Chapter 1352: Chapter 82: Remaking the Nation (10)_3

…

Houdel was completely stunned.

Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, yet the tips of his fingers and toes were cold as ice.

Among six sheets of exam papers laid out, apart from a few arithmetic and geometry problems on the second sheet that he could do, he was unable to attempt any of the questions on the other five sheets.

It’s not that he “wouldn’t” do them, but that he “couldn’t” do them.

Because he couldn’t even comprehend what the questions were.

Before enlisting, Houdel had never been to school. After enlisting, under the literal “whiplash” instruction from Lu Xirong and other soldiers, he learned some characters and had gained knowledge beyond shooting and riding.

Houdel had once been quite smug about this because he was the fastest and most responsive learner among the new recruits.

However, when he faced a real exam, he suddenly realized——what he had learned was far from enough.

The words in the questions, taken alone, he could recognize a few.

But when placed in sentences, Houdel couldn’t understand them. Those entire rows and paragraphs of sentences seemed like celestial scripts to him.

The more Houdel read, the drier his mouth became, and his eyes glazed over.

Suddenly, a crisp sound of long boots striking the stone slabs echoed from the altar ahead.

In the silence of the exam hall, this sound was particularly piercing.

Houdel immediately recognized this unique sound as Blood Wolf’s footsteps.

He dared not lift his head and could only pray frantically that Blood Wolf would not walk towards him.

But what he feared came to pass, Blood Wolf’s footsteps not only did not move away but came closer, finally stopping in front of Houdel’s desk.

Sunlight passed through the cathedral’s skylight, casting Blood Wolf’s shadow on Houdel’s empty exam paper.

A few seconds passed, yet it felt like a millennium to Houdel.

He wanted to hide, crumple, tear, or eat the exam paper, anything to prevent Blood Wolf from seeing it.

But he couldn’t do anything, he was paralyzed.

Houdel was terribly frightened, afraid that Blood Wolf would sigh, shake his head, or angrily slap him.

But in the end, Blood Wolf said nothing, simply walking away.

Houdel’s dignity crumbled along with Blood Wolf’s departure.

He broke down and cried.

…

In the scriptorium at the back of the cathedral, Winters pushed the door open, startling Senior Mason who was dozing off.

“How did it go?” Mason rubbed his sleepy eyes, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and asked with a smile, “Did I make the exam too easy?”

“It was too easy.” Winters said with a serious face, “But… also too hard.”

…

Two hours had swiftly passed, and Houdel didn’t know how he made it through.

Only the sound of another clock chime was heard, Blood Wolf’s voice came from the altar:

“Those who have finished the exam, leave your papers on the table and exit the hall.”

Houdel wiped his tears, trying hard to act as if he hadn’t been crying.

Blood Wolf immediately issued a second order:

“Those who can’t understand the exam paper—stay in your seats!”

Houdel was stunned.

“Those leaving the exam hall, do not disperse, line up in the square.” Blood Wolf’s voice clearly reached everyone’s ears, “Lunch is at the City Hall, in the afternoon, proceed to Maple Fort as a group for the military skills test—understand?”

“Understood.” A buzzing voice echoed under the dome.

“I didn’t understand.” Winters frowned.

“Understood!”

Winters waved his hand, “Execute the order.”

…

As those beside him gradually left, Houdel bit his lip and decided to stay in his seat.

Once Maple Stone City Cathedral returned to silence, the “boot boys” had all left, but most of the Iron Peak County Military reserve officers did not leave the exam room.

Winters stepped onto the altar, shocking everyone with his words, “I apologize to you.”

Houdel dared not lift his head.

“If the candidates can’t even read the exam paper, it’s the exam organizer’s fault.” Winters said guiltily, pausing for a moment, “You will receive an extra hour—do not waste it.”

At first, Houdel was at a loss, but soon, he was led by a clerk to a prayer room in the monastery affiliated with the cathedral.

Simultaneously, other reserve officers were also led out of the cathedral by clerks, each being taken to separate rooms.

A clerk urgently summoned from the City Hall explained to Houdel with a smile, “His Excellency understands that you might not be able to ‘read’ the exam paper, so from now on, I will read the questions to you, and you just need to answer orally.”

“You have one hour.” The City Hall clerk placed an hourglass on the table and used red ink to mark [No Literacy] on Houdel’s exam paper, then scratched his head, “But it’s best to be quick, because I still need to help other… gentlemen.”

…

With the clerk’s assistance, Houdel finally completed the exam.

At noon, Houdel had a hearty meal.

In the afternoon, he vented all his humiliation and anger on targets and straw men.

The subjects of the military skills test were mere child’s play for veteran soldiers like Houdel.

Whether it was horseback riding, shooting, grenade throwing, or armor wearing, weapon maintenance, trench digging and fortifying, he excelled in all, far surpassing those “boot boys” who couldn’t even shoot straight, giving him a sense of vindication.

The only part that left Houdel a bit puzzled was the last subject of the “military skills test.”

Houdel was brought to a quiet room where a table was placed, and on the table was a pair of enormous hollow glass spheres.

Houdel swore he had never seen such large, transparent, and exquisite glass spheres in his life.

Inside the glass spheres floated something like smoke, beautifully mesmerizing.

The officer overseeing the exam, whom Houdel had never seen before, was so handsome that even Houdel couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.

The handsome officer asked Houdel a few questions and then asked him to do some inexplicable things.

After a few attempts, the handsome officer obviously lost interest and sent Houdel away directly.

That night, back at the barracks, Houdel kept pondering until late at night, still unable to figure out what the purpose of the last test was.

But as he thought and thought, he fell asleep.

In his dreams, he filled out the exam paper fully.

…

Meanwhile, in the temporary grading room at the Maplestone City Hall.

“Damn it!” Andre jumped out of the deck chair, slammed the exam papers along with the graphite stick heavily on the table, and couldn’t help but curse, “What the hell are these answers?!”

…

At the same time, in the basement of the Maple Stone City Cathedral, by the “Meditation Pool.”

Winters looked at Claude Lee in front of him, then at another person beside Claude Lee, and couldn’t help but smile wryly, “What… you too?”

Standing beside Claude Lee, Vashka grinned broadly, foolishly smiling.