Chapter 56: Offense Is the Best Defense

Xia Qingyue ran back without hesitation.

The triplets chased after her relentlessly.

Mages are naturally short-legged, and these triplets had undergone inhuman physical and combat training since childhood.

Before long, Xia Qingyue was caught.

“Still running?”

A mocking voice came from behind Xia Qingyue.

She spun around sharply, her staff flashing with light.

Several azure water arrows shot through the air.

Yet the front-line tank didn’t even raise his shield—he simply sidestepped left, effortlessly dodging the water arrows.

Instantly, the brother on the left accelerated, swinging his great axe horizontally, cutting off Xia Qingyue’s escape route.

“Perfect coordination…”

Xia Qingyue’s pupils shrank sharply.

Before she could react, a third figure appeared silently behind her.

“Goodbye.”

A cold voice echoed beside her ear.

A flash of blade light sliced through her body.

The other two’s attacks followed immediately after.

Less than three seconds.

A soft white light erupted from Xia Qingyue’s body, forming a semi-transparent light cocoon that enveloped her entirely.

‘Soul Protection’ activated—this meant Xia Qingyue had been eliminated.

While in protection state, Xia Qingyue was immune to all damage but lost all mobility.

She could only stand frozen like a statue until the exam ended.

At this moment,

Zhao Yu strolled over slowly.

“Running? Why stop now? Oh right—you can’t move.”

“You’re despicable.”

Though her body was immobilized, Xia Qingyue’s voice remained icy.

“Heh, you’re too naive. All’s fair in war—that’s strategy, that’s brains, got it?”

Zhao Yu sneered dismissively, “In this world, the victor is always king. The process doesn’t matter—only the result does.”

“Result?”

Xia Qingyue stared fixedly at Zhao Yu and laughed coldly:

“Do you really think you’re a match for Young Master Lin? With your ragtag group? Zhao Yu, you overestimate yourself and underestimate Lin Mo.”

At these words, Zhao Yu’s smile vanished instantly.

“Xia Qingyue, pay attention—this is Black Mud Swamp!”

“The environment here is a natural counter to fire and earth. Add dozens of elite candidates—what does Lin Mo have to win with?”

“Stay right here, open your eyes, and watch how we surround and kill your master. Hahaha…”

…

Meanwhile.

Deep within the Misty Wasteland, at the edge of the Black Mud Swamp.

The mist here was thicker than at the periphery, and glowed an eerie gray-black.

Lin Mo stepped onto the soft ground.

He frowned, lifted his foot, and stared at the black sludge caked on his sole.

“This place… really makes me uncomfortable…”

Lin Mo narrowed his eyes.

【‘Fireball Spell’ is weak: What the hell is this place? It feels awful all over.】

“Xiao Tu, try raising a Mud Wall.”

Lin Mo instructed inwardly.

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ felt slightly uncomfortable too, but responded immediately: Got it, Master! Rise!】

Hum—!

The ground trembled slightly.

A wet, black sludge barely rose from the earth.

Less than two meters high.

Lin Mo fell silent, walked forward, and tested it.

The moment he applied slight pressure, the soft wall collapsed instantly into a puddle of sludge.

【‘Fireball Spell’ burst into laughter: Hahaha! That’s hilarious! Brother Two, what kind of wall is this? This is shit!】

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ sounded on the verge of tears: Th-this isn’t my fault!】

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ paced frantically: I tried my best, but I just can’t harden it at all!】

Lin Mo stared at the puddle of sludge, lost in thought.

As expected.

Earth was half-disabled; fire was weakened.

Is this Zhao Yu’s confidence?

Lin Mo rubbed his chin, rapidly calculating the current situation in his mind.

Zhao Yu’s side had many people—and they were humans, not mindless monsters.

Humans use tactics, understand feints, and coordinate well.

Although Lin Mo possessed the invincible ‘Lava Armor,’

the problem was: its duration was only five minutes, with a one-hour cooldown.

Once he activated the armor, the enemy wouldn’t be foolish enough to engage him head-on.

They’d surely exploit their numerical and terrain advantages to kite him, dragging out the five minutes.

And his only crowd-control skill, the Earth Wall with a five-second cooldown, was rendered useless.

Once the armor’s time expired, he’d be at a disadvantage.

“Offense…”

Lin Mo glanced at his skill bar.

Fireball and Multiple Exploding Fireballs both had cooldowns—three seconds and fifteen seconds respectively…

Against a smart human team, it was uncertain.

As for Flame Pillar,

though its range and damage were high, that bright red warning circle was far too obvious.

It worked fine against unintelligent monsters or immobilized targets.

But against these clever, agile elite candidates…

Without control skills to coordinate, they’d simply dodge the red circle—no way to hit them.

“Looks like this is going to be tricky…”

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ grew more anxious: Master, what do we do? My wall won’t stand—if they focus on you, I… I can’t block them! Should we just not go?】

Wait—control…

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Lin Mo.

He told Earth Shield Spell: “Xiao Tu, shift your thinking—don’t try to harden this sludge.”

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ confused: Huh? If it doesn’t harden, how do we block damage? How do we protect you without a wall?】

“No—offense is the best defense. If you immobilize them, whether to kill or spare them is up to us.”

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ snapped alert: Huh??】

Lin Mo continued:

“Try controlling the sludge—make it flow, like super glue. Understand?”

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ froze.】

【In its nonexistent mind, a new world’s door seemed to slowly open.】

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ murmured to itself: Offense is the best defense… don’t think about hardening… make it flow?】

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ seemed to grasp it: Right! If we control them, then Brother One swiftly eliminates them—that’s also protecting Master!】

【‘Earth Shield Spell’ grew excited: Master, let me try!】

“Try it.”

Lin Mo pointed to an open patch of ground ahead.

Gloop… gloop…

The previously still black mud began to churn, forming a slow-spinning vortex.

…

…

Control room.

Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the screen.

Zhao Lei had been delighted at the sight of the collapsed earthen wall.

Then Lin Mo began staring blankly at the ground, and soon the muddy surface began to writhe; his smile vanished.

Xu Wenchang’s pupils contracted slightly.

“The mud… is flowing?”

“This kid, he can’t possibly…”