Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
As the day of the assessment approached, the gathering point became even more lively. Many hunters who spent most of their time roaming the wilderness showed up at the gathering point.
Among these unfamiliar faces, there were even a few Tier 3 hunters.
Although the Black Steel Shelter only recruited a few people at each gathering point, people always had dreams. Stepping into the shelter was the ultimate dream of most of the hunters.
However, some people soon realized that the assessment this time was different from the previous ones.
In the previous assessments, the Black Steel Shelter would only send one worker to each gathering point, no more than two at most.
This time, however, there were three workers from the Black Steel Shelter who stepped into the Iron Chariots together.
As the head examiner, Kou Haitao walked at the front expressionlessly. He did not conceal his aura. The powerful aura of a Tier 4 hunter made the hunters around him lower their heads, not daring to look at him directly.
Behind Kou Haitao, Sun Jia and Pei Zongyan walked side by side. Their auras were obviously weaker, but from their expressions, it was clear that they did not have much respect for Kou Haitao.
This was because the three of them represented three different factions. Kou Haitao represented the Danger Management Department, Sun Jia represented Tanqiu, and Pei Zongyan represented Ke Shoulin.
"We've already entered the Iron Chariots, but no one has come to greet us. This Ling You is really arrogant!" Pei Zongyan said with a smile.
Sun Jia raised an eyebrow and said, "When you see Ling You, you can tell her this again in front of her!"
Pei Zongyan shrugged. "I don't want to be hung on the city wall by her."
"Since you're afraid, why did you accept this mission?" Sun Jia asked.
"Can't help it. She's so generous!" Pei Zongyan chuckled.
Sun Jia shook his head.
"Ke Shoulin is already the Deputy Commander of a combat division. Isn't he afraid of losing his status by lowering himself to deal with a Tier 2 Wild Hunter?"
"Since you know Ke Shoulin doesn't want this refugee called Qi Yuan to enter the shelter, why did you come along and offend a Vice Minister?" Pei Zongyan said with a smile.
Sun Jia looked straight ahead and did not reply. Ke Shoulin was indeed a powerful man, but he was still far from being able to control everything.
Pei Zongyan leaned over and whispered, "Tanqiu promised you so much, but Ke Shoulin's promised me two chances to enter the Glory Trial."
"Ke Shoulin's of a lifetime's money!"
Sun Jia's eyes were filled with surprise. "Tanqiu's a man's eye's eye's."
Tanqiu's custom-made Tier 4 mechanical equipment!
Pei Zongyan's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. In the Glory Trial, as long as one had enough contribution points, they would be able to queue up for their turn. However, custom-made Tier 4 Mechanical Equipment was different. That was something that could not be bought with contribution points. Ability users below M5 would not be able to enjoy the treatment of custom-made Mechanical Equipment, let alone Tanqiu's Tier 4 Mechanical Equipment, which was the best of the best!
The two of them chatted casually, not taking Kou Haitao, who was not far in front of them, to heart.
When they were about to reach the assessment point, Kou Haitao could no longer hold back his anger. He stopped and glared at the two of them. "Shut up, you two!"
"Don't think you can trample on the rules of the Hazard Management Department just because you have someone backing you up. Based on the nonsense you've just said, you'll have to go through an internal investigation when you get back. Don't even think about getting promoted for at least ten years!"
"Old Kou, don't be so angry!" Pei Zongyan said with a smile.
"Actually, we didn't want to get involved in this mess. However, the higher-ups couldn't resist the pressure and forced us to join. We have no choice. We're all in the same boat."
Kou Haitao snorted.
"I don't care who forced you in, but I'm the head examiner this time. If you dare to mess around, get lost!
Not breaking the rules of the assessment is my bottom line! "
"Don't worry, I know what to do!" Sun Jia said.
"The rules have been set. I didn't come here to break the rules. I just don't want Pei Zongyan to break the rules. If Qi Yuan can pass the assessment within the rules, that's his ability. If he can't, I won't make things difficult for you."
"I think so too." Pei Zongyan smiled.
"Although I don't want to see Qi Yuan pass the assessment, I won't break the rules. Although the two chances to enter the Glory Trial are not cheap, it's not worth it for me to sacrifice myself."
Hearing the two of them, the coldness in Kou Haitao's eyes dissipated. The higher-ups didn't want to offend Ke Shoulin or Tanqiu, so they pushed him into the fire.
If Sun Jia and Pei Zongyan were too presumptuous, he would definitely be put in an awkward position.
As long as the two of them didn't break the rules, they could do whatever they wanted in the assessment.
Kou Haitao turned around and continued walking.
Sun Jia and Pei Zongyan looked at each other and finally stopped smiling. They had tested Kou Haitao just now to force him to make a decision. Although they were in the Iron Chariots, there was only one head examiner, and that was Kou Haitao. Whether Qi Yuan could pass the assessment or not depended on Kou Haitao's attitude.
Since Kou Haitao had already said that he wouldn't help either of them, the rest was to fight within the rules.
No matter what, after this mission, one of them would definitely fail the mission.
No one was willing to fail their mission. The greater the reward for this mission, the greater the price one would have to pay for failing the mission!
"What do you mean?" Pei Zongyan looked at Kou Haitao's back and said word by word in a low voice.
"Are you really going to fight to the death with me?"
"It's not that I want to fight to the death with you, it's just that the two of them won't give in!" Sun Jia said slowly.
"He's just a wasteland homeless man. It's rare that the big shots in the shelter are willing to fight for him!"
Pei Zongyan sighed and said with a bitter face.
"If I fail this mission, I'll probably be sent to Xinzhou to explore the wasteland with the guys from the Wilderness Exploration Department!
I don't think I'll be able to come back alive! "
"What's the point of acting pitiful in front of me?
If I fail, I won't be any better than you. "Sun Jia sneered.
"We're just P2s living at the bottom of the shelter. If we don't risk our lives, how can we climb up?"
"To be honest, I'm quite jealous of Qi Yuan," Pei Zongyan said.
"As a wasteland homeless man, he can rely on Tanqiu and Ling You at the same time. If he can cross this threshold, he'll definitely climb up faster than us!"
"That depends on whether he can survive." Sun Jia glanced at Pei Zongyan.
"He's been targeted by Feng Qian and Ke Shoulin before he even entered the Black Steel Shelter. Even if he survives today, there are still a few more gates of hell waiting for him."
As they spoke, the three of them finally arrived at the assessment site. Although they still did not see Ling You, the two hunting teams, Wolf's Teeth and Thunder Scorpion, had arranged everything and were waiting for the three of them to arrive.
Just like before, the huge square in front of the Hunter's Guild had been cleared and was used as the assessment site.
The only difference was that Ling You was nowhere to be seen in the assessment this time.
Ling You's refusal to meet him obviously made Kou Haitao a little unhappy. However, before he left, he had already been instructed by his superiors. He also knew that Ling You's background was not simple. Hence, he only sat at the side with a straight face and waited for Sun Jia and Pei Yanzong to negotiate.
Since the two of them had gotten involved, he would let them fight it out. He only needed to keep an eye on them and make sure they did not break the rules.
With the cooperation of Wolf's Teeth and Thunder Scorpion Hunters, everything was arranged very quickly. The Wilderness Hunters who were qualified for the assessment entered one after another.
The assessment process and recruitment criteria were displayed in front of everyone in the form of a holographic projection.
This time, the Black Steel Shelter gave the Iron Chariots five spots for recruitment. Although two of the spots were for Medicine Testers, the three spots for the Combat Division, the Wilderness Exploration Division, and the Biological and Mechanical Research Laboratory made the atmosphere very lively.
"How is it? Are you confident?" Qu Shi asked softly.
"Don't worry. There's only one way to make me fail the assessment, and that's to make a mistake behind the scenes."
"However, since they made an exception and sent three examiners today, one of them must be Tanqiu's man. I don't expect him to help me too much. It's enough as long as he can stop the manipulation behind the scenes."
"Don't underestimate the power of those people," Qu Shanhai said softly.
"Whatever they want to do, they only need to say the word, and many people will do it regardless of the cost. Since Ke Shoulin has made his move, your assessment today will not be peaceful. Even if one of the examiners is Tanqiu's man, he may not be able to stop the other party's manipulation behind the scenes."
"Then we'll just have to rely on our own methods!" Qi Yuan smiled.
He had the Talent Tree and the Blazing Angel. If the other party wanted to use underhanded means, he could also cheat. Unless the person sent by Tanqiu betrayed him, there was no way he would fail.
After arranging everything, Sun Jia and Pei Zongyan sat on either side of Kou Haitao.
"Ready, let's begin!" Sun Jia said.
Kou Haitao nodded. His eyes flashed, and a transparent crystal the size of a fist suddenly appeared in his hand.
Kou Haitao tossed the crystal into the air. The Wilderness Hunters surrounding the square felt their vision blur. A circular blue light screen appeared in the originally empty square. It was like an overturned bowl that covered the entire square, making it impossible for anyone to see what was happening inside.
Two doors appeared on the left and right sides of the circular light screen. One was pure white, and the other was pitch black.
Zhui was still receiving treatment at the Black Steel Shelter, so he could not come. Thunder Scorpion stood up and said loudly, "All Hunters, listen up!
This is the first stage of the assessment. You will enter through the black door in groups of ten. Walk out of the white door in ten minutes, and you will pass! "
Many of the people here had gone through the assessment many times, so they were familiar with the assessment. However, when they heard that it would take ten minutes, they were stunned.
"Why is it ten minutes?"
"Isn't it usually twenty minutes? Why is it cut in half this time?"
"In the last assessment, sixty percent of the Hunters were eliminated in twenty minutes. This time, I think ninety percent will be eliminated. They are not letting us pass!"
"There are a few more Hunters this time. I thought we would have a chance, but we can't even pass the first stage!"
The discussion among the Hunters did not escape Kou Haitao and the other two.
Kou Haitao looked at Pei Zongyan gloomily.
"Ten minutes?!
Are you crazy?!
If there is a vacancy in this assessment, even Ke Shoulin won't be able to save you! "
"Don't worry," Pei Zongyan said nonchalantly.
"According to the rules, the time limit for the first stage is between ten to thirty minutes. The examiner can decide the specific time based on the situation. I have set the time limit at ten minutes. I am not breaking the rules!"
"Don't worry about the number of people who can pass the assessment. The five quotas will be filled!"
Kou Haitao looked at Sun Jia. Seeing that he did not seem to have any objections, Kou Haitao frowned. He could not figure out what Sun Jia was thinking.
Logically speaking, an ordinary Rank Three Wilderness Refugee would need about thirty minutes to pass the first stage. A powerful Rank Three Wilderness Refugee would need about twenty minutes.
In the past, the time limit for the assessment was set at twenty minutes. It was enough to eliminate most of the Hunters who were trying to take advantage of the situation.
As for the time limit of ten minutes, even a Peak Rank Three Wilderness Refugee might not be able to pass. This was the standard set for the Elite Rank Three Warriors of the combat division.
If one's luck wasn't good enough, the first test could wipe out all the wastelanders present.
Did Sun Jia's attitude mean that he was on Ke Shoulin's side, or that he was confident that Qi Yuan could pass the assessment?
No matter what Sun Jia was thinking, since the time limit was set within the allowed time limit and the two of them had reached an agreement, Kou Haitao would not object. If something really happened, the two of them would be the ones to take the blame.
The time limit of ten minutes made many Hunters feel despair. Many Hunters who wanted to give it a try thought for a long time before turning around and leaving in disappointment.
The square, which was originally bustling with noise and excitement, instantly became half deserted. Most of the remaining hunters were powerful people.
Among the crowd, Qi Yuan could vaguely feel that someone was spying on him. Qi Yuan's expression did not change. He activated the area detection and quickly locked onto a few targets who were spying on him.
There were three unfamiliar faces surrounding him. Although they were not staring at him, the corners of their eyes frequently fell on him. It was obvious that they were observing him.
Qi Yuan acutely sensed their malice. More importantly, the three of them were Peak Rank Three Wilderness Refugees.
Were they from the Xu family or were they Ke Shoulin and Feng Qian's backup plan?
Qi Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Although he had offended many people during the battle in the old city, other than the Xu family, there were not many who dared to take revenge on him. In addition, Black Sand and the Magic Puppet had killed a group of powerful Hunters. There were even fewer people who had the strength to take revenge on him.
The Xu family had suffered a few losses at his hands. Now that he was about to enter the Black Steel Shelter, it was not impossible for them to seize the last opportunity to kill him.
However, the Xu family had already fallen out with Ling You. Even Xu Yue, a Rank Four Wilderness Refugee, had died at the hands of Ling You. If they were really assassins from the Xu family, then as long as they made a move, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed, they would not be able to leave the Iron Chariots alive.
The Xu family was now at death's door. The possibility of them sending three Peak Rank Three Wilderness Refugees to die with him was not high.
Therefore, these three people were most likely Ke Shoulin and Feng Qian's backup plan.
Their goal was not necessarily to kill him. It was very likely that they were secretly sabotaging him and preventing him from passing the test.