On the night of 31 July, at villa number 199 in Ming Yue Compound, the second floor of this villa has four extra large rooms: bedroom, audio visual room, reception room and an extra large training hall. This training hall is fully one hundred and twenty square metres, almost half of the total area on the second floor.
Late at night, the street lights from the compound shine through the glass of the audio visual room and reflect into the training hall on the second floor.
Wearing loose training clothes, Luo Feng sat cross legged quietly on the ground. Two streams of flowing light continuously circled around his body at high speed. Then they flew around the entire training hall like cheerful birds, soaring up, diving down, turning back, extremely flexible and quick.
After a moment, the two streams of light slowed down and stopped, floating in front of Luo Feng. They were two flying knives.
“My current ability to control objects from a distance can only achieve two tasks at once. If I control four or five flying knives, the speed, power and so on will drop sharply.” In the past month, apart from training his physical strength until he could control it completely and precisely, Luo Feng had mainly focused his energy on spiritual念力.
In this past month, living in Ming Yue Compound, Luo Feng had met many martial artists. Through conversations with them, he had confirmed one thing. His念力 was indeed spiritual念力.
“Tomorrow is the martial artist actual combat assessment. I should rest well tonight.”
Luo Feng stood up, opened the glass door and entered the bedroom to rest and sleep.
On the morning of 1 August, led by a martial artist from the Limit Hall, more than thirty prospective martial artists including Luo Feng and Yang Wu headed to the train station.
“Chug chug.” The friction sound of the fast moving train was very weak, but the train carriage was full of noise. This train carriage had a fully enclosed structure with no glass to see the outside. In every carriage a large screen now showed a human figure.
Inside the carriage, many prospective martial artists sat.
“Dear prospective martial artists, future martial artists, I am from the HR Alliance.” The large screen in the carriage was broadcasting a middle aged man’s speech. “I believe everyone has heard of the HR Alliance. The most powerful organisation in the world, the richest organisation, the organisation with the most martial artists. Everyone should also be familiar with our HR Alliance’s other name, the Underground Alliance.”
The prospective martial artists in the carriage gradually quietened down.
Luo Feng and Yang Wu sat side by side and looked up at the large screen.
“Madman, you know about the Underground Alliance right?” Yang Wu laughed. “That is a big rich tycoon. The richest organisation in the world, richer than a national government.”
“I know.”
Luo Feng smiled. In the past month living in Ming Yue Compound he had learned many basic facts from martial artists in the same compound. Before the Great Nirvana period, powerful families controlled some political parties behind countries like America and European nations. These families included the Morgan family, Rockefeller family, Onassis family and so on.
These families once controlled more than half of the world’s enormous wealth.
However when the Great Nirvana period arrived, under the attacks of monsters many small countries were destroyed. The major powers were also busy with their own problems. Governments with armies gained unprecedented strong control. At this time some ancient and powerful families around the world feared being suppressed by government armies. So they joined hands and formed the HR Alliance, also known as the Human Rights Alliance.
The Human Rights Alliance sounds nice, but in reality it is an alliance to consolidate the power of these super families. Martial artists call it the Underground Alliance.
“Our alliance is the largest martial artist exchange platform in the world. Here you can accept tasks with huge rewards.”
“Our alliance has enormous influence all over the world. Join our alliance and become one of us. Even if you go to America, the European Union or other regions, you can enjoy the highest level of service.”
“Our alliance possesses strong military and political power. Join us…”
The middle aged man on the carriage screen spoke for a full fifteen minutes.
“Dear future martial artists.”
The hanging screen in the carriage changed to another man with a serious face. “Let me introduce myself. I am the deputy director of the Security Bureau of Jiangnan Base City. My surname is Liu. In our China, the power of the government army is undoubtedly the strongest. Join the government or join the army. No matter where you are in China, you will receive the best support.”
…
“Everyone.” The carriage screen soon changed to another person. “I am from the Thunderbolt Headquarters in Jiangnan Base City. My surname is Wang. Our Thunderbolt Martial Hall was founded by the world’s fastest invincible powerhouse, Thunder God. We have branches of Thunderbolt Martial Hall all over the world…”
…
“Future martial artists, the previous three have introduced themselves. No need to say more. Everyone knows I am from Limit Martial Hall.” The carriage screen changed to another person. “My surname is Zhuge. Limit Martial Hall is the largest martial hall in the world. It was founded by the world’s number one powerhouse. Our hall possesses the strongest power in the world…”
The promotions from four people made the prospective martial artists in the carriage discuss excitedly.
“Second brother, after becoming a martial artist which side do you plan to join? I feel Limit Martial Hall is good.”
“Join the Underground Alliance. That makes the most money, haha.”
“Thunderbolt Martial Hall offers slightly better benefits to martial artists than Limit Martial Hall. Joining Thunderbolt is also good.”
The excited discussions of the prospective martial artists filled the carriage.
Luo Feng and Yang Wu also discussed in low voices. “Madman, my instructor and former senior brothers all joined Limit Martial Hall. Now even you have joined Limit Martial Hall. Of course I will do the same. Anyway even if I join Limit Martial Hall I can still accept tasks from the Underground Alliance. As for buying and selling items, I can do it inside Limit Martial Hall or in the Underground Alliance.”
“Limit Martial Hall, Thunderbolt Martial Hall, Underground Alliance, government military…” Luo Feng understood clearly.
Within the country the government military is the strongest.
Next is the Underground Alliance, formed by super families from around the world. Even national governments do not dare offend it easily, as this Underground Alliance controls almost the entire world’s economic lifelines.
Thunderbolt Martial Hall and Limit Martial Hall rank last in strength.
However joining the two martial halls also represents freedom.
“Brother Yang, how many prospective martial artists are there on this train?” Luo Feng looked around. Just one carriage already had over a hundred people.
“Many people.” Yang Wu curled his lips. “I heard others discussing earlier. There are two martial artist actual combat assessments per year. Each time over a thousand prospective martial artists from the entire Jiangnan Base City come to participate.”
“Over a thousand people?” Luo Feng was greatly surprised.
But that made sense. The entire Jiangnan City has two hundred million people and Yangzhou City has ten million. On average it is only a few dozen per area.
Moments later.
“Dear prospective martial artists, the train is about to arrive at the station. Please prepare to get off.” The voice came from the loudspeaker in the carriage. As the train gradually slowed down and stopped.
The carriage doors opened with a whoosh. The prospective martial artists from every carriage got off the train.
Soon the large group of prospective martial artists entered a large military camp. The camp covered a vast area. Especially around the periphery of the camp many heavy thermal weapons were visible everywhere. Cannon muzzles pointed outside the camp. Large numbers of soldiers held various advanced weapons.
Luo Feng and the others looked around.
“Look outside the camp.” Yang Wu pointed excitedly into the distance.
Luo Feng looked carefully. Beyond the camp alert line some starving monsters let out roars. But these monsters did not dare approach the camp at all.
“Ga.”
With a piercing cry the prospective martial artists almost simultaneously looked up. In the blue sky hundreds of flying monster birds suddenly whistled past in a dense mass.
“Books say that once you leave the base city you can see all kinds of monsters everywhere. The books are indeed correct.” Luo Feng’s eyes shone. “Humans can only live in base cities or gather in military camps. To roam these places alone and fight those powerful monsters, only martial artists can do it.”
“Everyone.”
A loud voice reached every prospective martial artist’s ears. “Welcome everyone to the North Military District of Jiangnan City. This time your martial artist actual combat assessment for 1680 people will be held in our North Military District. I hope most of you can pass the assessment and I hope all of you can survive and pass this actual combat assessment.”