In the enveloping darkness, Chi Xue, while pressing the switch, instructed the two other examinees on the crucial points of Void Energy perception. Huang Xiu, meanwhile, was discreetly absorbing their lesson.
It wasn’t that she was unwilling to share her own method. Rather, she had realized that her personal approach to passing the assessment seemed a touch unconventional, even illogical.
Beep, beep, beep! A shrill alarm suddenly pierced the darkness, which then receded like an ebbing tide, allowing light to reclaim the space inch by painstaking inch.
“Time’s up. Assessment Item One concluded. The number of participants who completed this assessment is
— two.” A mechanical voice resonated from all directions.
“Wait, I was almost there! Just give me one more minute… No, half a minute, half a minute would be enough!”
Moon’s Surface’s face was etched with profound reluctance.
Guided by Chi Xue’s verbal instructions, he had just begun to grasp the essence of Void Energy perception, intermittently sensing the switch’s presence. He was about to move towards it when, unexpectedly, the assessment ended. ‘What could possibly be measured in such a short span of time?’ he fumed.
“Damn it!” The Thin Student clenched his fists tightly, muttering under his breath.
The time had been too brief; despite receiving guidance, he had made no progress whatsoever, utterly lost.
“No, an end is an end!” In the control room, the White Coat shook their head, seemingly in response to their unspoken questions.
Assessment Item One was allotted three minutes. These brief three minutes served as the sole demarcation between excellence and failure. In this retest, designed exclusively to identify exceptional talents, anything short of outstanding was simply deemed a failure.
“Let’s switch to Item Two!” The White Coat turned and declared.
The two individuals beside them nodded, extending their hands to press against the wall. A milky-white Void Energy visibly spread outwards from the points where their palms met the wall, slowly solidifying into an intricate, vast, yet refined pattern of lines.
The pattern vanished within moments of its appearance, sinking back into the wall. Simultaneously, a monumental transformation began within the examination arena.
****
*Bang!* Tremendous vibrations rippled from the distance, wave after wave, causing the very ground to shudder incessantly as if seized by a sudden chill.
Huang Xiu and Chi Xue, having been near the wall, swiftly braced themselves by sitting against it, stabilizing their bodies. The other two young men, however, were not so fortunate; they were violently shaken, tumbling helplessly across the ground in a truly pitiable state.
Amidst the colossal tremors, the ground everywhere except where the four examinees stood cracked open and sank. Various structures then began to ascend slowly from the depths. There were traditional Chinese buildings, Western-style mansions and churches, ancient wooden cabins, and even modern skyscrapers.
Huang Xiu even spotted a small botanical garden. Though not expansive, this garden stood out starkly against the surrounding architecture, for it was the sole structure teeming with living organisms.
Moreover, Huang Xiu sensed a subtle, almost imperceptible connection to something within the garden. It was Huang Xiaoxian.
‘Is this specifically prepared for me?’ Huang Xiu instantly realized. Professor Yuan had likely considered the limitations of her ability and specially requested the Jurisdiction Bureau to include it.
“How thoughtful!” A faint smile graced her lips.
Soon, the mechanical voice, as if on cue, resonated once more. “Assessment Item Two: Survival. Please utilize your abilities to survive as long as possible while being pursued by monsters.”
“The assessment begins in two minutes. A friendly reminder: a logical division of roles will significantly enhance your chances of survival.”
“Monsters? Are they creatures from the Void Realm?” A flicker of fear crossed Moon’s Surface’s face.
Yet, he quickly suppressed his alarm, regaining his composure. ‘The examiners are watching; even if there are Void Realm creatures, they won’t pose a real threat to us,’ he reasoned.
‘Division of roles, eh…’ Huang Xiu mused, pondering the phrase. She was not the only one who had taken note of it.
“I am Candidate 3,” Moon’s Surface stated, speaking rapidly. “My ability is ‘Solid Wall,’ which allows me to solidify anything into a wall. My role is support.”
They were to form a team for survival. The longer they endured and the better their performance, the higher their scores would be.
“I am Candidate 122,” Huang Xiu interjected next. “My ability is called ‘Senluo,’ allowing me to enhance and control plants. I need to get to the botanical garden. Let’s talk as we go.”
Having resolved to display her S-class prowess this time, she had no intention of holding back.
“All right.” The four nodded in unison.
The botanical garden was over a hundred meters away, not a great distance, yet their walk soon accelerated into a light jog.
As they ran, the Thin Student eagerly spoke up: “I am Candidate 100. My ability is called ‘Vulcan,’ allowing me to launch and freely control fireballs. My role is offense.”
Chi Xue was the last to speak. “I am Candidate 4. My ability is ‘Momentum,’ which can amplify an object’s kinetic energy. Even a small pebble, when thrown, possesses the force of a bullet. My role… is also offense.”
“Two offensive roles, and I’m support. So, Candidate 122’s role is control?” Moon’s Surface spoke, striving for a calm tone to project an air of composure.
He aimed to convince the examiners that he was capable of assuming the role of leader. Having served as class monitor throughout middle and high school, he felt confident in his ability to shoulder such a responsibility.
“No, my role is actually versatile,” Huang Xiu candidly revealed. “If you don’t mind, I can be the primary attacker, and you all…”
‘…you can assist me.’
“If you’re the main attacker, what am I supposed to do?” Candidate 100 almost blurted out, but swallowed the words at the last moment.
‘Don’t say anything that might undermine unity! Arguing amongst themselves during such a crucial assessment would undoubtedly cost them dearly.’
He had already lost a significant number of points in Item One, so he was determined to ace Item Two. Thus, despite his displeased expression, he forced himself to maintain a calm demeanor.
“It’s not that I don’t believe in you, but my ability is fire. Its destructive power should be greater than your plants.”
‘No, you’re probably not as strong as Candidate 122…’ Chi Xue shook her head inwardly, recalling the short-haired girl’s eyes that flickered with white flames. That was certainly not something an ordinary Awakened individual could achieve.
“Let’s each do our best then!” Huang Xiu didn’t press the issue.
After all, with her ‘Senluo’ ability, as long as there were enough plants, she alone could constitute an army.
The botanical garden building resembled an ancient Roman amphitheater in its overall shape; it was open-air, lacking a ceiling. Beneath its thick walls, passages led in all cardinal directions, but without exception, these passages were sealed by iron gates.
Huang Xiu and her companions arrived at the nearest southern gate. ‘Who knows where the Jurisdiction Bureau unearthed this antique,’ she wondered.
The botanical garden’s iron gate was heavily rusted, with green vines clinging to its bars. A large, yellow iron padlock hung from it, securing the entrance.
Moon’s Surface, taking the lead, approached the gate to examine the lock, attempting to yank it off with his bare hands. The physical capabilities of Awakened individuals were generally superior to those of ordinary people.
The unlubricated gate hinge groaned with a strange creaking sound as it violently twisted, pulling the gate outwards into an obtuse angle. Yet, the yellow iron padlock remained utterly unscathed.