Assessment Failed

(Brain Storage Box! Claim yours with your ticket after reading!)

Kaiyang County, inside the county yamen.

Quite a few young men stood in line, hoping to join the county yamen and become constables.

Lin Feng wore a short shirt that had been mended countless times and was clearly too small for his frame. His cloth shoes had several patches as well.

Like everyone else, he squatted in a corner, number plaque in hand, waiting for the constable in charge of the assessment to call him in.

His tall stature and the bright, spirited eyes in his handsome face made him stand out like a crane among chickens.

He was rather conspicuous.

Ever since he had transmigrated into this world in the womb, he had turned sixteen today.

Several months ago, his father in this world, a squad leader in the army, had died in the jaws of Monsters while resisting Demons.

He had left behind their mother, his little sister, and him.

With his father's military pay gone, in this chaotic age of Monsters, not only did they face the threat of Monster attacks at any moment, they had also lost the household's most stable source of income.

The family found itself in even more dire straits.

For the past three months, they had barely scraped by on the little money his mother earned from washing clothes and needlework.

His younger sister was still little, starved so thin she looked like a bean sprout.

Fortunately, a month ago, many county yamen constables had died while going out to resist Demons.

They were now urgently recruiting more hands.

So Lin Feng had come to sign up.

After all, even without an official post, becoming a constable meant one tael of silver and a bag of rice every month.

There would also be some gray income.

It would let the family live a little more like human beings in this chaotic age of Monsters.

And they would be exempt from taxes.

People would not dare bully them so easily.

Although becoming a constable meant that, with Specters about, his life could be in danger at any time.

Without this job, though, the three of them would soon be unable to hold on.

Once winter came, even more people would starve to death.

"Number eleven!"

Just as Lin Feng was lost in thought, a voice came from inside the room.

Lin Feng rose to his feet and straightened his clothes, trying to make himself look as presentable as possible.

Then he headed toward the room.

At that moment, a youth about his age came out.

A smile spread across his face. He had clearly been accepted and would become a constable in a few days!

Lin Feng knew him. His father had also been a soldier and had died in that same battle against Monsters.

Seeing how easily the other youth had passed, Lin Feng felt his spirits lift.

There had been rumors that descendants of military families like theirs received certain consideration.

Lin Feng entered the room and handed over his number plaque.

"Greetings, sir! This boy is Number Eleven, Lin Feng!"

"Lin Feng? Lin Shi's boy?"

The constable took a sip from his teacup, narrowed his eyes, and looked Lin Feng over.

"Yes, sir. This boy is."

Hearing that the constable knew his father's name,

Lin Feng became even more certain of his guess.

He could not help but rejoice!

So I really do get to use the back door?

"Lift that hundred-pound stone lock and let me see!"

The constable pointed to the pair nearer the wall among the two identical pairs of stone locks by the wall.

"Yes, sir!"

Lin Feng knew the assessment standard required him to lift a hundred-pound stone lock.

He had also heard through rumors that if someone could use the back door and receive leniency, they would be told to lift the lighter pair.

Though the two pairs looked identical on the outside, their insides were different.

One pair was hollow, far lighter than the other.

Lin Feng was already thin and frail. Even if it was the lighter one, it still required considerable strength.

It would be bad if he carelessly strained his back.

The constable beside him merely drank tea and watched Lin Feng calmly. Yet when Lin Feng assumed a horse stance, the man's expression shifted slightly, and he said:

"Your horse stance is quite solid."

"You flatter me, sir. My late father taught me for a time."

As he spoke, Lin Feng reached out, bent down, and gripped the handles of the stone lock with both hands. Then he exerted force.

The stone lock he had expected to lift with ease only moved a few inches!

This! He wasn't giving me the back door at all!

Lin Feng did not let go. He merely looked toward the man, only to find his face utterly indifferent.

Damn it! The information was wrong!

But now was not the time to dwell on it.

If he could not lift it, he would lose this precious opportunity!

Lin Feng's mind turned, and his body moved closer to the stone lock. He planted his horse stance above it, intending to rely on his unusually developed body and the few tricks he had learned from his father to forcibly haul it up!

After all, he was now the only man in the family. If he could not hold the roof up, who could his mother and little sister rely on?

"Ha!"

With a shout, power rose from his feet and flowed through his waist and stance! Holding a breath in his chest, Lin Feng actually heaved that hundred-pound stone lock up by sheer force.

The constable beside him showed no expression, but some tea spilled from his cup.

Good boy. He actually lifted it.

But it was useless! There really wasn't a mouthful of rice for you in this yamen!

The constable quickly regained his cold expression and continued watching Lin Feng.

Three seconds passed.

"Sir, it's been this long already. Haven't I met the standard yet?"

Lin Feng asked with difficulty, his face already flushed red from holding his breath.

"Not yet!"

The constable leisurely blew away the foam atop his tea, then took a light sip.

Another three seconds passed.

"Sir..."

"Enough chatter, not yet! It'll be enough when I say it's enough!"

Before Lin Feng could finish, the constable snapped impatiently!

In the end, Lin Feng still failed the assessment!

He walked out the door, utterly dejected.

He could not understand it!

He was the descendant of a soldier. Others could easily use the back door.

Yet even though he had passed the assessment fairly, he still could not get that job!

After he could no longer hold on just now, Lin Feng had even taken out the two taels of silver hidden in his clothes.

He had wanted that lord to show mercy and leave him a path to live.

Yet the man had not even looked at it before driving him out.

That was what he found most incomprehensible.

Clearly, someone had targeted him! The other party would not even take silver, all to ensure he could not pass!

No one in this world turned down money unless there was more money or power involved!

But neither he nor his family had any old grudges or recent enmities with anyone. His late father had also been a kind man who treated others well.

What could possibly be worth a powerful figure making a move against him?

What exactly was going on?!!

Why was it so hard for someone from the very bottom like him just to survive, just to keep his family alive?

Lin Feng clenched his fists tightly. The strain from forcibly lifting the stone lock just now stabbed at his nerves.

Before he knew it, he had walked out through the county yamen gates.

"Big Brother, how did it go?"

At that moment, a voice called out. His cousin Lin Yu hurried over, looking anxious.

He was one year younger than Lin Feng and had grown up with him. He was just as tall as Lin Feng.

"It's over. I couldn't get in!"

"What! How could that be? Was the money not enough? I'll go to the gang and borrow some more!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu felt sorry for Lin Feng and immediately made a suggestion.

"No need. It's not a money problem. Let's go back first! If we return late, your aunt will worry!"

Lin Feng said.

"Ah! Big Brother, so what if you couldn't get in? I reserved a table of dishes at Fatty Wang's place. I was going to celebrate for you in advance.

Now, let's go have a couple drinks, just us brothers!"

As Lin Yu spoke, he ignored Lin Feng's objections and pulled him away.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Lin Feng looked at the four dishes and one soup—two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. They only ate that well during the New Year!

This cousin truly treated him well!

Since the outcome was already decided, he might as well eat and drink first.

"Big Brother, today is your birthday. Let me toast you!"

Lin Yu raised his cup and offered Lin Feng a toast.

Lin Feng clinked cups heavily with him, then drained it in one gulp.

The fiery liquor stung Lin Feng's taste buds and throat.

It went a little to his head.

Afterward, he drank several more cups in a row. To his surprise, amid his growing dizziness, a simulation panel appeared before him!