That morning, Tang Wen woke up as usual. With his Primal Chaos Standing Exercise on the verge of a breakthrough, he practiced a bit longer than usual and left the house later than normal.
By the time he put on his weighted gear and arrived at the underground palace square, he noticed no one was practicing their stances.
Everyone was standing in neat rows, listening to Old Xia's speech:
"...So, today's assessment will take place at the square in the inner city! After breakfast, all those who wish to participate in the selection, stand over here. Alright, dismissed for now. Gather back here in an hour and a half to register."
The selection!
It had finally begun!
This was the Commander selection, and theoretically, everyone could sign up.
Old Xia had just mentioned that the war with the Black Mountain Battalion was nearing its end.
The troublesome external gangs had been wiped out.
They, the Flame Camp, had won the war.
With the war won,
the opportunity to become a Commander had arrived!
The crowd couldn't contain their excitement, discussing who had a chance to succeed in the selection and whether they should sign up or not.
Tang Wen overheard the news of their victory and felt relieved. He found a quiet spot at the back of the square, settled into his Horse Stance, and began practicing, entering a state of stillness.
Amid the discussions, someone turned around and caught sight of Tang Wen, exclaiming in surprise:
"Holy crap! He's still practicing with weights today?"
The loud exclamation drew everyone's attention to Tang Wen.
The underground palace square fell into a sudden silence.
Their gazes towards Tang Wen were complex.
Tang Wen didn't open his eyes; he was accustomed to making the most of his time for practice.
Otherwise, when faced with a formidable enemy, it would be too late to regret wasted time and the neglect of his Attribute Panel.
It would be like Dehua meeting Chao Wei on the rooftop, wanting to be a good person, but it was already too late.
Enemies wouldn't let you go home to train for three years before deciding the outcome.
Tang Wen's center of gravity was as fluid as mercury, and like mercury, his movements were smooth. He seemed to be riding on waves, rising and falling with a rhythmic grace.
Even someone who had never practiced martial arts or stood in a stance before would find his practice aesthetically pleasing.
In the square, some laughed, some shook their heads, some looked serious, and others even felt the urge to kick him.
But they all slowly turned and left the underground palace.
An hour later, Tang Wen appeared in the cafeteria.
He was no longer wearing his weighted gear.
A guard stopped smiling and said:
"See? He's been practicing so hard; he's definitely going to join the selection."
"Well! I think he and the other guy are going to take the Commander spots this time."
"Not so fast! We'll see after the fights."
"Fights? Hah!"
"..."
Tang Wen ignored the stares, greeted his acquaintances, and sat down at the table with his sister, An Lei, and Zhang Lin.
"You're not wearing weights; saving your strength for the selection?" Zhang Lin's voice was neither loud nor soft.
Taking a bite of his millet bread, Tang Wen neither confirmed nor denied it, instead asking, "What about you? Are you joining too?"
Zhang Lin nodded firmly: "My small goal is to become a squad leader first. What about you?"
Those who heard this conversation perked up their ears.
Tang Wen glanced at him: "Honestly, I don't really want to leave the underground palace. Here, the food and lodging are good, and all I do every day is practice. If I have any issues, I can directly consult Old Xia. It's incredibly comfortable."
Zhang Lin chuckled, "Wow! If we find you a wife, you'd probably stay here forever, huh?"
Tang Wen suddenly thought of Zhou Bing and that unforgettable night in the cave...
Having a wife like her wouldn't be so bad.
Wait, what am I thinking?
Practicing martial arts and cultivation is what's most important.
After the meal, in the plaza of the underground palace.
Tang Wen, Zhang Lin, An Lei, and many unfamiliar Guards, about twenty to thirty people in total, stepped forward to sign up for the selection.
"Good! Those from the hunting squad who are staying here temporarily can pack up and go home!"
"Morning is for the regular Guard assessment, and the selection starts at 2 PM. No one is allowed to be late."
The assessment was for the hunting Guards and the Guards, to evaluate their recent martial arts training progress.
It was like a final exam for students or a performance review for office workers.
If you didn't do well, didn't meet the performance standards, you'd lose your allowance or salary!
It was the same for the hunting Guards and the Guards; the assessment was recorded. If you failed once, for example, if your strength or speed regressed, you'd be put under observation.
After some time, if you still didn't pass the assessment, you'd be demoted to the regular Guard Barracks.
You could apply to return only when you had trained enough.
It was somewhat like the retention system in some schools.
Poor grades?
Pay to repeat the year.
Failed the college entrance exam?
Pay to try again next year.
The three of them didn't have much to pack. After gathering Zhou Bing's clothes, they bundled them into a large package.
Tang Tang carried a package and walked ahead, while Tang Wen followed behind, carrying two packages.
They returned the same way they came.
The siblings took the tunnel.
Once home, they cleaned up and it was already noon.
Tang Wen was about to take his sister to the hunting camp for a meal when suddenly, the door opened.
"Sister Bing?!" Tang Tang exclaimed in delight, running over to hug Zhou Bing, jumping up and down.
The ice beauty smiled and hugged Tang Tang for about three seconds before letting go.
"Huh?" Tang Tang blinked; she still had so much to say.
But Zhou Bing had already turned around, opened her arms, and rushed towards Tang Wen, embracing him tightly.
Wow!
Her figure made Tang Wen's throat tighten. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist.
Sister Bing, we're life-and-death friends, but don't test me like this.
I can handle anything, except temptation!
Meanwhile, Tang Tang's mouth opened slightly, her eyes flashing with joy.
"Let me hold you for a while."
"Okay," Tang Wen replied, feeling both uncomfortable and happy.
When he first crossed over, he was as thin as a stick. After several attribute enhancements, he finally reached a height of 1.7 meters.
But compared to the supermodel-like Zhou Bing, he still fell short.
His face buried in her fragrant softness, his hands couldn't help but tighten around her.
Tang Tang silently counted to three hundred in her heart. Seeing that the two still hadn't separated, she tiptoed over and closed the door.
But the creak of the wooden door brought them back to their senses.
Zhou Bing noticed Tang Wen's reaction and blushed, quickly turning to talk to Tang Tang.
Tang Wen bent over as if he had forgotten something, hurriedly went back inside, and came out after a while.
"Was it dangerous this time?"
"It's just training! It's always like that."
"Then it must have been quite dangerous."
Zhou Bing smiled helplessly.
On the way to the canteen, the three of them chatted.
After lunch, they left the hunting camp canteen and leisurely walked towards the inner city plaza.
Along the way, they encountered many comrades and Guards.
Tang Wen and Zhou Bing continuously greeted others.
To their surprise, Tang Tang also knew quite a few people and exc
hanged pleasantries with many acquaintances.
By around two o'clock, the assessments fo
r the hunting guards and Guards were nearing their end.
Tang Wen, Zhou Bing, and others participating in the selection for team leaders and the Commander entered the venue.
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