Chapter Sixty-Four: The Final Battle Approaches

Half an hour after Nangong Yuchen and his two companions departed, Xiao Quan and Tuoba Lin arrived at the scene with their group. Seeing the bloodstains and the chaotic wreckage on the ground, the expressions of the five darkened instantly.

"Lin Yan and his team have been eliminated just like that?" Xiao Quan found it hard to believe. Although he hadn't crossed paths with Nangong Yuchen since arriving on Phantom Island, Lin Yan’s trio was, at the very least, an experienced squad. It seemed impossible for them to have been wiped out so easily.

"Heh, Nangong Yuchen and those two women all have speeds exceeding 40 meters per second. Do you really think Lin Yan and his men could have escaped?" Seeing Xiao Quan's skepticism, Tuoba Lin couldn't help but sneer. He certainly wouldn't have joined forces with Xiao Quan if it weren't for the shared goal of eliminating Nangong Yuchen first.

"Brother Xiao, what should we do now?" Mu Xue asked doubtfully.

"Follow me and track them in this direction. I want to see just how heaven-defying these three really are!" Xiao Quan let out a cold snort and set off first.

Mu Qi and his sister Mu Xue followed closely behind. Tuoba Lin and Liu Ze, left at the rear, exchanged glances before joining the pursuit. For Tuoba Lin, the elimination of Lin Yan’s team was actually a blessing. Only by removing Nangong Yuchen first would he and Liu Ze have any chance of competing for the elite student spots; otherwise, they would have stood no chance against Xiao Quan’s group of six.

Half an hour later, the map device activated.

"Yuchen, Xiao Quan and his group are closing in on us!" Nangong Kexin said nervously, watching the five icons approaching their position in the forest zone on the display.

Hearing this, Nangong Yuchen turned his gaze to Angel and asked with concern, "Are you okay with your injuries?"

"I’m fine for now!"

Seeing her forcing herself to be brave, Nangong Yuchen shook his head and said, "Then let's head east. We’ll reach the grassland zone by tomorrow evening. We must try to buy as much time as possible for Angel to recover!"

The current situation was the best they could hope for. It was three against five. If Angel could recover even slightly, Nangong Yuchen was confident he could secure the elite status.

Throughout the journey, the trio did not move at full speed, maintaining a half-hour lead over Xiao Quan’s group. Whenever they encountered other students who attacked them, Nangong Yuchen would simply eliminate them. Without realizing it, the second day on Phantom Island passed, and they entered the final day.

Early in the morning, the trio continued their trek. Xiao Quan and Tuoba Lin, seemingly realizing that relentless pursuit was futile, began actively eliminating the remaining students on the island. This thinned the ranks of the remaining twenty-some students down to just over ten.

Nangong Yuchen’s group also encountered another three-person squad. After dispatching them with the same sweeping ease as before, they continued on, waiting for Angel’s injuries to heal. Aside from that small interlude, the rest of the journey was remarkably peaceful. The three of them moved as if they were sightseeing, finally arriving at the grassland zone.

"Yuchen, should we keep moving? The next area is the river zone!" Nangong Kexin slowed her pace and asked in confusion.

Nangong Yuchen looked up at the sky and replied, "It's still early. Let's keep moving to buy Angel a bit more time!" There was no helping it; the elite status was far too important to him. He couldn't afford to be careless, as every bit of recovery for Angel increased their chances of success.

"By the way, Kexin, what is your second mecha? Why haven't I seen you use it?" Nangong Yuchen suddenly recalled that his sister had only used her spear in the battles over the past two days, and he couldn't help but be curious.

Upon hearing this, Angel also turned her attention toward them. She had been harboring this curiosity for a long time, especially since they had nearly been eliminated before Yuchen arrived, and she still hadn't seen Kexin reveal a second mecha.

"Oh... it’s this!"

Suddenly put on the spot, Nangong Kexin blushed, looking a bit awkward. Finally, under their curious gazes, she retrieved her second mecha from her space ring.

With a shimmer of condensation and form, a delicate cyan necklace appeared in her hand.

"This is..." Nangong Yuchen was speechless. He never expected that Kexin’s second mecha would be a defensive necklace. On Phantom Island, where all mecha skills were disabled, any defensive accessory was essentially useless!

"Is that the 'Guardian of the Wind'? A rare defensive piece for speed-types, but it’s a pity the skill has been canceled," Angel identified the item.

Seeing the two of them speechless, Nangong Kexin’s face turned even redder. She quickly explained, "This... this was the first piece of equipment I chose. Who would have thought that all mecha skills would be disabled here..." Her voice trailed off to a whisper, clearly feeling extremely embarrassed.

"Alright! Most people come in and immediately choose the most powerful offensive weapons, but you—you just picked whatever looked pretty..." Nangong Yuchen shook his head, sweating.

"Nangong Yuchen?" The matter might have been forgotten if he hadn't brought it up, but hearing his comment, Nangong Kexin’s tone grew slightly sharper.

"Ah, let's keep moving! Xiao Quan and the others are catching up!" He quickly stepped forward, as if afraid Kexin might suddenly lash out.

"Pfft..."

The two women were amused by his awkward reaction, and the tension vanished. The three of them returned to their journey.

Time flowed like water, slipping away quietly. Before they knew it, the sun began to set, and evening arrived.

Soft light bathed the entire grassland, draping it in an orange silence. The undulating mountains in the distance were cloaked in sunset-colored robes, dreamlike and illusory. The brilliant glow on the horizon dyed the white clouds as red as fire. A gentle breeze drifted by, causing waves of grass to ripple toward the distant river before everything fell still.

"So beautiful!" Angel and Nangong Kexin exclaimed simultaneously. They hadn't expected to witness such a beautiful sight at the very end.

"It is," Nangong Yuchen agreed, breathing in the fresh air. He then turned to look at the other side of the grassland and added, "Counting the time, they should be arriving soon."

As he spoke, the two women tightened their expressions and looked over as well.

"They're here!"

A thousand meters away, the five of them were approaching rapidly. When they finally saw Nangong Yuchen and his companions, the anger they had been suppressing erupted.

After a full day and night of pursuit, the five were utterly frustrated. They couldn't keep up in terms of speed, and they didn't dare split up to intercept, leaving them feeling like dogs being led on a leash.

Now, things were different. Only eight people remained on the island, and the three-day time limit had arrived, preventing the trio from fleeing any further. The moment for retaliation had come.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

Half a minute later, the five arrived. Their faces were livid as they looked at the smiling Nangong Yuchen, longing to tear him to pieces on the spot.

But just then, Nangong Yuchen spoke up.

"Phew, you guys are even slower than I thought!"

His taunting voice echoed in their ears, and the five were instantly incensed.

Xiao Quan, leading the group, said with an icy expression, "Nangong Yuchen, is it? I hope you still have the chance to speak after this!" He had already placed the boy in front of him on his must-kill list; this was about more than just Cheng Shiyu's orders.

"Heh, just based on the few of you?"

The mocking voice returned, but this time, it carried an even sharper edge of sarcasm.

Xiao Quan’s face twisted in fury. Unable to suppress his rage any longer, he roared savagely, "Take them down!"

The battle between the two sides was about to ignite.