https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-358-Qian-Yi-s-Restriction-Lifted-/12955956/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-360-Fermenting-Public-Opinion-Targeted-by-the-Internet-/12955958/
Chapter 359: The Mysterious Backdoor Entrant!
Chapter 359: The Mysterious Backdoor Entrant!
The sun shone brightly, bathing the entire Linzhou in its warm rays.
Early in the morning, in front of the Beastmaster Association's headquarters and various local branches, crowds gathered, each figure brimming with anticipation.
Some were accompanied by their parents, while others stood alone.
But there was no doubt that every one of them, regardless of gender, exuded youthful vigor and confidence.
They had every reason to be confident, having passed the initial test of the professional assessment, setting them apart from the millions of eligible young beastmasters in Jianghai Province and Linzhou City.
These individuals were on the path to becoming professional beastmasters, focusing on cultivating their companion beasts for combat rather than pursuing other ordinary professions.
In this world, becoming a professional combat beastmaster was indeed enviable.
And in this professional assessment, they were among the select few eligible to participate in the final test in Jianghai.
The professional assessment process consisted of three stages: the initial test, the provincial trial, and the final evaluation.
The initial test, or the registration phase, involved providing information such as age, name, and companion beast, but most importantly, it included a mandatory assessment.
Initially, anyone under 24 years old and below the Overlord rank was eligible to participate.
However, despite this requirement, no beastmasters who had reached the Sovereign rank by the age of 24 or younger were present. Instead, a large number of graduates and even some with pet cats and dogs had come to join the fray.
Although this assessment was open to all young beastmasters, those who didn't even qualify as cannon fodder might end up soiling themselves in the survival battle during the provincial trial. Not only would they embarrass themselves on a national or even global scale, but the potential loss of lives would be a significant issue.
Therefore, the initial test had a significant prerequisite: participants must be at least Elite Sixth Rank!
This requirement immediately eliminated 99.99% of the millions of eligible candidates in Jianghai Province.
Thus, those who had gathered here, meeting the requirements for the provincial trial in Jianghai Province, were indeed the cream of the crop.
This explained why each of them arrived with a confident and proud demeanor.
However, this very reason also led to a sense of impatience among these young elites as they stood before the Beastmaster Association's still-closed doors, bathed in the early morning sunlight:
"Isn't the provincial trial officially starting tomorrow? Why are we here so early?"
"Yeah, we're here, but no one is receiving us?"
"Enough chatter! Today, the president of the Jianghai Province Beastmaster Association will personally address us and distribute some necessary equipment!"
"Exactly! With so many people, how can they distribute equipment individually during the actual exam?"
Some explained, while others were curious: "What kind of equipment?"
"Isn't the provincial trial a survival battle? This isn't a joke. It's not like the small skirmishes in the trial secret realms. In the survival trial secret realm, there are real ferocious beasts. What if we encounter life-threatening situations? Who would risk their lives?"
"I've never faced a real ferocious beast before. Let's see how my Drillhead Armadillo fares against them!"
Some were excited, while others expressed concern:
"What equipment is the Association providing? Is it dangerous or potentially harmful? My Little White hates pain..."
In an instant, the entire Beastmaster Association's entrance, this vast square, became a hub of commotion.
Peace had prevailed for too long in this era, and for many young beastmasters, this was their first real combat experience.
This situation presented both a challenge and an opportunity!
However, the chaotic atmosphere was abruptly silenced by a terrifying aura that emerged, leaving the Beastmaster Association's courtyard eerily quiet.
Then, exclamations of surprise erupted from the crowd.
At that moment, a massive figure descended from the sky, appearing not far above everyone's heads before hovering in mid-air.
"A dragon! It's a dragon!"
Someone exclaimed, pointing at the figure in the sky, while some locals from Linzhou understood the situation and, despite their surprise, feigned disdain, acting like country bumpkins from the outskirts.
"What's so surprising? The president of our Jianghai Beastmaster Association, Master Qin, has a Wooden Dragon just like this! It's a true Divine Dragon!"
The mention of a Divine Dragon and Wooden Dragon captivated the young boys and girls who aspired to become Beastmasters, causing them to widen their eyes and gaze at the figure standing atop the dragon's head in the sky.
Qin Er Long's expression was solemn, his messy black hair moved without wind, giving him the appearance of a true master.
His sharp gaze swept downwards, quickly locking onto the large crowd below:
"Quiet! You're all here today, and I'm sure you've guessed why. Yes, it's the Survival Battle mode for the Provincial Trial. I won't go into too much detail about the rules and the conditions for victory. You can find all the specifics on the official website of the Jianghai Beastmaster Association.
So, the reason you're here today is to distribute your personal watches and pre-register your information and details. Since there are many of you, we're doing this two days in advance. I hope you all understand!"
Qin Er Long's tone was extremely calm, but it still caused many to clench their fists.
In this era, fame meant attention, wealth, and access to resources beyond one's current class.
This was an opportunity for everyone.
Even if one didn't make it into the top ten, which was like a thousand soldiers crossing a log bridge, there were still thousands of candidates who passed the preliminary trial.
How difficult would it be to rank in the top ten among them?
But just making it into the top hundred would be a significant achievement in one's life.
Entering major companies or pursuing other paths would be an honorable mention!"
Facing a true Emperor-rank Beastmaster, no one dared to be disrespectful, not even the most rebellious young Cultivators, who obediently lined up.
The first in line was a young Beastmaster around the age of twenty-four. He was excited.
The first to distribute the numbers and devices was none other than Qin Er Long, the president, slowly descending from the sky, not the staff behind him.
In the quickly formed queues, this young man's cheeks flushed as he looked at President Qin.
Qin Er Long didn't say much but smiled and took out a watch:
"Put it on. 0002, this is your number. You'll need to enter your name and student ID later. The number is based on your registration order."
"You can see your ranking and real-time updates on the watch. There's also a safety button. Pressing it will activate an energy shield, ensuring your safety and allowing you to leave the Trial Realm.
Of course, once you press it, your trial ends, and your score at that moment becomes your final score. Understand?"
"Yes, understood!"
The young man quickly took the watch and put it on, but soon after, he paused:
"President Qin, is this number based on the registration order? But there's no one in front of me. Shouldn't it be 0001 or 0000?"
Qin Er Long wasn't surprised by the question and smiled:
"0001 has already been taken. That person had something to do and couldn't come, so they sent someone to collect it. You can check the details on the watch. By the latest, before dawn the day after tomorrow, all participants must enter their names and student IDs."
The young man blinked and slightly frowned, thinking it might be against the rules.
They all knew how challenging the preliminary trial was, but President Qin seemed to be blatantly pulling strings. However, no one dared to speak up in front of him, though the young man and some behind him had furrowed brows.
They had made up their minds to see who this person was, who dared to pull strings and use connections at this critical time, right under the nose of President Qin.
As the news spread, the attention it garnered grew even more significant.
Especially within the circle of participants, as the Battle Royale mode had already prompted many young Beastmasters to team up with their trusted friends.
Although a large number of people had gathered in Linzhou, the circle was surprisingly small. Even those who weren't in the queue had heard about it through the grapevine.
Someone dared to pull strings at a time like this! This was a matter of provincial, even national, concern!
Obviously, the mysterious person's background was unknown, but it was evident that their identity was extraordinary and shocking. This person had undoubtedly attracted the attention of countless others.
Even in the subsequent group chat of over a thousand people, some openly discussed the matter.
"Who is this young master? Could he be President Qin's grandson?"
"Impossible! Don't talk nonsense! President Qin only has one granddaughter, and she's already guaranteed a spot in the Capital Academy for the final test. President Qin would never do something like this for his own family!"
"Then who could it be? Speaking of which, this person hasn't registered their name or graduation year yet. Could they be returning from a higher-level academy to our Linhai?"
"Impossible! There are indeed such cases, but Linzhou, Shuhua, and Shuiyuan only have a few who returned early. Who has the qualifications to have President Qin pull strings for them?"
At this point, someone's mind worked quickly.
In an instant, they directly tagged certain individuals in the group chat.
"@Yan Fan, Brother Yan, has anyone asked you to team up and carry them through?"
"Yes, if someone is pulling strings, they must be struggling to pass the preliminary test. So, if they want to gain experience and enhance their reputation, they would definitely look for someone with strength. Brother Yan is one of the few here who have reached the Overlord Tenth Layer, so they would definitely approach him."
Some understood the intentions of the person who spoke up.
Among those asked were the young Beastmasters who had the potential to win or rank in the top ten in the Jianghai competition.
However, the responses were all the same: they hadn't heard of it!
After all, if President Qin were to pull strings, even if they didn't want to, they wouldn't refuse out of respect for his status and connections.
But the problem was, they genuinely hadn't heard anything.
It was evident that some of them were sincere in their inquiries, and perhaps some had secretly promised to bring someone along for the ride.
But in such a large group, no one would openly admit it.
Naturally, their questions were met with skepticism, and even private messages to close acquaintances yielded no results.
The topic shifted slightly from who this person was to the feasibility of finding a strong team leader.
However, everyone knew that the provincial trial was conducted in this manner because of the large number of participants and the need for a relatively quick decision.
But once they reached the Imperial Capital and the national television broadcast, no one would be carried through. It was absurd to think that someone could be brought into the top ten.
Just as the discussion in this temporary large group was heating up, a sudden message broke through the rapidly scrolling chat.
"!!! That guy with ID number 0001 finally registered his name and graduation year. I get it now; I understand why President Qin would pull strings for him."
The abrupt statement made the entire chat group go silent, as everyone immediately checked who this mysterious person was.
And indeed, in this search, the enigmatic participant with ID number 0001 finally appeared before everyone's eyes.
【ID: 0001】
【Name: Su Ping, Age: 19, Graduation: 24th batch, Linzhou No. 6 Middle School, Class 2...】
(End of Chapter)
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