darknovel Chapter 149 Interview and Defense
Chapter 149 Interview and Defense
The sound of the bells still echoed.
Chen Fan did not stop.
Behind him, the demon kings of Flower Fruit Mountain followed closely. Sun Wukong walked in front, his golden cudgel slung over his shoulder, his fiery eyes scanning the surroundings.
The seventh assessment tower is getting closer.
It was a colossal black tower, constructed entirely of some unknown black stone, its surface covered with densely packed runes. A giant bell hung atop the tower, and the sound of the bell just now had come from there.
The area around the tower was already packed with people.
No, it's not a person.
It is an observer.
They were dressed in identical gray robes and wore masks, obscuring their faces. But every gaze that fell upon them carried a scrutinizing air.
Chen Fan stopped in his tracks.
"Ninth Experimental Field, Chen Fan."
He gave his name.
The group of people in gray robes did not move.
A moment later, a voice came from inside the tower.
"The Ninth Experimental Field, the Foundation Assessment of Flower and Fruit Mountain, the first echo has been heard."
The voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
"Assessment result - pending."
Pending?
Sun Wukong frowned.
What does "pending" mean?
He took a step forward, and his aura suddenly exploded.
"I, Old Sun, have waited three chapters, and you're just giving me 'pending'?"
Someone in the gray-robed crowd spoke up.
"Because your materials are controversial."
"Controversy?" Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"Thirty-two names on the signatory list cannot be verified," the gray-robed man said. "Seventeen of the rules cited have been marked as questionable. Of the incriminating evidence, seven have been determined to be of unknown origin."
He paused.
"Therefore, an in-person interview and response are required."
Interview and defense.
The moment those four words were uttered, the atmosphere around them changed instantly.
The demon kings on Huaguo Mountain looked at each other in bewilderment.
"What is an interview and defense?" the white dragon horse asked in a low voice.
"It's a face-to-face interrogation, with answers given on the spot," the Bull Demon King said in a deep voice. "A special procedure for outer layer evaluation. It's usually used when there's a dispute about the materials."
"How do you argue?"
"The evaluator will raise questions, and the evaluated party will respond on the spot. If they cannot answer, the evaluation will be rejected directly. If they can answer, the result will be determined based on the quality of their response."
The Bull Demon King spoke, his face looking rather grim.
"But this program is rarely used."
Why?
"Because the evaluators can ask an endless number of questions," the Bull Demon King gritted his teeth. "If they want to trip you up, they can always find an endless stream of questions."
Sun Wukong sneered.
"Then let them ask."
He gripped the golden cudgel tightly.
"I, Old Sun, want to see what tricks they can come up with."
"Wait a minute."
Chen Fan raised his hand and stopped Sun Wukong.
He looked at the group of gray-robed men.
"Clearly explain the rules for the face-to-face interview and defense."
From among the gray-robed men, a tall observer stepped forward.
He took off his mask, revealing an old face.
"I am Zhou Tong, the deacon of the Seventh Assessment Tower."
He looked at Chen Fan.
"There are three rules for the face-to-face interview and defense."
"First, if you fail to defend yourself, your status can be preserved, but your application for upgrade will be rejected. In other words, your Huaguo Mountain foundation can be maintained, but your application for upgrade will be directly rejected."
"Secondly, those who pass the defense will be eligible for a temporary promotion. However, there are only three such slots, and whether a final promotion will be granted depends on further evaluation."
"third--"
Zhou Tong's gaze sharpened.
"No violence is allowed during the debate. Any use of violence will result in immediate disqualification."
No violence.
Sun Wukong's face immediately turned ugly.
His advantage lies in his military strength.
Preventing the use of force now is tantamount to cutting off one of his arms.
"Is this targeting me, Old Sun?" he said in a deep voice.
"These are the rules," Zhou Tong said expressionlessly. "All applicants are treated equally."
Chen Fan remained silent.
He hadn't expected the outer assessment to pull this stunt.
Without using force, they rely solely on words.
This is pushing them to their deaths.
"When will it start?" he asked.
"Now," Zhou Tong turned and walked towards the door of the assessment tower, "follow me."
The door slowly opened.
Inside was a long corridor, with dim lights on both sides. At the end of the corridor was a huge hall.
In the center of the hall stood a long table. Behind the table sat seven men in grey robes.
They are the judges of today.
Zhou Tong gestured for Chen Fan and the others to come forward.
"Representatives of the Ninth Experimental Field, please take your seats."
Chen Fan walked to the opposite side of the long table and sat down.
Sun Wukong wanted to follow, but Zhou Tong stopped him.
"Only delegates are allowed to sit."
"He can't do it alone," Sun Wukong said in a deep voice. "I, Old Sun, will stay with him."
"Rules are rules."
"Screw your rules!"
Sun Wukong slammed his hand on the table.
"This interrogation and defense was specifically designed to target Flower Fruit Mountain. Sending someone up there is blatant bullying, isn't it?"
Zhou Tong's face darkened.
"Are you going to resort to violence?"
"So what if we resort to force?"
Sun Wukong's body shone with golden light.
"Haven't I suffered enough humiliation in the past five hundred years? Now you're even manipulating my interrogation?"
"Great Sage!"
Chen Fan suddenly spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but it was steady.
Sun Wukong was stunned for a moment.
"gentlemen……"
"Calm down," Chen Fan said, looking at him. "You're playing right into their hands."
"But--"
"I'm enough on my own."
Chen Fan stood up and looked directly at the seven judges.
"I will fight for the fate of Flower Fruit Mountain myself."
Sun Wukong clenched his fist.
Finally, he let go.
"Alright." He took a step back. "Sir, I, Old Sun, will be waiting for you outside."
"But if you get bullied—"
"I called you immediately."
Chen Fan smiled.
Sun Wukong stopped talking, turned around and walked out of the hall.
The atmosphere in the hall was tense.
The seven judges looked at Chen Fan with different expressions.
Some were indifferent, some scrutinizing, and some carrying a hint of mockery.
"Let's begin."
The judge in the center spoke.
"Ninth Experimental Field, Huaguo Mountain Foundation Assessment, Interview and Q&A Session, now beginning."
The first question—
He picked up a document.
"Among the signatories is Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea. How was his signature obtained?"
Chen Fan glanced at the document.
Ao Guang's signature was written in a flamboyant style, and next to it was the seal of the East Sea Dragon Palace.
"I went to Donghai and asked him to sign it in person," Chen Fan said.
"In person?" the judge sneered. "Ao Guang is a righteous god appointed by the Heavenly Court. What makes him think he can help your Flower Fruit Mountain sign off on this?"
"Because he owes me a favor."
"What favor?"
"A hundred years ago, the Dragon Palace of the East Sea was besieged by sea monsters, and I came to its aid. Ao Guang promised that if I ever needed anything in the future, I could always turn to him."
"Words alone are not enough."
"There's proof." Chen Fan took out a jade pendant from his pocket. "This is a token given to me personally by Ao Guang."
He placed the jade pendant on the table.
The judge paused for a moment.
He picked up the jade pendant and examined it carefully.
It is indeed something from the Dragon Palace of the East Sea.
"This..." He frowned.
"What, is there a problem?" Chen Fan said calmly.
"No problem." The judge set down the jade tablet. "But a single jade tablet is not enough to prove that Ao Guang signed it voluntarily. He may have been forced."
"Forced?"
Chen Fan smiled.
"What can I, a mere human, force the Dragon King to do?"
"The Monkey King stands behind you."
"Sun Wukong didn't go to the East Sea. I went alone."
"Then how will you get Ao Guang to agree?"
"I said that if Flower Fruit Mountain could be upgraded, the Dragon Palace of the East Sea could enjoy priority trading rights."
Chen Fan's voice was calm.
"This is a win-win situation. Ao Guang isn't stupid; he can see the benefits."
The judge remained silent.
Another judge standing nearby spoke up.
"Alright, let's put Ao Guang's matter aside for now. The second question—"
He opened another document.
"In your rule citation, you cited Article 37 of the 'External Assessment Ordinance,' which states that 'foundation assessments can be expedited through joint signatures.' Where does this rule come from?"
"From the rule monument," Chen Fan said.
"This rule isn't on the rule marker."
"have."
Chen Fan stood up.
"The rule tablet, third layer, line seventy-two, rule fourteen."
He gave a precise location.
"If you don't believe me, you can check it out."
The judges exchanged glances.
Someone got up and walked out of the hall.
A moment later, the man returned, holding a thick booklet in his hand.
"Copy of the rules tablet, third layer."
He opened it and found line seventy-two.
Article 14 —
Article 37 of the External Assessment Regulations states: Foundation assessments can be expedited through joint signatures; if the number of signatories exceeds fifty, a priority channel can be applied for.
That is indeed the case.
The judge's expression changed.
"this……"
"Any other questions?" Chen Fan asked, looking at him.
The judge gritted his teeth.
The third question—
He opened another document.
"Among the pieces of incriminating evidence, there is one concerning the Northern Heavenly Court. It states that 'the Northern Heavenly Court privately altered evaluation results, rejecting an application to upgrade an experimental field due to insufficient bribery.' Where did this evidence come from?"
"From a traitor within the Northern Heavenly Court," Chen Fan said.
Who is the mole?
"I can't say."
"If they don't say, then the source is unknown."
"The source is clear, but I can't reveal the informant's name," Chen Fan's voice turned cold. "That's the rule. You observers should understand."
The judge sneered.
"As observers, we only look at the evidence. If you can't produce an informant, the evidence is just a piece of paper."
"good."
Chen Fan took out another item from his pocket.
"This is another piece of evidence provided by our informant—internal meeting minutes of the Northern Heavenly Court."
He slammed the thing on the table.
"The meeting minutes clearly state: 'The application for upgrading the 93rd Experimental Field is rejected because no additional fees were paid.'"
"Date, attendees, and meeting agenda—everything is included."
"You still want to say this is waste paper?"
The judge picked up the record, his face turning ashen.
It's clearly written here.
Moreover, it bears the secret seal of the Northern Heavenly Court.
"You…" the judge glared at Chen Fan, "How did you get these things?"
"It's all about ability," Chen Fan said calmly. "You asked about the source of the evidence, and I provided it. You asked about the origin of the rules, and I provided those as well. You asked about the joint signatures, and I explained that as well."
"Do you want to ask any more questions?"
The hall was completely silent.
The seven judges all looked grim.
They hadn't expected this human to be so well-prepared.
Every question has an answer.
Every question has evidence.
Zhou Tong stood to the side, his brows furrowed.
"Continue," the judge in the center said in a deep voice, "The fourth question—"
"etc."
A judge standing nearby interrupted him.
This was an old man who remained silent.
At this moment, he looked at Chen Fan with a complicated expression.
"How long did it take you to prepare these materials?"
"Three days," Chen Fan said.
Three days?
"Three days."
The old man remained silent.
In just three days, such detailed materials were prepared.
This human is no ordinary person.
"Why do you insist on upgrading Flower Fruit Mountain?" the old man asked.
Chen Fan looked at him.
"Because Flower and Fruit Mountain is worth it."
"worth?"
"Huaguo Mountain has a history of three hundred years, hundreds of elite demon clans, a complete industrial system, and stable territory and resources."
Chen Fan's voice was steady.
"It's stronger than many of the upgraded experimental fields."
"But its background isn't clean," the old man said. "It's the territory of the Monkey King."
"What happened to the Monkey King?"
"He is a sinner in Heaven."
"That happened five hundred years ago." Chen Fan's gaze sharpened. "Five hundred years later, he has served his sentence, imprisoned under Five Fingers Mountain for five hundred years. This debt has long been settled."
"The Heavenly Court doesn't think so."
"The Heavenly Court deems it unimportant," Chen Fan said coldly. "It's clearly written on the rule stele—the upgrade of the experimental field only considers its foundation, not its background."
"Is the foundation of Flower Fruit Mountain strong enough?"
The old man remained silent.
enough.
Of course it's enough.
All the judges were well aware of this.
They had seen the materials from Huaguo Mountain.
In terms of foundation, strength, and resources, it far exceeds the standards for upgrading.
The only problem is that its owner is Sun Wukong.
The Heavenly Court did not want Sun Wukong to turn the tables.
So, they've been stuck.
But now, it can't be stopped.
Because Chen Fan prepared all the materials perfectly.
They could not find a reason to reject it.
"..."
The judge in the center closed his eyes.
"Court shall adjourn for a moment."
He stood up and walked into the inner room.
The other judges also stood up.
Only Chen Fan remained in the hall.
He sat there, motionless.
Outside, Sun Wukong and the others waited anxiously.
Time passed little by little.
After an incense stick has burned.
Two incense sticks later.
After three incense sticks burned.
Finally, the hall doors opened.
The seven judges filed out and returned to their seats.
The judge in the center holds a document in his hand.
He looked at Chen Fan.
"Representative of the Ninth Experimental Field, Chen Fan."
"Interview and Q&A session concluded."
"The results are now announced—"
Inside the hall, everyone held their breath.
"After deliberation by the seven judges, it was determined that the materials submitted by the Ninth Experimental Field basically met the evaluation requirements."
"The list of signatories has been verified and is correct."
"The rule has been verified as valid."
"The evidence against them is clearly sourced."
"therefore--"
The judge paused.
"Assessment: Ninth Experimental Site, Temporary Admission Interview Sequence."
Temporary access interview sequence.
This means that Huaguo Mountain's application for upgrading has passed the first hurdle.
There are many more levels to come.
But at least, we've gotten through this hurdle.
Chen Fan stood up.
Thank you.
He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, then turned and walked out of the hall.
Outside the door, Sun Wukong and the others came to greet them.
"Sir, how is it?"
Chen Fan smiled.
"Passed."
Sun Wukong was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Great! That was awesome!"
He punched the wall.
"I knew it, sir, you'd be fine!"
Tang Sanzang put his hands together in prayer and chanted a Buddhist mantra.
"It's good, it's good."
The Bull Demon King and the others also breathed a sigh of relief.
But Chen Fan's smile quickly faded.
"Don't be too happy yet," he said. "This is just the first hurdle."
"Further evaluations are needed."
Sun Wukong nodded.
"No matter how many challenges there are, I, Old Sun, will accompany you through them all."
"Let's go back and celebrate."
Everyone turned around, ready to leave.
Just then—
The bell at the top of the tower rang again.
hum-
Everyone stopped in their tracks.
The bells tolled, carrying a strange rhythm.
This is no ordinary bell sound.
This is--
The second echo.
Zhou Tong's voice came from inside the tower.
"The Ninth Experimental Site, temporary access interview sequence, has taken effect."
"but--"
"Those who have objections may file an application for reconsideration within three days."
"Once a reconsideration application is submitted, the interview result will be suspended and will need to be reassessed."
Chen Fan paused in his steps.
Reconsideration?
He turned around and looked at the black giant tower.
At the top of the tower, a figure was standing there.
The man, dressed in a golden robe, looked down at the crowd from his elevated position.
A cold smile played on his lips.
"Chen Fan."
The man's voice echoed throughout the entire valley.
"You think passing the interview means you'll get promoted?"
"Innocent."
"I'll tell you—"
"Huaguo Mountain will never be upgraded."
"because--"
"I am Liu Yuan."
Liu Yuan.
Upon hearing this name, Sun Wukong's expression immediately changed.
"It's him!"
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
Liu Yuan.
One of the key personnel in charge of the outer layer assessment.
He was also the one who had been blocking Flower Fruit Mountain all along.
He finally showed up.
"I've prepared my appeal application," Liu Yuan sneered. "Within three days, I'll show you what despair truly means."
After saying that, he turned around and disappeared from the top of the tower.
The chimes gradually stopped.
But the oppressive atmosphere lingered for a long time.
Chen Fan stood still, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
"Liu Yuan..."
He murmured the name.
"very good."
"I'd like to see what kind of trouble you can cause."
Sun Wukong gripped his golden cudgel tightly.
"Sir, should I, Old Sun, go and kill him right now?"
"No," Chen Fan shook his head. "He's in charge of the outer layer assessment. Moving against him is tantamount to going against the entire outer layer."
"What should we do then?"
"wait."
Chen Fan turned around and walked away.
"Let's wait for him to make his move."
"Then--"
"Fight back with one move."
His voice was very soft.
But every word carried a chill.
The mountain wind howled.
The outline of the Seventh Assessment Tower looked particularly menacing in the twilight.
A new storm is brewing.
Chapter 418 Temporary Access
Chen Fan stood atop the mountain. The wind swirled, the clouds hung low. The system screen flickered. A golden badge hovered in the air, bearing the words "Temporary Access." Its light was blinding. Chen Fan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Listen up, everyone." He raised his hand, his eyes blazing. The soldiers of Flower Fruit Mountain stood at attention under the military flag. Wukong gripped his golden cudgel tightly. The white dragon horse neighed. The Bull Demon King roared softly. Expectation filled everyone's eyes.
The system continued its announcement. "Official outer rule number obtained." The voice was deep. That number was engraved on the breastplate. Every newbie already possessed one. Chen Fan's breastplate swayed slightly. The number flashed in the night.
"This means we're no longer recycling targets," Chen Fan said. Silence fell. Wukong nodded. He lightly tapped the ground with his golden cudgel. The sound was crisp and clear.
Then the system issued another message: "True Core Level Upgrade. Secondary Furnace Advances Simultaneously." Flames danced in the core area. Temperature soared. The refiners gasped in shock. The flames were like blood.
"The overall strength of the rules has increased." Chen Fan flipped through the scroll. The new rules unfolded on the paper. Each one was straightforward. Unauthorized changes were prohibited. Violators would be immediately banned.
Meanwhile, in the distance, the Seventh Assessment Tower loomed. Its shadow swayed in the valley. The advance party had quietly retreated. Several dark figures disappeared at the foot of the tower. There were no bloodstains on its surface. They seemed to be observing.
"They retreated." Chen Fan raised an eyebrow. Wukong laughed. The golden cudgel struck the mountain wall, echoing like thunder. The Bull Demon King roared softly. The white dragon horse lowered its head to sniff the wind.
Chen Fan turned around, his gaze sweeping over the entire army. Three days. Reorganization and preparation for battle. All troops must be in position. Weapons must be sharp. Supplies must be plentiful.
"We'll go to the Seventh Assessment Tower for an interview in three days," he announced. The crowd responded in unison, fists raised high, the roar like drums.
The system popped up again. The title flashed red: — Turn the interview into a battle for control of the city. The text scrolled across the screen. Everyone's heart tightened.
Temporary access means we can enter the outer core area. It was originally only for elites from the Heavenly Court and Buddhism. We now have our own unique number. The system will record our actions on a separate chain. Every step on the chain will be audited. However, the audit only targets violators; those who comply will be rewarded. Rewards include spirit stones, improvements to spiritual roots, and the possibility of opening new secret realm entrances. This is especially crucial for our competition for the Seventh Assessment Tower. Wukong raised an eyebrow and asked, "Just how generous are the rewards?" Chen Fan sneered and replied, "A thousand-year-old spirit pearl is enough to make your golden cudgel shine even brighter." The white dragon horse neighed, "If we get the dragon scale armor, even thousand-year-old cold iron is no problem." The Bull Demon King laughed, "I only want a pill-refining furnace that won't be interfered with by the Heavenly Court." Chen Fan nodded, "We already reserved a pill-refining furnace when the secondary furnace was simultaneously upgraded." Everyone looked at the secondary furnace; the flames were swirling into a vortex. The firelight reflected on every face, the crimson glow invigorating. At this moment, the system prompted again: Temporary access is valid for seven days. Seven days later, if the objective is not achieved, access will be revoked. This gave us a sense of urgency and ignited everyone's fighting spirit. Wukong lightly tapped the ground with his golden cudgel, the sound like thunder. His eyes were like burning flames, as if he wanted to set the mountain on fire. The white dragon horse spread its wings, sweeping up a gust of wind. The wind carried the scent of wild grass, reminding everyone that this was a battlefield. Chen Fan stood on the mountaintop, overlooking the entire Flower Fruit Mountain camp. The camp was brightly lit, soldiers were lined up, and weapons gleamed. He secretly calculated in his heart: how to break through the tower's defenses in three days. He thought of using the newly upgraded True Core to release a shield. The shield could block the tower's sensory waves for a short time. This way, we could approach the tower gate silently. Sun Wukong was in charge of the front-line charge, the white dragon horse was in charge of aerial reconnaissance. The Bull Demon King was in charge of rear fire support, and Liu Yuan was in charge of intelligence. Liu Yuan marked the five key nodes of the tower on the map. Each node was guarded by an elite guard. If we could break through them one by one, the tower's defenses would collapse. Chen Fan arranged for someone to guard the secondary furnace to prevent it from being destroyed by the enemy. The flames of the secondary furnace had formed a shield. The shield could reflect a certain amount of spiritual energy attacks. This gave us an extra layer of protection when facing the beams of light from the evaluation tower. At the same time, Chen Fan instructed everyone to do physical training every night. The training included lifting stones, running uphill, and boxing. The soldiers sweated profusely under the moonlight. Their breathing and the sound of the wind intertwined into a battle song. This atmosphere made everyone's blood boil. As night deepened, Chen Fan stood alone on the rock, gazing at the starry sky. He recalled the hundred years he had spent feeding the fruit. At that time, he thought he could only be a pawn. Now he held the key to the system. The system's voice whispered in his ear: "Temporary access is the only breakthrough." Chen Fan turned back to the camp and lit a campfire. The campfire illuminated every expectant face. He shouted loudly: "At dawn tomorrow, charge to the top of the tower!" "Take back our destiny!" The crowd shouted in unison, echoing through the valley. Wukong frowned. The golden cudgel trembled slightly. "What kind of interrogation is this?" he asked in a low voice. Chen Fan didn't laugh. His voice was calm. "Interrogation is war. We write the rules in our blood."
The white horse's hooves thundered. It galloped through the valley, delivering supplies to the front lines. Every step kicked up dust.
The Bull Demon King drew his giant axe. The blade gleamed. "I'll guard the base of the tower," he said. Wukong nodded. The two walked side-by-side towards the tower.
Chen Fan walked to the tower. The tower door was ajar. An ancient rune flickered on the door frame. The rune had three layers. Each layer was engraved with a warning.
He reached out and touched it lightly. The runes hummed softly. The door slowly opened. The light inside was blinding. A golden beam of light shot into the sky.
The tower's interior was spacious. Invisible evaluation instruments surrounded it, emitting a faint glow. Each point of light seemed to be recording data.
Just then, a deafening roar came from the top of the tower. The rock walls trembled. The clouds were torn apart. Black cracks spread downwards, and cold air seeped from them.
Chen Fan frowned. Wukong was alert. The Golden Cudgel was already raised. The White Dragon Horse growled. The Bull Demon King's axe tip pointed at the crack.
"What is that?" Wukong hissed. Chen Fan's gaze pierced through the cracks. Deep within, a red light shone. The red light swirled continuously, like another key.
The system screen flashed again. Mission updated. — Seal the cracks before the tower capture battle. Otherwise, the rules within the tower will be broken.
Chen Fan took a deep breath. He turned to the crowd and said, "Get ready. At dawn tomorrow, we'll rush to the top of the tower from here." As he finished speaking, the mountain wind stirred up dust.
A deep roar echoed from the depths of the cracks. The sound seemed to emanate from an ancient abyss. The air reeked of blood. The beam of light flickered.
Just as everyone prepared to charge, the bell at the top of the tower suddenly rang out. It rang three times, each sound reverberating through the valley. Then, a golden light shot down from the top of the tower, pointing directly at Chen Fan's chest.
A flash of crimson light appeared in Chen Fan's eyes. He gripped the golden cudgel, flicking his fingertips. The golden light was intercepted, shattering into fragments. The fragments traced starlight patterns in the air.
Everyone was astonished. Wukong laughed loudly. "This is the true taste of an interrogation!" he shouted.
But before the laughter subsided, the cracks at the top of the tower expanded violently. Black mist surged out like a giant beast, heading straight for the group.
A huge dark shadow emerged from the crack, heading straight for Chen Fan's chest.
Chapter 419 Interview? No, Seize the Tower
"etc."
Just when everyone thought they were about to go inside the tower for their thesis defense, Chen Fan suddenly stopped.
Sun Wukong turned around: "Sir?"
"Interview and defense..." Chen Fan turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "Defense my ass."
The Bull Demon King was taken aback: "If you're not going to defend your thesis, then what are you going to do?"
"Not just answer," Chen Fan said with a smirk, "but also tear a hole in the Seventh Assessment Tower while you're at it."
Everyone was shocked by these words.
Tang Sanzang frowned: "Isn't this... a bit too radical? Didn't we come here to try and qualify?"
"Passed?" Chen Fan sneered. "What's the use of just getting a pass ticket? The Seventh Assessment Tower has been holding us back for so long, and now they've delivered themselves to our doorstep. If we don't make a breakthrough, they'll keep blocking us."
He pointed to the tall black tower in the distance.
"Seizing the initiative is the true path to victory."
Sun Wukong was the first to react. He grinned, revealing his fangs.
"Sir, you're right. I, Old Sun, have had enough. Now that I'm here, I have no intention of leaving empty-handed."
Tang Sanzang remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, this humble monk will listen to you."
The Bull Demon King rubbed his hands together: "Damn it, I've been wanting to pull off a big heist for a long time."
Chen Fan looked at the hundreds of elite soldiers behind him.
"Young men of Huaguo Mountain, tonight's goal is not the thesis defense."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.
"It's about taking the tower."
Everyone turned to look at the black tower standing in the clouds, their fighting spirit palpable.
---
Back at the temporary camp, Chen Fan began making arrangements.
There were three things laid out in front of him.
The first document contained two formal rules. He had marked seven or eight loopholes in the outer rule system of the Seventh Evaluation Tower in blood red. These loopholes were insignificant individually, but when combined, they could create a breach.
The second document is the complete conclusion page. It summarizes all the achievements of Flower Fruit Mountain over the past few decades, including the list of monsters it has recruited, its record of resisting the Heavenly Court, and its plans to subvert Buddhism. Each item is accompanied by empirical evidence.
The third item is the continuation group's pass. He brought this out from the previous copy, and it can fool any detection program for thirty minutes.
"These three things combined are our trump card for capturing the tower."
Chen Fan carefully put them away one by one.
"The rules are used to create openings, the conclusion page is used to seize moral high ground, and the pass marker is used to break through their defenses. With these three approaches combined, the Seventh Assessment Tower will surely fall tonight."
Sun Wukong leaned against a pillar, tossing his golden cudgel in his hand.
"Sir, I, Old Sun, have a question."
"explain."
"What if they become desperate and decide to mobilize the outer garrisons?"
Chen Fan glanced at him.
"That's perfect." He said softly, "Huaguo Mountain has been holding back for so long, it's time to show the outside world our strength."
Sun Wukong was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Yes! Let's show them whether Flower Fruit Mountain is really someone to be trifled with!"
---
late at night.
The Huaguoshan campsite was brightly lit.
Hundreds of elite personnel are currently selecting candidates for the mission. Not everyone can go. This level of operation requires the cream of the crop.
An old man in charge of the screening reported: "Strategist, a total of eighty-two people meet the criteria. All of them are at least at the Golden Core stage, and thirty-seven of them participated in the last Heavenly Court's siege."
Chen Fan nodded.
"Select another twenty skilled in formations to stay by my side. We'll need to decipher their rules and systems on the spot when we capture the tower."
"clear."
The old man stepped down.
Chen Fan stood at the edge of the camp and looked up in the direction of the Seventh Assessment Tower.
The black tower looked particularly eerie in the moonlight. The bells at the top had stopped ringing, but now it seemed more like the calm before a storm.
"Sir." Sun Wukong walked to his side.
"Ready?"
Chen Fan did not turn around.
"We can take action at any time."
"No rush." Chen Fan narrowed his eyes. "Let them be smug for a while. Tomorrow's sunrise will be the beginning of their nightmare."
---
Something happened before dawn.
Suddenly, a review boat stopped outside the outer seam.
The boat wasn't large, but it flew a black flag. Embroidered on the flag was an eye—the symbol of the Seventh Assessment Tower.
There are people on the boat.
When Chen Fan received the report from his scout, he was reviewing the tower-capturing plan one last time.
How many people?
"I only saw three clearly... but there might be more in the cabin."
"Three?" Chen Fan raised an eyebrow. "What are they here for?"
"They said they came to 'screen' us in advance."
Sun Wukong snorted from the side.
"A review? They're probably trying to test our strength."
Chen Fan put down the documents in his hand, a cold smile appearing on his lips.
"You've come at the perfect time."
He stood up.
"Notify all elite troops to be on standby at any time. Now that this review ship has arrived, it won't be leaving intact."
---
At this moment, on the outer layer of the Seventh Assessment Tower.
The review boat floated silently.
A deep voice sounded from inside the cabin.
"Those guys from Flower Fruit Mountain...are they really planning to force their way in?"
Another voice replied, "According to intelligence, Chen Fan has prepared three things: the rules, the conclusion page, and a pass token."
"Heh, interesting."
"Then we..."
"Just wait and see," the first voice interrupted. "They're not qualified to storm the tower head-on. But since they're here..."
"Then let them never return."
---
At the camp, Chen Fan did a final check on everything.
Two rules, stacked together.
He tucked the final page into his pocket.
The pass was hung on his waist.
He took a deep breath.
"Set off."
Behind him, eighty-two elite soldiers stood in neat formation.
Sun Wukong, carrying his golden cudgel, walked at the very front.
The Bull Demon King carried a mixed iron cudgel on his back, while Tang Sanzang held a nine-staff monk's staff.
They had a clear goal—
The Seventh Assessment Tower.
This time, it's not for a defense.
It's about tearing open a hole.
They're going to steal the future of Flower Fruit Mountain.
---
1,000 meters outside the tower.
The judges waited quietly.
The people on the boat seemed very patient.
Until dense black dots appeared in the distance.
That's the team from Flower Fruit Mountain.
On the judging boat, someone chuckled softly.
"They're here."
"Finally here."
"I hope you... can hold on a little longer."
#Chapter 420 The Review Ship Has Arrived, Let's Get on Board First
The judging boat was very large.
It's so big it's like a city floating in the air.
The boat was entirely black, with only the sides of the hull gleaming with a faint golden light. The light was so bright it hurt the eyes. A giant eye was carved at the bow, its eyelids drooping, as if it were asleep, or perhaps watching everything below.
Outside of Huaguo Mountain, in the airspace.
The judging boat hovered there, completely still.
Chen Fan stood at the front, followed by Sun Wukong, the Bull Demon King, Tang Sanzang, the broken-tailed Yang Jian (with the fragments), and the gray-robed Guanyin. The five of them stood in a row.
There were only five people.
The deck of the assessment ship was already packed with people. Each of them wore a white robe with the insignia of the "Seventh Assessment Tower" embroidered on their chest. Leading them was a middle-aged man with frighteningly pale skin and narrow, venomous eyes.
His name is Zhou Jian.
The seventh assessment tower external judge.
"Chen Fan," Supervisor Zhou said, his voice cold, "have none of you nine people from the experimental field been taught the rules?"
Chen Fan remained silent.
Sun Wukong snorted and twirled the golden cudgel twice in his hand.
Zhou Jian stared at Chen Fan: "The rules for the review boat are that you must walk in, disarm, and submit before entering. But you, armed with weapons, just barged in?"
"A weapon?" Sun Wukong slammed his golden cudgel on the ground. "This is a weapon? This is my lifeline!"
"Insolence!" shouted angrily from behind Zhou Jian.
Chen Fan then spoke up: "Supervisor Zhou, we are not here to submit."
"No?" Zhou Jian laughed, a sinister laugh. "Then what are you here for?"
"We've come to reclaim what belongs to Huaguo Mountain." Chen Fan's voice was calm. "You've blocked our materials, obstructed our access, and now you're pretending to open a review boat... What, do you really think we're three-year-olds?"
Zhou Jian's expression changed.
The white-robed men behind him all changed their expressions.
In the minds of the people of Huaguo Mountain, they should be obsequious and trembling. Since the establishment of the Ninth Experimental Field, no one has ever dared to speak to the reviewer in such a tone.
"You..." Zhou Jian pointed at you, "How dare you!"
"I've always been very bold." Chen Fan stepped forward. "Supervisor Zhou, when you withheld our materials, did you ever think about today?"
Zhou Jian took a step back.
The people behind him all stepped forward in unison.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Sun Wukong chuckled, his golden cudgel held horizontally in front of his chest. The Bull Demon King drew his iron cudgel, Tang Sanzang slammed his staff, the broken-tailed Yang Jian pressed down on the hilt of his sword, and the gray-robed sutra-observing monk's sleeves moved without wind.
Five against dozens.
But on Huaguo Mountain, no one was afraid.
Zhou Jian stared at Chen Fan for a long time.
Then he smiled.
"Interesting," he said. "Really interesting. Chen Fan, I'm beginning to understand why you've turned the Ninth Experimental Field into this mess."
"Thank you for the compliment," Chen Fan said calmly.
Zhou Jianyi waved his hand: "Let them board the boat."
The people on deck made way for them.
Chen Fan was the first to take a step.
The moment he stepped onto the deck, a voice came from behind him: "Brother Fan!"
He turned around.
It's Xiaoqing.
There were also Bai Jingjing, Peng Demon King, Jiao Demon King, and Macaque King. The six of them stood on the summit of Flower Fruit Mountain, watching him.
"Leave Flower Fruit Mountain to us," Xiaoqing said. "Don't worry."
"As long as the core exists, we will exist," Bai Jingjing added.
Chen Fan nodded.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two tokens.
One piece is gold, and the other is silver.
"These two formal rules are for you." He looked at Xiaoqing, "Don't use them unless absolutely necessary. But if anyone dares to touch Flower Fruit Mountain—"
"Hold no mercy."
Xiaoqing took the token, her fingers trembling slightly.
She knew what those two tokens meant. They were two formal rules that Chen Fan had painstakingly crafted. The foundation and lifeblood of Flower Fruit Mountain.
"There are still true cores." Chen Fan looked at Bai Jingjing. "The fire in the secondary furnace must not go out. As long as the furnace fire is there, Flower Fruit Mountain will remain."
"I understand." Bai Jingjing nodded, her eyes a little red.
"Take good care of yourselves while I'm gone," Sun Wukong said, looking at Xiaoqing with a rare gentleness in his eyes. "When I return, I'll take you all to the Seventh Evaluation Tower!"
"Sun Wukong!" Xiaoqing shouted, "If you don't come back, I'll lead a group to attack and find you!"
Sun Wukong paused for a moment, then laughed.
"That's great."
He turned around and strode onto the judging boat.
The Bull Demon King, Tang Sanzang, the broken-tailed Yang Jian (a character from Journey to the West), and the gray-robed Guanyin followed in succession.
On the deck of the review boat, Zhou Jian watched this scene, his face growing increasingly grim.
He had assumed the people of Huaguo Mountain would be afraid, panicked, and kneel down to beg for mercy.
but no.
They were like a bunch of madmen, a bunch of reckless madmen.
"Chen Fan." Zhou Jian walked to Chen Fan's side and lowered his voice, "Do you know what the judging boat means?"
"What does that mean?" Chen Fan asked.
"That means the lives of you experimental subjects are in our hands." Zhou Jian's voice was chilling. "The review boat will take you to the Seventh Evaluation Tower for an interview. But whether you survive—"
"That's hard to say."
Chen Fan smiled.
He looked at Zhou Jian with a faint but piercing smile.
"Supervisor Zhou, have you ever heard this saying?"
"What did you say?"
"What goes around comes around."
Chen Fan's voice was soft, but clear.
"Now it's our turn."
Zhou Jian stared at him for a long time.
Then, without saying a word, he turned around and strode toward the cabin.
The review boat has been launched.
The enormous ship slowly turned around, the golden light emanating from its hull growing brighter and brighter. The Flower and Fruit Mountain on the ground grew smaller and smaller, until it finally became a green dot.
Chen Fan stood at the stern and glanced back.
Huaguo Mountain is no longer visible.
But he knew that someone was waiting for him to return.
He took a deep breath and turned around.
Ahead, the full view of the Seventh Assessment Tower was finally revealed.
It was a colossal black tower, ridiculously tall, seemingly capable of piercing the sky. Its surface was covered in countless runes, so dense they were terrifying to behold. At the top of the tower was a bell, its body bound by ninety-nine iron chains, each as thick as a person could encircle.
Above the tower gate hangs a line of large characters.
Chen Fan could see the words clearly.
"Losers are not allowed to continue writing."
His smile vanished.
Instead, a chill settled over the place.
"Such arrogance!" Sun Wukong stood beside him, staring at the words. "I, Old Sun, will see who can stop us!"
"Let's go." Chen Fan took a step forward. "The interview is just the ticket; the tower is the real stage."
The review boat slowly sailed towards the tower gate.
On the deck, the five people from Huaguo Mountain walked with firm steps.
Before the tower gate, the people of the Seventh Assessment Tower were already lined up and waiting. Each of them held a weapon, and each of them wore a hostile expression.
A tough battle is about to begin.
But Chen Fan's steps did not stop.