C6 School Entrance Exam(1)

Yang Rong's death caused quite a stir at the camp.

Throughout the ordeal,

Luo Yan ate in silence, observing everything.

He seemed like an outsider.

Ultimately, the incident was ruled an 'accident'.

Afterward, Luo Yan braced himself for suspicion from Di Zheng.

At bedtime, he even rigged his tent with makeshift 'alarms',

ready to flee at a moment's notice.

But, as it turned out,

the night was uneventful.

Come morning, the convoy resumed its trek.

That day, they faced off against a massive beast and a swarm of parasites.

Both threats were fended off by Di Zheng and another mechanist.

Luo Yan watched the entire skirmish unfold.

Di Zheng's mech, Blue Edge, painted in red and blue, maneuvered with remarkable agility,

sometimes darting about at speeds beyond belief.

Luo Yan overheard a fellow warrior remark that this was Di Zheng's 'Divine Treasure: Windwalker' in action.

Divine Treasure? Luo Yan was clueless.

He didn't inquire further.

He figured that if they made it to Dungeon City, all would be revealed in due time.

No need to hurry the answers.

Once the battle was over,

some convoy members donned protective gear to dissect the carcasses, harvest blood, retrieve organs, and strip scales or claws.

They meticulously categorized and stored these materials.

Luo Yan recalled that just two days prior, in Flower City, they had dissected 'Gluttony' and 'leopard cat' in a similar fashion.

He was unsure whether the purpose of harvesting these giant beasts' organs and blood was for research or something else.

In the days that followed,

the convoy encountered giant beasts almost daily,

confirming the survivors' accounts that the world outside the city was far more perilous,

a veritable playground for these titans.

Several days later, Luo Yan observed a curious pattern.

The attacking behemoths seemed to target one particular truck,

the one carrying the enigmatic items retrieved from the Gluttony's den.

Was the Gluttony also drawn to these mysterious items?

This suspicion was validated that very day.

While traveling on a fractured highway, the convoy was blindsided by an assault from a colossal bird known as 'Paykath,' swooping down from the heavens.

This creature had a white mane, three legs, and a human face.

It whipped up a tempest, overturning the truck and spilling the contents wrapped in tarpaulin onto the ground.

Luo Yan caught sight of what had fallen: a massive, dark crystal, seven or eight meters in length, resembling a rockery.

Within the crystal, a life force pulsed, occasionally coalescing into bizarre and grim visages of wild beasts.

The Paykath vibrated its enormous wings, its three crimson claws reaching to seize the odd stone and escape.

But it was thwarted by the Blue Edge and another jet-black aircraft.

During the skirmish, the strange stone was caught in the crossfire and shattered in half.

Luo Yan witnessed it all.

As the dark crystal broke, shards scattered in every direction, and a white arc soared overhead, carrying a trace of sanctity as it descended into the distant countryside.

Luo Yan found it peculiar; the stone appeared malevolent, so how could it contain something so sacred?

With the battle still raging, Luo Yan seized the moment and dashed toward where the white arc had landed, intent on uncovering the truth.

As he moved away from the highway and approached the area, he discovered a swath of grass growing rapidly, with wildflowers blooming fervently.

It was as if an infinite vitality had been infused into the land.

This vibrant display of blossoming flora stood in stark contrast to the adjacent parched and yellowed vegetation.

Luo Yan's eyes gleamed as he dove into the freshly sprouted grass, searching intently.

Eventually, he unearthed a white, diamond-shaped object.

Luo Yan picked it up, noting its smoothness, akin to white jade, and its faint coolness.

He examined it briefly, intending to pocket it for a closer look later.

Suddenly, the object emanated a misty, luminous glow from within.

A pattern resembling the Taiji Eight Trigrams materialized.

The diamond-shaped white jade turned ethereal, losing its solidity and form, leaving only a sphere of light enveloping the enigmatic symbol.

Then, in a swift motion, it imprinted itself between Luo Yan's brows.

Luo Yan stood frozen for a moment, his heart lurching.

This artifact had emerged from the black, mysterious stone—its nature unknown.

Now it had penetrated his body, and he couldn't help but wonder what consequences it might bring.

But after a short time...

Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing that everything appeared normal. The battle that had erupted on the highway had come to an end. Di Zheng was directing his soldiers to collect the odd stone and its shattered remnants. Overhearing conversations among passing soldiers, Luo Yan caught the term 'Boundless,' which seemed to refer to the peculiar stone. It was clear that the convoy had prior knowledge of the object's significance and had likely come specifically for the Boundless.

As Luo Yan watched Blue Edge approach the transport vehicle, he contemplated whether to inquire with Di Zheng about the white jade. Yet, the fear of becoming a test subject for Dungeon City after absorbing the jade dissuaded him from pursuing the matter further.

The convoy pressed on northward. A week after departing Flower City, they reached a vast lake. To Luo Yan's astonishment, a tunnel emerged from the lake's depths, creating a bridge to the shore. Who would have guessed that the entrance to Dungeon City lay beneath the lake's surface?

Venturing into the tunnel, the convoy delved deeper. Half an hour later, Luo Yan peered out the window to discover an immense subterranean expanse capable of housing an entire city. Trains weaved through the urban landscape, halting alongside towering structures. Massive pipe-like constructs spanned from the cavern floor to its ceiling, potentially extending even further, their purpose a mystery to Luo Yan.

Descending along the elevated highway, the city below came into clearer view, strikingly similar to the surface cities that existed before the cataclysm. However, each high-rise was equipped with artillery on its rooftop, and the roads were intermittently traversed by tanks and armored vehicles.

"This is Magemoor City, one of the Backlands' eighteen cities," Di Zheng, who had quietly joined Luo Yan, began to explain. "The new Dungeon City is still under construction. But due to the 'Heavenly Calamity,' the timeline for completion will far exceed that of the pre-built cities."

He continued, "You're in luck. Today happens to be the recruitment day for the Mecha Training Academy. I've gone ahead and signed you up. But remember, signing up doesn't guarantee admission."

The academy has a rigorous selection process for new students, including an entrance examination known as the academy test.

"Whether you pass the academy test and gain admission depends on your own skills."

"If you're not admitted, you'll have no choice but to be sent back to the surface."

Luo Yan nodded in understanding.

Di Zheng gave him a look and said, "Lee will take you to the academy shortly."

"If you're fortunate enough to get in, I advise against immediately exchanging your credits for the antidote to Scarlet Poison."

"Instead, you could get some alleviators in advance. They can ease your symptoms, allowing you to take part in various trainings without your condition deteriorating."

"Save your credits to exchange for cultivation materials. By quickly enhancing your strength, you'll gain access to greater privileges and resources."

Credits? Cultivation materials?

Luo Yan was bewildered but committed Di Zheng's advice to memory.

Di Zheng gave him another look and continued, "Remember, the academy, or Dungeon City, operates differently than the surface."

"Order prevails here, so you must curb your 'wildness'."

"Put simply, you can't just kill people at will like you might on the surface."

Luo Yan's voice was raspy as he asked, "What if someone tries to kill me?"

"Normally, that's unlikely to happen," Di Zheng replied with conviction. "But if it does, act first and report later!"

"I'll offer you some protection, but if you abuse it, I'll be the first to come after you."

With a meaningful glance, the stoic commander departed.

Before long, the convoy reached the ground.

One of Di Zheng's guards drove Luo Yan to the academy.

Shortly thereafter, they arrived.

At the entrance of the 'Severirien Swordsmanship Academy', numerous new students were lined up for registration.

But Luo Yan's vehicle bypassed the line and drove straight through.

Inside the gates, Luo Yan saw a stone tablet inscribed with bold characters: Severirien!

The words seemed to exude a lethal aura.

Eventually, the car stopped outside a clubhouse.

Lee, the warrior, instructed, "Go inside. I'll take Regimental Commander Di's letter of recommendation to the administrative office and join you shortly."

"Okay," Luo Yan agreed, stepping out of the car to enter the clubhouse alone.

The hall was bustling with a considerable number of visitors.

The majority were young adults, likely in their late teens.

Men outnumbered women, a noticeable demographic skew.

Luo Yan scanned the room, instinctively seeking a quiet corner to bide his time.

"Move it, don't block the path!"