Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

In the first six matches, Ruo Manni had fought with a sword and used flying knives to ambush her opponents, so no one knew she could also wield a whip. This left the spectators uncertain about whether her choice was the right one.

It’s important to note that in terms of lethality, a sword is definitely more powerful than a whip, but in terms of matchup, a whip is quite effective against a spear, depending on the skills of the competitors.

However, from the audience’s perspective, the level three late-stage contestant (Ruo Manni) seemed weak in combat skills. Facing her strongest opponent, she had switched from a more lethal sword to a less damaging whip. Given their limited understanding of her, the onlookers found it hard to assess the outcome of this match.

“What’s going on with this girl? Why did she suddenly change weapons?” Seeing Ruo Manni switch to a lighter whip against a formidable opponent, Mentor Fang felt anxious, wishing she could communicate with Ruo Manni.

“Don’t worry, Manni isn’t an impulsive person; otherwise, she wouldn’t have come this far. This opponent has advantages in size and weaponry, but using a whip to counteract his strength could give her a chance,” said Captain Lin, who was there as her guardian and remained calm.

As a highly experienced soldier, Captain Lin understood how Ruo Manni had been unexpectedly thrust into the mecha combat assessments. After watching her impressive performance in the map assessment yesterday and observing several matches today, he grasped the main reason for her success.

This girl remained calm; despite her lack of experience, she didn’t succumb to fear or negative emotions. Instead, she analyzed her opponents and sought their weaknesses, striving for victory. This mindset alone was enough to set her on the path to success.

Moreover, the whip technique she had learned was personally sourced by Captain Lin. He knew better than Mentor Fang just how exceptional that technique was, though he was unsure how advanced Ruo Manni had mastered it.

Captain Lin’s observations proved correct. As the match began, Ruo Manni wielded a two-meter-long whip, completely shifting from the passive approach she had taken in the previous six matches to a proactive stance.

Although her opponent managed to block with a staff, the whip was flexible. Blocking part of it was ineffective; the tail of the whip still struck the opponent, causing a loss of twenty-five health points.

The audience erupted in excitement, akin to being energized. Clearly, the first contestant had been holding back her strength, delivering a delightful surprise.

Under normal circumstances, the weapons provided in the assessment were basic, unenhanced ones. The damage output of a late-stage level three warrior against a mid-stage level four warrior would typically be minimal—only a couple of health points at most.

Such significant damage could only imply that the first contestant had utilized her mental powers.

But how did this talented telekinetic girl manage to achieve that with a whip, which is typically a warrior’s weapon?

However, the eighth-grade boy’s combat level was still two tiers higher than Ruo Manni’s. No matter how fast she moved, she couldn’t match his speed. Although she consistently avoided critical hits, her health points steadily dwindled.

The audience watched as Ruo Manni transitioned from a passive role at the start—losing health points in increments—to eventually countering so effectively that the boy couldn’t approach her. It became a battle of attrition, with his health points dropping steadily.

This was an evenly matched, thrilling fight, and while Ruo Manni was absorbed in the battle, Mentor Fang felt the audience’s enthusiasm keenly.

For Mentor Fang, however, it was a nerve-wracking experience. Her heart felt as if it were being held in suspense, occasionally tightening with tension.

After all, the boy’s overall combat prowess far exceeded that of the novice Ruo Manni. By the end of the twenty-minute match, he had lost sixty fewer health points than she had, resulting in his victory.

This was Ruo Manni’s first loss in the rankings, but she had no time to dwell on regrets. As soon as the match concluded, she exchanged friendly farewells with her opponent and promptly sat down.

Although she had lost, the match had been invigorating, but the cost was significant. With thirteen more matches ahead, she wanted to recover as much as possible.

Despite the loss, Ruo Manni felt more confident. Moving forward, she decided that against opponents at the early stage of level four, she would use her longsword and flying knives, reserving the whip for those at the mid-level.

“Didn’t Manni just start training with the whip after our last meal together? How did she get so good at it?” Mentor Fang was quite surprised.

“Can’t you see how smart Manni is? She integrated her skills and created a technique to wrap the whip with her telekinetic power, enhancing its force and lethality, even a mid-level four warrior can’t withstand its damage,” Captain Lin replied with a smile.

In the next thirteen ranking matches, Ruo Manni didn’t lose again. Even in the nineteenth match, when she faced a mid-level four warrior ranked around four hundred and eighty, she still came out on top.

If she had met this opponent earlier in the rankings, she would have certainly lost. However, after gaining substantial combat experience through multiple battles, she had become quite adept with both her longsword and whip, no longer the novice she once was.

Moreover, although her opponent wielded a longsword, the one-meter weapon against her two-meter whip gave Ruo Manni a significant advantage. In the end, they fought until the last moment, and Ruo Manni won by a narrow margin.

“This child is a born warrior.” Watching her grow at an astonishing pace during actual combat, Captain Lin couldn’t help but sigh, “It would be a waste of talent for her to go study mecha manufacturing.”

“That would be a mistake,” Mentor Fang said, relieved that Ruo Manni’s choice was indeed the right one.

After finishing her nineteenth match, Ruo Manni had won, but at a heavy cost—her health points were down to just over two, and both her physical and mental energy were nearly exhausted. If she faced a stronger opponent again, she feared she wouldn’t last.

However, fortune smiled on her once more, as her final opponent was a girl ranked seventeen thousand three hundred. Ruo Manni easily eliminated her without much effort.

Since the ranking matches didn’t occur simultaneously and Ruo Manni was among the first batch of competitors, the final assessment results were not yet available as the other batches continued their matches.

Ruo Manni couldn’t care less about waiting for the final results. After over eight hours of competing without eating or drinking, she was nearly starving.

After logging off the SkyNet, she had a meal and then went straight to sleep, unaware that a heated debate was taking place online. Shortly after all the assessment matches concluded, a post caught everyone’s attention.