Chapter 517: Training Assessment
Chapter 517: Training Assessment
Chen Bitong spoke with a single phrase, his gaze sweeping across the five people in the field, including Chen Chuan, "If no one withdraws, then the assessment will begin right now."
All five of them wore serious expressions, standing still without moving.
Of course, no one would back out. Those who had made it this far might not be the most exceptional, but they certainly possessed some level of strength and had ample confidence in themselves.
Moreover, being able to participate in the training assessment would be a significant addition to one's resume. Even if they didn't pass, making it this far was already a testament to their abilities, surpassing many other students.
Chen Bitong waited for a moment, seeing that no one spoke up, and nodded, "Then let's begin."
As he spoke, Chen Chuan noticed the surroundings gradually dissolving, transforming into a desolate wilderness.
He scanned his surroundings, finding himself standing on a nearly treeless mudflat. There were numerous low-lying scattered shrubs, and he could see far into the distance.
During his previous training, he had encountered various complex terrains with dense vegetation, but a place like this was rare. It seemed this assessment would be particularly different.
Chen Bitong stood not too far from him and said, "Captain Chen, you're different from the others. You were among the first to enter the training program and have persisted until the end. Therefore, my assessment of you will be stricter.
I will place you in a simulated area where you won't know what will appear beforehand.
Some things you've encountered in training, and some you've never faced before. I will score you based on your choices and the creatures you eliminate.
As I mentioned before, and I'll remind you again, the Defense Department is paying close attention to this simulation. I hope you'll take it seriously.
Due to the high degree of realism in this simulation, it may cause you some harm. So, if you decide to give up halfway, just announce your withdrawal."
Chen Chuan responded earnestly, "Teacher Chen, I understand."
"Then let's begin," Chen Bitong turned and looked in one direction, "Follow that direction, and don't stop until the simulation ends."
As he finished speaking, his figure disappeared.
Chen Chuan glanced forward and began walking across the soft, sticky mudflat.
Golden light illuminated the wet, winding, and twisting mud, mixed with various plants, scattered mud clumps, and pebbles, resembling an overturned palette.
After taking only a few steps, he suddenly noticed countless black dots approaching with a buzzing sound. It was a swarm of fierce-looking creatures flying towards him.
He took a closer look and understood. No wonder they had chosen this open area; the sticky mudflat beneath his feet would hinder his movement, preventing him from escaping easily. If he didn't concede, he had to stay and deal with these creatures.
It was time to give it a try.
He thrust the Snow Lady Saber into the mud, and with a clanging sound, the blade slid out of its sheath, reflecting a sharp, cold light in the sunlight.
Half an hour later.
Gu Haiting and two other students emerged from the training field and came to the outside waiting area.
This assessment was indeed challenging, and they had managed to endure it for this long.
Gu Haiting sat down on the sofa and asked the waiter to pour him a cup of tea, which he drank leisurely.
Although he had come out earlier than expected, he didn't feel too disappointed. He was here not only to learn but also to communicate with Chen Chuan.
Both of these goals were progressing smoothly. Chen Chuan had secured the cooperation, and Gu Haiting had made it to the final assessment of the training.
He glanced at the training field, where only Yu Lie and Chen Chuan remained.
It was unclear who would last the longest.
Although Chen Chuan's strength surpassed Yu Lie's, it wasn't difficult to discern from the conversation between the two students that the assessment content was tailored to each individual. This made it hard to predict the outcome.
As they waited, two hours passed in a flash.
Gu Haiting was surprised, as this had already exceeded the daily simulation time. Undoubtedly, the city government had allocated additional resources for this assessment.
It seemed they were taking it very seriously.
A while later, Yu Lie emerged from the training field. He scanned the room and noticed that Chen Chuan wasn't among those present, so he clicked his tongue and went to sit and wait.
Meanwhile, in the simulated environment, Chen Chuan continued his arduous journey, constantly slaying various ferocious creatures that attacked him.
The terrain changed multiple times, each time increasing the difficulty.
By now, he felt he had exceeded the normal time limit, but there was no sign of stopping.
Suddenly, several tiny insects floated towards him. He didn't ignore them but turned his gaze, observing them closely.
The creatures in the convergence zone seemed to have no clear boundaries for growth. Within the group, some individuals appeared to possess the trait of infinite growth.
Those massive creatures—one couldn't tell what they had started as—might have been tiny insects that could be crushed underfoot.
After undergoing numerous metamorphoses, it is highly likely that it will transform into an unimaginable form.
In the simulated scenario, this aspect is vividly portrayed. Every encounter he has had so far could potentially undergo unpredictable metamorphoses. Before arriving, he had already experienced this at least twice.
There are also things that won't directly metamorphose, but any slight disturbance might attract a swarm of similar creatures. Therefore, he can't let his guard down for a moment and must remain vigilant, constantly observing the sudden changes in his surroundings.
According to Chen Bitong's usual explanation, the real Convergence Zone might not be as intense, but if one ventures into uncharted territories, the danger level could be just as high as what he's facing now.
As he continued to advance, he suddenly felt a slight tremor in the ground. He immediately stood still, and about twenty meters ahead, a patch of ground bulged upward.
His gaze fixed on that spot, and it seemed like something big was about to happen.
With a boom, the soil exploded, and a large insect with disheveled bristles and a hard shell emerged from underground.
Its body was grayish-black, and eight sturdy limbs supported its heavy body. Behind it, a translucent membrane wing was firmly attached to its side, and its body length was about four meters. Beneath its compound eyes was a massive pincer-like mouthpart.
As it appeared, the surrounding soil stirred, and more similar smaller insects emerged. As far as the eye could see, similar movements occurred within a few kilometers.
He hadn't seen this type of creature before, but he could tell it was an Insect Sovereign, a mutated form that had metamorphosed from within a colony.
Based on resource and time estimates, this might be the final assessment point.
He had no knowledge of this creature's attack methods or characteristics. If this were the real Convergence Zone, the best option would be to retreat, but since this was an assessment, retreating wasn't an option. He had no choice but to face it head-on.
He planted the Snow Lady Saber into the ground, reached into his pocket, and took out a stone. With a slight pause, he swung his hand and threw the stone at the insect!
The stone smashed against the outermost hard shell, shattering into fragments, leaving only shallow traces, indicating the insect's incredibly tough carapace.
However, he didn't throw the stone to cause harm but to make a simple judgment based on the collision marks, allowing him to devise a reasonable tactic.
This method wasn't taught by Chen Bitong but was a technique he had developed through confrontations with various creatures.
At that moment, the small insects emerged from the muddy ground, flapped their wings, and flew towards him, seemingly to give him a direct experience. The plants on the ground were instantly devoured as the insects passed by.
The most challenging aspect of dealing with such a swarm was not only the presence of large insects but also the countless individuals in the group. A single misstep in dealing with them could lead to failure.
Chen Chuan's eyes were calm, and he took a deep breath, causing his mutated body to tense up.
With a whoosh, the swarm of insects surrounded him, and within a few breaths, they completely covered him, leaving only a vague outline of a human shape.
The rest of the insects continued to swarm, and soon they formed a thick insect ball that kept expanding.
As more insects arrived, the later ones couldn't cling on and were about to fall off. Suddenly, a vibration emanated from within.
It was as if a ripple spread, and then the constantly crawling mass of insects suddenly stopped, followed by a rustling sound as they collapsed like a sandpile, revealing the figure inside.
Chen Chuan brushed off the remaining insect corpses from his body.
His eyes shone brightly, and there wasn't a single scratch on his body. His hat and protective suit remained intact.
This was a fully simulated reality, so if he wasn't bitten by these insects here, it meant he wouldn't be harmed in the real world either.
Chen Bitong taught him this method of attracting the swarm and then killing them all at once.
Killing the insects one by one was inefficient and exhausting, so the best approach was to lure them together and eliminate them with force, but the prerequisite was that the fighter could withstand the swarm.
If one wasn't careful in the Central Blossom, they might truly blossom.
However, as he looked ahead, he saw the Insect Sovereign assume a posture, spreading its membrane wings and expanding the membrane flaps on its chest and abdomen, which trembled vigorously.
At the same time, he felt an intense sense of danger, as if invisible waves were approaching, causing him to feel as if countless fine needles were piercing his body, both externally and internally, shaking his organs and mutated tissues as if they were about to be torn apart.
The smaller insects that had gathered nearby now fell in a massive fan shape, forming a thick layer of insect corpses several fingers deep.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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