The first phase of the exam finally ended.
At the entrance to the wetland park, the sunlight was bright enough to hurt their eyes.
The long run through the tunnel had drained almost everyone's stamina. Now they all gasped for breath, their clothes soaked with sweat, looking utterly bedraggled.
Only a handful, such as Killua on his skateboard and the absurdly energetic Gon, still looked fairly relaxed.
Blending into the crowd, Lin Yan struggled to soothe his burning lungs.
The warm current inside him-that faint wisp of "qi"-had not been depleted by the long run. Instead, it seemed to have been awakened.
It flowed slowly through his meridians. Though still faint, it was genuinely easing his fatigue.
"Thank you for your efforts, examinees."
A thick-lipped man with long purple hair stood on a rise ahead, dressed in a suit.
He was Satotz, the examiner for the first phase.
"That concludes the first phase of the exam. Next comes the site of the second phase: Swindler's Swamp, also known as 'Swindlers' Swamp.'"
No sooner had Satotz finished speaking than a commotion rippled through the crowd.
"Are you kidding? We have to cross this hellhole too?"
"I heard the magical beasts in there swallow people whole!"
Just then, a man covered in wounds crawled out of the tunnel behind them, looking as though he was about to fall apart.
He pointed at Satotz and shouted with the last of his strength, "Don't... don't let him fool you! He's not the examiner! I am!"
Everyone turned to look at the man.
"I'm the real examiner! He's an impostor! He's a Man-Faced Ape that lives in the swamp!"
The crowd erupted.
"A Man-Faced Ape? One of those magical beasts that mimic humans?"
"Is this for real? Which one's telling the truth?"
Lin Yan frowned.
Of course he knew which one was real. He remembered this scene from the original story clearly.
But he said nothing, merely watching the reactions of those around him.
At a time like this, drawing attention to himself would be the stupidest thing he could do.
As everyone argued in bewilderment, several playing cards shot out of the crowd with a shrill whistle.
Shhk!
Two cards buried themselves precisely in the chest of the man claiming to be the real examiner, while several others flew toward the actual examiner, Satotz.
Satotz shifted and easily caught the cards flying toward him. The false examiner screamed, collapsed in convulsions, and reverted to the form of an ugly ape.
The attacker was none other than Hisoka.
Holding a playing card between his fingers, he strolled out of the crowd with that signature, chilling smile on his lips.
"I see, I see." Hisoka looked at the magical beast's corpse, then at Satotz. "The examiner is genuine. That assessment was correct. Examiners are appointed by the Hunter Association and qualified to test us here. In other words, they are qualified Hunters themselves."
He paused, turning his gaze to Satotz, excitement almost spilling from his eyes. "I have absolutely no interest in attacking an examiner."
Most of the examinees were cowed into silence by Hisoka's swift kill and twisted logic.
But Lin Yan was not.
His gaze was fixed on Hisoka's fingertips, unwavering and unblinking.
At the instant Hisoka threw those cards, Lin Yan had clearly "seen" it-not with his eyes, but through the faint wisp of "qi" inside him.
A pale purple energy, elastic and resilient like a rubber band, had wrapped around the playing cards, granting them killing power far beyond that of mere paper.
That was Nen!
That was the source of this world's power!
That was the energy he had dreamed of using to establish his foundation, form his core, and cultivate the golden core great way!
At that moment, Lin Yan forgot his fear. He forgot the danger.
Only the purest, most primal longing remained in his eyes, like a man who had starved for three days and nights seeing an imperial banquet, or a traveler dying of thirst in the desert seeing an oasis.
It was greed born from the depths of his soul, an absolute pursuit of the Dao.
He was so absorbed that he failed to notice Hisoka had turned his gaze toward him.
"Hmm?"
Hisoka seemed to sense something. His narrow eyes narrowed further as he scanned the crowd, finally settling directly on Lin Yan.
That gaze no longer held the playful air of someone choosing his prey. Instead, it carried a trace of surprise and scrutiny.
He saw it.
He saw the undisguised fire of "seeking the Dao" in Lin Yan's eyes, a fire that seemed almost ready to devour him alive.
It was neither admiration for power nor fear of the strong, but a kind of... analysis and possessiveness, as one of his own kind confronted another form of energy.
"Heh heh..."
Hisoka's lips stretched into an exaggerated curve, revealing a smile of utter depravity. Facing Lin Yan, he silently mouthed a word.
"In-ter-est-ing."
Boom!
An icy chill shot like an electric current from the base of Lin Yan's spine to the crown of his head.
It felt as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe, jolting him out of that mysterious state of observation.
His hair stood on end!
He saw Hisoka's smile and understood the word he had mouthed.
He's set his sights on me!
This lunatic, this sick bastard, noticed me!
Lin Yan's heart pounded wildly, almost leaping into his throat.
He abruptly lowered his head, forcing himself to break eye contact with Hisoka, not daring to look again.
Calm down, calm down, calm down!
He screamed inwardly, while verses from the Qingjing Jing rose unbidden in his mind.
"The human spirit delights in clarity, yet the mind disturbs it; the human mind delights in stillness, yet desire draws it away. If desire is ever dispelled, the mind grows still of itself; when the mind is settled, the spirit grows clear of itself..."
He silently recited the words again and again, forcing himself to turn all his attention inward and focus on the faint wisp of qi in his dantian.
He forcibly shut out everything outside him-Hisoka's gaze, the chatter around him, all of it.
His mind gradually settled, and the fear that had nearly suffocated him slowly receded.
"All right, everyone." Satotz's voice rang out again, breaking the brief dead silence. "If you now understand the dangers of the swamp, please follow me. Be sure to stay close. If you lose sight of me, you may never find your way out of this mist."
With that, Satotz turned and ran into the mist ahead with a strange, almost soundless gait.
No one dared delay any longer. They immediately followed.
Lin Yan joined the crowd as well, keeping his head down and avoiding any unnecessary movement. He could feel that oppressive gaze lingering on him, only slowly fading once he had run deep into the mist.
"Whew..."
He let out a long breath, realizing his back was completely soaked in cold sweat.
Too dangerous.
This world really was far too dangerous.
A single exchange of glances had nearly shattered his composure.
At the same time, however, an indescribable excitement welled up within him.
Nen really existed, and he could actually "see" it! His Daoist theories could work in this world!
The mist ahead grew thicker and thicker, reducing visibility to less than five meters.
The crowd soon scattered. No figures could be seen in any direction, only indistinct footsteps and the occasional scream could be heard.
Lin Yan slowed his pace and made his breathing as faint as possible. He knew the true test was only beginning.
Suddenly, an almost imperceptible sound came from the grass to his left.
Had this happened when he first crossed into this world, he would never have noticed it. But now, the "qi" inside him had given him an extraordinary sensitivity to his surroundings.
That was neither the wind nor the sound of a small animal. It was... killing intent!
Before you continue