"Li Mengnan." When the stone gate opened again, a name drifted out from the crack.

Li Mengnan shrank her head in fright, not daring to press the button again...

After several rounds of "tug-of-war," Gong Cheng finally appeared before the two of them: "Come in."

Du Yu didn't dare object and immediately stepped inside. Li Mengnan followed behind Du Yu, whispering, "Hello, Teacher Gong."

Gong Cheng's face was dark as he looked coldly at Li Mengnan.

The smile on Li Mengnan's face was rather forced. She hid behind Du Yu, lowering her head, not daring to make a sound.

Gong Cheng pressed the button again, and the stone gate behind the two of them slowly closed.

This scene gave Du Yu a sense of "closing the door and beating the dog," um...

Du Yu looked up at Gong Cheng, hurriedly changing the subject: "Instructor Gong, you're not the commander of the 3rd Floor, right?"

"No."

"That's good, that's good." Du Yu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked, "So what task do you want to give us?"

"Sort of."

Gong Cheng turned around, looking at the two students he once taught. He really hadn't thought he'd meet them someday on the battlefield.

Though, this battlefield came with a few discounts.

"Instructor Gong?"

"There are clothes over there, put them on." Gong Cheng gestured to the side of the door. Du Yu looked down—sure enough, there was a backpack.

Li Mengnan, curious, walked over, casually placing her torch by her face, quickly unzipping the backpack, and took out several black cloaks from it.

Gong Cheng spoke: "Join the Demon Beast faction. The target: all Human Army. Charge and kill your way up!"

Li Mengnan was shocked: "What?"

Du Yu stared dumbly at Gong Cheng: "Wait, Instructor Gong? Was Great Xia unfair to you and now we're going rogue?"

Gong Cheng: ???

Li Mengnan gingerly said, "Isn't this bad, Instructor Gong? My camera is still on..."

Gong Cheng nearly laughed out of anger. He really didn't know how he produced these two!

He took a deep breath, struggling to control the urge to smack someone, and said, "This is the competition rule: the first individual or team to enter the 3rd Floor will act as the Demon Beast Commander on this floor.

The cloaks distributed to you are infused with a special aura. It works on low-level Cold Qi Demon Beasts—they most likely won't attack you anymore.

From now on, you two are the commanders of the 3rd Floor."

Li Mengnan: "Uh, this..."

Du Yu frowned, thought about it for a while, and finally couldn't help but say, "Instructor Gong, can I refuse to defect?"

If he defected, his opponents would be humans. Once fighting started, it would be hard to control the severity, and one careless move could cause big trouble!

Du Yu considered himself here for the contest, not to look for extra trouble.

"Sometimes, it's not up to what you want." Gong Cheng clasped his hands behind his back, voice heavy. "Every contestant plays a role, and you're no exception.

Although you'll suddenly switch factions during the battle, side with Cold Qi Demon Beasts, and raise your blades against human comrades... You're still heroes."

Du Yu was moved, and remembered the history of Ancient Pine Tower City: "You mean...?"

Gong Cheng nodded: "More than a hundred years ago, this Bottomless Pit suddenly appeared, destroying nearly half the town and claiming countless lives.

Demon Beasts invaded by Cold Qi swarmed out of the pit, wreaking havoc everywhere. The Human Army rushed in and quickly launched a counterattack.

Today, the five hundred of you are just like the very first batch of Demon Spirit Soldiers to dive into the Bottomless Pit back then.

The difference is, the enemies you face are much weaker—after all, this is a tournament organized by the Demon Spirit Bookstore. There's no need for you to really die here."

Gong Cheng looked at Li Mengnan: "The two of you performed well, and you were the first team to reach the 3rd Floor—just like the one who achieved great feats and dove deepest in the bottomless chasm back then."

Li Mengnan: "Mr. Lin Songgu?"

Gong Cheng nodded slightly: "Mr. Lin managed to control the situation, but couldn't control himself.

He killed innumerable Cold Qi Demon Beasts, and before the Human Army's main forces arrived, bought them precious rescue time.

But for the sake of this town, Mr. Lin never came back.

Far beneath our feet, he was overtaken by Cold Qi and completely lost his mind. When they brought him out again, he turned his blade on our Human Army."

Du Yu opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Gong Cheng strode toward Li Mengnan and took a cloak: "The deeper into the Bottomless Pit, the stronger the Demon Beasts you encounter. Once trapped in such a battlefield, he knew he couldn't return.

Mr. Lin hung on until the Human Army arrived, then chose to perish along with the powerful Demon Beasts deep within the Bottomless Pit. Sadly, fate didn't smile upon this hero—he didn't die right away.

Controlled by Cold Qi, he gained the strength to come out, but his eyes were crimson red, and he turned his blade against us, the Human Army."

Gong Cheng tossed a cloak to Du Yu and draped another over Li Mengnan's shoulders: "Your characters didn't betray anyone. Besides, this event isn't just about you.

The other contestants will have to face a former Human Army ally, raising swords against them. They have to experience all this, too."

He looked at the silent pair: "Don't feel too pressured, just fight as usual. Of course, I hope you'll go all out—only then will you be worthy of this battlefield.

This is the second phase of the contest. Every competitor will be assigned a medical soldier, and yours are just outside the door.

One more thing: Don't take off your cloaks. Also, the moment you step out of the stone gate, all contestants will be notified and start hunting you down."

Du Yu quickly asked: "So what's our final end? Will we be taken down by the Human Race, or collapse from exhaustion?"

Gong Cheng took two steps back and pressed the stone door button: "I've already told you—charge ahead, fight your way to the surface. You're someone enslaved by Cold Qi, trying to kill your way to the outside world."

Du Yu couldn't help but smile wryly. Damn this Demon Spirit Bookstore and Demon Spirit Cultural Bureau—if I'd known, I wouldn't have rushed down first!

Eh?

Du Yu suddenly turned around and looked at Gong Cheng: "Is my role predetermined?"

Gong Cheng shook his head: "It could be any individual or team that reached the 3rd Floor first."

Du Yu was puzzled: "Then when you gathered everyone at the beginning, was that why you called my name and gave a secret signal?"

"I thought you'd be the first to arrive."

Du Yu smacked his lips: "Alright then, thanks for believing in me, Instructor Gong."

Gong Cheng actually smiled, his scarred face looking pretty scary: "No need. I just wanted the other hundreds of people to remember you, know who their enemy is."

Du Yu: ???

You really are a great teacher, huh!

Gong Cheng gestured to the now open stone gate: "Go on, good luck to you both."

Li Mengnan suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked: "What about the 1000 points? We came for the commander reward, and now you're suddenly changing the rules..."

Gong Cheng's smile grew wider: "You're worth 500 now."

Li Mengnan: ???

Gong Cheng strode forward and pushed the two students, both full of question marks, out the stone gate, then pressed the button.

Du Yu and Li Mengnan looked at each other, trying to process everything. After a moment, Du Yu suddenly said, "How about we just take each other out for 500 points each—doesn't that pretty much secure first place?"

Li Mengnan was just about to respond when, from down the corridor, a surprised girl's voice rang out, "Huh? What did you say?"

Du Yu and Li Mengnan's eyes both lit up. That voice—wasn't that the ponytail girl who's been following their squad?

Given her surprise, she must've just gotten the notification: the second phase had begun and the objectives had changed.

"Attack!" Li Mengnan didn't care about anything else, took long strides, and dashed straight up the stairs.

About twenty meters away on the right, a girl stood, looking shocked, staring at the soldiers hurrying away, clearly still digesting the new info she'd just received.

Du Yu and Li Mengnan had entered the 3rd Floor a while ago—this girl really knew how to be patient. Only now did she choose to enter, probably hoping Du Yu and Li Mengnan would clear the floor for her?

Well, that's too bad! Instead of clearing out the third floor, the pair are now fighting their way back to clean up the 2nd!

"Stop!" Li Mengnan strode forward in giant steps, charging like crazy.

The ponytail girl already had beef with Li Mengnan, and now seeing her in a black cloak, her face changed dramatically!

"Blast!" The girl pointed her longsword forward, and the Lightning Cat on her shoulder quickly gathered a Thunder Ball.

At the moment she pointed, a tiny star zipped out past her forehead, crackling and sparking with electric energy.

During her previous fight with the Water Charm Illusion Spirit, the girl hadn't summoned her Electric-type Demon Pet, Little Electric Star, so it was clear she was patient and had saved her strength for later rounds.

But now, she couldn't hold back any longer!

The ponytail girl had tailed Du Yu the whole way and saw firsthand what "slicing through like melons and vegetables" looked like, so of course she knew how strong the duo was!

"Little Wind Blade!" Catching up, Du Yu held his torch in one hand and shouted loudly.

Little You Ying squeezed her eyes shut, ready to spring, but then opened them wide again...

Little Wind Blade?

But master, I... I can't do that?

"Whoosh~" At Li Mengnan's temple, Wind Witch finally caught up to her reckless master. Following Du Yu's command, she sent a Wind Blade flying straight at the star.

The Wind Blade and the rapidly spinning star clashed with a thunderous bang.

Du Yu finally got in front of Li Mengnan, thrusting his torch forward: "Blow! Ghost Firefly Blow!"

He didn't care at all about the electric chaos ahead. While charging forward, a Wind-Fire Pillar, a full meter wide, shot out from his torch!

With lightning, wind, and the incoming Thunder Flash Ball, Little You Ying managed, all by herself, to blast everything back the other way.

"Stop, Ghost Firefly." Du Yu commanded as he let go of the Ghost Firefly Torch. At the same time, his feet stopped abruptly and he instantly pulled his bow with an arrow nocked!

Amid swirling wind, fire, and lightning elements, Du Yu's eyes narrowed as he released his grip on the bowstring.

"Whoosh!"

As Li Mengnan sprinted, a Fire Arrow shot past her cheek. She trusted Du Yu completely, so she wasn't nervous at all!

Li Mengnan shielded her face with a hand, crashed through the swirling sparks and lightning, and saw the ponytail girl running away, 5 or 6 meters up ahead.

"Meow!" The Lightning Cat let out a sharp cry. The girl tensed, quickly dodging to the right.

The arrow whizzed by, dangerously close—but the problem was...

"Hihaihai!" Li Mengnan seized upon the girl's panic and stabbed forward!

"Crack!"

The longsword, powered by an activated array, flashed brilliantly and menacingly!

With just one thrust, it pierced the girl's Demon Breath Battle Robe and stabbed right into her thigh.

"Aaaah! Aaaaah!" The girl couldn't help but scream, stumbling forward in pain.

The Lightning Cat leaped, gathering a sphere of electricity in its mouth.

Wind Witch's cloak fluttered, sending a Wind Blade slashing forward.

The girl crashed hard to the ground and barely turned over. As she turned her face, Li Mengnan stomped down on her—hard!

"Thunk!" A muffled thud!

The side of the girl's head slammed into the ground. She didn't even manage a scream—maybe she was kicked unconscious?

Li Mengnan really had enough of her. Ever since becoming a Demon Tamer, she'd found a very effective way to deal with trouble.

When Du Yu reached her, he just happened to see Li Mengnan raising her leg and stomping down hard again!

"Thunk!" Another dull thud.

"Stop!" A Flower Vine suddenly shot out, moving fast, and shoved Li Mengnan back.

A soldier hurried up and pressed a wooden stake to the girl's thigh.

Li Mengnan staggered back, muttering quietly, "That's what you get for being so shameless..."

...

That's all five chapters—please vote monthly!

Goodness, I've been writing since this morning, I'm totally wiped out now...

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