Chapter 250: Testing

A flash of irritation crossed the staff member's eyes. "Do you think just any Nightmare Apostle can join this exploration project?" he snapped. "Silver is the bare minimum, but reaching it doesn't automatically qualify you. In the Nightmare World, an idiot teammate is far more terrifying than a nightmare monster. We only want elites here!"

Yan Wu felt the disdain. Anger flared in his chest, but he didn't dare show it. After all, this was the General Law Enforcement Bureau, home to the top Transcendents in the country—with even Gold powerhouses presiding over it. For a mere outsider at Silver 1 to clash with the staff here was tantamount to courting death.

"Could you tell us the specific details of the test?" a gentle voice asked. Su Mu pushed up his Tinted Glasses, a faint, imperceptible crystalline blue light flashing in his eyes.

The staff member immediately stopped, a sincere smile unconsciously blooming across his face. "Of course. Today's test is mainly to verify your level, experience, and identity. There's no need to elaborate on the level—Silver is the minimum requirement, and very few would dare fake that just to participate.

"As for experience, we look at how many times you've entered the Nightmare World. Naturally, the more nightmares you've survived, the more experienced you are.

"Finally, the identity screening. This is to prevent foreign spies or individuals with ulterior motives from slipping through."

Listening to this patient explanation, Yan Wu's face darkened. He suspected he was being treated differently—no, it wasn't a suspicion, he was definitely being treated differently!

Fuck! Why was the guy so impatient when I asked, but so incredibly patient when this pretty boy named Su asked?!

"Today?" Su Mu sharply caught the keyword in the explanation. "So the test lasts for more than a single day?"

"You are exceptionally perceptive, sir. That's exactly right. The test lasts for three days in total, with different trials each day. They involve actual combat and adaptability, though I don't know the specific details.

"Sir, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

"No, thank you," Su Mu said with a smiling nod.

The staff member hurriedly replied with utmost courtesy, "You're welcome. It's my job. I wish you the best of luck in passing the test."

Watching the staff member walk away, Yan Wu's face grew even gloomier.

Su Mu ignored him and began strolling around, observing every Nightmare Apostle in the plaza. Hundreds of Silver Grade Nightmare Apostles gathered in one place was an exceedingly rare spectacle.

And this wasn't even all of them; even more Nightmare Apostles had been assigned to other training grounds.

As he strolled, he noticed some Nightmare Apostles clearly knew each other, clustering together to chat. Others glared at one another in open hostility, locked in tense standoffs. If not for the location, they would have already come to blows.

Su Mu wasn't surprised. Since Nightmare Apostles entered the Nightmare World at random, they were bound to occasionally match into the same nightmare. Naturally, they had either forged friendships or formed bitter grudges during those encounters.

Of course, the vast majority of Nightmare Apostles stood entirely alone, watching the others with cold eyes like lone wolves.

Their personalities varied wildly. Some were silent, some arrogant, and others bloodthirsty and tyrannical. Overall, very few of them could be considered normal.

This made perfect sense. The identity of a Nightmare Apostle was a curse. Every so often, they had to endure a life-or-death trial with no end in sight. The moment you became a Nightmare Apostle, your life entered a countdown.

Living under such prolonged mental strain, Nightmare Apostles naturally developed all sorts of psychological issues.

Su Mu soon completed a lap around the plaza. His pacing attracted quite a bit of attention, drawing many cold stares.

He didn't mind. His observations weren't born of mere boredom; he was memorizing everyone's face to facilitate his dream teleportation in the future. Along the way, he was also scouting for promising talents to expand the Seven Deadly Sins.

Although a Silver wasn't qualified to become a formal member of the Seven Deadly Sins, they were perfectly fine as candidates.

After a while, the crowd on the training ground suddenly stirred. Su Mu looked toward the source of the commotion and saw three staff members in their forties wearing administrative jackets walk into the area.

Two men and one woman. They carried a heavy presence and faintly exuded an air of lethal intent. Clearly, these three were the chief examiners.

Behind the trio were two soldiers wearing Mithril Alloy Exoskeleton Armor. They carried a silver metal door frame connected to a myriad of wires, flanked on both sides by two precise instruments that resembled Computers.

The soldiers carried the door frame onto the raised platform in the center of the plaza. The three chief examiners stepped up after them and wasted no time on pleasantries. "The test begins now. Step up when your number is called. Number 1!"

Soon, a person shrouded entirely in a black robe stepped out from the crowd. His face was completely hidden; his tall and robust physique was the only indication he was male.

Despite this secretive attire, the three examiners maintained neutral expressions, seemingly accustomed to such sights.

"Walk through the scanner gate," one said.

The black-robed man paused for a moment before slowly stepping onto the platform and walking toward the silver metal frame.

As he passed through, the metal door emitted a rapid string of electronic beeps. Immediately afterward, the display screen at the top of the frame flashed a set of red numbers.

3-15

Before anyone could decipher the numbers, one of the chief examiners said expressionlessly, "Silver 3, experienced the Nightmare World 15 times. Go to Area No. 1 for the heart-questioning test."

A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. No one had expected this mysterious black-robed man to be a Silver Stage 3 powerhouse who had survived the Nightmare World 15 times.

"Next, Number 2."

The Number 2 Nightmare Apostle stepped onto the stage right after. He was a short, scrawny man. He walked through the metal frame, and to the tune of a series of beeps, the result was displayed.

"Silver 1, experienced the Nightmare World 7 times. Go to Area No. 3."

"Next."

Standing in the crowd, Su Mu scrutinized the metal door frame, curious about its underlying principles. Detecting a person's level wasn't hard—after all, that was determined by the quantity of Silver Law they possessed—but how could it determine how many times they had experienced the Nightmare World?

Perhaps he could invade the examiners' dreams tonight to find the answer.

As time ticked by, the calls finally reached the two-hundreds.

"Number 281."

Yan Wu raised the number plate in his hand and calmly stepped onto the platform.

Beep, beep, beep...

"Silver 1, experienced the Nightmare World 10 times. Go to Area No. 3."

Yan Wu hopped off the platform and strode toward Area No. 3 with his chest puffed out and head held high. Having watched so many tests, he had naturally figured out the zoning rules.

Silver 1 was assigned to Area No. 3, but if they had experienced the Nightmare World more than 10 times, they were promoted to Area No. 2.

Similarly, Silver 2 belonged to Area No. 2, but if they had over 15 nightmare experiences, they could be promoted to Area No. 1.

Naturally, Silver 3 went straight to Area No. 1. No matter their number of nightmare experiences, they were always assigned to Area No. 1.