How Am I Still Alive?
Chapter 55 - 55 43 Final Sprint Before the Exam

55: Chapter 43: Final Sprint Before the Exam 55: Chapter 43: Final Sprint Before the Exam Soldiers, at the end of the day, are violent enforcers, the basic cells of war.

Discard those laudatory adjectives and prefixes, professional soldiers are simply obedient killing machines, the basic components of war.

“Without personal desire, killing a fellow being for an external goal, proving oneself to have the awakening of killing and the potential to become a violent tool.

This is the basic ritual of the war god ‘Lover of Chess’?

Then, if you intentionally kill someone because of a certain emotion, like hatred or possessiveness, it won’t work?”

“That is the ritual of G.T (Brother Tu), the god of slaughter and butchery.

The first-tier path is Butcher.

These two are mortal enemies…

well, Brother Tu has many enemies, Lin Nu, FON, and most of the war gods, all want to kill him.”

Soldier and Butcher, these two pathways were not introduced in that “Five Three” book.

Lover of Chess is a member of the Proper Gods, while Brother Tu was never mentioned, perhaps being an unapproved Evil God.

“Alright, can you kill someone inside the Secret Realm?

I’ll go right now.”

And the answer was even simpler than expected, the ritual didn’t require “killing on the spot”; as long as you’ve “killed” before, it would be fine.

Lu Ping’an had already qualified, all that was left was to recite the deity’s name and complete the ritual.

Following Big Cat’s request, he wrote the deity “Lover of Chess” on the paper and marked the sacred number 19 around.

“The ritual of borrowing divine power actually has a set of common procedures.”

“The first step is reciting the deity, at the same time, offering the sacrifice, which can be an object or the ‘act’ itself, to draw the attention of the deity.”

Lu Ping’an nodded, knowing that what Big Cat was telling him was the precious “principle” instead of just “how to”.

“…Slightly high-end Secret Realms have so-called entrance tickets, which are the sacrifices that allow the ritual to continue.

The beginner’s Secret Realm you went to doesn’t have one, because the sacrifice is ‘zero’.”

[Host gets a microdose of Taboo knowledge, skill lvup!

Current general skill: Taboo knowledge lv3, 3/100]

Huh?

Can you get mentally polluted by just listening to the whisper of the Evil God?

Seeing the system prompt, Lu Ping’an just wanted to say…

keep it coming, taboo knowledge is the main core skill of the Scholar Path!

“Lover of Chess, explorer of the art of war, I humbly seek your examination, humbly seeking an opportunity to become a chess piece of war.”

Reciting the simple and direct prayer, Lu Ping’an felt as if something was watching him from the darkness, and his past was being examined.

Meanwhile, Big Cat’s chatter was still going on.

“The second step is the ritual itself.

You need to show them what they’re interested in and offer the sacrifices they crave.

Note that this is separate from the previous sacrifice and requires a higher level.

The previous sacrifice was just a courtesy, now comes the main dish.

If the ritual itself is a standardized ritual established by them, it’s even simpler, and often automatically enters a certain process.

An Xin, the one who sees you is not Him, but simply His law, omnipresent law…”

At this time, all the memories of Lu Ping’an’s killings were in his mind, seemingly turned out by a hidden force.

Lu Ping’an became a bit uneasy, feeling that his previous killings were all for himself, wondering if he could pass…

Suddenly, he felt the gaze on him disappear, and He had left.

He had no time to regret, as the result had already come out.

[Beep, congratulations to the host, the initiation ceremony is completed, obtaining the profession ‘Soldier.’]

[Soldier profession modification: Slight increase in physique, micro-raised reflexes, mentally micro-raised.]

[Detection of general skills ‘Fighting lv5’, ‘Shooting skill lv2’, synthesized into professional skill ‘All Weapon Specialization LV4’]

[Obtained professional skill ‘War Memory lv1’]

The initiation of a Soldier was subtly different from that of the previous one.

The general skills of fighting and shooting were not transformed into professional skills, they were still hanging in the general skill column, just with the addition of All Weapon Specialization.

And just as it was born, it gave Lu Ping’an a surprise.

[All Weapon Specialization LV UP!

Current LV4, 1/100]

[Congratulations to the host for the breakthrough, physique micro-raised, reflex micro-raised.]

A heat suddenly appeared in his body, but this time, it lasted for a long time.

It took as much as five minutes for Lu Ping’an to regain his ability to move, and by the time he stood up again, his body had undergone subtle changes.

“I feel strong all over, did I grow taller…”

Afterward, Lu Ping’an measured himself and found that he had grown two centimeters taller and five kilograms heavier.

The muscles on his body had visibly increased, and his body shape had become more proportionate, more suitable for exerting force.

If these were just his personal feelings, the system panel’s prompts were very clear.

[Congratulations to the host, after diligent training, physique breakthrough to Lower Black Iron!]

[Current status: Physique (Lower Black Iron), Reflex (Mortal), Spirit (Lower Black Iron)]

What?

Diligent training?

It seems like I just had many micro-boosts while laying down.

But that’s not the end of it.

[‘All Weapon Specialization’ enters branching stage, please choose specialization evolution direction for the host.]

[A.

Exotic Weapon Specialization, increases the host’s proficiency and skills in using exotic weapons.

Exotic weapons definition: all weapons that cannot be classified as cold weapons or firearms.]

[B.

Cold Weapon Specialization, increases the host’s proficiency in using cold weapons and skills.]

[C.

Firearm Specialization, increases the host’s proficiency in using firearms and skills.]

[D.

Unarmed Specialization, increases the host’s combat skills when fighting unarmed.]

Well, this All Weapon Specialization is truly “All” inclusive.

If it weren’t for Big Cat’s previous suggestion, Lu Ping’an would still be hesitant, but now looking at the “Fighting” and “Shooting” still hanging in the general skill column, Lu Ping’an knows what to choose.

“Choose A.

Using guns, swords and stuff, I’ll get professional bonuses with other part-time roles later.

I’m different from others, extra part-time roles are not difficult for me.”

Instantly, Lu Ping’an’s panel added an[Professional Skill, All Weapon Specialization lv4 (Exotic Weapon Direction)]

From now on, his panel and comprehensive strength have greatly changed.

[Lu Ping’an, 16 years old, male.

Life-points, 4899 (-5000)]

[Status: Physique (Lower Black Iron), Reflex (Mortal), Spirit (Lower Black Iron)]

[Profession: 1-tier Gardener, 1-tier Runner, 0-tier Soldier]

[Professional Ability: Shrink Land (Lower Black Iron)], Listen to Life (Lower Black Iron)]

[Professional Skills: Chasing Light Running Skill LV4, Quick Flash Breathing Technique lv4, Planting (taboo) Lv4, Grafting (pollution) Lv3, All Weapon Specialization Lv4, War Memory Lv1]

[Common Skills: Fighting Lv5, Taboo Knowledge Lv3, Shooting Skill Lv2……]

At this point, Lu Ping’an has obtained enough chips and is ready to face this assessment.

And after slightly making up for his shortcomings, he is still not satisfied, he looks towards his “strengths”.

“Right, I still need more life essence for my magic plants, I’ll consume a bit more of my reserves, and see if I can come up with a couple more interesting new things…”

After obtaining “Life Listening,” Lu Ping’an figured out the usage of life essence from the desires of plants.

The life essences of the 1-tier magic plants’ death recycling are “rankless, unevaluated (0-tier)” essence fragments.

Combining 10 or enough of them, an 1-tier (Lower Black Iron) life essence module can be obtained.

And if this module is something a 1-tier magic plant desires, then, investing it into it, once successfully absorbed, a nearly 2-tier magic plant can be obtained.

“The poisonous evergreen vine and monkey bread tree have a good compatibility, which counts as my luck.

The wind fairy Lei refused other magic combinations, and only ate her own magic plant for further evolution.”

Lu Ping’an’s three magic plants finally produced two evolved types, which is already beginner’s luck, and his subsequent attempts all failed.

But the unexpected delight was the “Grafting” skill, which usually starts moving at 2-tier gardeners, but Lu Ping’an managed to reach Lv3 in one go!

This means that the most difficult to upgrade professional skill for gardeners doesn’t even need dividends for him.

Lu Ping’an’s first plan now is to see if he can create one or two 2-tier fusion magic plants in the remaining time.

In order to face the exam, get a good ranking and spend some life-points, it’s worth it.

And the acquisition of the “Hibernation Bag” actually has basically no effect on his personal strength improvement, but it can serve as a good cover and free up his actual combat choices.

Lu Ping’an had to pretend before, as it’s easy to place and arrange magic plants in a “garden” type secret realm, but it would be very problematic to explain how to take them out.

Now that he has this “Hibernation Bag,” Lu Ping’an can take out magic plants with it as the exit.

Whatever he says is in the bag, nobody is going to check other people’s taboo items.

And plan two is to spend the next three or four days, invite a training partner, and have a final intensive training week before the assessment.

Why three or four days?

Two days later is the college entrance examination, but first is the written test nationwide, and the practical test is probably on the fifth day.

“…Brother Xue En, are you available?

I want to invite you to help me with some front-line practical training.

I have only the 0-tier soldier profession, can we communicate more about it…”

The other side agreed very readily, and not even willing to accept money, but for the sake of a clear mind, Lu Ping’an directly paid a 1000 a day including BUFF.

“Almost done, now, I should have a chance at the prize money…”

But while Lu Ping’an is making his final preparations, he doesn’t know that this year’s Special College Entrance Examination has an unexpected yet reasonable reform.

“What?

General class expanded by 2 times, preparatory class expanded by 10 times?

The total number of examinees has surged more than five times?!

Why is the number of logistics class unchanged?!

Isn’t this bullying honest people!”