Chapter 334: The Bandit Elimination Assessment

Chapter 334: The Bandit Elimination Assessment

The first move from the interviewer was swiftly countered by Lin Nuo, leaving him utterly shocked.

He really wanted to say: Is this it?

Since they were sparring without using Spirit Techniques, and the opponent was holding back, it was absurdly easy for Lin Nuo to take him down.

Initially, Lin Nuo believed he was up against a formidable force in the underworld, someone reputable, who had mentioned that taking him down could elevate Lin Nuo’s rank. He thought he’d better fight seriously.

Now he was just worried he might have hit too hard; if he injured the guy, the first step of the plan would be ruined.

“Ahem…”

The interviewer, now choking on a mouthful of dust, stood up after a few coughs.

Even though he hadn’t used his full strength, after their encounter, he had a rough idea of Lin Nuo’s capabilities.

In a fair martial arts match, this guy was superior.

The interviewer feigned calmness, putting on a composed front. He couldn’t appear flustered; otherwise, he’d be ridiculed by the new recruits.

He calmly spoke up:

“Young man, your skills are impressive. You are hired. As for your rank upon joining, we will discuss that and get back to you shortly. Please step outside and wait; we have tasks coming up.”

The first step had gone pretty smoothly: he was hired. Lin Nuo figured the interviewer was just boasting at first, and now he was trapped and needed to negotiate some terms.

Regardless, being hired was definitely the best outcome.

Lin Nuo stepped outside to await their decision on his rank.

He had some understanding of Helong Hall’s hierarchical system. If he got to jump up two ranks just for taking down the interviewer, that would be fantastic. No need to start from the bottom; he could leap right into being a small team leader.

The black-faced scarred man who had been sitting next to him earlier emerged from another interview room, his expression still as cold as ever, looking steady.

Lin Nuo noted that this guy wasn’t just dark-skinned but also menacing—an authentic underworld thug. Just by appearances, he looked slightly more menacing than Lin Nuo’s own act.

The black-faced man shot him a disdainful glance, seemingly holding a hint of animosity.

Soon after, all the new recruits had finished their interviews. Those who weren’t accepted left quietly, while the accepted ones stayed behind to await arrangements from Helong Hall.

A few interviewers, along with other members of Helong Hall, emerged. Among them, their leader addressed the dozens of newly accepted recruits:

“Congratulations on joining the Helong Hall family! We will be carrying out a mission. One of our territories has been taken over by bandits, and we need to reclaim it. The good news is that the Young Master will be leading the charge. Please perform well.”

At the mention of the Young Master, everyone exchanged glances, surprised they might meet the Young Master so soon after joining Helong Hall.

They had no idea who the Young Master was; they had only heard the term mentioned by Helong Hall members.

Helong Hall was part of a large family, and those who were referred to as Young Masters fell within the age range of ten to twenty-five. These were Mu family’s juniors and the future backbone of Helong Hall’s Mu clan.

When thinking about the Young Master, Lin Nuo couldn’t help but recall one person.

Mu Yiting.

However, she was one of the less distinguished Young Masters, embroiled in family disputes, barely managing on her own, temporarily relying on the Refining Demon Sect led by Ling Meng. Who knew how she was faring now?

The Young Master referenced by the Helong Hall representatives surely wasn’t Mu Yiting; this was obviously a recruitment event for a major faction, and there was no way it would connect to her.

Once Helong Hall released the mission details, they immediately summoned three individuals.

Those three were Lin Nuo, the black-faced scarred guy next to him, and a tall, slender man.

The one speaking to them was the interviewer who had assessed Lin Nuo. He said solemnly:

“Each of you has an advantage regarding past experiences and strength compared to others. We’ve discussed that we have many newcomers recently and have decided to select a team leader. This mission to reclaim the bandit-occupied territory will serve as an assessment to see who performs the best, and that person will become the leader. The other two, if not selected, shouldn’t feel disheartened; your ranks still surpass those of the other newcomers.”

As Lin Nuo expected, it would not be easy to become the team leader; competition was inevitable.

He glanced at the other two guys, each looking fearsome and cold, surely not weak in strength.

Lin Nuo asked:

“What are the assessment criteria for this task?”

“There are no specific criteria; just perform as you see fit. We will monitor your actions closely, and the final decision will be based on our discussions.” the interviewer replied.

So the ultimate decision-making power rests with the officials, huh? Whatever they say goes.

But that’s exactly how it is—there’s a heavy subjective element involved.

Lin Nuo seriously suspected that there might be some underhanded dealings at play here; this assessment could just be a formality, and he could end up not being selected.

Of course, that was merely suspicion; it might actually be a legitimate assessment.

Even if he didn’t get chosen, it wouldn’t matter; after all, his first goal was to become a small member of Helong Hall. Becoming the team leader was just a bonus; even if that didn’t happen, more opportunities awaited later.

The other two men had no objections and complied with the interviewer’s arrangements.

Lin Nuo didn’t say much more, preparing himself to follow the group to combat the bandits.

……

Mu Yiting had gone to check other recruitment points and successfully gathered a batch of capable newcomers before heading to the bandit-occupied territory.

“Young Master, there are still two recruitment points left. Do you wish to visit them?”

“No need, just inform them to deal with the bandits. It’s a perfect time to see their combat capabilities.”

Mu Yiting replied, boarding the carriage and heading toward the destination.

Having previously been weak, they had been bullied by the bandits who took over their territory. Now, with many recruits gathered, strength in numbers made it an ideal moment to reclaim their land.

The world was currently chaotic, and many places were suffering; desperate people had turned to banditry, forming factions, burning, killing, and plundering, living a comfortable life.

Believing in a strategy of suppression followed by persuasion, Mu Yiting planned to let the bandits feel their strength first and then encourage surrender. If they complied, great; if not, they would face extermination.

Time was of the essence. Mu Yiting led her subordinates down a hidden path, speeding toward the target area, ensuring the bandits would be caught off guard.

However, upon reaching their destination, Mu Yiting encountered a bizarre sight.

The ground was soaked with blood, and corpses littered the area.

“What’s going on?”

Mu Yiting disembarked from the carriage, feeling something was amiss.

“Could it be that other groups attacked and wiped them out?”

Mu Yiting wondered, while her subordinate quickly replied:

“That scenario seems unlikely. If they had eliminated the bandits, they would have waited for us; however, we haven’t seen any sign of them.”

“Report! Young Master! We found our guys’ corpses two miles east!”

“What…”

Mu Yiting realized something was wrong and immediately ordered,

“Let’s retreat!”

But just as they turned to flee, a group of people surged from behind.

Not only that, but more people also rushed out of the territory’s buildings.