?
"You're cheating!!" Zhou Xiong roared, his voice cracking.
This time, he truly couldn't hold it together. If it were just his battered body against a fully healed opponent, he could grit his teeth and bear it. But a wounded Tier 2 against a fresh Tier 3? What the hell was the point of even fighting?
"Cheating? How so? It's a rest period-naturally you'd want to replenish some energy." Yang Bin smiled.
"You call that replenishing energy!?" Zhou Xiong's eyes bulged.
"Sure. You're welcome to eat one too. I don't mind."
"........."
Zhou Xiong choked on his own words. If he had a Tier-3 Crystal, would he still be stuck at Tier 2?
"That doesn't count! This isn't fair!" Zhou Xiong shouted.
"Fairness? Heh. That didn't exist before the apocalypse, much less after it. Giving you a one-on-one is already the most fairness you're ever going to get."
"Whether it counts isn't your call. You've got five minutes. Find a way to improve. If you can't, that's your problem-don't blame anyone else." Yang Bin's voice went cold.
"I-" Zhou Xiong opened his mouth but couldn't find a single word to fire back.
Zhao Kun stared at the crystal before him, emotions churning.
Something his people had bled and died for without ever obtaining-this man just tossed it to him like spare change. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Hurry up and eat it. If you still can't win after this, don't bother following me." Yang Bin said.
Zhao Kun didn't hesitate. He took the crystal, face dead serious. "If I lose after this, just kill me yourself."
He swallowed the crystal whole.
Moments later, his strength surged to Tier 3.
"Alright. Time's up. Begin." Yang Bin said.
"Can we just... not fight?" Zhou Xiong said, face twisted in misery.
"Sure. Then I'll rule it a forfeit. You all stay." Yang Bin said flatly.
"Wait-no. I'll fight." Zhou Xiong flinched.
"Then can I switch opponents?"
"Sure. The three of us-pick one." Yang Bin gestured between himself and Chen Hao.
"....."
"I'll stick with him."
Zhou Xiong was on the verge of tears. Never in his life had the man who'd always bullied others imagined he'd end up on this side of things.
Soon, both fighters took the field.
Chen Hao handed the Barbell Rod to Zhao Kun. "That thing you've got is garbage. Use this."
"......."
The corner of Zhou Xiong's mouth twitched. He looked at the Fire Axe in his hand, then at the 1.8-meter Barbell Rod in his opponent's grip. Despair settled over him like a shroud.
But he didn't protest. He knew by now-with that man, protesting was pointless.
The power was in their hands. All he could do was take it.
Both fighters squared up. Before Yang Bin even called start, Zhou Xiong exploded forward, Fire Axe arcing straight for Zhao Kun's neck.
Yang Bin frowned but didn't intervene.
This wasn't a duel anymore-it was a death match. If Zhao Kun couldn't adapt on the fly, he wouldn't last long in this world anyway.
Zhao Kun didn't disappoint. The instant the axe blade descended toward his throat, the Barbell Rod was already crashing into Zhou Xiong's chest.
The impact launched Zhou Xiong off his feet. So close-but the axe never connected.
Maybe if Zhao Kun were still Tier 2, Zhou Xiong could've tanked that hit and taken his head anyway.
But Tier 3 Zhao Kun hit too hard. One blow, and Zhou Xiong simply couldn't absorb it.
Zhou Xiong hit the ground rolling and scrambled back to his feet.
Zhao Kun gave him nothing. He closed the distance instantly, the Barbell Rod swinging down again.
Zhou Xiong threw up the Fire Axe to block.
Steel met steel with a piercing ring. The shock split the webbing between Zhou Xiong's thumb and forefinger, and the Fire Axe spun out of his grip.
Zhao Kun pressed the advantage without mercy. He raised the Barbell Rod and brought it down toward Zhou Xiong's skull.
Zhou Xiong threw himself sideways, barely dodging, then launched himself into the air-a spinning heel kick aimed at Zhao Kun's temple.
Zhao Kun raised the rod to intercept.
Zhou Xiong's shin cracked against solid steel. His face went white with pain.
Zhao Kun seized the opening. A side kick slammed into Zhou Xiong's ribs, sending him crashing to the ground again. He followed up instantly, the Barbell Rod hammering down.
Disarmed, Zhou Xiong could only throw his arm up to block.
A sickening crunch. The arm broke.
Before the scream even left Zhou Xiong's throat, Zhao Kun was already swinging again.
"No-!"
Zhou Xiong's cry was pure terror, but it changed nothing. The Barbell Rod came down square on his skull.
His head burst like a watermelon. In that final instant, regret flooded through him-why the hell had he ever picked a fight with these people?
The speed of it surprised even Yang Bin. Zhao Kun fought like a predator-the moment he had an edge, he gave his opponent zero room to recover.
Chen Hao and Hu Wenliang exchanged a glance. Damn. The guy was vicious.
The seven or eight people behind Zhou Xiong stood frozen, staring at their leader's headless corpse in open-mouthed horror.
Then, as one, they dropped to their knees, kowtowing frantically toward Yang Bin.
"Please-don't kill us! We didn't want any of this! He made us do it!"
Zhao Kun's eyes flickered with hesitation. He looked to Yang Bin.
Yang Bin exhaled. "When cutting weeds, never leave the roots. Either don't kill at all-but once you've started, don't leave loose ends."
"Understood."
Zhao Kun nodded. He knew these people couldn't be spared. They'd followed Zhou Xiong and enjoyed the benefits his crew provided. That meant they bore the risks too.
With Zhou Xiong's temperament, they'd almost certainly done their share of bullying the weak.
"Haozi, Liangzi-give him a hand."
"Got it."
This time, Hu Wenliang didn't hesitate either.
Some things-once you start, you get used to them.
Curses and screams filled the air. Moments later, it was done.
The truth was, the moment Yang Bin had Hu Wenliang heal Zhao Kun, these people's fate was sealed. He couldn't let Hu Wenliang's ability be exposed this early.
Yang Bin wasn't a man who killed for pleasure. But he understood clearly-some people, once offended, had to be dealt with completely. Even the most insignificant nobody could become a massive problem if left alive.
Hu Wenliang and the others were still students. Still naive. But Yang Bin had lived through the worst of human nature. He couldn't afford to think like them.
As the squad's leader, he had to take responsibility for his people.