blueteamnovel End of Chapter 79
End of Chapter 79
"Now we will proceed with the final assessment, which will still be conducted in the same chaotic selection process as the second round. Five people will fight each other on the arena until only one person remains. That person will be the champion of this martial arts competition."
The examiner announced loudly, "Now, those who aspire to be the champion of the martial arts competition, please proceed to the number one arena. If you feel that you are not in good condition or that your strength is insufficient, you do not need to explain and can simply not go on stage."
Even though this martial arts competition will follow the usual practice, I still have to mention that, apart from the champion, the rewards for the top five will be the same, regardless of whether you are on stage or off stage, or how long you last.
Therefore, please act according to your ability.
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Que stepped forward without hesitation, used the momentum to flip over, and stood on the number one arena. His calm gaze was lowered, and he did not look at anyone present.
Yu Ling's eyes shifted for a moment. Actually, he still wanted to go on stage and compete with Fu Que, but his condition was really bad. Besides, the Dragon Riders might make some moves later, so he had no choice but to give up.
Yang Zheng took a deep breath and also chose to abstain.
Although he still had the strength to fight, he had learned from his Blood Dragon Gang companions about Fu Que's bloody and cruel behavior in the second round.
Although the Blood Dragon Gang and the Qi family kept to themselves, they had some business overlap with the Fishermen's Mutual Aid Association.
There has been no conflict yet, but that doesn't mean there won't be in the future. Fu Que is very likely a member of the Fishermen's Mutual Aid Association. If he comes to power, the other side might take drastic measures. He is taking precautions to clear obstacles.
Having learned from Qi Wei's example, Yang Zheng did not believe that Fu Que was a soft-hearted person.
The two of them remained still, and the other two also hesitated. Apart from Fu Que, the four of them had fought their way here and were no longer at their peak. If the four of them went on stage together and joined forces to deal with Fu Que, they might still have a chance.
But if it were just the two of them, they would have absolutely no chance; going up would only result in a brutal beating.
Since there were sixty breaths allotted for contemplation, and it was still early, one of the top five competitors was unwilling to concede defeat. He looked at the four people beside him and couldn't help but ask, "Are you all choosing to forfeit?"
"Given our current state, who do you think is his match?"
Yu Ling countered with a question.
"If one person can't defeat him, then the four of us working together might be able to defeat him. Then we can settle the score. Are you really willing to just hand over the title of martial arts champion to someone else?"
The expert who spoke up said, "Da Zhao values martial arts, and the rewards for the champion are far superior to those for the top five. Joining Da Zhao later would also be an impressive achievement."
"I'm not going to join in this fun. I know my own limitations. The chances of me winning the final championship are too slim. Besides, I've already achieved my goal. Being in the top five is enough for me to find a new team."
After confirming that Fu Que was very strong and had been completely transformed from the perennial underdog of the Tiger Den, Yu Ling automatically assumed the role of the Dragon Tiger Guard and began to assist Fu Que, subtly advising the others not to participate.
The other three realized that Yu Ling clearly didn't want to go on stage, and even if she did, it was uncertain who she would help. So, the others who had initially considered it abandoned the idea.
Sixty breaths passed quickly, and apart from Fu Que, none of the other four people went on stage.
"Time is running out, and those who have not yet played are considered to have forfeited."
In the last five breaths, the examiner who announced the rules gave a reminder, but no one responded.
"The countdown is over. Since no one except martial arts student Fu Que is willing to step onto the stage to compete, I hereby declare Fu Que the champion of this martial arts competition!"
Thus, to the astonishment of the entire audience, the martial arts examination in Gaoyang County ended in an extremely dramatic fashion.
Of course, this result was both unexpected and reasonable. Anyone with eyes could see that Fu Que was in much better condition than the other four.
Even if all four of them gang up on him, based on Fu Que's performance in the second round, they might not necessarily gain the upper hand. In the end, Fu Que will most likely still win the championship, so it's better to just go with the flow and avoid a tough battle.
After the martial arts exam ended, the atmosphere in Gaoyang County returned to calm, and ordinary people felt that life was much better than before.
Shop owners and vendors have suddenly noticed that fewer people are asking them for money lately, and the shady characters who used to extort money have disappeared.
Several underground banks affiliated with casinos have been abandoned, and the persistent debt collectors seem to have vanished without a trace, leaving no trace of their lingering presence.
Ordinary people have noticed that prices seem to have dropped significantly recently; goods that used to cost three coins can now be bought for one coin.
Moreover, there are many more affordable restaurants, grocery stores, and fabric shops on the streets and alleys, and even two new private schools have opened with very low tuition fees.
However, several areas within the county were fenced off, filled with smoke and dust, and it was unclear what was going on inside. But since the land deeds for these areas were held by the county government, and the county magistrate hadn't conscripted any laborers, they could do whatever they wanted.
This is just the change within Gaoyang County.
The people living in the surrounding villages and fishing villages, which belong to Gaoyang County, felt the change even more clearly. However, they couldn't describe the change, only that their lives had become much easier.
"The rate at which the nation's fortunes are fading has slowed significantly, and there has even been a rebound, indicating that our actions are still effective."
The martial arts competition has only just ended, and it's the perfect time for all the top fighters to gather in Gaoyang County. There's no need to delay any longer; it's time to close the net. They might not be able to charge into battle, but they can certainly provide support and help out from the crowd."
Looking at the sand table in front of him, 014 said calmly, "While making contact, let's also reduce our casualties."
The sand table in front of him was a scaled-down version of Gaoyang County, with many areas marked by flags, most of which had turned green, and only a few areas still marked in red.
"After the usual heroes' gathering?"
Peng Chi asked.
"No, at the very moment of what you call the gathering of heroes."
014 shook his head, then asked, "If I remember correctly, it should be in two days, at the Fulin Grand Restaurant?"
"Yes, sir."
Peng Chi left.
As soon as they stepped out of the house and turned through several corridors, they arrived at a room. Pushing open the door, they found a group of people waiting solemnly inside. In addition to the captain of the Tiger Cavalry, there was also the county garrison commander, deputy commander, and several captains who were rumored to have been imprisoned.
"Commander, what did the Heavenly Official say? The main force of the Dragon Cavalry and the county soldiers cannot stay away for long, otherwise if we encounter demonic calamities or strange beings, we will not have enough strength to surround and drive them away."
"The order for a specific launch time has already been given!"
Peng Chi clapped his hands and laughed.