176: Chapter 176 Didn't you really like sniping just now? Why are you running?

The light of the virtual battlefield faded, and the combat capsule door in reality hissed open.

Jiang You sat up slowly and stretched, as if he hadn't just fought a fierce battle, but had merely been lying on a massage chair inside for a while.

"Hey, is this what a Class A expert looks like?"

Jiang You shook his head and stepped out of the capsule with a look of disappointment.

"Too fragile. Not even worth the effort."

In the combat capsule opposite him, Zhang Kuang scrambled out, practically falling to the floor.

Having had his vital point blasted by a punch in the virtual world, the phantom sensation of his spiritual energy backflowing and his internal organs shattering still lingered in his Brain cortex.

"Ugh..."

Zhang Kuang knelt on the ground, retching dryly. His face was as pale as paper, and he stared at Jiang You as if looking at a monster wearing human skin.

A deathly silence fell over the surroundings.

Those who had been ready to laugh at Class F now stood there, their throats seemingly constricted.

Ignoring the gazes around him, Jiang You tucked his hands into his pajama pockets. Instead of leaving as he usually did after a fight, he turned around and leaned back against the combat capsule.

He leaned lazily against the capsule door, watching Zhang Kuang, who had just scrambled to his feet, with a smirk.

"Hey, Senior."

Jiang You raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you say you wanted to snipe Class F just now?"

"Didn't you say you wanted us to experience despair?"

"Come on, keep going."

Jiang You gestured toward the combat capsule behind Zhang Kuang, his tone as sincere as an insurance salesman.

"Look, you're currently at 5 wins and 1 loss. Win two more, and you can advance to Pool 1."

"Don't give up on such a great opportunity."

"As long as you dare to hit match, I'll be right here to play with you."

The moment those words left his lips, the entire crowd erupted in an uproar.

What was this? This was reverse sniping! He was literally driving the man to his doom!

Zhang Kuang's face flushed a deep, liver-like purple. He was ashamed and angry, but mostly, he was terrified.

He wanted to advance. He wanted to reach Pool 1. But he didn't want to commit suicide!

That punch earlier had left him traumatized; the sheer penetrating power, impossible to defend against, made his prized "Vajra Body" seem like a joke.

"A lunatic... This kid is a lunatic..."

Zhang Kuang gritted his teeth, his mind racing.

"No, I can't go head-to-head with him."

"I'm at 5 wins and 1 loss right now; I still have plenty of room for error."

"The kid's strong, but he can't possibly keep targeting me forever, right?"

"There are so many people in Pool 2; as long as I avoid his matching window..."

Zhang Kuang took a deep breath, forcing down the terror in his Heart.

He decided to play the coward. Even if he lost some face, he had to secure his spot for advancement!

As long as he avoided this harbinger of doom, with his strength, crushing everyone else would be a piece of cake.

"Hmph!" Zhang Kuang snorted, deliberately acting disdainful as he turned away to drink water and wipe off his sweat, though in reality, he was keeping a hawk-like eye on Jiang You's every move.

He was waiting. Waiting for Jiang You to get impatient, waiting for him to match with someone else.

Yet, one minute passed. Five minutes passed.

Jiang You seemed to have taken root right next to the combat capsule.

He even pulled a bag of sunflower seeds from his pocket, munching on them while sharing with Bai Lan nearby, his eyes never leaving Zhang Kuang, always with that same smiling expression.

His gaze seemed to say: "Little guy, let's see how long you can hold out."

Zhang Kuang was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

The others from Class A dared not act rashly, terrified of being targeted by Jiang You, the "Class F Executioner."

"Damn it! Is this kid bored or something?"

Cold sweat beaded more and more heavily on Zhang Kuang's forehead.

Time waits for no one! The selection tournament had a time limit. If he dragged this out, more experts would appear, making it even harder to advance!

Finally, his chance came! Just as Jiang You lowered his head to peel a sunflower seed for Bai Lan.

"Now!" A flash of determination crossed Zhang Kuang's eyes.

With the fastest hand speed of his life, he spun around, slithered into the combat capsule like an eel, and slammed his finger onto the [Start Match] button!

"As long as I'm fast enough, he won't be able to react!"

"As long as I don't get matched with him, anyone else is fine!"

"System, please! Give me anyone! Just not Jiang You!"

Zhang Kuang prayed frantically in his Heart the moment the capsule door closed.

However, just 0.01 seconds after he pressed the button.

In the real world, Jiang You, who had appeared to be peeling sunflower seeds, suddenly curled his lips into a cunning smirk.

He moved so fast he was nothing but a blur. Before the sunflower seed shell even hit the ground, he was already lying inside his capsule.

"Trying to outspeed me?"

Jiang You closed his eyes, a ghostly blue light flickering beneath his eyelids. "I've been single for eighteen... ahem, I'm a man with a prediction cheat."

"Want to run? Did you ask my fist first?"

"Click!" He hit the match button.

...

Zhang Kuang stared intently at the spinning circle on the screen, his Heart pounding louder than a war drum.

"Please be someone else... Please be someone else..."

"I'll even take a Tier 4 opponent at this point..."

Suddenly, a crisp ding echoed out.

Zhang Kuang shuddered and snapped his head up toward the screen.

The next second, his pupils dilated instantly, and a scream like that of a castrated rooster tore from his throat: "NOOOOOOO!"

On the central control screen, two profile pictures slowly locked into place. [Red Team]: Senior, Class A, Zhang Kuang (5 Wins, 1 Loss) VS [Blue Team]: Freshman, Class F, Jiang You (1 Win, 0 Losses)

"Oh, what a coincidence, Senior."

Jiang You's languid voice drifted through the system channel, ringing in Zhang Kuang's ears like a demonic whisper: "We meet again."

"I didn't quite land that punch right earlier. How about we try a different position this time?"

Zhang Kuang looked at Jiang You's innocent, smiling face, and his composure completely shattered.

"Jiang You!! F*** you!! Did you install a camera or something? I'm done! I'm withdrawing! I want to go home to my mommy!"

However, the cold, mechanical voice of the system ruthlessly shattered his delusions: [Battle Start!]

In the real world, in the preparation hall.

Everyone watched as the once-arrogant Class A powerhouse Zhang Kuang, who had entered the capsule less than ten seconds ago, was ejected. "Bang!" The combat capsule door hissed open again.

This time, Zhang Kuang didn't crawl out. He had been forcibly ejected by the system because his vital signs had fluctuated violently in a short period, triggering the safety mechanism.

His eyes rolled back and he foamed at the mouth, lying on the ground in a seizure. Although there were no physical wounds on his chest, the mental devastation left him looking like a broken toy.

Immediately after, the adjacent capsule door opened. Jiang You stepped out, looking refreshed, and even stretched his wrists, as if he hadn't had enough.

He walked over to the still-twitching Zhang Kuang, looking down at him with a tone full of regret: "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Senior, your physical condition is really lacking. How can you not handle it after just two punches? You're at 5 wins and 2 losses—you've still got one more chance before you're eliminated."

Jiang You crouched down with a smile and patted Zhang Kuang's face, which was etched with despair. His voice was so gentle it was bone-chilling: "Get up. Let's go again. I promise, I'll take it easy next time."

The onlookers watched this scene, a chill rising from the soles of their feet straight to their scalps.

Too ruthless! This wasn't a competition at all! He was driving the man to his absolute breaking point!

Was this really the "lazybones" captain of Class F? This was clearly a vengeful devil!