Chen Qingshan lamented, "I think the most important thing is how one unleashes a high-tier blueprint spell like Undead Calamity. If he couldn't rely on Undead Calamity, then even with his excellent psychological resilience, Fang Zhou would have been defeated in that forest long ago by the four-person siege."

Instructor Lu Hu coughed softly and disagreed. "I don't think so! Even if another Undead Mage knew the blueprint skill Undead Calamity, they wouldn't necessarily perform as well as Fang Zhou did. His command ability and strategic planning show immense leadership potential. After all, at Sea City Military Academy, we are training outstanding commanders for the Human-Demon Battlefield, not just ordinary Professionals. To be honest, I've already started considering how to cultivate these abilities in him further."

Just then, Instructor Chen Qingshan carefully examined the holographic projection sandbox for Group 1. The ten-person free-for-all had turned it into a vast scorched earth. He then looked at the Undead war chess pieces, whose total combat value was now only in the tens of thousands, and shook his head slightly.

He said hesitantly, "Fang Zhou is excellent, that's true. But honestly, isn't a skill like Undead Calamity a bit... unnatural? It also completely disrupts the balance of the battlefield in a sandbox War Chess competition."

Instructor Lu Hu raised a hand, stopping Instructor Chen Qingshan. "I knew it. I knew Fang Zhou's use of the Undead Calamity blueprint skill would spark a debate about ethics among you old traditionalists. Don't worry. We will definitely organize a special seminar to discuss the boundaries of using certain skills in virtual competitions. Regardless, Fang Zhou is the undisputed number one victor in this sandbox War Chess competition. There's no question about it!"

Instructors Chen Qingshan and Shen Hongyu nodded silently, each mentally starting to revise their future teaching plans.

Regardless of the instructors' discussion on the stage, the other nine sandbox War Chess competitions were still proceeding in full swing.

In truth, the sandbox War Chess competition that Instructor Lu Hu had arranged on the fly was an unexpected challenge for every single Seed Student. This no-rules free-for-all was the ultimate test of their command abilities, tactical wisdom, and psychological fortitude. The difficulty was high enough to give even an experienced strategist a headache, let alone these new recruits who had only been exposed to the academy's training for a few months.

As the battle for Group 1 came to a successful conclusion, Fang Zhou, Bai Xiaochan, and the other cadets didn't rush to leave. Instead, they retreated to the side to observe the remaining matches in silence.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the battles for the remaining nine groups unfolded simultaneously. The morning slipped away in a tense and subtle atmosphere.

Finally, when the midday sun reached its zenith, the dust settled on all ten chaotic battles. Ten victors had emerged from this strategic marathon.

Fang Zhou had stunned everyone with his Undead Calamity blueprint spell, but the other nine victors were equally deserving of respect.

"All victors have been decided! The first-place winner in each group receives ten contribution points, and the last place receives one. The other cadets will receive points on a sliding scale."

In the Hall of Glory, following Instructor Lu Hu's command, the ten towering holographic projection sandboxes flickered twice before transforming into streams of light and vanishing into thin air.

Instructor Lu Hu turned to face the group of Seed Students in the great hall. The lingering warmth of competition was still on their faces, their hearts filled with a mixture of excitement and reflection.

"Alright, you rookies! I have carefully recorded the entire proceedings of today's ten sandbox War Chess competitions and uploaded them to our Seed Platoon's database. In the future, you can go back to review, learn, and reflect on them whenever and wherever you wish."

As his words fell, the hall, which had been buzzing with noise after the competition's end, instantly fell silent. Into this silence, Instructor Lu Hu's voice suddenly boomed. His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, locked onto several cadets in the crowd.

He first pointed to a male cadet who looked somewhat lost. "Cadet Number Three from Group Two! Do you remember the twenty-seventh round? Your Spirit Beast Cavalry just stood by and watched as your Archer unit collapsed under a solo assault from the enemy commander, who was only at the Golden Tier! On the battlefield, any hesitation is fatal! Your troops need decisive leadership, not passive observation!"

Next, his finger swung to the other side, pointing at a female cadet with an embarrassed expression. "Cadet Number Six from Group Eight! As a Golden Tier Flame Mage, you are supposed to be a key force on the battlefield. So why were you completely useless at the critical moment? I have emphasized many times that every commander is a high-level, Golden Tier Professional. Your magic should be a weapon that turns the tide of battle, not some decoration you keep locked away! Your frontline troops were encircled, yet you failed to provide timely support. What an absolute dereliction of duty!"

After him, it wasn't just Instructor Lu Hu. Instructors Chen Qingshan and Shen Hongyu also began offering critiques to some of the cadets whose performances had been less than impressive.

When the instructors finished their critiques, Instructor Lu Hu raised a hand, and the Hall of Glory once again fell silent. "This sandbox War Chess competition was just the beginning. For the ten of you who emerged as victors, the academy has granted you early access to the closed beta for Demon Extermination Total War."

Among the victorious cadets, a tall, thin young man with a scholarly air and a hint of confusion in his eyes spoke up. "Instructor Lu, what is Demon Extermination Total War?"

A smile touched Instructor Lu Hu's lips. "Good question. Demon Extermination Total War is a pinnacle of technology recently unveiled by the Human Alliance. It's an unprecedented sandbox War Chess competition system. It isn't just a game; it's a virtual battlefield built with cutting-edge holographic projection, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, and other technologies to create an environment that nearly replicates real combat."

He paused, letting the information sink in before continuing. "In this system, you will no longer be limited by physical sandboxes. Instead, using a specially made holographic helmet, you will directly 'step into' a three-dimensional, highly realistic world. Mountains, rivers, cities, forests... every type of terrain and landscape will unfold vividly before your eyes.

"More importantly, you will personally command various AI-driven combat units, arranging their formations and implementing tactical strikes. You will even need to consider factors like weather changes, supply line maintenance, and public morale, experiencing the full complexity and brutality of combat from every angle.

"Currently, the system is in a highly confidential closed beta phase. Globally, only a handful of top military academies in select countries have been granted the opportunity to test it. Our Sea City Military Academy, thanks to its excellent teaching quality and the outstanding performance of its cadets, has had the honor of becoming one of the first participants.

"However, you must understand that opportunities like this are exceptionally rare. For first-year cadets like yourselves, they are as scarce as a phoenix's feathers. Therefore, only those who excelled in the competition, possessing extraordinary strategic vision and combat potential, could earn this honor."

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