6.30 am. Yang Tian got out of bed and after he cleaned up, he put on a T-shirt and jeans as well as a pair of white sneakers.
In order to make a good impression, Yang Tian had to comb his hair.
Yang Tian's parents were about to head to work, and breakfast was ready. Yang Tian drank his gruel, ate a slice of bread, and headed out the door.
Seeing their son rush out the door like that, Yang Lin and Wang Hong both sighed. They knew where Yang Tian was going. At that time, it was making the news all over the city!
Almost every year, various Military Academies would open up their intakes to enroll new blood into their academies.
However, not every person would be able to get into the Military Academy as a student and eventually become a Warrior.
It was a matter of luck. There were only a thousand spots each year, and yet there were tens of thousands of young aspirants, so the chances of being dropped were very high.
The Shenwei Military Academy was one of the three major Military Academies in Tianxiong City, and they enjoyed Government backing. This was why it could run advertisements on television. Meanwhile, the other Military Academies took in Transhumans who had already consumed Beast Cores.
After leaving his house, Yang Tian called Zhou Hao and agreed to meet him at the entrance to the Shenwei Military Academy, and then they would go for the interviews together.
Tianxiong City was very big. It spanned out for more than 500 square kilometers. After Yang Tian hung up, he got onto the bus and traveled to the Shenwei Military Academy.
Half an hour later, Yang Tian arrived at the main entrance of the Shenwei Military Academy.
As soon as he got off the bus, Zhou Hao spotted him.
"Yang Tian, I arrived ten minutes before you. I helped you register, and got you a number as well." Zhou Hao passed Yang Tian a number as he spoke.
"Thanks!" Yang Tian smiled as he took the number.
"We're bros, it's no biggie!" Zhou Hao lightly punched Yang Tian, before continuing, "Last night did you and Qin Fei do anything? We've all graduated, there won't be many chances in the future."
Yang Tian knew what exactly Zhou Hao was insinuating, and he smiled. "Our progress isn't as fast as yours and Li Yan. We went for a walk last night, then her chauffeur came and picked her up."
Zhou Hao shook his head as he looked at Yang Tian. He thought that Yang Tian was just too naive.
Both of them got in line and waited for their trials.
There were many aspirants there to take part in the trials. Yang Tian was not the only one with a dream to be a Warrior.
There were roughly a thousand people taking part in the trials that day. Yang Tian and Zhou Hao finally got their turn around noon.
The process of the trials was very simple. First was a blood test, then a body scan for injuries or disease, and finally a strength and endurance test.
Throughout the tests, Yang Tian and Zhou Hao's bodies did not display any issues.
After that was the strength and endurance test.
Standing in front of the testing machine, Yang Tian gave it his all and struck the testing machine. There was a dull thud as he did so, and a number very quickly appeared above the machine.
230 kilograms!
Looking at the test score, Zhou Hao—who was standing next to him—smiled and slapped Yang Tian on the shoulder before saying, "Yang Tian, I didn't think that you were just as strong as me, even though you don't look like it. Not bad!"
Yang Tian nodded. "Don't look down on me, I train every day."
Zhou Hao's strength was 233 kilograms.
Compared to the previous trial records, both of them were already above average in terms of strength. Previous records showed that the youths who took part in the trials scored an average of 195 kilograms.
The recorder by the testing machine quickly recorded Yang Tian and Zhou Hao's results. Looking at their age, it was impressive that they were able to achieve such results.
Next was the endurance test.
This test was also very simple. They had to carry a heavy backpack and run along the track within the Military Academy. They needed to run at a speed of 100 meters per minute. The longer they lasted, the better their endurance.
If they lasted for an hour, they would pass with 60 marks. For every ten minutes after that, another 5 marks would be added on; they did this until they could not run anymore.
When Yang Tian and Zhou Hao arrived at the trial, there were already many people participating. Some had just started, and they were as yet unbothered. Others had clearly been running for a long time as they were panting hard. Still, some were taking dogged, tired steps forward and looking as though they might collapse at any moment.
"Begin!"
After putting on their backpack, Yang Tian and Zhou Hao began their trial.
Before the one hour mark, Yang Tian could already feel his legs grow sluggish, and the backpack on his back felt heavier.
"No! I must get a high score! And be a Warrior!" Yang Tian said to himself as he clenched his teeth and endured.
An hour had finally passed, and he got his 60 marks!
The weight of the backpack had been meticulously calibrated so that a large majority of people would be able to endure it for roughly an hour. This meant that a majority of candidates would have been eliminated at that phase.
60 marks was too low.
'I want to be a Warrior…'
With this statement in his head, Yang Tian clenched his teeth and endured.
One hour and ten minutes, 65 marks.
One hour and 20 minutes, 70 marks.
…
Two hours and ten minutes, 95 marks!
Yang Tian could no longer keep going, and he fell onto the ground with a thud.
Zhou Hao had finished his trial ten minutes before Yang Tian, and he could not help but be shocked. He rushed over to Yang Tian. The first aid responders on standby also jumped into action and immediately started reviving him.
A few minutes later, Yang Tian finally came to his senses.
"Hehehe!" Yang Tian chuckled when he saw Zhou Hao's worried face.
…
After the trials ended, Yang Tian and Zhou Hao anxiously waited for the results.
At 7 pm, the results were finally released.
"How can this be! All my scores are higher than yours, how could you be selected by the Military Academy, and I was not? Why? Why…"
When both of them had gotten their results, Yang Tian could not believe the results he had gotten.
This was because Zhou Hao had gotten an offer letter from Shenwei Military Academy, and Yang Tian had gotten a rejection letter which read, [We are sorry, you are not suitable to be a Warrior.]
Such a simple sentence crushed Yang Tian's dreams.
In order to enter the Shenwei Military Academy after he graduated from high school, Yang Tian had risen every day before dawn to train his body. Three years passed like a day, and not even foul weather had stopped his regime.
He entered these trials with full confidence. However, the results were beyond Yang Tian's expectations and understanding.
"Yang Tian, don't get too excited. If you can't make it this time, there's always the next time! In the future when I make it as a Warrior and obtain a Beast Core, I'll help you ascend to be a Transhuman and you can join the other Military Academies…"
Zhou Hao understood how Yang Tian felt and kept trying to console him.
A moment later, Yang Tian finally calmed down, and he said to Zhou Hao, "Let's go! I'll come back next year! I'm still young, I don't believe I won't make it!"
Both of them had just left the main gate of Shenwei Military Academy when they spotted a young man.
He was smiling at Yang Tian while walking toward him.
"Yang Tian, you weren't selected! Do you know why?" The young man stopped in front of Yang Tian and looked at him as he spoke antagonistically.
Yang Tian and Zhou Hao knew this person. It was Sun Yu, who had given Qin Fei a flower in front of the school yesterday.
"This was your doing?" Yang Tian spoke through clenched teeth.
Sun Yu laughed. "Of course! Your results really weren't bad! In these trials in which more than ten thousand people take part in, your results could be said to be in the top hundred. What a shame! A mudskipper like you wants to eat the flesh of a swan, you were actually dreaming of being with Qin Fei. Let me tell you, you're just a lowly grasshopper in the soil. You'll never become an eagle in the sky!"
"F*ck!" Sun Yu had just finished his tirade when Yang Tian could not help but shout and throw a punch at Sun Yu's face.
However, Yang Tian's fist had barely traveled half the way when Sun Yu had already caught it in his hand, and he was easily pushed away by Sun Yu.
While this push did not look like much, Yang Tian fell on his back on the ground.
"You're a little too far behind to be taking on a Class One Warrior like me." Sun Yu looked down at Yang Tian who was still on the ground as he continued snidely, "If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to see you humiliated and rejected by the Qin family, I would've killed you a long time ago. Know your place, boy. There's a lot more for you to comprehend!"
When Sun Yu was done saying his peace, he pulled out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped his hands before throwing it at Yang Tian. He then turned and left.
Yang Tian got up and clenched his teeth as he watched Sun Yu leave. He vowed to himself silently that someday he would surely step on this fellow and repay him for today's humiliation.