CH 6

Suddenly, Rode remembered the soul that was swallowed up in his dream, and a chill rose in his heart.

If possible, Rode wanted to retreat now.

But it was impossible. The temporary loss of memory meant that he was always in great and unstable danger.

And Kimberly Academy was so important that becoming its student would add an extra layer of protection.

Not only that, but he also needed to find answers to the strange words in his dream at Kimberly Academy.

All things considered, this was indeed his best choice.

Rode was nervous and didn't know what kind of future awaited him.

After a moment, the old lady stopped in front of a high wall, and a person wearing a red robe stopped her.

This was the first person Rode had seen in the royal city.

"Yusef, the final trial of the Fire Trial is underway. You are not allowed to approach here."

Yusef showed a big smile.

"Gaowen, am I not allowed either?"

"No one is allowed."

"What about this?"

Rode clearly saw the old lady hand something to him.

But he still shook his head, "Yusef, this is a matter of principle. The children inside are our future hope. Although I believe in you, I still can't let you in."

Yusef laughed, "Gaowen, you misunderstood. I just want you to send this child in to participate in the final trial."

"No, this is not in compliance with the rules. The Fire Trial consists of the preliminary, semi-final, and final trials. You cannot skip the first two stages."

"He passed the preliminary and semi-final trials."

"Who tested him?"

"I did."

"What about the trial certificate?"

"Here." Yusef wrote one on the spot and gave it to him.

"...Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Yusef's round face showed a surprised expression, "Aren't you?"

Gaowen's face suddenly turned black. Yusef forcibly handed him the certificate she wrote and said with a smile, "Gaowen, you should know my abilities. Mingguang attribute, fifth-level spiritual power, the best among graduates in the same period, full marks in twelve subjects of three sciences, one of the thirty-two central medical healers of the Healing Corps, and also selected as the number one beauty on Rose Street. Of course, I won't mention these small things."

"I just want to tell you that the people I tested will never be wrong. He will be a seed of fire, blooming with brilliant fireworks, and shining with us towards the future."

Gaowen looked hesitant. He couldn't find new arguments and could only repeat, "But this is not in compliance with the rules."

Yusef handed him a large handful of shiny silver things, "Is this compliant?"

Gaowen's expression became serious, "No, I am fair and honest, and my conduct is very noble."

Yusef spat and stuffed his other hand full, "But I can't just watch a flame that was supposed to ignite go out. Leave this to me.""Don't dawdle, time is running out. Hurry up and send him in. Once the Holy Grail of Fire goes out, it won't be reignited until next year."

Gao Wen immediately picked up Rode and held him under his arm, turning and running towards the corridor under the high wall.

Aunt Yusef shouted from behind, "Little guy, remember to come back to Yusef Medical Center when you have time. I'll cure you."

Rode hadn't had a chance to reply when his vision darkened and he had already entered the corridor.

The corridor was very long and had a high slope, but Gao Wen, who was just and honest, walked on it as if it were flat ground, and soon he had sent Rode out of the corridor.

As soon as he pushed open the door, a bright light burst out, and it took Rode several seconds to adjust.

This was a very large and bright square.

Many young people of his age, both male and female, stood on the square, lined up neatly in formation.

In front of them was a grand palace-like building, with a rough style, no detail decoration, no fine carving, and each component was ten times the size of a normal building, very imposing.

There were many adults wearing red combat suits around, and one of them with a crown walked towards him and asked, "Gao Wen, who is this? Why aren't you at your post?"

Gao Wen slightly bowed. "Your Excellency High Priest, this child delayed the time, so I sent him in."

The high priest was a tall, thin, and gloomy man, and his eagle-like gaze immediately fixed on Rode's face, coldly asking, "Who is the examiner? Where is the trial certificate?"

"Yusef Thorns from Rose Street."

Gao Wen handed her handwritten trial certificate over.

The high priest only glanced at it and waved his hand. "Arrange him in the first queue." Then he turned and walked away.

Gao Wen led Rode to the front of the first queue and left.

There was a slight commotion in the queue, and the young men and women turned their curious eyes to the unexpected guest.

Rode smiled friendly at them and received a gasp.

Although no one spoke, Rode saw astonishment, envy, admiration, jealousy, and other emotions in their shining eyes, but there was no hatred or numbness, completely normal teenage mentality.

This seemed ordinary, but it was extremely unusual.

Just like children in war-torn areas, their first reaction to the sound of firecrackers is to hide under the table, while children in peaceful areas run to watch the excitement.

The influence of the environment on people, especially children, is enormous.

It was already a miracle that young people who grew up in this kingdom, which always faced strong external threats and never saw the sun all year round, could be as normal as ordinary people.

"There must be something unusual about this human political system."

Rode thought, not paying too much attention to their eyes.

Now he had only passed a small test and did not know what the final test would be like.

In the face of his own safety and destiny, everything else was trivial.

After a moment, a priest in a red combat suit came and said loudly, "First queue, enter the waiting room."A slight commotion appeared on the quiet square. The first group of teenagers were exceptionally excited, following behind the priest in red, they walked into the tall palace.

The interior of the palace was very spacious, the ceiling was so high that it couldn't be seen, and the flames burning on the huge stone pillars dispelled every trace of shadow.

The priest led them to a side hall and said, "The final trial of the Trial of Fire is about to begin. When the horn sounds, you will enter the main hall and touch the Holy Cup of Fire in order according to the command of the High Priest. Do you understand?"

"We understand," the teenagers answered in unison.

The priest nodded and left the side hall, leaving only the group of boys and girls in the room.

They looked at each other, their eyes flickering with restless curiosity.

Soon, a small buzzing sound appeared, like a classroom after the teacher had left. The teenagers couldn't contain their excitement and urgently wanted to communicate with the people around them.

But in a moment, the side hall became noisy. They excitedly exchanged everything they saw and heard, exchanged all the information they knew, and imagined the future they expected.

"...I heard that the city defense army is going to expand. You can enter even if you don't have a high level. Level 9 combat personnel can get a weekly salary of 800."

"But the city defense army has requirements for soul characteristics. What if yours doesn't meet them?"

"Then I will join the Expeditionary Corps. The salary is twice as high. In a few years, I can bring my parents to the upper city area, live in a big house, and light a big spirit lamp."

"The mortality rate of the Expeditionary Corps is very high..."

"But the compensation is high."

"..."

"Hey, did you know? There's another ghost in Qianhu Town."

"Really? The price of meat is going to rise again?"

"...What if we fail to ignite our soul?"

"It's impossible. Our soul has been fully tested in the first two tests. Even if we can't become a soul fire, a star fire is no problem."

"But my brother said there were many failures in the final test."

"They must have cheated or cut in line. This is the stupidest thing to do. No one can deceive fire. They are deceiving themselves."

...

Rode listened quietly. This was the best way to obtain information and help him quickly understand this kingdom.

Suddenly, a beautiful girl wearing long boots, a beige long skirt, and a head of dazzling golden hair came to him and extended her hand generously.

"Good day, I'm Kassan from Mibor. Nice to meet you. My dream is to join the Knights and become an elite White Spirit Knight."

There was a small exclamation around, as if this was a high goal.

Rode blinked and had to stand up, holding her slender white hand and speaking in her manner.

"...Good day, I'm...um, Rode from Hongshi Village. Nice to meet you."

After speaking, he wanted to sit down, but found that Kassan was still holding his hand. Her smooth little hand was very strong, and her light blue eyes stared at him intently.

"You haven't told me your dream yet."Rode scratched his head, "I don't remember anything you said."

This sentence immediately attracted many people's attention.

"Lost your memory? Can't the healing nun cure it?"

"Wow... a pure and innocent boy who lost his memory!"

Kassan's eyes flashed and she spoke lightly, "Let me explain briefly and hope to hear your choice. Once we become students of Kimberly Academy, we will automatically become reserve combatants. The vast majority of students will become combatants after graduation, while a few will become logistics or production personnel."

"In general, there are five legions we can enter, namely the City Defense Legion, the Conquest Legion, the Investigation Legion, the Knights Legion, and the Night Watch Legion."

"The City Defense Legion, the Conquest Legion, and the Investigation Legion are the three main legions, while the Night Watch Legion is a special legion."

"And the Knights Legion is the smallest and most elite legion."

Kassan stared at Rode with shining eyes, and the answer she wanted was obvious.

Rode went along with her, "The Knights Legion."

A smile appeared on Kassan's delicate face, "I'm glad our choice is the same. My mother is a central medical practitioner of the Healing Sect, and she might be able to cure your amnesia."

Rode didn't pay much attention to it. Yusef's grandma was also a central medical practitioner, but she didn't cure him. However, having multiple options was never a bad thing.

"Thank you."

Kassan said with a hint of pride, "You're welcome."

She turned and left.

Rode breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue listening when he suddenly saw six or seven girls gathering around him.

Judging from the way they looked at him with shining eyes, they obviously had some bad intentions and wanted to take advantage of him.

If it were in the past, Rode would be happy to argue with them, show off his strength, welcome them, and share his knowledge with them.

But now, he was not in the mood to entangle with them. He caught sight of a gray-haired boy sitting alone in the corner with his peripheral vision, walked up to him, and reached out his hand.

"Good day, I'm Rode from Hongshi Village. Can we get to know each other?"

The girls looked disappointed, but the gray-haired boy, Wayne from Heiniu Village, burst into excitement.

He stood up quickly, shook Rode's hand, and was so excited that he became incoherent.

"O-of course, I'm Wayne from Heiniu Village... I'm glad to meet you."

Rode smiled, "Brother, don't be nervous. Let's just chat. I lost my memory, and I don't remember much. Can you tell me something?"

Wayne stammered, "B-but I don't know much either. It's been ten years since Heiniu Village had a Fire Wielder. They all know more than me..."

"It's okay. Let's just chat. Maybe everything you say will be new to me."

"Okay." Wayne agreed and suddenly became happier, answering more energetically.

For the next little while, Rode thought, listened, and chatted with Wayne.Of course, most of the time he just listened, occasionally asking questions or making surprised sounds to show his cooperation.

What made him happy was that this gray-haired youth knew much more than he had imagined, and explained everything in a very basic way that was suitable for him, a complete novice.

And the gray-haired youth, Wayne, was also very happy. He had never thought that anyone would be interested in the outdated things he was talking about.

Due to his old-fashioned ways, he had no friends for a long time, and no one wanted to chat with him. In Wayne's eyes, Rode was a shining star, a popular leader who was the first person to chat with him after he arrived in the capital.

Hmm, chatting must be the most interesting thing in the world.

Wayne tried his best to recall how he felt when he first learned about these things, trying to explain what he already knew from the perspective of someone who had completely lost their memory.

This method worked very well, and Rode even put most of his energy into their conversation.

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Just as Rode was quickly gaining information, a big fat guy with red hair walked over, glanced at them, and said in an arrogant tone, "Don't hang out with that bumpkin from Heiniu Village, Rode. You'll soon realize that there are huge differences between Flamekeepers. Friends are important. Come with me, I'm Manolobana Manure."

He raised his chin as if waiting for Rode's astonishment.

Rode almost suspected that he had misheard and repeated the pronunciation, "Manure?"

What did that mean? Did he deliberately emphasize that he was human manure instead of other types of manure?