Chapter 122: Loyalty and Gallantry

As the officer explained the situation, Xiao Nan finally understood the rules of the trial.

All students participating in the trial were to be dispersed into the vast expanse of mountains and grasslands, with no fixed routes for anyone. While following the map was certainly the most advisable course of action, those with confidence could choose to move freely. In principle, it was advised not to cross the radiation zone more than thirty-five miles away, though this was not a hard requirement.

The areas on this side of the radiation zone were mostly populated by nomadic hunting parties of barbarians. Small, scattered tribes were spread across the landscape. If only a few stray soldiers went out on patrols, the barbarians would not be alarmed. In truth, there had not been a full-scale war on this land for several years; both sides were engaged in probing and infiltration. Sometimes, elite barbarian warriors would break through the defensive lines and enter the human world; at other times, as was the case now, the military would send out elite squads to strike a barbarian tribe, kill as many as they could, and retreat.

Back and forth they went, with neither side gaining much of an advantage. It seemed both sides treated this behavior as a form of combat training. Casualties were a normal occurrence, and neither side was willing to commit large-scale forces that would trigger an all-out war.

On the whole, Xiao Nan judged that the military of Yuanjiang Prefecture held the upper hand in this territory. He reached this conclusion because he discovered that the Yuanjiang military had actually established rudimentary bases on this side of the spatial rift, extending the theater of war into the barbarians' own territory. This was quite an impressive feat. Books stated that in many locations with spatial rifts, human forces could only maintain a defensive posture, with barbarian armies occasionally breaking through and invading cities.

The task for students like Xiao Nan was to act as ordinary soldiers—to burn, kill, and plunder, and to eliminate the enemy's vital strength. Killing was not the goal; completing the mission was paramount. Killing one barbarian hunter qualified as a passing grade, a C-rank evaluation. Slaying a barbarian at the level of a hunting party leader would earn a good grade, a B-rank evaluation. To achieve an A-rank excellent grade or an A+ superior grade, one had to raze an entire tribe, or at least kill a tribal chief.

This was a target that even elite military martial artists dared not challenge. When the officer mentioned it, his face was full of solemnity, as if he did not approve of anyone attempting it. Even the weakest tribal chief was essentially a Third-Grade warrior. Given that barbarians were generally physically robust, their combat power was often underestimated, making it nearly impossible for an ordinary soldier to surround and kill them. Furthermore, such barbarians often had many subordinates—and perhaps even a shaman in the tribe who could bestow divine blessings, making them incredibly difficult to deal with. If the military were to clear out such a force, they would have to mobilize a large contingent. One wrong move, and the conflict could escalate into a messy, protracted battle, resulting in losses that outweighed the gains.

Xiao Nan did not know what target Li Shaohua was aiming for or what grade he hoped to achieve. He estimated that even if he secured a B-rank evaluation, it might not be enough to guarantee a top spot... The chance of being number one seemed a bit slim. However, he had not yet entered the mountains for an on-site assessment, so he could not finalize his combat objectives for now. He would start by following the map.

"Shadow Guardians, step forward." The order came from the supervising commander, Wang Yuanzhi.

Beside the formation of trial students, sixty or seventy of the observing soldiers stepped out in perfect unison. These soldiers wore black field uniforms with no shoulder insignia, all carrying long sabers on their backs, and exuding a frigid, lethal aura. Xiao Nan noticed that each of these men bore an identification number and walked toward an individual student.

"They are your trial guardians. They will follow from a distance and will not intervene unless you are in mortal danger. You may treat them as if they do not exist," Wang Yuanzhi said, his face wearing a trademark smile, yet his tone was resolute and uncompromising. He seemed so accustomed to issuing commands that even when his words were gentle, he left no room for anyone to interject. "If there are no objections, move out. I wish each of you a good result."

True to military fashion, they were swift and decisive. With those few words, the trial began.

Suddenly, Xiao Nan raised his right hand and said loudly, "I have an objection."

Tang Zhixuan sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead, wondering what kind of trouble this guy was stirring up now.

Principal Sun Zhongli, who had long since shed the stiff, statue-like demeanor he wore at school, looked over in confusion, his eyes filled with bewilderment. They hadn't even started yet, and he was already raising complaints? Was the pressure he had put on the boy too much, causing a psychological breakdown in his desperate bid for first place?

Wang Yuanzhi’s smile faded, his gaze expressionless. "Speak."

Xiao Nan turned and pointed at the Shadow Guardian behind him—a burly warrior with eyebrows as thick as brushes. "I request a change of guardian."

"Reason?" Wang Yuanzhi’s brow furrowed, and a strange atmosphere permeated the air, making it difficult for the others to breathe.

Xiao Nan remained unfazed and said earnestly, "I suspect this man has ill intentions. He will not protect me wholeheartedly and may even sabotage me during the mission."

He was not lying. Not only did this guardian look at him with schadenfreude upon arriving, but more importantly, Xiao Nan’s keen spiritual perception, amplified by the bronze mirror, had sensed a thick malice coming from this man. There was also a murderous intent. It would be a joke to keep such a person by his side for protection. He just didn't know which faction was behind this. Was it Lin Hao? Or Li Shaohua? Xiao Nan looked at the two of them, but saw no telltale signs. In truth, if someone were plotting in the shadows, they would not show their hand at this moment.

Once Xiao Nan’s words were out, bursts of laughter erupted around them, seemingly mocking his cowardice. Several Shadow Guardians laughed the loudest. "Little kid, if you're afraid to go out, just say so. Don't make up excuses."

"Exactly. We've seen plenty of these cowards who get scared before the battle even starts. Usually, we just throw them right into the pile of barbarians. If they don't die, they'll turn into iron-blooded warriors."

The burly man with thick eyebrows behind him looked stunned, spreading his hands in confusion. "I haven't done anything, nor have I spoken a word. It’s too much to accuse me of sabotaging your mission."

"Absurd..." Wang Yuanzhi’s face grew darker. He barked, "In my camp, you obey orders. Keep such groundless accusations to yourself. There is something you don't know, and I will forgive you this once: this group of Blood Saber Guards protects Yuanjiang Prefecture, and every one of them is loyal and courageous, having cut off countless barbarian heads... It is deeply unfair to suspect them so casually." He waved his hand, not wishing to hear anything more from Xiao Nan, and shouted, "Move out!"

Xiao Nan opened his mouth, realizing no one was listening. Principal Sun wanted to say something, but for some reason, he swallowed his words. As for Tang Zhixuan, she tried to interject, but Commander Wang was impervious to reason, his face dark and stony.

*I’ll just act as if I have no guardian,* Xiao Nan thought. *I wasn't counting on anyone else's protection anyway. Relying on them would be equivalent to giving up on first place.* He stopped paying attention to the Blood Saber Guard behind him. As long as the man didn't interfere, he didn't care.

Watching his classmates scatter in all directions, getting further and further away, Xiao Nan took the map from his backpack. He examined the terrain and chose a direction to proceed. For other students, reading a map might be difficult, but to Xiao Nan, it was a basic skill.

The burly Blood Saber Guard with the thick eyebrows trailed him from a distance with an innocent expression, and seeing that Xiao Nan kept his distance, he wisely refrained from closing in. However, if one looked closely, one could see the mockery in his eyes.

...

Inside the main military tent, dozens of machines hummed. Three rows of light screens displayed different scenes. Some students were locked in life-or-death struggles, while others were being chased by barbarians...

In less than an hour, nearly half of the students had completed the C-rank mission requirements. As mentioned before, the task was not as difficult as imagined if one didn't get greedy and only sought to qualify. The reason most failed was not because their strength was inferior to the barbarians, but because they had exposed their tracks too early. Furthermore, they had lost their nerve when faced with the ferocious barbarians in combat, missing their opportunities. There was still time, of course; it remained to be seen if they would learn from their lessons and grow in battle. Otherwise, this trial would likely end in failure for them.

An officer suddenly stood up and reported, "Commander, Targets 01, 02, and 03 have all deviated from their routes. 01 has entered the Howling Forest; information remains normal. 02 and 03 have entered the radiation exclusion zone..."

Principal Sun looked at Tang Zhixuan, seeing the same confusion on her face, and asked, "Are they in danger?"

Wang Yuanzhi shook his head and laughed. "I already made it clear that while students can follow the map, those with confidence can act independently. The Howling Forest contains Third-Grade Tree Barbarians; it is certainly dangerous. However, since Li Shaohua dared to go there, he must have his own plans. He has guts to hunt a Tree Barbarian."

The adjutant beside him added with a smile, "He is a direct descendant of the Li family’s 'Dragon-Subduing Sword.' Since he has learned that sword technique, he must have also mastered the 'Void-Stepping Step'... Even if he can't kill the Tree Barbarian, escaping will be simple."

"So, he’s from the Li family." Wang Yuanzhi nodded, relieved. He stared at the screen and saw that Li Shaohua had already encountered the enemy. Arrows flew like meteors in the forest, precise and ruthless. They struck Li Shaohua, sparking against his clothes, revealing a golden-red inner armor beneath his outer coat.

His figure surged forward like a swimming dragon, and with a single sword strike... trees were shattered, and leaves flew. A lithe, long-limbed green figure was caught off guard, struck by the wave of sword energy, and with a *thud*, was split in two. Another shadow leaped into the trees, but it was too late to fire an arrow; it fled in a panic.

"Good! Void-Stepping Step, Dragon-Subduing Sword, combined with the Gold-Body Jade-Form art for defense. Two Third-Grade Tree Barbarians—one dead, one fled. This first place belongs to him for sure." Wang Yuanzhi laughed heartily. He had always admired talented individuals with real strength. The officers around him chimed in with praises; it was indeed impressive.

"Commander, Target 02 is in danger." Suddenly, a voice rang out.

Wang Yuanzhi turned sharply, his face stunned.

"Wait, why would that coward go into the Yin-Wind Valley alone? That’s the ancestral land of the Night Wolf clan, home to over five hundred barbarians. If my calendar is correct, today is the day of their sacrifice to the spirits." The "coward" Wang Yuanzhi referred to was, of course, Xiao Nan. Because Xiao Nan had groundlessly accused his subordinate of not protecting him well, Wang Yuanzhi had dismissed him as a spineless coward. As a martial artist, if one lacked a fiery, courageous spirit, one would never amount to anything.

"What did you say?" Tang Zhixuan stood up abruptly, grabbing her long sword. "Is that valley the location of a large tribe? How could Xiao Nan walk straight in without even turning back?"

The screen showed Xiao Nan alone in the valley, where the wind howled. Visibility was poor, with dust filling the narrow passage. As he turned the cliff corner, a vast expanse of dark, swarming barbarians came into view, prostrate before a giant statue, praying with great piety.

Beneath the statue, three men and women were pinned to wooden stakes through their chests, naked, covered in blood, and suffering with agonizing expressions, unable to die quickly. They were likely human martial artists from the other side of the rift who had become sacrifices. A gaunt barbarian with a white wolf head was performing a strange dance, clutching a black, square-headed wooden staff, chanting in an incomprehensible tongue. This was clearly the shaman.

As the ritual dance continued, a thin layer of golden light appeared on the statue, staining the wolf-shaman a pale gold as well. At that exact moment, the passage Xiao Nan had entered through collapsed with a thunderous roar, cutting off his escape route.

All the barbarians turned their heads in unison. Xiao Nan stood where he was, dust billowing behind him, his expression grim.

*I tried to be careful, but I never expected the map itself to be wrong. This was a trap designed to send me straight into a wolf's den.* And he was witnessing a blood sacrifice to an evil god.

...

In the camp, Tang Zhixuan pointed her sword at Wang Yuanzhi, shouting, "Commander Wang, is this what you meant when you said your men were all loyal and courageous? Xiao Nan is trapped in a large tribe, and his path of retreat has been cut off. I don't believe you didn't see what was happening. Is this just another coincidence?"

She scolded him, regardless of his status or the atmosphere. She grabbed her long sword and stormed out of the tent like a wisp of smoke, shooting off into the vast wilderness. *I hope I'm in time, or that girl Frost will nag me to death.*

...

Tomorrow is Friday, November 9th. The book will officially launch at noon. I hope to see you all there! Ten chapters will be released at once. Whether there will be more updates and how hard I will push depends on tomorrow's subscriptions. If I miss this, I'll turn into a "salted fish." Please support and encourage me!