C12 History

Su Wei's family squeezed into a room that was barely 70 square meters, with two bedrooms being the maximum they could manage. Consequently, the living room felt incredibly cramped.

His parents had given up the larger bedroom so that the two brothers could share it, allowing enough space for each to have a desk beside their beds. Their parents' room, on the other hand, was so small it could only fit a single bed.

This had been the way of life for Su Wei's family of four for over a decade.

After dinner, Su Wei and his brother retreated to their room to review important concepts. With his brother's exam looming, Su Wei had decided to put him through an intensive memory training session.

Intensive training! And the best method of intensive training was through questioning!

"Are you ready, brother?"

"Heh, don't underestimate me. Bring it on, I'm going to get at least 95% correct today!"

"Okay, let's start with short answer questions. Please describe the main historical outline of humanity since the Catastrophe."

"Is that all?"

"In 2033, due to the in-depth research in the field of dark matter, there was a technological explosion, and the global population peaked at 10 billion."

"That same year, the Spectre incident erupted. Powerful Spectres began to appear on Earth, strengthening themselves by toying with human emotions and relentlessly slaughtering people. At that time, our technology was incapable of inflicting any damage on the Spectres."

"As a result, the human population plummeted by six billion, leaving only four billion whose territories continued to dwindle."

"A decade later, every small country on Earth had perished, leaving humanity with only thirty-three gathering places. This period, which lasted ten years, came to be known as the Dark Ages."

"The retreat of humanity did not deter the Spectres; they became even more brazen. It was at this critical moment, as humanity teetered on the brink of extinction..."

"Professor Luo Jinghuan from the Central Ministry of Science and Technology in Cesmiuland discovered a mysterious potential within the human soul that could be harnessed as soul energy!"

"This potential could be awakened by a specific instrument, allowing individuals to create a Horcrux based on their will. Simultaneously, the soul mark on the Horcrux would also be awakened!"

"With this discovery, humanity entered an era of a powerful counterattack."

In the face of an absolute crisis, a group of unparalleled experts emerged!

"At that time, the three mightiest human champions rose up, furiously vanquishing a multitude of Spectres and thwarting their plot to annihilate humanity. This marked the beginning of a relatively peaceful era for mankind, allowing the remaining thirty-three bases to survive."

"Those thirty-three bases, after fifty years of development by two generations, have evolved into more than three hundred satellite cities. These cities now encircle thirty-three massive integrated urban clusters around the globe."

"Cesmiuland has six major gathering places..."

"Good! Well answered! Now, can you tell me about the event that made the Golden Sentinel of Cloud Gate famous, including the exact date?"

His younger brother replied with a confident smile, "The Golden Sentinel of Cloud Gate, originally named Liu Jinyi, became famous for his involvement in the Jingmen demon clan conspiracy. The precise date was April 23rd, 2067."

"Hahaha, you're mistaken; the date is incorrect!"

"The Golden Sentinel of Cloud Gate did indeed become renowned for the Jingmen demon clan conspiracy, but the actual date was March 24th, 2067!"

"Ah, did I mix it up again?"

......

Over an hour later, Su Wei finished posing all his questions and summarized, "Today, you've achieved a 90% accuracy rate. There are a few points you've missed, which I've marked for you. Take another look." He said this as he passed the book to his brother.

His younger brother, looking unconvinced, paced beside the bed and resumed his recitation.

"The World's Strongest—Feng! Founder of the Apex League, he's most skilled in the development and application of Horcruxes..."

"The second mightiest—Ren! He established the Red Lightning Martial Club, mastering the manipulation of the forces of nature to their utmost limit..."

"The third mightiest—Yun! Founder of the Transvore Alliance, he excels in the development and use of psychic force and psychokinesis..."

As his younger brother recited, Su Wei lay in bed, his mind replaying the day's events while he meticulously summarized, occasionally jotting down notes in his notebook.

Su Wei couldn't help but think that his parents, much like those from the early 21st century, placed an extraordinary emphasis on academic performance, treating the college entrance exam as if it were the be-all and end-all.

Yet, in the current age, excelling academically could only secure you a clerical job within the city. In contrast, the power and status of a true Soul Master were paramount in society. A breakthrough in strength could instantly transform one's privileges and standing. Su Wei was deeply moved by his parents' concern for him and his brother, and he also recognized that their cramped living quarters were less than ideal.

However, relying solely on his academic knowledge to pass exams would require at least a decade to significantly improve his family's living conditions. But by choosing a different path, he could shorten that time considerably. Su Wei wasn't chasing dreams for the sake of it; he was acutely aware of his own circumstances. Years of work had erased his high school education from memory, and with a mere 180 days until the college entrance exam, there was no time for a thorough review. It was unrealistic to expect to catch up with three years of his peers' progress in such a short span.

Instead, it made more sense to capitalize on his most significant asset. Su Wei could sense that his Horcrux was distinctly different from those of traditional lore. With a newfound clarity about his future, he quickly pulled out his smartphone and searched online for the Soul Master assessment criteria.

Logging onto the official Soul Master World website, Su Wei entered his personal details, including his ID number and name. The government had created this portal to make it easier for Soul Masters to access pertinent information and professional assessment requirements, as well as to keep a national tally of Soul Masters.

The need for such measures became apparent when the Soul Master profession emerged, and many individuals vanished, prompting the government to act. It was under the leadership of the Human Alliance from the 33 major gathering places and the world's three mightiest individuals that the vast majority of Soul Masters were registered, leading to significant improvements in public safety.

Su Wei proceeded to look up the criteria for the first-level Soul Master assessment.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I entered the keyword to search, a notification popped up: "You are not a Quasi Soul Master and do not have the authority to access information related to the first level Soul Master..."

"Alright, looks like I need to start at the very beginning, as a Quasi-Official Soul Master, or rather, a preparatory Soul Master..."

"Hello, your request for information is being processed. Authorization review is underway. Authorization granted. Here are the results you requested:"

"The assessment criteria for a prospective Soul Master are as follows: possession of three or more soul marks, at least one soul mark skill, a minimum individual strength of over 900 kilograms, and the ability to sprint 100 meters in under seven seconds. Additionally, the candidate must last one minute in an unordered reaction test without any violations."

"Damn, this..."

"A punching force of 900 kilograms? A 100-meter sprint in under seven seconds? Can humans even achieve that?"

Even though Su Wei's body had already been somewhat enhanced by the activation of his Soul Power, he was still a long way from meeting these requirements. Consequently, he struggled to grasp the specifics of the society he was in.

And as for the last test, he had absolutely no idea what it was.

Just as Su Wei was feeling utterly bewildered and somewhat disheartened,

"Heh, are you worried about this, you ignorant kid?"

"Go on, spout nonsense. Such figures, they're superhuman. How could an ordinary person possibly achieve that?" Su Wei complained.

"Have you ever heard of a Spectre? Seen one? Have you ever been through anything like what happened today?" Mr. Blade challenged him.

Mr. Blade's soul-searching questions left Su Wei speechless. Indeed!

After today's ordeal in the Shadowfell, Su Wei started to believe that meeting those conditions might not be as far-fetched as he thought...

"Mr. Blade! Brother Blade! Lord Blade! Please teach me how to meet these requirements within the time limit!"

"There's no need to rush. I can help you strengthen your body. Though, to be frank, your current physical condition is quite poor—no, it's downright pathetic!" Mr. Blade didn't mince his words in his critique.

"But..."

"Whatever your request, I'll agree to it!"

"Are you certain?" Mr. Blade's voice was tinged with resignation. He could sense Su Wei's casual promise, yet within that casualness was a deep longing for power.

"What if you can't give me what I'm asking for?"

"Then I'll put in ten times, no, a hundred times more effort!"

Su Wei was acutely aware of his own standing. He was merely an average person, and without a Horcrux, he might even fall below that.

"Alright, I'll hold you to that. If you ever..."

"Dare to break your promise..."

Mr. Blade's voice faded to a whisper, and Su Wei could no longer make out his words. As confusion set in...

A surge of red threads erupted from his Horcrux, the kitchen knife, and swarmed towards Su Wei!

"Holy crap!"

If those red threads reached him, wouldn't he be sliced into fragments in no time?

"This is it, I'm done for!"

But then, a commanding voice echoed in Su Wei's mind: "Stay still!"

Caught off guard, Su Wei was enveloped by the red threads, and the ensuing pain from all over his body knocked him unconscious.