Chapter 4411 — A Rich Reward Makes a Brave Man
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
If it was to be a simulation of real conditions, then it had to be restored to the most authentic situation possible. Ordinarily, it was Golden Core escorts who went out on assignments, so naturally it had to be Golden Core escorts who took the field here as well. Otherwise, if every agency desperately pushed its strongest hands to the fore, the whole exercise would be meaningless.
If Nascent Soul experts were sent into the fray, then even a victory would fail to reflect the true escorting standards of the great agencies, and the five agencies that ultimately prevailed would never be able to command the public's trust.
"The time limit is one stick of incense. If, within that stick of incense, the defending side can successfully protect the cargo, all four escorts survive, and the opposing side is wiped out completely, then the defenders score eighty points. For every man the defending side loses, ten points are deducted; for every man of the raiding side who survives, ten points are likewise deducted.
"Conversely, if the defending side fails to protect the cargo, they score zero, and the raiding side instead scores eighty. By the same logic, for every man one's own side loses, ten points are deducted, and for every man of the enemy who survives, ten points are likewise deducted.
"In this round of competition, all thirty-two agencies will each receive one opportunity to defend and one to raid. Added together, that constitutes your total score for this round. I trust the rules are clear to everyone?" Zhao Bufan addressed the crowd in a ringing voice.
"Clear!" the assembled escorts answered in unison, with remarkable accord.
"These rules sound a bit brutal," Wei Zhao could not help but click his tongue in secret dismay. This first round of competition was less a contest between rivals than a mutual slaughter—and one scored by heads, no less, forcing you to kill whether you would or no!
Henceforth, whether defending or raiding, for the escorts about to enter the contest there was but one overriding principle: ensure your own survival as far as possible, and all the more, kill your opponents as far as possible—for only thus could high scores be won!
Ever since arriving on Cloud Terrace Island, Wei Zhao had taken part in no small number of trials and competitions of every size and description. They too had encouraged mutual rivalry and confrontation, but never before had any contest used a head-count score to force you into killing.
All of this could only be attributed to the environment and its atmosphere. Compared with this sort of killing contest, the trials and competitions of the Threefold Pavilion of the Northern Island were nothing but child's play in a hothouse—far too comfortable, far too unchallenging.
Whether it was a trick of the mind or the simple truth, from this moment on the many escorts of the thirty-two agencies suddenly seemed cloaked in a layer of chilling, murderous resolve. The atmosphere across the whole field turned abruptly and unbearably grave, as though they were deathsworn soldiers about to march to war. As if to match the mood, layer upon layer of dark clouds drifted overhead, pressing down upon every head.
"Brother Qi, what's your plan?" Wei Zhao glanced at Qi Wenmo, then turned his head to look at the other agencies around them.
Because the rules of the Southern Continent Escort Gathering changed every year, they had only just learned them now. The heads and brains of every agency were at this moment busily drawing up their formations.
This was the first round of the great gathering. Whether they could win the opening battle would directly determine the morale of the entire agency and indirectly shape the course of the contests to come. It was therefore of the utmost importance, and no failure could be permitted.