*Chapter 64: Tianji University Candidates Rally, Ready for Battle"

Liu Weiqi was clearly agitated. Even with Qin Zhi beside him, he couldn't help but vent his frustration about Zheng Mu's success.

Just as he finished speaking, the supervisors remained silent. But Qin Zhi couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny, General Qin? If my memory serves, Zheng Mu had prior contact with Old Daoist Qingyun and General Qi in Sand City, didn't he?"

"Did you secretly aid him?! How else could he locate the candidates scattered across such a vast wasteland like the Bone-swallowing Desert?!"

Hearing this, others from Tianji University chimed in.

"Exactly, something's off here. Even we need to manually track and locate our own candidates. Zheng Mu's mechanical army seems to have eyes everywhere."

"There's definitely something fishy about that mechanic!"

"General Qin, we can't operate under a veil of secrecy at the Southwest Military University. This is a testing ground. Cheating isn't just pointless, it's against the rules."

"The signs of cheating are glaring. Look, his mechanical forces have found our candidates yet again. Seven of them this time, and his forces are converging from multiple directions... So disgraceful!"

Their chatter was a clear attempt to transform their suspicions about Zheng Mu into undeniable facts.

However, instead of getting angry, Qin Zhi just smiled.

"I'm amazed. A prestigious university managed by folks who are hoping their opponents cheat just to maintain their own rankings."

With a casual gesture, Qin Zhi produced a metallic eagle and tossed it to Liu Weiqi.

"Take a good look, don't latch onto a '410' error you don't understand. If you do, our Southwest Military University can teach you a lesson just like we did to those foreign hounds."

Everyone quickly cast a scan on the eagle.

Once they saw the eagle's attributes, the room fell silent.

Name: Patrol Eagle Type: Mechanical Creation (crafted by mechanic Zheng Mu) Grade: White Common Durability: 50/50 Defense Power: 5 Skill 1: "Eagle Eye" - can accurately detect the target below from an altitude of over 800 meters Skill 2: "Bird's Nest" - links with surrounding patrol eagles to form a high-altitude reconnaissance network, providing real-time coordinate information

A simple, common grade creation - Zheng Mu had nothing to hide.

When General Qin had questions about his strategy, Zheng Mu simply handed over a patrol eagle.

Given the right materials, he could mass produce these.

"This...this tiny, common-grade mechanical creation has such impressive capabilities?"

Liu Weiqi and the others were stunned.

Now it was clear. Zheng Mu hadn't cheated. They, comfortably aboard their cloud cruiser, had never considered that the "eyes in the sky" were watching every move below.

Zheng Mu used this tech to keep tabs on every candidate.

Suddenly, Director Wang of Tianji University seemed to realize something, his eyes darting to the screen in front of him. His face fell.

"We're in trouble! He's planning to target our candidates!"

Out in the desert, over a dozen people ran for their lives, casting panicked glances over their shoulders.

"What the hell are these things!"

"Shut up and run! These identical things can't be identified with scanning. They're not monsters. Who's leading this pack?"

"Enough talk. Save your energy and make for the rendezvous point!"

A week later, most of the candidates were running low on supplies.

Necessities like food and water required coordination, so they established a simple outpost in a small oasis in the desert.

Every day, thousands would rest there, trading and selling the materials and equipment they'd acquired.

It was a mini marketplace.

What they didn't know was that many others were also headed there in retreat.

Just behind a nearby sand dune, a hidden mobile base unfolded into a building-like structure.

On the screen in front of Zheng Mu, the location of the oasis was marked. Red indicators showed a notable grouping.

With his army of mechanical creations, he was herding the remaining candidates towards the oasis.

Those who hadn't fled quickly found their point cards in Mu's possession.

"According to General Qi Tai, the top university's exam required a score of 9,000 points last year. To be safe, I'll set it at 10,000 points per person."

Zheng Mu transferred the points from several cards to his own.

Zheng Mu: 212,110 points.

210,000 points would rank among the top scores in past assessments.

But in Zheng Mu's eyes, this only meant 21 passing spots.

"Indeed, this method is safer, but it's slower."

Zheng Mu hadn't forgotten that aside from collecting over 20 million points for his team, he also had to secure high rankings for himself, Cai Shengkun, and Leng Bingyue.

After all, the top ten received additional rewards from the school.

Plus, the system would provide a blueprint for a Red-tier Hero...

"Damn, it's faster to just rob them."

Zheng Mu muttered, but at that moment Cai Shengkun walked in with several large bags.

"Boss, I've got everything you asked for."

Zheng Mu nodded.

As their operation expanded, he needed more mechanical units.

Although the two mechanical creations, the T-800 and Licker, were limited by Zheng Mu's [Golden Hand] cooldown and material requirements, and couldn't be mass-produced.

Zheng Mu hadn't forgotten his other skills.

[Bioscanning] and [Nanomechanical Wave].

Zheng Mu has been busy these days, using his mechanical creations to cast [Mechanical Scanning] on the surrounding low-level creatures.

Although the basic blueprints obtained aren't very helpful, most of them are aesthetic mechanical creations.

However, Zheng Mu did strike gold.

[Name: Bomb Beetle]

[Type: Mechanical Creation (by Mechanic Zheng Mu)]

[Grade: Basic]

[Durability: 50/50]

[Attack Power: 100]

[Defense Power: 5]

[Skill 1: "Sandland" - Can move underground in the desert, silently approaching the target]

[Skill 2: "Explosion" - Detonates itself, causing significant damage within the explosion radius]

These disposable creations are low-cost, easy to manufacture, and the materials are plentiful in the desert.

As Zheng Mu was examining the materials, Leng Bingyue returned with a backpack full of similar items.

"I wiped out all those worm nests. The surrounding area is now free of explosions."

Hearing Leng Bingyue's report, Zheng Mu couldn't help but laugh.

"Good job, good job. Aunt Qing was right, our Bingyue is quite the force."

Leng Bingyue's face flushed, but she simply rolled her eyes and stayed silent.

Outside the base, Zheng Mu emptied out all the materials.

With a casual wave of his hand, the materials on the ground vanished, replaced by a thousand basic-level exploding beetles.

This was why Zheng Mu had used all his experience during this period to upgrade [Biological Scanning] and [Nano Mechanical Wave].

Otherwise, he could only produce a hundred of these bomb beetles per day.

[Bio-scanning lv3: Allows scanning of a target creature up to 10 levels lower, with a 30% chance to obtain a related mechanical creation blueprint. Cooldown: 3 hours.]

[Nano Mechanical Wave lv3: Can transform basic-grade materials in bulk into corresponding grade mechanical components. Limited to 1,000 targets per use. Cooldown: 1 day.]

"Help! Help!"

Candidates from Tianji University made up over 70% of the Oasis Bazaar. As more and more people were chased there, everyone became on edge.

Though violence was not allowed in the oasis, it had become everyone's unspoken rule.

However, some planned to bend the rules and take advantage of others if they could get away with it.

"Look over there,"

Tianji University's only S-level candidate this year, the wizard archer Wu Chungang, looked in the direction his sister pointed.

He saw several peculiar figures appearing on the sand dunes at the oasis's edge.

"There's no data on them, they're not monsters. Seems like a puppeteer-type class.

Wu Xueqian analyzed, but she was already certain.

"Brother Gang, these guys snatched our point cards as soon as they showed up. Many couldn't escape, and they forcibly took the point cards using defensive tokens."

"Besides the humanoid monsters, there's also a metal beast!"

"They're incredibly fast, and even our Level 20 Warrior can't compete with them."

Wu Chungang and his siblings looked grave upon hearing the accounts.

These creations were obviously the work of a single person. If these people managed to escape here, they were in trouble...

As they were pondering, three figures slowly emerged from the sand dunes at the edge of the oasis.

"Quite the crowd, looks like we're in for a haul."

Zheng Mu, with a faint smile, held the [Holy Land Demon Wolf] guns. Leng Bingyue and Cai Shengkun stood ready by his side.

"Boss, are you sure you want to take on these guys? You're a mechanic, after all," Cai Shengkun murmured with concern. Zheng Mu just smiled lightly.

"Let's give them a show, then."

Their arrival immediately drew the attention of everyone in the oasis.

"Are all the mechanical creations around here yours?"

A woman's voice rang out. Zheng Mu turned his head to see a group of people rushing towards them. They looked wary and alert.

Spotting the young man leading them, the S-level professional elf archer, Wu Chungang, Zheng Mu chuckled. There were only a few S-level professionals that year, and Zheng Mu instantly recognized him.

"Heh, let me introduce myself. I'm Zheng Mu, an A-level mechanic candidate from Southwest Military University. I'm here for a simple purpose: hand over your score cards and withdraw from the assessment. Save yourselves some trouble."

A few seconds of silence ensued, then a wave of laughter erupted.

"Hahaha! Has this guy gone crazy from the monsters in the desert? Just the three of you want us to hand over our score cards?"

"Have you lost it? Or do you think we're all idiots?"

Wu Chungang and his sibling frowned. "Are you joking?"

Zheng Mu shrugged, not surprised by the reaction.

In the next moment, with a simple thought, there was a soft rustling from beneath the oasis. Unnoticed beetles burrowed out from the soil.

"I gave you a chance." Zheng Mu's smile turned fierce.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Explosions, like a field of blooming red flowers, swiftly engulfed most of the onlookers.

"Ah!"

"What the...?!"

Amidst the chaos and screams, Zheng Mu and his companions plunged into the crowd. The T-800s and Lickers around the oasis joined the fight as well.

Wu Chungang's face was pale, a green wind barrier encasing him and his sister Wu Xueqian, protecting them from the blasts affecting the others.

"Brother! Watch out!"

Wu Xueqian's cry echoed over a metallic sound. Turning, he saw the young woman who was with Zheng Mu earlier, wielding a long knife, and emanating a biting cold aura as she charged towards them.

Wu Xueqian barely fended off the attack with her emerald flute.

However, in the next moment, Leng Bingyue kicked him, her long knife slicing through the air multiple times.

Her blade was sharp and each move aimed for a critical hit. Aware of the existence of the defensive talisman, she didn't hold back, ice crystals falling to the ground as she unleashed her abilities.

On the other hand, Cai Shengkun's fighting style was incredibly wild.

"Fire away!"

His rifle transformed into a multi-barreled Vulcan cannon after activating his skill, [Heavy Fire Support]. He unleashed a barrage of fire into the crowd, looking like a warrior let loose.

Zheng Mu, deftly wielding two guns, moved through the crowd. The chaos from the explosion made him an elegant assassin amongst the confusion.

A panicked professional ran into him. Before they could say a word, the muzzle of his gun was already in their mouth.

"Bang bang bang!"

A few shots later, their protective cover activated, and Zheng Mu kicked them aside. The force sent them rolling through the crowd, defensive cover and all, like a giant bowling ball.

"There he is!"

"Get him!"

Beep beep!

Alarm sirens blared from all the Feiyun boats hovering above the bone-swallowing desert. Some of the disqualified candidates on the boats looked on in surprise, hearing the staff's frantic shouts.

"Bad news! Coordinates XXX, YYY are showing multiple elimination signals!"

"There are eight hundred signals! Unbelievable!"

"The count's still rising!"

At this moment, some people had already noticed the dire situation at those coordinates. Or more accurately, they had been watching all along.

Director Wang from Tianji University couldn't hold back his outburst.

"Quick! Send help! Go now!"