Chapter Seventy-Two: An Opening Ceremony Concluded with Massacre!

Soon after, the central monitor displayed a complete aerial view of the Death Row Paradise, its layout dotted with myriad compartments, where everyone could clearly see each hiding spot they had used during the chase. These grounds were usually open to the public and perfectly safe, but for the condemned... well.

"In your year at the Academy of Perfection, you will participate in various 'exchange activities' organized by the institution. Some will be with your seniors—Class A, S, and SS condemned—where you will 'exchange experiences.' Whether you survive their hands depends on your luck. Or, you might be sent on missions under the name of Death Row Paradise. The 'exchange programs' are many; those who refuse or score too low will be subject to the loser’s lament. The eight instructors will randomly become either your allies or your enemies. In short, I wish you luck. When you advance to Class A, Death Row Paradise will finally open its true resources to you. Strive on, my dears. Survive with all your might! If your struggle pleases me, unexpected delights will await you!"

Mo Han finished speaking, waving his hand with exaggerated politeness. The monitor abruptly shut off.

True resources...

Mu You recalled the honey from the Corpse-Fragrant Snow Lotus that Dongguan had given him to drink. Its astonishing effects could very well propel him into the ranks of S-class condemned with a few more bottles. Yet it was something only an SS-class like Dongguan could obtain. One day, he vowed, he would reach that level himself.

"Oh, right."

Suddenly, the monitor lit up again, and Mo Han’s reappearance startled the crowd.

"My goodness, there are quite a lot of you this year—almost five hundred. The schedule is a bit tight, so we’ll have to thin your numbers. You have three minutes to prepare. In three minutes, the eight instructors will commence an indiscriminate massacre. Your task is simply to escape before being killed, and you’ll survive. Friendly reminder: your strongest among these five hundred is only at fifteen percent of the instructors’ power. But don’t worry—the instructors’ seals will begin at five percent, and after ten minutes, they’ll increase to twenty percent. If you still haven’t escaped by then, the instructors will wipe you all out. Hehe, good luck, my baby!"

The monitor went dark once more, and beneath everyone’s feet, a vivid red countdown appeared: 180 seconds, officially starting!

"What do we do?!" Xuan Yao cried out, her face drained of color. Every observation deck was encased in several meters of reinforced glass, and the base was a mix of steel and concrete. Breaking out of this near ten-meter prison was nothing short of a fool’s dream!

"Don’t panic. If Mo Han dares to push us like this, there must be a way out. The key is which path it is!" Mu You swiftly surveyed the environment and the surrounding crowd, analyzing calmly.

"But what if that old bastard Mo Han doesn’t care whether we live or die? Even if every one of us dies today, he wouldn’t bat an eye." Xu Chen was far less composed than Mu You, so anxious he nearly dragged condemned from other blocks to form an alliance.

"He won’t," Mu You shook his head with conviction.

"What makes you say that?"

Even the always steady Wan Yan Cang couldn’t help but ask.

"If we all die, what’s he going to play with?" Mu You replied with a chilly smile.

Uh...

Everyone in Block A, all dangerous condemned, were struck silent by Mu You’s words. Crude as they were, the logic held.

160 seconds.

By now, quite a few had begun their assault. The various blood abilities astonished Mu You—some had blood as clear as water yet with terrifying destructive power—but even when unleashed on the observation deck, they only managed to create a basin-sized dent.

Seeing this, the crowd grew even more alarmed. Thirteen minutes, half an hour—it wouldn’t be enough to break through!

"First Sight: Sovereign Flame!"

Mu You bit his thumb, spreading his hand wide. Scarlet blood instantly turned golden, blasting straight at the observation deck of Block A!

Boom!

Mu You’s ability was inherently violent, and after recent awakening and transformation, he was even stronger than during his battle with Sha Zun Ye. He concentrated the shockwave to a single point, driving it deep into the reinforced glass, detonating inside.

The explosion’s fiery wave swept unchecked through the interior of the observation deck, and the brutal shockwave rebounded out from the breach, pushing back toward Mu You, An Ru Xiang, and the others!

"Damn!"

Mu You hadn’t expected such a blast to rebound, and with a gesture, he unleashed another "First Sight: Sovereign Flame," forcing the shockwave right back where it came from!

Boom! Boom!

The atmosphere paused, and several on the upper floors looked toward Block A’s youth in shock.

So strong!

Clearly, the crowd was led by this young man—he was no ordinary youth!

Back then, when the entrance to Family Mountain Park was blasted to ruins by "First Sight: Sovereign Flame," now, even with full force, there was no sound of shattering glass.

What!

Mu You was stunned—twice, two full "First Sight: Sovereign Flames," yet seemingly no effect!

As the fire faded, only a six-zhang radius breach appeared on the vast observation deck. More astonishingly, even though the reinforced glass was shattered and broken, it remained connected, with only a few fragments slipping from the wall.

"It’s over..."

Xu Chen’s face was ashen. He knew Mu You’s ability well, and it could only do this much. What now? Less than a hundred seconds remained!

Mu You’s assault was like a signal. The other condemned, seeing how little effect it had, stopped hiding their strength, launching all manner of attacks in a barrage toward every direction.

Boom! Bang! Crash!

Smoke filled the air, debris flew, and the explosions drowned out the shouts. Everyone in Block A attacked relentlessly, alternating cold and heat, until Mu You unleashed the fourth "First Sight: Sovereign Flame." Only then did the six-zhang-wide shattered glass finally detach, crashing to the floor in a heap!

"Frozen Sky! Frozen Sky! Frozen Sky!"

Xu Chen, nearly frantic, shouted. He Jing’s condensed water droplets collided with the mass of freezing air, instantly becoming solid ice and smashing against the wall, but the effect was negligible.

"Damn it, He Jing, let’s combine forces, go all out!"

Xu Chen, eyes red, urged He Jing.

He Jing, also anxious, glanced at the condemned behind him—many powerful, but their attacks were pitifully ineffective.

Just as the two were about to unleash "Water Dance: Frozen Sky—Ice Crystal Coffin," Mu You stopped them.

Since entering Death Row Paradise, Mu You had never seen abilities among the condemned fuse together. Even after reaching LV2, he found no clues about it. Whether He Jing’s "Water Dance" or Xu Chen’s "Frozen Sky," used alone their power was modest, but when combined, their destructive force multiplied geometrically. He had always wanted to understand how this worked, and until he did, he couldn’t let this infinitely potent trump card be exposed prematurely.

"Wan Yan Cang, your ability is wind. Inject your blood into my 'First Sight: Sovereign Flame,' and let’s use our powers together. I want to see what happens when wind and fire combine."

Mu You already had some guesses. Now, he was determined to test them and see if his hypothesis was correct.