"For the upcoming battle, if you’re confident, follow me in. If not, stay here."
Lin Ye glanced at the other individuals.
Not participating in the BOSS fight doesn’t affect passing the level as long as the others can defeat the BOSS.
However, those who don’t participate will receive a very low score during settlement, probably only a base C-level evaluation for passing.
And the evaluation grade is linked to the experience value rewards.
So often, whether to participate in the BOSS fight depends on your own choice.
If it’s a normal team, losing even one person would significantly reduce their combat capability, so naturally, no one should be absent.
But in their team now, that wasn’t the case.
Even if it were just Lin Ye alone, he might be able to clear it...
The difference in combat strength was simply too obvious.
"I’d better not participate in the BOSS fight..." After a brief consideration, Zhao Xue Ming chose to wait where he was.
"Me too!" Li Feng made the same choice.
Both of them were Level 1 novices, and they were already satisfied to have gotten this far.
If they shamelessly joined the BOSS fight, they would only be a hindrance.
"I’ll stay here too." Hook made the same decision.
He couldn’t help it; he was already too tired. He had a hard time keeping up with the pace during the last stronghold battle. If he continued fighting, he might hold Lin Ye back.
Stopping now was the wisest choice.
"Alright! Protect yourselves!" Lin Ye nodded slightly and turned to Li Fei.
Li Fei lifted her head and said, "Didn’t we agree that I would handle the monsters while you heal me?"
She could still continue!
After all, in the last round, she mostly laid low, so her state wasn’t as bad as Hook’s, and she could still fulfill her duty as a Warrior.
Moreover, she was a Flame Warrior, so she indeed had the right to say such things.
The other three were extremely envious...
Not only did they envy Lin Ye’s strength, but they also envied him having such a strong female companion.
There were not many girls like Li Fei, who neither acted up nor feared hardship.
Outside, female Professionals who were neither as good-looking nor as powerful as Li Fei were all over the place.
Leaving three people behind, Lin Ye and Li Fei ventured into the depths of the forest.
Finally, they entered a valley.
On the valley floor, a large array was drawn, and sporadic torches were stuck in the ground around it.
In the center of the array, a woman in a flaming robe was kneeling as if asleep.
Li Fei nodded, drew the longsword from her waist, took a deep breath, and charged into the array.
At that moment, the flames on the torches around the array suddenly surged!
The entire array emitted a crimson glow, and the valley was filled with scorching heat, constantly rising.
Even before touching the Blazing Pinocchio, Li Fei had already lost 50 Life Value under the high temperature of the array.
This was the difficulty of this level.
Inside the valley, you would continuously take damage from the scorching flames, with a base value of 100 points. Since Li Fei was a Flame Warrior with high flame resistance, she actually only suffered 50 points of damage.
If Zhao Xue Ming and Li Feng had entered, they might have been critically injured instantly.
So his choice to retreat was indeed wise.
With the activation of the array, Blazing Pinocchio awoke.
Multiple arrays appeared on the ground, warning of impending meteor falls.
For Lin Ye, this level of attack was almost negligible, and with Li Fei tanking the BOSS, Lin Ye only needed to focus on spellcasting.
This battle had almost no suspense.
Meanwhile, inside the auditorium of Shan City No.1 Middle School.
Many senior-year students had been urgently called back for a meeting.
"What’s going on? Why were we suddenly called back for a meeting?"
"Haven’t you heard? Lin Ye’s been trading Professional Badges and headed to the Abyss-level Flame Forest! The principal is furious!"
"Damn... no way? Lin Ye seemed pretty low-key, but he’s really stirring things up now!"
"Apparently, he went in with Li Fei too... they’re probably done for!"
"Not only that, they took three students from Experimental Middle School along, and now the school’s leaders are furious, demanding an explanation!"
"Pfft... what were those three thinking? Aren’t they afraid of dying?"
"Maybe it’s because Lin Ye broke a previous record, giving them some courage?"
"What fools, do they think an Ordinary Level can match an Abyss Level?"
The auditorium buzzed with discussions.
Lin Ye’s actions were seen as astonishing.
He had committed every possible wrong.
Trading Professional Badges and entering an Abyssal-Level Secret Realm.
"Ha, he’s definitely doomed, but others will have to bear the consequences!"
"True, but what a pity for Li Fei! She’s so beautiful..."
"By the way, why Li Fei and not Su Yaoyao?"
"Heh... it was Su Yaoyao’s evidence that proved Lin Ye was secretly trading Professional Badges with Li Fei!"
Amidst the surrounding gossip, Su Yaoyao sat calmly in her seat.
The satisfaction she felt was indescribable.
Thinking of Lin Ye and Li Fei’s impending deaths in the Secret Realm, she felt a clear mind and body!
Meanwhile, at the Professional Plaza, a team of Professionals stumbled out of the Secret Realm.
It was the team led by Dian and Dana.
"Damn it! Refund us!"
"What a scam! With your skills, dare to lead a Difficult Level run? We almost died!"
"A refund isn’t enough, compensate for our losses too!"
The three team members shouted in anger, drawing the attention of many.
"Refund, sure, but compensation? No way! I don’t have extra money!"
"At least I got you out of the Secret Realm safely, who else can say the same?"
Dian stubbornly rebutted with confidence.
"Nonsense! Isn’t protecting team members the duty of a paid guide?" one person retorted.
Dian snorted disdainfully, "Who says so? Do you think those with Lin Ye will come out of the Secret Realm alive?"
Those arguing were speechless.
The Abyss Level’s difficulty meant you couldn’t just leave if you wanted to.
In an Ordinary Level Secret Realm, one could exit casually; a Difficult Level required at least 30% of monsters to be eliminated, while an Abyss Level required at least 80%.
Many believed Lin Ye had met his end.
But just then, a notification appeared over the Professional Plaza for all to see!
[The ’Forest Squad’ cleared ’Flame Forest (Abyss)’ in two hours, thirty-six minutes, and thirty-three seconds, breaking the historical record!]
Dian, who had previously looked disdainful, widened his eyes.
Inside the Abyss-Level Flame Forest.
"Burn... burn out my soul..." Google seaʀᴄh NoveIꜰire.net
With the last Punishment Technique, the Blazing Pinocchio finally fell.
Li Fei, unable to stand, collapsed to the ground.
"We... we’ve cleared it!"