Yu Jing sensed that Commissioner Lu Chuan, who had just arrived, was giving off a powerful oppressive aura. It was similar to the oppressive feeling he had sensed from Commissioner Liang when he had been reborn that night and spoken with her inside the institute.
The handsome and dashing Commissioner Lu Chuan walked to the center of the dilapidated room and surveyed the more than eight hundred newcomers around him.
"It really brings back memories. Five years ago, I gathered here just like you did, speaking with strangers and feeling the joy of being admitted, forming teams, and even developing friendships. But some of the people I had just met and wanted to become friends with turned into corpses after the physical training. It left a certain shadow in my heart at the time."
Commissioner Lu Chuan began with a sigh before adjusting his tone.
"According to Di Hua's arrangements, I'll first explain the content, requirements, and precautions of this physical training. These matters concern your lives and deaths, so I hope you'll take them seriously and listen carefully... To be honest, I don't approve of training new recruits this way. It causes some talented prospects who don't need to die to lose their lives, but this is Di Hua's rule."
"Ahem, I've gone on a bit too long. Let's begin the explanation. This physical training will still take place within Di Hua's territory, but not inside Di Hua itself. Instead, it will be held in the deep mountains for one week. The only thing you need to do is survive there."
"Deep mountains outside the academy? Wasn't the physical training usually held inside Di Hua?" some disciples who knew Di Hua's system well asked.
"This is a temporary change to this year's training requirements. If anyone still has questions, ask them together after the explanation."
Commissioner Lu Chuan was fairly easygoing. He did not get angry or issue a warning when the newcomers interrupted him, and continued explaining:
"Di Hua will monitor every newcomer throughout the entire physical training in the deep mountains. For the disciples who ultimately survive, we'll assign corresponding ratings based on your performance during the training. These ratings will determine your room assignments after you enter the academy."
"The ratings range from A to E. An A corresponds to a luxurious room for two, a B to a four-person apartment, a C to a standard room for six, a D to an ordinary room for ten, and an E to a dilapidated room for twelve."
The newcomers below became slightly noisy, but quickly quieted down.
"Not only that, but this physical training will also include a pre-enrollment points reward. In the deep mountains within Di Hua's territory, I and one representative commissioner from each of the other academies have placed one low-level ghost in different areas of the mountains. Their abilities have also been restricted to a certain extent.
"If you can kill a ghost, you'll receive ten points and end the physical training early, earning the qualification to stay in a luxurious room for two."
"Ten points!"
This time, Commissioner Lu Chuan's words caused many disciples who knew about Di Hua's inside information to become extremely excited.
"Ten points is a lot. I heard that it should be enough for us first-year newcomers of the different academies to use for the entire academic year. Mother warned me that points are everything here. I absolutely have to get them." Yu Xiaoxiao whispered from the side.
Commissioner Lu Chuan, standing in the center, waited until the discussion died down before continuing.
"This physical training will use a free team formation system. All newcomers may freely form teams of no more than ten people. Before the training begins, submit your team roster to me. Anyone who fails to submit a roster will be considered to be acting alone."
"When the physical training begins, you'll be transported to the deep-mountain area through the spatial teleportation device here. Members of the same group will land in the same location, while different groups will be transported to locations at least two kilometers apart. If a team kills a ghost, the points will be divided equally among all team members, but your final individual evaluations will have nothing to do with the team's overall performance."
At this point, Lu Chuan paused briefly.
"However, as a commissioner who doesn't particularly approve of this training, I still advise you: don't try to kill a ghost through teamwork... Unlike the fake things you encountered in the institute, which were simulated from numerical data, these are real ghosts. Even if the ones we've confined in the deep mountains are only the lowest-level ghosts, killing you rookies would be as easy as cutting meat."
"This test uses real ghosts, greatly increasing the difficulty. I hope everyone can survive." Lu Chuan delivered these final words with unusual solemnity, causing many people present to draw in a sharp breath. Some already looked anxious and uneasy.
"Listen carefully to the precautions for the physical training. The most important point is that no newcomer may leave the deep-mountain area. Violators will be erased.
"Additionally, any discord among teammates in a formed group will affect your final evaluation. That covers the basic outline of the physical training. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask. You may also begin forming your teams. Be sure to submit all team rosters to me before midnight."
As soon as Commissioner Lu Chuan finished speaking, someone in the crowd immediately asked a question.
"Commissioner Lu Chuan, may we bring personal belongings?"
"No personal belongings may be brought. I'll keep your points cards and all spatial storage devices on your bodies before the teleportation. Even food is forbidden. The only thing you need to bring is your will to survive. Of course, if you have an external object integrated with your body like mine, you may bring that."
Lu Chuan demonstratively shook his mechanical prosthetic limb.
As soon as these words were spoken, many people's expressions turned ugly. Quite a few newcomers from major clans had probably brought life-saving items from their families to get through the physical training, and this rule plunged them into despair.
"May I ask, if I discover another disciple wants to harm me, is it all right to kill him?"
Suddenly, a cold voice came from the very back of the crowd.
Yu Jing, along with most of the others, turned his gaze toward the speaker. He was a male disciple about Yu Jing's size, around one meter seventy tall and rather thin. He wore a cotton-padded coat, as if he were in poor health. More unusual was his mass of fluffy white hair and the bandages wrapped around the palms exposed outside his sleeves. There was not the slightest emotion in his eyes.
"Don't associate with that person, whether during the physical training or afterward... He's extremely dangerous. I'm not confident I could kill him." Yu Xiaoxiao's soft voice reached Yu Jing's ear.
Yu Jing likewise sensed that this white-haired eerie youth was different from the others. Merely looking at him sent a chill sweeping through his entire body.
Commissioner Lu Chuan immediately answered the man's question:
"Di Hua will monitor this physical training from beginning to end. In principle, internal slaughter is not permitted. Any disciple who needlessly and deliberately harms another newcomer will be punished by Di Hua after the training, depending on the severity of the offense. Anyone who kills without cause will be erased immediately. However, if someone attacks you, self-defense is permitted. The final decision will be made by Di Hua."
"Thank you for answering, Commissioner Lu Chuan..."
A sinister smile appeared beneath the fluffy white hair. The youth left the crowd and vanished into the shadows.
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