Cataclysm Hunter: I Have an Experience Points System - Chapter 45 - Lin Xiao's Dislike for Such People

Two spotlights illuminated the contestants’ area.

Lin Xiao stood up and glanced at his opponent.

It was a young, burly man, nearly six feet three inches tall, with long, disheveled hair and a rugged, determined face.

The opponent was also staring at Lin Xiao, a grin spreading across his lips.

At the same time, the female host’s enthusiastic voice rang out again:

“Let’s welcome-Contestant No. 6, Zhang Meng! And Contestant No. 43, Lin Xiao!”

“Oh-!”

A wave of fervent cheers erupted, mixed with loud whistles and shouts of encouragement for specific contestants.

“Zhang Meng-! Awesome-!”

“I’m here just to see my Meng-Ge¹!”

“Meng-Ge looks so handsome today-!”

Simultaneously, there were some curious remarks about Lin Xiao.

“Is that guy a student? He looks so young.”

“A senior? I come here all the time, never seen him before.”

“Hehe~ He’s quite good-looking!”

“This is about skill, not looks.”

…

Lin Xiao and his opponent walked onto the arena, and the big screen timely displayed the information of the two contestants-

Name: Zhang Meng

Occupation: Soldier

Wins: 74

Total Matches: 105

—

Name: Lin Xiao

Occupation: Student (Junior)

Wins: 0

Total Matches: 0

Upon seeing Lin Xiao’s personal information, a wave of discussion erupted in the venue.

“A junior? A complete newbie?”

“Damn! My Meng-Ge’s victory won’t be honorable this time!”

“For a junior to make it here, he must have pretty good grades.”

“Great potential, but still too green!”

…

The long-haired Zhang Meng raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, and asked Lin Xiao:

“You’re actually a junior?”

“Yes… Are junior students that rare?”

Lin Xiao didn’t understand why they were so surprised; the arena’s entry requirements weren’t that hard.

“There are some, but not many…” Zhang Meng shook his head, chuckling as he explained:

“The 850kg assessment is just the minimum standard. Junior students have a low win rate. To meet the standard, your skills need to be among the top in your grade.”

Lin Xiao nodded in understanding. For example, someone like Fang Wen, who ranks 11th in her grade, could maintain a certain win rate here.

The female host on stage was quite professional. After Lin Xiao’s data appeared, she only glanced at him with slight surprise before hyping up the scene:

“One is a seasoned contestant with a win rate over 70%! The other is a newcomer warrior making his debut!”

“Who will claim victory!? Let’s leave the arena to the contestants.”

With the non-competitors stepping down, only Lin Xiao and his opponent remained on the arena.

“Just to be clear, I won’t hold back.”

Zhang Meng tied up his hair, a bold smile on his face.

“Alright…” Lin Xiao tilted his head, tentatively asking, “Shall we start?”

“Sure! You attack first, let me see what you’ve got!”

Since the opponent said so, Lin Xiao didn’t stand on ceremony.

In less than a second, he closed the distance between them, appearing right in front of his opponent.

And delivered a powerful whip kick.

Zhang Meng’s eyes widened, his pupils shaking with shock. Unable to dodge, he could only brace his arms.

Bang-!

The long-haired youth staggered back several steps before finally dissipating the force and steadying himself.

The arena was silent for two seconds before erupting into a fervent roar.

“Whoa! That kick!”

“Totally underestimated him! This young guy’s got some serious skills!”

“What’s his rank in the third year? Can we get that listed next time?”

“Definitely! This match is worth watching…”

…

“Hiss-!”

Rubbing his arm, Zhang Meng inhaled sharply, looking at Lin Xiao with a mix of surprise and suspicion.

“You sly devil! You’ve been hiding your true strength, haven’t you?”

Lin Xiao smiled faintly; he hadn’t exerted much force, just a casual probe.

Strength 14, agility 12, Martial Arts – Lv1, footwork – Lv1, vitalis – Lv0 (98%)…

These were Zhang Meng’s stats, quite impressive, no wonder his win rate was so high. Fang Wen probably wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

Of course, what intrigued Lin Xiao the most was a particular skill-vitalis refinement method – Lv1.

It wasn’t an incomplete student version but a genuine, complete refinement method!

Too bad this was the arena; otherwise, Lin Xiao would have loved to ask about its effects.

“Ha-!”

Understanding Lin Xiao’s “strength,” Zhang Meng abandoned the veteran’s reserve and launched an attack.

His punches and kicks were decent, and his combat experience was excellent, but he still fell short compared to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao’s current strength was 16 points, soon to rise to 17, putting him on par with Bai Shan.

Even though Zhang Meng was expending his vitalis without reservation, there was still a gap in strength.

Since Zhang Meng had a decent personality, Lin Xiao spared him some dignity and didn’t end the fight immediately.

The two tangled together, exchanging blows, the sound of fists cutting through the air sharp and relentless.

The fight was “beautiful,” giving the illusion of being evenly matched.

The audience occasionally erupted in gasps of amazement.

Finally, with a precise straight punch, Lin Xiao sent Zhang Meng sprawling on the ground.

The arena fell silent, everyone holding their breath, watching the fallen fighter.

Five seconds later.

“Let’s congratulate the winner of this match-Lin Xiao!”

“Oh-!”

Instantly, the arena exploded with cheers, the deafening roar echoing throughout.

“Lin Xiao-! Lin Xiao-! Lin Xiao-!”n

“Awesome! A new star in the arena!”

“Wow, he’s this strong in his third year!?”

“Meng-Ge-! Losing to someone that skilled isn’t shameful-!”

“Zhang Meng! I’m switching allegiances; that handsome guy is my new crush~!”

…

The audience was straightforward; whoever fought well earned their support. After all, this place was all about strength, where the victor reigns supreme.

Zhang Meng was taken away by medical staff.

Standing beside Lin Xiao, the female host beamed with a friendly yet respectful smile and asked:

“Lin Xiao, will you choose to continue to Defend the Arena or forfeit the challenge?”

“Defend the Arena.”

Lin Xiao answered without hesitation. Defending the arena meant earning extra bonuses; each successful defense added 1,000 to the next match’s prize.

In other words, the longer he defended, the higher the payout!

“Alright! Let’s ask the other contestants! Is there anyone who wants to challenge the winner?”

As soon as the host finished speaking, the camera panned to the contestants’ seats.

Dozens of contestants stared at Lin Xiao, some with furrowed brows, others with expressions of admiration, seemingly reassessing him.

Of course, there were also those who showed malice…

“Tch! Getting knocked down by a kid, Zhang Meng is such a waste!”

A giant over two meters tall stood up, his muscles bulging, a bone-deep scar on his face making him look menacingly ugly, even… repulsive.

The giant stepped into the arena, raised his pinky at Lin Xiao, and shouted:

“Kid… I’ll tear up that pretty face of yours later, don’t cry on the spot! Haha-!”

Lin Xiao rubbed his ear, his eyelids slightly lowered.

He didn’t like people like this.

So… no mercy.

Footnote:

1. Ge(哥):In Chinese culture, it is quite common to address someone as “xx 哥” (pronounced as “xx ge”). The term “Ge” means “older brother” and, when used in this context, typically carries a sense of affection and friendliness. It indicates respect and amiability towards the person, similar to calling someone “bro” or “big brother” in English.