Appraisal of Quasi-Warriors (Part 1)

Xtreme Martial Arts Center Branch, Yangzhou City, Jiangnan Base City

In front of the martial arts building, a cordon had been set up, and nearly three hundred people in matching black exercise uniforms were gathered. The black uniforms prominently displayed the four blood-red characters "Extreme Martial Arts Hall" on their backs.

The crowd, mostly young adults in their twenties, included both men and women, with a few in their thirties scattered among them. They gathered in small clusters, chatting loudly.

A bald man at the registration desk called out, "Trainees here for the quasi-martial artist assessment, line up with your citizen cards to register, then proceed to the martial arts hall on the fifth floor for the assessment."

As he spoke, the crowd began to quiet down and form a line along the cordon.

At the front of the line, two staff members scanned the citizen cards handed to them and entered the information into a computer.

"There are so many participants today. Last time, there were only a little over 200," one person remarked.

"This is the final assessment of the year. Maybe I'll pass this time, even though I didn't perform well last time. And look, more people are coming," another person responded.

"Look, it's Li Qiang," someone pointed out.

A man in his twenties with triangular eyes walked past the line, heading straight to the front of the registration desk. Ignoring the murmurs behind him, he handed his citizen card to the staff.

The trainees in line watched him with resentment but dared not speak up.

"Li Qiang, 22 years old, senior martial arts student, here to register for the assessment," Li Qiang announced.

The staff glanced at him briefly before beginning the registration process.

"It's so arrogant; I really want to challenge him!" someone whispered angrily.

"Isn't it typical for them to rely on their warrior family connections? If I had their resources, I'd be a warrior by 20," another muttered.

"I heard he didn't pass the neural response test earlier this year. His physical fitness was up to standard, though."

"When I pass this time, I'll definitely show him what I'm made of," someone else vowed.

The people around, though frustrated, kept their voices low. The gossip continued, with many quietly cursing Li Qiang.

Li Qiang turned and glared at them, his narrow eyes glinting with cold menace, making everyone avert their gaze.

Seeing that no one dared to challenge him, he smirked with satisfaction.

Just then, a figure entered the martial arts hall. Li Qiang's expression hardened.

"That kid is back already? It seems I went too easy on him. I promised I'd ruin him."

Li Qiang's eyes followed Xia Zhi, who had just walked in.

"That's one of Li Wei's attendants," someone remarked.

As Xia Zhi entered the square, he felt eyes on him. Looking up, he saw Li Qiang turning away, his disdain palpable.

Xia Zhi silently swore, recalling the humiliations of that night. "The day of reckoning is approaching."

"Summer Solstice, 18 years old, here for the assessment," Xia Zhi announced at the registration desk.

The line was long, but the registration process was efficient. Soon, it was Xia Zhi's turn. He handed over his citizen card, and the staff registered his details.

There were audible gasps from the crowd.

"He's only 18 and here for the assessment already. Impressive!" someone exclaimed.

"Let's see if he actually passes. Maybe he's just here to gain experience," someone retorted.

Young warriors who begin their training early often advance rapidly. At 18, Xia Zhi was on the cusp of becoming a warrior, and passing this assessment could make him a prime candidate for all sorts of opportunities.

The staff took Xia Zhi's card, scanned it, and confirmed his information. Looking up with a smile, they said, "Good luck with the assessment. Please proceed to the Martial Arts Training Hall on the fifth floor."

"Thank you," Xia Zhi replied, nodding as he walked past the curious gazes of the crowd.

The martial arts building was organized into different areas: the first and second floors were for general practice and instruction, the third for advanced students, the fourth for instructors' offices and rest areas, and the fifth floor and above were reserved exclusively for martial artists.

The fifth-floor hall was vast, spanning over 3,000 square meters. It featured various functional areas, weapon racks, and a large space in the center for combat and training.

The left side of the assessment area was filled with people waiting. A 100-meter track was marked for speed tests, with machines at both ends to record results.

"24.6 m/s, unqualified."

"26.5 m/s, pass."

"29.2 m/s, excellent."

The electronically synthesized voice announced the results of each assessment. Those who passed collected their transcripts and left cheerfully, while those who failed exited with disappointed expressions.

Assessment results were critical for determining a martial artist's potential, focusing on speed, punch strength, and nerve reaction speed.

The pass marks for the Quasi-Martial Artist assessment were 900 kilograms for punch strength and 25 meters per second for speed. Nerve response speed required passing a specialized test.

For fighters: 

- Junior: 1500 kg punch strength, 30 m/s speed.

- Intermediate: 3000 kg punch strength, 45 m/s speed.

- Advanced: 6000 kg punch strength, 60 m/s speed.

Before his rebirth, Xia Zhi's previous self had barely met the pass criteria for quasi-martial artists. However, after a week of intensive practice, his strength had significantly improved, giving him confidence.

"Summer Solstice, come here," a voice called out.

It was Jiang Tao, the instructor who had trained Xia Zhi. Jiang Tao, familiar with Xia Zhi's progress, knew the importance of this assessment and believed in his potential.

"Do well today. The curator is coming, and a high-ranking official from the headquarters will be visiting," Jiang Tao advised.

Jiang Tao had watched Xia Zhi grow from a diligent young student to a promising martial artist. His own experience of overcoming hardship made him especially supportive of Xia Zhi.

"Give me your citizen card and prepare for the speed test first," Jiang Tao instructed.

"Yes, instructor," Xia Zhi responded respectfully, taking his position at the starting line.

As the signal sounded, Xia Zhi sprinted forward with remarkable speed, breaking through the air with a whoosh.

"48.2 m/s, excellent," the machine announced.

The trainees watching fell silent, their attention fixed on Xia Zhi. The hall erupted in astonished murmurs.

"Wow, that speed is exceptional for a quasi-martial artist. Who is this?"

"At only 18 years old, he's incredible. Are young people this powerful now?"

"If I had that speed, I'd have dominated the Thunder God Martial Arts Hall," someone grumbled.

Jiang Tao, holding the transcript with the "48.2 m/s, excellent" result, stared in disbelief until Xia Zhi approached him.

"You're really going to make a splash today," Jiang Tao exclaimed, embracing Xia Zhi with enthusiasm. "Let's move on to the punch test."