Chapter 19
In the past, people had initially befriended Fai, only to abruptly leave him once they uncovered these truths, the fact that he was weak and an orphan.
Some would even pretend they didn't know him, while others, more cruel, would resort to bullying, forcing him to do their bidding. Keal's group served as a chilling example of this pattern.
Thus, Fai was certain it was only a matter of time before Johnson, too, would turn his back on him .
In this harsh world, Fai wasn't even sure if something as pure as true friendship could genuinely exist, friends who stayed with you for who you were, not what you were.
He had observed that people only befriended others when they were certain they had something tangible to gain, be it money, power, or even protection.
"So, basically, you're telling me you guys were just getting lessons?" Johnson asked, his face a complex mixture of disgust and relief.
The disgust stemmed from his strong aversion to anything related to school or studies, and hearing that his new friend had just come from a school lesson immediately brought out his grimace.
The relief, however, was clearly evident in his eyes, likely from not having endured a similar, academically-focused assessment.
"Yeah… I guess, if you say it that way, that's what we were doing," Fai replied, a slight shrug in his posture.
"Man, I have difficulty taking in explanations during normal school lessons; I don't think I'd even be able to listen to a single word coming from a scientist,"
Johnson confessed, a fin shudder running down his spine. In his mind, he vividly imagined a bald man with thick glasses and a pristine white lab coat standing before him, droning on with complex theories. "Eww!" he exclaimed, his face contorting in genuine horror.
"That's my nightmare, buddy!" Looking at Johnson's dramatic antics, Fai couldn't help but ask himself what exactly was wrong with his new companion.
After the brief exchange between Fai and Johnson , they soon noticed the bald man moving back to his original, imposing position, a silent signal for the next phase of their journey.
Looking straight ahead into the vast crowd of students, easily a thousand or more, the bald man began to speak, his voice cutting through the lingering chatter like a honed blade.
"I advise you listen closely, for I will not repeat myself." The man paused, his eyes sweeping across the anxious faces before he continued.
"Now, the assessment is divided into four stages. You will be told about each stage only after successfully passing the previous one. Therefore, only those who succeed in passing the first stage will know of the second stage."
He paused, his words hung heavy in the air.
"The first stage is simple." As the bald man uttered these words, he cast a significant glance at the military personnels standing by his side.
Upon seeing his gaze, they all nodded in unison, clearly understanding his unspoken directive.
Witnessing this silent communication, the students were left to wonder: was it due to an overwhelming fear of him, or simply a testament to the extensive time they had spent together.
allowing them to comprehend the bald man better than anyone else without even the need to exchange words ? Whatever the reason, their synchronized understanding was undeniably unsettling.
Soon, the military personnel could be seen performing precise, fluid movements with their hands and legs. Some executed identical sets of movements, while others performed distinct, yet equally controlled, actions.
It was like they were performing a martial art dance. In some cases they would strike their fist forward, and in others they would stomp their feet onto the group with full force.
Some even had to punch the ground with their fist, it was a spectacle to behold. At least for the kids.
And with that, the students bore witness to the astonishing spectacle: massive, colossal walls began to rise from the very floor beneath them.
The ground vibrated vigorously, shaking with the intensity of a mini earthquake.
Some students, unable to maintain their balance, stumbled and fell to the floor, their eyes wide with disbelief.
From both their right and left, two immense, earth-like walls surged upward from the ground, as if by magic.
They had heard countless stories of how mutated abilities were used, and had even seen them in action on different occasions , but to witness a display, on this scale, was truly something else entirely.
The walls continued their ascent until they reached a height comparable to those that protected their former city.
But the construction did not end there.
Right at the back, directly behind the last student, the ground once again began to vibrate, causing those standing immediately in front of it to be pushed forward, making them stumble.
And right behind them, an entrance was created, leading to the other side. The construction continued, but the students could no longer watch, as the bald man began speaking again, drawing their attention back to him.
Although they really wanted to watch it, they knew best that it was better to listen to the bald man.
"The first stage of this assessment is meant to test your strength."
He said, and from a hidden place in the ground, a huge, metallic machine slowly rose into view.
It bore a striking resemblance to that a punching bag, yet it was undeniably different.
It was metallic in color, and in the center of its surface, a large circular target was visible. At the top of the machine, a rectangular black screen glowed with four green zeros.
The machine hadn't just appeared in front of them; several identical machines had also emerged in various other locations across .
Moving purposefully towards these machines were other military personnel, preparing for the assessment. Due to the large number of students a single machine wouldn't be enough.
The bald man then began to make his way towards one of the machines closest to him.
Once he was close enough, within arm's reach, he stretched out his hand towards the machine.
To the round circle at its center, he gave it a mere flick of his finger.
And with that, a resounding bang echoed through the area .
It was as loud as if someone had fired a bullet directly at the center of the bag, but it was not a bullet; it was merely the bald man's finger, which could now be seen pressed against the center of the bag.
After the deafening bang, the numbers on the machine's screen began to change. They started to rise slowly from one, then rapidly increased their speed until they finally settled at the number seventy.
The students, witnessing this display of casual power, could only stare in utter amazement. It was unequivocally clear that the bald man was no ordinary individual.
Perhaps it was precisely because of his immense strength that he commanded this group of military personnel, who seemingly followed his every instruction without the need for him to even utter a single word.
Who was this bald man?That was the question in all the students head at that moment