Chapter 43 - On Stage Part 1 (1/2)

The family members were undoubtedly proud.

Whether it was the honor of entering the inner city or their child earning the qualification to enter the reexamination, it was the happiest and proudest moment of their lives.

Their lively and passionate gazes made Tang Ling feel sorrowful.

If his grandmother and San San were here today, how would they look?

Cheers sounded in the air all of a sudden as a giant display screen slowly rose from the wall of the inner city. Through the giant screen plus the seven other viewing points in the outer city, almost all of Safety Sector No. 17 could watch the important exam live.

A live telecast? The shadows of the old civilization were everywhere and had not worn down.

This particular point provided a strange sense of safety which he could not explain in words.

However, the eagerness and respect for a “powerhouse-to-be”, who had not even been announced, was enough to prove how shaken the era had become.

The cheers from the people continued. Albeit it being such a grand celebration, Tang Ling could not get himself into the mood. He quietly headed to the inner city, and his figure reeked of desolation.

******

The draft of summer arrived unannounced. The gale whipped up mud and leaves, sweeping across everyone’s clothes madly.

“Is it going to rain again?” Tang Ling was a little absent-minded as he looked at the dull morning sky. However, not a single dark cloud was in sight.

After that night, he was scared of the patter of rain, yet he seemed to pick up the smell of the settlement in the wind.

“As an instructor, I dislike those who aren’t paying attention.” Slow steady footsteps entered Tang Ling’s ears followed by a shadow over his head.

Tang Ling regained his senses and looked up to see a tall man in a blue uniform. Although he was far from Su Yao’s pressuring presence and physique, compared to the gaunt Tang Ling, he was huge enough.

His lips curled into a cruel smile as he bent down to Tang Ling’s ears and whispered, “I mean, anytime.”

The moment his voice subsided, Tang Ling felt intense pain in his abdomen as if he was being hammered. He could not help but bend over.

The iron thorn bird eggs that Rona gave him in the morning started to rumble in his stomach. Together with a sourish foul smell, it rushed up to Tang Ling’s throat.

A buzz of discussions echoed in the area.

Even though the venue of the reexamination, the inner city of Glory Square, was crowded, it did not stop the crowd from observing the scene because the biggest screen of the live telecast in the whole sector was in front of Glory Hall of Glory Square.

“Silence.” A cold voice ordered. While it was not loud or shouted out, it echoed throughout the entire Glory Square.

People stopped their discussions because the one who announced that was Larf, the captain of the First Unit of the Purple Moon Squad that was responsible for maintaining order at the reexamination venue today.

After a quick glance over at the man with the red cap who silenced the crowd, Tang Ling used all his might to quietly swallow the rumbling substance down his throat.

In this era, wasting was shameful. That was what Su Yao taught him.

Therefore, food eaten should not be regurgitated out. Moreover, it was a token of Rona’s kindness.

As for the man in the red cape, although he was not the Purple Moon Warrior who commanded the culling that night, judging from the discussion from the crowd, Tang Ling knew that only the captains of the Purple Moon Warrior were worthy of the cape.

Strenuously, Tang Ling straightened his body and quietly wiped away the line of blood at the corner of his mouth, pretending as if nothing happened.

As though the man was very satisfied with Tang Ling’s performance, the instructor swung the fist that he punched Tang Ling with. Smiling sinisterly, he turned around and left.