God's Test!

Although he had said before the test that he would break the apparatus, Karen hadn't actually been sure whether he could pull it off. But the moment he dipped his hand into the water tank, his confidence surged. Because this testing apparatus was configured for the knight order's recruitment process, its upper limit wasn't exceptionally high—at least, not absurdly high for Karen. The Eye of Order rotated, and soul power surged forth. In truth, even in ordinary combat, Karen rarely mobilized all of his soul power like this; after all, there was never such a quiet, ideal environment, and an opponent wouldn't foolishly stand before you watching you slowly charge up. The water tank couldn't withstand Karen's soul power, and the liquid inside could no longer manifest soul power of this caliber. After a brief lull, it erupted with violent force. His "mediocrity" in the physical examination made it necessary for Karen to deliberately showcase his abilities here. The only miscalculation was that the water tank's quality was truly shoddy. Shattered porcelain shards and liquid splattered everywhere. If Karen hadn't swiftly drawn his hand into the sleeve of his divine robe while twisting aside, and if the divine robe itself hadn't provided a degree of physical protection, his face and hands might have already been slashed with cuts and disfigured. Even so, he couldn't avoid being thoroughly drenched, and the liquid was sticky. Karen stood up and shook the jelly-like sludge from his divine robe. Silence fell over the room. The military doctor responsible for recording had fallen to the floor, a clear gash across his face. Karen reached out his hand, and the military doctor extended his own. "The medical form," Karen reminded him. "Oh, right." Feeling somewhat embarrassed, the military doctor pulled his hand back, hurriedly wrote down the highest evaluation in this column on the medical form, and handed it to Karen. Karen took the form, switched hands, and pulled the military doctor to his feet. "My apologies for giving you a fright." "Equipment issue, equipment issue..." The squad members let out a cheer that mingled enthusiasm with quiet restraint. They were not surprised by Karen's strength, nor were they shocked that he could cause such a scene. It was simply: I know it, I saw it, and I'm thrilled about it. The department director and the others gathered around Philomena were stunned. Several other military doctors nearby wanted to go over and persuade Karen—many doctors in this department had backgrounds in the knight order's formation master sequence, and they were eager to scout promising talent for their branch. But the director wasn't a director for nothing. He immediately realized that finding one genius in a group could be understood, but two appearing together was highly suspicious. What was more, the earlier members' evaluations had also mostly been at the excellent level. The director looked down at Philomena and asked, "What unit are you people with?" Standing beside her, Richard spoke up, "We're a newly formed Whip of Order squad." A newly formed Whip of Order squad? The director's eyes darted thoughtfully, then he raised a hand to stop his subordinates who still intended to recruit. Facing their puzzled looks, he said, "Haven't you read the documents from above? Whip of Order squads are formed by drawing exceptional young people from various branches to begin with. How could they possibly let you poach them back?" After explaining, the director waved his hand, signaling the others to return to their duties, while he quietly pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and continued following along to enjoy the show. For the subsequent series of soul-related tests, Karen held nothing back. To play it safe, he went last every time. However, because news of the shattered water tank had already reached the other departments, and the director followed along to warn every station in advance, whenever Karen's turn arrived, the responsible military doctors reinforced the protections on their testing apparatuses. Furthermore, Karen no longer tested with the intention of breaking the machines. When reaching a certain point, he would even considerately ask the testing doctor, "Is that enough?" Consequently, in the subsequent series of soul evaluations, Karen scored an "11" across the board. The maximum score was 10; an 11 signified talent so outstanding it overflowed the scale. Because the knight order's recruitment physical had an age limit—under twenty-three for Order believers in peacetime—normally, anyone scoring an "11" would directly alert active mid-ranking officers of relevant branches to come scout them. The reason was that even if someone underwent the examination here, they didn't necessarily have to report to the local knight order; the results were universally accepted by knight orders stationed in other regions. Moreover, different branches within the same knight order competed with each other. Although the Church of Order had always exercised high-level control over the Order Knights, the various branches within a knight order still wielded deep, interconnected influence across departments outside the knight order. Setting aside the special nature of the Guman family, under ordinary circumstances, deep ties existed between a regional formation department and the knight order's formation master sequence. Communication between church hospitals and knight order hospitals was likewise guaranteed. The Monster Beast Research Institute where Ashley's parents worked had actually been spun off from the knight order, and it still conducted monster beast research to meet the knight order's demands. This time, however, the director held back these reports for now, sparing prospective recruiters a wasted trip. The final soul test was 【Soul Investigation】. It served two purposes: first, to check whether the soul had "defects," and second, to check whether one was "possessed." During the era of the God War, both warring sides stooped to every underhanded tactic imaginable; soul possession of enemy personnel for manipulation and infiltration had long ceased to be novel. The mythological accounts even recorded a battle where a deity was possessed by the divine soul of another chief god, who directly detonated the divine formation and caused the entire battle to be lost. Karen was not worried about this test in the slightest. Even if he didn't believe in himself, shouldn't he believe in the Throne of Order? Having been aligned with Order by the Throne of Order, if the knight order hospital could detect an issue with his soul, one could only suspect that the Church of Order had undergone a "peaceful evolution." The testing apparatus was an eye imprinted on the ceiling, surrounded by energy-supplying magic arrays. When the test subject stood in the circle below, the massive eye on the ceiling would open, cast a glance at them, and close, while the military doctor standing in another circle beside it received the resonance to issue an evaluation. This eye was likely an offshoot of a "divine artifact." A complete divine artifact possessed immense utility. To use an imperfect analogy, it was like an independently running operating system capable of delegating outward to support various branches. Just like how he had received authorization from the 【Scythe of War】, it was essentially another manifestation of expanding the application of a divine artifact. Thus, once a divine artifact bore the label of "damaged"—even the slightest, most infinitesimal defect—its value and efficacy plummeted, because even a tiny flaw could not sustain such large-scale branch applications. Muri stepped into the circle. The eye above opened, "looked" at him, and closed. In the other circle, the military doctor opened his eyes, glanced at the preceding section of Muri's medical form, and asked curiously, "How did you manage this?" Then his gaze shifted to the name column: Muri Benda. His lips twitched. He handed the form back to Muri and asked nothing further. Everyone had different backgrounds and experiences; even among the military doctors here, sensitivity to names and noble family surnames varied. Before getting to know Muri, Karen hadn't known about the Benda family either. Muri walked back holding his medical form and smiled at Karen. It was completely normal that his physical scores were all exceptional; after all, he came from the Benda family. No matter how little presence he had in the clan, the family wouldn't be foolish enough to withhold basic resources from him. And his soul being exceptional was entirely thanks to Karen. After all, he had not yet finished absorbing Gaitanbert's "gift." For a warrior, if his shortcomings in the soul could also be patched up, his future development would be all the brighter. Next up was Richard. After being "scanned," his evaluation came back as above average. Karen noticed that Memphis beside him had grown completely numb. Perhaps he had already consoled himself in his heart: as a father, having his son healthy, pain-free, and illness-free was already good enough. Well, Richard had certainly accomplished that much. One by one, they stepped forward. When it was Ashley's turn, the eye above opened and stayed open. Karen felt it was staring so hard it was about to tear up—if it had tear ducts, that is. While others took merely ten seconds, Ashley took a full five minutes. When the eye above finally closed, the military doctor responsible for the evaluation opened his eyes, cold sweat dripping down his face as he panted heavily. Of his two colleagues nearby, one rushed to support him while the other hurriedly offered an energy potion. After downing two bottles in succession, the military doctor said to Ashley, "You almost sent me straight to the First Knight Order." His colleague beside him said, "Wake up, you don't qualify." The other colleague chimed in, "Forget it, I've never heard of the First Knight Order needing doctors." Ashley stuck out her tongue. She naturally knew where the problem lay: the dense swarm of "tattoo stickers" covering her arms. During the investigation, these tattoo stickers forced the eye to examine each monster beast one by one, effectively saddling the military doctor with the workload of dozens of people at once. The fact that he hadn't gone into shock on the spot was already proof of his excellence. "A very solid foundation," the doctor evaluated. "From the Research Institute?" For such a young girl to bear marks from so many monster beasts, she couldn't possibly have captured them all herself. It had to be through her parents' connections, and her parents had to work in the relevant field. "Mm-hmm, yes." "Heh, remember to give a heads-up next time. Well, there won't be a next time anytime soon." "Thank you for your hard work." Ashley took her medical form and walked down. Next was Philomena. Philomena's soul tier was something not even Muri, having devoured Gaitanbert, could match. Given her upbringing and bloodline, she would have gone mad long ago without a sufficiently powerful soul. Born with powerful bloodline potency, she had endured uninterrupted torment from her grandmother throughout her upbringing. Karen was the last. He stepped into the circle. The eye above opened, and after just three seconds, it closed—far faster than for anyone before him. The replacement doctor in the other circle looked at Karen in shocked bewilderment. "Is there a problem, Doctor?" Karen asked. "No, none. A very powerful soul, and deeply attuned to the aura of Order. You must be a devout believer of Order, otherwise your soul could never carry such a dense aura of Order." "Naturally. I have always firmly believed that no one in this world is more loyal to the great God of Order than I." Having received his form, Karen stepped out of the examination room. The director didn't continue following them; instead, he walked in and asked, "What happened with the last one?" "A very powerful soul, higher than anyone before him. I had to give an '11.'" "So fast?" "Director, sir, as I just explained, I wasn't lying or using polite pleasantries. The aura of Order on his soul is exceptionally dense, dense enough that Lord 'Eye' was completely at ease and didn't even need to look further. Completely free of impurities." "Free of impurities?" "Yes. He reminded me of those elderly, weathered Order believers I met in the past, devout worshippers of Order all their lives. But even for them, achieving such purity in their soul aura is exceedingly difficult." ... The final test was faith—the "political screening" process of the Church of Order. However, it required no investigative background checks or official certifications. In a vast examination hall the size of a basketball court stood three small black huts. Each hut had only a single doorway for entry and exit, shielded not only by curtains, but also shrouded in a faint layer of black mist that blocked all outside detection. In truth, the hospital was not operating at full capacity; the regular recruitment season hadn't arrived yet. Consequently, other departments mostly ran only a single apparatus, yet three huts were open here, indicating this step required considerably more time. When Karen and the others arrived, an old man was sitting there drinking tea, while several young people nearby were sweeping and cleaning. The old man wore no white lab coat, but rather divine robes of Order. He swept his eyes over Karen and the group as they entered, spitting a few tea leaves onto the floor beside him. "You all have examination forms in your hands. The faith category has many sub-items, but don't worry—everything can be resolved right here. There is no second department. "Let me introduce myself first. I'm Davins, vice president of this hospital. But you don't need to remember my name. Although I'm one of eight vice presidents at this knight order hospital, I'm just a figurehead. Aside from these few interns, I can't boss around a single person in this hospital... "After all, my department is only useful during recruitment. In peacetime or wartime, who gets injured and runs over here for faith therapy? "Heh, alright, down to business. "These three huts are 'Inquiry Rooms.' While you were undergoing the earlier tests, I received notice to open these three huts and begin warming them up. "Buried beneath these rooms is a formation containing a feather—an offshoot of Lord Tyrannus's quill." In the mythological accounts of Light of Order, Tyrannus was one of the four attendants of the God of Order. He maintained a low profile without many glorious battle achievements, yet he had personally set about establishing the Church of Order. It was said that the first edition of Light of Order had been written by him using a quill. The York City Region selection Karen, Richard, and the others had undergone took place precisely in the Tyrannus Hall. Tyrannus's quill was likely also a divine artifact. Although the Church of Order recognized only the single God of Order without branch deities, figures like the four attendants and the Twelve Order Knights, taken individually, were in no way inferior to the branch deities of other orthodox churches. Davins coughed and spat a thick glob of phlegm into the nearby trash can. From this alone, Karen could tell at a glance that it came from heavy chain-smoking. However, at this moment, no one would be foolish enough to step up and offer the old man a cigarette. Seeking leniency through connections in the earlier stages could be understood, but here, one couldn't afford to show such things. It was the least important test, yet carried the greatest taboos. "The quill possesses consciousness. Of course, it cannot chat, speak, and reason like a normal person; all it can do is communicate with you regarding matters of faith. "Please trust its capabilities, and even more, trust its authority. I don't know whether you will deteriorate in the future, but right now, you cannot hide anything from it. "I know you aren't here for recruitment. In fact, I find it strange why you even bothered coming here. You could have called it off already. Did you want a complete and perfect record? "Certainly, you may, and I fully support it. But I must remind you: place your hand over your heart and ask yourself whether you are truly loyal to the God of Order. If you skip this test, nothing happens. If you take it, getting a score isn't of much use. But if your score is abysmally low and you fail... heh, then you're in big trouble." After speaking, Davins continued sipping his tea. After a moment, he said, "Decided yet? Come on then, three at a time, one person per hut. You'll understand once you step inside." Alfred stepped up to Karen and whispered, "Young Master?" "You want to go." "Yes, Young Master. Since my physical body has received certification, there's no reason my soul shouldn't attain sublimation." "Alright," Karen agreed. Alfred took his place beside Karen. "Then I'll fill the spot." Richard stepped forward. The first batch of three to take the test were Karen, Alfred, and Richard. Davins stood up and waved his hand to activate the array. Instantly, the holy anthems of the Church of Order echoed through the hall, radiating a sacred, solemn aura. "Rest assured. In this test, I will only receive the final results granted by Lord Quill. I have no way of knowing what you communicated with Lord Quill inside, or what you confessed. "Because we permit doubts, skepticism, and disorientation. The fundamental purpose of this test lies in salvation. "Just like the priests in the confessionals of outside churches, they will surely keep your secrets. Oh, at least Lord Quill has far more professional ethics than those priests. "When you step out of this hut, Lord Quill will erase its own memories of the session. So relax, communicate freely, and bare your soul without reservation. "Furthermore, once you enter and achieve mental resonance with Lord Quill, communication becomes exceptionally fast. Half an hour inside might actually encompass four or five hours of dialogue. "The exchange of thought is always that swift; otherwise, how could sparks fly? Heh. "Alright, "Come, "You three, please enter." Karen and Alfred bowed to Davins; toward a political officer, one naturally had to show extra respect. Davins returned the bow. Richard was two beats late. He had already taken two steps forward before noticing, then backed up to bow along with them. Behind them, Mr. Memphis saw this and sighed. He had realized that every time he saw his son standing beside Karen, it was remarkably easy for him to get angry. Karen walked into the hut. The light dimmed instantly, followed by a sensation of complete isolation from the outside world. Inside stood a chair and a table. Karen sat down on the chair. A copy of Light of Order lay upon the table. At that moment, it flipped open on its own, and the illusory projection of a quill floated forth, radiating a solemn, profound aura. ... Richard took a nervous deep breath. At this moment, it seemed even the most devout Order believer would feel tense. His fists were clenched, palms sweating. The quill addressed Richard from on high with immense majesty: "First, I will ask you a few questions." ... Alfred took out his little notebook, held his fountain pen, crossed his legs, and looked at the quill floating before him. He took a deep breath, a smile spreading across his face—he genuinely loved this atmosphere. He wanted to memorize this feeling; the next time an opportunity arose to recruit newcomers into the faith, he would recreate a similar setting. The quill addressed Alfred in a calm tone: "Let us first discuss the first topic." ... Before Karen, the illusory quill flickered rapidly and warped through a series of spasms before finally regaining its calm. Yet after Karen sat for a long time, the quill before him never spoke. Was the apparatus broken? Or was something wrong with the formation? Karen leaned forward and asked quizzically, "Excuse me, may we begin?" The quill responded: "Please give your instructions."