MMPS Ch. 29

Chapter 29: Match Point

A rhythmic clap echoed faintly in the room, deliberate and unhurried. Zhao Ran raised his head. The boss stood nearby, his gaze fixed intently on the monitor, a spark of satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. Just moments earlier, Yu An had managed to fend off two mechanical wolves, shielding the technicians as they scored critical points. Then, with cold efficiency, he shoved both technicians toward the elimination pit, a move that resonated deeply with the boss’s ideals.

If unflinching pragmatism and a profit-driven mindset defined the perfect businessperson, then it was no surprise Yu An had caught the boss’s eye.

Meanwhile, among the investigators, Ni Lan’s combat prowess was unparalleled, brushing against the upper limits of any intern’s capabilities in recent years.

After the release of the Investigator Task, the testing grounds activated, dispersing a flood of rubber mannequins controlled by machinery. Each was tagged with identifiers such as “Gunman A,” “Gunman B,” or “Hostage A,” “Hostage B.” The task required precision—eliminate the gunmen while ensuring the hostages remained unharmed.

Ni Lan selected [Task 1: Rescue Hostage A from the Coastal Warehouse] for its proximity, saving precious time.

What followed was a display of ruthless efficiency. She tore through obstacles with a vengeance; no one dared cross her path. Other interns, faced with the grim choice of engaging her, opted for passive avoidance, accepting penalties for inaction rather than risking a direct confrontation.

Ni Lan unsheathed her Tier 1 Silver Weapon Core: Voidlight Blade from the tip of her left pinky and stormed into the coastal warehouse. Rubber bullets sprayed wildly from the machine-gun turrets, targeting her every move. Yet, she danced through the hail of gunfire with uncanny agility, her blade slicing clean through her foes in a single, fluid motion. A row of rubber heads toppled to the ground.

Without hesitation, she grabbed Hostage A by the ankle and dragged it from the warehouse. She gave no thought to who or what lay in her path—be they Gunmen A, B, C, or even other hostages. As long as the task demanded rescuing Hostage A, she would trample over bloodied remains to fulfill it.

The task was marked complete. Almost immediately, the sound of grinding metal filled the air. Silver mechanical wolves lunged at her from all directions, but Ni Lan dispatched them with brutal precision, her sword rising and falling in a merciless rhythm. Each kill earned her more points.

“Well, at least she didn’t kill the target hostage this time. That’s progress.” remarked Team Leader Yuan, raising a glass of champagne with restrained satisfaction. The boss’s decision to unleash the wolves for score-balancing seemed to have eased her annoyance.

“Dual-core carriers like her are rare treasures,” the boss commented, swirling his glass idly. “Ni Lan’s potential far outstrips that of ordinary human carriers.”

Team Leader Duan scoffed lightly. “Her hardware’s impressive, sure, but her temperament is volatile. The patrol team engages with civilians every day. If a crisis breaks out, who’s to say she won’t just slash through everyone—enemies and bystanders alike? Compensation is one thing, but the company’s reputation? That’s another story. She’d be far better suited to my team.”

Team Leader Yuan didn’t argue. Ni Lan’s talents were undeniably better suited for assassination missions than protecting civilians. Yet, after months of painstaking training, handing her over to Duan Ke felt like carving out a piece of her own flesh.

As the tasks progressed, Huo Yangui’s performance turned heads for an entirely different reason.

His assigned task was also hostage protection, but his approach was meticulous, almost cautious. Slowly advancing toward his target, he conducted thorough reconnaissance, identified threats with precision, and neutralized every gunman model. Finally, he hoisted the hostage onto his back and carried it to safety.

Duan Ke nodded approvingly, clearly pleased with his protégé. Despite his brash demeanor, Huo Yangui was the only one genuinely focused on rescue.

The incident that had landed this “foolish boy” in Eagle Bureau’s custody had been a misunderstanding. While shadowing an external operation, Huo Yangui had witnessed a nearby residential building caught in the crossfire, triggering a natural gas explosion. The ensuing chain reaction set the structure ablaze. Without hesitation, he charged into the inferno, rescuing trapped residents while sustaining minor injuries himself. Unfortunately, he’d strayed from his team and, without identification, was mistaken for an arsonist by Eagle Bureau agents. It wasn’t until last night that his master managed to secure his release.

“This year’s interns are outstanding.” the boss remarked, raising his glass. “Your efforts in training them have truly paid off. A toast to all of you.”

As the boss’s gaze lingered on the dwindling pool of remaining participants, he leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with interest. “One more thing.” he added, setting his empty glass on a tray. With a flick of his wrist, he gestured to the assistant seated behind the control console. The assistant nodded and issued the final task.

A hush fell over the room as the new assignment appeared on the screen. Smirks flickered across the faces of the executives. No one needed an explanation; the task was crystal clear.

[Comprehensive Task: Kill Intern Zeng Rang.]

The wording was explicit: Kill, not Eliminate. There was no room for ambiguity.

Just a month ago, an undercover agent from the Underground had vanished. Three days later, his mutilated body was discovered in the city’s sewer system. Forensics revealed he had been subjected to unspeakable torture while alive—bound by coarse ropes that slowly tightened until his organs were crushed, his bones snapped, and he asphyxiated. The ordeal lasted eighteen hours, culminating in his dismemberment.

The mastermind? The rival company Drift Racer’s boss, who had ordered the execution. The perpetrator? A young man now participating in the current trial under the alias Zeng Rang.

With a plain, unassuming face, Zeng Rang had played the perfect double agent, infiltrating the Underground Metro under the guise of an intern. But they had underestimated Underground Metro’s Safety Technology team.. By analyzing rope marks found on the agent’s body, they traced back to the exact specifications of the binding material, eventually identifying Zeng Rang as the killer.

“Everyone here knows, I’m a peace-loving man.” the boss said, settling into a leather armchair with a predatory grin. “I hate conflict. But today is different. I want these kids to understand something: anyone who works for me—anyone—will be protected. No one lays a finger on my people without consequences.”

[Comprehensive Task: Kill Intern Zeng Rang – 35 Points]

Both investigators and technicians could compete for this task.

The stakes were monumental. Thirty-five points were enough to overturn the rankings entirely.

Team Leader Duan and Team Leader Yuan were in a much better mood. With a smile, Duan Ke said: “They say, in the face of absolute power, all skills become meaningless.”

Zhao Ran wasn’t so sure. Fortunately, the interns were still young, unused to true combat. Their blows would likely lack the weight of real intent, and the emergency medics stationed outside would prevent serious harm. Still, he couldn’t shake the unease creeping into his thoughts.

The Mechanical Logistics Team Leader excused himself to the restroom but instead made a beeline for the elevator leading to the testing grounds. Concern etched into his face, he clearly couldn’t resist checking on Ji Nian.

Zhao Ran, supporting his chin on one hand, watched as the team leader disappeared. With a small smile, he placed his juice glass down, and when no one was watching, sent Li Pu and Kao Pu to follow.

*

The timer on the leaderboard displayed a countdown: only thirty minutes remained.

The rankings were clear, and significant changes seemed unlikely:

1. Emergency Order Unit- Yu An: 127 points
2. City Patrol Unit – Ni Lan: 95 points
3. Rapid Response Unit – Huo Yangui: 83 points
4. Mechanical Logistics Unit – Ji Nian: 32 points [Eliminated]
5. Safety Technology Unit – Yong Zheng: 30 points [Eliminated]
6. City Patrol Unit – En Zai: 16 points [Eliminated]
7. City Patrol Unit – Zeng Rang: 15 points
8. Medical Rescue Unit – Ruan Xiaoli: 7 points [Eliminated]
9. Rapid Response Unit – Wei Chiyue: 6 points [Eliminated]
10. City Patrol Unit – Ai Ke: 3 points [Eliminated]

Yu An rested near elimination Pit 6, leaning against a machine. Around him lay the disassembled remains of several mechanical wolves, their cores meticulously pried apart. From the wreckage, Yu An retrieved two Tier 1 Blue Aberrant Cores and tucked them into Ji Nian’s precision-crafted utility belt.

Running his hand over the belt’s smooth surface, he couldn’t help but recall Ji Nian’s defiant expression as he’d pushed him into the pit.

The thermal detector and dagger scavenged from the ill-fated investigator lay within arm’s reach, ready for action. Yu An had paused briefly to recover, his mind set on a straightforward plan: slip into Zeng Rang’s vicinity, eliminate him swiftly, and retreat to his safehouse to endure the remaining exam time in safety.

But the sudden broadcast of the final test completely shattered his strategy.

The assassination target—Zeng Rang—was publicly revealed, turning him into the centerpiece of a deadly competition.

To make matters worse, the leaderboard painted a grim picture. Ni Lan led with 95 points, and Huo Yangui followed closely with 83 points. If those two collided, the victor would absorb all of the other’s points. In that scenario, even if Yu An succeeded in killing Zeng Rang, he would still lose by a single, crushing point.

This was unacceptable. Yu An couldn’t let the two powerhouses meet. He had to eliminate Huo Yangui first. If he could take him down, then all Yu An needed to do was survive until the exam ended, and victory would be his.

Suddenly, the thermal detector emitted a sharp alarm—high-temperature readings were closing in fast.

Yu An grabbed the scattered items around him and darted toward the third elimination pit, where he had laid traps in advance. His eyes never left the detector as he carefully maintained a delicate distance from Huo Yangui—close enough to bait the pursuit, but far enough to avoid a sudden, lethal attack.

The temperature around him began to rise, stifling and oppressive. It was like running under a merciless summer sun, his skin burning so intensely that blisters began to bubble up. The searing pain was unbearable.

Desperation forced his hand. Yu An donned Aberrant Core – Goat’s Horn, accelerating his speed to a near inhuman blur. But this core had limits—it would burn out in just 17 minutes. A mere 17 minutes, when the exam’s end felt agonizingly distant.

Flames erupted beneath his feet, spreading with an insatiable hunger across the dry grass, forming a fiery semicircle that encased him.

For Huo Yangui, this was perfect. Eliminating Yu An was the optimal path to securing first place.

“Got you.” Yu An risked a glance behind him. Beneath the shadow of his black hood, the faint glow of his core left a haunting trail of blue light in the air.

Perched on the charred remains of a tree, Huo Yangui watched him with chilling composure. The scorching heat radiating from his body had roasted the branch to blackened embers. The blood-red core embedded in his neck glowed like a monster’s eye, its fiery surface shifting and rolling as if alive, like a dragon peering out from the molten depths of an infernal chasm.

Their gazes locked. Though Yu An’s face was hidden beneath the hood, the eerie blue trail from his eyes burned in the darkness.

“A Tier 2 Blue Core?” Huo Yangui’s voice dripped with disbelief. He rubbed his eyes as if trying to erase the absurd sight. “You’ve got to be joking. The top-ranked tactician… wasting a precious core slot on a Tier 2 Blue Core? Are you insane?”

Huo Yangui sneered, his tone steeped in condescension. Years under his master’s tutelage had instilled a certain disdain for tacticians. “The third elimination pit is right behind you,” he said mockingly. “Save me the trouble. Jump in yourself—I don’t waste my time on tacticians.”

But Yu An stood motionless, engulfed by the flames, showing no signs of surrender.

He reached for his Core Analyzer and retrieved a small, unassuming core—the one he had dug out of a mechanical wolf’s carcass. Without hesitation, he replaced the Aberrant Core – Goat’s Horn with the new one.

Name: Function Core – Wolf King Command
Source: Wolf Aberrant
Type: Common Variant
Grade: Tier 1 Blue (Pale Blue)
Primary Ability: Issue a two-word command that the target must obey for three seconds.
Usage Limit: Single-use.
Description: The Wolf King’s command cannot be disobeyed.
Resonance Requirement: Unknown.

“You’re switching cores—” Huo Yangui froze mid-sentence, his crimson dragon-eyed core narrowing in disbelief. “You’re actually—”

Yu An’s voice rang out, calm and resolute: “Fire. Extinguished.”

The wolf motif on the core flared to life beneath his hood, its glow igniting with an otherworldly brilliance. A mournful howl echoed through the air, cutting through the crackling flames.

In an instant, the inferno vanished, extinguished as though snuffed out by an unseen hand. Ash drifted down in delicate spirals, cloaking the scorched earth in a ghostly veil.

Huo Yangui’s shock turned to rage as he leapt from the blackened tree and charged toward Yu An. He had three seconds—if he could force Yu An back before the flames reignited, the fire would consume him, sealing his defeat. No one could survive even a minute in the heart of Huo Yangui’s fire.

But in the blink of an eye, Huo Yangui stumbled, his balance crumbling beneath him.

His mind blanked as he tumbled forward, his gaze catching on the ground.

A cardboard cutout of a woman?

What was an advertisement cutout doing here?

The realization hit him like a thunderclap. In his blind rush, he had stepped directly on the cutout’s painted face.

A furious Miss Bo—her image adorned with immaculate poise—raised a beautiful leg and tripped him!