"King of the Solar System?"
The moment the marshal spoke, the entire hall's breathing grew rapid. Every genius from across the solar system had flushed faces and eyes blazing with fervor.
The independent recruitment of the Cosmic University was the highest level of the interstellar college entrance exam. Every candidate daring to participate was hailed as an unparalleled prodigy; otherwise, they wouldn't have the confidence or courage to apply. Becoming the top scorer in the second round of the Cosmic University's assessment meant being the undisputed number one genius of the solar system—the King of the Solar System!
Who wouldn't want such a title?
Each of these candidates had a history of overwhelming countless peers, harboring pride in their hearts, and striving desperately for success. Even Feng Lin felt his blood stir.
On the path of the great Dao, there was no room for retreat. If one missed an opportunity, who could say they wouldn't miss the next? Losing one chance after another, even a genius would fade into mediocrity. Only with a bold and forward-charging heart could one cut through thorns and advance without hesitation.
Every candidate present revealed a look of determination to succeed!
It had to be said, the marshal was skilled—just a simple sentence had ignited everyone's competitive spirit. The tension in the air grew even more intense.
Marshal Jelos spoke again, "Next, we're heading to Asura Star, a place in the southern Milky Way where death-row criminals are exiled. It's infested with countless bio-monsters that have an incredibly high reproduction rate. Every so often, these monsters multiply massively, and we send people to cull them regularly. That'll be your trial target. Your task is to slay these bio-monsters. The more you kill, the higher your score. But I warn you: Asura Star also harbors terrifying death-row inmates. These people survive on this hellish planet, like demons—cannibalism is nothing to them! They're your enemies too. To them, you're just fresh meat delivered to their doorstep. Once discovered, you'll be hunted and surrounded. Of course, they have no political rights, so you can kill them directly without facing any legal consequences... Out of respect for your privacy, we won't have any surveillance measures. After you hunt the bio-monsters, cut off the thumb bones from their right hands. Your final score will be based on the number of these finger bones. Different types of bio-monsters yield different scores depending on their combat level."
The marshal was concise, clearly laying out the assessment's content and dangers. He paused, then added with a meaningful tone, "But one thing I must warn you: you cannot directly kill your fellow candidates during the assessment! If caught, your results will be immediately voided, the assessment canceled, and you'll be sent back to the solar system!"
At these words, the hall fell silent.
Feng Lin's heart grew even more vigilant.
The marshal's words seemed like a warning, but they concealed boundless deadly intent. What did "cannot directly kill" mean? Did that imply indirect killing was allowed?
...
The final score was based on the thumb bones of bio-monsters—such a primitive method offered no guarantees. Didn't that mean that if you indirectly caused a fellow candidate's death and took their collected monster bones, you could steal their results? After all, there was no surveillance!
It was all cold, calculated murder.
These candidates, having cultivated such high vitality, were no fools. On the contrary, their intelligence far exceeded ordinary people. They instantly grasped the key point and chuckled darkly. Their eyes, cunning and sinister, swept over their competitors as countless schemes brewed in their minds.
"Asura Star—Asura, the evil god of myth, slaughtering all life! Truly lives up to its name!" Feng Lin's heart remained ice-cold, devoid of any warmth. He could already envision the Asura Star assessment as a brutal killing field. Now was the time for him to show his skills. If others harbored ill intentions, they could only blame him for being merciless.
A gentleman takes revenge, ten years is not too late!
Feng Lin takes revenge, from dawn till dusk!
...
"Asura Star is in a star system 5,000 light-years from the solar system. Even traveling through a wormhole takes three days. Rest well! These are your only three days of peace. What awaits you next is a terrifying journey. Good luck!" Marshal Jelos laughed heartily and left with his armored soldiers.
Feng Lin and the others, guided by the mothership's AI, entered their respective rooms to rest. The interior of the mothership was vast, and each person was assigned a luxurious 200-square-meter suite, complete with virtual reality equipment, training rooms, lounges, and everything imaginable.
Feng Lin sat cross-legged on the bed and began to cultivate, but before long, the doorbell rang. Frowning, he opened his eyes—who could be looking for him?
Opening the door, he saw four strangers standing there: men and women, tall and short. The leader was a round-faced youth who looked harmless.
"Excuse me, are you Feng Lin? Interested in teaming up with us?" the round-faced youth asked with a smile as Feng Lin pondered.
"Hmm?" Feng Lin was puzzled.
"This Asura Star assessment is brutal. Only by sticking together can we have a better chance of winning! Everyone else is already forming groups. The four of us are unwanted, so we decided to form a small team to help each other and get higher scores. I noticed you're alone too. How about joining us? Together, we'll be much safer." The round-faced youth extended a hand, inviting him sincerely.
Feng Lin understood. These outcasts were banding together to form an alliance, right? The guy seemed well-intentioned, but Feng Lin's keen senses detected something off. There was an abnormal fluctuation in his mind when he spoke, carrying a cold hostility. The round-faced youth looked harmless but was likely a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Since when did such good fortune exist? He hadn't even shown his strength yet. Why would these people seek him out? Weren't they afraid he'd be a burden dragging them down on Asura Star? Kindness? In such a ruthless Cosmic University assessment, did it truly exist?
...
Feng Lin was used to going solo, always viewing the world with the utmost suspicion. To him, these people's motives were highly dubious. He wasn't accustomed to teaming up, and with their ill intentions, he certainly wouldn't agree.
"Sorry! I won't team up with anyone!" Feng Lin refused coldly. Without waiting for their reaction, he slammed the door shut, not wasting another word.
The round-faced youth, seeing Feng Lin's blatant disregard, narrowed his eyes into slits. His smile gradually shifted from warm to sinister and cold. This time, Feng Lin sensed it clearly—the faint malice grew stronger, prickling like needles at his back.
From the Martian man earlier to these uninvited guests, Feng Lin felt the undercurrents of the assessment. Even though he usually kept to himself, he couldn't stay out of it. On Asura Star, things would only get more brutal. He had to be extremely cautious.
Three days passed, and the mothership shuddered. The wormhole crossing was over.
Feng Lin opened his eyes and saw a massive dark planet ahead, floating alone in the starry void—silent, eerie, and desolate.
Asura Star had arrived.