Chapter 46: The Plan Begins
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Ye Tang assessed the overall strength of the opposing teams. “Most of the teams participating right now are of average ability. The truly strong ones will save themselves for the final rounds to avoid exhausting their energy and putting themselves at a disadvantage.”
She thought no one had noticed their group, but unexpectedly, a team approached and surrounded them. The man leading them spoke with hostility, “Boss, would you look at that? Besides those people with special abilities, there are actually ordinary folks joining in—and there’s even a beauty among them.”
Du Bin and Hu Guozheng immediately raised their weapons, vigilant on both sides. The “boss” was a burly man wearing sunglasses, who sneered, “Hand over that beauty, and I’ll let the rest of you off this boat.”
Ye Lan was reading a book by Eileen Chang and, hearing their arrogance, gave a contemptuous chuckle and ignored them. Ye Tang, however, was far less polite. After a series of secret training sessions, she seemed different to Du Bin’s eyes—her personality had grown more cheerful, the lethal aura from their first meeting had faded, but she now inspired a more inexplicable fear.
The men glanced at this seemingly frail woman, convinced she posed no threat, and said with a touch of pity, “Boss, grabbing this girl will be a piece of cake.”
Ye Tang arched an eyebrow, a mischievous, almost wicked smile appearing on her lips, which momentarily mesmerized the muscle-bound man. He lunged forward, wanting to seize her. Just as his hands were about to touch her, she suddenly ducked, spun around in a full circle, and, in a flash, drew her Crimson Blade, slashing at him.
The muscleman froze, unable to react. Then, pain struck—his massive body was split in two and collapsed to the deck. His underlings panicked at the sight, but before they could respond, Ye Tang moved with lightning speed, cutting them down in quick succession until three more lay dead in pieces.
From a distance, other teams watched the scene unfold. Someone shivered uncontrollably. “That woman is terrifying. We don’t stand a chance against her.”
“I might have let you go, but you only have yourselves to blame for being vampires,” Ye Tang said coldly, sheathing her sword.
Du Bin sensed something amiss and warned, “The other teams are watching us now. Looks like they’re planning to gang up and wipe us out.”
“If that’s the case, then we’ll just have to go for a massacre,” Hu Guozheng declared, hefting his Azure Dragon Blade without a hint of fear.
“So be it,” Ye Tang replied. She gathered her power into her sword, which instantly erupted in crimson flames. As she raised it high, fire spread in all directions, incinerating anyone caught in its path.
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Her large-scale attack wiped out a significant number of weaker opponents. Those with greater abilities, wary of her formidable strength, dared not confront her alone.
In an instant, more than a third of the hundred-plus participants were eliminated. To survive, the remaining teams formed a brief alliance. Du Bin and Hu Guozheng kept the mediocre opponents at bay, while the eight most powerful members of the alliance converged on Ye Tang.
Ye Tang, facing eight attackers, did not confront them head-on but unleashed her signature Eight-Sword Formation. The battle reached a stalemate, with neither side gaining ground. Meanwhile, Ye Lan, forgotten by all, continued reading her book, her air of indifference undisturbed. A few contestants attempted to approach her, only to be repelled by an invisible force surrounding her.
At that moment, Ye Lan set her book aside and joined the fray. The balance of the battlefield immediately tipped, and in less than ten minutes, all opposition was swept away.
Her prowess stunned Du Bin and Hu Guozheng. But they weren’t the only ones surprised. Elsewhere, a man watched, his hand trembling so hard that his cup slipped and shattered on the floor. “I only meant to test them, but I never imagined their strength would be this overwhelming. No wonder they’re the dark horse team so highly recommended by Mr. Wu Qiwei.”
“Wow! With Aunt Lan on our side, we’re sure to become champions,” Hu Guozheng said, rubbing his nose, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
At that moment, the captain stepped out of his quarters, microphone in hand. “It seems the outcome is decided. The team advancing is the Hunting Group. Tomorrow, the Hunting Group will receive admission to the Death Match. Looking forward to it.”
“I’m all sweaty and uncomfortable. I need a shower.” With a stretch, Ye Lan strolled back to the cabin.
Having secured their place, the group returned to their quarters, leaving the gore-strewn deck to the sharks trailing the ship’s stern. The captain would, of course, report the Hunting Group’s victory to his superiors.
On an island in the Spratly Archipelago, in an office building, Wu Qiwei received the news that the Hunting Group had advanced. He showed little sign of joy.
Another man in the room, Zeng Yilong—the one who’d made a high-stakes bet with Ma Jinlong—stood up. “It looks like the captain’s test was a breeze for them. Soon, they’ll be arriving here.”
“This was just an appetizer. The real drama is still to come,” Wu Qiwei said, handing him the advancement slip. “Everything is in place. The Hunting Group will represent your main force in the tournament. If they keep winning, we profit. If they lose, my apprentice’s Heavenly Dragon Group is still in the running. Either way, Mr. Zeng, you stand to gain the most.”
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Zeng Yilong chuckled, pouring himself a glass of Hennessy, the liquor swirling in his glass. “I trust your handling of things. Hahaha… heh heh.”
“Now that the research institute is under your name, those transformation projects should proceed as planned.” Wu Qiwei moved to the window, watching the waves rise higher and higher.
“You’re right. Once the perfect gene is implanted in the subjects, the flaws in all our previous experiments will finally be resolved. Then this formidable power will be at my command.”
“It could even shift the balance of power between nations,” Wu Qiwei said with a faint smile, fully aware that their long-laid plans would unfold in tandem with the coming Death Match.
“Exactly. Now it’s time to implement phase two.”
Wu Qiwei suddenly remembered something. “By the way, have you taken care of your girlfriend’s ability?”
“I’ve already removed her power. She won’t be troubled by it anymore.”
“A model of a good man. But do you really trust Dr. She?”
Zeng Yilong understood his concern. “No need to worry. He’s only interested in research. As long as we satisfy that, we’ll be fine.”
They clinked glasses. Though on the surface they cooperated harmoniously, each harbored his own secret ambitions. Their laughter echoed through the building, shrouding the entire office in duplicity.
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