Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 190 Admission
After sitting in the rest area for a while, when I came out again, the stands around the main arenas were already full of people. From their vantage point, the entire square was packed with people.

The military's athletes' rest area was separated from theirs, but not far away. Compared to their side, which had sunshades and spectator stands, the opposite side was empty, just a fenced-off area, at most a bit larger.

Perhaps it was due to the military's discipline? The crowd was not yet sure what it meant, but they looked into the distance along the passage and could already see soldiers marching in formation.

For survivors like Wu Xu from Zouping, who often ventured into dangerous areas in small teams, they actually looked down on the military personnel from the bottom of their hearts.

It's not that they look down on the military; these people are very clear about how powerful the military is as a whole. After all, they often work alongside the troops, and the fierce artillery fire can leave a deep impression on everyone.

At the same time, they felt that the superhumans of the same level in the army were a bit weaker than themselves. In their view, these people would mostly just use machine guns to fire at zombies, their close combat skills were quite rigid, and their combat power relied more on weapons and equipment.

However, as the group approached, the relaxed expressions on the faces of the civilian superhumans gradually disappeared, their discussions subsided, and the entire rest area fell silent.

The reason is simple: just in terms of sheer numbers, this team is enough to shut everyone up.

After the military reforms, there were some adjustments to the uniforms of the superhumans in the military, but the changes were minor, mainly affecting their helmets.

The original helmet now had several small, glittering gold stars pasted on the side, and the number of stars could be used to distinguish the level of the superhuman.

Right now, soldiers with three stars above their heads are lined up in long rows, their battle flags fluttering and their morale soaring.

Many of them were covered in scars, some even missing an arm or a leg. With their superhuman physiques and the aid of a prosthetic limb, they were able to keep up with the ranks with remarkable stability, adding a touch of battlefield solemnity to the team.

The crowd around erupted in deafening cheers, and red flags fluttered in the stands, echoing the battle flag.

Zou Ping, Qi Lei, and the others exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.

What about the second-order? Shouldn't there be a second-order section in this competition?

I've been transported to another world? I've been transported to the third-tier qualifiers?
But aren't these three levels a bit too many?

Those who understood the competition rules knew very well that whether it was the second or third tier, the preliminary rounds were all conducted within the respective base cities. In other words, all the third-tier superhumans in front of them were from Xinfu. Even if Xinfu was the location of the Taimon Command and had more superhumans, other places would not have far fewer.

"Second-order, the next one is second-order!"

Someone spoke up, and everyone looked back, only to see an even longer line, seemingly endless.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that there were as many as two thousand third-tier extraordinary individuals who had just passed by. In terms of sheer numbers, these third-tier individuals were roughly equal to all the extraordinary individuals from the general public who had come to participate in the competition.

Zou Ping, who believed he was quite capable and thought he might get a good ranking in the competition, is now somewhat lacking in confidence.

Even if the superhumans in the military are relatively weaker, there are so many of them, they can't all be weak...

When the last second-tier superhuman entered the military rest area opposite and was led to sit properly on a stool, everyone was surprised to find that there were actually ten thousand superhumans gathered in front of them.

With over ten thousand people, the scene was boundless and endless. Tens of thousands of people sat neatly and quietly opposite each other, and the group of extraordinary individuals from the common people suddenly felt a suffocating sense of oppression.

They now understood why the opposite field was empty; the area was precisely sized when it was fenced off, and it could comfortably accommodate 10,000 people.

Now, they only feel that their rest area is a bit empty, so empty that it makes them feel helpless.

I initially thought the viewing spot was a good location with a great view, but now that I look at it, who exactly are we watching from there?
"It's alright, it's alright, we're doing a legitimate business, don't be afraid..."

Qi Lei spoke with a hint of lack of confidence.

At that moment, they suddenly gained a clearer understanding of the two million superhumans in the military. Someone whispered, "With so many people here, they probably transferred all the superhumans from the army..."

No one doubted whether there were any substitutes, since this was a martial arts competition, and it was a real contest with real weapons used in the ring.

Qi Lei, who had a deep understanding of the various base cities, was about to speak up in rebuttal when another unexpected event occurred.

Several small teams ran into the arena. Judging from their attire, they were also third-tier superhumans. They quickly dispersed, appearing in pairs in every corner of the square.

At first, no one knew what these people were up to, but their questions were soon answered.

These people stood still, but it was clear that they had activated their special abilities.

Clearly, each group consisted of a wind-type and a fire-type ability user. As the two worked together, a hot wind swirled around the area. The abilities activated by only about a hundred people in total dispelled the chill in the large square that could hold hundreds of thousands of people.

The temperature didn't actually rise much, but even a little warmth made the otherwise frigid weather much more bearable.

"This... they're using third-tier ability users... as air conditioners?"

Many extraordinary individuals from the common people were stunned on the spot, not knowing what to say.

Zou Ping opened his mouth, then suddenly looked at the person next to him.

"Brother Qi Lei, you have wind-based abilities, can you do this?"

Qi Lei remained silent.

"Hey Wu, you have fire-based abilities, can you do that?"

"Get out!" Wu Xu cursed, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

At this point, many people also realized the problem.

These human-shaped air conditioners didn't have any competition markings on them...

According to the competition schedule, today is the opening ceremony of the competition. All participants will wear their competition badges to enter the venue. If they don't, then they are not participants.

If people like that aren't participating, then what kind of extraordinary figures must be sitting in the arena right now?
Looking across, many extraordinary individuals from the general public subconsciously swallowed.

"Is it too late to quit now...?"

Even if their close-combat ability is poor, this level of influence and spiritual power manipulation skills already speak volumes.

And are their close-combat abilities really that bad? Looking at the injuries on some of the front-line soldiers, they were starting to have doubts.

Just as the group of people were looking worried, a burst of extremely enthusiastic cheers suddenly erupted in the distance. Zou Ping and the others could not see what was happening in the distance, but they could see the waves of cheers spreading rapidly throughout the entire area.

Soon, they also learned what had happened from the cheers.

"Commander-in-Chief! The Commander-in-Chief is here!"

(End of this chapter)