Swallowing the Stars: Time Simulation

Chapter 12 Monster Town

It was already close to noon, and the military region had prepared a sumptuous lunch for the prospective martial artists.

To avoid attracting attention, Luo Feng and Yang Wu sat in a corner of the restaurant.

"There are so many people taking the exam," Luo Feng remarked, looking at the massive crowd around him.

"This quasi-martial arts combat assessment is only held twice a year in each base city. With six months of accumulation, plus those who were injured and failed or missed the assessment before, it's not surprising that there are so many people!" Yang Wu said slowly.

"Huh, it's actually food from a monster!" Luo Feng said with some surprise after taking a bite of the dish.

The price of monster meat in the base city is extremely high. Even the lowest grade of monster meat costs hundreds of yuan per kilogram, and ordinary people rarely have the opportunity to eat it.

Before becoming a martial artist, Yang Wu could only eat this once every two weeks, while Luo Feng ate it even less often.

"That's not surprising!" Yang Wu explained, "The reason these monster meats are so expensive in the base city is usually due to the high transportation costs. But in this military camp, these low-level monster meats are plentiful; obtaining them is probably easier than getting vegetables!"

"Brother Yang, you know so much!" Luo Feng exclaimed.

Yang Wu smiled. Having lived two lives, he certainly knew more general knowledge than Luo Feng, who had just graduated from high school. However, in this world, one's own strength was the most important thing.

Yang Wu and his companion chatted as they ate, and soon finished their lunch.

It was afternoon.

All the prospective martial artists gathered in an open square. In front of the square were the high-ranking officials of the Northern Military Region and various other forces.

"The preliminary martial artist combat assessment is about to begin. Now, those preliminary martial artists whose names are called, come up and collect your combat uniforms and weapons."

An officer on the high platform in front shouted loudly. Although he did not use a megaphone, his voice was clearly transmitted to the ears of every prospective martial artist.

Subsequently, more than ten officers began calling out the names of the prospective martial artists one by one. The prospective martial artists whose names were called stepped forward to receive their combat uniforms and weapons.

"Bai Yang".

"Yang Wu".

……

Upon hearing his name called, Yang Wu quickly stepped forward and, under the questioning gaze of the officer distributing the equipment, received his weapon, combat uniform, and other gear. He then walked to the side and began to put on his equipment.

A short while later, Luo Feng, carrying a combat uniform and a sword and shield, also ran over.

"Brother Yang!" Luo Feng asked, watching Yang Wu put on his combat gear. "How about we form a team and try to conquer this monster town together?"

Although Luo Feng preferred to hone his swordsmanship and movement skills on his own, he decided to give it up for Yang Wu's safety.

The practical assessment for quasi-martial artists is quite dangerous, and there are always casualties among them. Although there are people responsible for rescue, Luo Feng is still a little worried.

Hearing Luo Feng's words, Yang Wu smiled slightly.

With Luo Feng's words, all the efforts of the past few years had not been in vain. However, Yang Wu certainly wouldn't act alongside Luo Feng.

"Ah Feng, I understand your good intentions, but this time I'm going to venture into this monster town alone."

After Yang Wu finished speaking, seeing that Luo Feng was about to say something, he quickly smiled and said, "Ah Feng, give me my weapon!"

"Brother Yang?"

Yang Wu's spear was right beside him, and although Luo Feng was a little confused, he still picked it up.

Just as Luo Feng picked up Yang Wu's weapon, a look of shock suddenly appeared on his face.

"Brother Yang, what's going on here?"

Luo Feng suddenly realized that Yang Wu's spear was even heavier than the 98kg Blood Shadow Battle Blade in his hand!

"What?" Yang Wu smiled and said, "If you, 'Madman,' can improve your strength so much, why can't I, your brother Yang?"

"This..." Luo Feng was slightly taken aback, then said happily, "Brother Yang, you've also successfully cultivated your genetic energy?"

"yes!"

"So, Brother Yang, how much power did you gain?" Luo Feng asked with a smile.

Yang Wu was also very happy that he was able to successfully cultivate gene energy and greatly improve his strength.

"Around 8000 kilograms!" Yang Wu said, feigning calmness, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

"I wonder how this future Lord Luo will react to what I've said?"

As expected, Luo Feng looked astonished after hearing Yang Wu's words.

"8000 kilograms? Brother Yang, are you serious? You didn't add an extra zero, did you?" Luo Feng looked incredulous.

He only gained a little over 2,000 kilograms of strength on his first successful cultivation of gene energy, with the aid of mental power. How could someone possibly gain 8000 kilograms of strength in one go?

"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you?" Yang Wu laughed.

"Luo Feng, Luo Feng."

Just then, Wu Tong, the head instructor of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy in Yangzhou, suddenly came looking for them.

"Uncle Wu."

"Chief Instructor," Yang Wu and Luo Feng hurriedly greeted.

"Yang Wu's here too! Give it your all during the assessment and try to pass on your first try!" After encouraging Yang Wu, Wu Tong quickly turned to Luo Feng and said, "Luo Feng, come with me!"

After saying that, Wu Tong turned around and led the way.

"Uncle Wu!" Luo Feng, following behind Wu Tong, suddenly asked, "Did you say there are any martial artists who can gain 8000 kilograms of strength in their first attempt at cultivating genetic energy?"

"How could that be?" Wu Tong laughed. "Luo Feng, someone must be joking with you."

"Is it really impossible?" Although Luo Feng didn't quite believe it either, he felt that Yang Wu wouldn't lie to him.

"Let me put it this way!" Wu Tong chuckled, annoyed. "Your successful cultivation of genetic energy this time resulted in a strength increase of over two thousand kilograms in one go. In Jiangnan Base City, only one or two geniuses like you emerge every year. As for those even more talented, I haven't seen them, but I've heard of a few. But the most they've ever gained was a little over four thousand kilograms in one go, immediately becoming a high-level warrior upon becoming a martial artist. 8000 kilograms? I've never even heard of that, it's simply impossible!"

As the two talked, they arrived at the second floor of a quiet little building.

Here, Luo Feng encountered a challenge from Wan Dong, a genius martial artist from the Thunder Martial Arts School. However, Luo Feng, who was still pondering Yang Wu's strength, naturally ignored the other party.

……

As evening fell, Yang Wu and more than a thousand aspiring martial artists, led by soldiers, walked for more than half an hour before finally arriving at the outskirts of a small town.

"roar--"

"Aww—"

Various terrifying roars of monsters echoed from the town.

"Hurry up, there aren't enough monsters inside. Bring over another 1200 Iron-haired Boars, 300 Shadow Cats, and 500 Tiger Mastiffs!" The person in charge of the assessment in the town issued the order.

Soon, heavy trucks drove into the town, and on each truck, a large iron cage contained a frenzied monster.

Two thousand of the weakest H-class monsters were transported into the town, bringing the total number of monsters in the town to an astonishing number.

"Gentlemen!" an officer shouted to the crowd from a three-story building in the town. "The current martial arts combat assessment will proceed as before, starting at 6:30 tonight and ending at 6:30 tomorrow morning."

"Your mission is to hunt as many monsters as possible. The more monsters you hunt, the more points you'll get. For each monster you hunt, cut off its left ear as proof!"

"Among aspiring martial artists, killing each other is strictly prohibited; violators will be executed by firing squad."

"Finally, only the top 60% of you in terms of points will be able to successfully obtain the qualification of martial artist. The rest of you will have to wait until the next assessment."

"If someone is seriously injured, be sure to press the SOS button on the communication watch immediately, and someone will come to the rescue right away."

After saying this, the officer glanced at his communication watch and then shouted, "Time's up! All prospective martial artists participating in the assessment, enter Monster Town!"

With a wave of his hand, the town gates burst open, and countless aspiring martial artists rushed into the monster town.

(End of this chapter)