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墨書 Inktalez
The setting sun bled into the horizon, and the swirling Firecloud above seemed to be torn into a net-like pattern, stretching across the sky. Flocks of birds called out as they returned to their nests in the twilight.
Scattered across the hunting grounds, the References emerged like returning birds, trickling out from the vast expanse of the field in small groups, all heading toward the nearest exit.
These individuals were striving to enter the Special Training Camp. Some were covered in blood, exhausted and battered; others were wrapped in bandages, their bodies marked with injuries; while some walked out with a sense of relief, as if liberated. Regardless of their condition, they left behind a hunting ground that had turned into a brutal slaughterhouse.
The content of this Practical Assessment was far from what everyone had initially anticipated. In this assessment, they lost comrades, loved ones, confidants, and even their lives.
Even though there was still half an hour left until the end of the assessment, fierce battles continued to unfold near the closest exit. After two nights of real combat hunting, ammunition had long been depleted; what remained was a struggle of hand-to-hand combat and Pulse Energy confrontations.
Many clever References withdrew from the assessment shortly after the announcement of the Special Grade Exam Monster. Those who remained each had their own motives. At the northeastern exit of Hunting Ground No. 1, a solid stone wall stood tall with a high iron mesh above it. High-energy cannons were set up along this barrier, constantly rotating their barrels as radar scanned for any aggressive targets, ready to fend off any approaching monsters or those References outside who dared to have ill intentions.
The Metal Gate No. 1 was no longer tightly closed; it had swung open, allowing individuals to continuously emerge with their respective gains.
“Dog Brother, you’re still alive?”
“Yeah! You didn’t die either!”
“Let’s go grab a drink after I finish my task!”
There were joyful reunions among those who had survived; for them, it felt like they had finally made it through this ordeal.
…
“Afan, where’s your brother?”
“Dad, I’m sorry, A Di…”
There were also heartbreaking hopes among them; for these individuals, a difficult future was just beginning.
The square at the entrance was filled with scenes of mixed emotions as people flowed in and out. Many stood in small groups chatting after completing their tasks.
Before long, a commotion erupted at the exit.
“Look, ‘Blood Bat Wings’’s Su Kui is coming out!”
“Hey, look at that backpack; he must have gathered quite a haul!”
Many people watched as a tall man, dark-skinned and as sturdy as an ox, emerged carrying a bulging military backpack. A crowd at the entrance buzzed with discussion, seemingly recognizing him among these Evaluators.
“Wow, here comes another one!” someone shouted from the crowd.
Instantly, many turned to look behind, where a young man with bare arms, covered in tattoos and sporting long, unkempt hair, staggered forward. He was struggling to carry a massive red wild boar on his back, its size comparable to that of an elephant!
“It’s a Flame Beast Pig!”
“I’ve heard my uncle talk about this creature; it’s fierce as fire and bloodthirsty. You need at least a hundred or so people to handle one!”
“This Fellow actually killed one by himself; that’s incredible.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
At the exit, Evaluators emerged with their bountiful catches, while others returned empty-handed. Naturally, their expressions differed—one group beamed with confidence while the other wore looks of despair.
The registration area for submitting tasks had formed a long line, but it moved quickly. At the front stood a Chief Examiner and a Reviewer, checking and verifying the submissions of the Evaluators. They only asked for results and not the process. The two examiners worked in perfect sync, their assessments nearly identical. Of course, those with keen eyes could spot impostors trying to submit false tasks; with a shout, several fully armed soldiers would rush out to apprehend them and hand them over to the Disciplinary Committee for further action.
Lu Fei Fan stepped out of the exit carrying an unremarkable bag. He gazed at the bustling square filled with people returning from the wilderness to civilization, feeling as if he had stepped into another world. Regardless, the hunting grounds he had just left were now far behind him. Many of those who had pursued him lay defeated within; some were injured or unconscious, and the worst-case scenario was that they had been devoured by beasts or were fortunate enough to await rescue.
As for his relentless enemies, Lu Fei Fan welcomed them with ‘enthusiasm’; he firmly believed in repaying any grievances—a noble trait deeply ingrained in him.
One must understand that kindness towards enemies is cruelty towards oneself.
Standing in line behind others to register his task, Lu Fei Fan felt satisfied with how well he had completed his Aptitude Test. It was time to submit his task for review.
At that moment, a commotion erupted at the front of the line.
“Damn it, why do you think I didn’t pass the exam?”
“Hmph, your cheating methods are too clumsy, aren’t they? Do you really think that soaking wolf teeth in blood can pass for the teeth of an Electric Dog? Ridiculous…”
The Chief Examiner waved his pen dramatically.
“Liao Qiba! Cheating during the assessment, your exam results are canceled! You are barred from participating in the Aptitude Test for three years!”
With that, he handed the score sheet to the Reviewer beside him. Without even glancing at it, the Reviewer stamped it with an approval seal and tossed it back to the furious Evaluator.
The Evaluator kicked the table in frustration and reached for his weapon at his waist to attack the Chief Examiner and Reviewer. However, just as he drew his Energy Pistol, bang!
An Energy Bullet struck him, causing him to tremble violently before collapsing to the ground, frothing at the mouth, rendered unconscious by the electric shock.
The Chief Examiner waved his hand dismissively, and two soldiers stepped forward to drag the disruptive Fellow away, tossing him into a nearby large truck where several other dejected individuals sat inside. Outside, a few Armored Soldiers stood guard over these unruly Evaluators—more accurately, these eliminated Evaluators.
The task registration continued as usual; those in line behind remained unaffected by the ruckus up front. They submitted their monster specimens and reported their names and identification numbers. As long as the Chief Examiner deemed their specimens acceptable, they would be registered without issue.
Lu Fei Fan stood at the back of the line, unhurried. He glanced around the square; that shot had come from a building behind him. He could pinpoint the shooting location accurately—there lay a soldier clad in Energy Armor, crouched with an Energy Sniper Rifle. Behind him were several Armored Warriors patrolling nearby buildings as well. They were all set up as shooting points but were using energy Plasma Bullets against the troublemakers—specifically, reduced-power Plasma Bullets.
While not lethal, these shots were enough to incapacitate an ordinary person or someone with a basic foundation in Fumai Energy.
At the same time, Lu Fei Fan noticed that behind the Chief Examiner and Reviewer in that building stood several formidable individuals with considerable Fumai Energy levels. Any troublemaker with even a bit of strength would undoubtedly face ruthless elimination.
Of course, those who submitted their tasks honestly would find that as long as their results were legitimate, both the Chief Examiner and Reviewer would register them promptly without excessive scrutiny or difficulty. They would simply issue a number tag for them to wait for notification.
As the line progressed, it soon reached Lu Fei Fan.
“Name.”
“Lu Fei Fan.”
“Mission specimen.”
Lu Fei Fan pulled a pouch containing the gland of a Venomous Nest Spider from his backpack. The Chief Examiner glanced at it and wrote down his name along with the mission details on the report card he was holding, then handed it to the Reviewer. The Reviewer nodded and seemed to pause for a moment.
“Hmm... it looks like someone has already registered a task for you earlier...”
The Reviewer said, raising his hand to tap a few buttons on his wristwatch. A holographic screen popped up, and he scrolled through it before nodding in confirmation.
“Yes, someone has indeed registered a task for you.”
Now it was Lu Fei Fan’s turn to be puzzled. Could it be A Teng or Dali who did this?
They must have been worried about him not being able to come out, so they helped him register for a mission. With this thought in mind, he asked further questions. The Reviewer wrote down a number on his report card and handed it along with a number tag to Lu Fei Fan, his tone slightly friendlier.
“Congratulations, just wait patiently for the notification when you get back.”
With that, he no longer paid attention to him.
After completing the registration, Lu Fei Fan felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. No matter what, he had officially become a Fuser. Once he earned enough recognition as a Fuser, he could join the Special Operations Team and start making money.
He wondered how things were at home. With that thought, Lu Fei Fan quickened his pace and left the bustling registration square, heading to the living area of Monster Base where he found a Virtual Network Hub. This place was filled with helmet-style brain devices that only allowed users to log into the Virtual Network while seated.
As soon as he logged into the Virtual Network, Lu Fei Fan was overwhelmed by a flood of information. The first messages he saw were from A Teng and Niu Dali searching for him. He opened the messages and sent them an address before starting to sort through the information, ignoring all emails related to Virtual Battlefield.
Just as he finished processing these emails, the Hero appeared.
“Hey, our busy bee finally has time to log into the Virtual Network? It’s been so long since we last met; have you almost forgotten about me? Hmph! If I weren’t managing your pathetic Special Operations Team, it would have fallen apart ages ago. But I can’t be bothered to help you with those emails; I mean, someone actually sent you one? And it’s from a guy too—tch tch tch…”
As soon as he logged in, the Hero launched into a tirade of complaints and mockery without holding back at all.
“Cough, this is an assessment, so no communication devices allowed. Hero, what have you been busy with lately?”
“Hmph, of course, I’ve been training those network engineers from the National Defense Department. It’s so boring that I just stirred up the stock market a bit to have some fun with them…”
Lu Fei Fan listened, breaking into a cold sweat. It sounded playful, but he could imagine the bloody chaos of a turbulent stock market; all the strings were being pulled by this so-called noble machine, Intelligent.
“Cough, Hero, I’d like to contact my family. Is there any way you can help…”
“That’s not a problem at all. Although your mother doesn’t usually go on the Virtual Network, this is easy for me. I’ll connect you to her phone… Beep—”
Before long, the virtual channel was filled with the sound of a phone ringing.
“Hello? Who is this?” His mother’s familiar voice came through, sounding somewhat tired.
Lu Fei Fan felt a surge of excitement and quickly replied, “Mom…”
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