Chapter 817: with translation of chapter title

He no longer thought about the suit.

Lin An put more of his thoughts into adjusting his combat style.

Summoning Stellar Strike sounded cool, but it was utterly useless in a death match.

In the whole trial space, he had only seen the sun and moon; even if you stretched him into a human stick, you still couldn't pull him down.

Regular combat was also difficult to use.

Under indiscriminate strikes, he couldn't just obliterate an entire city—or even half a war zone—to kill a single mutant.

The 24-hour continuous summoning duration could only be used as a strategic strike; this thing was better suited for fighting corpse tides, or... intimidation.

"Double casting... resistance increase... B-rank permission..."

He seemed lost in thought.

The effect of double casting was also simple: it consumed double the mental energy or life force, allowing skills to be cast consecutively, ignoring cooldown.

The resistance increase had little effect, anyway at this stage no one's attributes surpassed his.

Perhaps Andre and Lihao could match him in a single attribute, oh, maybe there were also those few mysterious guys.

For some reason, most mental-power Awakened Ones liked wearing white robes and also liked to forcibly levitate.

As for the permission, Lin An decided to toss it to Chu An for research.

Roughly speaking, it was the broadcast permission plus an enhanced version of the previous permission.

The usage description, which ran to over a thousand entries, made his scalp tingle, feeling like it could be used in any way.

In the death match, there was hardly anywhere he needed to use the permission.

The system seemed unusually considerate, having already set the rules for him.

Compared to those two, double casting still suited his taste best.

For Lin An, the greatest use of double casting was not to summon two rounds of Judgment Thunder or Soul Shriek.

Rather, it was Descent Domain and the Uninterrupted.

The former increased the Blink count from five times per 24 hours to ten times, causing a qualitative change in flexibility and mobility.

The latter allowed him to boldly activate "Invincible."

Combined with Cain's Blade's lifesteal, plus the endurance from converting life into mental energy...

The self-healing of Demonic Form and the Netherworld's Breath...

The corner of his mouth twitched.

When facing Awakened Ones, Lin An felt he could probably experience a true *Dynasty Warriors*.

If we also factor in the Causal Sequence, the Sands of Time... even the final mutation...

His head ached...

His trump cards seemed so numerous he didn't know how to use them.

For a moment, Lin An couldn't help but sigh inwardly, casually meeting the gaze of those eyeing him like tigers, closely watching his various war zones.

Sorry.

At this stage, I am overly strong.

"Brother Lin, we might... have to return to the Military Region."

Zhang Yong led his team, his expression somewhat guilty, not daring to look at him.

During the trial, they could operate separately from the military, after all they were two factions.

But the death match—this critical moment deciding the fate of the war zones.

Not regrouping would be tantamount to treason, even if the one they followed was Lin An.

"It's fine."

Lin An slightly shook his head and casually refused the points Zhang Yong passed over.

The points were almost enough.

Including the death match, he even wondered whether he should grind another ten thousand points to save for future Long'an Base members' advancement.

As for Zhang Yong's guilt, his self-reproach felt like he had "betrayed" him.

Lin An neither affirmed nor denied it.

In the death match, aside from Zhang Tie, anyone was a burden to him.

Zhang Yong returning could help convey some intelligence back, far more useful than following him.

The trial was about to begin.

After Zhang Yong led his team away, Lin An stood calmly in place.

As if he had returned to before the trial.

Originally over a hundred people followed at his side; now only he and Zhang Tie remained.

Fiona led her people into the Neutral Alliance; for some reason, after this girl withdrew from the trial, she never contacted Lin An again.

Meanwhile, the Awakened Ones sent by the Soviet war zone silently returned to their own sector.

They left not a single word, even though they had once benefited from Lin An's favor.

The death match is cruel; they could give no promises.

Before the grand trial tower, shadows were cast.

Compared to the many war zones where Awakened Ones gathered, Lin An with just two people appeared especially lonely.

It was as if... he did not fit in with the whole world.

He heard many people nearby openly discussing how to hunt him down, or casting hostile glances.

Beneath the mask, Lin An merely gave a playful, indifferent light laugh.

These people feared his threat and wanted to seize his points.

He is no exception; he too wants to take back what belongs to him.

At a glance, almost everyone in sight is an enemy.

Especially those who 'owe' him points, they would rather he die sooner.

Oh, perhaps there's also a Luo En.

Standing behind Lin An, Luo En alone played with a short dagger.

Just like Lin An, who is watched by everyone, few are willing to team up with him—or rather, he doesn't need to.

Speaking of which, his situation might be even worse.

After all, Lin An at least hasn't been issued a kill order by his own war zone.

"General Li, shouldn't we give it one more try..."

"If we let Lin An act with us, our chances of victory might be greater..."

Looking at the updated information, a high-ranking Awakened One of the Huaxia Military sighed.

As one of the few who knows the truth of the physique trial, he was genuinely startled upon seeing Lin An's information.

To withstand a nuclear explosion...

It's not surprising that Lihao can survive such an attack.

After all, Lihao, whom the Huaxia Military has poured vast resources into, is one of their hopes.

But Lin An managing this—even if it's just speculation that he relies on Blink to create distance and survive...

Either way, Lin An has already proven his worth.

As the military, at such a critical moment, they wouldn't be so foolish as to discard a top-tier Awakened One like Lin An.

More strength, more hope.

Before the greater good, everything can be temporarily set aside.

"I've already sent the message multiple times."

"But Lin An seems too hostile toward us, and he has no intention of cooperating."

"He would even rather cooperate with other war zones..."

Standing aside, Chen Yangtian sighed, shook his head, and showed regret.

"I also hope we can let bygones be bygones and work together, but..."

The words blaming Lin An seemed hard to utter, followed by another long sigh.

The high-ranking officer who first proposed the idea, seeing Chen Yangtian's dejected state, opened his mouth but didn't dare say more.

They trusted Chen Yangtian's character, and they also personally witnessed General Chen lowering his dignity to seek Lin An.

It seems, no matter how the military department proposes or extends an olive branch, Lin An is determined to oppose them?

Several Hawkish Awakened Ones, seeing this, couldn't help but glare at Lin An:

"Without him, Lin An, it's no big deal!"

"Lin An has repeatedly refused us; we have no need to grovel for him!"

Their expressions were furious.

To them, Lin An's uncooperative attitude is simply unreasonable.

In reality, you Lin An want to stand on your own, and we agree for the greater good.

In the trial, you act independently, and we can understand that.

When it comes to the death match, a critical moment involving the survival of nation and even the entire war zone, you actually insist on going it alone?

Do you know how many people have their eyes on you?!

No matter how strong an individual is, there are limits.

Thinking that Lin An's points might be snatched by other war zones, to him it feels worse than swallowing a fly.

So many points—enough to cultivate how many third-rank beings...

"Let him not act with us! At least other war zones will divert forces to hunt him, which also eases our pressure!"

With the great battle underway, the military claiming no pressure is false.

They aren't unwilling to win over other forces, but just as before the apocalypse erupted, as Huaxia rising in the new century, they have continually been shunned by the mainstream world.

No matter how hard they try, or how kindly they behave.

Even in the apocalypse, this world seems to allow only bandits to live better.

"No need to say more."

With the death match counting down ten seconds, Lihao stared expressionlessly at the massive portal gradually appearing in the sky.

"Send Lin An one last message."

"If he can't hold out, he can retreat to our defensive zone; we remain willing to protect him..."

"Until we are defeated."

With foreign enemies upon us, wolves surround us.

As a fellow clansman, that's all he can do.