"S-class missions are not meant for regular new blood."

Su Zhaohui, casually leaning back in his chair, said, "The risk factor is certainly not low, but rest assured, the Security Department has taken sufficient safety measures to ensure that the maximum danger level for any task does not exceed Level Three."

"Whether it's Bearman or Moly Demon, prior negotiations were conducted with them. This ensured their mental states were stable and they were willing to cooperate, guaranteeing they wouldn't act out of line before being allowed to appear in the assessment."

"And you believe their guarantees?"

"Let me finish first."

Su Zhaohui put down his wine glass, pointing to a figure on the virtual light screen. "The place where Bearman stays is a full gravity field, with a base gravity of twenty times normal. The closer he gets to the exit, the higher the gravity multiplier becomes. Moreover, a control chip has been implanted in his brain..."

Su Zhaohui gently tapped his temple. "This chip is connected to the gravity field's control center and is also under my control as the chief examiner. If I wish, in less than a second, I can increase the gravity multiplier in the area where he stands to over two hundred times, instantly crushing him into a pile of gore."

"There are similar precautionary measures for Moly Demon. Before the assessment started, the Security Department tested them many times, and there were no problems."

Song Cong, expressionless, spoke blandly, "Let's hope there really won't be any problems."

Su Zhaohui just shook his head and laughed, not bothering to say more.

"Hm?"

It was only when Lu Yuan stepped onto the stairs that he fully realized the peculiarity of this area.

Multiple gravity?

Surprise flickered across his face. His mind quickly calculated, concluding it was twenty times normal gravity. Under this force, he felt significantly heavier, as if invisible ropes connected every part of his body to the ground, constantly tugging him downward.

"How do you feel?" the bald Bearman asked, grinning at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked up at him, his expression calm. "Normal."

"HA—"

Bearman forcefully tugged at the corner of his mouth and took a step towards the door Lu Yuan had entered.

The moment he took that step, it was as if he had triggered some mechanism. The hemispherical devices scattered among the white stone bricks on the ground immediately began to glow.

Lu Yuan frowned slightly, clearly feeling the gravity in the room intensify. From twenty times, it had likely increased to about twenty-five times.

"How about now?" Bearman asked, a wicked expression on his face.

He took step after step, continually advancing towards the entrance Lu Yuan had used. His actions caused the gravity within the room to skyrocket—from twenty times, to thirty, then rapidly escalating to forty, fifty times!

CREAK—

Lu Yuan's slender body seemed unable to withstand such a terrifying, invisible force. He began to slowly hunch over, his hands on his knees, looking utterly exhausted as if he had just completed a strenuous workout, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"It's tough, isn't it?" The smile on Bearman's face widened. "Difficulty breathing, distorted vision, sensory deviations, feeling as if your internal organs are being torn apart, even your consciousness... becomes muddled..."

"When I first arrived here, I had a hard time too," Bearman continued, his voice a low rumble. "I couldn't sleep. Even eating was an agonizing ordeal. Many times, I wished I would just die instantly!"

As Bearman rambled, his expression turned colder, gradually twisting with hatred and resentment. He roared furiously, "Those bastards from Yellow Bear, they're keeping me here like an animal! They said that as long as I cooperated fully with them in assessing you new blood, my crimes could be offset, my death sentence postponed indefinitely, and I might even be completely released someday... Do they take me for a three-year-old?"

Do I... need that kind of exoneration?

Bearman snarled, then took another large step forward. This time, the gravity multiplier in the room reached seventy times. The tremendous pressure even affected his own body. His bronze-like frame creaked under the strain. His face twisted, veins bulging, yet a look of perverse enjoyment spread across it.

"Fortunately, I endured," Bearman declared, a triumphant note in his voice. "I've completely adapted to the high gravity here. I'm even stronger than before!" He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the air in the room, which felt as thick as syrup.

His gaze fell back on Lu Yuan. Seeing Lu Yuan apparently immobilized by the crushing gravity, Bearman grinned. "Getting this far, you must be a pretty extraordinary new blood. If I killed you... oh no, the Yellow Bear people are watching; they won't let me kill you. But I'll have to leave you with a lasting impression, so every time you remember this place, remember this assessment... you'll tremble with fear..."

Bearman strode towards Lu Yuan, emanating a palpable malicious aura. He studied Lu Yuan from head to toe with keen interest, a cruel glint suddenly flashing in his eyes. He reached out to grab Lu Yuan, chattering, "Hurts, doesn't it? Just relax if it hurts. Because next... you're going to feel much, much worse."

But just as Bearman's large hand was about to touch Lu Yuan's body, a fair, strong hand shot up and fiercely gripped his wrist.

"HUH...?"

Bearman froze, then watched as Lu Yuan, who had been hunched over, slowly lifted his head. On Lu Yuan's face, there was no trace of the pain or struggle Bearman had expected. Instead... there was an intense, almost rapturous excitement, an inexplicable light dancing in his eyes.

"What... utter nonsense are you spouting?" Lu Yuan said softly. On his fair, handsome face, crimson veins began to bulge, rapidly spreading like a web. His muscles swelled and tensed like steel cables.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

His height, originally over 1.8 meters, instantly shot up to 2.1 meters, making him tower over Bearman like an ominous cloud.

"A gravity field with adjustable intensity, a horrifying, ceaseless pressure like the deep sea. No interruptions, no chores, and high-energy food delivered on schedule..." Lu Yuan's now massive hand completely enveloped Bearman's. He towered over him, leaning close to Bearman's face. The intense heat of his breath, like molten lava, washed over Bearman's cheek. Lu Yuan's eyes blazed with a fierce light as he spoke, word by word, "Such a perfect place for Martial Arts training. And you actually feel pain? You even bear grudges?"

He paused, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. "Do you even understand what it means... to be grateful?!"

"URGH... URGH... URGH..." Bearman, head tilted back, stared at Lu Yuan in utter shock. Words caught in his throat; he could only manage strangled, guttural sounds.

The next instant, the hair on Bearman's body stood on end, and his scalp tingled. His danger sense, honed as an A+ rank powerhouse, screamed at him to retreat. But a dark shadow had already flickered into his peripheral vision.

Then—

BANG!

With a sound like churning molten steel, a fist brutally smashed into Bearman's face.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

The sickening sound of facial bones shattering. Bearman's entire face caved in from the impact. His body shot backward like a cannonball...

HUFF—

Lu Yuan slowly retracted his fist, taking a deep breath. The air, thick as slurry, rushed into his lungs. His heart pounded like a war drum, and his blood felt like it was boiling. Lu Yuan's eyes shone with a fervent light, an inexplicable excitement on his face.

On the interface only he could see, on the Fighter panel, the Experience Points for Ten Thousand Refining Body, Steel Bone, and Spirit Crane Body—these three body tempering techniques—were skyrocketing under the terrifying gravitational pressure!

He wasn't boasting! He truly felt this place was... perfect for Martial Arts training! If he had such a training ground for his unrestricted use, would he need anyone to force him? He'd gladly spend twenty-four hours a day in here! Bearman, you have no idea how amazing it feels to gain Experience Points just by existing!

"You truly don't understand," Lu Yuan said, shaking his head. He looked at Bearman, who lay heavily on the ground in the distance from the force of his punch, and then calmly stepped forward.

In the blink of an eye, he seemed to leave a trail of afterimages. A clearly visible, white, dragon-shaped surge of energy appeared in his wake.

Sure-kill: Dragon Hide Body!

"The gravity multiplier is decreasing... Come here and meet your end! Don't stray too far from the gate!" As Lu Yuan moved, his muscles writhed, and the crimson blood vessels pulsed like spreading plant roots. The two—muscles and veins—pressed against each other. Faintly, it seemed as if some pattern was beginning to surface on his skin...

「In the observation room.」

"Uhh..."

Song Cong and Su Zhaohui blinked, staring blankly at the virtual screen before them. The scene unfolding, the direction the fight had taken—neither of them had expected this.

After a moment of silence, Su Zhaohui let out a long breath, his voice filled with emotion. "This kid is a real monster! On the battlefield, he'll probably fight like a madman. His final grade for this assessment is definitely heading for SS-rank. He might even set the best record in the history of new blood assessments..."

Song Cong's gaze gradually relaxed. He nodded, his expression growing even more resolute. "That's all the more reason you should hand him over to me! I wouldn't trust anyone else to mentor him."

"Of course, of course!" Su Zhaohui said, grinning as he patted Song Cong's shoulder reassuringly. He straightened up, then bent down to refill his empty glass with beer.

GLUG! GLUG!

Golden beer foamed in the transparent glass. Suddenly... Su Zhaohui's hand, holding the glass, froze for an instant. A few seconds later, he finished pouring the beer and placed the glass on the table, his expression calm.

"What's wrong?" Song Cong asked, noticing the subtle change in Su Zhaohui's demeanor.

"Just got news," Su Zhaohui said. "Moly Demon has gone berserk and escaped the mission point. The danger level has risen to Level Four..."

"What?!" Song Cong's eyes flashed, and he frowned. "Is this the 'stable mental state,' 'comprehensive control measures,' and 'Security Department debugging' you were talking about?"

"This is the first time we're implementing this new assessment format. Unexpected situations like this are normal," Su Zhaohui said nonchalantly. "Don't worry, we have contingency plans. The assessment is in Smokeless City. A death or two isn't a major issue. We just need to ensure the safety of the new blood as much as possible..."

Song Cong remained silent. He turned his head and glanced at the light screen, and his pupils suddenly contracted. First came shock and tension, then quick relief, and finally, a solemn expression as he said, "See for yourself!"

Su Zhaohui leaned closer to the light screen. His face finally changed, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath, "Damn it! The Tardigrade modification is indeed too uncontrollable! I should have opposed including Bearman in the assessment plan from the start!"

"What do we do now?" Song Cong asked coldly. "Don't forget, you're the chief examiner."

"I know!" Su Zhaohui waved his hand, a trace of irritation showing. All his earlier laziness vanished, replaced by an air of decisive efficiency. "First, lock down Smokeless City Sector Three! Then, notify all new blood participating in the assessment within Smokeless City... Song, you'll have to come with me. We can definitely use an S-rank powerhouse like you right now!"

Song Cong grunted softly but didn't object.

Su Zhaohui methodically issued a series of commands. Finally, he glanced at the light screen on the table. He stared at it for a moment, then, as if a thought had struck him, a peculiar glint flashed in his eyes. He quickly manipulated the light screen and sent out a message.

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