Chapter 55

Misty Wasteland, southwest corner.

BOOM—!

A spiraling fireball swept through, piercing the skull of the crocodile monster hidden in the grass.

Its massive body twitched twice, then fell still.

【Current Score: 5450 points】

Lin Mo glanced disdainfully at the crocodile covered in warts, retracting his still-smoking finger.

Along this slow, meandering path, he’d cleared plenty of monsters—and casually eliminated three candidates who tried to run the moment they saw him.

After all, they’d come this far; why let them leave?

【Level: Lv.19 (65%)】

Seeing the experience bar nearing level 20, Lin Mo’s mood lifted slightly.

Just then.

ZZZ—

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

Lin Mo pulled it out; a message from Xia Qingyue appeared on the screen.

【Xia Qingyue: Young Master Lin, Zhao Yu has sent his coordinates: (325, 668).】

【Xia Qingyue: But Young Master Lin, something feels off. Zhao Yu should’ve sent his coordinates immediately upon landing, yet he waited this long—I suspect a trap.】

Trap?

Lin Mo frowned and sent a reply.

【Lin Mo: Understood. Whether you go or not is your choice—I’m going.】

After sending the message, Lin Mo slipped his phone back into his pocket.

【『Earth Shield Spell』: Worried: Master, that woman said it’s a trap—maybe we shouldn’t go?】

【『Fireball Spell』: Instantly erupted: Why not go? I’m already eager to twist that Zhao Yu’s head off and kick it like a ball!】

Lin Mo pulled out a strip of jerky and began chewing.

Go, or not?

From a rational standpoint, there was absolutely no need to go.

His father had just called—he said the Long Xu Class admissions officer was extremely satisfied with him; admission was all but guaranteed.

His sole purpose in taking this exam was to make his parents happy, to make them proud.

That goal had already been achieved.

As for his second-stage score, it hardly mattered.

Simply put, his performance was already enough to secure him a spot in the Long Xu Class.

But…

Lin Mo chewed the jerky, his gaze slowly deepening.

He hated trouble—endless, unrelenting trouble.

Zhao Yu was like an endless, tireless fly.

After witnessing Lin Mo’s crushing performance in the first stage of the trial tower, any sane person would’ve kept their head down.

Yet this fool still dared gather others to ambush him?

What did that prove?

It proved he wasn’t afraid enough.

It proved he still clung to delusions—that numbers and terrain could turn the tide.

If you don’t crush such a person hard enough, break him completely, make him dread your name for the rest of his life…

Lin Mo swallowed the jerky, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

He’d only keep causing trouble later, annoying him again and again.

Better to eliminate him now—once and for all.

Thinking this, Lin Mo brushed the crumbs from his hands.

“Let’s go, lads.”

“Give that Zhao Dashao a lesson.”

【『Fireball Spell』: Laughed maniacally: Hehehe! That’s the spirit! Now this is the kind of human I recognize! When it’s time to strike, strike!】

…

…

Black Mud Swamp.

A region perpetually shrouded in black mist.

The air was thick with dampness; black sludge, reeking of decay, coated the ground everywhere.

At this moment, a dense crowd of fifty to sixty people had gathered around the swamp.

Though most were low-level—mostly just above level 10—

their class composition was exceptionally complete, and their quality notably high.

After all, anyone who reached the second stage was among the top two hundred elites from the first stage.

Such a team could easily clear a same-level Yewai BOSS in the wild.

In the center of the crowd, Zhao Yu held his phone, playing a video.

It was footage sent by his father, Zhao Lei, before entering the second stage: Lin Mo’s 24-second speed-clear of the Shadowwing Demon Lord.

Zhao Yu had watched this video countless times.

The fluid combo, the terrifying burst power, the contemptuous gaze at the end…

Even through the screen, Zhao Yu felt disbelief.

How could Lin Mo, someone with zero elemental affinity, be this strong?

“Dude, Zhao Shao, are we even the same species as Lin Mo? The so-called Mage Killer, Shadowwing Demon Lord, got smoothly one-shot?”

A henchman beside Zhao Yu couldn’t help speaking up.

The henchman wiped sweat from his brow. “Zhao Shao… can we really beat him?”

At this, the other henchmen fell silent; morale plummeted.

“What’s there to fear?”

Zhao Yu put away his phone, his gaze sweeping over them. “I won’t deny Lin Mo is strong.”

“But don’t forget—we’re in the Black Mud Swamp, naturally hostile to fire and earth classes.”

“Look around you—these are the elite of this year’s candidates!”

“Time, terrain, and numbers—all favor us. Do you understand?”

“If we can’t take down Lin Mo here, you might as well quit the exam and go home to farm.”

Zhao Yu’s calm analysis instantly dispelled most of their fear.

Zhao Yu’s calm analysis instantly dispelled much of the fear in everyone’s eyes.

Terrain advantage plus numerical superiority—this was a guaranteed win!

“Zhao Shao’s right! Advantage is ours!”

“Crush Lin Mo!”

“Crush Lin Mo!”

“Crush…!”

Seeing his men’s morale restored, Zhao Yu nodded in satisfaction.

Then he turned to three identical-looking warriors—the triplet brothers.

“Your fathers were all my father’s old subordinates. You’ve trained since childhood under the harshest combat conditions—your coordination and close-quarters techniques far surpass your peers.”

Zhao Yu stared at them, issuing his order.

“And luckily, you’re all A-rank melee classes—tough, durable.”

“When Lin Mo appears, your only task: pin him down. Give our backline time to deal damage. Understood?”

“Don’t worry, Zhao Shao. With the three of us working together, no one beats us in close combat.”

The eldest triplet assured him.

Zhao Yu nodded.

If the front line could hold him, the backline could focus fire—no god could survive.

As long as the front line holds them off, the back line can concentrate fire—even gods will kneel!

“Someone’s coming!”

An archer muttered sharply.

Zhao Yu looked up.

Xia Qingyue’s figure appeared in the distance.

She stopped when she saw the scene before her.

Dozens of eyes locked onto her.

She’d rushed here the moment she received the message—she wasn’t far away—and yet she arrived last.

In an instant, Xia Qingyue knew: this was a trap.

In an instant, Xia Qingyue realized: this was a trap, a scheme!

She didn’t hesitate, quickly typed a short message to Lin Mo, then turned and ran.

“You came all this way? Still trying to run?”

Zhao Yu sneered.

The triplet brothers surged forward, chasing after Xia Qingyue.