C6 The Assessment Began

"Lin Feng's gotten stronger, but we still need to tread carefully around that Gu Chen character," Chiang Yu said, his brow furrowed with concern.

A grave look crossed Liu Fei's face as well.

Gu Chen was a formidable Third Level Warrior and a son of the Otherworld. His cultivation methods were superior to those of the Blue Star inhabitants, boasting at least a twofold increase in power.

Not to mention, he possessed a variety of advanced combat skills.

He was not someone to be taken lightly.

"Don't worry, I've got a strategy to handle him," Lin Feng said, a glint of cold determination in his eyes.

He was skeptical that Gu Chen's cultivation technique surpassed his own. At best, it might offer twice the enhancement, but more than that seemed improbable.

Based on the intel from the Otherworld, the techniques were categorized into five tiers: Holy, Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow.

A fifty percent enhancement was considered Yellow Level.

Anything up to double was Profound Level.

Up to one and a half times was Earth Level.

Up to twice was Heaven Level.

And anything up to two and a half times fell into the Holy Level.

Holy Level techniques were exclusive to the elite of the Taihe Imperial Court, and even there, only a select few could practice them—some might not even have access.

Lin Feng's Thunder Breathing Technique was something he had researched just the day before; it was deemed legendary in the Otherworld.

Such a formidable technique was unheard of even in the Taihe Imperial Court.

Given Gu Chen's status, Lin Feng surmised that his technique was likely a top-tier Earth Level, impressive at a 1.5 times boost.

Considering Gu Chen's prowess as a Third Level Warrior, his punch wouldn't exceed 80,000.

But Lin Feng, with a punch already over 40,000 kilograms, had the divine skill of Mana Ignition, courtesy of the glass bead, which could amplify his strength two or threefold.

So, he had no fear of Gu Chen.

Even if he wasn't on par with Gu Chen, it would be exceedingly difficult for Gu Chen to take his life.

Though Chiang Yu and Liu Fei couldn't pinpoint the source of Lin Feng's confidence, they knew their close friend wasn't one to talk big without reason.

With that, they too found reassurance.

"We'll steer clear of them. And if we do cross paths, we'll launch a signal flare right away. I doubt he'd risk making a move in front of the law enforcement team," Chiang Yu declared.

He was still harboring some doubts.

Lin Feng merely smiled, choosing not to elaborate. Deep down, he harbored a desire for Gu Chen's demise.

He held no fondness for the Otherworlders, especially someone like Gu Chen, who carried their blood in his veins.

Moreover, he had this strong hunch that Gu Chen would seek him out during the exam, with the intent to kill him!

...

The following morning, the whole family was up at the crack of dawn.

"Feng, keep in mind what Mom told you. When you're in the Warzone, don't overdo it. If anything feels off, abandon the exam and shoot up a flare. Above all, make sure you stay safe!" Lee Susu, his mother, was a bundle of nerves, her words laced with concern.

His siblings wore anxious looks as well.

"Mom, relax. I'll be back before you know it!" Lin Feng chuckled heartily, brimming with self-assurance.

Indeed, with his capabilities, failing this exam would be less a test and more akin to surviving purgatory.

"Okay, we're running out of time. Off you go," his mother said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"I'm off then."

With his mother's nod, Lin Feng inhaled deeply, looking back three times with each step he took.

As his family's silhouettes blurred into the distance, he tightened his fists, steeling his resolve.

"I will definitely survive!"

...

At No. 66 High School.

"Lin Feng, over here." Upon arriving at school, Lin Feng was greeted by a sea of people, dozens of armored vehicles, and fully armed soldiers lining the streets.

His gaze lingered, his eyelids flickering with unease.

Chiang Yu spotted him and called out, prompting Lin Feng to quickly join him.

"Is everyone from our class here?" Before there was time for pleasantries, their class teacher Lee Zhiqiang approached.

Lin Feng scanned the area.

There were twenty in total.

Originally, their class had fifty-six students, but only twenty had signed up for the Martial Arts exam.

The majority had opted for humanities or sciences, trading ambition for the promise of safety.

"Had it not been for stumbling upon this glass bead, I might have resigned myself to humanities or sciences, just like the rest..." Lin Feng mused silently.

His aptitude wasn't exactly impressive.

Gu Chen, along with his two henchmen, Zhang Jun and Zhang Zhao, were among the group of twenty.

At that moment, Gu Chen's gaze lingered on Lin Feng, a mocking sneer playing on his lips that was distinctly unsettling.

Lin Feng paid him no mind.

Empty threats were pointless. A real man proves himself through action!

The class teacher wrapped up his speech and proceeded to shake hands with each student, bidding them farewell.

"Goodbye, teacher!"

Whether they would meet again was uncertain.

Lin Feng, Liu Fei, Chiang Yu, and three other classmates who weren't particularly close piled into an armored vehicle.

With the closing of the hatch, the outside world vanished from view.

The vehicle roared to life.

They were headed to the Central Prefecture Warzone, known as Warzone 509.

"I've heard Warzone 509 has been cleared several times. Supposedly, there aren't any formidable monsters left, but who knows for sure?" a pretty classmate remarked, anxiety etched on her face.

"Don't worry, Xiu Ping. Everything will be fine," another classmate reassured her.

In a hushed tone, Chiang Yu added, "The coastal Warzones are the real nightmare. Monsters there are endless, creating veritable mountains of corpses and seas of blood..."

His words cast a pall over the mood inside the armored vehicle.

Lofreydor was currently divided into seven Warzones. The coastal regions of Shangjing, Magic City, and South Province were designated by the prefixes 101, 201, and 301.

The north was home to Warzone 401.

The Central Prefecture, where Lin Feng and his companions were headed, was comparatively safer as Warzone 501.

Warzones 601 and 701 lay to the west and southwest.

Frankly, Warzone 501 was the safest, nestled deep within Lofreydor's heartland, making it a formidable challenge for any invader.

The coastal Warzones were a different story altogether.

Due to their proximity to the sea, they teemed with an overwhelming number of monsters.

Legend has it that fifteen years ago, at the height of the danger, the coastal Warzones 101, 201, and 301 had seen the deployment of over a hundred nuclear weapons in a single day.

The world was engulfed in a searing white blaze.

Lin Feng had watched some grainy footage, and the scenes were indescribable...

Beyond terrifying, no other word came to mind.

"Come to think of it, it's uncertain if anyone is still alive in those small nations," Lin Feng remarked.

His words cast a chill over the car's atmosphere, solidifying it like ice.

"Let's not talk about it. Imagining tens or hundreds of millions of people wiped out is just too spine-chilling," Chiang Yu said, shuddering.

The others felt a nervous twitch in their eyelids.

Such horrors, they'd unsettle anyone, not just a group of young high schoolers like them. Even hardened warriors would feel a shiver down their spine.

After all, how many had Baiqi of the Warring States killed in his lifetime?

In comparison to the death toll in the small nations of Apus Calesius over the last seventeen years, it was like comparing a dwarf to a giant.

"Monster detected ahead. One B1 Level monster and sixteen others ranging from D1 to C9 Level. Engaging in cleanup. The convoy will halt and remain on high alert."

Abruptly, the walkie-talkie's voice cut through the silence of the car.

This time, it wasn't just the others who reacted—Lin Feng's eyelids gave an involuntary jump.

"Roger that," responded the armored vehicle's driver.