Chapter 25: The Freshman Assessment Begins

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Yuanzhou City was once a magnificent metropolis, serving in past dynasties as a highly prestigious secondary capital. Consequently, several imperial palaces were scattered throughout the city. While some had fallen into ruin due to the ravages of war, others remained perfectly intact.

The freshman assessment for Huali Military Academy was to be held within one of these imperial residences known as the Weiyang Palace. Legend had it that this was a retreat for an emperor hundreds of years ago. The palace was vast, with a complex and intricate interior layout, making it an ideal venue for military training.

On the morning of the appointed day, over five hundred freshmen from Huali Military Academy arrived at the palace under the guidance of their instructors.

Ma Yuan was among the crowd. He had never seen such a magnificent palace and could hardly imagine that he would one day be training within its walls. Over the past few days, Ma Yuan had trained with intense dedication; a fire burned within him, and he was determined to use his time at Huali Military Academy to fundamentally change his destiny.

Soon, the mission for the freshman assessment was announced. It was deceptively simple: the five hundred-plus students were to enter the Weiyang Palace for a grand melee, from which only two hundred would be selected as official first-year students of the academy.

There were no rules in this chaotic battle. Each student was equipped with a special training rifle; when a shot struck an opponent, the bullet would leave a distinct mark, signaling the victim’s elimination. Therefore, all participants had to ensure they were not hit. Furthermore, examiners would be tracking scores throughout the fray: one "kill" equaled one point, and the three students with the highest scores at the end would receive special rewards from the academy.

During the melee, freshmen could choose to form teams or act as lone wolves. However, there was a catch: only two hundred people could remain in the end. If a team's size exceeded the remaining slots, the team members would have to eliminate each other—a potentially awkward scenario.

This was exactly what the academy wanted to see. On a real battlefield, there was no such thing as "forming a team"; there was only the struggle to survive and the necessity of eliminating more enemies.

Upon hearing the rules, Ma Yuan and his companions began to strategize. Ma Yuan, Wang Xian, Hou Xinjie, and Tian Su decided to form a squad, while the other two members of their dormitory were left to fend for themselves.

As the bell rang, the crowd of over five hundred surged into the Weiyang Palace. The palace was so vast that five hundred people were merely a drop in the ocean. Once inside, they quickly scattered into small groups. Per academy regulations, no one was permitted to engage for the first hour, giving everyone time to prepare before the slaughter began. The combat would continue until only two hundred remained; if that number was not reached, the assessment would proceed indefinitely.

"Tian Su, what do you think our first move should be?" Wang Xian asked, taking the lead to consult Tian Su, who had prior experience as a second-year student.

Tian Su pondered for a moment. "To be honest, I don't know, because according to past practices, there has never been an assessment like this. However, based on the rules, we could find a place no one can find to hole up, wait quietly for the others to finish each other off, and then secure our spot in the top two hundred."

"But clearly, if we have this idea, others will too. If everyone does that, it will be very difficult for anyone to successfully advance. So, I think we should take the initiative. There are four of us; if we position ourselves well, we can eliminate some people. If we get to the end and things are desperate, it won't be too late to find a place to hide."

Ma Yuan and the others listened in silence, finding Tian Su’s logic sound. He was a veteran student, after all, and his strategic thinking was superior to the average recruit.

After a brief moment of reflection, Ma Yuan spoke up first. "I agree with Tian Su. Rather than hiding and waiting to be eliminated by others, it is better to fight. At the very least, that gives this assessment some real meaning."

Wang Xian and Hou Xinjie glanced at him, surprised that Ma Yuan had stepped up with such courage.

"Fine, I agree as well," Wang Xian said after a moment of thought. As the heir to a major arms family in Gao City, he possessed the necessary resolve.

Seeing the others in agreement, Hou Xinjie had little choice but to follow suit, even though his personal inclination had been to follow Tian Su's earlier suggestion of hiding.

With a plan in place, the group set off in a direction within the Weiyang Palace. They had no specific target, intending to engage anyone they encountered if the opportunity arose.

Soon, they encountered a team of three freshmen. While they had the numerical advantage, one of the opposing trio gave Ma Yuan and his group pause.

The leader of the group was Li Qing, a local from Yuanzhou City. He was quite famous among the freshmen because his older brother was a military officer. Influenced by his brother since childhood, Li Qing was known to be quite cunning.

"Should we hit them?" Hou Xinjie whispered from their hiding spot, having heard rumors about Li Qing.

Wang Xian and Ma Yuan didn't answer, looking instead to Tian Su. Implicitly, they had all deferred to his leadership.

Tian Su observed the three opponents, his brow furrowing in deep thought before finally smoothing out. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"There are three of them and four of us. We can take them," Tian Su said to his group. "But Li Qing is a tough nut to crack. If we fight, we will likely win, but we might have to sacrifice one of our own to do it. That’s my analysis. I’ll leave it to you—do we engage?"

"Let's do it," Ma Yuan said first. He wanted to vent his pent-up energy; he wanted to test himself in battle to see the fruits of his recent training.

Wang Xian nodded. "I agree. Let's take them."

"Since you've all agreed, my opinion doesn't carry much weight. Let’s just get it over with," Hou Xinjie grumbled, feeling annoyed at being forced into a decision yet again.

With the consensus reached, Tian Su outlined his plan: one person would act as bait to lure the enemy out, while the other three would launch a surprise attack to "eliminate" the trio.

Ma Yuan volunteered, dashing out toward the side of the palace. His movement immediately caught the attention of Li Qing’s group.

"Brother Qing, it’s just one person. We can take him," one of the men said, delighted, and moved as if to give chase.

"Wait," Li Qing said, his expression calm. He wasn't pleased by the appearance of a straggler; instead, he frowned and grew cautious.

"What is it, Brother Qing? Could it be a trap?" the other man asked, suspicious.

Li Qing’s brow relaxed. "Go after him, but we go together. That way, we won't be picked off one by one. Even if there is an ambush, the three of us can handle it."

As he spoke, the three of them headed toward where Ma Yuan had vanished, while in the shadows, several dark figures began to move in pursuit.