qizi / 59
The visions of the two went dark at the same time. At a loss, Ling Xiao took off his blindfold and opened the door, only to bump directly into Ying Feng who was also coming out. Subconsciously, he rubbed his own neck.
Ying Feng also froze when he saw this action. Then, at the same time, the two of them turned around and headed out the stage in silence.
The instructors in the proctors’ seating area all shook their heads and sighed in disappointment, “If it was five stars or six stars, that’d still be tolerable. But three stars, how in the world did they even get together?”
“It’s so rare to encounter a candidate pair where both members have top-notch abilities, are we sure this affections level isn’t actually a joke!?”
“I, for one, am pleasantly surprised. They’ve unexpectedly risen to three stars.”
The instructors looked over, and again, it was Fu Yao, “Sir, what do you mean? Did they not even have three stars before? Why did they form a contract if they have no feelings for each other?”
Fu Yao left them a mysterious smile before he turned to get off the proctors’ seats.
Ying Feng was halfway back when he noticed a long-time-no-see Fu Yao appear at the side and wink at him.
Ling Xiao reached the auditorium alone. All the candidates sitting here have already finished the second round, and they have also personally witnessed the match between the two of them just now. Admiration, pity, and even schadenfreude, they were all written on their faces the moment they saw him come down.
“Why bother coming to take the Joint Combat Department’s exam when your relationship sucks,” someone deliberately raised their voice to provoke him, “Don’t think that just ‘cause you know how to fight, you can get into the joint department. Every single pair of lovers here have feelings stronger than gold, so just dragging a random bud to sign up for the exam with you won’t work.”
Light snickers broke out among the seats. Ling Xiao appeared as if he hadn’t heard any of it, and found an inconspicuous spot to sit.
Currently underway on stage was the match between Hong Mao and Bingcan. With crystal clear vision, Ling Xiao watched it all unfold: two people digitized right at the center of the stage, Bingcan took the lead to launch the first attack, but Hong Mao, in response, didn’t retaliate at all, only jumping to his right and dodging on his left. After three moves, Bingcan also stopped, with nine stars left on the stage. Then up high, a green light lit up, and the whole match took less than 30 seconds.
Having just completed their match, the two people quickly appeared in the auditorium. Hong Mao spotted Ling Xiao from afar and immediately made a beeline for him.
“The second round was too easy, aren’t they just throwing free points at us?” he bragged as he sat down next to Ling Xiao, “You guys must’ve passed too, right?”
Seeing that Ling Xiao was late to respond, and that he continued to not utter a word, the smile on Hong Mao’s face grew more and more awkward, “…it can’t be that you guys didn’t pass, did you?”
“Why didn’t you fight back just now?” asked Ling Xiao coldly.
“Huh?”
“What did you see when you went in?”
“Ah,” Hong Mao finally understood his question, “Once I put on the eyewear, I saw a bright little angel glowing all over from head to toes. He was so handsome he literally couldn’t be more handsome, and in this whole world, the only one who could possibly be that handsome is my household’s one and only Qizhu, so of course I couldn’t bear to hit him.”
“You too?” he asked Bingcan.
Hong Mao produced a weird groan, “Why do I see you as a little angel, and you see me as a dumb orangutan? This isn’t fair!”
The conversation between the two of them went underground. Ling Xiao, who was sitting beside them, found blissful silence once more, and turned his attention towards the new match that started. Nearby, Ying Feng and Fu Yao also watched the match from start to finish.
“Do you see the purpose of the exam now? The form you see when you enter the match is the reflection of your subconscious feelings towards the other person from the bottom of your heart. The higher the affections between both people, the more gentle and harmless the opponent will appear to be, and they may even appear as themselves right from the get go. But if their affections are inadequate, what they see is precisely a aggressive enemy. Ten stars is full score, seven stars is the acceptance criteria, regarding the two of you, should I be glad you didn’t strangle your Qizi to death?”
Ying Feng kept his face calm and didn’t utter a sound.
“Three exams. If you fail two, you will lose your admission qualifications. Although you still have one chance, I would like to kindly remind you: the first exam tested personal ability; the second exam tested the relationship between the two parties; and the third exam is the combination of the first and the second. At present, your three stars are not enough to help you reach the finale. You rejected my recommendation, so you must take the exam on your own. Don’t let me down.”
Fu Yao raised his hand and patted his shoulder, “You’ve grown taller, I really want to beat you up again.”
Ying Feng: “…”
Low cries of disappointment erupted from the auditorium. The match ended, and on stage, a red light turned on once again.
Fu Yao couldn’t help but sigh when he saw that outcome, “Looks like you two aren’t the lowest scorers on this exam anymore. It’s surprising there are still people who can break your record. The candidates this year are truly brimming with wonder.”
Bright and shiny, two stars dangled on stage. After recording it, the instructors threw their scoreboard down in outrage. It was clearly another pair combo with great potential, but their affections level was so low that it exasperated both humans and gods.
“What’s wrong with the candidates this year, did they just haul whatever stranger off the streets to form a contract with? Kids these days are way too irresponsible about their life-long partnership!”
Bingcan noticed Ying Feng walking over, and that things were not looking good, so he tactfully moved to a side and made way while also plucking along the sticky Hong Mao who sat glued to Ling Xiao. He was giving them space to talk.
Ling Xiao already detected Ying Feng coming over, but he didn’t know what he should say. They were both at fault for the failure on the second round, so no one needed to apologize, but it was precisely because of these faults that they both had nothing to say.
The two of them sat quietly in silence for a long time, and didn’t expect that Ying Feng would be the first to speak.
“In your heart, what exactly am I?”
Ling Xiao’s heart froze. In his heart, what exactly is Ying Feng?
Is it classmate? Battle companion? Community of interest?
Is it sweetheart? Spouse? Intimate lover?
But again, how can there be lovers whose mutual affections are worth only three stars?
In that case, is it Qizhu? Why is it when I think of this word, I still feel unwilling…
Ling Xiao hesitated, “In my heart, you…”
“Monkey.”
Ling Xiao: “Eh?”
“Major General Fu Yao said, how you see your partner in the exam is a reflection of your heart. In my heart you are a monkey, in your heart what am I?”
Ling Xiao: “…”
Ying Feng turned his head, “Why are you not responding?”
Ling Xiao stiffly turned his head back around, “My feelings are very complicated right now, leave me alone will you?”
The second exam completely concluded with red lights lit for only six pairs of students. Of those six, two pairs failed both rounds in a row, and regrettably had to bid farewell to the exam site. Bingcan and Hong Mao’s overall score temporarily ranked first while Ying Feng and Ling Xiao fell from first place to somewhere in the middle.
The real highlight of the entrance exam was on the third day. This day happened to be a holiday as well, so the scene was teeming with senior students who came to spectate. With the manual screening ticket properly secured after passing two rounds of exams, the Hong Mao husband & husband duo acted especially carefree. Meanwhile, Ling Xiao and co. couldn’t be the same; if they fail this round, they would either have to apply to another department and take their makeup exam, or have to wait half a year to try again next time.
This time, Ling Xiao and Ying Feng were again brought to different places. Ling Xiao was situated in a ring-shaped area with limited space while Ying Feng faced two doors.
“Here are the details of the third test: You must find your Qizi within the specified amount of time. Out of the two doors, only one can be opened. The door you open may reduce the distance between you two, but it may also pull you further apart.”
“Here are your props, a pair of intercom headsets, and three “hint” stars for when you don’t know which door to pick. Consuming one of one stars can help you make the right choice. Allow me to also conveniently add that the amount of stars each contestant receives is determined by their result from their second test.”
Ying Feng knitted his brows.
“As a friendly reminder, spiritual vision is useless because the door’s teleportation point is unknown. Even if you locate your Qizi’s position, you still wouldn’t be able to identify the correct route, so no need to waste spiritual power.”
“I know you know teleportation, but I regret to inform you that the space he is in cannot be teleported into. This tip can also help you save some power.”
The proctor glanced at the time, “You have ten minutes, I wish you luck.”
The timer above the site started to count down, and at the same time, Ling Xiao’s figure gradually appeared on a circular screen overhead. He was alone in an enclosed space, vigilantly watching his surroundings.
Ying Feng put on the headset, “Can you hear me?”
On screen, Ling Xiao promptly pressed down on his right ear, “I can hear you.”
“Good.” Not using spiritual communication can also conserve spiritual power. Between the two doors, Ying Feng quickly swept his eyes across them, then randomly pushed one open.
“How much hope do you think these two have for passing this exam?” On the proctors’ seats, Fu Yao asked his Qizi.
“Although I also very much hope they will pass…the so-called ‘two doors’ is merely a method of blindfolding. The odds of accessing the correct path are linked to the affections level between both parties. No matter which door he opens, the odds of opening the correct one is only 30%, and that’s just too low. Under such low odds, the probability of successfully reaching the end is simply next to nothing.”
“I feel the same way,” Fu Yao looked at the small red light that was lit up on the scoreboard that only proctor staff could see. He then knew Ying Feng was getting farther and farther away from Ling Xiao’s true position. “It seems that they will pass this exam only if a miracle happens.”
A monster pounced out every time Ying Feng opened a door. When he saw a foe for the first time, he made a move without even thinking about it. The opponent was much weaker than he imagined; one move instantly killed it.
Just when he thought it was bizarre that opponents in the third exam were so weak, he saw the monster he just instantly killed digitize in the space where Ling Xiao was.
Ling Xiao also heard the exam rules, but he could neither see Ying Feng, nor understand what was going on outside the room. The unknown variables in his current situation made him feel even more nervous than Ying Feng. When he saw enemies appear in front of him, he naturally made a move without the slightest hesitation.
Ying Feng personally saw how Ling Xiao kill the opponent, then how the killed monster digitized by his side again. It finally clicked—enemies were not vanishing into thin air, they were only switching locations, jumping back and forth between the two of them. Moreover, future enemies may not always be so weak; it’s quite possible they will be stronger over time.
His guess was accurate. When he opened the fifth door, five enemies surrounded him, and his path forward now met obstructions. There was nothing he could do about it, so without a better option, Ying Feng killed them off one by one. The monsters that appeared later were indeed much stronger than the ones from earlier.
“Stall.”
“What?” Ling Xiao didn’t understand.
“Try to skirt around the enemies, don’t get rid of them first.”
Although Ling Xiao didn’t understand the reason, he still did as Ying Feng said. But because the space was narrow and the number of enemies kept increasing, he couldn’t act as he did in the forest and lead them around in circles.
“There are too many enemies, are you sure you don’t want them killed?”
Ying Feng also towed along a few of them himself. He glanced up, then knew there was no other way. Throwing out a star, one of the doors in front of him disappeared.
“Now you can kill.”
Every time Ling Xiao exterminated an opponent, one more would appear by Ying Feng’s side. He could only forge ahead as swiftly as possible while also trying to fling all enemies behind him as much as he could, but the number of enemies soon started to multiply. Three stars were quickly used up, and he was basically blocked, unable to proceed.
Ling Xiao tried to capture as much valuable information as possible from his headset. Somehow, the more sounds he heard from Ying Feng’s receiver, the more suspicious he grew, and combined with what Ying Feng said just then, he came up with a dreadful conclusion.
“It couldn’t be that the monsters I’ve knocked out here are all running over to where you are, could it?”
Ying Feng never lied, so when Ling Xiao didn’t receive a reply from the other side, he knew he guessed right.
“Got it. Well, go ahead and knock them out.”
Seeing that Ying Feng did not say anything, Ling Xiao emphasized it again, “If they drag you down to a standstill, we will definitely lose. You deal with moving onwards, let me handle buying us time.”
Ying Feng had no choice. Ling Xiao was right, this was the only road they can take if they want to pass the exam.
He turned around, eliminated all the blockers and pursuers, then rushed forward with no hindrances, looking up from time to time as he sprinted. On Ling Xiao’s side, ten or so monsters already surrounded him. With the restriction of trying not to kill any enemy, no matter how powerful he was, he couldn’t completely protect himself, so he had to take a few blows every so often.
Ying Feng raced through the lengthy passage, came to the next door, and as he reached his hand out, he hesitated for the first time. Even in his life, there were very few occasions where he needed to make such difficult decisions.
As soon as he looked up, he just happened to see Ling Xiao, flanked by two monsters, one in front and one behind, getting kicked in the stomach and in the back. The headset transmitted a smothered groan that the other person tried to forcibly stifle. It was the type of sound where, when a Qizhu sees that their Qizi suffer from assault, the Qizhu’s wrath will instantly surge. But the actual catalyst for his wrath reaching its peak was this feeling of powerlessness, of only being able to helplessly watch as he got beaten up.
He gritted his teeth, pulled away from the door in front of him, then brought along all the newly digitized monsters as he started to make a run for it. By the minute and by the second, time was slipping by, and the number of enemies behind him kept snowballing. The headset continued to transmit Ling Xiao’s gasps for breaths. The current Ling Xiao no longer had too much strength to fight back, and was nearly in the condition where he could only let them batter him up as they pleased.
“Get rid of them!” growled Ying Feng.
In poor condition, Ling Xiao weakly shook his head side to side. Ying Feng saw this movement on screen.
“Hurry up!” he ordered again.
Joint Combat Department…they really just lost to the word “Joint”, huh…
Ying Feng pushed open the next door, prompting a wave of people in the proctors’ seating area to stand up. This person, who only had a 30% chance of opening the correct door, actually charged all the way to the final hurdle.
Still, this last hurdle was also the most difficult hurdle. Ying Feng was in the center of a circular plaza, and twelve doors encircled him. Ling Xiao was just behind one of these doors, but if he chose the wrong one, he would be sent back to square one.
The countdown plunged down to 30 seconds, 29, 28…
The entire audience tensed up, sweating for them. Fu Yao also got up, his eyes fixed right on the center of the screen, at the man who was looking uneasily around: Ying Feng, this is your last chance, you can’t screw up!
“Go with your gut, don’t hesitate!” Even the instructors couldn’t help shouting.
“Ying Feng, what are you thinking for? There’s no time!” This was Hong Mao, who was so anxious he was flipping out.
Bingcan secretly clenched his fist, you can definitely do this!
“Go! Go! Go!” shot a keyed up voice from the crowd.
“Ying Feng.”
Ling Xiao’s voice suddenly emerged from the headset.
“I know we’re about to stop here. I’m sorry we won’t pass the test, but I don’t regret it.”
“Because of yesterday’s test, I saw a even stronger you.”
20, 19, 18…
Ying Feng slowly rotated in place as the circle of tiger monsters, who had him surrounded, keenly stared at him, waiting for an opportunity to strike at all times. There was already no time; even if he knew which door was the correct one, he wouldn’t be able to break through the siege to open it within the allotted time.
Ling Xiao’s voice continued to play in his headset:
“But it’s also because of your strength that others think you don’t need any cheering. I’ve thought about it, actually. No matter how large the honor I receive, I still yearn for applause. If not a single person celebrated for me, even the joy of victory won’t mean as much.”
“Saying these words, maybe I’m being foolishly sentimental, and maybe you don’t need them at all, but even though it’s a day late, I still want to say them.”
10, 9, 8, 7, 6…
Ling Xiao raised his head and looked at the sky.
”You are truly wonderful.”
He said.
“I am very proud.”
In the middle of the encirclement, Ying Feng let out a roar—a hand appeared in front of Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao’s eyes widened, What?!
This hand, piercing dense fog, grabbed his hand tightly, pulled him forward, and tugged him into the white fog.
This hand, having once dragged him from the mountain peak to the valley floor, also once dragged him from light to darkness. And today, it was the same hand that dragged him from the center of this hopeless predicament to his side.
The sun and moon switched positions, the Universe shifted, and Ling Xiao snapped back to his senses, with all that was around him just now nowhere to be seen, while the owner of that hand—
—was right by his side.
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