Otherworld

"Isn't Martial University a school? Why is the death rate so high?"

The girl who spoke looked horrified. Zhao Zongyang's words had frightened her badly.

Not everyone could face life and death with composure.

The great terror that lay between life and death was enough to make some people afraid just thinking about it.

The girl was not some decisive, battle-hardened strongwoman. She could not calmly confront that great terror between life and death either.

The girl had a certain talent for martial arts cultivation, and her family circumstances were fairly good as well.

Therefore, her strength was not weak. It was precisely because she was not weak that she had been able to pass the martial arts examination.

When facing the giant wolf ferocious beasts, the girl could crush them with ease. When fighting the other examinees, she had generally stopped at the right point.

The girl did not particularly enjoy fighting. It had taken her a long time to recover from the scenes she experienced during the martial arts examination.

She had thought things would get better after entering Martial University.

She only wanted to cultivate properly. She simply did not like competing fiercely with others.

Yet the moment she entered Martial University, Zhao Zongyang had taught her a lesson.

Not only were there conflicts within Martial University, but the death rate was also so high.

She could not accept such a reality for the time being.

"Don't worry. I'll look after you."

A boy stood beside the girl. He squeezed her hand and softly comforted her.

"Mm."

Hearing the boy's reassurance, the fearful expression on the girl's face eased somewhat.

"If fighting isn't prohibited, can't I just avoid conflicts with other people? Wouldn't it be enough for me to cultivate quietly on my own?"

Someone beside Wang Tianyu voiced the same opinion.

Hearing that, Wang Tianyu said nothing, but Zhu Sirun let out a mocking laugh.

"What a simple-minded brute."

"If it were as simple as he imagined, then things would be simple."

Looking at the boy who had just spoken, Zhu Sirun wore the expression of someone looking at an idiot.

Zhu Sirun's voice was not loud, and many people around them were talking.

Therefore, Zhu Sirun's words did not reach the boy's ears.

Otherwise, judging by what Zhu Sirun had just said, the two might have gotten into a verbal clash.

Zhao Zongyang's words sounded frightening, but they did not place much psychological pressure on Wang Tianyu.

A martial artist's road of cultivation was cruel. One could see as much from the format of the martial arts examination.

When Su Pengfei chatted with him, he had also told Wang Tianyu some things about martial artists.

Wang Tianyu actually had some understanding of a martial artist's life.

Moreover, Wang Tianyu was not some pampered flower raised in a greenhouse. He had experienced countless battles, large and small.

He had even experienced a fight to the death once.

"Nothing in this world comes easily!"

Work was not easy, life was not easy, and becoming a martial artist was naturally not easy either.

If one wanted to become a martial artist and wield powerful strength, there would certainly be all kinds of hardships along the way.

Wang Tianyu had long been mentally prepared for all this.

For those reasons, Wang Tianyu appeared much calmer when faced with these words.

Though Wang Tianyu was calm, the discussions across the field continued.

Two minutes later, Zhao Zongyang spoke again.

"Perhaps some of you are thinking that martial artists are humanity's elite. Shouldn't elites be precious? After all, only a very small number of people can enter Martial University and become martial artists."

"But why must martial artists fight to the death? Wouldn't it be better if everyone stopped at the right point?"

Zhao Zongyang swept his gaze over the freshmen, then answered the question himself.

"That's right. Martial artists are humanity's elite, and it is precisely because of that that they enjoy superior benefits and treatment."

"You all know that martial artists receive many special policies. You yourselves are beneficiaries of such policies. Everyone standing here has been assigned a home, and you all know the value of a home."

"Things ordinary people must strive for their entire lives to obtain, you gained through a single examination. And as your strength rises, the benefits you can enjoy will only increase."

Zhao Zongyang's words won everyone's agreement.

What Zhao Zongyang said was true. Setting aside anything else, Wang Tianyu himself had received a villa as a government reward.

That villa was extremely expensive. Given Wang Tianyu's original family circumstances, it would have been utterly impossible for him to afford such a home.

"But why does the government give martial artists such generous treatment? Many people do not understand. Now, I will tell you the reason."

Wang Tianyu focused his attention and listened intently to Zhao Zongyang's speech.

He knew the words that followed would certainly be crucial.

"Our world is not peaceful. The reason ordinary people can live comfortable, tranquil lives is because someone is carrying the burden forward for them."

At this point, Zhao Zongyang's tone deepened.

"Our world has always faced invasions from another world. I will not say much about the specifics of that other world. The library has relevant materials, and freshmen will also have specialized courses later to teach this knowledge."

"What I want to say is that the creatures of that other world are powerful and cruel."

"As invaders, the creatures of the other world have a very clear attitude toward humanity: slaughter and destruction."

What Zhao Zongyang revealed was simply too unbelievable.

Wang Tianyu had never heard any news about this before.

Perhaps in order to maintain public stability, the government had kept this information under extremely tight wraps.

There had not even been the slightest whisper of it online.

Wang Tianyu guessed that if he had not entered Martial University, he might never have learned these things in his entire life.

Compared to Wang Tianyu's shock, Zhu Sirun appeared utterly casual.

Clearly, Zhu Sirun had known about these things long ago.

While Wang Tianyu listened with complete concentration, Zhu Sirun was still looking around with some boredom.

After thinking about it, Wang Tianyu realized it was not strange for Zhu Sirun to know such things.

As descendants of a martial artist family, they would certainly possess relevant information.

"The other world is very unusual. Its gravity is several times stronger than ours, and ordinary people simply cannot adapt to that kind of gravity. Moreover, our firearms and technological methods cannot be used there at all."

"The creatures of the other world are far too destructive. We cannot allow them to enter human society. Therefore, choosing the other world as the battlefield and stopping its invasion at the source is the best solution."

"In places you do not know about, your seniors are fighting without regard for their lives. Without them, you, your families, and your friends might have long since become dry bones on the ground."

"Now, tell me loudly: are you willing to surrender without a fight and wait for the creatures of the other world to slaughter you?"

"Not willing!"

Because Zhao Zongyang's question had come too suddenly, the freshmen's response was not very unified.

"Are you willing to surrender without a fight?"

Dissatisfied with their previous answer, Zhao Zongyang raised his voice and asked again.

"Not willing!"

This time, the freshmen answered much more loudly.

"No one is willing to stand still and await death. Neither am I."

"The stronger your ability, the heavier the responsibility on your shoulders. The stronger your ability, the greater your chances of surviving."

"We martial artists have the ability to resist the invasion from the other world, the ability to defend our homeland, and the ability to let our loved ones live peaceful and tranquil lives."

"Therefore, we must step forward—for humanity's continuation, and for our own families and friends."

Zhao Zongyang's words were highly stirring. The freshmen present were all at the age of hot-blooded youth.

Quite a few people now saw themselves as saviors, itching to fight the creatures of the other world to the death immediately.

"The creatures of the other world are very powerful, and their combat techniques are formidable as well."

"The strong remain strong! Only by being tempered through battle after battle can one become a true powerhouse. Only by becoming accustomed to combat can you possess the strength to resist when facing creatures from the other world."

By this point, Zhao Zongyang had explained why Martial University had such a high death rate.

Become accustomed to and adapt to fighting, and experience the true terror between life and death.

Doing so was not only for the sake of improving one's strength, but also to adapt to the harsher battles that lay ahead.