Chapter 171: What Are You Joking, So Fast!

In a short time, many people present learned that Jiang Chen is the Shenlong Empire's national college entrance exam overall champion this year.

For a moment, everyone was buzzing about him, since the champion means he is a top elite among the younger generation.

Standing before the Light Screen, Jiang Chen and his companions stared at the rankings on the screen.

"We actually ranked first..."

Jiang Chen's teammates said it, full of disbelief.

Lin Caier replied calmly: "Sister Hongxiu, that's normal; we've always had the championship in the bag."

Jiang Chen and Lin Caier have been together for a long time, so it's no longer surprising.

Fang Hongxiu shook her head, speaking confidently: "I'm not disbelieving; it's just that the BOSS Battle just now lasted no more than five seconds, right?"

Jiang Chen added seriously: "It could have been faster originally."

Those words left Fang Hongxiu speechless.

Zhang Yang and Liu Cui also fell into silence.

"It could have been faster!" The impact of that sentence was too great for them.

Five seconds is already fast enough, right? They didn't expect Jiang Chen to say it could be even faster.

Anyway, they passed, and that's enough.

The Sea selection doesn't consider rankings, so eliminated and passing professionals were Teleportation Arrayed to different zones, never to meet.

On Jiang Chen's side, it's currently empty, but other teams will appear shortly.

After being Teleportation Arrayed out, these teams found another team that was faster than them, which made them dissatisfied.

Five professionals felt a competitive mindset toward that team.

They glanced at the rankings and saw they were second.

The leader of the team walked over and asked with ill intent: "Who is Jiang Chen?"

Fang Hongxiu's team was displeased.

They looked at him, but Jiang Chen calmly replied: "Is there something?"

"You were lucky, actually taking first place."

"Your name is Jiang Chen, I remember it."

The person looked at Jiang Chen unceremoniously and said, "My name is Qin Xiao, remember me; when we get onto the arena, we will defeat you."

After speaking, he turned and left.

Fang Hongxiu whispered: "That guy is really arrogant."

Jiang Chen gently shook his head.

Lin Caier sneered: "What does arrogance matter? In the end, losing is still losing."

Fang Hongxiu's team strongly agreed.

Encountering Jiang Chen in this division, they could only consider themselves unlucky.

As time passed, more and more professionals passed the Sea selection, and the scene gradually became lively.

However, the teams eliminated on the Light Screen kept increasing, far outnumbering the passing teams.

Some professionals began commenting: "It seems the 90% pass rate was really just a conservative estimate."

Another added: "I think the teams that can finally pass are only about 2,000 left."

In total, over 100,000 teams signed up for the competition, of which 70% are Below Level 40 teams.

But only about 3% of teams could pass; the rest were eliminated.

This shows how fierce the competition is.

97% of teams can't even get past the Sea selection; it's truly too hard.

However, the Shenlong Empire has always claimed the competition is absolutely fair, and no one doubts it.

From the current view, the teams that passed the Sea selection are all very strong.

Many people, after exiting the Teleportation Array, began looking for places to rest, because they had expended a great amount of energy and stamina during the Sea selection.

After waiting for a while, the last team

also successfully passed the Sea selection.

No further changes appeared on the massive Light Screen.

A commanding voice announced: "The team competition's Sea selection has ended!"

Then another voice announced: "Next, the Sea selection scores will be announced."

"Level 10 to Level 19 division, a total of 18,352 participating teams, only 552 passed."

"Level 20 to Level 29 division, a total of 35,213 participating teams, 1,024 passed."

"Level 30 to Level 39 division, there are 20,011 participating teams, 502 passed."

These results match expectations; the overall pass rate is under 3%.

"Professionals who did not pass, please leave the base early tomorrow morning."

"Professionals who passed the Sea selection, please gather at the arena early tomorrow morning."

"The Sea selection for Solo Competition contestants will be held this afternoon; please attend on time."

After the announcement, the venue returned to silence.

Lin Caier suggested: "Let's rest a bit, then join the Solo Competition Sea selection this afternoon."

Lin Caier looped her arm around Jiang Chen's: "It's still early, let's stroll around Hangcheng; I haven't been to Hangcheng yet."

Jiang Chen agreed: "Alright."

He didn't feel tired, because the recent Sea selection was just a piece of cake for him.

Fang Hongxiu said: "You go ahead; I'm exhausted and need to go back to rest."

Zhang Yang and Liu Cui also agreed: "We also need to rest a bit."

Fang Hongxiu's team indeed went through hardships in the open selection, because their level was relatively low, making it more dangerous when facing Abyssal Demon Dogs.

Lin Caier was also very tired, but comparatively her condition was much better.

At least she

still had the energy to drag Jiang Chen to Hangcheng for a stroll.

Hangcheng, as one of the few megacities in the Shenlong Empire, has a population exceeding ten million.

Walking on the streets, one can see all sorts of professionals.

Lin Caier said, "It is said that over the past few hundred years, Hangcheng was attacked by Abyss Demons several times, and once it almost fell."

"Fortunately, strong warriors rushed from Shenlong University and drove away the Abyss Demon."

"Since then, Teleportation Arrays have been installed in every corner of Hangcheng."

"Even if one or two are destroyed, it doesn't affect Hangcheng's ability to call for rescue."

Lin Caier continued speaking about some of Hangcheng's history.

Jiang Chen also knows these matters.

The major events of the past few hundred years are all recorded in middle school history textbooks.

Among them is the invasion of Hangcheng by Abyss Demons.

It is said that the Abyss Demon that time emerged from the Sea and launched a surprise attack on Hangcheng.

For Hangcheng, it was an unimaginable disaster.

The whole city was nearly destroyed, with casualties exceeding one million.

Because the Demon destroyed the Teleportation Array first, rescue became extremely slow.

Now in Hangcheng, no fewer than a hundred Teleportation Arrays have been built, spread across every corner of the city.

If a similar incident occurs again, rescue teams can arrive at any time.

I spent almost half a day strolling around Hangcheng with Lin Caier.

Although we bought nothing, Lin Caier was still very happy.

She has been, since childhood, like a princess—getting whatever she wants.

Shopping no longer holds any appeal for her.

The point of shopping isn't what you buy, but who you shop with.

When the morning open‑selection results were released, the 3% pass rate shocked the whole world.

Countless professionals voiced doubts.

Some eliminated professionals also

said it was unfair.

The Shenlong Empire had long anticipated this and released all the data early on.

The monsters set, their strength, numbers, and the final BOSS.

All information was disclosed one by one.

It also explained why it was designed that way and what the purpose was.

It silenced everyone.

As long as you're not a fool you can understand; the Shenlong Empire wants to select teams whose combat power, Compatibility, Skill, and equipment are all excellent.

If you can meet those criteria, passing the open selection isn't difficult.

The 3% chance seems low, but the teams that passed the open selection have already set a historic record.

In the afternoon, the Solo Competition open selection is about to begin.

The Solo Competition attracted even more registrants, reaching an astonishing 200,000.

The grouping method for the Solo Competition is the same as for the Team Competition: Level 10 per group.

Compared with the Team Competition, the Solo Competition draws even more attention.

Without teammates' constraints, one can showcase one's own strength more.

No need for Compatibility, just act boldly on one's own.

More straightforward, more decisive.

It feels like punches landing directly on flesh.

The same Light Screen, the same arena, with no difference at all from the morning Team Competition open selection.

Someone felt a bad premonition.

"The elimination rate won't be high again, will it?"

"Just think with your toes—you know, with over 200,000 registrants, can the elimination rate be low?"

"If 5,000 remain at the end, that's already good."

"I don't know what kind of test it will be."

"No need to say, it'll definitely be combat; you can't have a Warrior go heal, can you?"

Amid the crowd's chatter, the Light Screen lit up.

Everyone stepped into the Light Screen one by one, entering their own separate spaces.

The whole process is just like

a Instance.

Each person entered their own Instance, without interfering with each other.

Jiang Chen let Lin Caier go back before he entered.

Even if he also passed, he must wait for everyone else to finish before leaving, and he doesn't know how long that will take.

Lin Caier hummed, "Then you be careful, okay."

Jiang Chen patted her head.

He turned to step into the Light Screen, when suddenly someone blocked Jiang Chen's path.

It was Qin Xiao, whom we had just met that morning, the guy full of arrogance.

Qin Xiao still kept his pride, holding his head higher than the sky.

"I want to contest you, see who passes first."

Jiang Chen gave him a look: "Idiot."

Having said that, he stepped aside and walked past him.

Qin Xiao said to Jiang Chen, "You don't dare to contest, you're afraid to lose!"

Jiang Chen ignored him and walked straight into the Light Screen.

Qin Xiao gritted his teeth: "You won't contest me, but I'll still contest you; I'm sure I can be faster than you."

When everyone had entered the Light Screen, the Light Screen began to display each person's name.

The Light Screen spread across heaven and earth, enveloping the four directions.

More than two hundred thousand names flickered on it.

With a booming sound, the assessment officially began.

The Solo Competition's rules were very simple: kill the enemy in front of you, or be killed by the enemy.

Success meant passing, failure meant elimination.

An Abyssal Dog Demon appeared before Jiang Chen.

It only looked the same as an Abyssal Dog Demon.

Its level was only 29, and its attributes were heavily weakened.

This dog demon was identical to the final BOSS from this morning's team Sea Selection.

Back then it had nine subordinates.

Now it has become a Light Rod Commander.

In the team Sea Selection there were support buffs and a healer adding HP, so fighting was naturally easy.

Now there's nothing to help, fighting is completely different.

Except for Jiang Chen.

A few.

Only Skeletons responded, Red Light flashed, Skill erupted.

Then everything returned to calm.

A few seconds later, another monster appeared.

"Huh, this time it's an Abyss Wolf Demon."

Its level increased by one, reaching Level 30.

Attributes were still weakened, a bit stronger than a normal Level 30 monster, but not much stronger.

Still those few Skeletons, still those few Blades.

Hand raised, Blade fell; hand raised, Blade fell.

This Wolf Demon died very cleanly.

A few seconds later, another monster appeared.

This time it turned into an Abyss Snake Demon.

Level rose again by one, reaching Level 31.

Unfortunately it was still not impressive.

A few Skeletons rushed forward, and the Snake Demon died on the spot.

Then the fourth, the fifth, the sixth.

Each time the monster's level rose by one, and its attributes increased accordingly.

But for Jiang Chen, there was no real difference.

Until the seventh monster, a th Level Abyss Lizard, was taken down by Jiang Chen, the assessment finally ended.

A deep human voice resonated inside the Tower.

"Assessment passed."

The scene shifted, and Jiang Chen was already outside.

On the Light Screen, his name was prominently listed first.

"So you only need to defeat seven monsters to pass the Sea Selection; seems the Difficulty isn't high."

If anyone heard Jiang Chen say that, they'd probably spit out three liters of blood.

These seven monsters were created by Shenlong Tower simulating Abyss Demon.

Although their levels and attributes were weakened, they were still a tier above monsters of the same level.

And their Skills and such hadn't changed.

Each one was higher level than the last, with no rest in between.

This isn't a Team Competition.

Without buffs or healing, dueling monsters several levels above you is already very difficult.

Jiang Chen's name glittered at the top, the name

followed by the number 7.

indicating he had already slain seven monsters.

But others at this time have the number after their name either 0 or 1; not a single 2 at all.

"How did this one called Jiang Chen get to the top?"

"His number after the name is 7."

"Could it be that he finished killing?"

"No way, it just started a little over a minute ago, and it's already over?"

I remember the morning team Sea selection; in the level‑20 grouping, the champion was also Jiang Chen Squad.

I also recall, didn't expect him to be this powerful.

The spectators all exclaimed that they were amazed by Jiang Chen!