After politely declining yet another female student's confession, Han Jue returned to his manor in the main city district.
Being too handsome could genuinely be problematic.
His imposing 1.91-meter height, combined with striking features, misty blue eyes, rebellious white hair, and his reputation as a gifted warrior, drew attention like a beacon, particularly from women who found him almost impossible to resist.
The white hair, incidentally, was a family trait passed down through generations.
"I'm back!" Han Jue called out as he entered, casually tossing his shopping bag through the air. It landed perfectly on the living room sofa.
"What did Wang Heng say?" Han Hesheng asked calmly, folding away his newspaper as he looked up from the opposite sofa.
"Brother Wang said that once I pass the warrior combat assessment, I can go directly to the global headquarters training camp. He's already prepared a top-tier contract for me." Han Jue dropped onto the sofa across from his father, eagerly opening the shopping bag and extracting its contents.
A box of exquisitely packaged raw chocolate.
Han Hesheng sampled one piece and frowned immediately. "Far too sweet."
"Are you certain about going after the combat assessment?" Han Hesheng set the chocolate aside, his expression growing more serious. "With your talent and the Han family's background, you could become a War God even without joining their program. If the Thunder Dojo didn't have access to so many rare materials, and if Lei Shen himself wasn't there, I wouldn't want you going at all."
"I believe it's some kind of elite training camp?" Han Jue said, finishing the last piece of raw chocolate with obvious satisfaction.
"Elite training camp?" Han Hesheng's frown eased slightly. "That changes things. Only War Gods graduate from those. With your abilities, you might even reach the councilor level eventually."
"Tell your uncle when the time comes," Han Hesheng reminded him. "He has connections at the Thunder Dojo that could smooth your path."
"That won't be necessary." Han Jue smiled with absolute confidence. "In the future, I intend to surpass both Hong and Lei Shen. A training camp is just the beginning. I'll become the strongest!"
"You stubborn boy!" Han Hesheng glared, though there was fondness beneath the frustration. "Do you think I'm worried about your ability? I'm concerned you'll accidentally kill someone and draw the attention of those old monsters! Most people in the elite training camp are descendants of War Gods, and some even have powerful councilors in their families. If you cause trouble, even your uncle won't be able to fully protect you! War Gods bullying the weak isn't exactly uncommon, you know."
Han Jue fell silent for a moment, unable to argue the point.
This was indeed something he might do. His confidence wasn't mere arrogance, it was fundamental to his mental cultivation. Unwavering self-assurance, the mindset of an absolute powerhouse, an unshakeable belief in victory. Han Jue didn't know which specific level of mental cultivation this represented, but it didn't matter. Everyone's mental cultivation manifested differently, and he was confident his path was both correct and optimal.
Of course, confidence didn't mean stupidity or recklessness.
"Your uncle is a high-level War God, after all, and commands considerable respect. I'm not asking you to restrain yourself excessively, just inform him if you need to eliminate someone," Han Hesheng continued, his tone softening slightly. "That way, he can manage the aftermath."
Han Jue nodded, indicating his understanding.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head to my room," Han Jue said, rising to leave.
"Wait. Take this." Han Hesheng extended a silver card. "There is five billion in this account. If you need anything later, purchase it yourself. If that's insufficient, let me know."
"Thank you, Father!" Han Jue accepted the card with a genuine smile before heading to his room.
"That boy..." Han Hesheng shook his head with helpless affection.
Although the Han family wasn't among the great families, they were well-known in Jiangnan Base City. The current generation had produced only two sons: Han Hesheng and his elder brother, Han Hechang, Han Jue's uncle.
Han Hechang was a high-level War God who chose not to affiliate with any major power, instead registering with the HR Alliance. He was considered among the strongest tier of War Gods, second only to the invincible War Gods, and had earned his reputation as a warrior who specialized in swordplay.
Han Hesheng himself was a junior War God affiliated with the Thunder Dojo, which made him technically senior to Wang Heng. After sustaining injuries in the wilderness and to better care for Han Jue, he'd chosen to remain in Jiangnan Base City rather than continue active missions.
Having two War God brothers in a single generation was rare enough to make the Han family famous within War God circles. Now, with Han Jue displaying such extraordinary talent, the family would likely boast three War Gods in the near future. There was even a strong possibility that Han Jue would surpass the War God level entirely and become a councilor-level powerhouse.
Unfortunately, his confidence bordered on the excessive.
Han Hesheng worried that with Han Jue's personality, a significant failure might break him irreparably, potentially leading to an obsession that would derail his cultivation. Of course, if Han Jue could rise again after such a fall, he would complete a profound spiritual transformation and emerge even stronger.
While this overwhelming confidence was largely inherited from the Han family bloodline, it also stemmed from the tragedy Han Hesheng had never fully discussed, his failure to protect Han Jue's mother all those years ago.
That burden of guilt and regret weighed on him still.
...
Time flowed onward like a river, and soon it was August 1st, the day of the warrior combat assessment.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Wang Heng and Han Hesheng, the quasi-warrior examination had been expedited and completed early, eliminating that potential obstacle. Han Hesheng had also taught Han Jue the Five Hearts Toward Heaven cultivation method, which Han Jue successfully practiced that very evening. The technique increased his strength by over three thousand kilograms, pushing him to the threshold of high-level warrior status.
His current physical statistics were impressive:
Punch force: 4,110 kg Speed: 67 m/s Nerve reaction speed: Full marks for a beginner warrior, excellent for an intermediate warrior
These numbers represented Han Jue's raw physical capabilities, but they didn't fully capture his actual combat effectiveness, which far exceeded what the measurements suggested.
"Here's your combat uniform and boots, along with the Everlasting Sword Series 2," an officer said, handing Han Jue a set of equipment. "This is a communication watch with positioning and emergency contact functions. As for a shield, you didn't request one, so I didn't prepare it."
"Perfect. Thank you," Han Jue said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The officer studied him for a moment, somewhat amazed. What had this young man been eating to grow so tall?
Elsewhere, in a monitoring room, several important figures sat watching Han Jue on the screen.
"Wang Heng, is this the sixteen-year-old prodigy from the Han family?" someone asked.
Wang Heng couldn't resist a smug grin. "Why? Jealous?"
"Absolutely," the man admitted frankly. "How about having him join the Extreme Martial Arts School instead? I could try contacting our founder personally."
"Zhuge Tao, don't even think about poaching my talent!" Wang Heng's eyes widened. "Your Extreme Martial Arts School has always had an advantage over the Thunder Dojo, and you still want to steal my prodigy? I'm warning you, Han Jue has already caught our founder's attention."
"Haha, look how defensive you've become!" Zhuge Tao laughed good-naturedly.
"Enough, you two. Let's see how this young man performs in actual combat," another person interjected, cutting off the brewing argument.
Wang Heng snorted but turned his attention back to the large screen.
"Luo Feng," a loud voice echoed across the square. (TN: This is Swallowed Star Main Character)
A figure jogged to the front of the assembled group.
Han Jue observed the person with mild surprise. He hadn't expected Luo Feng to become a warrior this year. Although he'd read the Swallowed Star novel many times before his transmigration, it had been one of his favorites, who could remember every specific timeline detail when reading for enjoyment?
Still, meeting the protagonist was interesting. Han Jue had no intention of approaching to introduce himself, though. He was confident he wouldn't be inferior to anyone, protagonist or otherwise.
Everyone was the protagonist of their own life, after all.
Due to Han Jue's presence and earlier arrival, Luo Feng didn't encounter the other two geniuses who'd been recruited early in the original timeline.
Under the officers' guidance, more than a thousand prospective warriors marched toward Monster Town. By the time they arrived at the town's outskirts, the sun had already set, painting the sky in shades of crimson and gold.
"This combat assessment follows the same rules as all previous evaluations," the lead officer announced, his voice carrying clearly across the assembled warriors. "It begins promptly at 6:30 tonight and ends at 6:30 tomorrow morning."
"The more monsters you kill, the more points you earn. For each monster eliminated, cut off its left ear as proof of your kill."
"Remember: prospective warriors are strictly prohibited from killing each other. All your activities are under constant surveillance. Violators will be executed immediately."
The officer continued reading through an extensive list of safety protocols and regulations, his tone brooking no argument.
"Remember, if you sustain serious injuries, press the SOS button on your communication watch. Rescue teams will extract you immediately. However, once you activate that emergency signal, your combat assessment is over. There are no second chances."
He paused, scanning the sea of young faces before him, then raised his hand decisively.
"All prospective warriors, move out! Enter Monster Town!"
...
Note: The "Five Hearts to Heaven" or "Five Hearts Toward Heaven" (五心向天) is a specific cultivation position/method in the Swallowed Star universe.