Chapter 1206: Chapter 1206: Star Sea (11)
The Holy Light Empire’s Advanced Martial Examination tests candidates’ combat strength, endurance, intellect, and willpower.
A completely unfamiliar planet, an exceedingly harsh environnt, and mutated creatures lurking in the shadows—all of these present a vast challenge to the candidates’ comprehensive abilities.
Every candidate is equipped with the sa gear and materials, and combined with an exceptionally strict proctoring system, the exam ensures fairness to a great extent.
However, absolute fairness has never truly existed.
Children born to Noble Clans or Scholar Families, if gifted in Martial Arts, begin disciplined training from a young age and are provided with abundant resources.
For Wang Chen, leaving Azure Star for the first ti, any Ecological Experintal Star is unfamiliar territory.
Yet candidates with access to resources may have already undergone field training on such planets years ago, mastering survival and hunting techniques in advance.
How can ordinary students possibly compare to them?
Thus, every year, more than half of all freshn admitted to the Seven Great of Empire co from Noble and Scholar families.
Yet, the proportion of Nobles and Scholars in the Empire’s total population is less than 10%!
However, Wang Chen, hailing as a ti traveler, is undoubtedly an anomaly among this cohort of civilian candidates.
After walking for nearly two hours, he spotted an expansive, undulating mountain range ahead.
Although the distant mountain was barren too, its surface covered with weathered rubble and rocky debris, it was far better than the exposed desert wasteland.
Wang Chen imdiately quickened his pace.
This body’s physical condition was quite decent; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been eligible to participate in the advanced examination.
Still, to reach his destination faster, he activated his Spiritual Energy, transitioning his pace from walking to sprinting. His speed increased severalfold in an instant.
This was Wang Chen still deliberately conserving his stamina.
Yet, after running so distance, his keen Perception detected sothing unusual behind him.
It felt as though sothing was chasing him.
The problem was, behind Wang Chen, there was nothing but sand—empty, barren sand.
He ca to a halt.
Then, he drew the longsword strapped to his side.
The Holy Light Empire has always revered the sword. The majority of War Professionals have mastered exquisite Swordsmanship, and many Noble Clans possess sword techniques passed down for centuries, often shining brilliantly in external wars.
Carrying a sword is also a tradition among the Empire’s people. As a completely legal weapon, students in the Empire begin learning Swordsmanship, as well as the use and mastery of swords, during their primary education phase.
For this exam, each candidate carried a standard-issue longsword.
The blade of this sword, made from specialized alloy steel, was already sharpened, gleaming with a cold and razor-sharp light.
Wielding the sword, Wang Chen stood motionless.
The scorching rays of the star illuminated him, making him resemble an eternal, ancient statue.
Suddenly, faint tremors rippled across the ground.
Grains of sand rolled together.
Wang Chen moved abruptly.
He spun around and swung his sword with imnse force toward the rear.
At that very instant, the sand half a ter behind him erupted violently. A thick, alien worm burst into the air, opening a maw bristling with serrated teeth as it lunged at him ferociously.
The worm collided straight into Wang Chen’s descending longsword.
Crack!
The sharp blade cleaved through the alien worm’s head, instantly splitting its grotesque skull in two. Ash-gray ichor sprayed out imdiately.
Having struck successfully, Wang Chen swiftly retreated backward, narrowly avoiding the splattering worm fluids.
As the liquid hit the sand, it sizzled, emitting gray smoke—clearly containing highly corrosive substances.
Though Wang Chen wore thick armor, which wouldn’t pose a direct threat if splashed,
any damage to the armor would result in a penalty.
He instinctively glanced at the longsword in his hand, discovering that its blade remained completely unscathed—its resistance to corrosion was exceptional.
And this was just a mass-produced standard weapon!
Once again, Wang Chen found himself recalibrating his understanding of the Empire’s technological advancents.
Out of caution, he buried the longsword in the sand and rubbed it back and forth several tis to clean off the worm fluids clinging to the blade.
Then, he proceeded to inspect his spoils.
The alien worm, lying dead in the sand, asured over a ter on the surface, though part of its body remained buried underground, suggesting its full length was far greater than just one or two ters.
Wang Chen—or rather his predecessor Lu Yuan—had studied mutated biology courses and acquired knowledge of identifying and dissecting such creatures. However, this particular worm clearly exceeded the scope of his understanding.
The variety of mutated creatures is simply too vast.
For centuries, the Empire has invested trendous manpower and resources into transforming countless uninhabited planets into Ecological Experintal Stars, most of which are used for studying mutated biology.
Rumor has it that the main ingredients of genetic enhancent serums are derived from substances extracted from certain mutated creatures!
Wang Chen, however, had no intention of dissecting the dead worm. After circling it and recording more data about the material, he resud trekking toward the mountain range ahead.
He kept running.
With the prior encounter providing experience, Wang Chen had accumulated three victories by the ti he reached his destination.
All three were against the sa type of alien worm.
These worms lurk beneath the sand, triggered by intense vibrations on the surface, which lures them into attacking.
With this insight, Wang Chen “fished for worms” effectively.
If not for the impending darkness, he would have gladly continued attracting and dispatching more prey.
After all, these hunting results directly contribute to his examination score!
Climbing along an uneven mountainside, Wang Chen’s good fortune struck again when he found an ideal spot to build a shelter in the midsection of the slope.
The location, beneath a large overhanging boulder, was surrounded by rocks of various sizes, naturally providing cover and protection while offering a commanding view of the surroundings.
Wang Chen began by clearing away loose rubble. He then unfastened the multipurpose entrenching tool from his survival pack and started digging.
After over an hour of effort, he had completed a habitable cave.
By this ti, night had fallen completely. Wang Chen finished the last touches with the aid of a flashlight from his pack.
For the next five days, this small cave would serve as his base.
From here, Wang Chen planned to scout and hunt, expanding his list of accomplishnts!
After rolling a large rock to block the outer part of the entrance, he opened his survival pack and withdrew a soldier’s field ration to enjoy his dinner.
The food’s taste was so-so, but it provided more than enough energy.
After finishing his al, Wang Chen treated himself to a cup of self-heating coffee.
Just as he began to feel satisfied, a faint rustling sound started approaching from a distance.
Wang Chen’s heart stirred, and he quickly turned off the light in the cave.
He crept out silently.
———
Second update delivered.
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