Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2015: Battle of attrition

The arena descended into complete silence at that instant.

In the Bronze Camp, everybody openly hailed the First Thousand-person Team as the most powerful force, and they stood as the prime candidates to claim the top spot in this evaluation.

This opening bout had countless hearts in its grip.

After all, it wasn't a single decisive clash that settled everything. Even should the First Thousand-person Team earn the bye into the second round, tougher fights awaited them ahead. A single misstep could dash their hopes for first place.

Securing victory while conserving strength as much as possible remained the key strategy.

Yet another tactic existed: unleashing full power in every battle without holding back, crushing opponents outright to lock in the number one position.

For the initial matchup, the system randomly picked the 'Ruined City' map.

Fighting unfolded inside a deserted urban sprawl on this map. Ruins and shattered walls littered the landscape, toppled skyscrapers dotted the view, and jagged rebar pierced the heavens, merging with ground debris to craft intricate terrain.

The area offered streets perfect for street fights alongside open plazas ideal for massive brawls. Sides could opt for ambushes or direct assaults, hinging on their chosen strategies.

"No surprise there. Consider how long Thousand-person Leader Zhong Hongke has held that role. He'll go all out for his thousand troops."

"Word is, his Deputy Thousand-person Leaders and Hundred-Person Leaders all got handpicked and drilled under his watch; they're incredibly capable."

"Plus, he fiercely guards his people. Minor slip-ups get covered by him, no questions asked. All these years, his earnings have gone straight to fixing his subordinates' troubles."

"Not exactly what I heard. Rumors say Zhong Hongke funnels most cash to families of his fallen team members. These days, he regularly sends funds to those who lost warriors."

"Bottom line after all that: Zhong Hongke commands huge respect, and his team sticks together like glue. No other Thousand-person team can rival them, in my book."

"Yeah, spot on. Still, it'll come down to their showing in this first fight. A flawless win with top marks and a straight shot to the top three? First place is theirs for sure. But if the Seventh Thousand-person Team drags them into a slog and they miss peak score, another round awaits. In this hyper-real sim counting every status effect, grabbing the title gets dicey."

Spectators included not just Bronze Camp fighters but also those from Silver and Gold Camps. Though mere rank-and-file in their units, they outpowered Zhong Hongke with superior Furelai levels, viewing this Thousand-person Leader from a lofty perch.

Some among the crowd had even guided Zhong Hongke back in the day; today's battlefield star was their former underling.

The fight kicked off swiftly. Sensing a direct clash with the First Thousand-person Team spelled doom, the Seventh split into four groups upon entry, sweeping their zone non-stop, lying in wait for Zhong Hongke's forces.

"The Seventh Team's thrown a real wrench into Zhong Hongke's plans. All-out assault risks encirclement. Matching their split risks chases as the hunters, falling into traps and getting outnumbered in the end."

Jikesu chuckled as he spoke.

Though the ruined city map sprawled wide, the wreckage carved it into tight, cut-off pockets. Without leveling the debris, detours were mandatory.

Should the First Thousand-person Team stumble into a trap during pursuit, victory might come at a steep cost in casualties.

"Zhongming, your take?" Leader Eye inquired.

Ye Zhongming grinned. "It all hinges on their decision."

His comment sparked curiosity, prompting the group to press Ye Zhongming for more details.

"Should Zhong Hongke aim to preserve his fierce momentum by clinching first place with a flawless triumph in this trial, splitting his troops or keeping them together makes no difference. Simply barrel straight ahead, capture one squad from the Seventh Thousand-person Team, and clash head-on. No need to fret over casualties or such. Facing equal numbers, how likely is it to get encircled anyway?"

White Robe and Cheng Liujin, seasoned in commanding troops throughout the year, nodded their approval. It rang true. The Seventh Thousand-person Team's strategies fit better when they enjoyed a numerical edge.

"But if he seeks the highest marks to vault straight into the top three, then clever thinking is required; it all hinges on real-time leadership."

Leader Star abruptly gestured toward the battlefield. "Looks like Zhong Hongke opted for a cautious strategy."

The observers turned their gazes there. Sure enough, Zhong Hongke was dividing his troops. Yet he didn't break them into four squads; rather, he formed two groups, one veering left and the other right, surging toward the Seventh Thousand-person Team's position.

The Seventh Thousand-person Team reacted swiftly. The nearest squads on both flanks advanced to intercept Zhong Hongke's groups. Meanwhile, the remaining two squads shifted entirely toward the left-side group.

Evidently, they intended to pin the right-side group with one squad while the other three overwhelmed the left-side group.

"Zhong Hongke commands the right flank. The Seventh Thousand-person Team's Thousand-person Leader headed left, with the Deputy Thousand-person Leader there too. Only a Hundred-Person Leader remains on the right. They're clearly willing to forfeit a quarter of their forces to wipe out half the foe using the rest."

Cheng Liujin shook his head, his precise intent remaining ambiguous.

"The First Thousand-person Team is dividing its ranks too." From his elevated vantage, White Robe spotted it sharply.

True enough, the First Thousand-person Team, starting with just two groups, now fragmented further. From the right-side five-hundred-man unit under Zhong Hongke, four hundred peeled off at top speed toward the left. Zhong Hongke himself took charge of 100 men, plunging into the enemy's 250-strong squad.

Over on the left, the First Thousand-person Team divided into a pair of units. One confronted the approaching enemy squad, as the other pressed forward to link with the detachment racing from the right, appearing set to merge.

"That's no real merge attempt." Voices on the rostrum grasped it. These units—one of 250, the other 400—were just feigning a union to bait the foes into redirecting.

As expected, the Seventh Thousand-person Team reacted at once. The squad led by their Thousand-person Leader and Deputy kept barreling to the distant left, while the second squad clashed with the incoming 400-man force.

The Seventh Thousand-person Team aimed to leverage their greater numbers to crush a portion of the First Thousand-person Team first—their tactic mirroring the First Thousand-person Team's own ploy in a stunning twist!