Chapter 171 - 98: Provincial City
Lin Yi nodded seriously.
"Understood, Principal."
The car soon arrived before the imposing City Education Bureau building.
Chen Zhenguo led Lin Yi straight inside.
They came to a spacious and bright conference room.
They pushed the door open to find quite a few people already inside.
Aside from a few staff members in Education Bureau uniforms,
there were also three other principals, each with their own students—
The principal of Super High School was a slightly plump man with a beaming smile;
The principal of Fanhua High School had a refined, scholarly air;
The principal of Shiyan High School, on the other hand, seemed rather stern.
Beside each principal stood one or two young men and women, their presences composed and their gazes sharp.
Evidently, they were all elite Martial Artists from this year’s graduating class in Yang City.
"Chen, your No. 1 High School really puts on airs, doesn’t it? We were all waiting for you! Do you guys have to pick an auspicious day just to step outside?"
The principal of Super High School quipped, his voice booming.
Chen Zhenguo gave a calm smile, unfazed.
"We’re right on time. Not early, not late. As long as important business isn’t delayed, it’s fine."
His gaze shifted to the head of the conference table, where a middle-aged man with an imposing presence and a hawk-like gaze was seated.
Chen Zhenguo took a few steps forward and extended his hand.
"Director Wu, I didn’t expect you to personally lead the prisoner transport... oh, my mistake, the *escort* for these young ones to the Provincial City?"
His tone held a hint of both familiarity and respect.
Director Wu stood up, gripped Chen Zhenguo’s hand firmly, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Principal Chen, this is an important mission. The bureau specifically put me in charge to ensure these students arrive at the provincial camp safely and on time. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."
"With you at the helm, of course I’m not worried," Chen Zhenguo laughed. "It’s a pity I have a few tricky matters to deal with back at the school. I won’t be able to join the escort and see what the provincial camp is like for myself."
"It’s my duty. You can count on me," Director Wu said, patting his chest. "Please, take a seat. Now that everyone’s here, I need to go over some important points with the students."
Chen Zhenguo and Lin Yi sat down in the reserved seats.
The conference room fell silent.
All five students fixed their gazes on Director Wu.
The atmosphere grew tense with anticipation.
Director Wu stood at the front, his gaze sweeping over the five young faces, his voice clear and powerful.
"This year, the Provincial City training camp has gathered one thousand hand-picked seniors from the top high schools across the entire province."
"The absolute minimum requirement for entry is to be an official Martial Artist!"
"The training camp lasts for fifty days, but not everyone will make it to the end! It operates internally on a cruel elimination system and a promotion and relegation system!"
He deliberately emphasized the word ’cruel’.
"The camp is divided into three class Levels: A, B, and C. Class A enjoys the most generous resource allocation and top-tier Cultivation facilities. Class B is a step down. Class C has the most basic and limited resources."
"Every ten days, there will be a strict comprehensive assessment!"
"Pass the assessment, and you can be promoted to a better class and gain more resources!"
"Fail the assessment? Then you get demoted!"
"And what’s worse, if you’re in Class C—the one with the fewest resources—and you *still* fail the assessment..."
"Then you’ll be eliminated from the camp on the spot, and this precious Cultivation opportunity will end for you!"
"In other words, some of you might not even make it past the first ten-day assessment before you have to pack your bags and go home!"
His words landed like hammer blows on everyone’s hearts.
"The very first thing you’ll do upon arriving at the training camp is take a placement assessment!"
"This assessment is crucial. It will decide your starting point in the camp: Class A, Class B, or Class C."
"You’d better be completely focused and give it your all. Fight for a higher starting point. It will make the path ahead much smoother for you!"
"Finally, and this is the core Rule of the training camp—everything is based on points!"
Director Wu stressed,
"Points are your currency inside the camp!"
"You can use points to redeem Cultivation resources: Pills, access to Cultivation facilities, even fragments of advanced Cultivation Techniques!"
"You can use points to request personal instruction from powerful Martial Artists!"
"As for how to earn points? You’ll find out when you get to the camp."
"Remember: inside the camp, points are power, and points are your future!"
Director Wu’s pace was unhurried, but his words carried a chilling intent.
Lin Yi and the other four students held their breath, their focus absolute as they committed every single word to memory.
Their eyes filled with a mixture of gravity and soaring fighting spirit.
The briefing was over.
Director Wu glanced at his watch and gave a crisp order:
"Alright! Everyone’s here and the vehicles are ready. Let’s move out!"
The group filed out.
They emerged onto the open plaza in front of the Education Bureau building.
On the plaza,
three rugged, powerfully built off-road vehicles were parked.
Their bodies were covered in a special matte-finish coating,
exuding a grim aura that warned onlookers to keep clear.
Director Wu pointed to the centermost vehicle—the largest of the three, with visibly thicker armor plating. He addressed Lin Yi and the other four students in a low voice:
"The five of you will ride in the middle one. It’s a specially modified armored vehicle. Its body is made of a composite armor that can take a direct hit from a heavy missile, the windows are military-grade bulletproof glass, and the chassis can resist high-explosive landmines."
"The front and rear vehicles will carry elite Martial Artist guards from the Education Bureau. They’ll escort you the whole way. The road to the Provincial City is perfectly safe!"
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lin Yi and the other four students quickly boarded the middle vehicle.
The vehicle’s interior was spacious. The seats were highly supportive, and it was equipped with basic life-support and communications systems.
Director Wu boarded the lead vehicle, the command car.