…

The staff member left.

Lying on his bed, Lu Ding logged into his profile on the 749 app, just as the staff had instructed, and started browsing through the information.

That night, he was like a parched sponge soaking up water—absorbing knowledge he had never encountered before.

He dived into a vast ocean of information, uncovering the hidden side of this world.

Among the things he learned was the cultivation ranking system for Cultivators of Qi:

From lowest to highest, the stages were:

Aperture Unlocking → Zhaoxuan Realm → Linghai Realm → Divine Palace Realm → Si Ming Realm → Earth Observer → Heaven Observer.

There were likely more stages beyond that, but with his current access level, Lu Ding couldn’t see them yet.

He also learned about various monsters and supernatural creatures, as well as countless rare materials and treasures.

Among them, he found details about the Stubborn Stone of Nanshan.

It was classified as a spiritual creature and also considered a rare material.

The red liquid inside it was Earth Essence, which could aid in Aperture Unlocking. Meanwhile, its stone limbs were excellent for crafting weapons—an invaluable resource. Even if he didn’t use it himself, he could exchange it for contribution points at 749 Bureau.

But Lu Ding wasn’t interested in trading it away.

Seeing this information, he grinned to himself.

"Just as I thought—this thing’s a treasure!"

"So… what kind of weapon should I make with it?"

With that thought in mind, Lu Ding slowly drifted off to sleep.

…

The Next Morning

The alarm rang.

Lu Ding got up, washed up, and prepared for the day.

A new staff member arrived at his door to escort him to the assessment hall.

Through a maze of twists and turns, with people bustling around, he finally arrived.

The venue was like a sunken stadium the size of a soccer field, several meters deep, with dozens of participants scattered throughout.

Around the arena, a diverse crowd had gathered—men and women, young and old, dressed in various outfits, with all kinds of weapons on display: blades, spears, swords, halberds—you name it.

The air was filled with chatter.

—

"Man, what a shame. When I joined 749, it was on the 16th. That meant I only had 14 days to prepare before the test. I ended up getting just an average score. If I’d had more time, I could’ve done way better."

"You call that a shame? I joined on the 23rd—only six days before the test! And that month only had 29 days! I was screwed from the start! And even then, I still managed an average score. If I had as much time as you, I’d have crushed it!"

"That’s why luck is part of strength too. This month’s test has eight recruits who joined on the 5th or earlier. I bet all eight will score at least ‘Excellent’—maybe even ‘Perfect.’"

"I can believe ‘Excellent,’ but ‘Perfect’? That’s not something you can achieve just by having a few extra days. If it were that easy, Aperture-Unlocking Pills would be as common as cabbages."

"Hahaha, true! You have to kill 100 wooden dummies in an hour for a perfect score. That’s no joke!"

"So, who do you think will score ‘Perfect’ this time?"

"Has to be Liu Yun. She’s got that demon blade and awakened the Shadow Step talent. She can move through darkness and shadows. With a sharp demon blade, those wooden dummies won’t even touch her before she cuts them down."

"Liu Yun’s a solid choice. Plus, she joined on the 10th, so she’s had plenty of time to prepare."

"I think Chu Hao also has a shot. He joined on the same day as Liu Yun, and they’re actually classmates. He’s got Vine Armor and Wood Manipulation—in an arena full of wooden dummies, this is basically his home turf. The only problem is his lack of attack power."

"See? That’s why I say luck is part of strength. I heard that Liu Yun and Chu Hao were part of a university club. Last month, on the 9th, their club went on a trip to an old town, and a supernatural event broke out. Out of 20+ people, only the two of them survived. They were saved by 749 investigators."

"Not only did they awaken their apertures, but they also bonded with powerful artifacts. Their luck is insane."

—

Liu Yun… Chu Hao…

Hearing those names, Lu Ding raised an eyebrow.

Weren’t those his schoolmates?

Both of them were in the Ancient Culture Club.

Chu Hao, just like Lu Ding, was a first-year student at Yunhai University—but he was in the Economics and Management Department, while Lu Ding was in Geological Exploration. They had seen each other during public lectures.

As for Liu Yun, she was a third-year senior, the president of the Ancient Culture Club, and one of the most well-known traditional-style beauties at the university.

He hadn’t expected to run into familiar faces here.

Small world.

Still, Lu Ding didn’t really care—he was just making an observation.

Turning to the staff member opening the entrance for him, he asked, "Excuse me, what exactly are the ranking criteria for the assessment?"

"The test lasts an hour. The ranking is based on how many enemies you defeat."

- 10 kills = Pass

- 11–40 kills = Average

- 41–70 kills = Good

- 71–99 kills = Excellent

- 100+ kills = Perfect

Simple and brutal.

Lu Ding nodded. "Thanks." Then, without hesitation, he stepped into the assessment arena.

—

The moment he entered, countless eyes turned toward him.

"Wait, why is there one more person?"

"Wasn’t it supposed to be 64 participants? Why is it 65 now?"

"Did someone join just in the past few days?"

"That’s basically suicide! If he only just unlocked his aperture, he probably hasn’t even learned a proper technique yet. How does he expect to pass?"

"You only get one shot at this test. He’s going to regret this—he might not even pass."

"Reckless. Just another arrogant kid who thinks unlocking an aperture makes him some kind of chosen one."

"Haha, sounds like someone who’s been humbled before. Did you think the same thing and get beaten down by reality?"

—

Lu Ding’s sudden participation wasn’t just a shock to the spectators—it also caught the attention of the other participants.

Among them, Liu Yun and Chu Hao exchanged glances.

"He looks familiar…" Liu Yun murmured. "I think he’s a freshman from our university. I saw him moving equipment to the storage room after our military training."

Her words jogged Chu Hao’s memory. "Now that you mention it, I think I saw him in a public lecture too."

"Didn’t expect to run into a classmate here. Let’s go say hi." Liu Yun started walking over.

But Chu Hao stopped her. "No need. If we haven’t seen him until now, he must’ve just joined. And yet, he’s already rushing into the assessment without knowing his limits? His score will be terrible. Let’s just focus on ourselves."

He didn’t even bother lowering his voice—Lu Ding heard every word clearly.

Lu Ding turned to look at him.

This guy sure had a big mouth.

Deciding when to take the test was his own choice—what right did Chu Hao have to judge him?

And on top of that, he acted so condescending, as if he had already determined Lu Ding’s fate.

Annoying.

Without hesitation, Lu Ding flicked his finger.

A blade-like energy slash shot out, slamming into Chu Hao’s Vine Armor.

BOOM!

Chu Hao was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground.

A deep gash ran across his chest—his Vine Armor was nearly split open.

Lu Ding’s cold voice rang out:

"Mind your own business. We’re not friends."

"If you can’t keep your mouth shut next time—don’t bother keeping your teeth either."