Chapter 2 GO Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Terrifying Trial

That single thought was like a cherry seed — small, yet full of life. It fell deep into Chen Ning’s heart, sprouting roots that burrowed fast, wild, and unstoppable.

Just as the bald major was about to head to Mayor Xu Liang’s house with his men, Chen Ning broke through the crowd and shouted, “Wait!”

Every soldier stopped. Boots ground against the dirt as the men turned in unison, eyes cold and sharp as blades.

Under their stares, Chen Ning felt as if he had been thrown into a wolf den — a trembling lamb surrounded by hungry predators. His legs shook uncontrollably, yet he forced himself to speak, his voice quivering:

“I… I don’t mean any disrespect. I just… I want to join the army. I want to become a soldier!”

For a heartbeat, silence. Then, the soldiers exchanged glances — surprise flickering in their eyes, followed by ridicule.

The bald major gave his adjutant, Huang Shi, a look. Huang Shi understood immediately. With a cold smirk curling at his lips, he strode toward Chen Ning.

The onlookers snickered. A slum rat wanting to join the Imperial Army? Absurd. Especially when these men were clearly from one of the Empire’s elite legions. To them, Chen Ning’s words were a joke — a flea demanding to march with lions.

The laughter died as Huang Shi approached. His towering frame, scarred face, and predatory glare silenced the crowd.

Chen Ning stood 1.77 meters tall, but in front of Huang Shi — who loomed like a mountain, muscles straining against his uniform — he felt like a child before a giant.

“What did you just say?” Huang Shi asked, his voice low and rough like grinding steel.

Chen Ning could barely breathe under the man’s oppressive presence. Still, he lifted his chin and forced the words out:

“I said I want to join you. To become an Imperial—”

Click.

Before he could finish, Huang Shi drew his pistol in a blur and shoved the barrel straight into Chen Ning’s crotch.

Chen Ning froze, every drop of blood in his body turning to ice.

Huang Shi’s grin widened, his eyes glinting with amusement. “What was that? Didn’t quite catch it.”

Gasps rippled through the onlookers. Everyone knew the Imperial soldiers were untouchable — brutal, unrestrained, and feared. For Chen Ning, a nobody from the slums, to dare speak of joining them was blasphemy.

And Huang Shi was about to make him pay for it.

The cold metal pressed against Chen Ning’s flesh, a silent promise of agony. He could feel death breathing down his neck. Still, he gritted his teeth and stammered out, “I said… I want to join you! To become an Imperial soldier!”

A cruel spark flashed in Huang Shi’s eyes.

BANG!

The shot rang out.

Chen Ning fell backward, screaming, clutching his crotch. The crowd gasped — some turned away, unable to watch.

Then Huang Shi sneered. “What’s wrong? Pissed yourself? Pathetic. You think a coward like you deserves a place in the Black Shark Legion? Get lost.”

Trembling, Chen Ning looked down — a hole gaped in his pants, but he was unhurt. The bastard had fired just to scare him.

Humiliation burned through him, but beneath the shame, something else stirred — defiance.

He clenched his fists, straightened, and called out again, “Wait!”

The soldiers turned for a second time. This time, the bald major’s face darkened, eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Chen Ning could feel the killing aura pressing down on him like a storm, but he refused to back away. If he didn’t speak now, he would regret it forever.

“I still want to join!” he shouted. “Please, sir — give me a chance to prove myself! Even if it’s just carrying supplies or cooking for your men — anything! Just let me try!”

The bald major — Rahu, infamous commander of the Black Shark Legion — stared at him. He is also inclined to put a bullet through Chen Ning’s skull right then and there. But something in the young man’s eyes stopped him.

That look — fierce, unyielding, desperate — it wasn’t the gaze of a coward.

Rahu’s instinct is telling him, if Huang Shi fired again, this one wouldn’t even flinch.

Rahu’s lips curved into a thin, wolfish smile. “You want a chance? You want to prove yourself?” He chuckled. “Fine. I like giving people hope. After all, without hope, what reason do we have to keep living in this rotten world?”

Chen Ning’s heart leapt — until Rahu spoke again.

“Lao Huang,” he said lazily, “you got any cigars left?”

Huang Shi blinked, confused, but pulled out a box. “A few.”

Rahu plucked one out, sniffed it, then — with a flick of his wrist — tossed it into the air.

The cigar traced a smooth arc before clinking against iron and landing… inside the steel cage of the nearby truck — right beside the foot of a hulking, mutated zombie.

The creature stopped clawing at the bars. Its bloated head swiveled, one cloudy eye fixating on the cigar, puzzled.

Rahu smirked. “We’ll be gone for an hour — dinner and rest. When I return, if you’ve managed to take that cigar out with your bare hand… I’ll consider letting you join the Black Shark Legion.”

Then he turned and left with his men, the sound of their boots fading into the distance.

The townsfolk murmured in disbelief. Chen Ning stood frozen, staring at the cage.

The “test” was cruel. The cigar lay at the monster’s feet. Theoretically, he could reach it through the bars — but could anyone survive that?

Lao Chen, the blacksmith, walked over and sighed. “Chen Ning, don’t do it. Zombies are drawn to human scent — they’ll tear you apart before you even touch it. Or worse, one scratch and you’ll turn into one of them. Go back to the forge, son. Don’t throw your life away.”

But Chen Ning shook his head. “No. I have to try.”

Old Chen sighed again and left, muttering about foolish dreams.

Two soldiers stood guard beside the truck, motionless, rifles in hand. They made no move to stop him.

Chen Ning approached slowly. Inside the cage, the predator zombie crouched low, its greenish gray skin twitching with each breath. It stared at him, then at the cigar by its feet — as if it understood.

A deep growl rumbled in its throat. It slammed the bars twice, the metal echoing like thunder — but the cage held. Then, as if losing interest, it turned its back, squatting down like a resting beast.

Chen Ning’s heart thudded. Is this… my chance?

He dared not act rashly. One wrong move, and he’d be dead — or worse. So he waited, patient and still.

Minutes crawled by. The crowd thinned. Only a few curious onlookers remained, whispering that he was too scared to move.

An hour passed. The zombie hadn’t stirred. Rahu would be back any minute.

It’s now or never.

Chen Ning took a deep breath and crept forward, step by careful step. The stench from the cage hit him like a wave — rot, blood, decay. He swallowed hard.

It’s simple, he told himself. Just reach in, grab the cigar, and everything changes. For Xiao Guo… you can do this.

Even the guards glanced sideways now, interested.

Chen Ning crouched beside the iron bars, heart pounding, and began to extend his arm through the narrow gap.

Fifty centimeters… thirty… twenty…

The cigar was almost within reach. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His chest pressed against the bars as he stretched farther—

Just a little more…

His fingertips brushed the cigar lying at the monster’s feet…