A Good-for-Nothing

142. A Bond Formed in the Special Training (2)

Translator: Dragon Rider

“Oh, Tan, that little Pixiu (a beast existing in a Chinese myth) working in your bureau is in the same group as that of Yidi’s apprentice.”

The others looked carefully and did see Jin Qianlai who looked dusty and dirty. By comparison, Qiu Luo seemed much cleaner.

Qiu Luo’s weapon was also a sword. Though she was a girl, her sword strikes were firm and steady. Their opponent was an Earth Dragon, commonly known as Earthworm. It was also a very revolting creature, for its whole body was covered in mucus. On top of that, even if it was cut in half, it would still survive, so this group were having a hard time.

Minutes were ticking away. Finally, another couple of groups of examinees found out that something had gone awry.

“Damn it. Examinees of the seventh group’s lives are in danger!” yelled Lin Di suddenly, who had been keeping watch on examinees’ each and every move. On hearing this, Elder Chen stopped talking and walked up to the sand table. With a slight movement of his finger, the ball of light displaying live images of the seventh group expanded, and they saw that the seventh group had been forced to the brink of a precipice. Though most of the scene was a holographic simulation of SMB, a fall like this would still cause physical damage to examinees.

“This whole group failed the test.” After Elder Chen cast an enchantment, the beast and all examinees of the seventh group vanished. Even if Elder Chen hadn’t made his move, this group wouldn’t survive for long.

“Have those outside get ready to send them to the infirmary. Several examinees suffered breakdowns.”

Li Zong inclined his head and Lin Di went out of the room.

Tan Lubai and the others’ eyes moved to other balls of light. This test was being carried out with the help of Elder Chen’s magic treasure – the Atlas of Cathay, and there must be staff members standing by both in and out of the simulated scenes in case any accidents happened, such as an examinee suffering a nervous breakdown, extermination of a whole group by a demonic beast, etc. Otherwise, things might get out of control.

This was also the reason why all members of the examination panel were staying in this room.

After only a few moments, half of the balls of light went out, and the other groups of examinees, one after another, had smelled danger.

He Zheng was still repeatedly casting lightning Fu as if playing the game Super Bomber. Flashes of lightning had been striking down into the classroom all along, but survivability of the two demonized targets was amazing. He Zheng was unaware that the producers of this show had specially made these two puppets with rubber and deliberately sent them to this group to neuter their lightning Fu.

After all, lightning Fu were very powerful. If they passed the test by simply casting a lightning Fu, it would be somewhat unfair to other groups of examinees. But overall, this test was a level playing field. Take for example Chen Qianlin’s group: their adversary was a demonic beast on which neither sword nor saber could make any impression, and which was very difficult to overpower as well.

The real Kang Ba and Tao Wujiu had been teamed up with Lan Bai. Their opponent was a flying zombie, which had no mind and thus was totally immune to Lan Bai’s Gu (a legendary venomous insect, or a poison made with poisonous insect, worm or beetle); Kang Ba could only summon birds to attack it with their beaks; Tao Wujiu excelled at geomantic containment formations, but the zombie could fly and his formations couldn’t bind it, so this test was very trying for them as well.

Images in the balls of light were showing that all surviving groups were in intense fighting, and all examinees that were truly no longer in a fit state to continue had been transferred out of simulated scenes. Those still in there were relatively powerful ones, and it was very unlikely that any of them would come to any serious harm.

After watching for a while, Elder Chen rubbed his forehead. “Age is a terrible curse. I tire so easily now. As far as I could tell, all these applicants are pretty good. I’ll leave the rest of the matters to you guys to use your discretion. Now that the Atlas of Cathay has already been activated, my presence in this room is not necessary any more.”

“I’ll walk Elder Chen out. Yidi, Lubai, you stay here and keep an eye on them,” said Zhen Daoyuan.

Tan Lubai inclined her head. “Xiao Li is still here. You may go.”

Elder Chen smiled and flicked a glance at the ball of light which was displaying live images of the group He Zheng was in. “Alas, it’s true what they say, ‘The rising generation is worthier than the former one.’ I can see how old I am now.”

“You’re not that old, Elder Chen,” said Zhen Daoyuan.

Elder Chen gave another smile and walked out.

Zhao Yidi, Tan Lubai and Li Zong were the only ones left in the room. This batch of examinees’ exorcism skills were not bad, but the mental endurance of some of them was rather poor. Several examinees had suffered nervous breakdowns. Zu Zhichong was being rushed off his feet tending them, and all available members of the two action groups had been drafted in to help. Even Lin Di had also been sent there a while ago.

Zhao Yidi was leaning against the back of the chair, every movement of hers indescribably languid.

“Li Zong, your partner’s performance is somewhat surprising. I’m impressed.”

“Yeah,” Li Zong blandly replied, his eyes still on He Zheng and other members of his group.

He Zheng had casted several lightning Fu in a row. Repeatedly conjuring up thunderclouds had cost him a large portion of his energy, and he was now not as composed as he had been at the beginning.

Seven or eight large falcons were circling around in the classroom. Tianyi’s legs were trembling with fear, his face pasty; Lin Zhuo could only just defend himself against the attacks. He Zheng licked his lips, ignoring the taste of rust in his mouth, turned around and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Fuck! What the hell are these two things? How come they’re still standing after being struck by thunderbolt so many times?” He Zheng couldn’t help but use the four-letter word. “We can’t keep running like this.”

On Wei Cheng’s face was unswerving determination, his pitch-black eyes staring at Kang Ba who had lost an arm but didn’t seem to be feeling any pain. His hand holding a demon-killing staff was quivering. “We’ve got to figure something out.”

He Zheng watched the situation that was getting increasingly unfavorable for them. The two damn creatures seemed to be indestructible. If things kept going this way, they would almost certainly end up being exhausted and killed. He Zheng, who had been through several life-or-death moments during his previous adventures with Zu Zhichong and had a will far stronger than that of any other examinee, said through gritted teeth, “Common lightning cannot kill these things. I’ll try the Quintuple Lightning Enchantment. If I succeed, they’ll be blasted into popcorn, and there’s no way they could survive.”

Wei Cheng was fairly practical. “What if you fail?”

“We become their meal!”