Li Yang had been busy for these two hours.
Although she hadn’t completely cleared out all the non-rated plants in Group Seven, she had swept through everything in the optimal route.
In these two hours, she gained 3 years of lifespan.
This efficiency was far better than the last couple of days!
Li Yang was very satisfied with this and happily made her way towards the safe point for Group Six.
Although there were a lot of people gathered at Group Six, the direction was relative, so there weren’t many people near her location.
She had just reached a safe point and was about to start a new round of harvesting when she heard someone shouting from a distance:
“Help!”
Li Yang quickly looked up and focused her gaze.
She saw a figure running toward her, and behind him was a mass of “Starlight”.
Due to the daylight, the “Starlight” wasn’t very clear, and since the mutated creature wasn’t high-tier, it was even blurrier.
If a carnivorous flower was a high-tier first-grade, this one was likely a low-tier first-grade.
Li Yang wasn’t very familiar with these, so she was analyzing it based on her limited experience.
The person ran quite fast, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Li Yang.
He was wearing a flamboyant shirt, sporting a trendy “grandma gray” hairstyle, and had a baby face.
However, his exaggerated outfit made him look quite unreliable.
“Classmate! Can you help me? My weapon got taken by it, and I can’t kill it with my bare hands!”
Li Yang also saw the mutated creature chasing him.
It was a strange one—its base form seemed to be a climbing vine or something?
It was crawling on the ground, moving quickly like an octopus, with long, thin vines that would occasionally coil together or suddenly shoot out straight.
Li Yang was still observing when the “grandma gray” guy shouted, “Classmate! My name is Zhong Kun! I’m from the Zhong family! If you help me kill it, I’ll reward you when we’re out of here!”
Before he could finish, a gust of wind swept past him, and the tall girl in front of him swung an axe, charging at the mutated vine creature.
Zhong Kun turned around in shock and saw her chopping down with the axe.
The mutated vine creature writhed and shrank as the axe chopped through it.
Swish, swish, swish!
Zhong Kun shouted, “Watch out for the vines…”
Before he could finish his warning, the girl dodged the vine behind her and took another swing, cutting through the tough vines like they were nothing.
Zhong Kun stopped talking.
Li Yang had experience fighting carnivorous flowers, so she figured the mutated vine creature was no big deal… its grade was definitely low, probably a first-grade low-tier, and it was severely injured by this Zhong Kun classmate, which made it easy for her to harvest it.
[Lifespan +1 year.]
Li Yang: “!”
Not bad, picking up a “corpse” actually earned her another year.
Zhong Kun, now finally free from the crisis of pressing the rescue button, looked at Li Yang with excitement.
“Thank you!”
Li Yang said seriously, “Classmate, don’t say things like that again. We’re taking an exam, and I won’t help you cheat.”
Zhong Kun: “………?”
Li Yang continued seriously, “I was just passing by, and you don’t need to compensate me afterward.”
Zhong Kun blinked and said, “Don’t worry, classmate, this isn’t cheating, and it’s not against the rules.
The survival mode works like this—just survive until the third day, no matter how.”
Li Yang didn’t relax her vigilance and replied, “Whether it’s against the rules or not is up to the teacher, but we should act with a clear conscience!”
She emphasized the last four words.
Zhong Kun:
He prided himself on having an emotional IQ of 180, and now he truly understood—her two sentences together meant “you need to act with a clear conscience,” so you have to “compensate me.”
Zhong Kun chuckled.
This classmate was pretty interesting.
She looked serious, but was actually talking nonsense; she seemed cautious but was incredibly bold.
Zhong Kun patted his chest.
“Don’t worry, when a Zhong family member speaks, their word is their bond!”
Zhong family?
Li Yang didn’t know much about the star user families but remembered that the second-ranked examinee on the leaderboard was named Zhong Qian.
Zhong Kun noticed Li Yang was from outside the provincial capital and proudly said, “Zhong Qian is my cousin!”
They were indeed family.
Zhong Kun seemed like someone who loved to talk.
He continued, “I’m not as impressive as my brother. I’ve only managed to get 84 points in physical strength by using supplements… sigh, my brother’s physical strength is 93 points! That’s monstrous even in the capital!”
Li Yang knew that the highest physical strength score in this East Hua Province practical exam was 93 points, and it turned out to be Zhong Qian.
“My brother got surpassed by some unknown examinee!”
Zhong Kun made an exaggerated expression, but because of his baby face, it didn’t seem annoying.
He grumbled, “Who is this Li Yang? She actually has 200 points… wait, she already has 280 points!!”
Li Yang had originally scored 275, but after killing a mutated vine creature, her score had just hit 280.
On the leaderboard:
1st: Li Yang, 280 points. 2nd: Zhong Qian, 200 points.
In these two hours, both of them had gained quite a few points.
Li Yang did so by harvesting non-rated mutant plants, while Zhong Qian slashed his way through first-grade creatures.
However, there was still an 80-point gap between them.
To close that gap, the only way was to take down the rare second-grade mutated creature.
After chatting for a while, Zhong Kun suddenly remembered to ask, “Classmate, what’s your name?”
Li Yang:
Zhong Kun continued, “I need to know your name, so I can ‘act with a clear conscience’ afterward.”
“Li Yang” was a name Li Yang didn’t want to say out loud.
She thought for a moment and decided that when it was time to use a false identity, she should.
Miss Fang likely wouldn’t mind compensating her.
“My name is Fang Chuyun.”
Li Yang knew Fang Chuyun was in Group 1, and no matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t possibly get from Group 1 to Group 6.
Zhong Kun flipped through the leaderboard and said, “Ah, you’re in the top 20! Impressive!”
Fang Chuyun was a prominent figure at Huangcheng High, but when she came to the provincial capital, she wasn’t as well-known.
Zhong Kun clearly didn’t recognize her.
Li Yang also found Zhong Kun’s name on the leaderboard.
Unlike his cousin Zhong Qian, who was ranked near the top, this “grandma gray” student was tied with Yu Hongyuan, with a score of zero.
Zhong Kun scratched his head and said, “I’ve studied the ‘Entry Guidelines’ thoroughly, thinking I could just survive in the safe zone for three days… but now I’m in trouble…”
Li Yang didn’t quite follow the logic and asked, “I thought you were trying to break into the top 20…”
“You’re overestimating me! The 20th place already has 70 points. How many creatures do I have to kill to get in? I was just in a hurry, and when I saw my brother being overtaken, I thought I should go check on him. You don’t know, my brother is unpredictable when he’s crazy, and he might challenge a second-grade beast alone… damn it, the Zhong family can’t lose him! My whole life of being a lazy good-for-nothing depends on him!”
Li Yang:
Well, this lazy life of yours sure has some structure.
Through Zhong Kun’s endless chatter, Li Yang finally understood the situation.
Zhong Kun didn’t have big ambitions—he just wanted to pass the practical exam.
If the leaderboard hadn’t been suddenly updated, he wouldn’t have left his “hole”.
When he saw the rankings, Zhong Kun panicked, fearing for his older brother, and wanted to check on him.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go smoothly on the way.
He attracted the mutated vine creature, fought it for a while but couldn’t kill it, and was chased around until he met Li Yang.
Zhong Kun, still feeling a bit shaken, said, “I owe you one, Fang classmate!”
Li Yang remained calm and said, “It’s nothing.”
The two of them weren’t safe staying in a group.
Li Yang wasn’t interested in the rankings or the second-grade mutated creatures.
She just wanted to finish her last round of “farming” and get a few more years of lifespan.
Zhong Kun had an idea and said, “Fang classmate, how about you stick with me?”
Li Yang: “?”
Zhong Kun explained, “I know it’s dangerous to group up, but there are probably a lot of people gathered in Group 6, and those mutated beasts must be attracted to the scent. I don’t even have my weapon anymore. If I run into another one, I’ll have to press the rescue button!”
“Here’s the deal: you protect me and take me to my brother. I’m really ‘acting with a clear conscience,’ and I’ll give you something nice once we’re out of the exam…”
Li Yang thought for a moment and asked, “Why is Group 6 gathering so many people?”
Zhong Kun replied, “My brother’s in Group 3, and Lin Zhaoqin is in Group 5… My brother wants to attract the second-grade mutated creatures as quickly as possible, so he’s probably gathered the stronger students to move together. They must be heading this way. I don’t know which group Li Yang is in, but if she’s in Group 6 as well…”
It had to be said, Zhong Kun was pretty clever.
He had figured out the situation pretty accurately.
At that moment, the main examiner’s voice echoed through all the rescue devices:
“The top three students have reached the Group 6 area simultaneously, triggering the hidden mechanism. A second-grade mutated creature has arrived. Please be cautious.”
Zhong Kun gasped.
“So Li Yang really is in Group 6!”
Li Yang:
“Yup, right in front of you.”
Zhong Kun grew even more anxious.
“Oh no, we really attracted a second-grade mutated beast! I have to go check on him. He can’t get into trouble…”
Zhong Kun turned to Li Yang and said, “I see your ranking is pretty solid, so you should stay in the top 20! Can you take this on? Afterward, I’ll give you a Star Guide Pill!”
Li Yang didn’t know what the Star Guide Pill was, but she knew it was related to the Star Users.
Zhong Kun continued, “The Zhong family’s Star Guide Pills are far better than those cheap ones on the market, which cost 100,000 each!”
100,000 each?!
Li Yang quickly thought it through.
The situation in Group 6 was probably chaotic, and the safe zone might not even be safe.
It would be difficult to harvest her non-rated mutant plants.
Her score was probably safe, at most dropping to second place.
Second place was fine; she thought the first place was too conspicuous anyway.
Li Yang said, “If we run into any mutated creatures, you need to help.”
Zhong Kun: “But I don’t have my weapon…”
Li Yang: “Just hold them off.”
Zhong Kun: “Alright, alright.”
The two of them set off.
To save time, they didn’t take the detour through the safe zone and instead went straight toward their destination.
Along the way, they inevitably encountered mutated creatures.
A low-tier mutated wild boar charged at them, and Zhong Kun gritted his teeth.
“I’ll hold it off. You…”
Li Yang grabbed his arm. “Run!”
Zhong Kun: “???”
Before he could ask, Li Yang had already dragged him into the woods, weaving back and forth to shake off the mutated wild boar.
The two were out of breath when suddenly, there was a rustling sound above them.
A flower bud head stretched down from above.
Zhong Kun was so startled that he instinctively blurted out: “Run!”
However, this time, Li Yang said, “Hold it off.”
Zhong Kun: “???”
Li Yang leaped up and jumped behind the mutated plant.
The flower bud’s head chased after Zhong Kun, and she seized the opportunity to chop down with an axe, cutting its “head” off.
As expected of a mutated plant, fresh blood poured out from the severed neck.
Li Yang didn’t receive a system prompt, so she knew the plant hadn’t died completely.
After carefully determining the position of the “Starshine,” she chopped down at the base of the tree again.
[Lifespan +1 year]
Zhong Kun had blood splattered on his grandma-gray clothes, and his baby face was filled with panic.
He said, “Why isn’t it running this time?”
Li Yang immediately responded, “Adapt to the situation.”
Zhong Kun bitterly said, “Sis, I don’t understand this ‘situation.'”
Li Yang said, “Then follow orders.”
Zhong Kun quickly complied, “Alright, Fang Sis.”
He figured it out – this woman was fierce, chopping mutated plants like she was chopping vegetables.
No wonder she was one of the top twenty!
Half an hour later, Zhong Kun summarized his experience and asked, “Why do you only target mutated plants?”
“Because…” Li Yang casually said, “I’m a vegetarian.”
Zhong Kun: I don’t believe you! Besides, that’s not how vegetarians act!
But he had seen Li Yang’s strength firsthand, so he didn’t dare argue with her.
If he got hit by that axe, his neck would be no tougher than a mutated plant’s.
Li Yang was in a good mood.
Zhong Kun was quite useful.
Although he didn’t have much combat power, he was fast, which made him good at distracting opponents.
She needed someone to help with that.
They had managed to take down four mutated plants, all low-tier, but that still earned them four years of extra life.
Quite a good haul!
As for the points…
That wasn’t important. Li Yang couldn’t be bothered to check, and she didn’t want to remind Zhong Kun to check either.
If he saw that Fang Chuyun’s points hadn’t changed, it would give things away.
Finally, they ran into the main group.
Zhong Kun, out of breath, said, “As expected, everyone’s gathered here.”
Each group’s area was pretty large.
Li Yang had spent two days to fully explore the 8 groups, and that was only in the safe zones. It showed just how vast the area was.
Group Six was quite secure now.
With so many people, they likely wiped out all the high-tier mutated creatures.
With just half an hour left in the exam, everyone was calm.
Those who could come over had gathered to watch the show.
As Li Yang and Zhong Kun approached, they overheard the discussions.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a second-tier mutated creature! It’s so scary!”
“Is that a mutated beast or a plant?”
“Mutated plant! A dahlia!”
“Don’t underestimate me! You call that a dahlia? I’ve seen real dahlias before!”
Upon hearing that, Li Yang’s ears perked up.
A mutated plant.
This second-tier mutated creature was actually a plant.
Li Yang wasn’t interested in the points, but… how much lifespan could a second-tier mutated plant give?!
A first-tier, seventh-level man-eating flower only gave 10 years of life.
A second-tier dahlia would likely give at least 15 years!
Li Yang swallowed hard.
She was tempted, but quickly calmed herself down.
She was no longer a “reckless” person with only a year of life.
Now, she had 22 years.
She decided to observe first and see how dangerous this second-tier dahlia was.
If it was too risky, there would be no need to challenge it.
Li Yang’s current goal was to pass the exam smoothly and enter the Zhongdu Military Academy without trouble.
A second-tier dahlia was no longer enough to tempt her; her mind was now set on those vast fields of golden wheat!
However, Zhong Kun was impatient.
He wanted to see what was going on up ahead, so he kept pushing forward.
Li Yang followed along.
There were many students gathered here, but they were still far from the “battlefield.”
Everyone was being cautious and didn’t want to provoke the creature, just wanting to watch from the “safe zone.”
As soon as they squeezed out of the crowd, Zhong Kun shouted, “What the hell, a two-headed demon beast!”
Li Yang first noticed the massive “Starshine.”
The Starshine had average density, but it was enormous, about two meters wide and at least three meters tall.
Beneath it was a huge mutated plant.
The original four-leaf clover had been big, but this dahlia was even larger.
No wonder Zhong Kun called it a two-headed demon beast.
This dahlia no longer resembled a plant; it clearly looked like a monster with two heads.
Li Yang had seen dahlias before; they were common ornamental flowers.
The plant itself was small, but the flowers were colorful, layered, and beautiful.
The mutated dahlia before her, however, was far from beautiful.
Its body was covered by huge leaves, looking unbreakable.
Two vines, like necks, extended from the top.
The vines were covered in hard scales, resembling flexible and tough snakes, and the heads of these “snakes” were the two dahlia heads.
The blood-red petals were spread open, each long petal resembling sharp teeth.
They overlapped and made chewing noises…
No wonder the other students were hesitant to approach.
After seeing this, Li Yang also lost interest in harvesting lifespan.