Chapter 141: I, Gu He, Am Willing to Take the Gamble

"Medical Department, at attention!"

Director Su stood beneath the podium, her pure white robe stirring without wind.

"Everyone, follow your assigned groups and cast 【Soul Protection】 on the students undergoing the trial!"

"Yes!"

The following minutes passed.

Over a hundred healing and support specialists, under Director Su's command, began methodically applying buffs to the students.

Not all of them were faculty or staff from Jingdu University.

Some wore military uniforms as army combat healers; others bore the insignia of the nation's top-tier guilds as high-level support specialists.

Many were even healers from Longguo's most elite hospitals.

This was Jingdu University's prestige.

As Longguo's premier institution, even a single freshman trial could mobilize such vast resources.

In an instant, countless beams of light enveloped the students.

The sensation was warm and reassuring.

"This is 【Soul Protection】… Though I've experienced it before, it's still incredible."

"After all, it's a life-saving technique that holds onto your last breath—now we can go all out!"

Feeling the changes within them, the students' battle spirit surged.

As long as you don't die, fight until you drop!

The process lasted exactly ten minutes.

Until the final student's white glow faded.

Director Su exhaled softly, then turned and nodded to Gu He on the podium.

Gu He stepped forward calmly.

"This battle is not just a test of strength, but of courage and wisdom."

"Whether you're from the Dragon Sequence Class or the regular classes—"

"Today, on this stage named 'Demon King's Castle,' I want to see you unleash everything you have!"

Gu He drew a deep breath, then swept his hand sharply forward:

"I declare!"

"The 156th Freshman Trial of Jingdu University is officially underway!"

As Gu He's words fell,

the massive teleportation gates on either side of the square began slowly rotating—their blue spatial vortices swirling.

"It's starting! Finally starting!"

On the spectator stands, upperclassmen erupted in excitement.

"Wow, this is what Jingdu's scale looks like—opening a teleportation channel this high-spec just for a trial."

"Obviously, this is a mass battle with over two thousand participants—normal portals couldn't handle the load."

"Look! The sophomores are moving!"

On the left side of the square,

under Shen Jun's leadership, nearly two thousand sophomore students surged toward the "Hero Alliance" teleportation gate.

Their faces radiated confidence.

Absolute faith in their numerical superiority.

On the other side,

Lin Mo stared at the swirling blue vortex before him.

"Let's go, brothers."

With that, Lin Mo stepped forward, leading the way into the portal.

Behind him,

nineteen Dragon Sequence Class students straightened their spines and followed.

Though only twenty strong,

with Lin Mo—a monster—at the front, everyone felt unshakable confidence.

So what if they're two thousand?

To Lin Mo, they're just two thousand ants!

…

Meanwhile,

at the very top of the spectator stand,

where the view overlooked the entire central square,

sat the school's elite reserved seats.

"Old Zhang,"

Gu He smiled and said, "Looking at this scene, doesn't it remind you of our youth?"

Beside him stood Zhang Daoyuan, head of the sophomore regular class.

Zhang Daoyuan chuckled lightly:

"Principal, you're teasing."

"Back then, we didn't have conditions like these."

"Hahaha, true enough—teleportation gates have only existed for less than fifty years."

Gu He laughed heartily.

Then Zhang Daoyuan glanced at Xu Wenchang beside him and said:

"Still, this year's Dragon Sequence Class is truly unusual."

"Old Xu, Lin Mo is undeniably a monster—he's only level 27, yet already possesses so many mid-tier skills, combo techniques… even the special skill Element Body. It's unheard of."

Xu Wenchang grinned:

"Indeed, such talent is terrifying. I bet he'll master a high-tier skill before long."

Hearing this, Zhang Daoyuan paused, then shook his head:

"High-tier skill? That's too easy to say. If Lin Mo can master a high-tier skill at this level, I wouldn't know what to say anymore."

"By the way, Old Xu,"

Gu He suddenly looked at Xu Wenchang and asked curiously, "Do you think… the Dragon Sequence Class can win?"

Xu Wenchang didn't hesitate:

"With Lin Mo, they can't lose."

"Can't lose?"

Zhang Daoyuan couldn't help interjecting:

"Old Xu, you're overestimating Lin Mo. Do you know what two thousand level 30–40 specialists mean?"

"That kind of firepower and numbers could clear ten level-40 wild bosses in the wild."

"The saying 'ants overwhelm the elephant' isn't just empty talk."

Xu Wenchang didn't argue. He simply said softly:

"Wild bosses? Old Zhang, you're underestimating that kid."

"I'd say Lin Mo is a Mowang -level boss himself. Two thousand? Not even enough to make a dent."

Zhang Daoyuan blinked, then laughed silently.

He shook his head and dropped the subject.

In his view, Xu Wenchang was blindly overconfident in his student.

In this world, once quantity reaches a certain threshold, the threshold for qualitative change rises infinitely.

If two thousand could lose to one person, his entire worldview would collapse.

"Fine, fine. Since it's already started, let's just wait and see what happens."

Zhang Daoyuan chuckled, then turned serious and looked at Gu He:

"But Principal, about the reward—aren't you being too generous to these kids?"

"Thunder Element Shards? You're nearly ready to summon your Thunder Element Avatar yourself. I think it should go to you—it's the most fitting."

He simply couldn't understand.

Though he knew Lin Mo possessed Fire Element Body,

to believe he could also perfectly absorb Thunder Element Shards and unlock an Element Avatar? That was absurd.

Thunder Element Shards were clearly best suited for Gu He, who was on the verge of summoning his Thunder Element Avatar.

After hearing Zhang Daoyuan's words, Gu He spoke slowly:

"Old Zhang, I understand your thinking."

"Indeed, if I used this shard, I could greatly accelerate my Thunder Element Avatar's formation, giving Longguo another top-tier combatant with an Element Avatar."

"But…"

Gu He turned to Zhang Daoyuan:

"How many elders in Longguo have already unlocked Element Avatars?"

Zhang Daoyuan thought, then nodded:

"About right—I remember there were twenty-three."

"Yes, twenty-three."

Guhe smiled. "Since there are already twenty-three, what difference does one more make? It's merely adding flowers to brocade."

"One more Guhe won't change the current situation, nor will it play a decisive role on the Ten Thousand Nations Battlefield."

Zhang Daoyuan frowned and rebutted:

"But Headmaster, every top-tier combatant counts! A practitioner with an Elemental Avatar can hold down an entire national border and deter all nearby petty threats."

"I believe, for the sake of the school and the nation, giving it to you is the safest choice."

"Giving it to this group of children who haven't even grown yet is far too risky—it's pure gambling."

"Gambling?"

Guhe shook his head with a smile, his eyes burning brighter:

"If Lin Mo truly can suppress two thousand people by himself..."

"... hen this fragment is his rightful due."

"As for whether he can claim it..."

Guhe turned his gaze back to the screen above the square. "That depends on whether he has the ability. At the very least, I, Guhe, am willing to take the gamble."

Hearing this, Zhang Daoyuan froze slightly.

Suppress two thousand people?

The Headmaster's expectations for that kid are far too high.