Chapter 14: The Trial Concludes
Beyond the metal fence at the exit of the ruins, the daylight was already slanting. Of the six-hour trial, only seven minutes remained.
Su Qin leaned against the cold metal fence, her chest heaving violently. Sweat dripped continuously from her forehead down her jaw. The persistent, dull ache deep within her Sea of Consciousness had not yet dissipated. She could only rely on slow, deep breaths to gradually gather her turbulent core of consciousness. The Sea of Consciousness stabilizer pendant around her neck had stopped trembling; the icy touch of the metal barely managed to steady her mind, which had been on the verge of collapse.
Lin Yan rushed to the fence. The wound on his forearm still throbbed faintly, and his chest retained a tight, suffocating sensation from the fierce struggle. He stopped, adjusting his breath slightly, and looked toward the garrison soldiers and instructors inside the fence. Lu Ling held a tablet, his eyes fixed on the positioning signals jumping on the screen, his expression calm.
"Number thirty-seven, Lin Yan. Number twenty-nine, Su Qin. Returned on time." Lu Ling raised his eyes to look at the two of them, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach their ears. "Take out your chips; we need to verify the coordinate collection records."
Su Qin immediately took the collection chip from her emergency kit and handed it over. The staff member responsible for verification took the chip and inserted it into the terminal to read it. On the screen, the three coordinate markers lit up in sequence, all indicating successful collection.
"All coordinates are valid," the staff member reported.
Lu Ling nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the dust and bloodstains on their bodies, as well as Su Qin's pale face. "You two, wait over there for a moment. Medical staff will check your Sea of Consciousness status and any external injuries. Sea of Consciousness damage must be evaluated on the spot; severe cases will fail the assessment even if the coordinates were collected."
Two medical staff members carrying detection equipment walked over. They first briefly checked their external wounds, then took out a simple Sea of Consciousness detector, pressing it against their foreheads to test their psychic fluctuations.
Su Qin was tested first. On the instrument's screen, the Sea of Consciousness curve fluctuated significantly, indicating a moderate shock. Fortunately, there was no tearing damage; it would recover after a period of rest. "Moderate disturbance in the Sea of Consciousness, no permanent damage," the medical staff recorded, before turning to Lin Yan.
The detector was pressed against Lin Yan's forehead. The curve on the screen was smooth and stable. Despite having endured high-intensity psychic impacts underground and fighting while rushing back, the core of his Sea of Consciousness remained rock-solid. Seeing the reading on the screen, the medical staff paused slightly in surprise, raising their eyes to take a closer look at Lin Yan. "Sea of Consciousness status is stable. Soft tissue contusion on the body surface, no psychic-level damage."
With the verification and testing complete, the two retreated to the waiting area, standing among the other candidates who had returned early, awaiting the final tally.
There weren't many people in the waiting area; only a dozen or so stood scattered about. Exhaustion was written on every face. Some had bandages wrapped around their arms, while others were still pressing their temples to relieve the severe pain in their Sea of Consciousness. Many remained silent, breathing softly, not yet having recovered from the terror of the ruins.
Time ticked by, and the assessment countdown reached zero.
Lu Ling raised his hand, signaling all staff to stop receiving candidates. The fence entrance was closed, and no one else was allowed to emerge from the ruins.
"Assessment time is up. Terminate positioning monitoring in the ruins area." Lu Ling issued the command into his communicator, then looked down at the summary data on his tablet. A moment later, he raised his head and looked at all the candidates in the waiting area.
"For this rookie assessment, forty-seven people initially registered. Sixteen were eliminated during the Sea of Consciousness evaluation phase. During the wilderness test in the ruins, eight people triggered their signalers and voluntarily gave up. Three were severely injured by scaled beast attacks and rescued by the rescue squad, failing the assessment. As of the time limit, a total of nine candidates successfully collected all three coordinates and returned to the assembly point on time."
In just a few brief sentences, the brutal elimination rate of this trial was laid bare. Out of forty-seven participants, only nine passed. A heavy silence fell over the waiting area. No one spoke; everyone in their hearts knew that those who hadn't returned were forever entombed beneath the broken walls and ruins.
"All nine have passed the Sea of Consciousness and injury re-evaluation and are approved to enter the frontline training camp," Lu Ling's voice continued. "The training will last for two months. The curriculum includes Sea of Consciousness reinforcement training, scaled beast behavioral research, individual combat tactics, and the use of emergency equipment. Upon passing the final assessment after training, you will be officially assigned to the coastal defense garrison forces and deployed to near-shore defense outposts."
As he spoke, Lu Ling's gaze slowly swept over the nine newly admitted cadets, finally resting on Lin Yan and Su Qin. "I have reviewed the positioning trajectories of both of you. Encountering a sub-high-level scaled beast in the underground old command center was the biggest unexpected variable in this assessment. That beast should have been cleared during the pre-assessment sweep; for some reason, it remained hidden in the basement. The fact that you were able to join forces to kill it, obtain the third coordinate, and return on time exceeded expectations."
Su Qin gently pressed her chapped lips together. "It was just luck."
"There is no luck on the battlefield, only strength and judgment." Lu Ling shook his head. "Su Qin, your Sea of Consciousness foundation is average. Your advantage lies in your calmness and your ability to cut losses in time. However, your weakness is obvious: under high-intensity, continuous psychic impacts, your Sea of Consciousness easily destabilizes. You must focus on practicing Sea of Consciousness fortification during the upcoming training."
Having finished, he turned to Lin Yan. "Your Sea of Consciousness stability is the best among this batch of rookies. I reviewed the Sea of Consciousness assessment data; even under the fourth-stage impact, your fluctuations were extremely minimal. Your tactical adaptability and close-quarters combat abilities also far surpass those of ordinary candidates. But your shortcoming is equally prominent: you have never systematically studied the Sea of Consciousness application techniques of this plane. You rely purely on your innate willpower to endure impacts. When faced with continuous, compounded psychic erosion, prolonged attrition still carries the risk of your Sea of Consciousness collapsing. During the training period, you must diligently study the Sea of Consciousness-related courses."
Lin Yan nodded slightly. "Understood."
"Rest and recover today," Lu Ling continued with the arrangements. "You will be taken uniformly to the temporary camp for food, lodging, and a comprehensive physical examination, including a deep Sea of Consciousness scan. Training officially begins tomorrow morning. Severely injured candidates will receive separate treatment and evaluation."
Garrison soldiers stepped forward to guide the nine candidates who had passed the assessment onto the transport vehicle. The candidates boarded one by one. The carriage was no longer as oppressive as it had been on the way there; instead, it carried a hint of exhaustion from having narrowly escaped death, along with apprehension about the unknown future.
Su Qin sat beside Lin Yan, leaning against the armored wall of the carriage, and spoke in a low voice, "I really didn't expect us to survive and pass the assessment. When we encountered that scaled beast underground, I thought we were both going to press the alarm and give up."
"That was just the first hurdle." Lin Yan looked out of the carriage window. The ruins, shrouded in gray mist, were gradually fading into the distance. "The near-shore defense line has more scaled beasts and greater crises waiting."
Su Qin fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently. She gazed at the massive city wall stretching across the horizon in the distance. Beyond that wall lay the boundless ocean, from which countless scaled beasts continuously emerged onto land.
The transport vehicle slowly started, heading toward the training camp inland. The ruins trial had drawn to a close, and their garrison training was about to begin.
End of Chapter
Su Qin leaned against the cold metal fence, her chest heaving violently. Sweat dripped continuously from her forehead down her jaw. The persistent, dull ache deep within her Sea of Consciousness had not yet dissipated. She could only rely on slow, deep breaths to gradually gather her turbulent core of consciousness. The Sea of Consciousness stabilizer pendant around her neck had stopped trembling; the icy touch of the metal barely managed to steady her mind, which had been on the verge of collapse.
Lin Yan rushed to the fence. The wound on his forearm still throbbed faintly, and his chest retained a tight, suffocating sensation from the fierce struggle. He stopped, adjusting his breath slightly, and looked toward the garrison soldiers and instructors inside the fence. Lu Ling held a tablet, his eyes fixed on the positioning signals jumping on the screen, his expression calm.
"Number thirty-seven, Lin Yan. Number twenty-nine, Su Qin. Returned on time." Lu Ling raised his eyes to look at the two of them, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach their ears. "Take out your chips; we need to verify the coordinate collection records."
Su Qin immediately took the collection chip from her emergency kit and handed it over. The staff member responsible for verification took the chip and inserted it into the terminal to read it. On the screen, the three coordinate markers lit up in sequence, all indicating successful collection.
"All coordinates are valid," the staff member reported.
Lu Ling nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the dust and bloodstains on their bodies, as well as Su Qin's pale face. "You two, wait over there for a moment. Medical staff will check your Sea of Consciousness status and any external injuries. Sea of Consciousness damage must be evaluated on the spot; severe cases will fail the assessment even if the coordinates were collected."
Two medical staff members carrying detection equipment walked over. They first briefly checked their external wounds, then took out a simple Sea of Consciousness detector, pressing it against their foreheads to test their psychic fluctuations.
Su Qin was tested first. On the instrument's screen, the Sea of Consciousness curve fluctuated significantly, indicating a moderate shock. Fortunately, there was no tearing damage; it would recover after a period of rest. "Moderate disturbance in the Sea of Consciousness, no permanent damage," the medical staff recorded, before turning to Lin Yan.
The detector was pressed against Lin Yan's forehead. The curve on the screen was smooth and stable. Despite having endured high-intensity psychic impacts underground and fighting while rushing back, the core of his Sea of Consciousness remained rock-solid. Seeing the reading on the screen, the medical staff paused slightly in surprise, raising their eyes to take a closer look at Lin Yan. "Sea of Consciousness status is stable. Soft tissue contusion on the body surface, no psychic-level damage."
With the verification and testing complete, the two retreated to the waiting area, standing among the other candidates who had returned early, awaiting the final tally.
There weren't many people in the waiting area; only a dozen or so stood scattered about. Exhaustion was written on every face. Some had bandages wrapped around their arms, while others were still pressing their temples to relieve the severe pain in their Sea of Consciousness. Many remained silent, breathing softly, not yet having recovered from the terror of the ruins.
Time ticked by, and the assessment countdown reached zero.
Lu Ling raised his hand, signaling all staff to stop receiving candidates. The fence entrance was closed, and no one else was allowed to emerge from the ruins.
"Assessment time is up. Terminate positioning monitoring in the ruins area." Lu Ling issued the command into his communicator, then looked down at the summary data on his tablet. A moment later, he raised his head and looked at all the candidates in the waiting area.
"For this rookie assessment, forty-seven people initially registered. Sixteen were eliminated during the Sea of Consciousness evaluation phase. During the wilderness test in the ruins, eight people triggered their signalers and voluntarily gave up. Three were severely injured by scaled beast attacks and rescued by the rescue squad, failing the assessment. As of the time limit, a total of nine candidates successfully collected all three coordinates and returned to the assembly point on time."
In just a few brief sentences, the brutal elimination rate of this trial was laid bare. Out of forty-seven participants, only nine passed. A heavy silence fell over the waiting area. No one spoke; everyone in their hearts knew that those who hadn't returned were forever entombed beneath the broken walls and ruins.
"All nine have passed the Sea of Consciousness and injury re-evaluation and are approved to enter the frontline training camp," Lu Ling's voice continued. "The training will last for two months. The curriculum includes Sea of Consciousness reinforcement training, scaled beast behavioral research, individual combat tactics, and the use of emergency equipment. Upon passing the final assessment after training, you will be officially assigned to the coastal defense garrison forces and deployed to near-shore defense outposts."
As he spoke, Lu Ling's gaze slowly swept over the nine newly admitted cadets, finally resting on Lin Yan and Su Qin. "I have reviewed the positioning trajectories of both of you. Encountering a sub-high-level scaled beast in the underground old command center was the biggest unexpected variable in this assessment. That beast should have been cleared during the pre-assessment sweep; for some reason, it remained hidden in the basement. The fact that you were able to join forces to kill it, obtain the third coordinate, and return on time exceeded expectations."
Su Qin gently pressed her chapped lips together. "It was just luck."
"There is no luck on the battlefield, only strength and judgment." Lu Ling shook his head. "Su Qin, your Sea of Consciousness foundation is average. Your advantage lies in your calmness and your ability to cut losses in time. However, your weakness is obvious: under high-intensity, continuous psychic impacts, your Sea of Consciousness easily destabilizes. You must focus on practicing Sea of Consciousness fortification during the upcoming training."
Having finished, he turned to Lin Yan. "Your Sea of Consciousness stability is the best among this batch of rookies. I reviewed the Sea of Consciousness assessment data; even under the fourth-stage impact, your fluctuations were extremely minimal. Your tactical adaptability and close-quarters combat abilities also far surpass those of ordinary candidates. But your shortcoming is equally prominent: you have never systematically studied the Sea of Consciousness application techniques of this plane. You rely purely on your innate willpower to endure impacts. When faced with continuous, compounded psychic erosion, prolonged attrition still carries the risk of your Sea of Consciousness collapsing. During the training period, you must diligently study the Sea of Consciousness-related courses."
Lin Yan nodded slightly. "Understood."
"Rest and recover today," Lu Ling continued with the arrangements. "You will be taken uniformly to the temporary camp for food, lodging, and a comprehensive physical examination, including a deep Sea of Consciousness scan. Training officially begins tomorrow morning. Severely injured candidates will receive separate treatment and evaluation."
Garrison soldiers stepped forward to guide the nine candidates who had passed the assessment onto the transport vehicle. The candidates boarded one by one. The carriage was no longer as oppressive as it had been on the way there; instead, it carried a hint of exhaustion from having narrowly escaped death, along with apprehension about the unknown future.
Su Qin sat beside Lin Yan, leaning against the armored wall of the carriage, and spoke in a low voice, "I really didn't expect us to survive and pass the assessment. When we encountered that scaled beast underground, I thought we were both going to press the alarm and give up."
"That was just the first hurdle." Lin Yan looked out of the carriage window. The ruins, shrouded in gray mist, were gradually fading into the distance. "The near-shore defense line has more scaled beasts and greater crises waiting."
Su Qin fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently. She gazed at the massive city wall stretching across the horizon in the distance. Beyond that wall lay the boundless ocean, from which countless scaled beasts continuously emerged onto land.
The transport vehicle slowly started, heading toward the training camp inland. The ruins trial had drawn to a close, and their garrison training was about to begin.
End of Chapter