Chapter 1022
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Chapter 1022 Crossing the Cliff
Fang Mo gripped the protrusion at the top of the cliff with both hands, pulled hard, and climbed out from the edge to sit at the mountain peak.
He was breathing heavily.
He was the first among all new recruits to climb over the cliff and reach the peak, and also the first to complete the third stage of the test.
While stretching his tense muscles, Fang Mo looked toward the peak not far away, where a figure wearing a deep red cloak sat quietly in the snow, calmly overlooking everything below.
Every recruit’s physical condition, mental state, their struggles shown on their faces, or the determination in their eyes, was all clearly visible under his spiritual perception.
Seeming to notice Fang Mo’s gaze, Lin Qiye slightly turned his head and smiled at him.
“Well done, keep it up.”
“Thank you, Lord Qiye.”
Fang Mo bowed deeply to Lin Qiye, briefly rested his body, then continued walking toward the fourth stage.
Lin Qiye turned his head back, continuing his monitoring and protection of the new recruits.
After a long while, two figures climbed to the top of the cliff one after another, collapsing weakly in the snow with endless fatigue in their eyes.
They were the second and third of this stage, Su Yuan and Ding Chongfeng.
After paying their respects to Lin Qiye, they slowly walked toward the distance, but after just a few steps, Su Yuan stopped, hesitated for a moment, then turned back and said solemnly to Lin Qiye:
“Instructor Lin, I think this elimination mode is somewhat inappropriate.”
Beside her, Ding Chongfeng’s foot suddenly stopped mid-air, his expression becoming somewhat stiff.
“Oh?” Lin Qiye turned his head, looking at the young woman before him in surprise, “Why?”
“I understand you want to use this daily elimination method to maximize our potential to complete this seemingly impossible journey, but this isn’t fair to many people,” Su Yuan firmly said,
“Physical fitness shouldn’t be the only standard for judging whether a Night Watchman is qualified. As far as I know, many new recruits have powerful Prohibitions, but their physical fitness isn’t necessarily strong.
Under the suppression of Prohibitions, judging their qualification to become Night Watchmen solely based on physical fitness seems one-sided.”
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow.
In the wind and snow, Su Yuan silently held Lin Qiye’s gaze, without a trace of fear in her eyes.
After a long while, a faint smile appeared on Lin Qiye’s lips.
“I understand everything you’ve said. These seven days were never just a simple test of physical fitness…
As I said, this isn’t an examination, but a lesson.
And the content of the lesson… has just begun.”
Lesson?
Hearing these words, Su Yuan was stunned.
She remembered that back on the plane, Instructor Lin had indeed said this would be the final lesson… but what exactly did he want to teach?
Su Yuan couldn’t figure it out, but she trusted Instructor Lin. Since he said so, there must be deeper meaning to it.
“I understand.”
Su Yuan nodded and left the cliff together with Ding Chongfeng.
…
“Su Yuan, what’s wrong with you?”
After completely leaving the cliff, Ding Chongfeng couldn’t help but ask, “Instructor Lin must have his reasons for designing such a trial. I think you might be a bit impetuous.”
“Perhaps…”
Su Yuan responded absent-mindedly.
“Anyway, we’ve already crossed the cliff, the most difficult hurdle. The remaining three stages should be manageable within three days,” Ding Chongfeng looked at the gradually darkening sky, “There’s still some time before complete darkness. Let’s hurry and try to reach near the ravine to spend the night.”
Su Yuan didn’t answer, she silently stopped in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Ding Chongfeng asked puzzledly when he saw Su Yuan stop.
“Ding Chongfeng, you should continue the rest of the journey alone.”
Su Yuan slowly spoke.
“What about you?”
“I’m a bit tired.”
“I can wait here while you rest before we set off again.”
“No need.” Su Yuan shook her head, “You go ahead, don’t worry about me.”
Ding Chongfeng was about to say something more, then a thought flashed through his mind, and after a moment of silence, he looked at Su Yuan with a complex expression:
“You’re not thinking of…”
“I want to walk the path I choose.” Su Yuan’s expression was completely calm.
“…I understand.”
Ding Chongfeng sighed and didn’t insist further, instead setting off alone toward the distance, “I’ll wait for you all at the peak of Mount Gongger.”
Watching Ding Chongfeng disappear into the wind and snow, Su Yuan slowly closed her eyes, as if sensing something, then turned around and resolutely headed back toward the cliff.
…
Night had fallen deeply.
By now, more than half of the new recruits had crossed the cliff and were advancing toward the distant ravine.
At the increasingly quiet base of the cliff, a hand suddenly reached out from the snow, followed by a one-eyed youth slowly standing up, his remaining eye fixed on the cliff top, sparkling with unprecedented fighting spirit.
He had rested in the snow for most of the day, finally restoring his physical strength to its peak.
However, one failed climbing attempt plus half a day’s rest had left him far behind the main group, almost near the elimination line.
Even so, there wasn’t the slightest panic on his face. He just narrowed his eye and muttered:
“I’m back…”
As soon as the words fell, without any hesitation, he began climbing the steep cliff, moving upward at an astonishing speed.
Although he was now at the tail end of the new recruit group, this didn’t stop him from starting to overtake others one by one with his superior physical condition.
Several drones whizzed past above the cliff.
“Now announcing the list of eliminated personnel.”
“Rank 532, Luo Gang, eliminated.”
“Rank 531, Hu Shiying, eliminated.”
“Rank 530…”
Hearing these emotionless mechanical voices, those new recruits lying at the bottom of the cliff, who had failed or given up climbing, remained silent.
Su Zhe lay sprawled in the snow, feeling unable to move even a finger. Looking up at the wind-swept cliff top, bitterness appeared in his eyes.
“Su Yuan, brother can only accompany you this far…”
“Rank 481, Su Zhe, eliminated.”
Up on the cliff, Lu Baozhu gritted his teeth, his ranking rapidly rising, with the names being called by the drones getting closer to his position. He had to surpass as many climbing recruits above him as possible to avoid this elimination.
He was the only recruit who had fallen to the bottom after failing to climb, yet managed to come back!
As the drone called out names increasingly closer to the front, suddenly, a figure leaped out from the cliff top!
She descended rapidly from the cliff top against the crowd, like a meteor streaking across the sky.
“Rank 452… Su Yuan, eliminated.”
