One-Star Martial Artist Assessment
Seeing this, Zhou Lie could only follow procedure and tap the exceptional certification option on the system in his hand.
Then he led Lin Hao toward the practical combat assessment room.
The surrounding candidates all followed, as though they had forgotten they were there to take their own assessments.
After all, they could take the one-star martial artist assessment every month.
But many of them might never get another chance in their lives to witness a genius like Lin Hao fight a demonic beast.
Watching the crowd leave, Zhao Man finally found an outlet for her frustration. She scoffed and said quietly, "He really doesn't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is. A high school student who's probably never even killed a chicken dares to fight a one-star demonic beast to the death? Does he really think a high combat power makes him invincible under heaven?"
"Zhao Man." Hearing this, Wei Kun beside her immediately grew serious. "Have you already forgotten that Lin Hao killed two Mimic Spiders single-handedly? Two Mimic Spiders aren't much weaker than a one-star demonic beast."
His words stunned Zhao Man, and only then did she realize how unsettled she had become.
She had actually forgotten something they had just discussed in the blink of an eye.
Wei Kun looked at her and sighed. "Do you see the situation clearly now? As for the deputy director position, you'd better wait for the next opportunity."
"What situation?" At the mention of the deputy director position, Zhao Man's heart sank. Growing agitated, she said defiantly, "No matter how impressive he is, even if he kills that demonic beast later, he'll only be a one-star martial artist. Am I supposed to give up the deputy director position just because of that?"
"What else?" Wei Kun's voice grew heavier. "What do you think you're relying on to compete for this position? Your strength, or your battle merits? You know perfectly well that you can't match Lin Qing in either.
"What are you relying on? Your background and support from above! And the support I've given you behind the scenes, favoring you wherever I could.
"I admit I've favored you because of my ties with your family. But there are limits to how far I can favor you."
He looked up at the departing crowd and continued, "Things are different now. With this younger cousin of hers, Lin Qing has the attention of the City Lord's Manor. She has the backing of Jiang City's highest leadership.
"Have you forgotten? The city lord already said that once this genius who killed the Mimic Spiders was found, a future deputy director position at the Martial Arts General Bureau would be reserved for him."
"So what? That's in the future!" Zhao Man still sounded defiant.
"The future?" Wei Kun laughed helplessly. "From the moment he announced his combat power of 9.21, Jiang City's higher-ups already had their eyes on him.
"With his talent, not only will his future position be higher than any of ours, but even now, he matters more than we do in the eyes of Jiang City's higher-ups.
"Competing with Lin Qing for this position now means making an enemy of Lin Hao. Do you think your family's backing can withstand someone who could one day stand at the very pinnacle of martial arts in Jiang City?"
"I..." Zhao Man opened her mouth, but her throat tightened, and she could not get a single word out.
She was no fool. She understood everything Wei Kun had said.
It was just that her earlier pride and resentment had kept her from admitting it.
Seeing her reaction, Wei Kun softened his tone. "Take my advice. Step aside voluntarily this time and do Lin Qing and Lin Hao a favor.
"You're only thirty-three. If you don't get it this time, there'll be another chance. But if you offend Lin Hao, even if you become deputy director, you won't hold the position in peace."
Zhao Man remained silent for a long time. In her view, thirty-three was no longer young. If she failed to rise this time, she would at most end her career as a branch director.
But her goal was not to become a branch director. At the very least, she wanted to enter the General Bureau, just like her father.
Yet despite her reluctance, she finally gritted her teeth and forced out a sentence through them. "I understand. When we get back, I'll submit a report."
The practical combat assessment room was much larger than Lin Hao had imagined, with a twenty-meter-high ceiling and a large combat arena in the center.
The arena was enclosed by four walls of blast-resistant tempered glass, each a full half-meter thick.
One wall had a door set into it for candidates to enter, while another had a gate connecting to the demonic beast holding area.
A red warning line was marked three meters out from the arena's perimeter.
Four retractable emergency barriers stood along the warning line to deal with unexpected situations.
Under Zhou Lie's guidance, Lin Hao stepped inside the red warning line.
The candidates who had followed Lin Hao crowded outside the warning line, craning their necks to peer inside as though watching some important sporting event.
Just then, a side door of the practical combat assessment room was pushed open, and a group of people in assessment center uniforms hurried over in a fluster.
Leading them was a man nearing fifty, with a square face and frost-white temples. His epaulets bore the insignia of a two-star martial artist.
The badge on his chest read: Jiang Baichuan, Director of the Jiang City Martial Artist Assessment Center.
Jiang Baichuan strode up to Lin Hao, looking troubled, and lowered his voice. "Student Lin Hao, I'm Jiang Baichuan, the assessment center director.
"You're a martial arts genius Jiang City sees only once in a century. With your vitality at 2.79, you're certain to break through to 3.0 within six months. You can then receive one-star martial artist certification through the standard procedure without any risk of failure.
"This exceptional practical combat assessment is too dangerous. There's really no need to rush."
Lin Hao looked at him, inwardly helpless, and repeated calmly, "I've already decided to go through the exceptional certification process."
"No, Student Lin Hao, please reconsider!" Jiang Baichuan anxiously edged half a step closer, fine beads of sweat already forming at his temples. "Why don't you prepare a little more and come back next month? No, tomorrow! I'll specifically apply for an extra assessment session just for you tomorrow, and arrange every step perfectly!"
Lin Hao raised his brows slightly, immediately sensing something was wrong.
Looking at Jiang Baichuan, he said, "Director Jiang, don't tell me the assessment center hasn't prepared a One-Star Early Stage demonic beast that meets the exceptional certification standards?"
That single sentence instantly turned Jiang Baichuan's face crimson.
He opened his mouth but could not speak for a long while. Cold sweat soaked the back of his uniform.
Under the Dragon Nation's martial artist assessment regulations, every city's assessment center was required to keep demonic beasts available for exceptional assessments.
If a failure to prepare a demonic beast interfered with one-star martial artist certification, he, as director, would certainly be held accountable under standard procedure. In serious cases, he might even lose his position.
And interfering with the assessment of a genius like Lin Hao could easily be deemed a serious case.
He could only steel himself, swallow, and say, "We... we do have one. We've prepared a Wind-Rending Swift Leopard with a vitality of 4.5. Under the regulations, it falls within the One-Star Early Stage range and meets the exceptional certification standards..."
As he spoke, his guilty conscience left him afraid to continue.
Hearing this, Zhou Lie's expression changed.
"Director Jiang." Zhou Lie hesitated, but still spoke. "A vitality of 4.5 is already at the boundary between the One-Star Early Stage and One-Star Middle Stage. The Wind-Rending Swift Leopard is a demonic beast known for its speed and fighting skills. In a fight, it might... very likely display One-Star Middle Stage combat power."