Practical Assessment (1)

"Chen Hao, what weapon do you use?" Director Liu asked at this point. "A Blood Shadow Second-Generation Battle Sword, 150 kilograms or more will do."

"Send over a set of 150kg+ Blood Shadow Second-Generation Battle Swords, A3 Grade, along with a set of exam combat suit and boots, a communication watch, and a Hexagonal Shield." Director Liu notified the other side, then smiled at Chen Hao. "Wait a moment, the equipment will be here soon."

"Thank you, Director Liu!" Chen Hao naturally accepted Director Liu's goodwill. After all, the protective suit was one thing, but an A3-grade battle sword could break through the defenses of even F-class high-level Beast Soldiers, let alone H-class ones.

Less than five minutes later, a Military Jeep sped over and stopped in front of the group. A Second Lieutenant officer got out, saluted Director Liu, and reported, "Sir, the equipment has been delivered. Please inspect it!"

"At ease, bring the equipment down," Director Liu returned the salute and gestured. "Chen Hao, see if it fits your hand?"

Chen Hao didn't stand on ceremony. He stepped forward, picked up the topmost Blood Shadow Second-Generation Battle Sword, felt its weight—around 150 kilograms—and swung it casually, the blade cutting through the air with a whoosh. "Excellent! It feels great."

He quickly donned the combat suit and boots, put on the communication watch, and picked up the Hexagonal Shield to test its feel. Then he came before the group. "I'm ready. The equipment fits perfectly, no issues!"

"In that case, take him to the Practical Assessment grounds." Seeing Chen Hao prepared, Director Liu gave the order to the Second Lieutenant.

"Mission guaranteed." The Second Lieutenant saluted, led Chen Hao into the vehicle, and the Military Jeep sped off.

About ten minutes later, the Military Jeep arrived at the outskirts of a small town. The entire town was enclosed by barbed wire, with numerous soldiers patrolling the perimeter with firearms. From within came the occasional roars of various monsters.

Chen Hao watched the patrolling soldiers and nodded inwardly: Sure enough, compared to the Extreme Martial Arts Hall's own security forces, the soldiers here carry a heavier killing intent. No wonder—these were elites who regularly fought monsters; their aura alone surpassed the hall's guards.

"Hello, sir. Inside the assessment town, there are now about a hundred monsters, mainly Iron-Haired Wild Boars, Shadow Cats, and Fire Mastiffs—all H-class Beast Soldiers. Your task is to find them and kill as many as possible. When the assessment is complete, you'll be notified via the communication watch. Good luck!" The Captain finished speaking, got back in the vehicle, and drove off. As the car left, the town's only gate slammed shut.

Chen Hao stared at the closed gate, took a deep breath, gripped his sword and shield tightly, and strode toward the town center.

No sooner had he entered the town than a monster slowly approached him. Its entire body was covered in bristles like sharp spikes, standing over 1.5 meters tall and more than 2 meters long. Two tusks beside its mouth were half a meter long, gleaming with a chilling light under the morning sun.

"Iron-Haired Wild Boar! Looks like this is my first prey."

The Iron-Haired Wild Boar also noticed the human ahead. It let out a strange, guttural roar, then charged at Chen Hao with its thick limbs, kicking up a gust of wind.

Chen Hao watched the boar barrel toward him like a speeding car. His eyes narrowed, pupils contracting.

The beast's speed matched a car going over a hundred kilometers per hour. The hundred-plus meters closed in just two or three breaths, and then its two sharp, long tusks thrust at him like daggers.

Chen Hao's heart pounded violently. Adrenaline surged through him, making his whole body buzz with excitement, yet his mind remained eerily calm.

As the boar crashed toward him, he stepped left toward its right front. He swapped sword and shield, pivoted on his left foot, and slammed the shield in his right hand hard into the boar's belly and back.

Boom! A heavy impact. The nearly one-ton Iron-Haired Wild Boar was sent flying over ten meters. It hit the ground with a thud and rolled several times.

The boar had strong defenses. It grunted a few times, then scrambled back to its feet, though it was clear the earlier blow had caused some internal injury.

Blood seeped from its snout and mouth, making it look brutal. But true to its boar nature, it charged at Chen Hao again with reddened eyes.

Its speed, however, had dropped significantly. Chen Hao switched the battle sword to his right hand and charged at the boar as well. Just as they were about to meet, he twisted his body and brushed past it.

At the same time, his right hand swung the sword upward, slicing through the boar's neck. Schlick! The boar's head was severed cleanly and fell to the ground. Its body lurched forward a few steps, then tumbled and collapsed, twitching uncontrollably.

Thick streams of blood gushed from the neck, filling the air with a rancid stench. Chen Hao forced himself to endure it, stepping closer to the now-still corpse.

He compelled himself to get used to the smell. Fortunately, his strong body control and mental strength kept him from vomiting on the spot.

It took a while before he adapted. Then a light breeze rose, carrying away the bloody odor.

Chen Hao understood that from this moment on, he was no longer the harmless youth he used to be. In this world, he had set foot on a path where crisis and slaughter walked hand in hand.

Not far from the assessment town, inside a large building, Zhuge Tao and the others sat together, chatting while watching a large screen on the wall. The screen showed Chen Hao's confrontation with the Iron-Haired Wild Boar.

When they saw Chen Hao send the boar flying with his shield, no one paid it much mind. But the moment Chen Hao brushed past the boar and killed it with a single stroke, Wang Heng and Director Liu's eyes went wide.

"Good kid, he's reached Microscopic Basic Movement Technique," Wang Heng said, a hint of sourness in his tone. "Not only is he a Spiritual Thought Master, but his Martial Artist talent is no joke either. Why didn't he come test at our hall!"

"Not bad, right?" Zhuge Tao was satisfied inside but didn't show it on his face. "But I think his mental fortitude is even rarer. Forcing himself to adapt to the bloodshed of combat—he has the makings of a practical fighter."

His words made Wang Heng and Director Liu roll their eyes, silently cursing: This old fox, getting a bargain and still acting smug.

The screen switched back: Inside the town, Chen Hao walked along the road, his blood-dripping sword in hand, scanning his surroundings warily.

His spiritual sense was sharp; he could clearly feel the monsters lurking in the nearby buildings, their eyes fixed on him with greedy, cold light.

Daytime wasn't like night, when visibility was low and ambushes were easy. But even in daylight, these monsters stayed hidden inside the rooms.

To complete his mission, he would have to search the buildings, facing sneak attacks at every turn—making the task of killing them much harder.

(Name has been changed. Thank you for the suggestion, Wúqíng.)