The boy in the photo frame is Wang Xu's younger brother, named Wang Jun.
Ten years ago, the Second Safe Zone was invaded by a swarm of Insect Beasts. Millions of Insect Beasts launched a frenzied attack on the Safe Zone, the Energy Barrier faltering, human warriors stepped forward but all perished in the mouths of the Insect Beasts.
The civilians, deprived of protection, had no choice but to flee. After the Energy Barrier was shattered, the swarm of Insect Beasts swept over. At that time, Wang Xu was only eight years old, completely powerless to protect himself. The fleeing crowd was overcrowded, all trying to board the train to the Sixth Safe Zone.
After painstakingly boarding the train, they realized that Wang Xu's brother, who was two years younger, was missing, swallowed by the massive crowd. It was impossible to find him. The mother frantically wanted to get off the train, but the father held her tightly, tears welling up in his reddened eyes.
Just like that, Wang Jun got separated from them, and it's been ten years since they parted. Initially, the parents wanted to search for him, but it was like finding a needle in a haystack, and they exhausted the family's savings. For the sake of living, the parents had no choice but to temporarily give up.
Even now, Wang Xu doesn't dare to mention his brother in front of his parents, unwilling to evoke painful memories and sadden them.
"Brother, rest assured, as long as you're alive, I will definitely find you!" Wang Xu's eyes were filled with determination.
......
Early the next morning, after bidding farewell to his parents, Wang Xu set out towards the Genetics Academy.
At the Genetics Academy, Wang Xu was in the Martial Arts Class. Today was the once-a-month Academy Trial, and all Tier Two and above Genetic Warriors were required to attend the trial. Of course, you could choose not to participate, but you would forfeit that month's cultivation resources.
Nowadays, the Academy is different from before, divided into Martial Arts Class and Culture Class. The Culture Class has a tight schedule, requiring students to study daily, aiming to qualify for university through the final exam. In contrast, the Martial Arts Class offers more freedom, with students investing a lot of time in studying Ancient Martial Arts, and those with outstanding talent face a promising future.
Every month, the Academy provides a certain amount of cultivation resources to the Martial Arts Class students to aid their cultivation, but the condition is that they must participate in the Academy Trial.
The requirement for the trial is simple—hunt Insect Beasts!
All students need to confront Insect Beasts head-on, using their own strength or teamwork to kill them. It's a trial, but it's also a life-and-death battle.
The trial is fraught with danger, even life-threatening. Every year, dozens of Genetic Warriors die at the hands of Insect Beasts, and this is with the Academy's protective measures to prevent damage. If the students were to face the Insect Beasts alone, it would be a different scenario.
Life and death are inevitable, and the students participating in the trial are prepared to fight for their lives.
Because only by surviving the trial, can one become stronger!
"Brother Wang!"
"Brother Wang!"
Upon entering the Genetics Academy, Wang Xu headed to the Martial Arts Class location. From afar, someone was waving to him, his classmates. Wang Xu smiled slightly and waved back.
A well-muscled man and a short, thin man, both were Wang Xu's classmates in the Martial Arts Class and teammates in the trial.
Most participants in the trial choose to act as a team, ensuring greater safety. However, some solitary individuals prefer to act alone, though these individuals often get surrounded by jealous classmates, who forcibly seize all their spoils.
Wang Xu ranks third on the points leaderboard. His strength is indisputable, and many want to team up with him. However, Wang Xu only chooses a three-person team, politely declining any more.
The more people there are, the fewer spoils there are to share, and there is no guarantee someone won't cause trouble and stab you in the back.
"Brother Wang, I heard you were hospitalized a few days ago? How are you? Can you participate in the trial?" The thin, short man named Zhou Ge was also a Tier Three Genetic Warrior.
"Just a minor injury, nothing to worry about." Wang Xu smiled slightly. He understood Zhou Ge was concerned about him. They would be facing Insect Beasts, with no mercy or compassion, who wouldn't care if you were injured. To them, it was all about killing.
"Brother Wang, I heard this round of trials is quite strict, arranged in a C-level area, so the difficulty might increase." Muscle man Song Zhen spoke. Despite his muscular appearance, suggesting a lack of intelligence, in fact, he was the smartest in the squad, a virtual network expert with excellent intelligence-gathering skills.
C-level area?
Wang Xu frowned slightly. Normally, trials took place in D-level areas with Tier One to Tier Three Insect Beasts. As long as they didn't encounter dozens of Insect Beasts attacking at once, students generally wouldn't sustain casualties.
But now they're going to a C-level area with Tier Four Elite Insect Beasts lurking, isn't this pushing the students into the fire?
Just as Wang Xu was about to speak, he suddenly noticed the muscle man Song Zhen looking at him with a strange expression, his eyes signaling to look behind. Wang Xu turned his head and immediately saw Tang Yan approaching from a distance.
Today, Tang Yan was dressed in simple white clothes, like a fairy emerging unstained from the mortal world. If it weren't for the fact, no one would believe she ranked in the top ten on the points leaderboard, had hunted nearly a hundred Insect Beasts, and had bloodstained hands as a Genetic Warrior.
However, Wang Xu's eyes narrowed when he saw Xu Yuan following behind Tang Yan. Xu Yuan sensed Wang Xu's gaze, looked over, his eyes filled with disdain, making Wang Xu's face darken and he turned away.
Zhou Ge and Song Zhen also saw Xu Yuan, their faces showing anger. In the last trial, they could have obtained hundreds of points, but on the way back to the base, Xu Yuan's team intercepted them, forcibly taking away half of the spoils, which caused their cultivation resources to be halved.
Having half the cultivation resources means that their progress for that month will be slow. For Genetic Warriors who believe in strength, it's like cutting off their financial resources. How could they not be angry?
If Wang Xu hadn't been present at the time, they might not have received any points at all, only the minimal cultivation resources.
Though both were angry, they had to endure it because the power behind Xu Yuan was formidable, and they were no match.
"Young Master Xu!"
"Young Master Xu!"
"..."
Seeing Xu Yuan arrive, several Tier Three Genetic Warriors quickly greeted him with respect. They belonged to Xu Yuan's team, receiving cultivation resources from the Xu Clan, and naturally followed Xu Yuan's lead.
Moreover, everyone knew Xu Yuan's background. If they could associate with such an influential figure, their future would undoubtedly be boundless.
In an instant, half of the dozen or so Tier Three Genetic Warriors stood behind Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan nodded at them with satisfaction, feeling immensely pleased. He cast a provocative glance at Wang Xu, as if to say: Hmph! So what if you're stronger than me? I can still crush you like an ant!
Tang Yan also saw Wang Xu at first glance, but Wang Xu quickly turned his head, seemingly uninterested in acknowledging her. This made Tang Yan swallow back the greeting she was about to say.
Suddenly, a bloody scent spread as a shadowy figure arrived.
"Zhang Xinglin!"
Black clothes, black eyes, black hair, black shoes, completely enveloped in black, only a pair of expressionless eyes were visible.
He was Zhang Xinglin, the top expert of the points ranking, known as the "madman" among everyone.
When Zhang Xinglin approached, bringing with him a bloody air, Xu Yuan frowned but didn't dare utter any disrespectful words.
In terms of family power, Zhang Xinglin's was much stronger than the Xu Clan; they were not even on the same level. If Zhang Xinglin wasn't determined to refuse family support, he probably wouldn't be participating in the academy trial with them but instead practicing ancient martial arts with the globally renowned "Genius Battle Group."
"Brother Wang." Suddenly, Zhang Xinglin spoke, his gaze turned towards Wang Xu.
Everyone around was surprised. Zhang Xinglin rarely visited the academy, only appearing on the monthly trial days. He was always aloof, hardly saying a word, and now he unexpectedly spoke to his competitor Wang Xu.
"What is it?" Wang Xu was equally surprised but quickly composed himself, responding.
"How about adding me to your team?" Zhang Xinglin's words caused the students to no longer remain calm.
Zhang Xinglin, who always worked alone, was now actively requesting to join a team? This was too unusual.
But Wang Xu was very clear why Zhang Xinglin made the request. This trial was different from the D-level area; it took place in a C-level area with Tier Four Elite Insect Beasts. No matter how talented Zhang Xinglin was, he couldn't contend with Tier Four threats with his Tier Three power, not even escape. Joining a team greatly increased safety.
Zhang Xinglin was a wise man, not just a reckless braggart. Wang Xu nodded, "Since Brother Zhang has asked, I welcome you wholeheartedly."
Instantly, Wang Xu's team gained a top expert from the points ranking, significantly boosting their team strength.
"Wang Xu, how about adding me too?" Suddenly, Tang Yan spoke up.
Wang Xu was taken aback, but seeing Xu Yuan's face turning grim with bulging veins, he smiled slightly and said, "Of course, no problem."
The students looked enviously at Wang Xu. First, the fierce Zhang Xinglin, top of the points ranking, joined, and now Tang Yan, also in the top ten of the points ranking, offered her support. It was simply too fortunate.
However, everyone knew their limits. Zhang Xinglin and Tang Yan could join because they had enough strength, but they didn't have such power, so they could only envy.
"Wang Xu... I want you dead, very dead... very dead!"
Xu Yuan's eyes were full of malice at this moment. He didn't mind Zhang Xinglin joining Wang Xu's team, but Tang Yan was absolutely unacceptable!
Tang Yan had long been marked by Xu Yuan as untouchable, not allowing anyone else to come close. With this, Xu Yuan's murderous intent surged!
"Everyone!"
At this moment, a middle-aged man with a scarred face approached. He was the Martial Arts Class coach named Cui Qiang, nicknamed "Cui Badao," robust in power, a Tier Six Genetic Warrior, famous for his two white broadswords. He got the name Cui Badao because he practiced the ancient martial art "Eight Blade Slash," once cleaning out an Insect Beast Region with his formidable strength, earning him a position as a coach at the Genetics Academy.
When Cui Badao spoke, everyone immediately formed three neat lines, not daring to be careless.
"You've participated in multiple trials, and you understand the rules, but there are some rules you must know."
"First: Once you enter the Insect Beast Region, life and death are your own responsibility!"
"Second: Students are absolutely forbidden to kill each other!"
"Third: Insect beast corpses are not allowed to be taken away privately!"
After finishing the three points, Cui Badao glanced coldly at everyone, "Are these rules clear?"
"Understood!" everyone shouted in unison.
Then without a word, Cui Badao turned and left, and the students knew it was time to head to the Trial Area, quickly following in his footsteps.