Next, all the First-Tier players inside the arena successively stepped onto the stage to undergo the "assessment."
Some performed better than the Corporate Drones in the first three moves. Although clearly inferior to Sea Cucumber, they could still block one or two attacks.
Those who performed even better managed to land one or two hits on Sea Cucumber.
Some were knocked to the ground after just two moves.
Others were similar to the Corporate Drones—enduring a beating but gritting their teeth and holding on.
During the attack phase, everyone displayed their own tricks.
However, most were stopped by Sea Cucumber’s massive konjac shield.
The Marauders sent a total of twenty-two people this time. Except for Fish, among the other twenty-one, only six had surpassed Second Tier.
The remaining fifteen were First-Tier; fourteen of them underwent the assessment.
Five were filtered out, judged unqualified by Sea Cucumber, and thus could not participate in this operation.Because their skills were clearly lacking and Fish had given them some compensation money, these five left cleanly and promptly.
After the last one left the stage, Fish looked toward Sea Cucumber resting beside the arena and pondered before speaking.
"Hey, wait... isn’t there one person missing?"
"Looks like someone hasn’t been assessed yet, right?"
Fish’s question immediately drew responses from the crowd.
"That’s right, Sister Fish, there’s someone sitting at the bar!"
"It’s that cowardly Heavenly Artisan... Hey, you’re not afraid to go up now, are you?"
"Just forfeit already!"
A few people who disliked Heavenly Artisan easily mocked him again.
When Lin Yu met them earlier, his reaction was indifferent, which only encouraged them more this time.
Fish turned her head, somewhat surprised, and said,
"Wait, why are you still eating?"
Lin Yu, sitting at the bar, had already unpacked quite a few snacks and instant foods from the nearby cabinet and had been eating there for a while.
He swallowed the bread in his mouth, drank a bottle of water, and then replied to Fish.
"Sorry, I came too quickly and missed dinner. I was starving and worried it would affect my performance, so I had to snack a bit to hold myself over."
Sea Cucumber on stage also noticed Lin Yu and said in surprise,
"Dude, that’s not just a little snack. You’re like a hungry ghost reborn."
Beside Lin Yu, the wrappers of snacks and instant foods were neatly stacked.
The base’s reserve food was almost half eaten by Lin Yu alone.
Lin Yu jumped off the chair and wiped his mouth with a tissue.
"I used to work construction sites, so I’ve always had a big appetite."
"No worries. You’ve eaten enough now. Just the right time to warm up!"
Lin Yu said as he walked onto the arena.
Two hammers slid from his hands.
Although Sea Cucumber hadn’t mocked Lin Yu much before, hearing the ridicule from the Jiangcheng crowd and knowing a bit about Heavenly Artisan, a faint expression of looseness and disdain appeared on his face.
Lin Yu stood opposite Sea Cucumber and bowed politely.
"You go first, Sea Cucumber."
"Me first? Fine!"
Sea Cucumber nodded casually, then suddenly stepped forward, lowered his shoulders and waist, and threw a surprise swinging punch.
"Uncle, eat so much and be careful not to puke it up!"
“One!”
His punch targeted Lin Yu’s face.
Though not especially forceful, Sea Cucumber intended to knock this so-called rubbish down with one punch!
However...
"Bang!"
Sea Cucumber’s pupils shrank in disbelief.
His right wrist, the hand throwing the punch, was firmly grabbed by Lin Yu.
Not blocked, not dodged... grabbed!
What’s more, before Sea Cucumber’s punch landed, Lin Yu had already switched his hammer to the other hand!
Lin Yu looked at Sea Cucumber and said in a low voice,
"Surprised?"
"Aren’t you a Craftsman?"
Sea Cucumber asked in astonishment.
"Yes, but it’s just some tools that enhance physical fitness."
Lin Yu released Sea Cucumber’s hand.
He had been eating voraciously earlier specifically to activate the Banquet Pendant’s buff!
Although the Banquet Pendant’s chance to trigger a buff from ordinary food isn’t very high, Lin Yu kept eating non-stop!
Even with his appetite greatly increased, he almost ate himself full but finally triggered enough buffs for use!
[Esports Expert: Dynamic vision and reaction speed increased by 150%, improving understanding of esports games; duration 5 minutes], [Tenacity: Enhances damage resistance and willpower; duration 30 minutes], [Strong Muscles: Improves muscle explosiveness and endurance; duration 60 minutes]...
These three buffs, combined with Dance Mastery from the Immortal Brew, were enough for Lin Yu to challenge Sea Cucumber, who was not using any items!
"Come on."
Lin Yu beckoned Sea Cucumber over.
Sea Cucumber looked at Lin Yu suspiciously but ultimately chose a safer, more suitable way to counter a skilled opponent’s attacks.
He tested with a fast jab.
Lin Yu stood still, merely tilting his head to dodge.
He didn’t even bother to dodge below the neck.
"That was... Two just now."
Sea Cucumber said, clearly lacking confidence.
"Then hurry up and do Three!"
Lin Yu beckoned again and then pointed to his chest with his thumb.
The initiative on the arena had already shifted.
Sea Cucumber exhaled and said, "If you don’t mind, I’ll put in a bit more force from here on."
"This isn’t about the assessment, just a personal competitive spirit."
Then, this Enforcer took a pair of fingerless gloves from his pocket and put them on.
These were some kind of tools.
"No problem."
Lin Yu nodded.
The disdain in Sea Cucumber’s eyes was completely gone.
"The last punch, I’m going for your lower abdomen."
Dropping the previous flippant English count, Sea Cucumber said seriously.
After that, he roared,
"Come!"
With the fingerless gloves on, Sea Cucumber’s punch speed more than doubled. His punch struck Lin Yu’s lower abdomen like a blur.
This time...
Lin Yu neither dodged nor blocked but took the hit directly.
"Bang!"
He stepped back two steps, expression unchanged, and gave Sea Cucumber a thumbs-up.
"Not bad."
If you didn’t know, you’d think Lin Yu was the examiner.
Sea Cucumber looked at Lin Yu’s calm demeanor and bowed respectfully.
"That punch just now was at least seventy percent power, almost my strongest normal punch."
"Although you haven’t reached Second Tier... you can be considered an expert on my level."
Sea Cucumber waved his hand and said, "At this point, you actually don’t need to attack anymore to pass— but we’ll still go through the motions. I’m quite curious..."
As he spoke, Sea Cucumber saw Lin Yu put away his hammers and pull out a black, dangerous-looking short firearm.
Sea Cucumber’s face changed drastically.
"No, I’m not curious anymore. No need for formalities!"
"You’re fully qualified... You can even command others in this operation."
Lin Yu cheerfully put away the counterfeit short firearm and said,
"Thanks for the compliment!"
Sea Cucumber looked at Lin Yu with a more complex gaze.
"Actually, I am a little curious... but I’m curious about who the hell in the organization spread the rumor that you’re trash? That you got beaten silly by a rookie called May, and when they sent people to Jiangcheng for revenge, they got wiped out instead!"
Lin Yu shook his head and said,
"Those rumors aren’t wrong, but... that May is actually very strong."
"Every one of those guys who ambushed us was strong!"
He walked to the edge of the arena and looked down at the now silent crowd, scanning those who had once looked down on him.
At this moment, after witnessing everything just now, no one dared to show such expressions anymore.
"Of course, even if I told them this, probably no one would believe me."