Luo Xiaole glanced at her watch; it seemed early, not yet noon.
Her efficiency this morning had been remarkably high!
Since there was a way to offset the deposit, she might as well try. It wouldn't cost her anything.
"Then, if I want to join the elite squad, where should I apply?" Luo Xiaole asked sincerely.
"Crazy, crazy..." the merchant exclaimed, lamenting how young people nowadays dared to do anything reckless!
However, Fang Jie dared not underestimate Luo Xiaole. Although she also felt it was unlikely for Luo Xiaole to join, she had previously underestimated the other person and ended up embarrassing herself.
Therefore, she didn't dare to be the slightest bit negligent.
"Just go to the mission center next to the city hall," Fang Jie said with a smile.
Good, it wasn't far from here.
...
Twenty minutes later, Luo Xiaole found the entrance to the mission center.
The mission center was currently packed, bustling with activity.
After all, everyone in the Fallen City base relied on points to cover their living expenses.
And taking on missions was the fastest way to earn points.
Thus, the entrance to the mission hall was almost being trampled down.
Luo Xiaole's eyes widened. Through the constantly scrolling electronic screens and displays, she finally found the service window related to the elite squad.
Before she could even push her way to the window, she spotted a familiar small figure in front of it.
"Nie Yuan?" Luo Xiaole was somewhat surprised.
Hadn't Nie Yuan gone home to find his parents? Why was he at the mission center, and even working there?
Judging by his familiarity, it seemed like he had been working here for quite some time.
"Hello, the general mission reception is at window number 1," the young man said kindly, seeing Luo Xiaole walking directly towards him.
As he turned around and spoke, Luo Xiaole finally looked closely and realized that this person was not Nie Yuan.
However, in terms of height, demeanor, and the shape of his eyebrows, he bore a strong resemblance to Nie Yuan.
No wonder she had mistaken him.
"Thank you for the reminder, but I'm actually here to sign up for the elite squad," Luo Xiaole replied just as kindly.
"Anyone and everyone wants to sign up for the elite squad these days." A person, like a supervisor, sat behind the window. Upon hearing Luo Xiaole's words, he let out an exaggerated scoff and complained to other staff members behind the counter.
"Could you introduce me to it?" Luo Xiaole looked at the young man from earlier.
"Ah... I don't really recommend you do this... but alright. Have you participated in any missions in Fallen City base before?"
"Yes."
"There are generally two types of missions released by the base: official missions and missions posted by civilians. Both are listed on the mission board. The danger level of civilian missions is hard to guarantee, while the official missions are categorized into grades s, a, b, c, and d based on their difficulty."
"You just need to know that from highest to lowest, S-grade missions are group missions that even the elite squad cannot retreat from unscathed, making them the most difficult. D-grade missions, on the other hand, are general daily life tasks, like running errands, which are the easiest, not dangerous, and very stable," the young man hinted heavily.
"I understand," Luo Xiaole smiled. He was advising her to take on daily life tasks.
However, with her newly reinforced thumbtacks, her full set of defensive clothing, and Strawberry Bear and Big Bell by her side, she was fearless.
"Thank you for your advice, but please still register me for the elite squad."
"Alright... alright..." The young man couldn't persuade her, so he took her base card and swiped it on the registration form.
"Has the quota for elite squad applications been filled recently? Let her in, she's just in time to boost our performance!" the supervisor in the back, while eating dried squid, showed a clear calculating glint in his eyes.
"How about we make a bet on how many seconds this weak little shrimp can last before being torn apart by zombies!" He pulled out a box of imported chocolates as the stakes.
"That's a generous bet, Director!" The nearby staff members' eyes widened with envy. "I bet she won't last 30 seconds!"
"I bet she won't even last 10 seconds!"
...
"Are you sure? The assessment mission for the elite squad is a B-grade solo mission. You will have to face a strong zombie alone, and we provide no weapons; it's all up to you. Furthermore, you've just signed the waiver, and we cannot guarantee your survival. You can still back out now if you wish."
On the way to the testing ground, the young man frowned and kept trying to dissuade her.
"Thank you, but my mind is made up." As long as they didn't confiscate her props, she could practically walk through a single zombie.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the testing ground.
Even before pushing the door open, a strong smell of blood assaulted them.
The testing ground resembled an indoor basketball court surrounded by layers of defenses. The large iron gate at the front gleamed with cold steel, and the roars of zombies could be heard intermittently from within.
"Then please do your best. If you feel you absolutely cannot handle it midway, you can press the emergency bell in your hand, and a psychic will provide assistance to the best of their ability. However, in urgent situations, there are also many cases where people don't even get a chance to press the bell... So, I wish you good luck."
The young man's words were tinged with pity. After all, for a survivor like Luo Xiaole, merely reaching the Fallen City base was already a miracle.
To risk participating in such a test, she must have some dire circumstances at home. She looked rather pitiable.
With a "creak," the iron gate swung open.
Without a moment's hesitation, Luo Xiaole stepped onto the center of the arena.
"Test commencing. Eliminate the zombie before you within 20 minutes."
The supervisor, along with several employees from the elite squad application window, had already taken their seats in the viewing area outside the enclosure, waiting to watch the show.
Following a broadcast announcement, the dark iron gate before them opened.
A zombie, appearing to be 2 meters tall, immediately rushed out!
Luo Xiaole paused.
She was wearing defensive gear, so she didn't freeze.
However, she was inwardly stunned. "Oh my goodness, this is the first time I've seen such a tall zombie. It looks so magnificent, I'm broadening my horizons!"
"Hahaha, look, look, look! She's already so scared at the start. She probably won't last ten seconds!" A chorus of jeers erupted from the stands.
The young man observing from outside couldn't bear to watch.
"Roar!" "Gurgle..." The zombie before her made a sound again!
Immediately, another figure shot out from behind the door!
The young man's expression changed.
"How is this possible! They always use the strongest single zombie for assessments. This time they actually released two! They're insane!"
That little sprout is finished...
The saliva dripped from the mouths of the two zombies, stretching three feet long. They appeared to be close to mutation, their eyes bulging strangely, and the veins on their bodies looked much more mottled and rugged than those of other zombies.
Without a word, they lunged at Luo Xiaole simultaneously, one from the left and one from the right!
One attacking high, the other low, like lightning, the fangs of the two zombies were already upon her.
There was no escape.
"Swish, swish!" Two extremely faint gusts of wind swiftly cut through the air.
The young man covered his eyes as if watching a horror movie, peeking through his fingers.
He saw Luo Xiaole's wrist lift ever so lightly, and he didn't know what she did.
"Thud!"
Both zombies, simultaneously and in an instant, lost all ability to fight back.
Like weights, they fell to the ground...
And there was no more movement...