The sword and shield club's martial arts arena is located in a place called the Hall of Princes, this building is old, on the steps is a swordsman whose name I don't know, although the gray and white exterior wall has been repaired, it still gives people a sense of obsolescence, but the building is illuminated by orange lights, the facilities are all new, and clean and bright, in it, there is the illusion of traveling through time and space.

I saw Norman and asked, "What about the king?" ”

"Your Majesty is busy, but I just ask about this trivial matter of reviewing qualifications."

I snorted and thought to myself, "Little things? Do you think I'm idle? Running to join in the excitement of this little thing? ”

If you think about it, I'm really idle.

The hall was soon full of people, east, west, north and south, and the people who came were not only contestants, but also relatives and friends who came to cheer. Among the lords, some of them looked solemn and did not smile; Some people wipe their swords with their heads in their heads, and it seems that they are out of reach; Some people talk and laugh freely, but they inevitably wipe their sweat behind their backs; Someone has a straight face and is fierce to everyone.

I looked at one person, and secretly sneered, it seems that there are more than a hundred people, and I sneered more than a hundred, but as steady as me, I will not put this contempt on the surface, isn't that innocent and unprovoked?

Norman asked, "What?" Duke, why do you sneer so often? Can't they get into your eyes? ”

I was sweating profusely, laughing loudly to hide my embarrassment, and replied: "Look up to the sky and laugh and go out, how can I be a Penghao person!" He recited two lines of poetry, and before she could react, he brushed his sleeves and walked away to avoid her questioning.

Those lords looked at me with unfriendly eyes, this group of people has really low emotional intelligence and poor quality, and I will let you go home one by one later.

Halfway through, Lamia found me and asked, "How long have you been on the toilet?" ”

"My stomach hasn't been good lately, and only listening to those gossip can make my stomach smooth."

Lamia asked, "What gossip?" ”

I whispered in her ear, "Misser is betrothed to Lord Dunn's daughter. ”

Lamia was surprised and delighted, and asked, "Really?" ”

I said, "Of course it's true." ”

My wife, though not a layman, is not immune to her passion for gossip, and she will soon spread the scandal at the speed of sound to everyone.

This is for the sake of Mirsai, lest Niri's mother-in-law pat her ass and leave after playing, so that my brother Mirsai will be exhausted and become a broken flower.

Lamia was so excited that she wanted to go to El Salvador immediately to report it, but she took her business seriously and said, "I've already asked the rules, you listen." ”

With my eyes turned upwards and my nostrils upward, I sneered, "Rules? Your husband and I are the rules, the people I like can get into the ring, and the people I don't like have to get out of the way and go home, wife, give you a beautiful difference, you sit leisurely and comfortably behind the scenes, waiting for those lords to give you gifts, and then write down their names, if it's good, I'll let him pass...."

Lamia twisted my ears and said, "You are so greedy that the sword and shield will come?" Are you stupid? Why should people let you take advantage of an outsider? ”

I screamed, "Can't you talk about it? If you don't take it, forget it, why torture me? ”

Lamia paused her abusive grappler and added, "Actually, it's very simple, each contestant must show three mental blades - offense, defense, speed, and withstand the examiner's mental attack. The sword and shield will have a set of electronic devices, which can roughly detect the strength of the mind blade, as long as it exceeds a certain value, you can pass the level. ”

I was deep in thought when I heard this—there is something wrong with this system, it is overly strict, and there is room for maneuver.

For example, I have taken a fancy to a smart, diligent and capable newcomer, and this newcomer is also very respectful and courteous to me.... No.... Worship is great. But what about this newcomer? Martial arts are not so good, the value may not be so high, such an outstanding character, I am afraid that he will not be able to pass such a cold and impersonal test.

Numerical test, it is very easy to select high-scoring and incompetent people, but it is impossible to accurately select those who are willing to be in the same party as me.... No... Low-scored, high-energy, real manufacturable talents are inevitably lacking and imperfect, so that those who have a heart even if they want to give gifts... No.... There is no way to serve the family and country, and I have to say that it is a pity.

Lamia: "What are you sighing about?" ”

I said: "I came to the Sword and Shield Club for a while, but I didn't get a penny of oil and water, with my value and status, is the Sword and Shield Club too picky?" ”

Lamia sneered, "What are you fishing? Do you think it's playing games to do tasks? Will it definitely get paid? ”

I said angrily, "What kind of tasks do you have if you don't get paid for the task?" Am I a wage earner? ”

Lamia: "You're a working emperor, it's okay, stop talking nonsense, look, the dukes of the Sword and Shield Society!" ”

Vasilissa, Baudelaire, Norman, Neff, and a new acquaintance, Reed Sheen, and I was most surprised by Christina, who came back so quickly.

Chris bowed and said, "Duke, Duchess, thank you for this help, it's really hard for you." ”

I let out a breath in my nostrils, and I wanted to discuss the pay, but Lamia twisted my hip and made it difficult for me to open my mouth.

Norman, who was in charge of the assembly, said, "Colleagues, let's sit down, the Sword and Shield Society is martial, red tape is really unnecessary, and I don't think you want to yawn while listening to the long opening remarks." ”

I yawned at an inopportune time, and Lamia had a "go back and have you to suffer" look on her face. Norman glared at me and asked, "What is the opinion of the Black Coffin Sword Master?" ”

I said, "I'm going to be millions of dollars a minute, can you start faster?" ”

Baudelaire laughed: "The hero sees the same thing, didn't Norman say that before?" ”

I lightly pulled open my coat pocket and said, "Hey, why is this pocket empty, it looks so unsightly..."

Lamia kicked my chair so quietly that my ass nearly broke into four pieces. They couldn't help but laugh and put on a chair, and Lamia leaned close to me, and now I didn't dare to talk nonsense.

Norman said: "Contestants have been asked to pick up their numbers on a first-come, first-served basis, and they will do it in order. ”

Since the visitors were all well-known aristocrats, the staff at the venue did not dare to slack off, arranged seats for them, and called the number in turn, and they were not offended.

Norman stepped up to the platform and said in a loud voice: "Colleagues, warriors, we are gathered here today to mourn the death of the great Duke Harold Dunn, who recently passed away. ”

Lamia stared at me, really, in her eyes I was a naughty boy who didn't know what to do? How could I be disrespectful on such an important occasion?

With that in mind, I swallowed the phlegm that had reached my lips.

The remnants of Belial's bad temper still haunt me, alas, hateful Belial, how long will you harm me? Oh, by the way, and the saint, how many years and months are you going to destroy my spirit?

The long mourning music rang for three minutes, and the lords all showed solemn sorrow, but who knew what they were thinking? Most of them had only come for Dunn's legacy and power, and in that case, they may have taken this sorrow as a prayer to bring them good luck.

All in all, I don't think anyone is sincere in mourning for Dunn except for his widow, and even those who are old and young are likely to hate Dunn's death so early, leaving their future uncertain.

Norman: "The silence is over, and now, please understand the mechanism and rules of this review. ”

She tapped me on the shoulder, as well as Neff's, and I reluctantly got up and followed them to an open space where the equipment was kept, with a long running track, three glass walls, three shelves for swords, and some headphones.

The gentlemen who participated in the competition looked up and paid full attention.

"Everyone will first put on a 30-kilogram heavy armor and cross the runway, and if they can cover a distance of 100 meters in 10 seconds, they will pass the speed test," Norman said. ”

I said, "A hundred meters in ten seconds?" Ha! "My tone was probably very bad, Lamia was glaring fiercely in the distance, and Norman didn't give me a good look.

Norman added: "These two tempered glass walls can withstand missile bombardment, and the sensing device on them can test the attack power of the Mind Blade, and the damage caused by a sniper rifle at a distance of one hundred and fifty meters is one thousand points, and if your slash can reach more than six hundred points, the strength test will be passed." ”

I said, "Six hundred?" So pathetic? What's that? Tickle the lava demon? ”

Everyone present, except Mirse, hated me to the point of itching. I don't want to, but I can't control my mouth, it seems that I have a talent for praise, and this talent is integrated into my soul.

Norman and Neff left me far behind, and seemed to regret letting me be a judge, and I was indignant and followed closely.

Norman hesitated for a few seconds, then pointed to the three special long swords and said: "There are also testing instruments on this long sword, and our three examiners will attack the heavily armed ones with seven hundred points of mental blade power from ten meters away, if your mental blade defense withstands this damage and is not damaged, it is considered to have passed the test." ”

I sighed: "The despicable sword is out of the sheath, and it must drink blood, my great sword is already hungry and thirsty, I am afraid that I can't help but send out more than 7,000 attacks, ignoring the armor, those who obey me live, and those who stand in my way die..."

Norman said: "If the examiner can't control his strength, then what face is there to call himself an examiner?" ”

My heart sank, and I secretly thought that I must not lose face.

When they arrived at the last of the instruments, they said, "The examiner will connect with the contestants through this apparatus and turn the telekinetic blade into a mental deterrent, and if the contestant can endure the intimidation and survive for two minutes, it will be considered a success." The instrument will test the examiner's reading blade value, which must not exceed 700 points. ”

I said, "What should I do if the examiner is tired?" ”

Norman said, "As examiners, if the three of us can't even handle more than forty people, we can still go to the side to drink tea and sleep." In the future, if someone says that we are in vain, don't try to refute it. ”

I was secretly frightened, knowing that she was aimed at me, and the strength I showed was obvious to all, but if someone poked my backbone in the future, saying that my attainments were not accurate and ingenious enough, then where should I put this face?

This sinister Norman, this sinister sword and shield society, this sinister dungeon, this sinister world.