Chapter 29 - Assessment

Chapter 29 - Assessment

translator: xiin

editors: apricot & juurensha

The other three people were stunned.

Zoe started, “You really don’t need help?”

Wu Jin’s round eyes were bright, “Don’t worry.”

Zoe nodded. It wasn’t yet 1PM, and the Crosson base was still empty. The shooting ranges that had been booked full before the first elimination match were all displayed as ‘open’ on the terminal.

Zoe mused, “Little Witch, do you want to go to the shooting range now?”

North Tower basement 2nd floor.

The shooting range range was devoid of people.

From the moment Wu Jin aimed the assault rifle, Zoe had already started to show a mildly surprised expression and had turned back to exchange a look with Wen Lin.

The assault rifle was different from Wu Jin’s usual heavy machine gun. It had a lighter body and a weaker recoil, and it wouldn’t generate enough force for medium to long distance suppression––which was mainly due to the specifications of the bullets.

The bullets of this gun were lighter, with an effective range of less than 200 meters. The trajectory of the shot was also significantly different.

Wu Jin set his hands on the gun, fine-tuned his shooting posture, and landed his shot in the second ring on the static target.

Zoe noticed that Wu Jin’s line of sight wasn’t on the center of the target––it was focused on the vertex of the bullet’s curve.

Wu Jin didn’t immediately shoot again. Instead, he slowly adjusted his shoulders and arms.

Through his slightly narrowed eyes, the cold, pale colors of the training room faded away. It was as though he was still back in the air rifle shooting range, the air flow displaced by the friction from the moving bullet––

The gun roared again.

Sixth ring.

Caesar, who had been crouching to one side, suddenly jumped up and gave Wu Jin a warm round of applause, “Little Witch, this one was pretty good––”

Zoe quickly pushed him back into place. “Shut up and stop making noise.”

Wu Jin instantly woke up from his focused state, his shots landing between the fifth and sixth ring. By the time he had finished using all the training bullets, he looked back to meet Zoe’s gratified gaze.

“Not bad.” The White Moonlight sniper finally nodded.

After Wu Jin and Caesar left, Zoe handed his support a cigarette, and the two of them took advantage of the fact that the trainee students hadn’t yet returned to smoke comfortably inside the training room.

“Little Witch is pretty good. His accuracy isn’t there yet, but his gun sense is catching up to the others.” Zoe began, “When the official shooting test takes place after another two weeks of training, I really want to see how that group of haters end up slapping their own faces.”

Wen Lin laughed.

A long time later, Zoe spoke again in a low voice, “Captain… Captain Lin might not be in good shape. That team game was full of mistakes, and White Moonlight didn’t make the cut. As for the vice-captain––”

Wen Lin made a sound of acknowledgement. He knew that Zoe was talking about Chen Xiran and White Moonlight’s elimination in the final game of the subgroup matches in the Star League. Vice-captain Chen Xiran had made a mistake in judgement, and their captain Lin Jue had been sniped when occupying a point.

“It wasn’t the vice-captain.” Wen Lin suddenly spoke up, “The mistake was on Captain Lin; he made a behind the scenes command mistake. Vice-captain missed the shot in order to take the blame.”

Zoe froze, and the cigarette butt between his fingers almost dropped.

Twin Towers, North Tower.

After a short vacation, the trainee dormitories finally returned to its usual bustle.

It was summer, the scorching sun hung high up in the sky.

Wu Jin carried his luggage with him as he and Caesar opened the main door to South Tower 701, allowing a cool breeze to come out through the gap.

Caesar stretched his head out to look up, “They installed air conditioning? The black-hearted program group is finally willing to spend money again?!”

The silver-blue temperature control device hung in the center of the living room, Under it was a huge sponsor’s logo in 72 point font size––

“Indoor temperature control system provided by XX Biotechnology Company, major sponsor of the first elimination match.”

Caesar and Wu Jin’s expressions froze.

The scenes from the previous game were still vivid in their minds and had left a deep psychological shadow. It seemed that they could feel the geothermal heat rising the next moment, the surface of the ground turning scorchingly hot.

However, the Crosson Show clearly didn’t care about their contestants’ mental health.

The biotech company had made a fortune during the broadcast of the elimination match and quickly renewed its advertising contract with the show, extending it for another three months.

––As long as the camera lens entered their dormitory, it was 100% guaranteed that it would be able to capture the indoor air conditioning device, trademark, and 72 point font slogan.

“Fortunately, they’re not the ones sponsoring the second match.” Caesar dropped his luggage and kicked it under his bed. “Who’s our new sponsor again?”

Wu Jin held up the newly issued training manual. The imitation parchment cover was stamped with a wax seal. The master who held the purse strings for the second round that would take place two weeks later was: “Alive Technology…”

Caesar’s face was blank. “Never heard of it.”

Wu Jin quickly opened up his terminal and input an inquiry, reading out loud, “Alive Technology, mainly engaged in long-distance interstellar transportation and bulk cargo transfers… civilian elevators, pet transportation…”

Caesar suddenly felt that it was too much to process, “What kind of stuff is that––how exactly will the next round be played?!”

After having centuries of formal development, each round of the survival show was a well-designed work of art.

The sponsor determined the materials for the artwork, the program team designed it, and the contestants’ performance, viewpoints, and interpretation acted as the artistic interpretation.

The second round of the Crosson Show was clearly related to Alive Technology’s main business focus.

Wu Jin thought for a moment before shaking his head.

Too little information was known at present.

Based on previous experience, the program team would continue to give clues during the training that would take place over the next two weeks. They would also announce the map before the start of the competition.

On the other side, Caesar had tossed the entire problem to the back of his head after asking about it. He’d moved on to look at a pink, cake-shaped object that was hanging from the door.

XX beautifying lens, specifically designed for light compensation.

Caesar: “……”

The door to one of the rooms to the side suddenly opened, and Thin Fire came out with a selfie stick. His voice was deliberately deep as he projected his voice from his gut, using his affected male god voice to livestream to his fans.

“Two days of vacation. Hm? Did my darlings want to see me broadcast during the break? I can, but…”

“Ah, thank you Miss XX for the Large Treasure Sword! Thank you for the 10 Large Treasure Swords sent by this lady––there are 20 now!! Darlings, I’ll countdown from 321, let’s all send out a round of 666 [cupped fists] for this Miss XX, alright? ! Let’s do it all together, and let the newcomers to our studio see the strength of our Thin Family army!!”

While broadcasting, Thin Fire casually pulled off the light compensating lens that was hanging off the door and installed it to the selfie stick with practiced movements.

As he left, he pushed open the dormitory’s main door, then suddenly turned sideways slightly. He looked back––

Caesar and Wu Jin, who had already fallen into a daze while watching him, had stunned expressions on their faces.

Thin Fire looked directly at Wu Jin, and his beach blossom eyes suddenly shifted as he opened his mouth to whisper, “I’m heading out first. Wait for me tonight, Little Witch.”

Wu Jin’s back stiffened and all the hair on his body stood on end.

By the time the main door closed, Caesar had finally managed to close his mouth, his face twisted into a strange expression.

As a straight as steel man, the Thin Fire in front of him was almost comparable to an alien worm egg he had stomped on during a certain match.

“My god, this flirt… He really pollutes the environment. He even gayed you before he left! Little Witch, don’t be scared, your big brother will watch over you from next door tonight. If he dares to try and do something to do you, I’ll knock him over with a chair!”

Caesar looked back and wondered, “Little Witch, did you team up with him in the previous round?”

Wu Jin nodded, “Yes, Thin… Senior Thin was very good to me and even gave me a gun…”

Caesar lamented, “What does a gun amount to? Don’t be fooled by him, Little Witch. Give him two guns back in the next match; we don’t want to associate with him!” He paused, then asked again, “Little Witch, do you know him well?”

Wu Jin thought about it, hesitated, and shook his head.

He had gone to see Senior Thin once before the vacation.

He’d gone up to say thanks, but the other side’s reaction had been very mild, like they were merely passing acquaintances.

That sentence just now––was obviously very strange.

The Crosson Show allowed the trainees to rest until 5PM.

The second elimination match was a group game. Before the training started, trainees had to participate in an assessment that very night.

After dinner, Wu Jin took a number and went to the training room to wait in line outside the training room.

The corridor was full of trainees waiting for their assessment. Some were practicing tactical escapes, some were reciting the morse code, while others were crawling on the ground. Others created imaginary guns with their fingers and shot into the air.

Wu Jin suddenly felt very emotional.

Memories from before he transmigrated over poured in, of a time when he had to do assessments for his position as a performing artist. At the time, he had been a very strong lead dancer, but now…

Two stage managers came out of the training room and wrangled the messy trainees into a line as they announced the criteria for the assessment.

“In front of you are the assessment rooms, numbered from 0-6. Each one represents a different part of the assessment. All contestants should look at their own number and divide it by 7. The number that you’re left with represents your first assessment category…”

The trainees instantly swarmed into a messy crowd as they headed towards the different door numbers. Amidst the noise, Wu Jin seemed to hear Caesar in the distance as he casually dragged someone back, “Hey, brother, can you divide this for me? What number am I left with if you divide it by seven…”

The stage crew to one side watched Caesar for a long time, then whispered to his colleagues, “What number is that contestant? Should we go ahead and first deduct five points…”

Wu Jin squished between a group of muscular men and finally found the waiting area for his own assessment.

There was a label on the door of the training room: ‘Scout Position. Assessment criteria: Map memorization, modeling and prediction, left and right eye vision…’

Wu Jin took advantage of the fact that the door hadn’t yet opened to hurriedly begin some quiet preparation activities––eye health exercises.

He was taken by surprise when a laugh rang out next to him and Crosson Show’s instructor Blood Pigeon walked over.

Blood Pigeon was a veteran who had participated in survival shows 20 years ago. He was the first scout to debut in the C-position in the Azure Competition Zone, and had once led his team to the top 16 of the Star League for the first time.

“Little Witch, you played well last week.” While Blood Pigeon spoke, he pulled out the folder that the program team had provided, “When White Moonlight signed you, they said that your choice for position was––C-position, right?”

Wu Jin quickly stopped kneading his eyes, his ears turning slightly red. “Thank you, teacher. No… I didn’t pick the C-position…”

“It’s good for young people to have ambition.” Blood Pigeon encouraged him as he led him into the training room. “Alright. One thing at a time, then.”

Ten minutes later, Wu Jin panted as he walked out of the training room, the door closing behind him with a click.

Blood Pigeon flipped through the assessment report and asked the program staff for a pen.

“Full score for hearing, moderate vision. Tactical accomplishments…” Blood Pigeon pondered, “Cringing behind the bunker and only coming out once in a long while, running faster than a rabbit at the sound of wind blowing through grass. When scouting the target area, hm…”

In the assessment video, behind the army green bunker, small curls could be seen sticking out for a brief moment before they fluttered back into hiding in the next.

While watching the video, the program crew to one side helped Blood Pigeon describe his actions, “Furtive surveying.”

Blood Pigeon closed the assessment folder and opened the door again to call Wu Jin back inside. “Your hearing is good, but your foundation is poor. Little Witch, what position do you want to play?”

Wu Jin didn’t hesitate at all. “Assault position!”

Blood Pigeon nodded, making the amber eyes sparkle like crystals and causing him to pause slightly before opening his mouth to deliver a blow, “Little Witch, the requirements for actual fighting ability for an assault position is just as high as they are for the scout position. If you insist on going that route, the score for your position won’t be very high.”

The rules for the elimination match were projected up onto the virtual screen.

All trainees could choose between the seven main positions of scout, assault, assistant assault, support, sniper, command, and heavy assembly, and their scores in their chosen category would become their scores for their position.

After selecting their positions, trainees would take turns selecting teammates for themselves, with priority for selection going from S-level to F-level, and the order of selection within the same level was determined by their position scores.

There were a total of 21 A-level trainees after the first elimination match. Once Wu Jin decided on a position, he was likely to end up in a passive position during the selection process.

Wu Jin nodded, but he wasn’t as anxious as Blood Pigeon would expect.

According to White Moonlight’s tactical instructor, between Zoe and Caesar, whoever was ranked higher would choose Wu Jin, and White Moonlight would appear as a group during the next round of elimination matches.

Seeing that Wu Jin had already made his decision, Blood Pigeon didn’t say much else and simply put forward his own viewpoint, “Little Witch, you can give the support position a try.”

Wu Jin thanked the instructor, retrieving his assessment form as he left the training room.

“Next––” Blood Pigeon looked at the list with interest. “Call that Red over and see what he wants to do.”

The position assessment didn’t finish until nearly eight o’clock in the evening.

Wu Jin collected all seven assessment forms. His scores for the sniper, assault, and scouting positions were at the bottom, while the scores for support and command were relatively high.

Wu Jin looked at the time and decided to go to the North Tower Shooting range before curfew.

No matter which position he chose, tactical design would still be one of the necessary examination topics.

A static target shooting score of seven rings was required to qualify––if it was lower than seven rings, it would offset any initial advantage he had for the second elimination match.

In the basement second floor of the North Tower, there were a few trainees standing here and there in the dynamic shooting range.

Wu Jin looked on with envious eyes, then finally went to stand in front of the static training target.

Most people who could remain on the Crosson Show until now had excellent abilities. When Wu Jin stepped into the static target area, it was completely empty, and there was no one around.

He had just set up his gun––when the door to the training room opened.

Wu Jin raised his head and was surprised to see someone who should never appear in the static target area.

Thin Fire.

“Senior Thin!” Wu Jin immediately greeted him politely.

Thin Fire nodded. While he hadn’t taken his selfie stick with him this time, his tone of voice when he opened his mouth was kind enough to make the Wu Jin’s hackles subconsciously rise up. “Little Witch, do your thing. I’m just looking.”

Wu Jin could only nod and poke out a few shots towards the target. Thin Fire wandered around with his hands behind his back, looking back at Wu Jin with a face wreathed in smiles from time to time.

The eyeliner on his eyes made him look like a big fox.

After Wu Jin finished a clip of bullets, he finally started an idle conversation, “Little Witch, we’re roommates too, but we aren’t on very friendly terms even after such a long time. How about we go to the canteen together for a meal in the future?”

Wu Jin tried to push down the sense of strangeness. “… Of course it’s fine to eat with Senior Thin…”

Thin Fire nodded his head, “We can also train together.”

“……” Wu Jin looked around the static target room for novices that had nobody else in it, then back at the arrogant Silver Thread Roll Entertainment peak level trainee, and found himself at a momentary loss for words.

“You can also come to talk to me if you can’t sleep at night.” Thin Fire added.

Wu Jin’s eyes opened wide as he fell into a daze, “Senior, this…”

Thin Fire patted him on the shoulder, coughed lightly, then said with a serious expression, “Little Witch, I want to discuss something with you. After the previous elimination match was broadcasted, do you still remember the matter of us forming a team together?”

Wu Jin nodded immediately. “I remember! Senior, thank you for the gun…”

Thin Fire waved his hand as though saying that it was a small matter, then continued, “The fans responded very well. The popularity of the topic soared, and there were a good many waves of gifts in the live stream room––regardless of whether it was White Moonlight or Silver Thread Roll, they both gained a lot of fans over a short period of time.”

“Based on Silver Thread Roll’s marketing team’s advice,” Thin Fire stressed, “Of course, Silver Thread Roll has the most experienced marketing consultant in the Azure Competition Zone, as well as numerous previous successes, so, according to their advice––”

“Little Witch, should we maybe, like, be a CP?”

Wu Jin was stunned, his mouth dropping open.

Just at that moment––there was a squeak, and the door to the shooting range that Thin Fire had closed behind him was opened once again.

Wei Shi opened the door and leisurely stepped in, light flashing across his gaze as his line of sight swept over Thin Fire.

Juurensha: Ohhhhh, Thin Fire, you’re in danger…

xiin: Thin Fire seeking death…