197: Chapter 0197 Changing Bullets

He rested for a moment and meditated, the burning sensation from the rune deduction still lingering between his brows.

In the Laboratory, just polishing these blueprints took an entire day; the sky outside had quietly slipped into the early hours of the fifth day...

His score remained stuck at just over 5900, placing him fifth.

Even Arnold, who had been chasing hard, had barely managed to touch the 7800 mark, placing him second—

Arnold’s knuckles gripping his staff turned white as he stared at Barmont’s number on the leaderboard, his lips pressed into a bloodless, tight line.

And the first place...

The numbers on Barmont’s score panel were jumping so fast they were almost blurry: 93789 → 93825 → 93860...

An increase of dozens per second, like an out-of-control flood, clearly about to break the hundred-thousand mark!

Every time the undead legion deep within the Secret Realm devoured a Magic Monster carcass, his score would surge wildly.

This terrifying speed made all the examinees gasp in unison!

Such a massive score caused an uproar among everyone in the Secret Realm examination grounds.

Even the Second-Tier Liquefied Wizard, Kalen, who had come to preside over the examination, couldn't help but exclaim:

“Young people nowadays are truly fierce!”

The public score screen in the city square was packed with people, the discussions sounding like an exploded pot:

“Is he insane? Is Barmont’s score riding a rocket?”

“Li Size only has 5900, Arnold has 7800. Compared to him, that’s just pocket change!”

“Li Size and Arnold are definitely out of the running; this gap is impossible to catch up to!”

Some people clenched their fists, their faces flushed with excitement, while others hung their heads in dejection—

This unique score was like a massive mountain pressing down on everyone, making it hard to breathe; while their blood boiled with excitement, despair was also mixed in.

Arnold slammed his fist hard against a nearby stone pillar, sending stone chips flying:

“Impossible... I’ve already called over every Patrol Officer I could... How could this be?”

He slumped onto a long bench, watching Barmont’s score continue to surge on the screen, the last glimmer of light in his eyes extinguishing.

Wizard Kalen stood on the high platform, his fingertips stroking the runes on his robe, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes:

“Has this child’s necromancy already reached this level? Perhaps the entire Southwest region couldn't find a second young man this outstanding...”

After resting, Li Size merely smiled slightly upon seeing such a score, thinking to himself:

This is interesting! The real show has just begun!

Let’s see what my true potential is?

For the time being, he only needed to stay in the Laboratory.

Because this time, developing the drone benefited from the precision of the Communication Spell, extending his communication control terminal’s range to a terrifying one hundred and fifty kilometers!

Did he still need to go out?

He could sit comfortably in his warm bed and strategize a thousand miles away!

Hmm, he still needed someone to change the ammunition for his returning drones.

Although this task was very simple, he hadn't yet learned the witchcraft for making a Puppet, nor did he know the capabilities of robots?

How awkward!

Was there anyone?

Such an imposing Li Size was stumped by the trivial problem of changing ammunition...

After all, that would involve hundreds or thousands of nests! No! Perhaps two thousand, or maybe even more!

If it doesn't work, I’ll push for a minimum of ten thousand characters!

Cough, changing ammunition is actually quite difficult.

He helplessly cast a Communication Spell, finding his classmate a few kilometers away:

“Classmate Jackson. Cough cough, long time no see, I’d like to hire you to help me, well, change ammunition.

100 points per hour, interested?”

“What, you have new friends? How many?”

“Ten?”

“Great! Heaven is helping me! Come quickly! Come quickly!

City Exchange Center, 2nd Floor, Laboratory 288!”

He smiled faintly, turned, and walked out of the Laboratory to find the Materials Exchange clerk downstairs.

He applied to exchange for the Materials needed to produce the sorcery machine tool, drone, gatling, and Barrett, and also paid the Laboratory fees for the next five days all at once.

Then, a magical scene occurred; everyone in the examination grounds noticed the score chart changing strangely:

Li Size 5900

Li Size 5800

The score numbers slid down rapidly like a waterfall: 5000 → 3000 → 1000 → ...

Li Size 9

Li Size’s score plummeted to 9 almost instantly??? What kind of maneuver was that?!

The examinees in the square collectively cried out:

What the heck?

What in the world is going on?!

This dive in points instantly ignited discussions across the entire city!

The examinees in the square gathered in front of the score chart, their chatter exploding:

“What’s happening? Did Li Size give up?”

“How did his good 5900 points suddenly drop to single digits? He probably spent all his points, right?”

The proctoring teachers also gathered around, muttering:

“This year’s grand examination is really exciting; there’s big news every day!”

In the crowd, Jill’s eyes widened, and then he burst into wild laughter, slapping his thigh and shouting:

“Hahaha! Li Size, you have your day too! I thought you were so amazing, turns out you’re just a self-abandoning piece of trash! You’re definitely going to lose this time!”

He had been suppressed by Li Size before and couldn't lift his head; now he finally found a chance to vent, his face full of triumphant ferocity.

The sky gradually turned white...

But Barmont’s solitary hundred thousand points at the top and Li Size’s bizarre drop to 9 points ignited heated discussion throughout the entire city.

Jackson had not yet arrived at Li Size’s Laboratory, but Li Size had already assembled all the necessary sorcery machine tools in the Laboratory and poured the corresponding raw Materials into the feeding ports of each machine tool.

Two minutes later, the grinding sounds of the sorcery machine tool gears intertwined with the humming of runes, and four production lines began outputting simultaneously—

Three “Hummingbird - Type I” and one “Hummingbird - Type II” drone slid out of the Forging cabin one after another, their mithril silver shells gleaming coldly.

Li Size rapidly tapped on the communication terminal with his fingertips, and the drone swarm lifted off sequentially from the second-floor Laboratory’s window:

The first echelon scouted toward the eastern foot of the forest.

The second echelon turned toward the gully on the west slope.

The third echelon dove toward the South Stream Valley.

The fourth echelon circled toward the edge of the North Forest...

Every two minutes, a batch of four drones would spread out to various corners of the forest along the preset routes.

They were like a silver hunting net cast over the Magic Monster lairs, heading out to hunt Magic Monsters in the forest outside the city.

About ten minutes later, Li Size’s score panel suddenly jumped—19!

This was the achievement created by the “Hummingbird - Type II” hovering at an altitude of 5 kilometers:

It hovered at the edge of the clouds; the Sorcery Recording combined with the Alchemy Rune that enhanced vision allowed it to easily lock onto the lone High-Rank Zero Ring Magic Monster near the city gate.

The rune array of the sorcery sniper cannon instantly activated...

Three armor-piercing rounds wrapped in faint blue Demonic Energy dove down with a sharp whistling sound, accurately penetrating the Magic Monster’s scales and killing it instantly...

In the distance, three Wizard Apprentices were crouching low, cautiously approaching that High-Rank Zero Ring Magic Monster.

The burly man leading them was just about to cast the Firebolt Spell when he suddenly heard a sharp 'whoosh whoosh' sound from overhead!

The next second, the Magic Monster’s head exploded like a crushed watermelon, splashing dark green blood everywhere—

The trajectory of those few silver flashes still lingered in the air.

The three men froze in shock, almost dropping the staves they were gripping tightly, and looked up at the clear sky, but couldn't see even half a shadow...

The Wizard Apprentice whose prey was stolen clenched his fist, looking unwillingly toward the sky, because he didn't have the Eagle Eye Spell and saw nothing.