"Come on, let's test your speed! Your control over your strength is so precise that you can't be slow!" As he spoke, Jiang Nian pulled Zhang Junbao toward the Speed Testing Machine.
Jiang Nian took the initiative to switch on the Speed Testing Machine for him. With a genius improving at such an astonishing rate, Jiang Nian wasn't about to put on his usual airs.
He was a warrior himself, and his social standing far exceeded that of ordinary people. Naturally, he wouldn't humble himself before others without reason, and he even looked down on some officials and wealthy men. But Zhang Junbao was young and about to join the ranks of warriors just like him, so he naturally deserved to be treated as an equal.
All Jiang Nian hoped for now was that Zhang Junbao would be as strong as possible. The more impressive the genius he discovered, the greater his reward would be.
Zhang Junbao stood on the Speed Testing Machine and adjusted his breathing. The muscles throughout his body tensed slightly, ready to explode into motion at any moment.
Suddenly, he pushed off and shot forward like a cannonball, crossing the track and reaching the finish line in an instant.
At the finish line, Jiang Nian looked at the number on the Speed Tester. He had already gone numb.
"322 m/s! At that speed, you're not far from being an Intermediate Warrior! Were you really hiding your abilities before?
"Hahaha, after all these years, I've finally found a genius! You haven't cultivated genetic origin energy yet, have you? Once you succeed, wouldn't reaching the War General Level be easy? You might even have a chance to become a War God Level powerhouse someday.
"As it happens, the Quasi-Warrior Assessment is the day after tomorrow, April 1. With your current strength, you should pass easily. The main hall here doesn't have a machine to test neural reaction speed, but judging by your reactions, that shouldn't be much of a problem!
"If anything comes up over the next few days, come find me anytime. Whatever you do, don't miss the warrior assessment!" Jiang Nian said cheerfully.
"That's right. He dodged my car just now," Xu Yan muttered from the side. She had originally wanted to test herself against Zhang Junbao, but seeing his results had dealt her quite a blow. Having met the requirements for a warrior at such a young age, his future achievements surely wouldn't be modest.
There weren't many female warriors to begin with, and women were indeed inferior to men in brute strength. However, their talent for coordination and similar qualities was generally greater than that of male warriors. Each had their own strengths.
Xu Yan had become an advanced trainee at the dojo at her age thanks not only to her talent but also to her hard work. Very few could achieve what she had, and it was impossible for her not to feel some pride. This time, though, she had truly learned that beyond one person stood another, and beyond one heaven lay another.
"Oh? I saw a tire mark on the ground just now and wondered what you two were doing hiding in the car. So you nearly ran into him.
"Then you'd better apologize properly, Xiao Yan. You ought to treat him to a meal, at least." Jiang Nian smiled. To keep a genius like Zhang Junbao, playing on personal feelings was undoubtedly a good choice. Of course, he wouldn't force Xu Yan to do anything, but as her senior, he could give things a helpful push. Young people were too thin-skinned to bring it up themselves, but there would be no problem if he did.
"There's no need for a meal, is there? It wasn't a big deal, and she didn't hit me. I have something to take care of at home, so I have to go." Zhang Junbao declined, though he was torn inside.
His mind told him it was better not to accept, but his body was already struggling to hold back. A great beauty like her wanted to treat him to a meal. If he were the old Zhang Junbao, he might already have eagerly agreed.
Alas, I had no choice but to be a blockheaded straight man for once and pretend I didn't understand. What a sin, what a sin!
Xu Yan blushed at Jiang Nian's words. She was rather shy by nature and had only been unusually devoted to martial arts; she hadn't thought of anything else. But as a member of a prominent family, she was naturally no stranger to political marriages. If she could become a powerful warrior, though, she naturally wouldn't have to worry about that.
Still, her proper upbringing had taught her the importance of normal social interaction, so she said:
"I'm really sorry about what happened. If you're not free today, how about another day? You go to Yi'an District No. 3 High School nearby, right? My cousin Xu Xin goes there too. Once you pass the warrior assessment in a few days, I'll treat you to a meal to celebrate."
"Xu Xin is your cousin? The one who was in my class in the first year of high school? What are the chances?"
Zhang Junbao was a little surprised. Xu Yan was actually Xu Xin's cousin, so the cousin she had mentioned earlier couldn't be Xu Xin's older brother, Xu Gang, could he?
Only a playboy like him would drive such a flashy car.
So Xu Yan was a member of the Xu Family too?
But they were both surnamed Xu. Could her father have married into the family? It wasn't impossible. After all, for a prominent family like the Xu Family, it was possible to have an Advanced Warlord marry into it. It was hard for one person's resources to compare with those of the Xu Family.
"Yes. I only just found out when Uncle Jiang told me. Then it's a date. Once you pass the warrior assessment, I'll treat you to a meal to celebrate and apologize. You can't say you're busy again!" Xu Yan said, giving him a playful wink.
With Xu Yan's slightly chubby, apple-shaped face, that gesture could have slain a whole crowd of otaku with cuteness. But she still had a way to go if she wanted to tempt Zhang Junbao. His heart remained unmoved.
This humble Daoist has long since seen through the mortal world. How could I so easily stir with worldly desire?
Zhang Junbao couldn't very well keep refusing her, and continuing the conversation would only make things more awkward. He practically fled the dojo. All the way home, he thought about sharing the good news with his family. Once he passed the Quasi-Warrior Assessment in a couple of days, he could be considered to have officially left the ranks of ordinary people.
Then Zhang Haobai would naturally no longer be a problem.
As for the wilderness combat test, he wasn't too concerned, though he could use the opportunity to temper himself and become familiar with the way people fought in this world.
The Limits Dojo had multiple branches in every Base City, as well as a main hall overseeing them. Wu Tong was the master of the main hall and Jiang Nian's immediate superior.
Jiang Nian couldn't wait to report the situation to his superior. He took out his phone and called. "Hello, Brother Wu? I've found a genius here. His punching force is over 1,200 kg, and his speed has reached 322 m/s. He's only eighteen, an absolute genius. He's improving fast too. A little over a month ago, he was only an intermediate trainee, and in one month, his punching force nearly doubled!"
"Oh? If that's true, you've done a great service, kid. The Quasi-Warrior Assessment is in two days, so arrange for him to come over!" Wu Tong was surprised as well.
"Yes, I've already told him to get ready to take the assessment at your place the morning after next. Make sure you remember that this genius came from my Yi'an District branch of the Limits Dojo!"
"I won't take that away from you. Come with him when the time comes. We haven't seen each other in a long time, so we can get together."
"Good! I'll bring him over then." Jiang Nian hung up, feeling as delighted as if he'd eaten several pounds of honey.
In the past, the dojo masters from other districts had always lorded it over him. Now it was finally his turn to hold his head high. He had thought he would have to wait until Luo Feng met the physical requirements for a warrior, but he hadn't expected Zhang Junbao to appear along the way. Both of them were treasures to him.
When Zhang Junbao returned home, however, he found that something was wrong. The door was locked tight, and a group of people were blocking the entrance.
"Who are you? What are you doing outside my home?" Zhang Junbao asked.
"It's only right and proper to pay what you owe! Your father owes us money and won't pay it back, so naturally we came to collect!" a middle-aged man holding a sign said arrogantly.
"Impossible. My family's business has always had good cash flow. How could we owe money?" Zhang Junbao didn't believe him.
"Nothing impossible about it. Your father hauled a shipment for us a while ago, and something happened this morning. Not only is the cargo gone, but he's crippled too. The cash flow's been cut off, so naturally we had to come collect our debts early."
The man speaking was fixed by Zhang Junbao's sharp gaze, and a sudden unease rose in his heart. But remembering that his side had more people, he steeled himself and spoke.