Chapter 3: A Test of Fate

Is that… Yenir?!

What is he doing?! Wasn’t he infected?!

Several trainees on the ordinary team cried out in disbelief.

They were aware that Yenir was suspected of infection and had been taken away by the military for observation. It was a pity, too, because he had always excelled during training but had unfortunately missed the test due to an accident.

Yet no one expected that Yenir, an ordinary person like the rest, would appear before them in such a manner.

All eyes were fixed on Yenir, who had a gun pressed against the squad leader, his gaze met with shock and utter incomprehension.

This is insane!

Several female trainees stared in terror at Yenir’s delicate face, unable to reconcile the boy before them with the image from their memories.

Before the trainees could say any more, a large group of soldiers swiftly encircled the plaza, led by an enraged Awakener.

“Drop your weapons! Surrender!”

“Suspected infected trainee! By taking military personnel hostage, you have violated Security Zone regulations!”

“If you don’t surrender immediately, we will execute you on the spot!”

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yenir remained calm, completely ignoring the hundreds of dark, menacing gun barrels aimed at him.

“I’m not infected. Someone is framing me.”

“Infected individuals turn into zombies in no more than half an hour. I’ve been held for three hours now!”

Yenir calmly explained before turning his gaze directly to the podium.

Although claiming that he was set up was meaningless—no one cared about the fate of an ordinary person—

he knew the infection issue had to be addressed. Otherwise, even if he held an Awakener hostage, the Security Zone’s higher-ups wouldn’t hesitate to act amid the risk of a viral outbreak. Within seconds of the standoff, they would order his execution!

Below the podium, a mid-level commanding officer glared at Yenir, his face flushed with anger.

Whether Yenir was infected or not didn’t matter; he couldn’t be bothered with the boy’s words. Yet Yenir’s act of holding an Awakener hostage and barreling straight into the Testing Plaza was a blatant humiliation to the entire garrison—a display of utter incompetence!

Striding forward, the Garrison Vice Squad Leader fixed his furious gaze on Yenir and barked:

“Whether you’re infected or falsely accused, your actions have seriously violated Security Zone regulations!”

“Let me tell you, don’t think that holding hostages gives you any leeway!”

“Release them now, and at least you’ll have a dignified death!”

His tone was cold and murderous, showing complete disregard for the life of the hostage Awakener in Yenir’s grasp.

The Awakener held captive turned pale, a bitter smile flickering across his face.

That’s right—he was an Awakener, but to the high-ups his value was no greater than that of an ordinary person. In the apocalypse, human life is the cheapest commodity.

At the podium, Liao Tian, the military commission’s representative for this test, frowned slightly.

Watching the back of the vice squad leader in charge of security, his eyes flashed with irritation.

Allowing an ordinary person to barge in and disrupt the test was nothing short of incompetence!

Perhaps the Tianfeng Security Zone had enjoyed peace for too long and now needed an internal shakeup!

“Enough talk! Arrest him immediately!”

“Do you expect me to intervene personally?”

With an icy expression, Liao Tian finished speaking and waved his hand to end the farce. In his eyes, Yenir was no more than an ant—not worth a second thought.

Just an ordinary trainee, unworthy of his attention!

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yenir, unsurprised by the higher-ups’ conduct, responded.

He casually dropped the dagger and pistol he was holding and spoke swiftly, his expression serene:

“I’m here to take the test.”

“Under Security Zone Regulation 137, Awakeners enjoy certain privileges—even if they commit capital offenses. As long as they contribute enough, it can be offset!”

As if reciting from memory, Yenir’s sudden rendition of the regulation left everyone momentarily stunned.

Indeed, the Security Zone did have such a rule. Since the apocalypse, powerful Awakeners have been seen as humanity’s sole hope and naturally received various privileges.

On the podium, several high-ranking officials who’d been indifferent were taken aback by his words, their expressions shifting to something strangely unsettled.

Meanwhile, the garrison vice squad leader, already mortified, found the situation even more absurd.

Seeing Yenir seemingly give up resistance, soldiers quickly swarmed around him in formation.

“Contribution? Becoming an Awakener!?”

Scoffing as if at a fool, the vice squad leader signaled for soldiers to detain Yenir:

“The Security Zone indeed has this regulation, but do you even know what contribution entails?!”

“Don’t even mention being just a trainee—even killing a secondary mutant might not earn you enough contribution!”

After scrutinizing Yenir and noticing the absence of any Awakener aura, the vice squad leader couldn’t help but jeer:

“Do you really think you can measure any potential?”

“Don’t even mention whether you can become an Awakener! Even if you did, with the crime you’ve committed, you’d only be labeled a war prisoner!”

With that, the vice squad leader waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to drag Yenir away without further ado.

Yet, despite everyone believing him to be mad, Yenir maintained absolute calm, as if entirely indifferent to his predicament.

He fixed his gaze squarely on the podium and declared:

“Let me take the test; it won’t cost you anything.”

“If I fail the test, if I don’t demonstrate sufficient potential, I volunteer myself as a test subject.”

His voice was soft yet carried undeniable weight.

Everyone, who had assumed this was all a farce, stood in stunned silence as Yenir’s final words sent ripples of shock through the crowd.

Volunteering as a test subject? That punishment is far worse than death!

Everyone knew that the military had been testing the virus’s infectivity, using death row inmates as subjects. Rumor had it that these test subjects often fared worse than death—tortured into being barely human. Many heavily convicted prisoners even resorted to suicide to avoid becoming a test subject!

The entire crowd was briefly stunned.

Within the team, an instructor-like Awakener looked at Yenir with anxiety and couldn’t help but plead at the podium:

“Chairman Liao! Yenir was once our top trainee. I believe he was just acting on impulse! Please…”

Before he could finish, Liao Tian on the podium interrupted the instructor and fixed his glare on Yenir:

“Volunteering as a test subject? You’ve got some nerve.”

Shaking his head,

“You really think your potential is so impressive that we’ll cut you some slack?”

“Utterly laughable!”

“If I’m not mistaken, you must have killed a guard to escape!”

After giving Yenir a long, piercing look, Liao Tian unexpectedly shifted his tone:

“Alright, I’ll give you a chance to take the test!”

“But let me warn you—the policy from above has changed. From now on, ordinary trainees will no longer be provided with protective agents during tests!”

“Which means you’re most likely going to die during the test!”

As his words sank in, the untested ordinary trainees were shocked; many struggled to accept this grim reality.

No protective agents? Isn’t that nothing short of a death gamble?!

It was well known that decades ago, when the apocalypse first erupted, ordinary people trying to become Awakeners often perished instantly from the overwhelming surge of spiritual energy. It wasn’t until the military developed protective agents over the following decades that the risk of death was mitigated.

Ignoring the ensuing turmoil, Liao Tian disregarded the trainees’ panic and returned to his seat without another word.

Elsewhere, a few high-ranking Awakeners exchanged surprised glances at Liao Tian:

“Chairman Liao, why are you still letting him participate? You don’t actually believe the kid has any potential, do you?”

“He’s just an ordinary person—a complete waste of our time.”

Shaking his head slightly, Liao Tian chuckled:

“The policy from above has changed; they no longer want to waste resources on ordinary people. Naturally, the lower ranks will complain about this.”

“And since Yenir has insisted on taking the test, if he is to die, let him die during the test—it’ll serve as a warning to these ordinary folks.”

“In other words… don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re gifted or that you can become an Awakener overnight!”

“Even if you miraculously score a C-level, you’ll still be tossed aside as a test subject—nothing more than experimental material!”

Beside the main seat, two pureblood Awakeners sighed inwardly as they looked at Yenir with pity.

They saw Yenir, born an ordinary human, as utterly clueless about the rarity of true potential and clinging to a faint dream.

Thinking he had what it took to escape this fate?

How naive…