Chapter 593
I'm afraid your murderous intent is too strong and will frighten the examiners.
Fang Cheng sat in his seat and glanced at the figure passing by.
He had no idea that the proctor was already imagining a whole dramatic scene unfolding in his mind.
After filling in the blank in the last tactical simulation question, he paused slightly, picked up the pen cap, and put it on the pen.
"Click".
A soft sound fell, causing the examinee in the next seat to look up and glance sideways.
Fang Cheng remained calm and composed, and then scanned the exam paper from beginning to end.
The administrative professional ability test for the Special Search Team's spring recruitment was extremely complex, covering many fields such as law, psychology, political science, and military command.
For test takers who only know how to exert physical strength and are obsessed with muscle, these questions are like gibberish.
But for Fang Cheng, with his photographic memory, dealing with it was a piece of cake.
Whether it's knowledge points that need to be memorized or slightly more complex theoretical analysis.
In his eyes, it was all as simple as a primary school student's addition and subtraction homework.
Fang Cheng turned his head and idly looked around at the scenery.
Several burly men on the left front were scratching their heads and looking as if they were about to break the pens in their hands.
A girl on the right, across the aisle, bit her lip tightly, staring intently at a political theory question, her eyes bloodshot with anxiety.
After all, for many people from ordinary families...
Being able to get into a state power organ like the Special Investigation Team is undoubtedly the best springboard for achieving upward social mobility, from which one can embark on a path to success.
How many people can maintain a calm and composed mindset when facing challenges that affect their future and destiny?
Looking at the faces in the examination room, each with furrowed brows and beads of sweat, Fang Cheng couldn't help but feel a slight pang of emotion.
Among these people, there may be colleagues who will work in the same building with you in the future.
I used to be just like them.
In order to get ahead, they bear the expectations of their families and suffer anxiety and torment within the rules set by society, fearing that they might make even the slightest mistake.
However, now that he possesses extraordinary power, he has the confidence to step out of the game and has begun to truly take control of his own destiny.
The opinions and judgments of the outside world, the fame and fortune that people pursue, are like fleeting clouds in his eyes, no longer able to stir up the slightest ripple.
After more than half a year of life-and-death trials and tribulations, and growth and transformation, Fang Cheng had already seen through a truth.
The only strength that you hold firmly in your own hands is the most reliable support in life.
If he hadn't displayed his astonishing martial arts talent back then...
Why would a powerful figure like Shi Chengyi visit him three times, personally invite him to apply for the Special Investigation Team, and even take the initiative to help him solve the big problem of background checks?
In fact, with his current strength, he could easily break the rules and plunder and kill if he wanted to.
Money, power, and beauty that ordinary people dream of are readily available.
Even if you get it, what then?
These superficial external things cannot be transformed into nutrients that drive the evolution of the physical body.
In terms of actual value, it's probably not as important as dozens of kilograms of real, high-calorie braised beef, which could replenish his vital energy reserves.
Thinking of this, Fang Cheng shook his head slightly, a smile curving his lips, and pulled his wandering thoughts back.
That being said, the Special Investigations Unit's entrance exam was actually relatively fair.
Whether they are special operations personnel aiming for frontline positions or civilian staff applying for logistics and public affairs coordination positions, they all use the same set of test papers.
The only difference lies in the weighting of the scores.
Special operations personnel only need to excel in physical fitness and combat to pass the written test.
For clerical staff, this written exam plus tomorrow's interview is a life-or-death test that will determine their fate.
Fang Cheng looked up, his gaze sweeping over the clock above the blackboard.
The second hand ticks away, each tick counting down.
There is still more than an hour left before the exam ends.
He didn't want to waste time sitting idly in a daze.
So he pushed back the chair and stood up.
The wooden chair legs scraped against the ground, making a short, muffled thud.
In an instant, dozens of eyes in the examination room turned to look at him.
Surprise, doubt, jealousy, and even disbelief.
Fang Cheng, with a calm expression, walked down the steps and stood in front of the podium, placing the test paper flat on the table.
Then, under the thoughtful gaze of the proctor, I walked out of the oppressive classroom with steady steps.
Walk along the corridor and through the main gate of the teaching building.
The early summer sun, carrying a hint of heat, shone down on us without any shade.
Fang Cheng stood on the wide granite steps, took a deep breath of the fresh air outside, and instantly expelled the stale air from his chest.
Just then, a gruff greeting came from under a large locust tree to the side.
"Acheng! You handed in your paper so quickly too?"
Fang Cheng looked in the direction of the sound.
Under the dense shade of the trees stood a man with a burly build, as big as a bear.
Ma Dong-hyuk, wearing a tight black short-sleeved shirt, grinned widely, with half a lit cigarette between his fingers, and strode towards them.
"What's wrong? You look so relaxed. Did you do really well on the test?"
Fang Cheng walked down the steps and headed towards Ma Donghe, joking casually.
"Good my ass!"
Ma Dong-hyuk walked up, took a deep drag on his cigarette, then exhaled a large cloud of smoke, his expression nonchalant.
"I used dice to decide the answers to all the multiple-choice questions. As for the more theoretical questions, I wrote my handwriting in big letters and tried to fill in the blanks as much as possible."
"Whether the examiner gives sympathy points or not is entirely up to fate!"
After saying that, he pointed at Fang Cheng with the finger holding the cigarette and chuckled:
"You handed in your paper early too. What's wrong? Did you also get a headache looking at those theoretical questions and just give up like me?"
In Ma Donghe's mind, Fang Cheng, although a proper college student, was ultimately a martial artist who came from a boxing club background.
After so many years since graduation, how many of the rigid principles from books can I still remember?
What's more, this exam was something I had to cram for at the last minute.
Aside from law, which is a relevant major, the feeling of dizziness and headaches when faced with obscure and difficult psychology and political science questions is probably no better than what I experienced.
Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng smiled.
Instead of explaining that he had already compiled and memorized all the past exam papers, he simply replied in agreement with the other person's tone:
"Pretty much. Anyway, I've written everything I can. The rest depends on how high the Special Investigations Team sets its passing grade."
"It's good that you're so optimistic!"
Ma Donghe laughed heartily, then slapped Fang Cheng's shoulder hard with his large, fan-like hand, making Fang Cheng's collar tremble.
"We martial artists rely on our fists and courage, not on writing articles to kill enemies. The physical fitness test on the third day will be our time to truly shine!"
He looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, lowered his voice and leaned closer to Fang Cheng, saying:
“I asked around yesterday, and the environment for this wilderness survival trip in Xishan may be more complicated than we expected.”
"Not only do we have to run with heavy loads, but we also have to watch out for the wild animals in the mountains that have mutated because of the previous explosion."
Fang Cheng nodded slightly, his expression calm:
"Since the special search team set up the test site in that kind of place, they certainly won't just arrange ordinary cross-country running events. How are your preparations going?"
"rest assured."
Ma Dong-hyuk held the cigarette between two fingers and flicked off the ash with remarkable nonchalance.
"I grew up fighting wild boars in the mountains. When we get to West Mountain, you come with me, and I guarantee I'll lead you safely to the finish line!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized that the seemingly refined and gentle junior brother in front of him was actually a peerless beast in human skin.
If you were to encounter a mutated wild beast in those desolate mountains and wilderness, who knows who would eat whom?
They should be the ones who quickly cling to this powerful figure!
Thinking of this, Ma Donghe scratched his head, chuckled dryly, and quickly tried to salvage the situation:
"Hey, what I mean is, I'm familiar with the terrain in the mountains. I'll lead the way for you so we don't waste our energy wandering around in the woods."
Fang Cheng looked at Ma Donghe's confident and assertive demeanor and nodded with a smile:
"Okay, I'll have to rely on you then."
Ma Dong-hyuk grinned, masking his earlier embarrassment.
The two stood under the shade of a tree, chatting casually.
Ma Donghe took a few more puffs of his cigarette, watching the smoke dissipate before his eyes, when suddenly he seemed to remember something important:
"By the way, Cheng, besides the physical test, you also need to pay attention to the interview tomorrow."
"how?"
Fang Cheng turned his head and looked at him.
"Didn't I tell you about the preliminary exam when we gathered at Wangjiang Tower last time?"
Ma Dong-hyuk put down his cigarette, his expression becoming more serious.
"In the preliminary selection process, in addition to wilderness survival and free fighting, there is also a psychological test called 'Echoes of the Abyss'."
"The name sounds easy and simple, but it's actually incredibly sinister."
He paused, as if recalling some unpleasant experience, his features contorting in pain:
"I thought that as long as I got the medicine, I could just lie down in the chair and take a nap and it would all be over. But I had only closed my eyes for a short while when I saw my dead grandfather crawling out of the ground!"
“The old man was covered in blood, holding a pig-slaughtering knife, pointing his finger at my nose and cursing me for being an unfilial descendant who had disgraced the Ma family, and chasing after me to chop off my head.”
"Damn, the sheer force of it almost gave me a heart attack!"
At this point, Ma Donghe spat out a curse, a ruthless glint appearing on his face again:
"Fortunately, I've always been brave. Although I've never seen a ghost, I've never been afraid of ghosts."
"When I saw this old guy buried in the ground for so many years, and he still wanted to lecture me, I was so angry that I went up to him and swung my arm, slapping him twice across the face!"
"As the saying goes, even evil spirits fear the torment of wicked people. With those two slaps, the old man was gone!"
Fang Cheng couldn't help but smile when he heard this absurd act of "sacrificing family for the greater good".
"Uh……"
Ma Donghyuk realized he had gone off-topic, so he quickly coughed and steered the conversation back on track:
"What I mean is, given the Special Investigation Team's usual practices, since the preliminary test had such bizarre questions, the psychological assessment in this second test will probably be similar, or even more perverse."
"Because the difficulty of the second round of interviews is definitely higher than that of the first round. To be honest, I'm still a little nervous and don't know if tomorrow's interview will be difficult."
Didn't you get a high score last time?
Fang Cheng asked casually.
"Yes!"
Ma Dong-hyuk subconsciously puffed out his chest, looking proud:
"The examiner praised my strong willpower and my courage to fight back against fear, which could have earned me the highest score."
"However, it's a bit of a pity... because my performance in the test was a little... outrageous, so I lost another forty points."
"Forty points were deducted?"
Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow, somewhat curious:
"What aspects of your performance led the examiner to deduct points?"
Ma Donghe's imposing manner instantly deflated, his eyes darted around, and he stammered:
"They... said I don't respect the elderly and care for the young, lack basic empathy, and have mild signs of antisocial personality disorder."
He then hurriedly tried to make amends:
"However, the examiner also said that given my performance was a family ethical dispute, it was still within a controllable range, but I would need to undergo several psychological counseling sessions afterwards."
Fang Cheng looked at his guilty expression and understood.
In the end, it turns out this guy was just bragging.
With a maximum score of 100, minus 40 points, it's just a passing score of 60.
Feeling a little embarrassed by Fang Cheng's gaze, Ma Donghe simply waved his hand and said seriously:
"In short, Acheng, the psychological tests conducted by the Special Investigation Team are not simple."
"The illusions inside are too real, specifically designed to evoke your deepest fears or hatreds. We must treat them with utmost care, otherwise it's easy to make a mess of things."
"If you see any messy things at that time, it's best to pretend nothing happened and just keep your temper in check."
At this point, he looked at Fang Cheng again, a hint of worry in his eyes:
“Acheng, I know you have good physical fitness and strength far exceeding that of ordinary martial artists.”
"But this kind of psychological test is not about who has the bigger fist, but who can put on a better act."
“Those of us who practice martial arts sometimes have a strong urge to kill. I’m just afraid that you might not be able to control yourself in the illusion and scare the examiners.”
He was genuinely worried about Fang Cheng, this human-shaped beast.
If a psychological test reveals a subconscious desire to destroy the world, they might be locked up as a dangerous individual.
Fang Cheng's eyes flickered slightly as his gaze fell on the shadows of the trees swaying in the wind on the ground.
It seems the Special Investigations Unit has a truly deep foundation.
This kind of test, which can induce subconscious hallucinations, obviously cannot be achieved with simple drugs.
Most likely, some special item or a high-level mental being was used to guide the examinee into an illusion.
Just as Ma Donghe was feeling a little uneasy, Fang Cheng's lips curled into a smile:
"I understand what you mean. The interviewers and the examination room must be quite extraordinary, right?"
"Yes."
Ma Dong-hyuk nodded repeatedly:
"I heard from Senior Brother Wei that the interrogation room of the Special Investigation Team is not like the one in the police station."
"It's said there are some... special arrangements inside. Anyway, you'll see for yourself when the time comes."
"Thank you for reminding me, I will be careful."
Fang Cheng smiled and nodded.
Seeing that he had taken it to heart, Ma Donghe grinned and resumed his carefree demeanor.
Just as the two were talking, a series of noisy footsteps came from inside the teaching building.
Several dejected test-takers walked out together, still grumbling and complaining about the insane difficulty of the questions.
Seeing this, Ma Donghe immediately stopped talking:
"Acheng, there are too many people and too much attention around here. Now that the civil service exam is over, I feel like I've finally taken a break. Come on, let me treat you to a nice meal at a restaurant in Nanluoguxiang Old Street to boost your brainpower!"
After saying that, he threw the remaining cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with the sole of his shoe.
Fang Cheng did not refuse and followed after him.
The two walked out of the campus side by side and merged into the bustling crowd on the street.
Because of the special nature of the National Special Police Academy, a cordon was set up at the main gate early on.
Furthermore, armed sentries patrol the area, and gatherings of parents of test takers and other unauthorized personnel are strictly prohibited.
The wide streets were not filled with anxious relatives waiting like those seen during a regular college entrance examination.
Fang Cheng and Ma Donghe's family and friends naturally did not come.
The two were happy to have some peace and quiet, so they turned into the bustling Nanluo Old Street next door along the tree-lined avenue.
We randomly picked a popular local restaurant, ordered a few hearty dishes, and enjoyed a hearty meal.
Take a break and recharge.
Looking forward to the Mandarin and foreign language exams this afternoon, and the interview tomorrow. (End of Chapter)