Chapter 289: Hunting at the Entrance

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Hunting at the Entrance

Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction as he looked at his Points. For the past two days, he had gone all out hunting Calamity Beasts.

His points were a full 20,000-plus higher than the 15,000 he had last time.

The gap between him and Jiangtao in second place and Guo Heng in third had already grown immense.

Then, he looked at the overall Points Chart.

[Disaster Beast Hunting Competition Overall Points Chart]

[First Place: Azure Sky Sixth Institute, Points: ...]

[Second Place: Azure Sky First Institute, Points: ...]

[Third Place: Azure Sky Ninth Institute, Points: ...]

...

’Looks like the overall strength of our Azure Sky Sixth Institute has completely surpassed the Azure Sky First Institute.’

Lin Qi wasn’t surprised as he looked at the rankings.

For the first two days, his Sixth Institute and the First Institute had traded the top spot back and forth in a fierce competition.

But by today, the outcome was clear. The Sixth Institute’s total points were over thirty thousand higher than the First Institute’s, securing their firm hold on first place.

It was now virtually impossible for the Azure Sky First Institute to retake the lead.

’Next, I’ll rest a bit, then head straight for the entrance to the Space Gate.’

Lin Qi recalled Vice-Principal Xu Wenji’s words: if he wanted to hunt Fourth-Level Calamity Beasts, he had to go to the deepest part of Area 2.

That was the entrance of the Space Gate. In a little over half an hour, they would start releasing the Fourth-Level Calamity Beasts.

He looked at the massive portal hanging in the distant sky. That was it.

There was still half a day left. If he went straight to the entrance to intercept them, he could hunt plenty of Calamity Beasts.

’I have to hunt even more Calamity Beasts! I need to earn more money!’

With that thought, Lin Qi stood up and headed for a supply point.

...

Meanwhile, in another part of the jungle...

SPURT~

HAA... HAA...

The burly Huo Wanyang held a Red Halberd, which was currently shrouded in scorching, crimson flames.

As four or five Blood-Scaled Iron Pigs—each the size of an armored car with skin like blood-red scales—closed in to surround him, he suddenly swung his Red Halberd, unleashing a massive wave of flames.

The crimson flames splashed onto the Blood-Scaled Iron Pigs, and their bodies instantly burst into flames.

Instantly enveloped by the searing heat, they fell into a panic.

SHLICK~ SHLICK~

Huo Wanyang seized the opportunity, swinging his Red Halberd to slit their throats one after another. The air filled with the aroma of cooked meat.

He dispatched all the Calamity Beasts with ease.

In a matter of seconds, several more charcoal-broiled Blood-Scaled Iron Pigs lay on the ground.

HUFF...

Huo Wanyang stopped, panting heavily as he opened his wrist device to check his Points.

[First Place: Huo Wanyang, Points: 33,680]

...

’My current Points are the highest. Although using [Red Flame] lets me kill Calamity Beasts quickly, the stamina drain is too great.’

BEEP!

Then he saw a message. It was the Points Chart for the Azure Sky Sixth Institute, sent to him by someone else.

A score of over 35,000 Points appeared before his eyes.

Huo Wanyang’s expression immediately darkened.

’I have [Red Flame], and I still can’t beat Lin Qi? Is it a matter of kill efficiency?’

’I need a large group of Third and Fourth Realm Calamity Beasts gathered together. Only then can I leverage the advantage of my Special Ability.’

’That’s my only chance to surpass Lin Qi in one go!’

He then looked towards the Space Gate in the not-so-distant sky.

...

「By one o’clock in the afternoon, only four hours remained in the Disaster Beast Hunting Competition.」

A large number of students, unable to endure the physical exhaustion, had begun to withdraw from the competition one after another.

Only a handful of geniuses were still holding on.

The deepest part of Area 2 was a vast, sparsely wooded grassland. Though overgrown with weeds, the air was thick with the heavy stench of blood.

RUMBLE!!

The ground trembled. A massive, circular tunnel hung in mid-air, connecting to a vast, boundless forest on the other side.

ROAR~

GRR... GRR...

Countless Calamity Beasts of all sizes shot out from it, rushing towards the forest.

There were even avian Calamity Beasts, but as soon as they flew out, they were gunned down by machine guns from flying vehicles in the distance.

A group of soldiers in military uniforms stood guard nearby. They emitted a strange odor, causing the Calamity Beasts to completely ignore them.

A tall male officer in a dark green military uniform shouted loudly:

"Widen the Space Gate! Let the Fourth-Level Calamity Beasts in!"

"Yes, sir!"

The surrounding soldiers responded and began to operate a huge pedestal-mounted instrument.

VMMMM!!

Ripples spread through the air as the huge Space Gate expanded outwards.

MOO~

A giant cyan figure struggled to squeeze out of it, followed by a series of other massive figures.

BOOM!!

Their bodies were enormous, and they slammed heavily onto the ground, leaving shallow craters and kicking up clouds of dust.

At the same time, two figures rushed out from the forest, one after the other. They both stopped about a hundred meters away from the Space Gate.

"Someone’s here!" a soldier shouted.

"Close the Space Gate!" the officer said slowly.

He looked at the two arrivals, recognizing them by their appearance and weapons.

’It’s Huo Wanyang and Lin Qi. One is an Awakened SS-level genius, the other is the champion of the national freshman competition—a monster who defeated an Awakened genius.’

’Both of them are top-level geniuses who have broken through to the Fourth Realm.’

’Only those two would come all the way to the entrance of the Space Gate.’

"But too many Calamity Beasts have gotten out. We should be ready to intervene at any moment!" the officer commanded.

"Yes, sir!" The surrounding soldiers nodded.

On the open grassland, Lin Qi and Huo Wanyang also noticed each other.

Lin Qi wasn’t surprised by Huo Wanyang’s arrival.

His gaze was locked on the massive Space Gate.

VMMMM!!

ROAR~

The Space Gate was shrinking, and the massive Calamity Beasts could no longer pass through, letting out roars of frustration.

Even so, as Lin Qi surveyed the area, his entire field of vision was densely packed with Calamity Beasts.

Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Calamity Beasts were everywhere.

A Fourth-Level Calamity Beast had even appeared. It stood out among all the other Calamity Beasts due to its immense size.

It was like a small, moving hill, standing a full three meters tall and nearly six meters long—twice the size of an ordinary water buffalo.

Its entire body was bronze-colored, covered in thick, bronze scales that glinted under the sun with a cold, metallic luster, like a suit of Bronze Armor.

Its limbs were thick and powerful, like four stout bronze pillars, and its massive horns looked like a war axe.

Its eyes were the size of bronze bells, their blood-red pupils fixed on Lin Qi.

This was the Fourth-Level Calamity Beast—the Bronze Bull!

And there wasn’t just one, but a whole herd of them, all gathered together.

They were exceptionally conspicuous among the thousands of Calamity Beasts.

And the appearance of Huo Wanyang and Lin Qi gave this horde of Calamity Beasts a target.

RUMBLE!!

ROAR~

In an instant, countless Calamity Beasts charged at the two of them—a ferocious tide of beasts, a real trial even more insane than the one in the Disaster Beast Trial Tower.

All the Calamity Beasts charged at once, their oppressive auras coalescing and bearing down on Lin Qi, making it hard to breathe.

An ordinary person would have been scared into paralysis by such a sight.

Lin Qi also sensed the danger. At the same time, his body began to heat up as the genes deep within his bloodline activated, making his blood boil with excitement.

Power surged through him ceaselessly, and he felt his combat strength rise yet again.

’If I kill all the Calamity Beasts here, I’ll get those thirty million Xia Country Coins, and maybe even more.’

"Die!!"

Huo Wanyang let out a great roar, attracting a large number of Calamity Beasts, and was the first to attack.

His Red Halberd was completely covered in crimson flames as he swung it fiercely through the air.

The next moment, a Blazing Blade condensed from Red Flame slashed through the air, reaching three meters in length. The ambient temperature skyrocketed.

BOOM!!!

The several Calamity Beasts charging at the very front—Unihorned Black Pigs, Fierce Tiger Dogs, and others—were instantly ignited the moment the flames touched them.

They were all engulfed in heat of several thousand degrees.

ROAR~

ARGH... ARGH...

The flame-engulfed Calamity Beasts let out blood-curdling screams, running around wildly, bumping into nearby beasts and even spreading the fire to them.

In a moment, dozens of Calamity Beasts were engulfed in flames, and Huo Wanyang swung his Red Halberd, effortlessly reaping their lives.

Lin Qi took in the entire scene.

’I can’t help but envy Huo Wanyang’s Special Ability. It’s letting him kill Calamity Beasts with insane efficiency.’

’It brings the difficulty way down.’

’But the only drawback is that using a Special Ability over such a large area consumes a massive amount of stamina and Source Energy.’

’I can’t lose to him.’

ROAR~

A yellow Fierce Tiger Dog, the size of a tiger, pounced at him.

WHOOSH~

Lin Qi’s figure flashed, transforming into a streak of black lightning that tore through the sky. An immense tide of power surged and converged in his Long Spear as he thrust it out.

SQUELCH~

A pinpoint thrust. Before the Fierce Tiger Dog could react, the spear pierced its throat, tearing its life away.

+10 Points

ROAR~

Several Unihorned Black Pigs leaped into the air around him, pouncing simultaneously. Lin Qi’s figure moved like a phantom of Thunder Light, dodging their attacks with a simple shift of his body.

At the same time, his Black Great Spear cut through the air, delivering dozens of thrusts in an instant.

THWIP~ THWIP~ THWIP~

THUD! THUD!!

Bright red holes appeared on the necks of the Unihorned Black Pigs, and their bodies gradually collapsed.

Lin Qi began a frantic slaughter. With every swing of his spear, several Calamity Beasts died.

His body moved at high speed. He had only one thought: kill!

First-Level Calamity Beasts—dead!

Second-Level Calamity Beasts—Fierce Tiger Dogs, Unihorned Black Pigs... still dead!

Third-Level Calamity Beasts: Gray-Necked Giant Wolves, Blood-Scaled Iron Pigs... dead!

+1 Points, +10 Points, +100 Points...

His Points total skyrocketed. At the entrance to Area 2, Huo Wanyang and Lin Qi were surrounded by innumerable Calamity Beasts.

Blood drenched the grass, making the tall weeds tremble.

...

Meanwhile, on the plaza of Fortress 6, the students of both institutes noticed that their leaders’ Points were soaring.

"Holy crap, Boss Huo’s Points just shot up! He broke 36,000!"

"So fast! His Points are climbing too fast! Boss Huo must be on a killing spree!"

"Brother Qi broke 37,000 Points!"

The students of the Azure Sky Sixth Institute also cried out. Everyone quickly opened the rankings to see Lin Qi’s Points leaving everyone else in the dust.

The numbers were changing every second, constantly ticking upward!

...