated fools bring?

If I were hosting the exam as a judge, at the very least...

At the very least...

In the moment of this thought, Ji Jue snapped out of his stupor and realized.

His face twitched, no longer able to hold back his anger, cursing out loud:

"You mother—"

Instantly, the projection in the floating light outside the simulation was muted.

The reaction was unbelievably swift.

Even though Ji Jue reacted zero frames later, it was still perfectly blocked!

Jiang Tongguang whistled, defending his family's honor and his dignity as a trustee.

Without any sense of shame due to his position, he was instead thrilled at this bizarre victory.

"Look at that, just eating an appetizer, you know what the exciting special program will be next? The young people nowadays have such fast reactions."

He shook his head, sighed, his eyes squinting.

Growing expectations.

Just like the changes brought by the ecological mutations.

The vast majority of the mutants were just failed leftovers, like those eliminated apprentices. The only role they could play in the system was food, or perhaps... catalysts.

And those who truly grew, broke through, evolving like the Evil Hands and becoming 'finished products'...

Were they not right in front of him?

"It's about time to start."

Jiang Tongguang waved his hand and snapped his fingers.

At that moment, in the patches of returning silent floating light, new changes appeared.

In the simulation, outside the observation station, amid the chaos and the piles of invaders' corpses, countless spiritual crystals like prisms crisscrossed, forming an indestructible defense.

"Pathetic tricks, not worth mentioning!"

Lou Feng sneered, glancing at the scene in the spiritual projection.

Although the mutated invaders proficient in alchemy were indeed troublesome and, if left alone, would likely dismantle the workshop, just a slight maneuver could easily lure them into a trap.

Thus deploying the Crystal Giants to annihilate them in one fell swoop!

After effortlessly wiping out the invaders, he elegantly raised his wine glass, sipping a rough red wine he wouldn't normally even sniff. Enjoying the warmth of the fireplace under the gentle, warm light.

What was lacking, it seemed, was just a piece of beautiful classical music.

Back, they were all back.

No more rough tea in enamel mugs and all sorts of chaotic setups, no more insane brainwashing DJ tunes.

This was life, this was living, this was the craftsman's style!

Out with the mongrels!

Indeed, days without Ji Jue were the best; life without Ji Jue was the true life! Even the exams became easy and joyful without Ji Jue!

He was almost moved to tears.

Then, just before the tears fell, they froze in his eyes.

At that moment, in the darkness outside the workshop, a hair-raising sound of metal scraping arose, so sharp. From the spiritual light's illumination, a giant's silhouette appeared.

With a steel face, yet as savage as a beast.

Step by step, moving forward.

Stepping into the boundary...

Another intruder!!!

"There's still more left?!"

He stiffly raised his head, looking at the spiritual projection, and the last remaining smile froze completely on his face.

In the glow, that solemn and terrifying power armor finally revealed itself, unabashedly exuding a wild aura above ordinary Evil Hands.

In Lou Feng's gaze, one by one, the arms slowly unfolded—

Then, in the sharp buzzing of high-pitched feedback, the repulsive destruction field activated!

Thud.

A sudden chill ran down his spine, Lou Feng dryly swallowed, his fingers trembling.

So strong!

But what unsettled him instinctively wasn't the terrifying aura of the armor, but this all-too-familiar spiritual construct, this design style so unmistakable even if burned to ashes, and this damn nightmare-like style...

No, calm down, Lou Feng!

You must stay calm!!!

It might just be a coincidence, yes, maybe it's just a bizarre coincidence, maybe you're mistaken... maybe... maybe... you've been dealing with this piece of shit your whole life!

Lou Feng couldn't hold it any longer, completely broke down.

His vision went dark.

Damn it, why?!

"That damn Ji Jue is still after me!!!"

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