Principal Chu acted as if he didn't hear the commotion below the stage and simply continued announcing the rules:
"All freshmen belong to the Blue Team. Your mission is to defend your dignity and your stomachs!"
"Your opponents are the Red Team—the 'Sophomore Hunting Party', carefully selected by us, whose numbers are only a quarter of yours!"
He waved his hand grandly.
In an instant, dozens of figures within the crowd of seniors simultaneously lit up with blood-red halos. Radiating murderous intent, they had already assumed the stance of hunters!
Lin Qingyue's eyes narrowed.
The people shrouded in the red light were exactly those guys with the most outrageous vibes from before!
The president of the "Wind-Riding Club" hugging a delivery box up on the flagpole.
The senior sister of the "Culinary Arts Club" sharpening a giant meat cleaver under the shade of a tree.
And Senior Brother Li Mo, as well as the muscular brute who had dragged him away... they were actually all on the roster!
Good heavens, it's an all-star lineup stepping onto the field to smurf, huh?
"From now until 12 noon, the school will randomly drop special meal tickets all over the campus! Each ticket can be exchanged for a luxurious feast at the cafeteria!"
"The side that grabs the most meal tickets wins! For the winning side, all dishes in the cafeteria will be half-price for the rest of this semester!"
"The losing side pays the original price! Moreover, for the next month, the cafeteria will stop supplying you with all energy-infused 'Spirit Food', such as braised pork made from the 'Three-Maned Wild Boar' and soup stewed with the 'Iron-Feathered Chicken'!"
"Stop supplying Spirit Food!"
These words weighed down heavily on the hearts of every freshman like an invisible mountain!
For students who underwent high-intensity cultivation every day and urgently needed energy replenishment, this was tantamount to cutting off their lifeblood!
Without Spirit Food to replenish their vitality and energy, their cultivation progress would be severely affected!
In an instant, the eyes of all the freshmen turned red.
It was a relentless gaze, a mixture of anxiety for their future and a thirst for resources!
"Additionally," Principal Chu smiled like a sly old fox, "this event does not prohibit the use of force, tactics, or... anything at all! As long as you don't kill anyone, any method is allowed!"
"When you are knocked down, your meal tickets will automatically drop. Snatching them and keeping them safe is what makes them yours!"
"If a senior is defeated by a freshman and counter-robbed, they are eliminated. Causing excessively severe injuries to a freshman will also result in elimination. Consider this a little special care for you."
"Now, I announce that the opening ceremony for the freshmen of the Class of 3026 at Tianshu University has successfully concluded!"
"The competitive match officially begins!"
The moment his voice fell, Principal Chu tapped his toes lightly on the edge of the rostrum and soared into the sky like a giant roc spreading its wings. A massive sack had appeared in his hand at some unknown point.
With a few flashes, he disappeared into the horizon, leaving behind only a resonant shout echoing above the plaza.
"This old man is off to distribute meal tickets—!"
Lin Qingyue: "..."
She finally understood what Senior Brother Li Mo meant when he said, "you'll understand soon."
How was this a principal? He was clearly an ultimate troll who reveled in chaos!
As soon as the principal's voice faded, the harmonious scene of "hello senior brothers and sisters" from just a second ago completely vanished.
The unselected older students whistled and retreated to the edge of the plaza, skillfully pulling out sunflower seeds, drinks, and small folding stools to form the strongest spectator group in history, ready to enjoy the annual "noob-stomping feast."
Meanwhile, the senior hunters glowing with red light all looked up at the sky in unison, their eyes intensely focused.
A few seconds later, a streak of golden light flashed across the distant sky.
It was a signal.
Countless cards shimmering with golden light drifted down from all directions of the campus, falling thickly like rain!
"They're here!" someone roared.
The entire plaza instantly exploded!
"Mine! They're all mine!"
"There's one hanging in the tree over there!"
The president of the Wind-Riding Club atop the flagpole didn't even glance at the freshmen below. He dove down, executed an unbelievable sharp turn in mid-air, and precisely snatched a Gold Card in his mouth. Then, pushing off the wall of the teaching building with the tip of his foot, he soared upwards again and disappeared over the roof.
A lucky freshman had just reached out to catch a Gold Card floating in front of him. Before the ecstatic expression on his face could fully bloom, a dark shadow thicker than his thigh pressed down, carrying a fierce gust of wind!
The senior sister who had been sharpening her cleaver appeared in front of him out of nowhere. The giant cleaver wasn't used to cut; she merely used the broad back of the blade to casually hook and guide his wrist.
The freshman only felt a deft force, his wrist went numb, and the Gold Card flew out of his control, snatched mid-air by the senior sister.
The senior sister grinned, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth.
"Thanks, junior brother."
The entire Beidou Plaza instantly devolved from a solemn ceremony venue into a chaotic battlefield governed by the law of the jungle.
A wind-element freshman activated [Wind Spirit's Protection], his speed soaring, but was effortlessly overtaken in a mocking manner by a Red-Name Senior Brother riding a skateboard. The moment the meal ticket was snatched away, the dumbfounded look on the freshman's face was plainly visible.
Not far away, a freshman warrior had just snagged a meal ticket when a ghost-like Red-Name Rogue closed in. With a flick of his arm, the warrior's Weapon and meal ticket slipped from his grasp simultaneously. The rogue snatched the meal ticket, leaving behind a breezy "Thanks."
Even worse, a freshman Mage was just about to chant when a Red-Name Mage opposite him raised a hand and pointed. The freshman opened his mouth for a long time but couldn't make a sound, forced to watch helplessly as his meal ticket was robbed.
Although the freshmen had the numbers, in the face of these experienced seniors and their endless bag of tricks, the tickets changed hands almost as soon as they were acquired. Caught completely off guard, the freshmen were instantly routed.
Amidst the chaos, a tall, thin Senior Thief glowing in red noticed the four "lucky ones" in the corner who hadn't been affected yet.
"Oho, there's actually a full four-person party in this corner, and quite composed too. Let's see what you're made of!"
His figure blurred, leaving a trail of afterimages as he aimed straight for Su Wan, who was standing on the outermost edge. His fingers curled like hooks, reaching for a meal ticket that had just drifted down by her waist.
His movements were incredibly fast; he clearly intended to succeed in a single strike and assert his dominance over these freshmen while he was at it.
"You asked for it!"
Lin Xiyue shouted angrily and took a sudden step forward, positioning her massive [Immovable Mountain] shield horizontally in front of Su Wan.
"Thud!"
With a loud bang, the senior brother's sharp claws struck the surface of the shield, producing an ear-piercing sound of grinding metal. The massive impact forced even Lin Xiyue to take half a step back.
The Red-Name Senior Brother's claws felt numb. So hard, he thought to himself. Just as he was about to change his move, a cold killing intent locked onto him.
He caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and saw that the aloof Junior Mage had already conjured three half-meter-long sharp ice cones. The tips of the cones overflowed with cold air, firmly locked onto his head.
At the same time, an even more obscure and fatal sense of crisis came from his neck.
He stiffly rolled his eyes and found that the seemingly most harmless Junior Ranger had silently stepped back half a pace and drawn her shortbow. An arrow flashing with a faint light was silently aimed at his throat.
That wasn't all.
"Senior Brother, you move quite fast."
A lazy voice floated over.
The Senior Thief's scalp went numb. The Junior Priest, who hadn't moved this whole time, had at some point grasped a pink staff so gorgeous it was almost absurd.
She didn't cast a spell. Instead, she lightly tapped the end of the staff on the ground, assuming a standard spearmanship starting stance.
She was looking at him with the kind of gaze one might use to examine a "white mouse," a cordial, eager smile hanging on the corners of her mouth.
"..."
A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on the Senior Thief's forehead.
The Knight was a tough nut to crack, the Mage was a turret, and the Ranger was an assassin.
And this Priest... she used her staff like a spear?
What was with this style... were they really fucking freshmen?
Even seasoned veterans were no better than this!
Clashing to the death over a meal ticket with a squad that had such a clear division of labor, restrained killing intent, and tacit coordination as if they were a single person was absolutely not worth it!
"Not bad, junior sisters. This bone is a bit too tough, and your senior brother's teeth aren't that great, so I'll pass for now!"
Before his voice even faded, his figure blurred, blending into the chaotic crowd faster than when he had arrived, turning to seek out easier targets.
Being a ruthless point-grinder was more important than anything else.
Only after he left did Lin Xiyue let out a muffled groan, the arm holding her shield trembling slightly.
"Sis, these senior brothers are so fierce! I can't block that kind of attack many more times; we can't fight them head-on."
The frost runes at Su Wan's fingertips slowly dissipated, but the fighting spirit in her eyes surged.
Xia Lian, meanwhile, instinctively scanned the entire field, evaluating the threat level and movement trajectory of every Red-named Senior.
Lin Qingyue pulled Lin Xiyue aside to dodge a stray wind blade, her eyes sweeping across the nearby area like a scanner.
"Sis?" Lin Xiyue asked in confusion.
"Don't panic, I'm looking for 'fat sheep'."
Lin Qingyue's voice was unreasonably calm.
The "Living Hell" before her eyes rapidly deconstructed, turning into a dynamic sandbox.
A freshman was robbed of his meal ticket and stumbled awkwardly toward them, only to be casually blocked away by Lin Xiyue with her shield.
At this very moment, a stream of information flashed rapidly through Lin Qingyue's mind.
'The Blade-Wielding Senior Sister has an attack range of three meters. She only uses the back of her blade, showing restraint but extremely high efficiency. A tough nut to crack.'
'Senior Flagpole relies purely on his overwhelming movement techniques. He's only interested in elevated targets. No need to worry about him for now.'
Her gaze finally locked onto a Red-Name Senior Brother not far away who had successfully struck three times in a row, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
'Got it! That guy... he controlled five freshmen by himself and snatched three tickets. But every time he succeeds, he habitually glances over his left shoulder. That must be where his teammates are. A perfect opening.'
Beside her, Lin Xiyue stomped her feet in anxiety: "Sis! Stop analyzing! The meal tickets are about to be completely gone! If we don't make a move soon, we can say goodbye to our braised pork!"
"Don't panic." Lin Qingyue withdrew her gaze, her clear eyes flashing with a predator-like gleam. "Xiyue, what do you think these senior brothers look like?"
"Like hungry wolves?"
"No," Lin Qingyue licked her lips, a dangerously kind smile appearing on her face. "They are 'couriers,' working hard to 'collect parcels' for us."
Su Wan and Xia Lian both looked over in confusion.
"Look at them—running so hard, with such a great service attitude."
Lin Qingyue pointed at the Red-named Seniors who were gleefully fighting over the loot and gave a mischievous wink.
"Since the packages are already packed up, it wouldn't be too much for us juniors to be the exclusive 'designated recipients for a 5-star review', right?"
"Pfft..." Lin Xiyue instantly understood. Clenching her fists excitedly, she said, "Sis, are you saying... we're going to rob what they robbed?!"
"Let's be civilized." A sly smile curled Lin Qingyue's lips as she locked onto their prey. "We're going to 'sign for delivery'."
"Let's go pick up our packages!"
She issued her orders at rapid speed:
"Xiyue, prepare your shield for a charge. Target that 'Gold-Medal Courier' to the front left who grabbed three batches of 'goods', and ram open a delivery lane for me!"
Lin Xiyue's blood was already boiling. She slammed her heavy shield down in front of her and said excitedly, "Understood! I guarantee I'll smash him good!"
"Su Wan, the two 'security guards' next to him are a bit in the way. Prepare your Frost Ring and give them a 'forced cool-down'."
A cold smile curled the corners of Su Wan's lips, frost swirling around her fingertips. "Roger that."
"Xia Lian, your task is to be our 'Anti-Harassment Specialist'."
Lin Qingyue looked at Xia Lian. "Roam freely. If any other red names try to get in on the action, you're responsible for 'persuading them to back off'. You don't need to strike too hard; just let them know this path is blocked. Can you do that?"
Xia Lian didn't speak.
She simply unslung the shortbow from her back and gently stroked the bowstring, which let out an almost imperceptible hum.
She nodded at Lin Qingyue, and in the next second, her figure was like a drop of ink dissolving in water, silently disappearing into the edges of the chaotic crowd.
Action was her perfect answer.
Lin Qingyue tightened her grip on [Beloved], her eyes full of eagerness.
"As for that seemingly strong Gold-Medal Courier, of course I, the 'recipient', must welcome him personally."
"Attack!"