What Zhao Wei saw was really a concentration camp of talented youths ranging from as little as 11 years of age to 18 years. Additionally, their cultivation bases were mostly at the Third Rank and above.
"What a fine addition. Two new faces, one painfully ordinary and one beautiful enough to make my heart skip a beat."
"This is really going to be interesting."
"Newbies have it worse here. They are really going to see how life is difficult in the Sky Guards Battalion."
"Poor kids."
"Do you remember how we struggled and still are, Keke?"
"We thought we were above the world and our talents were unmatched and unsurpassable but reality humbled us."
"Sigh, I was once a true genius of my village and was hailed as the supreme prodigy but soon, I realized that I was truly a frog in a well, unaware of the vastness of the outside world."
"There would always be someone better than you, man."
"I bet those two think that they are the cream of the crop and other youths won't hold a candle to them."
"Let's see how they fare in the long run. Our biased judgments might be proven wrong by them."
"That's a valid point. I was once extremely arrogant but I can see that the two lack such similar haughtiness. Their faces are calm and collected even when so many eyes are gazing at them with such intensity."
"This means that their hearts are steady and unaffected by external pressure like the current situation."
"They are promising, hehe."
"Who knows? The Ten Sky Guards might even be replaced this time around."
A lot of talk emanated from the group of youths but while some minded their own businesses, most of them just found the chance to secretly mock, intimidate, or analyze the two Zhao youths.
All in all, the appearance of Zhao Wei and Zhao Yufei was similar to adding new blood to the Sky Guards Battalion. Their presence was going to spice things up a little bit.
Zhao Wei and Zhao Yufei then walked towards the center where a building, which was in a much better state than the ones they passed, stood erect. It was a well-constructed stone house with an ancient Chinese-style roofing.
The moment the two arrived near the building, Zhao Wei's eyes immediately shifted to the rooftop.
There was someone there but they could really hide their presence well such that one's attention would only be glued on the majestic house and fail to notice them.
Zhao Yufei wasn't an exception, she didn't notice anything strange.
'That must be the silver-armored guy back at the Genius Summit. Third Guard, if I am not wrong.' Zhao Wei reminisced.
'I remember them having such names to maintain secrecy over their personal details. They are low-key intelligence gatherers and a hidden attack force under Lord Guanjun's command.'
"Huh?" Third Guard was honestly surprised that someone with a cultivation base lower than his could easily pinpoint his hidden location.
Well, the ordinary-looking youth's eyes were confidently looking at the spot he was in and he couldn't mistake it as just a mere fluke.
It was then that he began remembering a certain youth he had scouted back in Sun Feather City.
'Uh, so he is that monstrous guy. I didn't expect Master Ye to be that quick.' He then jumped from the rooftop and silently descended to the ground without disturbing the wind.
To move like that one needed a lot of training and experience in the art of camouflaging and body control.
"You two, I have been expecting you. You can call me the Third Guard." A cold voice emanated from him as he made his presence known to the oblivious Zhao Yufei who almost felt her scalp go numb due to the suddenness.
She realized that it was a handsome youth with a natural cold expression on his face. The cold youth was also dressed in dull silver armor. As for his age, though she wasn't sure, he looked to be around his twenties.
'When did he-?' Zhao Yufei asked herself but when she saw how collected Zhao Wei's expression was, she knew that she had been the only one startled.
'Are my senses that shitty or is the new youth the one with excellent hiding skills?'
'Sigh, I really have a lot to learn.' Zhao Yufei reminded herself.
"I am the supervisor of the Sky Guards Battalion…" Third Guard continued and began to explain some important rules of the place.
Zhao Wei realized that they weren't different from the novel's. And it was also within his expectations for the geniuses in the Sky Guards Battalion to receive different treatments.
It wasn't that surprising to Zhao Wei since such a method was also used in his previous life. No matter where you go, be it a different universe or a different reality entirely, there will always be no equality.
Equality was just an illusion in the world of benefits. Only your strength and wits could put you above others.
After that, the Third Guard similarly left them as Ye Lingyun did. They were once again left to their own devices.
'There are subtle changes in the plot, I see. The absence of Zhao Feng in the Sky Guards Battalion has also prompted the non-existence of that guy that had initially accompanied the two from the original timeline.' Zhao Wei noted.
'Where did that guy go anyway?' Zhao Wei briefly wondered before shrugging to himself.
'He can survive after all he has an overpowered cheat but it would be interesting if I could peer into Destiny and Karma instead of being clueless most of the time. The Destiny Goddess knew the past, present, and future through the intricate web of destiny. Her God Eye of Destiny was surely quite overpowered. It's a pity the God Eyes were underused and most of the holders didn't have a thorough understanding of the concepts behind their inherited power.'
"Tsk, am I supposed to sleep in those unsightly abominations?" Zhao Yufei whined as pointed her finger toward an old dirty tent that had fist-sized holes in a few places.
Zhao Wei's attention shifted to the shelter Yufei was referring to.
He didn't have any thoughts regarding the obvious rules of the Sky Guards Battalion.
One thing he knew - he wasn't going to sleep in one of those tents. Zhao Wei already knew the option he would take.
Zhao Wei could build himself a makeshift home there and then but that was only going to take most of his time.
Retardation among the Xianxia characters was a thing and Zhao Wei didn't want to have useless quarrels.
He feared accidents would happen and he might just slap someone's head off their shoulders even though he had a good hold over his emotions.
"You see those ten wooden rooms." Zhao Wei smiled mysteriously while guiding Zhao Yufei's eyes with his own.
"They look somehow nicer and… more habitable than these things we were given." Zhao Yufei commented.
"What about them?" She curiously asked, wanting to know Zhao Wei's motives.
"You want to sleep well, right?" Zhao Wei posed a question.
Zhao Yufei looked at him strangely. "Certainly."
She wanted to know where he was heading with the conversation.
Zhao Wei smiled and Zhao Yufei suddenly had a bad feeling. That smile on him, she had come to know it very well.
"If you trust in your strength, go and kick out anyone in whatever hut you choose. I know you can do it."
"Do it." Zhao Wei's words had a hypnotic charm.
Unlike Zhao Feng who initially wanted to save a beauty in distress, Zhao Wei preferred one to use their own power to get whatever they wanted.
To him, reliance and parasitism were a rotten show of weakness!
If you want something, go get it yourself!
***