Chapter 811
Chapter 811 - 797: Survival Competition
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7 min read
As long as there is human operation of space, there is no such thing as absolute secrecy.
Moreover, often times, the reasons for leaks are bizarre, and if written into a novel, would be criticized for being too far-fetched and illogical. For instance, in one world, a young man, because his gaming community doubted him, released his country’s top secrets in frustration. He then gradually leaked at least a hundred of the world’s top secrets under the watchful eyes and expectations of netizens.
Ahem, I digressed. The more hands "secrets" pass through, the more likely they are to be leaked. The wider the range of people and matters involved, the greater the possibility of leaks.
Especially with large-scale events that mobilize many people and resources, unless it’s something incredibly important, leaks naturally occur through various channels....
"The location of this trial should be the Abyss Purgatory. There is an Exotic Secret Realm here in the ancient city that has undergone Abyss Transformation and can serve as an entrance to enter..."
Originally, Lu Ping’an didn’t quite understand the "Abyssal" transformation of the "Secret Realm", but if combined with his latest "Multidimensional Space Theory", he could fully comprehend those different-dimension planes that had been plundered and assimilated.
The breach that’s been taken away is not just a piece of space. If it cannot be contained, the two worlds will be drawn even closer, and in a sense, become directly connected... This would be a disaster for the weaker.
But for powerful worlds, perhaps, this is their path to evolution.
"The Abyss plane, or rather the multilayered Abyss planes, is a world dominated by massacre and plunder. It has successfully assimilated and eroded countless planes, to the point of being too complex to calculate. It is said that among the Twelve-Pillar, there is one with direct ties to the Abyss."
The ethnic groups within this plane are extremely diverse, depending on the nature of the eroded plane itself. The residents come in odd and varied types, but most are like the local natives who have been subjected to "Abyssal" transformation.
Worth noting is that although those creatures created by Abyss Transformation are generally bloodthirsty and combative, they are still seen as part of "Order". After all, they correspond to the chaotic and disordered "source", and that directed and reliable "Abyss Transformation" seems more like a legacy of some Big Boss.
Moreover, Abyss Transformation can provide the "victims" with a considerable level of Pollution Resistance. Among all known species, those resembling chaotic, disordered, and polluted organisms—the Abyss Demon Clan—have the highest level of Pollution Resistance.
Life forms from the Abyss are commonly referred to as the Abyss Demon Clan or Magical Beasts. They have many similarities with the demons and devils described in human biblical texts, such as horns, hooves, and thick fur. Many professionals simply call them demons or devils directly.
"If I’m not mistaken... that Secret Realm has already been surrounded and is under construction, it’s practically impossible to be wrong. What we are entering is a certain area of the Abyss, hot and arid, and lacking in food and water... Don’t ask me which layer or which part, even the Abyss residents don’t know the names of the areas where they live, as they don’t have house numbers."
At this moment, Lu Ping’an unconsciously thought of his own "Beheading Sword".
In fact, there is a way to navigate the Abyss, which is to remember the monikers of the "Abyss Lords" of those areas.
Not all lords are of the Abyss Lord species, but indeed, there are numerous Abyss Lord individuals among the lords of the Abyss... Unconfirmed rumors have it that many beings who take the "Path of the Abyss" choose this evolutionary species.
Yes, devils and demons are also a "Path", products that can evolve continuously... But discarding one’s own low-tier species is equivalent to starting over, and many low-level demons/devils have become lord-tier monsters.
"Normally, that area is relatively safe, after all, it’s guarded by Rule-level forces for the long term. No intelligent Abyss Demon would approach that domain. But on the day of the exam, the guards will depart, and the demons will be attracted by your flesh and blood, turning it into a survival quest..."
When Lu Ping’an managed to get the details of the test through his channels, he too was taken aback.
"Changping is tough enough, that 10% death rate is an understatement, probably just to scare off those noobs who don’t know the height of the sky..."
But in some ways, Lu Ping’an approved of this kind of "suicidal" trial selection.
"...Whether it’s the Silent Mountain Range or the Green Planet, those who can’t keep up will be done for sooner or later, dragging down their fellow companions."
To an old stager like Lu Ping’an, rather than embarrassing oneself, betraying trust, and getting teammates in trouble outside, it’s better to be eliminated at home and, at least, to preserve one’s life.
Lu Ping’an doesn’t currently have the specific exam rules, but according to what others have conveyed, it’s mostly likely to be a "battle royale (survival competition)".
Throw them down, remove the guards, and let the locals welcome them to see how long they can hold out.
And the progress of the situation also confirmed Lu Ping’an’s guesses.
"Your Excellency Lu Ping’an, would you like to be an examiner or an invigilator?"
It might be that maintaining secrecy was no longer feasible, or perhaps in this survival competition, secrecy wasn’t really meaningful. The following day, Lu Ping’an received a call from the organizing committee inquiring about his preferences.
They had previously asked him whether he was willing, but it seemed that there was a clear difference between the two choices?
"An examiner is a supervisor, who either accompanies a team or clears out overly dangerous Magic Monsters to ensure the smooth progression of the exam. Invigilators are of two kinds, one being overt..."
An overt invigilator? Isn’t that just like an examiner?
"... they are responsible for acting as ’high-threat emergent Magic Monsters’, directly eliminating and testing the examinees."
Instantly, Lu Ping’an’s eyes lit up; this sounded like it might be quite fun.
Imagine a silver knight wielding a Beheading Sword, his body dyed black with Abyss Aura, catching up with fleeing humans, slashing down kids left and right, beheading one after another... Uh, something seemed off, perhaps being an invigilator was going a bit too far.
But it sounded super fun, and Lu Ping’an was eager.
"... We also dispatch High-order Professionals to hide among many teams; under most circumstances, they perform at the level of the examinees to ensure team safety, while also deliberately testing them..."
These were the covert invigilators, mostly professionals with disguise capabilities, after all, becoming "younger" makes it easier to "blend in" with the youth.
"... You guys, are a bit despicable..."
Lu Ping’an imagined it: Magic Monsters and high-level professionals hunting from the outside, while the "Big Brother" inside was a mole, periodically initiating thrilling risks, leading to crucial failures at critical moments.
If he were in such a team, his blood pressure would explode on the spot.
"So, you’re not interested then..." The voice on the other end of the phone seemed somewhat disappointed.
"No, I’m super interested, count me in. Being an examiner is boring; I want to be an invigilator..." Lu Ping’an’s tone was filled with delight and anticipation.
However, the overly excited Lu Ping’an suddenly came to his senses.
"... Wait, you’re not going to have me work for free, are you?"
"No, we have prepared very high-quality gifts and compensations, including intelligence on rare professions, precious special materials, Brass-level Taboo items..."
𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
The voice on the phone grew more excited, but Lu Ping’an just yawned, utterly uninterested.
He didn’t seem to be short of those things until...
"... a spot for ’True Words’..."
Instantly, Lu Ping’an was wide awake; that was a really good item, the "Royal Authorization" that only This World could provide.
— End of Chapter 811 —