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Chapter 179 Even Five-Star Heroes Have Differences (Part 2)

The Heroes' Guild, second floor of the main building.

This is a multi-functional area, divided into a lounge area, a waiting area, a small meeting room, and an activity area.

In the lecture hall, 20 five-star warriors from Gucheng were scattered in rows of blue seats.

Wang Xi sat in a rather inconspicuous spot in the middle, scanning his surroundings, and soon spotted several familiar faces in the crowd.

Jiang Tianhao and Zheng Xianzheng were sitting not far away.

Noticing his gaze, the two looked over and nodded to Wang Xi.

As the only newcomer who had just passed the assessment this year, Wang Xi naturally attracted a lot of curious glances.

Everyone was secretly observing this rising star.

It seems they want to see who this genius is who, according to rumors, advanced to five stars in just two months, single-handedly destroyed the No. 12 disaster zone, and was selected for this year's "upper-level" list.
Wang Xi didn't seem to care much about this and remained calm and composed.

He was a genius.

What's there to be ashamed of?
The one who should feel guilty is someone else; their foundation isn't solid enough!

Not a moment.

The former president, Wei Xuan, led his student, Li Xingduan, and a group of senior members of the Yongxie Association into the hall.

Old Wei was still wearing his signature black jacket, with his hands behind his back and a kind smile on his face, like a retired old man preparing to go for a stroll.

"Congratulations, everyone, on being selected for this year's 'Top Performers' list. You will represent Gucheng in the assessment in Lucheng, the capital of Nanzhou."

Old Wei paused for a moment, then continued:
"Yongxie will take care of all the food and accommodation for this trip. If you need to do business or visit friends in Lucheng, you can make your own arrangements, just don't miss the assessment."

The assessment period for "rising to a higher position" is relatively long.

Considering the long distances between the 27 cities in the Southern Continent and the inconvenient transportation across the wilderness, the assessment period will last for 15 days.

That is, it will last from August 5th to August 20th.

Today happens to be August 5th, so there's plenty of time.

"Everyone here is an outstanding warrior, one in a million, so I won't waste any more words... If you're ready, let's set off now."

Old Wei smiled at the end.

Everyone present was an elite member of Gucheng, and they had come fully prepared, so no one raised any objections.

Waited for a while.

Old Wei withdrew his gaze and nodded:
"In that case, everyone follow me."

"Yes, Mr. Wei."

Swah——

The entire audience rose in unison, without whispering among themselves, and followed Mr. Wei away with upright posture.

Wei Xuan only took everyone to the Engraving Square.

The rest of the trip will be handled by his student, Li Xingduan, along with several Yongxie staff members to handle related matters.

The mode of transportation to Lucheng was a specially designed hovercraft. Its appearance resembled a scaled-down version of a railcar, but it was more robust and refined.

Streamlined design, silver-gray bullet-shaped.

Its official name is "Shenzhou Silver Shuttle".

It is a high-specification controlled vehicle with an official, proprietary code. It can easily withstand shots from conventional bullets and lasers, and can even withstand direct hits from twenty man-portable rockets without affecting its normal operation.

However, due to its high cost of construction and maintenance, huge energy consumption, and the need to establish specific routes, it is only used when performing special missions or escorting important figures.

Wang Xi and the others also benefited from this opportunity, as they were able to experience the charm of the Silver Shuttle.

After everyone boarded the vehicle.

The silver shuttle ascended vertically into the air above the Yongxie Inscription Plaza, rising more than ten meters above the ground before whistling through the air and flying away in a flash of silver light.

Ordinary hovercars can only fly three meters above the ground, but the Silver Shuttle can fly at low altitudes, which is its strength.

The carriage was not cramped at all; on the contrary, it was quite spacious.

It's almost identical to the subway from my previous life.

It's not that long, only less than fifteen meters.

It's more like a flying bus.

Wang Xi was sitting by the window when she saw the team leader, Li Xingduan, dressed in a suit and tie, striding towards her.

"Wang Xi, is this your first time traveling so far from home?"

Li Xingduan stopped beside his seat and smiled.

“Yes, Brother Li,” Wang Xi nodded. “I’m a little nervous.”

That being said, his relaxed and carefree demeanor made him seem less like someone going to participate in an important assessment and more like someone going on a vacation.

"Nervous?" Li Xingduan raised an eyebrow, his expression strange. "I didn't see it at all."

"Look, my legs are starting to shake."

Wang Xi leaned lazily against the window, his left leg under his black shorts starting to swing rhythmically.

Li Xingduan couldn't help but chuckle, slapped him on the shoulder, and said with a laugh, "Are you kidding me?"

This familiar interaction drew frequent glances from several five-star warriors nearby.

Li Xingduan is a renowned genius in Gucheng, hailed as a leading figure among the younger generation. At the young age of 28, he obtained the "Upper Three Stars" certificate and is currently the vice president of the Gucheng Yongxie Association.

He personally destroyed three disaster zones.

A true powerhouse.

Even veteran five-star warriors usually treat him with great respect, but Wang Xi, a new generation, treats him very casually.

Li Xingduan was not angry at all; on the contrary, he laughed heartily, his affectionate manner as if he were treating his own younger brother.

Several seasoned warriors exchanged glances, all reading the same astonishment on each other's faces.

"Although we all probably know each other, let's follow the usual practice and introduce ourselves."

Li Xingduan, supporting himself on his seat, stood in the middle of the aisle and smiled at everyone:
"This trip to Lucheng will take at least one or two days, so you can take this opportunity to exchange ideas."

After speaking, the burly man with a buzz cut stood up first, looked around, and said calmly, "Gucheng No. 4 Defense Captain, Jiang Tianhao."

Zheng Xian stood up immediately after him, a smile on his face: "Overlooking the Bureau's Foreign Affairs Department Group Leader, Zheng Xian."

With these two leading the way, the other warriors were not intimidated and stood up to greet them in a generous manner.

"Ma Yu, head of the Demystification Division of the Overlooking Bureau."

"Senior Superintendent of Police, Gu Yuanshan."

"Freelancer, Pang Jing."

"Ni Dong, the Gold Medal Postman of the Hermes Business Alliance."

"Sky Dome Consortium..."

As everyone was introduced, when it was Wang Xi's turn, he introduced himself as "Wang Xi, Senior Butler of Cupid Housekeeping".

Swah——

The eyes in the carriage lingered on him for a while longer.

"My brother is much more handsome than he appears in the advertisements."

A woman with short, dyed blue hair laughed.

She is Gu Yuanshan, a senior police superintendent in the Public Security Bureau and a good friend of Yu Zizi.

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Only Wang Xi didn't laugh.

His advertisements featuring Cupid have been updated several times with the help of AI.

However, each one is more cringeworthy than the last.

Wang Xi saw it on her phone, but didn't even dare to open it, afraid of having nightmares that night.

So he knew what everyone was laughing at.

The silver shuttle had already flown away from Gucheng.

Outside the window, you can see a vast wilderness, an endless jungle, and occasionally glimpses of steel, concrete, ruins, and roads buried under the greenery.

The group started chatting.

Wang Xi rarely participated; he mostly just listened silently.

Through their conversation, Wang Xi gradually realized that even five-star heroes are different.

Veteran five-star players like Jiang Tianhao, Luo Yan, Ma Yu, Zheng Xian, and Gu Yuanshan all possess exceptional individual skills and have solid achievements.

They are promoted very quickly, are generally young, and at most no more than thirty years old, making them a minority.

Furthermore, even the entry is a five-star elite with a bronze frame.

As for the others, they were given blank five-star ratings.

Most five-star heroes are forged through sheer perseverance.

That is, to complete the monthly tasks of the Brave Association step by step and accumulate contribution points to complete the promotion.

Going from one star to five stars often takes several years, or even more than a decade.

This is still considered a relatively good professional.

Otherwise, you'll never reach the five-star certificate in your entire life.

It's common for these brave individuals to be in their thirties or forties.

As for Wang Xi, he is an outlier.

He had long been tacitly categorized by everyone as a genius like Li Xingduan.

Even without saying it, Wang Xi vaguely sensed a pitiful, thick barrier between himself and the others.

It's lonely at the top.

Brother Li was easier to talk to, but he had already returned to the driver's area to help the driver observe the road and prevent accidents.

The morning passed quickly.

Silver Shuttle had ventured deep into the wilderness, where the scenery outside was almost entirely a primeval jungle, with little trace of civilization to be found.

Although Wang Xi didn't talk much, he gradually integrated into Jiang Tianhao's circle.

The Security Bureau, the Public Security Department, and the Defense Force, as the three official bodies, mostly know each other.

They also really wanted to befriend Wang Xi, this genius.

"Brother Wang was in the same year as Jiang Tianjie, and now he's in the same year as his brother. What a wonderful coincidence!"

A man with a short ponytail and stubble laughed.

This person is Luo Yan, the captain of the No. 7 Defense Team, who has a good relationship with Jiang Tianhao.

Hearing his friend's teasing, a rare smile appeared on Jiang Tianhao's usually stern face.

"Luo Yan, we old folks can forget about it. This time, only Wang Xi can bring honor to Gucheng when we go to Lucheng."

He crossed his arms and looked at the young man in a suit at the front of the aisle.

"It's been three years. Apart from Chairman Li's stunning performance that earned him the 'Upper Two-Star' certificate, Gucheng hasn't produced anyone truly remarkable in a long time. I'm looking forward to it."

On the other side, a chubby, short-haired man with glasses chimed in, "Brother Tianhao is right. Our Gucheng is too insignificant in the Southern Continent. Apart from the capital Lucheng, there are also big cities like Yucheng, Lingcheng, and Hongcheng. Every year, their people steal the spotlight and gain fame in the 'promotion' assessment, while we're just there to play supporting roles."

"We have to prove ourselves."

This person's name is Ma Yu, the head of the Exorcism Division of the Overlooking Bureau, and a subordinate of Chu Nai.

He also had the amazing feat of single-handedly destroying the disaster core.

Listening to the crowd's encouragement and feeling the teasing glances directed at him, Wang Xi pursed his lips, leaned back in his chair, and said:
"Since all the seniors have said so, if I still mess up and drop the ball, will I not get any good juice when I go back to Gucheng?"

Official bullying is terrifying.

"Hahaha……"

Everyone laughed, and a joyful atmosphere filled the air inside and outside the silver shuttle.

"Wang Xi, just go for the level you showed when you sparred with Chairman Li. You can easily pass the simulation test."

Jiang Tianhao raised his chin.

"But I believe you still have a trump card up your sleeve. This time, let the warriors from Lucheng and other cities see that although Gucheng is small, it also has geniuses."

"Huh?" Gu Yuanshan was surprised. "Your younger brother even fought with Chairman Li?"

She seemed intrigued: "Tell me about it."

Upon hearing this, the others also turned their gazes over, and some even got up to join in the fun.

Jiang Tianhao then began to recount what happened that day, eliciting gasps of amazement and praise for his remarkable talent at such a young age.

Wang Xi was about to speak when his shoulder was pressed down.

Turning around, I saw that it was Li Xingduan, the very person at the center of the conversation. In front of everyone, he beamed with approval:
"Don't worry, there are differences even among five-star warriors. Wang Xi is more outstanding than me, and he will definitely make a name for himself in this Lucheng assessment!"

Okay.

Even the team leader personally joined in fanning the flames; how can the game possibly continue?
"Little brother, why don't you do something?"

Gu Yuanshan tossed her hair, a half-smile playing on her lips.

Everyone looked at Wang Xi, finding the shy young man quite interesting and wanting to hear what he had to say.

Seeing this, Wang Xi nodded.

Row.

If you like stirring things up, then don't blame me for starting a fire right away.

He raised his hand in a gesture of surrender, looking listless, and said, "Okay, I'll definitely dominate the whole arena."

"..."

...

...

Traveling through the wilderness is an extremely dangerous thing.

Due to the unstable fluctuations in the degree of reality distortion, one may encounter sudden supernatural phenomena or monsters at any time, or even accidentally wander into a small disaster zone.

If we compare human settlements to safe lotus pods, then the wilderness is like a stagnant pool of putrid water—calm on the surface, yet occasionally bubbling with eerie bubbles.

Fortunately, the trip went smoothly.

Nothing unexpected happened along the way.

This is thanks to the fact that the "Shenzhou Silver Shuttle" travels along a predetermined route that is regularly cleaned and maintained by a dedicated organization; otherwise, it would not be impossible for it to be intercepted by monsters along the way.

After a long journey of more than 20 hours, the silver shuttle finally arrived safely in Lucheng.

Through the window, Wang Xi and the others could see the magnificent city complex in the distance.

"Amazing!" Luo Yan exclaimed, arms crossed, leaning against the window. "No wonder it's the capital of Southern Continent; these walls must be at least a hundred meters high!"

The walls of Gucheng are only fifty meters high.

However, the scale of Lucheng was doubled.

The two are like Yao Ming and Guo Jingming. *Whoosh—*

The silver shuttle began its descent, heading straight for the entrance to Lucheng. The group then noticed that their shuttle had entered a wide main road, with numerous hovercars passing below.

Illuminated dot matrix signs line both sides of the road, serving to guide and divert traffic. At the entrance directly ahead is a giant screen flashing with dazzling patterns.

In the center are two large characters written in a vigorous, dragon-and-phoenix style.

Lucheng!

As the silver shuttle swept across a light blue square projection area, dozens of machines on both sides simultaneously flashed their scanning beams and beeped.

"The 'Shenzhou Silver Shuttle' from Gucheng has arrived, official number: NG002▇▇. Welcome to Lucheng."

We passed through the high walls and entered the interior of Lucheng.

Wang Xi and his group found the area to be filled with tall buildings, with colorful street scenes, and extremely prosperous.

Various high-end hovercars shuttled along the road, and there were many never-before-seen robotic figures by the roadside. There were even giant robotic figures the size of buses hovering in the air, pulling a large number of banners in their hands.

Almost everyone in the carriage was visiting Lucheng for the first time, and they were full of amazement.

Li Xingduan, on the other hand, appeared calm.

He had been to Lucheng several times on business trips and was a seasoned veteran who had seen the world.

Another ten minutes passed.

"We'll be arriving at Lucheng Yongxie soon."

Li Xingduan reminded him.

"After getting off the bus, we will check into the Yongxie VIP Building. If you have other plans, please make your own arrangements. But I suggest that you finish the assessment first, since it won't take up much time."

"Okay, Chairman Li."

"understood."

Everyone readily agreed, and their attitude was polite.

Soon, the silver shuttle stopped at the edge of a square inside the Lucheng Yongxie.

Once the car doors opened, everyone disembarked in an orderly fashion.

Wang Xi glanced around and found that more than a dozen identical Silver Shuttles were already neatly parked here, indicating that the assessment teams from other cities had arrived earlier than them.

"The cities of Baocheng, Liancheng, and Liangcheng are quite far away, so they probably won't arrive until tomorrow..."

Li Xingduan led the way and said.

"Never mind them, let's go check in first."

No one had any objection.

After a while.

After completing the formalities in the Yongxie Hall, the group went to the accommodation area to put their luggage away.

Along the way, the group encountered several assessment teams from other cities.

However, the two sides were mostly strangers and couldn't connect on a deeper level.

It was usually Li Xingduan who would step forward and exchange a few polite words with the other team leader.

Wang Xi hid in the group and observed silently.

He discovered that the other assessment teams all had more than 25 people, with some even having 3 or 40.

The majority of the five-star characters were white, but the number of five-star characters with bronze frames was greater than that of their Gucheng team, and occasionally you could see five-star characters with silver frames.

However, as team leaders, almost all of them are five-star with gold frames, just like Li Xingduan, with very few being two-star in a higher rank.

If we really want to compare, the gold-framed five-star is slightly stronger than the upper-level two-star, after all, it has the benefit of a triple template.

However, Caius did not provide a precise answer as to why there was such a difference. Wang Xi speculated that it was mostly related to "individual potential" and "legendary status."

Neither of these things can be seen or touched.

Purely based on intuition.

No one left the Gucheng team; all 20 members chose to participate in the assessment first.

So, led by Li Xingduan, everyone returned to the Yongxie Hall and filled out and submitted their assessment applications.

Wang Xi originally thought he would have to wait in line, but shortly after submitting the application form, a young and beautiful female staff member came up and told Li Xingduan that he could begin.

"Let's go."

Li Xingduan called out to everyone.

The female staff member was respectful and led the way.

The group was taken to another building.

In the long corridor on the first floor, there are two rows of rooms on the left and right. Above the doors, there are square illuminated signs, most of which read "X Branding Scanning Room".

"Just go into any room and follow the instructions."

Li Xingduan stopped and turned around.

Everyone readily agreed.

Wang Xi randomly chose an empty room and pushed the door open to enter.

The scanning room was clean and tidy, but completely empty, without even a chair. All four walls were white, and strip ceiling lights emitted a blinding white light.

Click.

Wang Xi closed the door and stood in the center.

hum-

At this moment, two red scanning lights appeared, sweeping across his head and feet respectively.

drip.

A cold, mechanical voice echoed from inside the room:
"Authentication complete".

"Respected 'Professional Five-Star' Warrior of Gucheng, Wang Xi, please display your Wild Card Imprint. The Mountain and Sea Federation Super System 'Pangu' will now record your data—"

No wonder they used separate rooms for individual examinations.

The branding marks are not only a secret among the volunteers, but they can also appear on private parts, making it inconvenient to show them to others.

Wang Xi thought for a moment, then deliberately took off his short-sleeved shirt, revealing his perfectly proportioned, muscular body.

In his mind, he silently gave instructions to Chaos.

The next moment, three marks appeared on his chest: a candy, a little man carrying a load, and a crying-laughing mask.

On its back, there are also small metal figures sitting cross-legged and the character "福" (fortune).

Wang Xi has a total of eight brand marks.

He selectively displayed five of them, concealing the three of the highest quality ones to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion.

With a buzzing sound, the scanning red light reappeared.

drip.

"Data has been entered."

"Wang Xi, total number of brand marks: 5, white brand marks: 3, green brand marks: 2."

"Congratulations! You have passed the first round of the 'promotion' assessment. We look forward to your future performance."

It is indeed very efficient.

Wang Xi sighed inwardly, put his clothes back on, and went out the door.

Before long, all 20 members of the Gucheng team had completed the inspection.

"After eight years as a volunteer soldier, I've only managed to get two white brand marks. Sigh."

Luo Yan sighed and walked over with a sullen face.

Gu Yuanshan glanced at him and laughed, "Be content. Many people can't even achieve one like this in their entire lives."

Wang Xi overheard their casual conversation and astutely gleaned a key piece of information—

The number of branding marks is not unlimited.

After twenty years of exploration and research into the extraordinary realm and the universal card, the World Alliance has long since come to the conclusion that the human body can only bear a maximum of 10 imprints.

This is an ironclad rule that no one can break.

It is also an invisible hurdle.

A sentence involuntarily popped into Wang Xi's mind:

This hurdle has firmly blocked the path for individual humans to become gods...

But this so-called upper limit has nothing to do with ordinary heroes, because they probably won't be able to reach it in their entire lives.

Choosing which of the 10 branding slots to use is something that top experts and the pride of the era need to consider.

Most warriors are lucky if they can even get a mark; they wouldn't bother with anything else and try to achieve the so-called optimal configuration... Students who can only score two or three hundred points are just worrying about whether to go to Peking University or Tsinghua University all day long; they're just making trouble for themselves.

So, does this upper limit exist for me?

Wang Xi then began to have doubts.

But he had a strong intuition that Teacher Da Ka was outside the three realms and was mostly not bound by such rules.

Unlike others whose marks are on their skin, Wang Xi's mark is in his mind, which is strong evidence of this.

'Theoretically speaking, my potential is limitless?'

Wang Xi's heart skipped a beat.

At this moment, Ma Yu stepped forward, gestured with his chin towards a group of people not far away, and whispered:

"I heard that a formidable figure has emerged in Yucheng. He's a member of the previous generation of newcomers, and like Wang Xi, he's in his early twenties. He's already cultivated four marks, one of which is of blue quality."

Everyone looked surprised.

Wang Xi followed the gaze and saw a tall, short-haired woman about ten meters away. She was surrounded by her companions, chatting about something, with a shy smile on her face.

"Wang Xi, how is it?"

Li Xingduan withdrew his gaze and asked curiously.

His words attracted everyone's attention.

Of the 20 players on the Gucheng team, most only managed to get one badge, with even fewer green badges. Jiang Tianhao, Ma Yu, Luo Yan, Gu Yuanshan, and Zheng Xian each only had two badges.

“Five,” Wang Xi said. “Three white and two green.”

"?!"

Everyone was startled and looked at each other in bewilderment.

How many? Five!
Not buddy.

How old are you? You haven't even been practicing with cards for two and a half years, and you've already built up so many marks, it's like you're playing around...

This will make them look silly!

"I wouldn't have asked if I had known."

Seeing everyone's constipated expressions of "Dao heart collapse," Li Xingduan opened his mouth, then sighed in the end.

Luo Yan took a deep breath, patted Wang Xi's shoulder heavily, and said loudly, "Good! As expected of our Gucheng's genius! You've cultivated five marks at the age of twenty!"

Five!

He shouted, deliberately targeting the Yucheng team on the other side.

They were afraid others wouldn't hear them.

Upon hearing Luo Yan's voice, the nearly thirty members of the Yucheng team were all taken aback, casting surprised glances at Wang Xi before whispering amongst themselves.

Seeing this, Luo Yan chuckled, in a great mood.

Everyone felt much more at ease.

Wang Xi glanced at Luo Yan. This bearded man with thick eyebrows and big eyes looked mature and steady, but in reality, he was just a childish brat.

"Hello, my name is Xia Yuexia, a 'Five-Star Warrior' from Yu City."

At this moment, the shy short-haired woman strode up to Wang Xi, smiled, and extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd, Wang Xi extended his hand and shook hands with the woman. "Wang Xi, 'Five-Star Warrior' of Gucheng."

Can we be friends?

A dimple appeared on Xia Yuexia's cheek as she asked shyly.

Wang Xi smiled and said, "Of course."

The two added each other as friends. Xia Yuexia waved her hand, said "Good luck with the simulation," and turned to leave without ever glancing at anyone else.

Luo Yan and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

He suddenly felt as if he had done something completely unnecessary.

"Damn it!" He rubbed his stubble hard on his chin and said resentfully, "I'm still single..."

"This world is so unfair. Why don't any beautiful women want to be my friends? Is it because I'm not strong enough?"

“Of course not.” Gu Yuanshan shook her head. “It’s just too ugly.”

"..."

After passing the branding check, everyone was led to the second floor by the female staff member.

These are also individual rooms.

But it is obviously larger in area, with an illuminated sign above the door that reads "Xth Combat Simulation Room".

When the Gucheng team arrived, they found that there were already quite a few people there, at least a hundred at first glance.

The assessment teams are located in several cities.

Faintly, one could still hear the sounds of discussion:
"...A rare opportunity for real-world simulation, allowing you to spar one-on-one with a 'Title Hero.'"

"Everyone should try to persevere for as long as possible during the assessment period; you will surely reap greater rewards."

"Peng Ze, in your simulation just now, which 'Grand Master' were you fighting against?"

"Wu Qing, the 'Lingcheng Taiyu Fengnan Blade,' is terrifyingly powerful. I only lasted for less than two minutes before being beheaded with a single strike..."

"Two minutes is already amazing!"

"Someone was even more unlucky than you. That genius from the Lucheng team, Shen Chengbi, ran straight into their 'Lucheng Grand Marshal, Headless Marquis' Liu Qifeng. He didn't even last thirty seconds before being cleaved in two by a single sword strike."

"Hahaha……"

"I'd always heard that live-fire simulations were tough, but I never imagined they were this difficult."

"Let's give us a reality check and teach us to stay humble and avoid complacency."

Wang Xi listened to the discussion, filled with doubts.

"Title Hero"?
"Taiyu"?
What are these...?

Li Xingduan seemed to notice his confusion and explained in a low voice, "Almost all renowned powerhouses have their own 'titles.' They are usually promoted from the top 'upper rank' and are the backbone of the Federation."

"And the 'Taiyu' is the guardian deity of every city, unknown to the general public... Our Gucheng also has one."

(End of this chapter)