Afterlife Department

Chapter 517 – Evolution

"Four!" The blue team's captain, Janeu, announced after they rolled the die. 

This time, Alexis took the die and carelessly threw it in the air. When Janeu saw it, he evilly grinned, only for his smile to freeze when they saw the face of the die. "…" 

"Six." Alexis curtly spoke before he turned his back on them and walked back to his team. 

Janeu's face turned green and the host choked. 

But, the audience cheered. "Six! It's a six! He really is a six!" they exclaimed, recalling the internet slang of the ancient era where they use the numbers that are homophones with what they wanted to express. 

Alexis is too amazing and his actions are smooth, so he is six! Of course, it can also mean that he is perfect, since the perfect number in a die is six! 

Ignoring Janeu's furious expression, the host cleared his throat and turned to Alexis Febi. "Glorious Cape captain, which representative do you want to send?" he asked. 

"Evan Glace." Alexis answered. 

"What? Who's that?" the audience asked, puzzled. But, when they saw the participant's data was displayed, they choked when they recognized Yi Bing. "It's that guy who stole the die!" they said and can't help but laugh. 

"Did their captain send him to punish him?" someone asked, joking. 

"Why do I feel I'll get a slap on the face if I answer that it is the reason…?" someone said. 

Fortunately, they really didn't answer the question, since they almost did a spit-take even if they are not drinking after they heard Alexis' answer when the host asked him the same question. 

"Glorious Cape captain, why did you send this team member?" the host asked. 

Alexis gave him a glance as they all left except Yi Bing who stayed on the stage. "Didn't Janeu want to fight him because of earlier?" he asked back before he turned back to Janeu. "Now, I'll give him the chance." He added and truly left. 

The host. "…" I think is shouldn't have asked… can I ask someone to replace me? He thought. 

Janeu. "…" well, thank you! He thought sarcastically. 

The host recovered his calm and coughed. "Team member Evan, who do you want to challenge?" he asked, remembering the rule that the challenger can choose someone to fight with. "Or, do you want for the system to arrange an opponent for you?" he asked. 

"What? What system?" everyone asked in surprise. 

The host smiled as he faced the camera. "This is a special hidden rule and is intentionally arranged to be told before the first challenger would choose." He explained. Then, he turned back to Yi Bing. "Your answer?" he asked. 

Yi Bing glanced at Janeu whose expression has been ugly since earlier. He knows that Janeu could feel he is stronger than him because earlier, he deliberately jumped late but still caught the die faster than him. "Everyone is already familiar, or would be familiar with all the participants later." He spoke. "To not spoil the fun, let's have the system decide. I also will give the honor to both captains to fight each other first later." He explained. 

"OOOH!" the audience cheered. 

But, Janeu knows what Yi Bing is implying. He has already decided for Janeu to fight against Alexis first. If he would choose any other opponent later, this will show that he is a coward and also would fail the audience's expectations. 

"What a cunning devil." Dwinn smiled as he looked at Yi Bing with an appreciative gaze. 

"He exceeded my expectations." Uly spoke. 

Alexis nodded in agreement. Originally, he plans to catch the die and choose Janeu as an opponent. But, he held back since he wanted to test this four new comrades' strength. And, as Uly said, Yi Bing exceeded their expectations. 

"Then, let's have the system pick team member Evan's opponent." The host spoke and turned to the giant screen. 

Everyone's attention turned to the screen and held their breath, as if they are more nervous than Yi Bing. Then, they finally released their breaths when they saw another participant's data appeared, just beside Yi Bing's. 

"OOOH!!! It's starting!" they all cheered while they watch Yi Bing's opponent calm on the outside but nervous inside walked up the stage and stood on the opposite end, just across Yi Bing. 

The host immediately left and the giant screen started the countdown. "Five, four, three, two – " a female voice for the system spoke. 

"ONE!" everyone spoke together. 

Then, they saw the blue team member moved first and ran towards Yi Bing's direction, brandishing his sword while Yi Bing just coolly, slowly walked without even taking out any weapons. 

"OOOOH! This is exciting! The red team is confident!" the audience exclaimed as they watched Yi Bing's opponent stopped and raised his sword to cut Yi Bing. 

Yi Bing just raised his hand and directly met the sword. Everyone closed their eyes, thinking that blood will splatter. But, they suddenly heard a loud clang, as if two metals collided. 

'clang'? Everyone thought and slowly opened their eyes, only to immediately close it when a strong gust of wind suddenly blew, hitting their bodies! "AH!" they all exclaimed. 

"… oh." They heard a deep, male voice muttered. 

'oh'? Everyone thought and opened their eyes again to look at the stage, wanting to know what happened. But, they saw that there's only Yi Bing left at the center of the stage… "Where's his opponent? Was he cut?" they asked and looked around, only to suddenly hear a startled scream. 

"T – there!" someone cried and pointed. 

Everyone turned and followed, only for them to widen their eyes when they saw a person was stuck on a wall, leaving an imprint of his body on it while one of his hand held a… sword? No. It can't be called a sword since only the hilt remained! 

"Where's the blade…" they were about to ask when they froze after they saw that some broken pieces of metal stuck on the wall around the person on the wall. One of the broken pieces is just beside that person's cheek, leaving a cut and the cut now bled after the wind stopped blowing. 

"… it's the blue team! And the broken pieces… his sword was broken!" someone finally recovered from his shock and exclaimed. 

Everyone seemed to be awaken from their daze. "WHAT?!" they were shocked. 

"I remember… this Evan has an SS physique…" someone spoke. 

Everyone froze and, it is really as the person said. "So, this is the power of someone who has an SS physique?" they muttered. "But, isn't he a beta?" they asked. 

"If you want to say that they falsified their document, then think again. It was Doctor Myer Reane who tested them." Someone spoke up. 

Everyone looked at the person. 

"They are betas, but they discovered that they are stronger than betas and seemed to be as strong as the alphas… or even stronger." The person said. "So, they went to Doctor Reane, who is the most trusted doctor, to be tested since they also have doubts about their physique. Like what we are having now." They explained. 

"So, you are saying, this must be a new evolution?" someone finally understood. "Betas can have SS physique… this is great!" they said. 

"Definitely! We can now have more people to fight against the Zergs!" the others said. 

Everyone rejoiced for this new discovery. But, the blue team, especially those enemies that are hiding, aren't happy. Because these new betas are with the royal family's side! How can they be happy?! If only they could have roped them in earlier… 

"Damn it! That stupid Loui again!" someone cursed. "He just can't make us feel settled. We might be able to still buy these new betas on our side, but that stupid Loui offended one of them!" they said. 

"It seems that Leon is too doting of his son…" their faces turned grim. 

Below the stage, the host and the blue team were dumbfounded, especially Janeu. In fact, they thought that these new betas falsified their data and they are just waiting for them to expose themselves so their organization arranged this event to publicly expose them and humiliate them, and also to smear the royal family's reputation of helping them with the deception. But, they now realized, no matter how brilliant their plan is, but reality slapped them with the truth. 

The data of the new betas are true. They have proven it with their action by defeating one of their team members in a flash. 

"Don't be discouraged!" Janeu spoke when he recovered from his shock. He suppressed the increasing fear, much stronger than before, to boost their team's morale. "They still have other members! We can defeat them! We just need to choose their weakest people!" he told them. 

Meanwhile, the host finally returned to his sensed. "Evan Glace wins! The Glorious Cape Team earns a point!" he announced. 

"Oh, my god!" the audience exclaimed.. "This must be the best day of my life! New betas! And an exciting event!" they said.