The morning sun blazed over Zhi'an City, painting the alloy gates of the Extreme Dojo in gold. The massive plaza before the dojo was already crowded, filled with rows of young men and women — all chosen candidates for the quasi-warrior trial.
Each wore the same simple combat fatigues, each carried a nervous energy that filled the air like a storm about to break. For many, this would be the first time stepping beyond the protective walls of humanity. For some, it would also be the last.
Among them stood two figures who drew every eye.
Luo Feng, his sapphire eyes sharp, stood with quiet focus. Beside him, Luo Zheng's crimson gaze remained unreadable, his presence like ice. Together, the brothers radiated an aura so striking that even before the trial began, whispers rippled through the crowd.
> "The Evil Twins…"
"Mad Twin Luo Feng, Cold Twin Luo Zheng…"
"Do you think they'll survive? Or will they wipe the floor with the beasts?"
"I heard Luo Zheng broke two thousand kilograms in the dojo test. Monster."
Not far away, Zhang Hao Bai clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Envy burned in his chest, but beneath it was also fear.
---
The Briefing
On the raised platform, Instructor Jiang Nian's voice boomed across the plaza.
"Today, you stand on the threshold between ordinary men and warriors. The quasi-warrior trial will decide if you have the strength, courage, and survival instincts to step beyond. Listen well — the rules are simple."
He raised a hand, and a large holographic map flickered into the air. It showed the ruined outskirts of Zhi'an, forests reclaiming broken skyscrapers, and rivers crawling with shadows.
"You will enter the wilderness in groups. Your task is to hunt monsters and bring back their ears as proof. Each ear counts as one point. To pass, you must collect at least twenty beast ears."
Gasps rippled through the candidates.
"Twenty?!" someone muttered.
"Last year it was ten…"
"They doubled it…"
Jiang Nian's gaze swept the crowd coldly. "If you cannot handle this, you do not deserve to become warriors. Remember — your life is your own responsibility. If you die in the wilderness, there will be no rescue."
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the realization that this was no longer training. This was life or death.
"Now," Jiang Nian continued, "collect your issued gear."
---
Weapons and Armor
Tables were lined with weapons and shields. Each candidate stepped forward to receive a standard set: a combat suit of reinforced fiber, a long blade or spear of alloy steel, and a round shield reinforced with carbon alloy.
Luo Feng accepted his standard blade and shield calmly, strapping them onto his back. Luo Zheng took the same with no expression. Neither touched the SS-grade treasures hidden away in their villa. This was not the time to reveal their trump cards.
The candidates armed themselves, the clatter of steel echoing in the plaza. Some tested their weapons with nervous swings. Others, too tense, simply stood in silence.
---
Departure
At the gates of Zhi'an City, the candidates gathered once more. The massive alloy doors creaked open, revealing the wilderness beyond — a world of ruins and forests where nature had reclaimed the land, where beasts roamed freely.
The air shifted. Civilization's order ended here. Chaos began.
"Move out!" Jiang Nian commanded.
The candidates poured out in groups, scattering into the wilderness. Some quickly formed teams for safety.
"Hey, Luo Feng, Luo Zheng, want to team up?" a boy asked hesitantly.
Luo Feng gave a polite smile and shook his head. "No need. We'll be fine."
The boy looked at Luo Zheng's crimson eyes and quickly retreated.
The Evil Twins walked side by side, their steps steady, their presence quiet but suffocating.
---
First Hunt
It didn't take long. In the overgrown streets of a collapsed district, a shadow burst from the rubble — a massive Horned Boar Beast, tusks sharp, body covered in bristling hair. Its eyes glowed red as it charged with a roar.
"Mine," Luo Feng muttered.
He drew his alloy blade, his body moving with the speed of a predator. His feet glided across broken concrete as he sidestepped the charge. With a precise swing, he slashed across the beast's throat. Blood sprayed as the boar collapsed in a heap, twitching.
"Sharp and fast," Luo Zheng said flatly, watching.
Luo Feng grinned. "Your turn."
Moments later, a pack of Wolf Beasts emerged from the shadows, snarling, their eyes fixed on the twins.
Luo Zheng stepped forward calmly, his shield raised. A wolf lunged — his blade flashed. One strike, one kill. He pivoted, cutting through another with ruthless precision. Every motion was controlled, efficient, and cold.
In less than a minute, the pack lay dead. Luo Zheng bent, slicing off their ears one by one, his movements steady.
Ding!
The System whispered in his mind.
> [Beast Ears Collected: 5/20]
A faint smile touched his lips.
---
The Grind for Survival
Hours passed as they hunted. Horned boars, wolf packs, clawed apes lurking in abandoned malls — one by one they fell before the twins. Luo Feng fought with fierce intensity, adapting instantly to every monster's movement, his genius in combat shining with every strike.
Luo Zheng fought like a machine. Calm, cold, unshakable. His system silently tracked every kill.
> [10/20]… [15/20]… [18/20]…
By the time the sun began to dip, their packs were heavy with ears, blood smeared across their armor. Other candidates, exhausted, bruised, and terrified, stumbled through the ruins, clutching only a handful of ears.
When some saw the twins, they froze.
"Gods above… they already have more than twenty…"
"They're not human."
"No wonder they're called the Evil Twins…"
Zhang Hao Bai, his arm torn from a beast's claw, glared at them with bloodshot eyes, hatred boiling in his chest. But when Luo Zheng's crimson gaze swept past him, Zhang Hao Bai looked away, trembling.
---
The Final Kill
As they moved deeper into the ruins, a massive roar split the air. A Mid-Level Tiger Beast, its striped body taller than a man, emerged from the rubble, its fangs bared.
The other candidates screamed and scattered.
But the twins didn't flinch.
"I'll distract," Luo Feng said, spinning his blade.
"I'll finish it," Luo Zheng replied.
The tiger lunged. Luo Feng dashed to the side, slashing at its flank. The beast roared, spinning toward him. At that instant, Luo Zheng stepped in, his blade flashing crimson in the fading light.
CRACK!
The blade pierced the beast's skull. It collapsed with a final shudder.
Luo Zheng bent down calmly and sliced off its ear.
> [20/20 Beast Ears Collected. Mission Complete.]
The System's cold voice followed.
> [Reward: Twin Resonance Shields (SS Grade) + Technique Comprehension Card (1 Level).]
Luo Zheng's crimson eyes glowed faintly as he hid the notification behind an expressionless face.
---
Return
By nightfall, the candidates returned to the city gates, dragging bloody weapons, armor torn, faces pale. Many had less than ten ears. Some carried nothing. A few didn't return at all.
When the instructors tallied the results, the crowd buzzed in disbelief.
Luo Feng and Luo Zheng dropped their packs. The pile of ears spilled across the ground, far more than twenty. Gasps filled the air.
"They… they must have over forty!"
"Mad Twin and Cold Twin… they're monsters…"
Jiang Nian's eyes shone as he looked at them. "Outstanding. Both of you — outstanding."
The trial was over. The Evil Twins had passed with results that shook the dojo.
But for Luo Zheng, it was only the beginning.
In the silence of his mind, the System whispered again.
> [New Path Unlocked: Twin Resonance Flight.]
He clenched his fist, his eyes glimmering in the torchlight.
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