"Yes, I want to become a Hunter. Where can I take the examination?"
Yan Luo, known for being straightforward, asked directly without any pretense.
The registration instructor was momentarily taken aback, then picked up the scanner and scanned Yan Luo.
[Name: Yan Luo, Age: 18, Successfully hunted three Dangerous-level mutated animals in February, early and mid-March 2114, obtained 'Hunter License' in early April]
Upon seeing this, the instructor's gaze towards Yan Luo changed.
According to the Blue Star Federation's regulations, no matter the location, a person can only obtain permission to leave the city alone after reaching 16 years of age. Yet, Yan Luo managed to acquire the [Hunter License] at 17, showing that this young man is quite gifted.
Generally, the average age for a Hunter to obtain a [Hunter License] is 21, meaning Yan Luo achieved it 3 to 4 years earlier than most Hunters.
"Remarkable youth!" the instructor sighed, then turned the scanner towards Li Xinyue.
[Name: Li Xinyue, Age: 23, Successfully hunted three Dangerous-level mutated animals in April, May, and June 2112, obtained 'Hunter License' at the end of June]
Pretty standard, matching the instructor's expectations of a professional university student in the field of hunting.
The instructor nodded, put away the scanner, and said to Yan Luo and Li Xinyue, "The [Hunter License] is just the first step in registration. Having a [Hunter License] merely qualifies you to take the examination. To register as a Hunter, you must pass a written exam, practical exam, and field test. The written exam is pretty simple and can be done anytime. Once completed, you will receive your score immediately. Now, follow the welcoming robots that brought you up here to an examination cubicle. I'll give you two hours. Fail, and you leave directly. Pass, and we'll proceed to the practical exam together."
"What about the field test?" Yan Luo asked.
The instructor gave Yan Luo a surprised look. Did he have such great confidence in passing the first two tests?
"The field test will be held tomorrow. Those who pass the first two tests will accompany me into the Abyss for a hunt. The target is a Dangerous-level Demon," the instructor casually replied, waving them on to complete the written exam.
No. 12 gave a sweet smile, slightly inclining her body and gesturing, "Please follow me."
Yan Luo followed No. 12 to an examination cubicle, leaving Keke outside. Upon entering alone, he received a [network disconnected] message displayed on his glasses.
The written exam for Hunter registration requires a disconnect from the internet, relying solely on one's own knowledge to take the test.
Of course, if you have an implanted intelligence chip, you could bypass the written exam entirely.
Yan Luo couldn't afford that, but he was confident in his knowledge, so he immediately sat down in the cubicle to receive the exam questions.
A projection of the exam paper unfolded before Yan Luo. He scanned it quickly, finding the questions quite simple.
[List the names and corresponding traits of fifteen Dangerous-level Demons from the outskirts of the Crimson Abyss]
[What level of Demon is the Bone Maggot?]
[Why must Hunters inject a Spirit Sedative before entering the Crimson Abyss?]
This test consisted of two hundred questions, and you need to correctly answer one hundred and twenty to pass. Answer ten questions incorrectly, and you immediately fail.
Test-takers are advised to only answer questions they are confident in, avoiding any they are unsure of, even if it means leaving them blank.
Since Abyss hunting is dangerous and allows no room for error, aspiring Hunters must learn the principle of "less is more."
Yan Luo's thoughts sped like lightning, as if the questions ascended like cascading waterfalls before his eyes.
The exam time was two hours, but he finished all the questions in just one hour and three minutes.
After finishing the exam, Yan Luo didn't even glance at his score before getting up and leaving the examination cubicle.
No. 12 expressed 'surprise' at how quickly he exited and asked, "Mr. Yan Luo, have you completed the exam?"
Yan Luo nodded, "Yes, I've finished. Take me to the instructor, please."
"Very well." No. 12 gave a slight bow, leading Yan Luo away from the cubicle entrance.
The instructor was lounging on a couch in the fifth-floor lobby, with a chat window projected from his wristband. Although Yan Luo couldn't see the content, judging from the instructor's broad smile, he was likely flirting with someone he fancied.
Noticing Yan Luo's arrival, the instructor looked up in surprise, "So soon?"
Impressed by Yan Luo's speed, the instructor closed the chat window and curiously checked Yan Luo's exam score.
In the next moment, his eyes widened, and he stood up abruptly.
"203 points?!"
The test had only two hundred questions, each worth one point, adding up to a total of two hundred points. How did Yan Luo manage to score three extra points?
If it weren't for the strict oversight of the registration exam, even the top hackers couldn't breach the Hunter's Guild's intelligent system's firewall in a short time. Otherwise, the instructor would have suspected Yan Luo of cheating.
Yan Luo seemed to know why the instructor was shocked and said, "According to the seventh rule of the Hunter's Guild registration exam, if the examinee provides an answer during the written exam that is more accurate and effective than the existing ones, they receive one extra point and negate three wrong answers."
Which means Yan Luo not only answered all the questions correctly but also improved the answers to three questions?
The instructor's mind wandered, and after a moment, he remembered to check if the Hunter's Guild's registration exam really had such a rule.
—There really was!
Yet, no examinee had ever been a Hunter, nor had anyone entered the Abyss. How could this Yan Luo provide better answers to the existing ones?
And not just for one question, but three!
The written exam questions were randomly drawn from the Hunter's Guild's intelligent system database, so each person's exam was diverse. Even if Yan Luo memorized some questions and answers in advance, it was improbable to effectively amend answers to three questions.
The instructor looked at Yan Luo with a complex expression, sighed, and asked, "How did you manage that?"
Yan Luo replied, "My parents were both Hunters. They perished in the demon tide eight years ago. I've been diligently researching all these years, wanting to break through the Crimson Abyss to avenge them."
Upon hearing this, the instructor paused, then softened his attitude.
Having parents who were Hunters, and even sacrificed during a demon tide; to the instructor, this was personal.
The instructor patted Yan Luo's arm warmly, "Have you had a hard time these years?"
Yan Luo obtained the [Hunter License] in only one year and achieved unprecedented results in the Crimson No.2 Hunter qualification registration exam's written test, an achievement hinting at his remarkable diligence and effort over the years.
"More sweat in peace, less blood in war," Yan Luo replied earnestly.
He didn't deny having had a tough time, but to him, it was all worth it.
The instructor's eyes grew even gentler, patting Yan Luo's arm, "Good child."
Since Li Xinyue's practical exam was to be conducted with Yan Luo, Yan Luo needed to wait for a while.
Fortunately, it was just over twenty minutes, not too long.
After chatting with classmates online for a bit, Li Xinyue arrived.
Li Xinyue appeared complex as she looked at Yan Luo sitting in the lobby, lips tightly pressed.
The instructor closed the chat window and stood, clapping his hands, "Alright, everyone's here, let's head to the underground trial grounds for the practical exam!"
The two welcoming robots attending to Yan Luo and Li Xinyue bowed slightly and took their leave.
On the way to the trial grounds with the instructor, Li Xinyue couldn't hold back and asked Yan Luo, "What was your exam score?"
"203 points," Yan Luo answered calmly.
Li Xinyue's pupils shrank as she blurted, "So it was you..."
Her exam score was 200 points, and she was initially delighted to find a question within her expertise related to the Abyss creatures' ecological environment, thinking she might score 201 this time.
Yet, Li Xinyue never expected to lose her extraordinary score to an eighteen-year-old boy younger than her by a few years.
There were only the two of them taking the exam this time. Yan Luo completed the test faster than her. No one else could have taken her extraordinary score.
Unwilling to concede, Li Xinyue clenched her fists, determined to surpass Yan Luo in the upcoming practical and field tests.