The First Round of the Exam 2

Inside the third testing ground, the first round of the exam had officially begun. The increasing gravity pressed down on the students and their beasts immediately. However, most of the examinees did not seem to be significantly affected, as they could use their beasts' power to enhance their physical capabilities. Gu Tian stood effortlessly, unaffected by the pressure. The first minute passed, and not a single participant was eliminated.

Six minutes later, the test had progressed through rounds two, three, and four. Yet, no one had been eliminated. But by the fifth round, when the gravitational force significantly increased, those below Black Iron High started to drop out one by one.

By the sixth round, most of those who hadn't reached Bronze High had been eliminated. Gu Tian, Wu Shuang, Shen Ya, and Ye Feng remained standing without showing any signs of exhaustion. They hadn't even activated any of their beasts' special abilities yet only relying on their raw physical endurance.

When the seventh round began, over 90% of the examinees had been eliminated. By the eighth round, almost all those below Silver had been removed, except for one anomaly Ye Feng.

With eight rounds completed, only seven participants remained. Among them were Gu Tian, Wu Shuang, Shen Ya, and Ye Feng.

Whispers spread throughout the testing ground.

"Wait… isn't Ye Feng only an F-rank talent?"

Another student immediately chimed in.

"Yeah! I get why the others are still standing since they awakened with at least S-rank talents, but Ye Feng… I don't get it at all."

Some of the students began to suspect foul play. They voiced their complaints to the exam officials, questioning if Ye Feng was somehow cheating. But before their murmurs could escalate, a cold voice cut through the air.

"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't, you pathetic frogs in a well."

Every student turned toward the voice and froze.

It was Lieutenant Colonel He Lianqi, the same woman who had confronted Su Bai Cheng before the exam started. Upon realizing who had spoken, the students immediately fell silent. They might still have their doubts, but no one dared to challenge He Lianqi's words.

Moments later, the ninth round began.

Boom!

A monstrous gravitational force crashed down upon the final seven contenders. Ye Feng began to sweat profusely. The other examinees, apart from Gu Tian, Shen Ya, and Wu Shuang, struggled to remain standing. Some gritted their teeth, refusing to collapse, but one by one, they fell.

At the twenty-five-minute mark, only four remained Gu Tian, Shen Ya, Wu Shuang, and Ye Feng.

Among them, Ye Feng was in the worst condition. His breathing was ragged, and his body barely held itself upright.

Observing the scene from above, He Lianqi smirked.

"As expected of that man's son… Even an F-rank talent can't suppress his bloodline. But the other three… they're something else. They haven't even activated any defense-enhancing skills yet."

As the tenth and final round loomed, one of the exam proctors approached Ye Feng and asked in a serious tone,

"Do you wish to proceed to the tenth round?"

Ye Feng, still struggling to breathe, turned his gaze toward Gu Tian, Shen Ya, and Wu Shuang. They stood firm, their expressions calm and collected, as if the previous rounds had been nothing more than a warm-up.

Ye Feng clenched his fists tightly. He refused to accept defeat.

With gritted teeth, he forced out his answer.

"I'm… not done yet!"

Wu Shuang glanced at him with interest.

"So this is what they call a Child of Destiny… How fascinating."

Shen Ya also looked at Ye Feng, the corners of her lips curving into an almost imperceptible smirk.

Gu Tian, however, stared at Ye Feng differently. Unlike the admiration, curiosity, or amusement in the others' eyes. His gaze was filled with disappointment.

Gu Tian casually grabbed a snack and took a bite, thinking to himself, "A strong mind… just a little disappointing."

From the sidelines of the testing ground, He Lianqi glanced at Gu Tian before speaking in a stern voice.

"Who gave you permission to eat an energy-boosting snack?"

The moment she spoke, all the surrounding students turned their attention to Gu Tian, only to find him casually munching on his snack. His expression remained indifferent, as if he wasn't concerned in the slightest.

Gu Tian didn't bother answering. Instead, he simply opened his storage ring, took out another bag of snacks, and extended it toward He Lianqi.

He Lianqi furrowed her brows and scoffed. "I didn't ask you to share your snacks with me!"

Gu Tian tilted his head slightly, as if confused. Then, without a word, he tossed the snack over to Wu Shuang, who stood nearby.

Wu Shuang caught it, tore the bag open, and immediately stuffed some into his mouth.

Seeing this, He Lianqi's frustration reached its peak. "And why the hell are you eating it?! Spit it out, now!"

Gu Tian turned to look at the students who were still watching him. Then, with a small smile, he spoke up.

"This is a brand-new flavor of Sei, called Dried Sea Scorpion Flavor. Available at all Star Chamber of Commerce branches. Each pack has a chance to contain a Rainbow Ticket, which can be exchanged for items worth up to 10 million credits. Now available in all stores! Certified by the six-star chef and queen of exotic cuisine, Guang Yue!"

The students who heard this were left completely speechless.

He Lianqi, standing there, held her forehead and shouted, "This is an exam! How the hell are you casually advertising your mom's product right now?!"

Just then, Wu Shuang, who had just swallowed the Sei snack, suddenly froze. His face turned pale, and his body stiffened unnaturally. He lowered his head, seemingly struggling to hold something back.

Gu Tian, seeing this, immediately ordered Xiao Bai to conjure a wind barrier, shielding Wu Shuang from everyone's view. His expression remained calm as he said,

"He must be exhausted from the gravitational force."

He Lianqi, who had witnessed everything from the start, pointed at Gu Tian. "He was about to puke just now! It's obvious!"

Laughter erupted among the students. The tense atmosphere that had loomed over the testing ground began to ease, replaced by the chuckles of examinees who found the situation too amusing to ignore.

Just then, the break timer expired, and a countdown for the final round of the test began.

Ye Feng, who had taken a brief moment to recover, steadied himself once more. Wu Shuang, who had just barely survived his horrific experience with the Sei snack, managed to compose himself as well.

Then

Boom!

A crushing gravitational force, 100 times normal gravity, came crashing down onto the four remaining examinees with full intensity!