Chapter 25: First Strike Principle

"Zhang Chao? Which god is that?"

Lin Mo asked casually.

"Young Master, Zhang Chao is the commander of the First Battalion under Commander Zhao Lei, and also Zhao Lei's most trusted confidant."

As Ye Hongyu spoke, her gaze turned toward the middle-aged man striding over from the distance.

Lin Mo nodded, suddenly understanding.

In other words, his status was about the same as Ye Hongyu's here at the Commander's side.

While the two were speaking, Zhang Chao had already arrived close by, accompanied by two aides.

This man was thin, with deep-set eyes, giving off a sinister and fierce aura.

"Ye Dui, long time no see."

Zhang Chao greeted with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Last time we met was half a year ago, right? Ye Dui still looks as dashing as ever."

Facing Zhang Chao's pleasantries, Ye Hongyu didn't even lift her eyelids, her voice icy:

"If you have business, speak. You know a monster tide is about to erupt here; I have no time to catch up with you."

"Hehe, Ye Dui is still so fiery."

Zhang Chao wasn't offended; he simply let his gaze fall on Lin Mo behind her.

At this moment.

Behind Lin Mo, dozens of people were busily setting up a temporary camp.

A familiar large soft bed was placed right in the center.

The accompanying maids were arranging fruit platters, snacks, and other items on the bedside table.

Nearby, a chef was adjusting a grill on the spot, preparing to give the Young Master an outdoor BBQ.

Seeing this scene, the corners of Zhang Chao's eyes twitched violently twice.

He had seen people bringing followers to level up, and he had seen rich second-generation kids coming out to experience life, but moving a "home" directly to the front lines of a monster tide—this was the first time he had ever seen it.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

Zhang Chao withdrew his gaze and spoke to Ye Hongyu:

"This must be the Young Master of Commander Lin's family, right? Truly... quite the grand display."

"Indeed a young master of a wealthy family; facing a life-and-death arena like a monster tide, he can still live as if on vacation."

As he spoke, Zhang Chao was inwardly sneering repeatedly.

What use is a level artificially piled up?

Having stats and levels alone, without matching skills and combat experience, makes one nothing more than a super soldier.

Moreover, he is a blank-slate mage with no elemental affinity; it is simply a waste of resources.

"Zhang Chao, if you don't need your mouth, I can sew it shut for you."

Ye Hongyu spoke coldly, and a short blade appeared in her hand.

"No, no, no, Ye Dui, just a joke."

Zhang Chao raised both hands in a surrendering gesture. "I came over this time to discuss something serious."

"Spit it out."

Ye Hongyu said coldly.

Zhang Chao reined in his smile a bit and pointed toward the depths of the distant canyon:

"According to past precedent, when facing a large-scale disaster like a monster tide, we usually clean it up together to maximize efficiency."

"But this time the situation is special."

Zhang Chao glanced at Lin Mo, then pointed in his own direction:

"Your Young Master wants to level up, and our Young Zhao Shao also wants to level up."

"There are more monks than bowls of porridge; if we mix together to fight, we will inevitably clash over monsters and hurt our harmony, making things awkward for everyone's face later."

Ye Hongyu frowned slightly: "So what?"

"So, I suggest that this time we keep our waters separate."

Zhang Chao drew a line:

"Using the canyon's central axis as the boundary, we are responsible for the western defense zone; the monsters over there belong to us. Your Lin family is responsible for the east; the monsters over there belong to you."

"Each relies on their own ability; no interference."

"As for that wild BOSS that will definitely spawn..."

A flash of sharp light passed through Zhang Chao's eyes as he added, "Whoever finds it first and touches it first, it counts as theirs. The other party must not interfere or snatch it. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Hongyu did not agree immediately.

This proposal sounded very fair; it could even be said to be the most reasonable solution currently available.

If the areas were not divided, and the two forces mixed together, once friction occurred over snatching an elite monster, it would easily escalate into a standoff between two legions.

Furthermore, the determination of BOSS ownership was an unwritten rule in the professional circle known as the "First Strike Principle."

However, with the Young Master present, she had no authority to decide on her own.

Ye Hongyu turned to look at Lin Mo and asked, "Young Master, what do you think of Zhang Chao's proposal?"

Lin Mo didn't think much of it.

This proposal was indeed very normal.

Everyone plays their own game, and the BOSS is decided by strength alone; there is nothing wrong with that.

"Sure, it's quite reasonable."

Lin Mo nodded, wearing an expression of complete indifference.

Having received Lin Mo's approval, Ye Hongyu turned around and said to Zhang Chao:

"Our Young Master has agreed. The west is yours, the east is ours. As for the BOSS, each relies on their own ability. Now, you can get out."

"Satisfying!"

Zhang Chao had achieved his goal and did not care about Ye Hongyu's attitude.

He cast one last glance at the barbecue grill being set up over at Lin Mo's side, and at the Young Master who had already turned and walked toward the large bed, a feeling of disdain rising in his heart.

Such a Young Master who is fed by others would be a useless person even if he reached level 100.

"Then I shall not disturb Young Master Lin's enjoyment."

Zhang Chao shook his head, turned around, and strode away with his adjutant.

On the other side, inside the Zhao family's defensive camp.

Unlike the relaxed atmosphere over at Lin Mo's side, the atmosphere here was grim, with hundreds of soldiers standing ready.

Zhao Yu was sitting on a chair with his eyes closed, resting his spirit.

"Vrrrm—"

The mobile phone placed nearby began to vibrate.

Zhao Yu opened his eyes and answered the call.

"Speak."

A respectful voice came from the other end of the phone:

"Young Zhao Shao, it is done. Xia Qingyue has already accepted the three million and promised not to compete with you for the top scholar position in the major exam."

Hearing this news, a contemptuous curve formed at the corner of Zhao Yu's mouth.

"Understood."

He casually hung up the phone and tossed the mobile phone aside.

A teammate sitting next to Zhao Yu said disdainfully:

"She was pretending to be so high and mighty before, but now she's taken the money? This school beauty Xia is really good at pretending."

"Tsk..."

Zhao Yu snorted coldly, a hint of disdain appearing on his face: "My father was just being too unnecessary, insisting on spending this wasted money."

"Even if Xia Qingyue leads the team to clear the Abyss Team Fuben, so what? In the end, she is just an A-rank Water Mage."

Zhao Yu's face was full of displeasure.

Although his family wasn't short of this money, he still felt like his family was being a fool.

For an Abyss Team Fuben, even if they are of the same level and difficulty, there is still a significant difference in actual difficulty.

It is obvious that the so-called Abyss Team Fuben must have a very low actual difficulty.

Otherwise, on what basis could an A-rank Water Mage lead a team to clear it?

Just because her theoretical and practical scores before class change were always first in the entire school?

Nonsense, the gap between classes cannot be bridged by such scores.

"Exactly!"

The teammate beside him immediately agreed:

"In my opinion, the Team Fuben must have been too simple. When it comes to damage output, how can it compare to Young Zhao Shao's S-rank Flame Mage?"

"Young Zhao Shao's Multi-Burst Fireball can split into five orbs; this talent is unmatched in Jianghai City!"

"Giving her that three million was simply feeding the dog."

Just then, Zhang Chao strode back.

"Young Zhao Shao."

Zhang Chao bowed slightly to Zhao Yu, "We have already settled things with the Lin family side. The west belongs to us, the east belongs to them."

"As for the BOSS, we follow the first-hit principle; whoever touches it first gets it."

Zhao Yu chuckled lightly and nodded. "By the way, what is the situation over at Lin Mo's side? What are they doing now?"

Mentioning this, Zhang Chao said somewhat speechlessly: "That Young Master of the Lin family... he should be lying on the bed playing with his family's maid right now..."

"Bed?" Zhao Yu was stunned. "Wait, did he even move the bed over here?"

Zhang Chao shook his head and shrugged:

"More than that, the maid and the chef have all come, the barbecue grill is set up; looking at the scene, it seems like they came for a vacation."

"Compared to your professional quality of standing ready for battle, Young Zhao Shao, the gap is too great."

"Hahahaha..."

Before Zhao Yu could speak, several teammates around him couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Is the eldest Young Master of the Lin family sick in the head? Why didn't he just move the whole house over?"

"Does he really think a high level means he can do whatever he wants? Without skills and without practical combat experience, he's nothing."

"He is a young master from a wealthy family; what he cares about is enjoyment."

Hearing his teammates' mockery, Zhao Yu also helplessly shook his head.

The contempt in his eyes grew even stronger.

"We cannot say that."

Zhao Yu said calmly: "Although he is a Blank Mage, relying on the suppression of his level, it is not impossible for him to mix into the top ten in the city."

Speaking of this, Zhao Yu couldn't help but feel a bit sighing.

Once upon a time, before his class change, he had always regarded Lin Mo as his biggest competitor.

After all, both families had similar backgrounds, and their fathers were both city defense commanders holding heavy power; from childhood to adulthood, the two of them were compared together by the outside world.

Back then, although Lin Mo looked lazy, whether in theoretical scores or practical scores, he kept up very tightly, always neck and neck.

But now...

Lin Mo was completely ruined.

He was destined to enter a top-tier academy and rise to power from that moment on.

From the moment of his class change, they were no longer people of the same world.

Since they were not fellow travelers, why treat him as a rival?

That would be nothing short of an insult to his S-rank talent.