Waiting in the Graveyard for the Exam to Begin

"Straighten the steering wheel, gently step on the brake, and stop... I don't need to teach you this, do I?"

The driver trembled and complied, as the barrel of a pistol was already resting on his shoulder, aimed at his temple.

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By the time Wing walked over, Gelman and the driver had already gotten out of the car.

The driver was squatting on the ground with his hands clasped behind his head.

"I've asked. He's just a regular assassin who doesn't even know Nen. The exam is coming up, and I don't want any trouble. What should we do with him?" Gelman asked.

He didn't kill him directly...

Wing glanced at Gelman and then replied:

"Just leave him here. There are Hunter Association hunters all around here, responsible for ensuring the normal order of this exam. They'll come and take him away."

Gelman looked at the crowd of onlookers. "Indeed, leave him to your people to handle."

With that, Gelman and Wing left directly, continuing towards the church.

"You don't seem surprised by this assassination attempt?" Wing finally couldn't help but ask after they had walked for a while.

"I'm used to it," Gelman said. "If no one tries to assassinate me for two or three days, I'd actually feel unaccustomed."

"Is... is that so?"

Is this what it's like to live in the Dark World?

Wing fell silent, pondering the reason why his teacher Biscuit had asked him to interact with Gelman.

Given his respect for Biscuit, he believed his teacher wouldn't make pointless arrangements.

Biscuit always thought he was too rigid. Perhaps she intended for him to learn something from Gelman?

He would never have dreamed that Biscuit was simply too busy to come herself and had asked her disciple, who was close to the exam venue, to fill in.

Entering the ancient and quiet church, Wing slipped into the dim confessional booth, exchanged a few coded phrases, and then emerged again.

"Alright, Mr. Gelman, follow this path forward, and someone will guide you into the exam venue. I can only bring you this far."

"Okay. Thank you."

Wing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and replied, "You're welcome."

Gelman walked around the confessional booth and took a few steps. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and walked back.

Wing put his hands behind his back and asked doubtfully, "Is there anything else I forgot to bring?"

Gelman shook his head, but took out a stone the size of a head from his backpack and handed it to Wing.

"Biscuit specifically asked for this."

Wing remembered his teacher's instructions and immediately took it with both hands.

As soon as the stone entered his palm, within seconds, it turned the same color as his skin.

There really are "magic gems." I thought Biscuit was just using that as an excuse to have me meet Gelman...

Teacher Biscuit, she couldn't possibly have just been too busy to come, so she sent me...

Thinking of this possibility, Wing couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

After a long while, he looked up, about to thank Gelman, when he saw that Gelman had already walked straight away, leaving only his back.

Gelman?

He hadn't understood why his teacher wanted to help Gelman at first, but after actually interacting with him, he understood more or less.

Gelman wasn't a completely evil person, nor was he a purely good person. He was more like a gray person.

Such a person would neither strictly adhere to order nor completely embrace chaos, nor would they be neutral and waver.

He already had a target he must hunt and had the potential to become a first-class Hunter.

On the other side, the Priest in the Ink Black Long Gown pushed open the back door of the church for Gelman, made a cross on his chest, and silently recited something.

Gelman looked at the Priest's wrinkled, aged face for a few moments, surprised that even in another world, there were still people who believed in gods similar to God.

The area behind the church was filled with a hazy mist, obscuring the distance.

Only a small path paved with Red Bricks extended from their feet into the depths of the thick fog.

He walked forward along the simple Red Brick path.

As he entered the mist, he suddenly saw many gray-white stone slabs appear on both sides, engraved with various strange patterns and unique characters.

Tombstones...

So this was a silent cemetery.

Gelman continued to walk forward at an unhurried pace.

Soon, one after another moving black shadows emerged ahead. As he got closer, he saw a group of men and women dressed in various clothes.

They stood not far away. Noticing Gelman, they warily sized him up before turning their heads away, exchanging very little communication with each other.

It seems they are all candidates participating in the Hunter Exam.

Gelman observed his surroundings. Just then, a short figure walked towards him.

This person was wearing a black suit and white gloves.

However, his face was not human, but a green, bean-like face.

Beanpaste Man, secretary of the Hunter Association, was one of the people highly trusted by the eccentric Chairman Netero.

Perhaps not "trusted," but possibly one of his favorite targets for teasing and pranks; that was also possible.

He was the opposite of Chairman Netero's personality, steady and gentle, truly suited for secretarial work.

"Hello."

Beanpaste Man politely reached into the small basket he carried, took out a round white number plate, and handed it to Gelman.

"Please keep your number plate. You are Candidate 233. It's best to wear it on your chest during the exam."

Gelman took it. Like twirling a pen, he skillfully spun the number plate a few times with his fingers. Seeing nothing unusual, he put it on his chest.

At this moment, more new candidates emerged from the mist.

Beanpaste Man immediately scurried over on his short legs, following the exact same procedure.

However, as soon as Beanpaste Man left, another person approached.

"Hello, hello."

A kind smile appeared on his chubby face.

"My name is Dopa. I'm a Hunter Exam candidate just like you. You look like a newcomer; this is your first time taking the exam, right?"

It was quite normal that Dopa didn't recognize Gelman, who was currently making waves in the Dark World.

Among the current members of the Phantom Troupe, apart from the newcomer Gelman, everyone else, including Hisoka, were Class A Wanted Criminals. They were called "thieves," but often they simply killed and robbed.

Similarly, the Zoldyck Family's label was "assassination," but they did more "open assassinations" and rarely concealed their identities.

For their respective purposes, they all needed to make a name for themselves in the Dark World.

However, neither the Phantom Troupe nor the Zoldyck Family were people who could be recognized by just anyone on the street.

Dopa didn't recognize Gelman. After hearing his name and looking him up and down, Gelman quickly realized who this person was.

It wasn't because of his fame, but because this guy's personality was too twisted, leaving a deep impression on Gelman.

Dopa had failed the Hunter Exam more than thirty times. In his frustration, he became someone who specifically targeted newcomers to prevent them from passing as well.

He was a so-called "newcomer killer."

His motive for approaching Gelman was obvious.