Chapter 147: The Exam
Chapter 147: The Exam
By the end of May, Chen Chuan had made all the necessary preparations for his assessment. He had informed his aunt's family in advance, explaining that he would be going on a special training trip with Cheng Zitong and might venture into the wilderness, making communication difficult.
Chen Chuan had also written several letters beforehand, which he would ask Cheng Zitong to send out later. This way, he could reassure his family and create the illusion that he was staying in one place.
These letters were not only for his family but also for acquaintances at the company and classmates from the academy, including his old classmate Ding Jiao and others. However, to avoid appearing too deliberate, these were just precautions, and there was no need to send them if unnecessary.
Chen Chuan had to be extra cautious, especially after what had happened to Shen Zheng. Moreover, Shen Zheng had already obtained the Infinite Defense Certificate at that time, so Chen Chuan, who had not yet acquired it, needed to be doubly careful.
For the familiar students, Chen Chuan had already casually mentioned in previous conversations that he would be following his instructor's guidance for cultivation. Therefore, the students had a vague idea about this, and when he brought it up now, it didn't seem abrupt at all. Many of them wished him success in his upcoming training.
On the evening of the 30th, around 11 p.m., Chen Chuan carried a suitcase and a box containing the Xuejun Sword and got into Cheng Zitong's car.
The car headed west, leaving Yangzhi City, and after driving for over six hours, they arrived at Shangbu City, located southwest of Yangzhi City. Shangbu City was situated at the junction of two prefectural roads and served as an essential hub for water and land transportation.
According to the assessment procedure, Chen Chuan needed to make a phone call here, and a member of the assessment team would arrive to hand him a train ticket, allowing him to travel by train to the next designated stop.
From this point on, he had to make his way to the examination site independently.
After getting off the car, Chen Chuan said to Cheng Zitong, "Teacher, you can head back now. From here on, I'll have to continue on my own."
Cheng Zitong looked at him with a hint of emotion and said, "You've grown taller since last year. Time really flies." He stepped forward and added, "Focus on the assessment. Don't worry about the school or your family; I'll take care of everything. And be careful out there. I'll be waiting for your news in Yangzhi." As he spoke, he patted Chen Chuan's shoulder firmly.
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "I'll keep that in mind, teacher."
"I'm heading back now. Oh, and I left something in the box for you. You might find it useful. Take a look at it later."
Cheng Zitong waved at him and then got back into the car. As the engine roared to life, the car drove away. After seeing Cheng Zitong off, Chen Chuan adjusted his hat and turned towards the nearby station square.
He glanced at his watch; it was not yet 6 a.m., but the square was already bustling with people carrying large and small packages. The morning sun shone from behind him, illuminating most of the square and the sturdy walls of the railway station.
Scanning his surroundings, Chen Chuan spotted a row of public phone booths at the edge of the square. He walked over and found a booth with a shorter queue. After waiting for the person inside to finish, he stepped in, picked up the receiver, and dialed the number provided by the assessment team. After waiting for a while, the call connected.
"I've arrived at the designated station," Chen Chuan said.
The person on the other end replied, "Wait there," and then hung up with a click.
Chen Chuan exited the phone booth and, while passing a newsstand, bought a newspaper and two story magazines. He then sat down on a waiting bench in the square.
Half an hour later, an ordinary-looking man appeared beside Chen Chuan. He held a piece of paper with a string of numbers, which he had taken from the back of the train ticket. After contemplating for a moment, Chen Chuan asked, "What should I do if the phone number is incorrect or I can't reach anyone after arriving at the destination?"
The man replied, "You can call me again, and I'll make new arrangements. The time spent waiting won't be counted against your assessment, but you'll have to cover any additional expenses yourself. The assessment team won't be responsible for those."
Chen Chuan nodded, "Then I have no further questions."
The man rolled up the newspaper in his hand and stood up, walking away and quickly merging into the crowd.
Chen Chuan didn't leave immediately but continued reading the newspaper for a while before standing up and entering the station.
Upon entering the waiting hall, he checked the schedule and chose a seat near the edge. After more than an hour, an announcement informed him that his train had arrived, and he could board with his ticket.
He stood up, smoothly passed through the ticket gate, and found a train with a black body already waiting at the platform. He let a vendor selling snacks pass by and then boarded the train. After walking a few carriages, he located his seat, placed his suitcase and the box containing the Xuejun Sword on the overhead rack, and sat down.
It seemed the assessment team had a tight budget, as Chen Chuan had to travel almost a full day, and the ticket they provided was not for a sleeper berth but a seat.
However, Chen Chuan didn't mind. As a resilient martial artist, he had low demands in this regard and could even rest while standing.
He took out a tube of nutritional cream, tore it open, and ate it while continuing to read the newspaper.
This was Chen Chuan's first time traveling far from home. The local news and newspapers in Yangzhi City rarely covered external affairs, and the same was true here in Shangbu City. The local news dominated, but as a transportation hub, there were at least some updates from other cities connected by the hub.
At this moment, a short man carrying a heavy-looking bag struggled to lift it onto the overhead rack. He tried several times, even standing on his toes, but the bag kept sliding down. With a pained expression, he asked Chen Chuan, "Buddy, can you give me a hand?"
Chen Chuan looked up and, with a simple lift of his hand, effortlessly placed the bag onto the rack.
"Thanks, buddy. I must say, you're really tall and well-built. Do you practice martial arts?" The man admired Chen Chuan and glanced at the box containing the Xuejun Sword on the rack before offering him a cigarette.
Chen Chuan declined with a gesture and sat back down. The man didn't seem to mind, but he was a friendly and talkative person. He inquired about Chen Chuan's destination, and Chen Chuan casually replied, leading the man to share details about his family, the business trip, and the challenges of doing business in such turbulent times.
The man talked incessantly, but his eyes kept darting around, wary of their surroundings. Chen Chuan didn't show any signs of impatience; he simply continued reading his newspaper.
A few men with unfriendly gazes approached, noticing their conversation. They glanced at Chen Chuan, hesitated, and whispered something before leaving.
The man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
After a while, the train's whistle blew, and the train beneath them finally started moving. The man fell silent, gazing at the passing scenery outside.
Three stops later, he reached his destination. He quickly put on his hat, grabbed his luggage, and, before leaving, whispered, "Thanks, bro."
Chen Chuan glanced at him and nodded.
As the train continued its journey, the passengers across from him kept changing, and the sky outside gradually darkened until it was pitch black.
Chen Chuan, sensing the time was right, went to the washroom for a quick freshen up and then returned to his seat to rest.
He realized that after altering his internal organs, they didn't simply merge into one; the altered tissue seemed like an additional set of organs that could alternate with the original ones for rest.
When one set was dormant, the other could remain active. It was as if these organs were designed specifically for combat.
As a result, any slight disturbance or environmental inconsistency would immediately trigger his senses, allowing him to react swiftly.
Perhaps due to his intimidating appearance and the intangible aura of a fighter, even in the crowded train, no one dared to provoke him. Even pickpockets, upon seeing him, consciously kept their distance, clearly possessing keen instincts.
In the 619 version, reading is never wrong!
The next day, as the first rays of sunlight appeared on the horizon, Chen Chuan opened his eyes and looked outside. The scenery had become desolate, and the carriage was sparsely occupied by passengers who remained silent. A few of them had a foundation in martial arts.
Chen Chuan understood that these people likely shared his destination—the Chaos Region—where self-defense skills were a necessity.
Around six in the morning, the train finally reached the last stop of his journey. The friction between the wheels and tracks gradually diminished as the train slowed to a stop, releasing steam through the valve. With the release of the residual steam, the exhaust pipe emitted a long hiss, making the surrounding sounds clearer.
Chen Chuan retrieved his luggage, took the sheath containing the Xuejun Blade, and disembarked from the train. As he exited the station, he felt a chill in the air, and the ground was covered in leftover snow. Many people were wrapped in thick clothing, but he felt quite comfortable. To avoid drawing too much attention, he also wrapped a scarf around his neck.
The travelers passing by were all in a hurry, rarely gathering in groups. On both sides of the station stood security guards with guns, their eyes sharp as they scanned the crowd in the square.
After a few glances, Chen Chuan found a phone booth at the edge of the square. He inserted a coin and dialed the number the man had given him. When the call connected, he said, "I've arrived," and reported a number from a piece of paper.
A husky female voice answered, "I'll be there soon."
In less than a quarter of an hour, a modified off-road vehicle approached and stopped a short distance away from him. The driver gestured for him to get in.
Chen Chuan saw that the driver was a woman in her late twenties, wearing a short jacket and a pair of goggles on her forehead. She looked quite pretty, but there were signs of weathering around her eyes, and her gaze was sharp and uninviting.
He walked over, opened the door, and sat down. The woman spoke first, "So, you're the test candidate, Chen?" Chen Chuan nodded and asked, "May I ask your surname?"
"It's okay, my surname is Hu. I'm Hu Xian."
Chen Chuan said, "So, you're Ms. Hu. Thank you for picking me up. Are you also part of the assessment team?"
Hu Xian replied with a wide smile, "Yes, I'm the assessor. I'm also responsible for providing you with intelligence, weapons, and logistical support, as well as..." She glanced at the rearview mirror, "...collecting your remains if necessary."
As she stared at Chen Chuan, she added, "I can tell you've got experience, but every year, there are candidates who get seriously injured or even die during the assessment. I hope you won't become one of them, or I'll have more trouble."
Chen Chuan asked, "Ms. Hu, have you been here for a long time?"
"It's just a job. No one else wants to come to this broken place, but I have no connections. Every time they change the leader, they think I'm doing a good job. They look at my file and go, 'Hey, no mistakes here. Okay, you can stay.'"
Hu Xian mocked herself for a moment, then slammed the accelerator, driving the off-road vehicle at high speed. In about ten minutes, they arrived at an old-style inn and stopped. She led Chen Chuan inside and asked the pretty woman at the reception desk for a key, which she then tossed to Chen Chuan.
"This inn is my private business. The first three days are free, but after that, you'll have to pay. If you need anything, talk to Old Wan, the bearded guy at the door. Don't be fooled by his rough appearance; he's actually very detail-oriented. He can run a horse on his elbow and embroider with his fingers. You can trust him with anything."
Chen Chuan followed her upstairs to a room. The living room had a thick carpet on the floor, a chandelier hanging above, and a long wooden table in the center. On the wall was a dartboard.
Hu Xian walked over and opened the window, "The view here is decent, and you can get some sunlight. If you don't like it, we can change rooms, but this is as good as it gets here."
Chen Chuan took a look and nodded, "No need to change." He put down his suitcase and asked, "Do you need to inspect my belongings? My contact said there's a procedure for that."
Hu Xian glanced at him and said, "No need. How much stuff can you bring here? And what can't you find in this place? Wait for me a moment." She turned and left, returning shortly with a stack of booklets that she tossed onto Chen Chuan's table, saying, "These are your assessment targets."
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(End of Chapter)
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