Chapter 3: The Test

Chapter 3: The Test

The car raced for over ten minutes, and the skyscrapers lining the superconducting highway grew taller and taller. Buildings three to four hundred meters high were a common sight, with some even surpassing a thousand meters! The dense urban landscape seemed to have no end.

As they approached the city center, the traffic on the highway intensified. The number of layers and lanes on the road doubled, accommodating the influx of vehicles.

Chang'an, the capital of the Asia-Pacific Community, was one of the largest megacities on Earth. With nearly 40,000 square kilometers of the Guanzhong Plain incorporated into its metropolitan area, it boasted a permanent population of over 300 million. Its population density ranked among the top five globally.

Despite the government's repeated introduction of policies to discourage citizens from flocking to the capital, the efforts had yielded little success.

This was due to a combination of human nature and complex historical factors.

Managing a city of such immense size was undoubtedly a daunting task.

Chang'an was divided into 36 administrative districts. The Qishan District, where Ji Xinghuo resided, was located on the western outskirts, over a hundred kilometers away from the city center.

After a 20-minute drive, the car exited the highway and soon arrived at their destination—a stadium.

Ji Xinghuo stepped out of the car and looked up at the massive structure before him.

It was the Tianqin National Stadium, an iconic landmark in the capital. Its unique design resembled a speeding rhombus-shaped spaceship, with sharp edges and walls clad in silvery-gray glass that shimmered in the sunlight.

Sprawling over an area of more than 150,000 square meters, the stadium surprisingly had only 20 floors, a luxury in the space-constrained Chang'an city center.

This stadium was a sacred place for countless people across the country and the globe.

It served as the home stadium for multiple teams in the APC "Super League" and "First League".

Every week, numerous sporting events and performances were held here. It had hosted several "International Invitationals" and two "Super World Cups", witnessing countless thrilling battles and the birth of many world champions with illustrious reputations.

Ji Xinghuo had visited this stadium before to watch matches.

However, today he was here for a different reason—to undergo a physical fitness test. The Tianqin Stadium, being a public facility, housed an "Extraordinary People Service Center" established by the Starry Realm Department.

Ji Xinghuo entered through the main gate, and he found that the west side of the stadium, from the first to the fifth floor, belonged to the service center. It was bustling with people, mostly young, who, like him, were there for their physical tests. Some appeared nervous, while others remained calm, but all of them had eyes brimming with anticipation.

Having made an appointment for the service the night before, Ji Xinghuo followed the guidance to the second floor.

Soon, he arrived at a window.

"Ji Xinghuo," a female staff member in a white uniform called out his name. As she glanced at the screen and saw his photo, she subconsciously looked up at him, quickly scanning him with discreet scrutiny before a smile appeared on her face. "Mr. Ji, for the physical test?"

"Yes," Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Please verify your identity," the staff member said, her tone warm and friendly, a rarity for them.

Following her instructions, Ji Xinghuo stepped onto a designated area on the floor, where a ring-shaped instrument scanned him from head to toe and drew a small blood sample for anti-doping and gene detection.

"Please wait in the rest area, Mr. Ji. You will be notified of the results soon," the staff member informed him.

Ji Xinghuo made his way to the waiting area, his face calm and composed, though his heart stirred with anticipation.

The scan he had just undergone was a critical step, verifying his identity to prevent cases of citizens' identities being stolen and their allotted exotic species being claimed by impostors.

With the advancement of biotechnology, impersonating someone else's identity had become almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

Disguising one's appearance and physique was relatively simple, and even facial recognition, fingerprints, voice, and iris scans could be deceived. Genetic sequencing, considered the most secure method, could also be completely replicated if one was willing to pay a hefty price.

Such an incident had occurred in history, where a group had used gene technology to deceive the Extraordinary People Service Center and claim a series of high-quality exotic species illegally.

Since then, identity verification had become even more stringent.

Ji Xinghuo's identity, of course, was genuine, but he worried about the influence of the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil, especially the information in his right iris. If it didn't match, it could spell trouble. The night before, he had observed that unless he intentionally revealed it, the ring of light in his right pupil would remain hidden. Still, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

Fortunately, after a few minutes, he received the notification.

Verification successful!

Ji Xinghuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and made his way to the testing venue.

The Starry Realm Department had set up four tests: strength, speed, endurance, and willpower. Only the first three were directly related to physical fitness, while willpower could vary, as a strong body did not always equate to a strong will, and vice versa.

Each test had different passing standards.

Passing just one test was considered a success, granting the applicant eligibility for an exotic species.

The better the test results, the higher the score, and the more tests passed, the higher the overall evaluation, allowing for the application of higher-grade exotic species.

This place resembled a massive gym, filled with rows of barbells and racks. Several people were already undergoing their tests under the supervision of examiners, while others watched or warmed up on the side. The people around, regardless of gender, boasted sturdy and well-defined physiques, indicative of dedicated training.

The strength test was simple: a combination of unequipped bench presses, squats, and deadlifts. Each movement had to be performed ten times to be considered complete.

The sum of the weights lifted in these three exercises would then be calculated, and for males, a total of 500 kilograms or more was required to pass, while for females, the threshold was set at 350 kilograms.

The rules sounded simple, but they were challenging.

This standard straddled the line between having talent and lacking it. Those with a hint of talent and years of proper training, coupled with diligent effort and the aid of modern fitness technology, could attain a total weight of 500 kilograms.

However, the sad truth was that the vast majority of people lacked the discipline to persist in their training. Their lack of effort meant they never reached the level where their innate talent would become a deciding factor.

Those who dared to take the test were mostly confident in their ability to pass.

Ji Xinghuo was no exception.

Instead of watching others take their tests, he found a quiet corner, took off his shirt, and began warming up.

He started with a set of stretching exercises to get his blood flowing, then picked up a pair of five-kilogram dumbbells and lay back on an incline bench to perform a few sets of dumbbell flyes and rows. He then switched to heavier dumbbells before finally moving on to the barbell, gradually increasing the weight.

After about ten minutes, Ji Xinghuo's body was warmed up, and a light sheen of sweat covered his skin.

"Ji Xinghuo," a proctor called out from across the room, his voice carrying above the sounds of the gym, "are you here, Ji Xinghuo?"

"Here!" Ji Xinghuo replied, quickening his pace.

The proctor was a man in his thirties, tall and burly, standing over two meters tall. His trapezius muscles bulged prominently from his neck, stretching the fabric of his sleeveless shirt. He cut an intimidating figure, clearly an Extraordinary.

"He's probably a 'Giant General,' a mid-tier Extraordinary," Ji Xinghuo thought to himself, "a typical muscle-bound brute."

The proctor was also appraising Ji Xinghuo. After confirming his identity, his eyes swept over Ji Xinghuo's body, and he nodded slightly. "Your limb proportions are excellent, and you've trained well. Your musculature is very well-defined, but looks aren't everything. You'll need to push yourself harder if you want to meet the strength requirement and achieve an exceptional performance."

Ji Xinghuo was surprised by the proctor's keen eye.

Indeed, his strength was not particularly remarkable. It was only at the beginning of the year that he was consistently able to meet the standard. In the past, during his training at the gym, he would occasionally fail to complete all ten repetitions.

The men and women waiting for their tests also observed Ji Xinghuo.

The men's gazes were straightforward, merely assessing his muscular development, while the women's attention was focused on his face.

"How much weight are you going for?" the proctor asked.

"130 kilograms," Ji Xinghuo replied.

Ji Xinghuo loaded the barbell with the appropriate weight plates and adjusted the incline bench to match his body proportions. Then, he lay back, gripped the iron bar, and waited for the proctor's signal. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the barbell up and off the rack, lowering it until it touched his chest before pushing it back up.

He repeated this motion, completing ten repetitions in a fluid motion without pausing.

Throughout the set, Ji Xinghuo's expression remained calm, his face devoid of any signs of strain.

The proctor was a little surprised at how effortlessly Ji Xinghuo performed the exercise, but he quickly announced, "Motion completed, result valid. Bench press weight: 130 kilograms."

Ji Xinghuo himself was also surprised.

Although he had merged with the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil, aside from the enhancements to his visual senses, he hadn't noticed any increase in physical strength.

"It must be the effects of 'Observation' and 'Precision,'" he nodded to himself. These similar abilities granted by the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil allowed him to precisely gauge his own strength and execute the movements with greater accuracy, indirectly leading to an increase in his displayed strength.

"I should be able to push even heavier weights now."

However, Ji Xinghuo didn't rashly increase the weight. As long as he passed the test, that was enough.

For the next two exercises, squats and deadlifts, Ji Xinghuo smoothly completed the required number of repetitions, achieving weights of 181 kilograms and 195 kilograms, respectively. His total weight lifted was 506 kilograms, successfully passing the strength test.

Seeing the ease with which Ji Xinghuo performed, the proctor couldn't help but say, "Your strength ceiling is far beyond 506 kilograms. Go back and train harder. With some effort, you could easily increase your total by another 100 kilograms and earn a higher score. Why don't you consider trying again?"

Ji Xinghuo understood what he meant—he was suggesting that he forgo this test and come back later.

A higher score meant access to a better exotic species.

However, Ji Xinghuo already had a plan in mind.

"No need, please register my results. Thank you," Ji Xinghuo politely declined.

"What a shame..." The proctor shook his head, his face showing genuine regret. He had seen many talented individuals like Ji Xinghuo, but most lacked the patience to continue training beyond the point of merely passing the test. They were eager to rush through the process and obtain their exotic species without waiting a year or two longer.

The examiner didn't try to persuade him further and helped Ji Xinghuo register his results.

Ji Xinghuo left the Strength Hall and headed to the Speed Testing area next door, which had fewer people and about a dozen treadmills specifically for testing.

The speed test consisted of a 400-meter sprint, with a requirement of 52 seconds or less for males and 60 seconds for females.

The faster the time, the higher the score.

Since he had just finished warming up, Ji Xinghuo did a few stretches before stepping onto one of the treadmills. This type of treadmill was specially designed for speed testing, with a widened track that synchronized with the runner's pace, and a fan in front to simulate wind resistance.

As soon as the examiner confirmed his identity, Ji Xinghuo sprinted off, his long legs eating up the distance.

Pound, pound, pound...

His footfalls were quick and steady.

Ji Xinghuo felt relaxed during the first 300 meters, but as he approached the final 100-meter sprint, pushing himself to the limits of anaerobic exercise, lactic acid built up in his body, and his face began to contort.

"Test complete!"

The treadmill slowed to a stop, and Ji Xinghuo jumped off, supporting himself on his knees as he gasped for breath. His entire body was exhausted, and he even felt like vomiting.

Those final few seconds of sprinting felt like an hour.

This was why there were so few people taking the speed test; a 400-meter sprint was arguably the most painful and exhausting event for ordinary people. Moreover, speed testing required more innate talent than strength, and many people couldn't run faster no matter how hard they trained.

"45.8 seconds!"

Ji Xinghuo looked at the time on the treadmill, almost a full second faster than his previous personal best and far beyond the testing requirement.

The examiner beside him was astonished; it had been a long time since they'd seen such an excellent result.

After catching his breath, Ji Xinghuo left.

Previously, the Strength Testing examiner had commented that his strength training wasn't good enough, but this was intentional on Ji Xinghuo's part. His true forte was speed and burst, and if he focused on strength training to gain weight and muscle, his speed would suffer, and it might even hold him back.

The remaining two tests were endurance, a 10,000-meter run with a requirement of 33 minutes or less for males and 40 minutes for females, and willpower, enduring level-7 electric shocks for 10 minutes, with the same standard for both genders.

Ji Xinghuo could pass both of these tests.

He often tested himself during his training, able to complete the 10,000-meter run in under 29 minutes and endure the electric shocks for more than 10 minutes.

In fact, four years ago, when Ji Xinghuo was 18 years old, he had already met the speed testing standard, but he had waited until after graduating from university to take the tests, aiming to pass all four and get a higher score to apply for a Superlimit ability.

However, now that he had obtained the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil, he changed his plan and aimed for an Excellent ability, one level lower than Superlimit.

There were two reasons for this.

The first was that Ji Xinghuo wanted to maintain a low profile in the short term.

Applying for a Superlimit ability would require an independent assessment and background check by the Starry Realm Department, which would involve more than just scans and blood tests.

The department would thoroughly investigate his background and conduct multiple rounds of physical examinations and interviews, with officials at the Super Extraordinary level or even Legendary level conducting the assessments. Ji Xinghuo wasn't confident that the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil would go undetected.

Moreover, with his test results, he didn't have a 100% chance of obtaining a Superlimit ability.

There were too many geniuses among the 5.6 billion people in the Asia-Pacific Community!

Every year, several hundred people passed all four tests with perfect scores, and many of them were even younger, some still minors.

At 22 years old, Ji Xinghuo didn't have a significant advantage.

He estimated that his chances of obtaining a Superlimit ability were only one in three, and the risk of exposing the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil wasn't worth it.

The second reason was that Ji Xinghuo already had a plan for the next few years.

Based on the functions of the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil, fusing and adapting to a suitable exotic ability to quickly form combat strength, none of the Superlimit abilities available for application matched.

As Ji Xinghuo descended to the first floor of the Extraordinary People Service Center, he thought about his future plans.

"Hello, I've passed the physical tests, and I'd like to apply for an exotic species now," he said to the staff in the application room.

"Please wait a moment."

The staff member, a young woman, quickly confirmed his test results and asked, "Mr. Ji Xinghuo, which exotic species would you like to apply for?"

"Thousand Spirit Dexterity Hands," Ji Xinghuo replied without hesitation. "The Ranger's Thousand Spirit Dexterity Hands."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end