*Chapter 66: Zheng Mu, The Rising Star, and the Desert's Unknown Beasts

About two-thirds of the one-month assessment period had passed.

However, the Bone-devouring Desert's central area was buzzing with activity.

"Was your base also targeted by that guy? How many times has it happened now?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. The S-rank Wuying Assassin, the beauty He Xiangyun from our Hanlong University, accused Zheng Mu of picking on the weak. She challenged him to a one-on-one duel. Guess what?"

"He wouldn't dare! Ever heard of a Mage or an Assassin fighting one-on-one? Even if she's a stunner, he can't accept that!"

"Well, you'd be wrong then. Zheng Mu agreed immediately. He just stood there, but every time He Xiangyun tried to sneak attack him, she got slapped down."

"What? You're saying Zheng Mu had the gall to lay a hand on a beauty like He Xiangyun?!"

Several participants from different areas were huddled together, whispering about the commotion caused by Zheng Mu in the assessment.

Hearing the news about Zheng Mu laying a hand on his idol He Xiangyun, one candidate abruptly stood up, fuming.

The speaker quickly waved his hands in denial, "Heavens, no! Zheng Mu didn't slap her face. They have no bad blood."

The man's anger subsided slightly upon hearing this. But his relief was short-lived.

"He slapped her backside, eighteen times! Made the poor girl bawl. She even vowed to remember Zheng Mu for the rest of her life."

A muffled groan of dismay echoed through the group.

As Zheng Mu and his team's influence spread, more and more candidates from other schools had begun to avoid the areas they traversed, converging at the central region.

Rumors about Zheng Mu were rampant, some true, others embellished.

Some claimed Zheng Mu had taken hundreds of lives, most of them female.

Others spoke of a flying mechanical device he controlled, which could surveil the entire area like a drone, placing everyone under his watchful eye.

Some even suggested that Zheng Mu wasn't an A-rank mechanic but was, in fact, an S-rank professional whose occupation closely resembled that of a mechanic.

This barrage of conflicting information was causing unrest among the candidates.

Even the few S-rank professionals had formed an unusual alliance.

"I've checked with multiple sources. It's confirmed that S-rank elf shooter Wu Chungang and S-rank Wuying Assassin He Xiangyun were both defeated by Zheng Mu. One-on-one, without any assistance," Huang Feng Mage Sang Luo reported, his face grave.

Hearing this, Jiang Lanlan, the only woman in the group, whispered to her cousin.

"Do you think Zheng Mu dislikes girls, Xiaofeng? He publicly humiliated He Xiangyun, a woman so stunning even I'm envious. What kind of girl would want a guy like that?"

Ge Feng was at a loss for words.

He opened his mouth, but all he managed to say was, "I'll keep you safe, Auntie. If worst comes to worst, I'll hold him off while you make a run for it."

The others in the group watched, speechless.

While they were discussing a strategy, these two were ready to hightail it out of there?

Where was the dignity befitting an S-rank professional?

But what they didn't realize was that the aunt-nephew duo didn't take this assessment seriously.

For them, it was just a fun diversion. With their family's wealth and their S-rank credentials, any mainstream university was an easy choice.

Compared to that, trudging through the harsh Bone-devouring Desert seemed like a pointless chore.

For a young woman like Jiang Lanlan, the novelty had quickly worn off.

If not for her curiosity about the legendary Zheng Mu, the Mechanic King, she'd activate her defense charm and quit in a heartbeat.

Noticing the pair's indifference, Guo Luo's eyes flashed with frustration.

But, because of the threat posed by Zheng Mu, he decided to swallow his anger.

He turned to the others.

"We have two options now. Most of us have more than 10,000 points. By previous years' standards, we should pass the assessment. We could head straight for the evacuation point, but there's a high chance we'll be intercepted... "

As he spoke, he gestured upwards.

Everyone looked up and saw a few mechanical birds circling in the sky.

Many had come to recognize these as Zheng Mu's Patrol Eagles.

"The second option is pretty obvious. We wait to be gradually surrounded, picked off one by one by surprise attacks, or we band together and strike first!"

However, Gu Ming, who had been silently clutching his sword, shook his head.

"Five days ago, he hit Gimhae University. The day before yesterday, it was Hanlong University. Yesterday, Xuanhuo University... Where do you think he'll be today? We lack his surveillance skills, we can't track him down in this vast desert."

His words cast a shadow over the group, but just then, the usually quiet Wang Long spoke up.

"I have a third option, but it depends on whether you're brave enough to try."

All eyes turned to Wang Long as he composed his thoughts.

"As you all know, I'm an S-rank Beast Master. This allows me to sense the presence of creatures hundreds of times better than most. I can detect a creature's aura from one or two kilometers away."

"It doesn't matter whether the creature is on the surface... or beneath it!"

Gu Ming frowned, "Cut to the chase, did you find something?"

Wang Long nodded, pulling out a map from his pocket and laying it out.

A conspicuous red circle marked a specific spot on the map.

"I sense a subterranean space here, filled with the ominous presence of a monstrous creature. I'd estimate it's at least a Level 40," he explained.

San Luo furrowed his brow.

"So you're suggesting we use this monster to confront Zheng Mu? We don't stand a chance against a Level 40 creature. If we rouse it, we might be biting off more than we can chew."

"Zheng Mu may back off if we activate our defense charms, but a Level 40 creature won't. Our charms won't hold up against an attack from such a beast."

Wang Long shrugged.

"That's your call. Worst case scenario, we high-tail it to the evacuation point. I'm not sure how I'd fare against Zheng Mu, but I'm confident I can evacuate safely."

"As long as you're okay with being an S-rank professional getting trounced by an A-rank mechanic, we can forget I ever brought it up..."

The group exchanged glances.

Finally, it was Sang Luo who stood up, determination in his eyes.

"Let's give it a shot. I have some leverage in the desert; perhaps we can temporarily control the monster?"

Seeing Sang Luo rise, Wang Long's face lit up.

"I've pinpointed its location. It seems dormant, showing no reaction to my presence. We only need to rouse it once Zheng Mu is there."

Hearing this, the others stood up in agreement.

Meanwhile, in a moving base vehicle, Zheng Mu was enjoying some rare downtime. Leng Bingyue's intense stare was making him uncomfortable.

"How much longer are you going to look at me like that? You're starting to give me the creeps," he finally asked.

Leng Bingyue responded with a smirk.

"Can't eat without washing your hands, can you?"

Confused at first, Zheng Mu soon caught her drift.

"I guess you could call it a string of coincidences."

"Eighteen coincidences in a row?" she shot back.

Zheng Mu sighed. "Okay, I confess. Once I got started, I couldn't stop. But it's not my fault, it's just too satisfying."

Seeing Leng Bingyue's expression harden, Zheng Mu couldn't help but grin.

"Sister Bingyue, are you jealous?"

Caught off guard by his question, Leng Bingyue blushed furiously.

"Jealous? Of you? In your dreams!"

"Typical jerk, always jumping to conclusions!" she retorted before storming off, leaving Zheng Mu looking puzzled.

She's still playing hard to get? He shook his head.

"C'mon, Bingyue, you've got to take the initiative or some other woman will snatch me up," he murmured to himself.

Cai Shengkun, who had just walked up, overheard Zheng Mu's self-satisfied muttering and rolled his eyes.

But he had to admit, Zheng Mu's maneuvers over the past few days, especially with the stunning Su Xiangyun, were nothing short of awe-inspiring.

"Boss, the remaining contenders are converging in the central area. Looks like they're gearing up for a final showdown with us."

Hearing this, Zheng Mu simply smiled.

"Perfect. Exactly what we want. If that's the case, let's head straight to the central area. It's high time we had a face-to-face with the candidates from Shengqing University and Beiwu University."

When a flock of patrolling drones in the sky began to multiply, everyone realized Zheng Mu, the man who'd been causing a ruckus at the exam site, was heading their way.

"Let's not waste time! Let's move!"

Spotting this, Wang Long and his team made their move.

The departure of five S-rank professionals instantly caught Zheng Mu's attention.

"Boss, they're clearly heading toward the evacuation point," Cai Shengkun pointed out, anxious. These were their key "revenge targets". They couldn't let them escape.

Zheng Mu's face hardened slightly.

"Change course! Full speed to the evacuation point!"

High in the sky, news of Zheng Mu's hunting spree had reached the higher-ups.

In a colossal airship dwarfing the Feiyun boat, a grey-haired old man chuckled at the images on the holographic display.

"This young man is bold. He won't let a single candidate from other universities escape. He's going straight to the evacuation point to cut them off."

Behind the old man, Qin Zhi and Liu Weiqi wore worried expressions. Liu Weiqi and his crew hadn't expected this exam to stir up such a big fish who'd supposedly been in seclusion for years.

"Old Li, don't blame Zheng Mu for this. It's Sheng Qing and his crew who started all this," Qin Zhi attempted to argue, but the old man waved him off with a smile.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to place blame. The kid's got potential, suitable for your Southwest Military University. In a sense, Shengqing University and the rest did us a favor."

Liu Weiqi and the others didn't exactly feel honored.

Noticing their reaction, a spark lit up in the old man's eyes.

"Over the years, we've had fewer S-rank professionals in Dragon Nation compared to other countries. Our top ten Guardians may be young and powerful, not lacking in comparison to nations like the US, but we've been lagging in cultivating professionals.

"It's a shame that such a great nation can't even make it past the eighth round in the world job competition."

The old man's gaze landed on each person present.

"We need to turn the tables. I think Zheng Mu would make a fine disruptor."

Qin Zhi and his colleagues from Southwest Military University felt a rush of excitement. Although not explicitly stated, it seemed their university's prestige was safe for now.

However, someone noticed something odd.

"Huh? Aren't Wang Long and his team heading to the evacuation point?"

Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen, where the five figures they had assumed were rushing to the evacuation point to finish the test before Zheng Mu could intercept them had halted in sector ten.

As the view zoomed in, the old man's brow furrowed.

Suddenly, Wang Long let out a roar and using his beastmaster abilities, transformed into a giant armadillo. He began frantically digging at the sandy ground while his comrades joined in to assist him.

"What are they up to? Digging in the desert?" everyone wondered, puzzled.

Wang Long and his team worked swiftly, seemingly with a clear objective in mind. In less than a day, they had excavated a large pit, leaving everyone wondering about their purpose.

In the desert, there was a sudden "clang!" The abrupt resistance sent Wang Long's claws flying.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the source of the sound. They saw what looked like a stone, a massive one, reminiscent of the head of some monstrous stone statue.

Wang Long, his beastmaster instincts aflame, was visibly excited, on the brink of losing control. Sweating profusely, he resumed his digging.

In just two hours, they had unearthed a terrifying stone statue of a monstrous creature.

"Yikes, is that an insect?" Jiang Lanlan, the only girl in the group, couldn't hide her disgust. The monstrous stone statue resembled a giant maggot, its horrific mandibles on display, exuding an inexplicably sinister aura.

"What is this thing? My scanning skills are too weak, I can't glean any information." Sang Luo confessed, visibly anxious. He and his team seemed to be on edge, as if expecting some powerful adversary to suddenly appear.

Gu Ming silently drew his longsword.

"Wang Long, where's this monster you mentioned?" he asked.

Wang Long, appearing puzzled, turned to his companions with a strange look on his face. "Monster? Don't you see it? It's right here." He continued, "I can feel its power. This isn't a Level 40, but at least a Level 50!"

As he said this, he stepped forward and caressed the four-to-five-meter tall monster statue in front of him, making appreciative noises that were borderline creepy.

Jiang Lanlan's face crinkled in distaste. She grabbed Ge Feng, who was beside her. "Let's go, this guy's weird. Let's head straight for the evacuation point..."

As she spoke, two intimidating figures materialized behind her. She was about to take off when suddenly, the ground started shaking violently. The sand began to flow back into the pit.

"Get out!" Sang Luo bellowed, waving his hand. His ability activated, and the falling sand was instantly dispersed, as if manipulated by an invisible force. But just as he was about to make his escape, a desperate scream echoed from behind.

It was Wang Long's voice!

"Ah! Help me!!!"