Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Reward

"What?!"

"How much?!"

"Two thousand eight hundred and fifty-three?! Did I hear that right?!"

"Oh my god..."

The clearing fell dead silent for a moment before erupting into incredulous gasps. Even though everyone knew Fang Chen had contributed the most, possessed the greatest strength, and would undeniably take first place, this score... it was almost fifty times that of the runner-up, Su Zhe! It far exceeded the combined scores of everyone else behind him!

This was completely beyond their comprehension. What on earth had he done in the forest?!

Fang Chen appropriately put on a surprised expression, looking somewhat taken aback.

Huai Yongge gave Fang Chen a profound look. He suppressed the commotion in the clearing and addressed the eliminated students. "Those who failed to enter the top thirty, please follow the staff’s instructions and board the buses to return. Your path in the martial arts exam ends here." He then turned to Fang Chen. "Student Fang Chen, come with me for a moment."

Fang Chen followed Huai Yongge into a temporarily erected command tent. The interior was simply furnished, with only a military desk, a few folding chairs, and some communication equipment.

"Sit." Huai Yongge casually pointed to a chair.

Fang Chen sat down as instructed.

Huai Yongge sized him up, a half-smile playing on his lips. "You performed quite well."

Fang Chen showed a hint of shyness and lingering relief. "You flatter me, Inspector Huai. I... I just acted according to my own judgment. I found ways to solve the dangers I encountered and helped my classmates whenever I could. I never expected to earn so many points." His tone was sincere, as if he hadn’t fully recovered from the shock.

"Heh," Huai Yongge chuckled softly, tapping his finger on the desk. "You really gave me a huge surprise. When that Demon Beast unexpectedly advanced, we were actually preparing to step in and drive it away. I didn’t expect you to hold your own against that thing for a few exchanges, and eventually stumble into defeating the Mind-Bending Demon Wood." He looked at Fang Chen. "If I hadn’t seen you through the Investigation Crystal, running for your life from that Stage Two Cyan-faced Fox and narrowly escaping death all the way, I would have suspected someone leaked the exam details to you. I would have had to investigate thoroughly."

Fang Chen feigned surprise. "Ah? So there was an Investigation Crystal... Hehe, I must have made a fool of myself, letting you see me running away so wretchedly." He scratched his head, putting on a look of belated realization. "So that’s what happened. I was wondering why those Demon Beasts suddenly started acting like they had lost their minds... It seems I was really lucky."

"Luck is also a part of strength," Huai Yongge said with certainty. "If you hadn’t stepped forward at the critical moment and taken the initiative to lure away a formidable enemy to cover your classmates, you wouldn’t have been forced into a dead end by the Cyan-faced Fox. You wouldn’t have coincidentally escaped to the Mind-Bending Demon Wood and ultimately brought down the tree." He picked up the assessment rules document from the desk and tapped on one of the clauses. "According to our regulations, discovering and completing the hidden mission—which was bringing down the Mind-Bending Demon Wood and neutralizing the potential crisis of a beast horde—directly awards two thousand points!"

Fang Chen widened his eyes, his face written with disbelief. "Two thousand points!"

Huai Yongge looked at him, his tone tinged with emotion. "It’s rare. Among the younger generation in the Zhao Kingdom’s Martial Arts Realm, there are far too few like you. Most are either ruthless and vicious, or cunning and selfish. Otherwise, they blindly hide their abilities, pursuing some cowardly path to longevity. If everyone only schemes for themselves, what hope is there for the country in the long run? What will the human race use to fight against the Alien Race?"

His gaze upon Fang Chen grew profound. "The country desperately needs young people like you. Courageous enough to take responsibility, and capable enough to back it up. Only by handing resources over to people like you can we old folks feel at ease."

His tone shifted as he reined in his emotions and spoke seriously. "Alright, enough idle chatter. Let’s get down to business. These points of ours aren’t just for show; they can be exchanged for tangible rewards. However, the starting threshold is one hundred points. There’s no need for those kids outside with too few points to know about this."

Saying that, he pulled a list from the drawer and pushed it in front of Fang Chen.

Fang Chen had already seen this list, but he pretended it was his first time. He took it with feigned curiosity and leafed through it carefully, revealing a look of marvel. "So many things... Money, Potions, equipment, and... Spiritual Crystal Stones?"

Huai Yongge observed his reaction and advised, "If I were you, I would choose to exchange for two Stage Two Spiritual Crystal Stones. Although your weapon and Combat Suit are of a lower grade, equipping them with these Stage Two stones will allow you to barely unleash a full-power strike comparable to an early Yellow Rank Martial Artist in the High Martial Realm at critical moments!"

Fang Chen nodded, then looked confused. "Yellow Rank?"

Huai Yongge understood. "You haven’t heard of it? Never mind. Schools in a place like Jinchuan City probably haven’t touched upon this area yet." He patiently explained, "After a Martial Artist steps into the High Martial Realm, their Dantian transforms into a Qi Sea. The cultivation methods and realm divisions are completely different from the True Martial Realm. When you complete ’Qi Collection,’ successfully executing Qi Introduction to stabilize and enrich your Qi Sea, you will be a Yellow Rank Martial Artist. The subsequent realms are divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. You will naturally learn these systematically when you enter the Martial Arts Academy in the future. Alright, choose your prizes."

Huai Yongge handed the choice back to Fang Chen.

Fang Chen pondered for a moment before looking up. "I think Inspector Huai makes an excellent point! I plan to spend two thousand points to exchange for a Stage Two weapon Spiritual Crystal Stone and a Stage Two Combat Suit Spiritual Crystal Stone."

He continued, pointing at the list. "With the remaining eight hundred or so points, I want to use four hundred and fifty points for a women’s Combat Suit. Then, one hundred and fifty points for a Qi Blood Needle, and another one hundred and fifty for a Realm-Breaking Pill. The last one hundred points... I’ll exchange for a Lifespan Extension Pill."

Huai Yongge looked at his selections and gave a slight nod. "Mm, good choices. Come, I’ll take you to collect your prizes."

"Now?" Fang Chen asked.

"Yes, I never wait until tomorrow to distribute rewards. Let’s go," Huai Yongge said.

Fang Chen followed behind Huai Yongge through the camp until they arrived at a noticeably larger tent guarded by armed soldiers.

Seeing Huai Yongge, the guards immediately stood straight and saluted. "Inspector Huai!"

Huai Yongge gave a slight nod, and a guard lifted the heavy door flap.

The interior of the tent was spacious and brightly lit. Rows of metal shelves neatly displayed an array of weapons, equipment, Potion boxes, and sealed containers—a dazzling collection.

"Women’s Combat Suits are all on the shelves over here," Huai Yongge said, pointing to one side. "There aren’t many styles, so just make do and pick one."

Fang Chen walked over to the clothing rack, his eyes quickly scanning the options. An image of his sister, Fang Min, surfaced in his mind. He carefully compared the sizes and styles, eventually selecting a purple-and-white Combat Suit with a sporty and casual design. He figured Fang Min would like the color and style.

"I’ll take this one." Fang Chen pulled the chosen Combat Suit off the rack.

Huai Yongge nodded and approached a locked metal cabinet. He entered the passcode, and the doors swung open. He retrieved two Stage Two Spiritual Crystal Stones, the Qi Blood Needle, the Realm-Breaking Pill, and the Lifespan Extension Pill from inside, handing them all to Fang Chen.

"Alright, you have everything," Huai Yongge said, watching Fang Chen put away the prizes one by one. "Rest well in the camp tonight. The journey to Cyan Yang City is quite long, and traveling at night is too complex and full of uncertainties. We will depart first thing tomorrow morning."

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