Zhao Mu stepped forward and received a set of combat gear from the equipment station.
The moment he picked it up, he could feel its surprising weight. It was roughly five catties heavy, yet the material itself felt incredibly tough and durable. He had no idea what it was made of, but simply touching it gave him the impression that even a sharp blade would struggle to cut through it.
Next came the weapons selection.
Without hesitation, Zhao Mu chose a sharpened heavenly halberd.
In large-scale combat, the advantage of a long and heavy weapon was obvious. A halberd could sweep through enemies from a distance while also delivering terrifying destructive power.
As for ranged weapons, he selected a longbow along with a full quiver of arrows.
To be extra cautious, he also picked up ten flying knives and attached them to his waist.
After collecting his equipment, Zhao Mu headed toward the men's changing room located behind the armory.
Once unfolded, the combat gear turned out to be a one-piece suit designed to cover the entire body. Necessary openings were naturally included, making it practical for extended use.
The material clung closely to his skin after he put it on.
It felt smooth and flexible, almost like a second layer of skin.
At the same time, it provided a comforting warmth that quickly spread through his body.
When Zhao Mu emerged from the changing room fully equipped, his appearance had changed completely.
The black combat uniform fit tightly around his muscular frame, while the dark-red heavenly halberd resting on his shoulder gave off an intimidating aura.
Outside, the other cadet soldiers had already gathered as well.
All of them wore the same black combat gear and carried various weapons.
Compared to how they looked one month ago, the difference was enormous.
Their skin had darkened from harsh training beneath the sun.
Their eyes had become sharper.
Their bodies were more disciplined and sturdy.
At last, they finally resembled true soldiers.
Instructor Xie Yingxue adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and looked at everyone calmly.
"The location for your final training exercise…"
She raised her hand and pointed toward the right.
"Is the ruined city behind that wall."
Everyone followed her gaze.
Behind a massive steel mesh barrier stood a vast ruined district.
Broken streets stretched endlessly into the distance.
Collapsed buildings leaned at dangerous angles.
Many structures had already weathered heavily with age, covered in cracks and decay.
The place looked lifeless.
Like a dead city abandoned long ago.
Instructor Xie Yingxue continued speaking in a calm tone.
"Ten years ago, this was one of the most prosperous districts in Lujiang City."
"But during the war against the Dark Races, it was completely destroyed."
"Afterward, the military converted it into a training ground."
"You are about to enter this ruined city and hunt Exotic Beasts."
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Many cadets subconsciously tightened their grips on their weapons.
This was no longer simple training.
They would soon face real monsters.
Instructor Xie Yingxue raised one finger.
"You have six hours."
"There is no upper limit to the points you can earn."
"The more Exotic Beasts you kill, the higher your score."
"Just like during the Entrance Trial, instructors and assistant instructors will observe you from outside the battlefield."
"Your performance will determine your final evaluation."
She paused briefly before adding another sentence.
"Giant Eagles are circling overhead."
"If you encounter life-threatening danger, you may declare surrender."
"The Giant Eagles will immediately extract you from the battlefield."
After finishing her explanation, she took out a remote control device from her pocket.
Click.
A loud mechanical sound echoed across the area.
Rumble—!
The heavily sealed gates of the training ground slowly opened.
A suffocating silence fell over the crowd.
Everyone understood something clearly.
This was only a training exercise…
But death was still possible.
If they made mistakes, the Exotic Beasts inside would kill them without hesitation.
"Move out!"
Without waiting for others to react, Zhao Mu stepped forward first.
The sharpened heavenly halberd rested across his shoulder.
Its black shaft and dark-red blade radiated a cold killing intent.
The weapon weighed an astonishing seventy catties.
That was twenty catties heavier than the practice halberd he used during training.
Ordinary people simply could not wield such a weapon effectively.
But Zhao Mu carried it as though it weighed nothing.
The moment his teammates saw him take the lead so confidently, their nervousness eased slightly.
One after another, they followed behind him into the trial area.
Mo Guanguan and Shao Han's teams naturally refused to fall behind either.
As she walked, Mo Guanguan rubbed the rings on her fingers thoughtfully.
Two scarlet rings decorated with Vermilion Bird patterns rested on her slender pinky finger.
The rings overlapped perfectly.
These were paired ember remains—extremely rare treasures designed to function together as one.
They were clearly custom-made exclusive ember remains.
A faint crimson flame suddenly appeared in Mo Guanguan's palm.
The shadow of a Vermilion Bird briefly emerged within the fire, letting out a sharp cry.
The next moment—
A scarlet longbow materialized in her hand.
The weapon radiated intense heat.
Holding the bow confidently, Mo Guanguan looked toward Zhao Mu with blazing determination in her eyes.
"Zhao Mu!"
"Let's compete and see who kills more Exotic Beasts!"
The flames reflected inside her pupils as she challenged him openly.
Zhao Mu merely smiled faintly.
"Sure."
Seeing the interaction between the two, Shen Moran frowned slightly.
However, she quickly turned her head away as if she did not care.
For some reason, Zhao Mu had become increasingly irritating in her eyes lately.
Especially whenever he interacted with Mo Guanguan.
In Shen Moran's opinion, Zhao Mu was clearly trying too hard to gain favor with the young miss of a powerful family.
And he did not even bother hiding it.
Before anyone else could speak, another voice suddenly interrupted.
"Then count me in too!"
Zhao Mu did not even need to turn around to know who it was.
Besides Shao Han, who else could be this annoying?
Shao Han stepped forward while drawing his weapon.
His ember remains weapon was an ice-blue long saber that radiated freezing energy.
Cold mist spread outward from the blade continuously.
This weapon had been personally commissioned by his father from a master craftsman.
It reportedly took an entire year to forge successfully.
Exclusive ember remains.
Ice attribute.
Perfect compatibility with Shao Han's abilities.
With this weapon in hand, Shao Han's strength increased significantly.
He stared at Zhao Mu with open hostility.
Ever since entering boot camp, Zhao Mu had humiliated him repeatedly.
Everyone already knew the conflict between them.
Now that the final trial had arrived, Shao Han intended to crush Zhao Mu completely and prove who was truly superior.
Unfortunately for him, Zhao Mu simply glanced at him indifferently before looking away entirely.
The disregard made Shao Han grind his teeth in frustration.
Soon afterward, the three teams split apart and entered the ruined city from different directions.
The moment Zhao Mu crossed into the trial area, he immediately sensed something unusual.
The air smelled terrible.
There was the thick scent of blood…
Mixed with the foul odor of beast excrement.
Clearly, many creatures inhabited this place.
Beside him, Zhu Meng had already activated his Beast Transformation state.
Muscles bulged beneath his combat suit while sharp fangs protruded from his mouth.
Excitement filled his eyes as he gripped his broad saber tightly.
"Zhao Mu!"
"What's the plan?"
"Wait a moment," Zhao Mu replied calmly.
He scanned the surroundings carefully before spotting a partially intact building nearby.
Without hesitation, he sprinted forward.
Boom!
Using powerful leg strength, Zhao Mu leaped more than five meters into the air and landed directly through a broken window.
He then rushed upstairs rapidly until he reached the rooftop.
Standing there, he could clearly observe the surrounding ruins.
The wind howled across the rooftop, blowing through his hair.
And along with the wind came an even stronger scent.
Zhao Mu narrowed his eyes.
At the same moment the cadets entered the training zone, the military had also released the Exotic Beasts confined within the ruins.
Dark figures suddenly appeared throughout the streets below.
One after another, they emerged from collapsed alleys and shattered buildings.
They resembled dogs…
But much larger.
Their bodies were covered in dark-red fur.
Each one was nearly the size of a small calf.
Their eyes glowed crimson beneath the shadows.
"Crimson Demon Hounds," Zhao Mu muttered immediately.
These creatures ranked among the weakest Exotic Beasts.
However, they possessed one dangerous trait—
They hunted in packs.
For experienced soldiers, they were little more than nuisances.
But for rookie cadets, they still represented a serious threat.
After confirming the situation, Zhao Mu quickly returned downstairs.
"There are a lot of targets," he said immediately.
"We'll split into small groups."
"Five people per group."
"I'll personally lead the remaining two."
Their team consisted of fifty-three members total.
As captain, Zhao Mu quickly began assigning people according to strength and combat style.
The two people he chose to stay beside him were Lu Yan and Meng Qiuqiu.
Lu Yan's situation was somewhat special, so Zhao Mu needed to monitor him personally.
As for Meng Qiuqiu, although his training results appeared average, the defensive ember remains he carried were extremely powerful.
He could help protect Lu Yan if something unexpected happened.
The remaining cadets were divided into balanced groups.
For example, the two B-rank special recruits—Zhu Meng and Wang Jiaojiao—each led teams of four people.
After finalizing the groups, Zhao Mu looked at everyone seriously.
"This is no longer training."
"If you panic, you die."
"If you act recklessly, you die."
"So follow orders carefully."
Everyone nodded nervously.
The atmosphere instantly became much heavier.
Then—
A distant howl echoed through the ruined streets.
Awooooo—!
More and more crimson shadows appeared between the broken buildings.
The Crimson Demon Hounds had found them.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)