Monster Town

It was nearly noon, and the military region had already prepared a sumptuous lunch for the Quasi-Martial Artists.

To avoid drawing attention, Luo Feng and Yang Wu sat in a corner of the dining hall.

"There are so many people here for the assessment," Luo Feng said with a sigh, looking at the packed crowd around them.

"The Quasi-Martial Artist practical assessment is held only twice a year in each Base City. There's half a year's worth of people who've been waiting, along with those who were injured and failed last time or missed the assessment. It's no wonder there are so many!" Yang Wu explained.

"Huh, this food is made from monster meat!" Luo Feng said in surprise after taking a bite.

Monster meat sold for astonishing prices in the Base Cities. Even the cheapest kind cost over a hundred yuan per half-kilogram, so ordinary people rarely got to eat it.

Before becoming a Martial Artist, Yang Wu had only been able to eat it about once every half a month. Luo Feng had eaten it even less often.

"That's not surprising," Yang Wu explained. "Monster meat tends to be expensive in the Base Cities because of the high transportation costs. Here in the military camp, there's as much low-grade monster meat as you could want. It's probably easier to get than vegetables!"

"Brother Yang, you really know a lot!" Luo Feng said with a sigh.

Yang Wu smiled. Having lived two lives, he did know more general things than Luo Feng, who had only just graduated from high school. But in this world, what mattered most was one's own strength.

Yang Wu and Luo Feng chatted as they ate, and soon they had finished lunch.

In the afternoon.

All the Quasi-Martial Artists gathered in an open square. The senior officers of the North Military Region and the major organizations stood at the front.

"The Quasi-Martial Artist practical assessment is about to begin. When your name is called, come forward to collect your combat uniform and weapons."

A military officer shouted from the raised platform ahead. Though he wasn't using a loudspeaker, his voice carried clearly to every Quasi-Martial Artist.

Then more than ten officers began calling out names. Those who heard their names went forward to collect their combat uniforms and weapons.

"Bai Yang."

"Yang Wu."

When he heard his name, Yang Wu hurried forward. Under the puzzled gaze of the officer handing out equipment, he collected his weapon, combat uniform, and other gear, then stepped aside to put it on.

Before long, Luo Feng came over too, carrying a combat uniform, a War Blade, and a shield.

"Brother Yang!" Luo Feng asked as he watched Yang Wu put on his combat uniform. "How about you and I team up and explore Monster Town together?"

Luo Feng would have preferred to train his blade skills and Movement Technique alone, but for Yang Wu's safety, he decided to give that up.

The Quasi-Martial Artist practical assessment was quite dangerous. Quasi-Martial Artists were injured or killed every time. Though rescue personnel were on hand, Luo Feng still felt uneasy.

Hearing Luo Feng's offer, Yang Wu smiled faintly.

Just hearing Luo Feng say that made all those years of effort worthwhile. Still, Yang Wu had no intention of teaming up with him.

"Ah Feng, I understand you mean well, but I'm going to tackle Monster Town alone this time."

When Yang Wu saw that Luo Feng was about to say more, he quickly added with a smile, "Ah Feng, hand me my weapon!"

"Brother Yang?"

Yang Wu's spear was right beside him. Though Luo Feng was puzzled, he picked it up anyway.

The moment Luo Feng lifted Yang Wu's weapon, a look of shock suddenly crossed his face.

"Brother Yang, what's going on?"

Luo Feng realized that Yang Wu's spear was even heavier than the 98-kilogram Blood Shadow Battle Blade in his hand!

"What is it?" Yang Wu asked with a smile. "You, Madman, can make a big leap in strength, but your Brother Yang can't?"

"This..." Luo Feng paused, then said happily, "Brother Yang, did you succeed in cultivating Genetic Origin Energy too?"

"Yes!"

"Then how much strength did you gain, Brother Yang?" Luo Feng asked with a grin.

He was just as happy to hear that Yang Wu had succeeded in cultivating Genetic Origin Energy and made a huge leap in strength.

"About 8,000 kilograms," Yang Wu said with an air of calm, though inside he was overjoyed.

I wonder how this future City Lord Luo will react when he hears that.

Sure enough, Luo Feng looked stunned.

"8,000 kilograms? Brother Yang, are you serious? You didn't add an extra zero by mistake, did you?" Luo Feng said, clearly disbelieving.

When he first succeeded in cultivating Genetic Origin Energy, he'd gained just over 2,000 kilograms of strength, even with the help of his Spiritual Force. How could anyone gain 8,000 kilograms in a single go?

"Of course I'm serious. Why would I lie to you?" Yang Wu said with a smile.

"Luo Feng, Luo Feng."

Just then, Wu Tong, the head instructor of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City, came over.

"Uncle Wu."

"Head Instructor." Yang Wu and Luo Feng hurriedly greeted him.

"Yang Wu, you're here too. Give it your all during the assessment later and try to pass on your first attempt!" After encouraging Yang Wu, Wu Tong quickly turned to Luo Feng. "Luo Feng, come with me!"

With that, Wu Tong turned and led the way.

"Uncle Wu," Luo Feng asked as he followed, "do you think it's possible for someone to gain 8,000 kilograms of strength the first time they cultivate Genetic Origin Energy?"

"How could that be possible?" Wu Tong said with a laugh. "Luo Feng, whoever told you that was surely joking."

"Is it really impossible?" Luo Feng still didn't quite believe it, but he didn't think Yang Wu would lie to him.

"Let me put it this way," Wu Tong said with an exasperated smile. "You gained over 2,000 kilograms of strength in one go when you first succeeded in cultivating Genetic Origin Energy. In Jiangnan Base City, we only get one or two geniuses like you in a year. I've heard of a few even more talented ones, though I've never met them. But the most any of them ever gained was just over 4,000 kilograms, making them Advanced Warrior Level as soon as they became Martial Artists. I've never even heard of anyone gaining 8,000 kilograms. It's simply impossible!"

As they talked, they reached the second floor of a quiet little building.

There, Luo Feng was provoked by Wan Dong, a genius Martial Artist from the Thunder Dojo. But with his thoughts still on Yang Wu's strength, Luo Feng didn't pay him the slightest attention.

By evening, Yang Wu and more than a thousand other Quasi-Martial Artists had walked for over half an hour under military escort. At last, they reached the outskirts of a small town.

"Roar—"

"Awoo—"

All kinds of unsettling monster cries echoed from within the town.

"Quick! There aren't enough monsters inside. Send in another 1,200 Iron-Haired Wild Boars, 300 Shadow Cats, and 500 Tiger Mastiffs!" came an order from the people in charge of the assessment inside the town.

Soon, heavy trucks drove into the town. Each one carried several frenzied monsters locked inside huge iron cages.

Two thousand of the weakest H-Class Monsters were transported into the town, bringing the monster population there to an astonishing number.

"Everyone!" A military officer called out to the crowd from the third floor of a building inside the town. "This Quasi-Martial Artist practical assessment will follow the usual rules. It begins tonight at six thirty and ends tomorrow morning at six thirty."

"Your task is to hunt as many monsters as possible. The more you kill, the more points you'll earn. Cut off the left ear of each monster you kill as proof!"

"Quasi-Martial Artists are forbidden to kill one another. Anyone who breaks this rule will be executed by firing squad."

"Finally, only the top 60 percent of you by points will earn the right to become Martial Artists. The rest will have to wait until the next assessment."

"If you're seriously injured, press the distress button on your Communication Watch immediately. Someone will come to rescue you right away."

After saying all this, the officer glanced at his Communication Watch, then shouted, "Time's up! All Quasi-Martial Artists taking part in the assessment, enter Monster Town!"

With a sweep of his hand, the town gates swung open with a thunderous rumble, and countless Quasi-Martial Artists rushed into Monster Town.