Just as Mo Ruohua and the other four female soldiers entered the passageway, more than twenty people stood behind a transparent glass wall, watching their every move.
Among them were upper-ranking officials of the Military Prefecture, senior generals from the northern front, and master craftsmen from the Celestial Mechanism Institute.
At the center of the crowd stood a valiant man with well-defined features, wearing a military cloak over his uniform. He spoke, "Which batch is this?"
A military officer leaned close and whispered something in his ear.
The valiant man nodded. "I heard this group has a greater chance of success. Master Craftsman Yuan, what do you think?"
Master Craftsman Yuan was short, his face covered in wrinkles. He looked to be at least a hundred and several decades old. Leisurely, he said, "It is still too early to speak of success. All we have done before now was weed out those certain to fail. Until the results are out, no one can make a definite judgment."
Just then, he saw one of the women behind the glass wall reach toward the gemstone, attempting to touch it. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "It seems the first result is about to emerge."
Everyone watched intently, but then they saw the woman drop to her knees, pain appearing on her face. After a while, she began to convulse without stop, then blood began to seep from the corners of her mouth. Before long, she lay there without moving.
Master Craftsman Yuan said in an utterly even tone, "The first has failed." His gaze shifted to the side, where he saw the same result unfold. "Mm, another one has begun..."
Mo Ruohua reached out in a daze. Yet just as she was about to touch the glass, her movement abruptly stopped. After a