Chapter 246: Chapter 143: Camp Entrance Assessment, Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique

His voice, sharp with agitation, echoed in the spacious underground area.

As soon as he spoke, a series of sharp gasps rippled through the crowd.

’Turning living people into puppets?’

’The Qiming General Star Training Camp is that depraved?’

’No, that’s too absurd. It’s not like this is some kind of evil cult.’

Soon, someone noticed something was off.

Another young man’s brow was furrowed as he stared at a different puppet. He spoke in a low, heavy voice, "That puppet named Li Mo... I know him! We were good friends when we were kids, and he was three years older than me. I heard he also qualified for the training camp three years ago, but he was eliminated during the second week’s assessment."

"Right! My older brother, Chu Jie, also attended the training camp two years ago, but he... he was eliminated in the very first week."

Those two statements struck the crowd like a bolt of lightning, clearing the fog of confusion.

These were all former washouts!

’So that was it!’

These puppets weren’t made from living people, but were replicas of the failures who had been ruthlessly eliminated from the training camp in previous years!

Once they figured this out, the fear on many faces vanished, replaced by a flicker of fervor.

’They’re just puppets of past failures, not even real people. There’s no way I can’t beat one of these fakes.’

Just then, a figure, unable to hold back any longer, suddenly shot out from the crowd.

Even with puppets worth seven, eight, or even over ten points nearby, his target was still the four-point puppet named Chu Jie.

Perhaps in his mind, securing a safe four points first was the wisest choice.

The young man who was the first to act wielded a heavy battle-ax. As his Qi and Blood surged, he charged recklessly toward his target like a wild bull!

VMM!

The instant he locked onto his target and radiated hostility, a scarlet light flared in the puppet’s eyes.

It moved.

Its body dipped slightly, and with a sudden stomp on the alloy floor, it shot forward to meet the ax-wielding youth, surprisingly beating him to the punch!

The puppet’s hands were empty, but as it charged, it suddenly straightened its fingers, forming a knife-hand.

A faint halo of energy appeared around its alloy forearm.

A knife-hand strike!

CLANG!!!

A piercing screech of metal on metal erupted!

The battle-ax slammed violently against the puppet’s hand, sending sparks flying!

Everyone watched as the puppet met the battle-ax with its bare hand, stopping it dead in its tracks!

An immense force traveled up the ax handle. The young man’s face twisted; a sharp pain shot through the webbing of his thumb, and he nearly lost his grip on the battle-ax!

’How is that possible?!’

’This is just a four-point puppet!’

’A washout!’

Before he could recover from his shock, the puppet’s assault began like a raging storm.

Its other hand blurred, striking toward the youth’s torso from an incredibly awkward angle!

Horrified, the young man could only scramble to pull back his battle-ax and block with it across his chest.

THUD!

With the dull impact, the young man was sent staggering back, ax and all, his feet gouging shallow pits into the alloy floor with every step.

But the puppet pressed forward, its iron fists becoming a flurry of phantom images that completely enveloped the young man!

Its fighting style was bold and sweeping, radiating immense pressure. Every punch was laden with power, yet the details concealed a lethal intent.

On the sidelines, the shock on Chu Jie’s younger brother’s face deepened.

He muttered to himself, "That’s right... that’s my brother’s Furious Waves Fist. How can a puppet..."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached the ears of everyone nearby with perfect clarity.

Everyone’s heart sank.

They finally, completely understood.

These puppets didn’t just mimic the failures’ appearances.

They were loaded with the strength data and combat logic of those same failures!

Lin Ye stood at the back of the crowd, his gaze calm as he watched everything unfold.

In his mind, the face of Head Instructor Yin Liulan appeared—languid and weary, as if she were indifferent to everything.

This was her way of teaching the camp’s first lesson to all the proud and arrogant geniuses.

Qiming General Star has no place for idlers.

Yin Liulan’s message was clear.

’If you can’t even defeat these past failures, then you have no right to remain here.’

’Get the hell out now, and stop wasting precious resources!’