Chapter 17 Test of People's Hearts

It seemed the best option was to find a place to hide for 72 hours, avoiding the Ancient Martial Arts Legion's hunt and conflicts with other human teams.

Yes, Jiang Xiao used the phrase "avoid being hunted" because the Ancient Martial Arts Legion was simply too fierce. These students were likely prey.

Perhaps only a few exceptionally strong teams would become "hunters."

Jiang Xiao knew he had a heavy responsibility, especially with the Star Technique, Silence. If used well, they could be hunters, but if used poorly, the team could be wiped out in an instant.

This damned organizer, why would they place the High School League competition here...

Couldn't they find a different dimension with monsters of lower levels?

That way, they could see squad tactics, the students' strength, and everything they'd learned in school!

But by placing the test site here, the students were preoccupied with survival. What were they even testing?

Could it be...

They were testing people's hearts?

Holy crap!?

The more Jiang Xiao thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. After all, the previous national high school league competitions weren't nearly as frightening as this year's.

These kids were the top teams selected from various provinces and regions across the country. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that each of them was a talented youth, a future pillar of the nation. Was it really okay for them to die in there after the nation, schools, and parents had invested so many years in their upbringing?

However, the next words from the man in the suit nearly made Jiang Xiao curse out loud.

The man held up three fingers: "Competition Rule 3: Each star orb from a Silver-rank Ancient Martial Arts Archer or Ancient Martial Arts Melee Soldier is worth 10 points; each star orb from a Gold-rank Ancient Martial Arts Arch General or Ancient Martial Arts War General is worth 50 points; each star orb from a Gold-rank Ancient Martial Arts Soul is worth 80 points. The final ranking of the competition will be determined by the team's total points."

Go screw yourself... Using star orbs as points?

Did you misunderstand our strength or something?

We are the prey! We are the prey!

The Ancient Martial Arts Legion are the hunters! You want us to hunt them? And exchange the star orbs in their heads for competition points?

At least the provincial leagues equip the monsters with weapons and engrave medals on their backs. You guys are great, directly using star orbs as points?

Was it because the creatures in here were too fierce? You didn't even dare to go in and engrave medals on their backs?

Jiang Xiao grumbled inwardly, almost bursting out in complaints.

However, objectively speaking, the provincial leagues didn't have the advantages of the national league. That is to say, the provincial leagues couldn't use creature star orbs from the armory as a basis for judging points.

Why?

Because there were many armories in the three northeastern provinces. If students were to carry creature star orbs from the armory into the competition through irregular means, there was a high chance of cheating.

But the national high school league didn't have such concerns.

There were only three Ancient Emperor Tombs near Chang'an City in the whole world, and they were all guarded by national troops. This special other dimension was never open to the public. After the officials confirmed the competition venue last year, security had been especially tight, so it was unlikely that anyone could obtain Ancient Emperor Tomb creature star orbs from the outside.

Of course, nothing is absolute in this world.

The students were full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. There was no shortage of people with great power, so the competition rules were only announced now. Before entering the venue, the students had to undergo very strict inspections.

This didn't matter to Jiang Xiao. He didn't have the ability to cheat.

What Jiang Xiao was thinking now was, it's fine that the competition used star orbs to judge points, but the key question was: Would you recycle the star orbs?

Were you using our star orbs to judge points, or to exchange for points? Don't tell me we worked so hard to get a few star orbs, came out to exchange them for competition points, and in the end, we didn't even make it to the second round, and we lost the star orbs...

Jiang Xiao's thoughts were interesting. Hmm, he seemed to have forgotten that he was just shouting in his heart: I am the prey, I am the prey.

The man in the suit held up four fingers: "Competition Rule 4: Each level of the underground imperial tomb will contain one weapon specially made by the organizers. They come in various forms, but they all have one thing in common: They are of very high quality and are clearly different from the weapons used by the Ancient Martial Arts Legion, enough for you to distinguish them clearly."

"This weapon may be hidden in a corner, it may be in the hands of the Ancient Martial Arts Legion's soldiers, or it may have already been destroyed. You will need to explore on your own. One weapon per level, each worth 200 points."

After the man finished speaking, the students below started buzzing again. 200 points each!? That was too much, wasn't it?

An ordinary Ancient Martial Arts Legion soldier was only worth 10 points, and a Gold-rank Ancient Martial Arts leader was only worth 50 points! The most valuable Ancient Martial Arts Soul was only worth 80 points, but this weapon was worth 200 points?

If you wanted to rank high, find the weapons! If you found a hidden or lost weapon, you would strike it rich!

The man in the suit spoke again: "Also..."

Every time he said "also," Jiang Xiao felt like he wasn't going to say anything good.

The man continued: "Also, due to the special nature of the Ancient Emperor Tomb, the Guardian Legion is only stationed at the entrance of each level. The competition has requested help from the country, and the military has sent some powerful Star Warriors Officers, who will be distributed in various corners of each level, for you to seek help and protect yourselves."

"You must note that, apart from seeking help, you must not stay at the Guardian Legion's supply points under any pretext, nor should you loiter around the Star Warriors Officers under any pretext. Once it is discovered that there is deliberate delaying or cheating, 100 points will be deducted. In severe cases, you will be directly kicked out of the competition."

"Whether the participating teams seek help from the Guardian Legion or from the Star Warriors Officers distributed in the various levels of the Ancient Emperor Tomb, the total number of times must not exceed 3. When a team seeks help from the Guardians or Star Warriors Officers for the 4th time, the competition will forcibly recall the team and determine that the team has withdrawn from the national high school league."

The man in the suit stood on the platform, looking at the participating students talking amongst themselves. The man's expression was a little displeased. His voice grew louder and more serious: "No more than three times. The fourth time means you don't have the strength to participate in this competition. We shouldn't waste more resources on you."

The huge military camp gradually quieted down until there was complete silence.

The man finally said: "Levels 1-18 are the areas where you can operate. If you are found to have entered Underground Level 19, the team will be directly disqualified from the competition."

Underground Level 18?

Damn, Jiang Xiao really didn't believe anyone would dare to go!

Are you going to Underground Level 18?

You're going to the 18 Levels of Hell...

Jiang Xiao felt very sad for those Star Warrior Officers scattered in Underground Level 18. He even laughed out loud in sorrow.

These people must be the most miserable in this competition, right?

They probably wouldn't receive any "guests" in these three days and three nights, right?

How annoying, they were soldiers and had to obey orders, guarding alone in the 18th level of the Ancient Emperor Tomb, facing the hunts of various legions...

Wait!

Logically speaking, these powerful Star Warrior Officers were selected from the military, but what kind of soldiers were most suitable for this job?

It should be people from the Night Watch, right?

Jiang Xiao suddenly realized that he seemed to be a future Night Watchman?

What the heck?

Did Jiang Xiao just see his future?

Would he be drawn from the Night Watch one day, then curl up alone in a deserted corner, waiting to pick up customers... uh, waiting to help students in distress?

This job was very spiritual, Jiang Xiao had a sad smile on his face again.

"What's wrong, Xiao Pi, why are you so depressed?" Xia Yan noticed Jiang Xiao's mournful face.

Jiang Xiao put on a forced smile and said, "No, you don't understand. This is a smile full of longing for the future."

Xia Yan: ???

On the platform, the middle-aged man in the suit spoke again, saying a very important rule: "Note that any spoils of war from battles where the Guardian Legion or Star Warrior Officers have assisted or participated will belong to the competition organizers."

The students below immediately wailed, and an even more terrifying rule was coming!

The middle-aged man spoke again: "The Guardian Legion and Star Warrior Officers have the right to take the initiative. If they think you need help, they can take action unilaterally, that is to say, they don't need you to actively seek help. All the spoils of war from this battle will be handed over, and not only that, but your team will also be counted as having requested help once."

Jiang Xiao's eyes widened. These damn... The organizers of the national high school league, no, no, they were shameless!?

What if I encountered such a cheap Star Warrior Officer in the underground ancient imperial tomb?

Actively patrolling, forcibly helping?

Four assists, send people home?