Chapter 160 – Lao Zhou Passed Out!

“Smokeless City No. 3…”

Lu Yuan was momentarily stunned, slightly bewildered by the name of their destination.

Instantly, he thought of words like exhaust emissions, reduction, and environmental protection.

Instinctively, he glanced at Zhou Ling, who seemed to have read his mind and shook his head, “No.”

Lu Yuan blinked and blurted out, “A place without smoke, is it a fairyland?”

This was also a story mentioned in the history books, similar to the legend of “Heavenly white bear descends, establishing the Xia dynasty.”

It was said that in ancient times, there was a place called the land without smoke, which was a paradise everyone longed for.

“Yes.”

Zhou Ling nodded, “It’s a place devoid of human smoke and fire, implying a mythical paradise.

But in reality…”

Zhou Ling’s expression grew complicated, his lips pressed tightly together as if unsure how to explain.

“You’ll understand once you get there.

Anyway, it’s not quite what you imagine…”

Zhou Ling furrowed his brows, speaking as he pondered, “Smokeless City… Smokeless City… So the assessment takes place in Smokeless City, which means the format of the assessment has probably changed again. This is just messing with people…”

Zhou Ling suddenly cursed softly, “I wasted my time trying to get some specific details about the new assessment, treating people to foot baths and massages… Damn it, all for nothing!”

Hearing Zhou Ling’s words, Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered, and he instinctively asked, “You tried to get some tips for me?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Ling nodded bitterly, “The white bear from another group had some new blood who participated in the reformed trial assessment. I thought I’d get some insights from them. But who knew, the ‘exam questions’ had changed again! Those guys in the Human Resources Group even made A and B versions…”

Listening to Zhou Ling’s complaints, Lu Yuan’s eyes sparkled.

Suddenly, he spoke up unexpectedly, “So, does that mean the thing I have here is useless too?”

?

In Lu Yuan’s hand appeared a white paper document he had just taken out of his backpack.

?

It was the extremely detailed nanny-style exam guide that Gao Qing had sent him earlier.

“What’s that?”

Zhou Ling looked puzzled as he took the document from Lu Yuan.

He quickly skimmed through it, and soon, his entire demeanor changed. A hint of shock and complexity appeared on his face.

“Who gave this to you?”

Zhou Ling looked at Lu Yuan.

With a calm expression, Lu Yuan replied, “Gao Qing, Team Leader Gao.”

“Uh…”

In the night sky, neon lights of seven colors flickered, and the sound of electronic music drifted from afar.

Gao Qing stood under the dense steel canopy, staring blankly at the shuttle galaxy quietly flowing in the sky.

Beside her stood many White Bear Guards, all dressed in Yellow Bear uniforms like her.

Everyone gathered in this vast square, facing a huge silver metal gate, as if waiting for something.

“Lao Wang, how’s your new blood doing? Confident they’ll pass the assessment?”

“Passing shouldn’t be a problem. It’s just a matter of what level they’ll get in the final evaluation. Honestly, with the new format of this assessment, I’m more nervous now than when I took the White Bear Guard Promotion Assessment myself.”

“Really… What did you give for the initial evaluation?”

“B-. This new blood has already implanted the Level C+ new martial art, the Blue Electric Finger, with no rejection reaction. They broke through to the Harmonization Realm in just half a month, and their combat power was evaluated at level C twice in a row!”

“Broke through the Harmonization Realm in half a month? Impressive! No wonder you mentioned in the group that they were Level A new blood. Two combat power evaluations at level C, and you gave them a B- for the initial evaluation? Lao Wang, you might be playing it too safe… I’d have given at least a B+.”

“Well, with the new format of the assessment, the difficulty has increased significantly. Who knows what level the previous Level A would get now? Better safe than sorry, less reward is fine, as long as I don’t get penalized or reprimanded.”

“True…”

A few familiar White Bear Group leaders chatted quietly on the side. Gao Qing pressed her lips tightly together, her mind swirling with inexplicable thoughts.

She instinctively glanced towards several directions in the square.

Gao Qing was watching a few unfamiliar white bears in the crowd.

They all had one obvious thing in common: each one was holding a similar small case.

Their gazes would occasionally meet, and they would quickly and tacitly avoid each other, pretending nothing was amiss.

No need to guess; Gao Qing knew.

The cases those people were holding definitely contained the strength enhancement needles, speed amplification potions, and other items mentioned in the “strategy guide” that were allowed within the assessment rules.

Gao Qing had prepared one too.

But…

She didn’t bring it.

“Lao Zhou!”

“Lao Zhou is here.”

A greeting suddenly reached her ears.

Gao Qing looked up and saw Zhou Ling, who had somehow appeared in the crowd. He was greeting familiar faces while walking straight towards her with a serious expression.

Gao Qing turned her face away, deliberately avoiding Zhou Ling.

“Gao Qing.”

Soon, Zhou Ling was in front of her, speaking in a low voice, “Come with me, I need to talk to you.”

Gao Qing pressed her lips together, her eyes flickering slightly.

In the end, she followed Zhou Ling aside.

“Did you secretly send this to Lu Yuan?”

Once they reached a secluded corner of the crowd, Zhou Ling shoved a paper document in front of Gao Qing.

Gao Qing remained silent, her face expressionless.

“You, you…”

Zhou Ling, initially wanting to scold her, softened his tone when he saw her expression.

“You’re too bold.”

He lowered his voice, looking furious, “Do you know this counts as cheating? If the supervisory group catches you, getting a reprimand would be the least of your worries. Why didn’t you discuss this with me first?”

“Would you dare? Would you agree?”

Gao Qing retorted, her face still impassive.

Zhou Ling’s tone faltered, his expression shifting. Finally, he suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, “But do you know, the assessment content has changed again? This time, it’s not the six major tests, but a task in Smokeless City, where new blood must complete a common goal as a team!”

“What?!”

Gao Qing was stunned, momentarily at a loss.

“Yes,” Zhou Ling said. “The reformed assessment should have various content formats, and each time, one is randomly selected. The strategy guide you bought is completely useless! At least for Lu Yuan’s assessment this time… And you took unnecessary risks. Do you know that the supervisory group has been conducting strict inspections recently…”

Zhou Ling was speaking with frustration when suddenly, a commotion erupted nearby.

They both looked up.

A group of people in Yellow Bear uniforms appeared in the square.

Each one had a stern face. Leading them was a man with short hair, a square face, and a noticeable knife scar above his nose.

Lord Iron Blade, Luo Guoxiang!

The supervisory group had arrived.

Gao Qing’s expression shifted slightly. Although she maintained a calm facade, her body tensed uncontrollably.

Next, she watched as Lord Iron Blade Luo Guoxiang led the supervisory group through the crowd, finding one pale-faced person after another holding a case.

The cases were opened on the spot.

“They said this is allowed by the rules!”

“Lord Iron Blade! Lord Iron Blade, please let me explain!”

About five or six white bears were caught. In front of everyone, they were dejectedly taken away for investigation.

Finally, Luo Guoxiang turned, his gaze fixed firmly on Gao Qing, and walked straight towards her.

Gao Qing’s composed face finally faltered, turning pale in an instant.

She quickly lowered her head, avoiding that sharp, scrutinizing gaze.

A strong sense of guilt and shame enveloped her.

“Clack—clack—”

The footsteps approached rapidly.

Finally, they stopped in front of Gao Qing.

“Lord Iron Blade.”

Gao Qing heard Zhou Ling’s voice.

Knowing she couldn’t avoid it, she forced herself to look up and face Luo Guoxiang’s expressionless face, managing a strained smile.

“Lord Iron Blade.”

The atmosphere seemed to freeze at that moment. Gao Qing felt as though all eyes in the square were on her.

Curiosity, suspicion, surprise… The shame was like a thorn in her back.

However…

To her surprise, Luo Guoxiang merely tugged at the corner of his mouth, gave a slight “hmm,” and then turned and left.

Just… like that?!

Gao Qing stood there in a daze, her mind filled with confusion and bewilderment, her face blank.

At that moment, she heard Zhou Ling whispering beside her, “I saw Lord Iron Blade when I came back. The supervisory group had already investigated your purchase of the strategy guide. Lord Iron Blade spoke to each white bear who bought a guide individually and gave them hints… But you were the only one who listened and decided not to use the measures you had prepared.”

Gao Qing felt a sense of relief, as if she had narrowly avoided disaster.

She couldn’t even remember why she hadn’t brought the prepared case with her.

Was it because of the so-called opportunity to enter the supervisory group?

Or was it because of that phrase… “You are Gao Tianlin’s daughter”?

“Speaking of which, this assessment is indeed more challenging, even harder than the six major tests last time.

If I had known the specific assessment content in Smokeless City, I might have bought a strategy guide too…”

Zhou Ling glanced at Gao Qing, sighing, “Luckily, we lowered Lu Yuan’s initial evaluation…

By the way, are you sure you reported B?”

Gao Qing lightly bit her lip.

She shook her head.

Zhou Ling’s eyebrows raised slightly, and his voice rose a bit.

“Don’t tell me you reported A. Didn’t I remind you to report lower?”

“Not A.”

“Level C?”

Zhou Ling blinked, his expression gradually relaxing. He exhaled, “That’s still better… Although it’s a bit too low, it’s better than reporting too high and getting a reprimand later…”

“No.”

Gao Qing turned to look at Zhou Ling, her expression blank. “I reported S, and it was S+.”

“Oh, S… What?!”

In the vast metal square, a sharp, distorted voice echoed loudly.

“You reported Lu Yuan’s initial evaluation as S+?! Say that again?!”

The white bears, still buzzing about the “sudden raid” by the supervisory group, fell silent upon hearing the loud exclamation.

All eyes turned in one direction.

Moments later, panicked voices erupted.

“What the heck? What’s wrong with Lao Zhou?!”

“Lao Zhou fainted! Quick, does anyone have an adrenaline injection? Give him a dose!”

…

Lu Yuan sat inside a shuttle, strapped in with a safety belt. He was curiously peering through the window behind him, observing the city below.

Smokeless City No. 3.

This city, named after a celestial paradise, did indeed appear much cleaner and more environmentally friendly than most cities.

In other aspects, it didn’t seem all that different from an ordinary city.

Well, not entirely.

The city’s infrastructure looked far more advanced.

From the aerial view, Lu Yuan could see small aircraft, which were rare in Jiaoyan or the Old City Circle, buzzing around like busy bees in the sky above the city.

The buildings within the city also had a futuristic feel, with a notably avant-garde style.

Of course, the reason Smokeless City was called Smokeless City, according to Zhou Ling, mainly had to do with its… people.