What’s the point of backing down verbally now? It will only make everyone look down on you.
Many of the students participating in the challenge thought so. But no one interrupted Lu Lin.
"I want to tell you all something," Lu Lin said, his expression calm. "When the selection starts later, please target me."
"Don’t hold back. Otherwise, even if I defeat you, I will spit on you and say, ’Trash, is that all you got? Heh heh...’"
The students who heard him exploded like powder kegs.
"You’re bullshitting! When the selection starts, we’ll let you know who the real ’trash’ is!"
"Arrogant! So damn arrogant! Brothers, when it starts, don’t say a word—just take this poser out first!"
"Damn it! A real man faces challenges head-on! Don’t any of you try to take Lu Lin from me!"
"Come on, place your bets! Those who bet Lu Lin can last ten seconds, raise your hand! Fifteen seconds? Thirty seconds...? Alright, never mind if nobody raises their hand."
"Kid, you’re audacious enough, but audacity requires capital. Later, I, Long Aotian, will see what a master like you is made of!"
"Indeed. I, Ye Chen, will also seek some pointers later."
Lei Ming looked at Lu Lin, who stood at the center of the storm, a tremor in his heart.
He was just annoyed that he couldn’t discern Lu Lin’s cultivation realm. That, coupled with Lu Lin’s audacity in listing himself as a Third-Level Star-Core Fighter, and his persistently calm demeanor, made Lei Ming decide to take him down a peg. It’s good for a young man to have pride. But too much pride, turning into arrogance or even conceit, is a bad thing.
However, Lei Ming never expected Lu Lin to be so incredibly defiant.
So, you want to make me the focus of everyone’s animosity? Fine, then I’ll just ensure I attract every bit of it!
At this point, Lei Ming was starting to believe that Lu Lin was really a Third-level Martial Artist. After all, no Level 2, not even a Level 2 Peak, would dare speak so brazenly to over a hundred Level Zero Martial Artists. Enough ants can indeed kill an elephant.
"Well, it seems our student Lu Lin is very confident, challenging everyone before the selection even begins," Lei Ming announced.
"In that case, I won’t waste any more words.
"Today’s selection will use the entire Performance Martial Arena as its grounds. Everyone will engage in a free-for-all battle until only ten people remain standing. At that point, the selection will conclude.
"During the melee, you are forbidden from maliciously attacking an opponent’s vital points.
"No matter what, you are all students. It’s one thing to be ruthless towards enemies, but if you resort to unscrupulous means against your fellow students, our Luse Alliance College will not accept such ’talent.’
"Now, you have ten minutes. Each of you can try to claim a rubber stick and a set of armor.
"The selection will officially begin in ten minutes.
"Oh, by the way, there are only ten rubber sticks and ten sets of armor. First come, first served."
After speaking, Lei Ming leaped up to the Spectator Stand of the Performance Martial Arena.
Hearing that the weapons and armor were limited, the students below scrambled to grab them.
Zhou Ziqiang had considered making a move, but seeing the chaotic crowd, he decided against it.
The next ten minutes were crucial.
Conspiracy and calculation.
Pretending to be stupid.
All sorts of schemes and performances began. Although executed with a degree of immaturity and crudeness by so many students, these were, after all, the future elites of the Human Federation.
Lu Lin smiled and turned to Zhou Ziqiang. "When it starts, you run off to a safe distance. Once I’ve mostly cleared the field, come back and join me."
Zhou Ziqiang nodded. He trusted Lu Lin’s ability even more than his own. Setting aside everything else, the car Lu Lin drove, the house he lived in, the people he knew—hadn’t he earned all of it through his own efforts? Zhou Ziqiang might struggle for ten years and still not obtain all those things. What was there not to believe?
He glanced around, already scouting escape and repositioning routes for later.
On the Spectator Stand, Lei Ming blew his whistle.
"Ten minutes are up! The selection officially begins NOW!"