"So heavy?" Sun Hang was a bit surprised.

He turned on the TV, and the screen began playing the Ultraman Tiga episode he'd only watched halfway before leaving.

Gazot, who looked just like a giant sanitary pad, was being beaten up by Tiga grabbing its head. The scene was set in a city constructed of cardboard and plastic foam, much of which had already collapsed. Against the backdrop of these "ruins," the combatants appeared enormous.

"Hmm... the expert team at Dubhe Tower is also puzzled," Yang Qi said. "The traces at the scene don't match any known mysterious creature. If it is caused by such a creature, then it's a new one we haven't discovered yet... The good news is that, so far, there haven't been any incidents of these creatures attacking humans in the city."

"But having an unknown creature lurking in the city definitely makes people uncomfortable, right?" Sun Hang said.

It's like seeing a mouse at home—even if nothing seems to have been bitten or damaged, and it never appears again after that one time, as soon as you know there's a mouse, any normal person's first thought is to find and get rid of it.

Or consider a different creature—a venomous snake that could kill a person would be far more unsettling than a mouse, which is more disgusting than dangerous.

"But if you can't find it, there's nothing you can do... The Countermeasure Committee has already set up a dedicated investigative team; they'll take over this matter," Yang Qi said. "As for us, we're still flying to Chunming City tomorrow as planned to participate in the Hunter trials."

"Do we need to bring anything?"

"Just your Hunter license and a change of clothes," Yang Qi said. "Equipment will be distributed uniformly, and you're forbidden to carry weapons or tools made from mysterious materials, including 'Self 2796.'

"Will the Hunter's abilities be restricted?" Sun Hang asked.

He's not too concerned about banning 'Self 2796.' After all, he can replicate that kind of 'weapon' as needed.

"I'm not sure about that; it depends on the arrangements..." Yang Qi said. "To be honest, this is also my first time participating in the Hunter trials."

"What about Mr. Wang? Has she participated before?"

"She participated in the trials three and a half years ago."

"How did she do?"

"With her abilities, she only managed to get a Level 4 Hunter certificate..." Yang Qi said. "Although I don't know if she could now advance to Level 3 or higher if she participated again, Night Slayer did tell me that the 'monsters' in the trials are as numerous as cattle hair. She ranks as an 'ordinary person' among them. So... you'd better be prepared mentally."

"What happens if you don't pass? Are there penalties?" Sun Hang asked again.

"Generally, no. You just won't get the rank of Hunter," Yang Qi said. "However, according to Dubhe Tower's plan, I'm guessing, regardless of how poorly you perform, they'll likely give you a Level 5 certificate."

"Is there really such a sweet deal?" Sun Hang was a bit stunned. "Didn't expect I was the one with connections?"

"The word from Dubhe Tower is that being able to single-handedly resolve the Dragon Rock Fortress crisis already qualifies you as a ranked Hunter. The trials are just a formality," Yang Qi said.

"Got it."

The Ultraman on TV transformed into a blue form, soared into the sky, and unleashed a light bullet that Sun Hang couldn't name. The monster exploded on the spot, becoming a giant fireball.

"I'm really puzzled," Sun Hang suddenly said.

"Puzzled over what?" Yang Qi was taken aback and asked instinctively.

"If he can finish off the monster with a special move, why does he always fight hand-to-hand for ages? Only when his chest light starts blinking red does he use the big move. Why not just blast it with two or three big moves right from the start when he's at full energy?" Sun Hang complained.

"What monster? What big move?" Yang Qi was utterly confused. "Are you simulating a battle with mysterious creatures or what?"

"I'm talking about Ultraman," Sun Hang said. "Mr. Wang gave me a set of DVDs, and I've been watching them lately."

Yang Qi: "..."

"Why went silent suddenly? Something on your mind?"

"... No, meet me at the north entrance of the research institute at 9 AM tomorrow morning. Don't forget to bring your documents. If there's no other question, I'll hang up."

"One last question."

"Go on."

"How many of us are going this time?"

"From Tianfu City, just you and me," Yang Qi said. "Although Night Slayer is qualified for the trials, she doesn't care about her Hunter rank, and with staffing being tight in Tianfu City, she can't leave either."

"So which Hunters are participating in the trials this time?" Sun Hang suddenly recalled the Hunters he'd seen at the strategy meeting. "Will people like Iron Wall and Bao Si take part?"

"Both those people are top-notch Level 1 Hunters... But besides them, there should be some reinforcements from Shuzhou participating in this trial. You'll see them on the plane," Yang Qi said.

"Wait a minute... Another question," Sun Hang said again.

Yang Qi wasn't annoyed and patiently said, "Why don't you list all the questions you want to know, and I'll answer each one on the plane tomorrow."

"This is truly the last question," Sun Hang said confidently. "Is this trial PVP or PVE?"

"What's PVP PVE?" Yang Qi was confused for a moment.

"Is it direct confrontation between Hunters, or do we cooperate to achieve the trial goals? Or is it every man for themselves, competing on speed and achievement?"

"I don't know about that... Participants have to sign a confidentiality agreement, and the trial details must not be leaked out," Yang Qi said. "But as far as I know, the trials have several stages... Maybe the aspects you're asking about will all be present. You'd better be prepared."

Yang Qi had just finished speaking and suddenly remembered something, hastily adding, "By the way, if there is indeed a confrontation, Taotie's devour ability should not be used on other Hunters... they are just your competitors, not your enemies, certainly not your food!"

"... Rest assured, I have enough self-control," Sun Hang said.

"Hope that's the case."

...

...

The next day.

When Sun Hang arrived at the north entrance of the research institute, there were already more than a dozen people waiting under the large staircase besides Yang Qi, who was carrying a suitcase. Most of them were wearing dark cloaks, but the outlines of their bodies suggested they possessed features different from ordinary people.

Sun Hang glanced at his wristband, 8:58:46. He wasn't late—even though he seemed to be the last to arrive at the gathering point.

"Did you have to cut it so close?" Yang Qi glanced at him, somewhat reproachfully.

"I wasn't late, was I?" Sun Hang swallowed the bread he was chewing. "I ran through at least a dozen red lights to get here!"

"... The entire city is still in lockdown; every intersection is a red light," Yang Qi retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"By the way, are these the Hunters participating in the trial?" Sun Hang skillfully changed the topic.

"Yes." Yang Qi nodded.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.