No matter how stubborn Pei Zongyan was, as Qi Yuan displayed his strength step by step, he began to feel the invisible pressure coming from Qi Yuan.
With Qi Yuan's age and his non-standard abilities, if it weren't for Ke Shoulin and Feng Qian, he would definitely enter the shelter. As soon as the Danger Management Department and the Combat Department received the news, they would even try to snatch him away.
This had happened in the Black Steel Shelter before.
Most of the wastelanders were useless trash, but with such a large population and such a complicated environment, there were a few amazing talents who had emerged from the wastelands.
Some of the refugees who were looked down upon by the residents of the shelter could only struggle to survive in the wilderness. However, once they stepped into the shelter and received enough nourishment, they could quickly soar into the sky.
Mo Sheng from the Wilderness Exploration Department was one of the best.
He used only 17 years to climb from a refugee to the position of Deputy Head of the Wilderness Exploration Department, obtained P6 access, and stood at the top of the pyramid that was the Black Steel Shelter.
Rumor had it that Mo Sheng was about to step into rank 7 and become a high-ranking aptitude user.
Mo Sheng's fame in the shelter was even greater than Ke Shoulin's, who was the Deputy Head of the Combat Division. This was all because of his power and talent.
The residents of the shelter used to look down on the refugees in the wilderness. It was because of Mo Sheng's rise that some people changed their view of the refugees.
Although some diehards didn't like Mo Sheng, it didn't hide the fact that the situation of the refugees in the wilderness was slowly improving.
Perhaps it was because Mo Sheng had been born in the wastelands, but he had always taken good care of the refugees who came to the shelter. Fu Qingqing had been the focus of Mo Sheng's training, and now she was starting to look like Mo Sheng himself.
Once Mo Sheng heard about Qi Yuan's performance today, even if he really became an assistant researcher, with his personality, he would definitely ask Tan Qiu for him.
With Qi Yuan's talent and Mo Sheng's protection, even if Ke Shoulin really fell out with him, he might not be able to suppress Qi Yuan.
Pei Zongyan wanted to slap himself in the face when he thought about how he had offended an aptitude user with a bright future just for the two opportunities Ke Shoulin had promised him.
If it was a Three Star Glory trial, he might have considered it. But if it was just two Two Star Glory trials, it was not worth it!
However, Pei Zongyan also knew that since he had boarded Ke Shoulin's ship, there was no way he could disembark. Otherwise, Qi Yuan wouldn't even need to do anything. Ke Shoulin's rage would tear him apart.
Pei Zongyan's gloomy gaze swept over the Hunters. His originally panicked heart slowly calmed down.
I still have a chance!
As long as I can stop Qi Yuan from entering God's Sanctuary, I still have a chance.
Kou Haitao ignored the conflict between Sun Jia and Pei Zongyan and calmly tested the age of the remaining Hunters.
The rest of the hunters were all around thirty years old. Only one of them was out of his expectations.
The last Hunter was called Qing, and he was only eighteen years old!
Kou Haitao had a deep impression of Qing. Other than the monster Qi Yuan, Qing had passed the first test the fastest. He had only used eight minutes and fifty-seven seconds. He had completely met the standards of a combat division's elite seed.
Moreover, his fighting style was completely different from the others.
If the others, including Qi Yuan, had used their abilities to fight savagely, then this person's fighting style was one that hid techniques.
Although he had deliberately tried to hide it, he had revealed a little during the battle on the last stone pillar.
He had used combat division techniques!
Kou Haitao was certain that this person was also Ke Shoulin's spy, but he had hidden it better than the other two.
Kou Haitao couldn't suppress the anger in his heart when he thought about how three of the nine Hunters who had just passed the first test were actually Ke Shoulin's spies and the troublesome Qi Yuan.
A good recruitment test had been turned into a foul atmosphere because of a few people's fights!
Should he reveal this information to Qi Yuan and treat it as an expression of goodwill towards this talented young man, or an investment?
After thinking for a few seconds, Kou Haitao shook his head and rejected this idea.
Reminding Qi Yuan might not change anything. Instead, it would drag him down.
Although he had passed the Walker's Trial and had a certain status in the Black Steel Shelter and the ability to protect himself, it was still too difficult for him to face a big shot like Ke Shoulin.
It wasn't a good deal to offend a combat division's deputy chief for Qi Yuan.
Kou Haitao glanced at Qing.
Qi Yuan's score for the first test was twenty points, while Qing's was eighteen points.
Qi Yuan's age score was nine points, while Qing's was eight points.
Their scores were very close, which meant that Qing had the ability to threaten Qi Yuan.
Although there were five spots for this recruitment test, Tan Qiu only gave Qi Yuan one spot as an assistant researcher. If no one else was fighting for this spot, Qi Yuan would naturally enter the Black Steel Shelter.
However, if Qing was determined to fight with Qi Yuan for this spot, he did have the possibility to squeeze Qi Yuan out.
Both of their scores were very close in the first two tests. If Qing was really someone from the shelter, his pollution index would definitely be lower than Qi Yuan's. As someone who was trained by the combat division, his willpower wouldn't be low either. There was a high possibility that he would catch up with Qi Yuan.
So, how would Qi Yuan deal with Qing's threat?
There was only one spot for Tan Qiu. The person with the highest score could choose first. If Qing's score was higher than Qi Yuan's and he chose the assistant researcher position, Qi Yuan wouldn't be able to compete with him.
Although Qi Yuan could still enter the shelter by choosing other spots, Feng Qian and Ke Shoulin were still eyeing him covetously.
If he entered the Black Steel Shelter as a drug tester, he would fall into Feng Qian's hands. If he chose to enter the combat division, he would be like a lamb entering a tiger's den.
If he entered the Wild Detective Division, he might have a chance to catch his breath. However, unless Mo Sheng intervened, he wouldn't be able to escape from the two of them.
Only the assistant researcher position and Tan Qiu's protection could allow him to escape from the two of them for the time being.
In order to deal with Qi Yuan, Ke Shoulin had really used up all his tricks!
"Now, let's move on to the third test, willpower!"
Kou Haitao held a golden headband in his right hand. The design of the headband was similar to Sun Wukong's golden headband.
In addition to the headband, Kou Haitao also held a fist-sized transparent crystal ball in his left hand. It was obviously a set of testing tools.
"The testing process will be a little painful, but I hope you can persevere. Don't give up until the last moment!"
After Kou Haitao finished speaking, he handed the subsequent tasks to the tool man, Thunder Scorpion.
It was obviously not the first time that Thunder Scorpion had been used as a tool. He skillfully put the headband on his head and demonstrated how to use it to the others.
"Look carefully. After putting on this headband, your willpower will be able to interfere with this crystal ball!"
Thunder Scorpion activated the headband and let go of the crystal ball in his hand. The crystal ball immediately floated in the air and started to spin slowly.
The crystal ball started to spin faster and faster. Thunder Scorpion's facial muscles started to tense up as if he was enduring intense pain.
Thunder Scorpion took a deep breath and continued, "You need to be like me and use your willpower to control this crystal ball. Don't let it fall to the ground."
"This process will be a little painful, but it reflects the strength of your willpower. The longer you persevere, the higher your final score will be!"
After he finished speaking, Thunder Scorpion suddenly groaned. The rapidly spinning crystal ball suddenly trembled as if it had lost its balance. The spinning speed slowed down visibly and slowly fell to the ground.
Thunder Scorpion reached out his right hand and caught the falling crystal ball. At the same time, he took off the headband on his head and let out a long sigh of relief.
In less than a minute of the demonstration, Thunder Scorpion's head was covered in a thin layer of sweat. His face was pale as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.
Forty-six seconds!
Qi Yuan silently recorded the time that Thunder Scorpion persevered.
Thunder Scorpion was one of the captains of the two hunting parties under Ling You. His willpower was definitely not weak. However, even a Tier 3 Pinnacle warrior like him could only persevere for forty-six seconds. Although this might not be his limit, Thunder Scorpion's reaction gave Qi Yuan a rough idea.
Thunder Scorpion handed the headband and crystal ball to the first Wilderness Hunter and directly began the third test.
The Wilderness Hunter took a deep breath and put on the headband with a serious expression. He then released the crystal ball in his hand.
The crystal ball floated in the air and slowly began to spin, gradually accelerating.
As the crystal ball spun faster and faster, the muscles on the Wilderness Hunter's face gradually began to twitch. His eyes, which were staring at the crystal ball, became bloodshot as if he was enduring great pain.
Twenty-one … Twenty-seven … Thirty …
Qi Yuan silently calculated the time that the Wilderness Hunter persevered. When he counted to forty-nine seconds, the Wilderness Hunter finally couldn't help but let out a painful growl.
At the same time, the spinning crystal ball trembled slightly, slowing down its spinning speed and slowly falling to the ground.
"Forty-nine seconds, five points!" Kou Haitao calmly gave the final score.
The Wilderness Hunter panted as he caught the falling crystal ball. His pale face showed that he was unwilling to accept the result. Five points were obviously too low.
The second Wilderness Hunter took the headband and crystal ball, put them on his head, and directly began the test.
This Wilderness Hunter, who only got five points in the age test, obviously had a much stronger will than the first Wilderness Hunter. He persevered for fifty-eight seconds before the spinning crystal ball shook and fell.
In the end, he got seven points with a result of fifty-eight seconds.
The next few Wilderness Hunters didn't have much of a difference in will strength. The highest got seven points, and the lowest only got four points.
Soon, the headband was handed to the Wilderness Hunter who tried to destroy Qi Yuan's test.
He put on the headband, and when the timer reached thirty seconds, he suddenly stopped controlling the crystal ball. He casually caught the falling crystal ball and passed it to the next Wasteland Hunter.
Qi Yuan looked at the Wilderness Hunter in surprise. He obviously hadn't reached his limit. Compared to the previous Wilderness Hunters, his expression was much more relaxed. It seemed that he deliberately stopped the test.
Did he know that he couldn't complete the task and voluntarily gave up the test?
Or was there some other conspiracy waiting for him?
Qi Yuan's eyes flashed. Since the Wilderness Hunter still followed him after he passed the first test, he obviously didn't want to give up on targeting him.
However, the next few tests were carried out separately under Kou Haitao's nose. Sun Jia was also watching for him. What could they do?
The test continued. Soon, the headband and crystal ball were handed to another Wilderness Hunter who tried to target Qi Yuan.
Like the Wilderness Hunter before him, he persevered for about thirty seconds before choosing to give up.
Their scores for two tests were at the bottom, which meant that they had no chance of catching up.
Kou Haitao calmly glanced at the two of them, but didn't say anything. He just turned his head and gave Pei Zongyan a warning look.
Pei Zongyan's face was gloomy. He exchanged glances with Kou Haitao, the corners of his mouth twitching. In the end, he didn't say anything.
Soon, the headband and crystal ball were handed to Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan calmly put on the golden headband. Almost everyone's eyes fell on him.
At this moment, Qi Yuan noticed that the two Wilderness Hunters were looking at him with eyes full of undisguised malice!
Are you trying to kill me with your eyes?
Or are you trying to interfere with me?
Qi Yuan didn't look at the two of them. No matter what they were trying to do, since Kou Haitao and Sun Jia didn't say anything, he could only deal with them as they came.
Through the headband, Qi Yuan could clearly feel that his spiritual will seemed to have a physical body. It turned into invisible tentacles that wrapped around the crystal ball.
These spiritual tentacles were very sensitive and could easily hold the crystal ball.
Begin!
Qi Yuan's eyes focused. His right hand gently loosened, and the crystal ball slowly began to spin.
At this moment, Qi Yuan deeply felt the pain this test brought to the tester. Why was Thunder Scorpion's face so pale?
Aptitude users at the peak of the third rank had far greater endurance than normal people. Normal physical pain couldn't affect them at all. However, spiritual pain was completely different from physical pain.
The instant the crystal ball spun, the surrounding spiritual tentacles were pulled apart one by one and then snapped.
Every spiritual tentacle snapped was like a steel bar that had been burned until it was completely red. It directly pierced into the brain from the top of the head, bringing a type of pain that reached straight to the soul.
This type of pain couldn't be defended against, couldn't be avoided.
Moreover, if he wanted to prevent the crystal ball from falling, he had to urge the spiritual tentacles to continuously support the spinning crystal ball.
However, the faster the crystal ball spun, the more spiritual tentacles were snapped. As time went on, this type of soul-tearing pain was enough to make even a strong-willed person go crazy.
Qi Yuan's breathing gradually became heavier. As spiritual tentacles were torn apart one after another, that soul-tearing pain attacked Qi Yuan's spiritual defenses like a tide.
As time went on, Qi Yuan slowly discovered that even though Steel Defense couldn't resist spiritual pain, Mechanical Intelligence seemed to have a certain effect.
Even though Mechanical Intelligence couldn't resist pain, under the support of the ability, his spiritual tentacles seemed to have become a bit tougher. It slowed down the speed at which they were being torn apart by the spinning crystal ball.
When Qi Yuan lasted for twenty seconds, Pei Zongyan's gloomy gaze swept past the two Wilderness Hunters.
After the two exchanged a glance with Pei Zongyan, they quietly lowered their heads to look at their own feet. Their eyes quickly became empty.
At the same time, Qi Yuan, who had just alleviated his pain, suddenly felt two external forces invading his mind and will.