The military district buzzed with voices. The anxious martial artists talked incessantly to relieve their stress, and the military district had prepared a lavish lunch for them. Only after eating and drinking their fill would they have the strength to deal with the demonic beasts.
That afternoon.
The 1,768 Quasi-Martial Artists stood in a vast, open square. On the platform stood the senior figures of Jiangnan City's northern district, including several higher-ups from the Limits Dojo and the Thunder Dojo.
"Quasi-Martial Artists, come up to collect your combat uniforms and weapons when your names are called."
"Wang Ye."
"Zhang Chulan."
"Zhuge Qing."
A soldier on the platform called out the Quasi-Martial Artists' names one by one in a strong, resonant voice. Those whose names were called went up to collect their combat uniforms and weapons. This was mandatory for the assessment, preventing anyone from using high-grade weapons to slaughter demonic beasts and skew the evaluation of their true combat strength.
"Zhang Junbao!"
"This is your combat uniform and your combat boots, and this is the Drifting Shadow Series longsword you requested. As requested, we prepared the toughest sword in the Drifting Shadow Series.
"Plenty of martial artists use swords, but few ask for an ancient-style longsword. You only asked for a single longsword, not even a shield.
"We have spare shields here. When fighting demonic beasts, having a shield in hand can protect you from being surrounded and attacked."
The officer offered the recommendation with care.
"No need. One sword is enough. A shield would only hamper my strength." Zhang Junbao had no intention of taking a shield. He had never used one, and using a shield did not suit his fighting style.
"All right, be careful."
Seeing that Zhang Junbao insisted, the officer said no more. Everyone had their own fighting habits, and changing them without thought could indeed hamper their performance.
"Junbao, Junbao." Several calls came from a distance. It was Wu Tong, the head instructor of the Yangzhou Limit Hall.
"Uncle Wu."
Zhang Junbao had become familiar with Wu Tong over this period, and naturally called him Uncle Wu.
"Come with me for a moment."
Zhang Junbao was full of questions. The combat assessment was about to start, so why was Wu Tong looking for him now?
Before long, Wu Tong led him to a secluded little building. Several hearty laughs drifted down from upstairs.
Several people were gathered in the second-floor living room. Zhang Junbao recognized one of them as Zhuge Tao, the supervisor who had invested in him earlier and one of the four major figures of Jiangnan City's Limit Hall.
Clearly, anyone who could sit and chat with Zhuge Tao was no ordinary person either.
"Supervisor," Zhang Junbao called out.
"Junbao, you're here. You and Wu Tong sit over there," Zhuge Tao said with a beaming smile. He was no longer dressed in a Tang suit, but instead wore a combat uniform of deep black, flecked with tiny points of silvery starlight.
"Zhuge, this is the Zhang Junbao you were talking about?
"He looks pretty ordinary. Compared to our Thunder Dojo's people, he's not much better."
Across from Zhuge Tao sat a burly man in a dark purple combat suit. He was the one who had spoken.
Zhang Junbao glanced around and noticed that the people were faintly divided into two camps, led by Zhuge Tao and the burly man.
Clearly, the Limits Dojo and the Thunder Dojo were secretly competing with each other.
Could it be that the people in charge of the Two Great Dojos brought out the geniuses they'd recruited to show them off at every combat assessment? They'd be showing the other side the geniuses they'd discovered, while taking the chance to strike a blow to their opponent's morale.
And if they could poach the other side's genius while they were at it, all the better!
"One of the geniuses my Thunder Dojo recruited early this time has already reached the physical fitness level of an Intermediate Warrior. He's beyond comparison with your lopsided, lame-legged genius."
The person in charge of the Thunder Dojo spoke quite rudely. Zhang Junbao's neural reaction speed was higher than both his punching power and speed, but in the man's mouth that had become "lame-legged." He was clearly mocking Zhang Junbao for having unbalanced talents.
Behind the burly man, a lean, muscular young man stood up, his whole body brimming with fighting spirit, as though afraid others would not know how strong he was.
"My name is Bai Zhan. I fought to earn that name. Before becoming a Quasi-Martial Artist, I defeated 100 opponents of the same level!
"Zhang Junbao, do you dare compete with me? Since the combat assessment doesn't allow martial artists to fight each other, let's see who can take first place in points!"
A fierce light shone in Bai Zhan's eyes. Like a man-eating beast, he was ready to strike at any moment.
Zhang Junbao glanced at him, then looked at Zhuge Tao's calm, unruffled expression. He was clearly testing him, so Zhang Junbao said,
"Then good luck. How could the demonic beasts in a single assessment town be enough to show off your genius? From now on, all the demonic beasts in the entire Wilderness Zone are yours to handle. With you around, the rest of humanity can sit back and enjoy the good life." Zhang Junbao did not take up his challenge, but instead raised him even higher.
Since Bai Zhan was so arrogant, a little flattery to set him up for a fall would do. Now they would see how he got himself down.
"You don't dare?" Bai Zhan felt as though he had put his strength in the wrong place. Zhang Junbao had not taken up his challenge at all.
"No, I told you, didn't I? Sweep the entire Wilderness Zone clean, and I'll be the first to acknowledge you!
"What's wrong? You don't dare?"
"I..."
Bai Zhan was furious, but he did not dare say he did. Even Hong, the world's strongest man, could not make such a claim, let alone him.
His muscles tensed, his fists clenched, and his whole body trembled as he prepared to lash out, but he was wary of the major figures around him.
"All right, Junbao, aren't you making things difficult for him by telling him to sweep the Wilderness Zone clean? Young people should have ambition, but they should also seek truth from facts."
Zhuge Tao spoke with a chuckle. With a few casual words, Zhang Junbao had provoked the Thunder Dojo's genius until he nearly lost control of his emotions. Everyone present was a major figure in their own right, so they could naturally see who was stronger and who was weaker.
"I'll take your lesson to heart, Supervisor!" Zhang Junbao bowed his head in agreement.
Clearly, the young fellow named Bai Zhan had not mastered the art of keeping his temper. A little provocation had nearly made him explode on the spot. He was a brute through and through.
"Bai Zhan, stand down. Zhuge, this young fellow of yours is rather interesting. He has an excellent temperament. Are you interested in joining my Thunder Dojo, young man? Our terms will definitely be better than the Limits Dojo's..."
"Get lost... Poaching my people right in front of me? Who gave you the nerve?" Zhuge Tao's face darkened.
"Hahaha, just a joke."
"Let's go down. The Martial Artist Combat Assessment is about to start," Zhuge Tao said, glancing downstairs.
Led by the military, Zhang Junbao and the other Quasi-Martial Artists, 1,768 in all, marched for a full half hour before reaching the outskirts of a sealed-off town. It was already evening, and only a few streaks of the sun's afterglow remained.
Outside the town, they could hear the constant, heart-pounding roars of beasts. Soldiers carrying firearms patrolled all around.
"Everyone!
"Your assessment will last twelve hours, from six thirty this evening until six thirty tomorrow morning!
"The more demonic beasts you kill, the more points you'll earn. For every monster you kill, cut off its left ear as proof.
"Remember, Quasi-Martial Artists are forbidden to kill one another. All your activities are under surveillance, so don't count on getting lucky. Violators will be shot on the spot!"
An officer made the announcement in a loud voice.
"Of you 1,768 Quasi-Martial Artists, those who rank in the top 60 in points will earn their martial artist qualifications. Everyone else will be eliminated!
"Remember, if you are seriously injured, you can press the emergency button on your Communication Watch, and someone will come to rescue you. However, your Martial Artist Combat Assessment will end at that point.
"Now, listen to my command. All Quasi-Martial Artists, move out! Enter the demonic beast town!"
The officer swept his arm forward, and all the Quasi-Martial Artists surged into the town in a mighty procession. Their momentum was so overwhelming that even the demonic beasts' roars were drowned out for a time.
"Close the gates!"
The officer gave the order. The Martial Artist Combat Assessment had officially begun!