Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1834: Where does your confidence come from

"The initial phase of the trial concludes in sixty minutes. All surviving novices are instructed to locate an open area within the final five minutes to await further orders. The killing of fellow novices is strictly prohibited during this time. Any individual who violates this command will face immediate execution."

This notification flickered before the eyes of every remaining participant, delivered through their personal recorders.

Upon reading the message, a wave of relief washed over many, while others could only sigh with regret. Some remained entirely indifferent to the news, and a few met the announcement with cold, calculating gazes.

Regardless of their personal reactions, the three-day first phase of the trial had reached its end, granting them a momentary reprieve.

"A twelve-hour interval will occur between the two trial phases. Novices are encouraged to utilize this period for procurement and trade, as well as prioritizing rest and medical treatment. The second phase will commence promptly after twelve hours."

"Those ranked in the bottom ten of the points leaderboard must use this time to earn more points. Once this phase concludes, the ten individuals in the lowest positions will be eliminated!"

"For novices within the top one hundred: if you maintain your standing until the end of the first phase, you shall receive an additional two percent bonus to your points. For those ranked 101st to 1000th: maintaining your position until the phase ends will grant a one percent bonus."

"All rewards will be distributed in real-time once the phase officially closes."

On a secluded island, Hawkins, his wife, and their companions appeared quite battered. Far from being relaxed, they sat dejectedly upon the ground, their eyes fixed hollowly on the surrounding ocean.

Despite losing track of Ye Zhongming earlier, they had rushed to the Sea of Ten Thousand Islands as soon as his coordinates were forcibly updated.

While they were capable swimmers, they were merely standard top-tier evolved beings. They lacked the natural affinity for water possessed by Ye Zhongming, who navigated the depths as effortlessly as a fish.

They were forced to balance maintaining their own rankings by hunting mutated lives and parasites for points while simultaneously trying to hunt Ye Zhongming down.

The moment they fell too far behind or lost their sensory lock on him, reacquiring his trail became an almost impossible task.

Furthermore, Ye Zhongming proved to be incredibly elusive. Whenever his position was revealed, he would immediately relocate at maximum speed, consistently frustrating his pursuers' attempts to corner him.

Ever since losing his trail, Hawkins and his team had failed to catch even a glimpse of their target.

Looking at Aimusi, whose current standing had barely broken the top six thousand, a collective sense of futility weighed on the group.

It was a frustrating situation; not every island was inhabited by mutated lives or parasites. They frequently arrived at new locations only to find them empty or home to a single creature. Killing such a beast yielded a meager handful of points at best.

Lacking significant aquatic capabilities, their point accumulation was agonizingly slow. While they had improved their scores, ending the first phase ranked between six and seven thousand was a far cry from their original goals.

If everyone were struggling, it might be tolerable, but Ye Zhongming’s progress was infuriating. His rank hadn't just held steady; it had surged. An hour prior, he had officially broken into the top thousand, his points climbing to one hundred seventy-seven.

In this marine environment, his efficiency was actually higher than it had been on land, which was shocking considering he was fighting with a broken arm.

"Let’s move. I sense a powerful mutated life ahead. By the time we reach it and take it down, the clock should be nearly out. Keep your spirits up; there are still six phases left to go."

Hawkins clapped his hands together, attempting to rally his weary team.

The group stood up and plunged back into the waves, swimming toward the next island.

………………………………

Ye Zhongming drifted silently on the ocean's surface with his eyes closed, appearing as though he were a natural part of the sea itself.

Utilizing the Sea King’s Mark ability granted by the Sea King’s Crown, he was able to mend his wounds using the seawater. This restorative power was effective for nearly any injury, with the sole exception being Naka’s curse.

The healing process was admittedly slow. By now, the general damage to his left arm had mended, leaving only the deep, necrotic punctures inflicted by Wade. While the toxins had been purged and the flesh was knitting back together, the arm was not yet ready for the strain of high-intensity combat, though it could move normally again.

Every one of Ye Zhongming’s abilities was amplified within the ocean. Though the marine life here wasn't as dense as Earth’s oceans, it was sufficient for his needs. He didn't even bother going ashore, choosing instead to hunt beneath the waves. Since few novices were proficient in underwater warfare, he hadn't encountered anyone trying to steal his kills for half a day.

He remained cautious due to his physical condition, avoiding massive swarms or overwhelming auras; otherwise, his score would have been even more impressive.

As the deadline approached, he climbed onto a small island to wait for the transport—the very same island where Hawkins and his group were located.

When the enemies came face to face, the air grew thick with hostility, yet the standing orders prevented any bloodshed.

Ye Zhongming stood directly before them, his presence causing the four pursuers to shake with suppressed rage.

A spacecraft soon arrived to collect them, ferrying the group back to the main camp in short order. Before they went their separate ways, Aimusi shrieked at Ye Zhongming once more, swearing that she would be the one to end his life.

Ye Zhongming simply nodded. Though his hearing was gone, he understood her intent perfectly. He offered a calm "Got it" before walking into the camp.

His first stop was the Star-Eye Clan’s dilapidated tent to check on Jie Kui. To his surprise, Shi Kangbu was also there.

"What happened to Bu Lanuo?"

He asked the question, though he already suspected the grim reality.

"Dead." Shi Kangbu looked wretched, covered in various wounds, though none appeared to be life-threatening.

Ye Zhongming didn't press for details. He and Jie Kui headed toward the bustling free market, hoping to find medicinal supplies. The prices in the official shop were simply too exorbitant.

As they scouted the area, they noticed two large crowds gathered around vendors. Unable to push through, Jie Kui listened to the chatter and signaled to Ye Zhongming that both stalls were selling healing agents.

One group began to thin out as the vendor's stock ran dry. The merchant had apparently held a large supply and sold it at a price only ten percent lower than the official store. Even so, the small discount was enough to make people buy frantically. There was no alternative; if you hesitated, someone else would take the stock.

The second vendor was running an auction, which took longer but resulted in a quick sell-out nonetheless.

Jie Kui looked dejected and tried to lead Ye Zhongming away. They would have to settle for the expensive shop; they needed to heal before seeing what else their remaining points could buy.

However, Ye Zhongming remained rooted to the spot.

Realizing Ye Zhongming couldn't hear him, Jie Kui simply stared at him with a look of pure confusion.

Ye Zhongming stepped toward the medicine seller, who was currently packing her things, and asked, "Beauty, how about following us from now on?"

Jie Kui nearly stumbled over his own feet. The look he shot Ye Zhongming was filled with disbelief, as if asking, "Where do you get the nerve?!"

"Big brother, where on earth did you get this kind of confidence?!"