Chapter 5 The Aptitude Test (II)

"Next, Carl, Arthur, Sofia, Glew and Harry, come in!"

"It's your turn!" Silas nodded at them, motioning them to enter according to the instructions of the staff.

"Carl! Whatever happens, believe in yourself!" Unexpectedly, just as Carl was about to walk into the room, Silas suddenly reminded him loudly, just like what the dean had done.

Carl looked back at him, rubbing his head in a daze. Both Silas and the dean had especially reminded him that, but he really could not figure out the reason.

The others had already entered, but Carl was still at the door. "What are you doing?! Come in!" The soldiers in the room urged him impatiently.

Carl curled his lips in disdain, but did not protest. All the soldiers here looked fierce, so he could only say in his heart, "A wise man submits to circumstances." Then he went to stand beside Arthur and Sofia.

"Carl, the people's arms in this room are embroidered with a shield pattern. Did you notice that?" Arthur, tilting his head, said in a low voice.

Carl nodded silently. The Empire-shield Army Soldiers they met today were obviously different from those in charge of Rum Town's public security.

They appeared more majestic and mighty. Besides that, Carl noticed a very unacceptable smell from this group of people...

"What the hell is that smell?" Carl frowned, but he could not find any words to describe it.

"Then, upon hearing my order, each of you should put your hands on the instruments in front of you. Without my order, you are not allowed to let go!" A military officer sitting at the side barked out the orders.

The aptitude-testing instruments for War Spirit warriors looked very strange—what was placed in front of Carl and the others was a flat plate with a palm mark.

After its lines were connected, it turned to a transparent ball, seemingly made of crystal. Inside it was an unknown type of mist, which was continually circling and swirling around.

"Start!" Before Carl and the others could take a closer look at the instruments, the officer issued an order.

Carl was the first to respond. As soon as the order was given, he placed his right hand steadily on the machine before him. The others followed suit and put their right hands on the instrument in front of them.

In the brief time of one breath, the instruments in front of everyone had different reactions.

The instruments before Glew and Harry, the two strangers entering with them, were still foggy and did not respond at all.

Sofia, in the middle of them, put her hand on the instrument and the mist in it dispersed gradually. Then a large shield, shining with a golden light, appeared.

Compared with hers, the instruments before Carl and Arthur reacted in an extreme manner. When their right hands were on the flat plates, one gold and one red beam of light lit up the whole room.

All the officers sitting in their seats and the soldiers standing aside, gathered around them in great excitement when they saw the brilliant rays of light.

According to the officer's previous order, Carl and the others did not take their hands off the plate. All of a sudden, the instruments in front of Carl and Arthur changed.

Arthur's golden light slowly dissipated and then a long golden sword was vividly displayed in his instrument. It looked much more dazzling and powerful than Sofia's large golden shield!

After a while, Carl's glaring red light started to shimmer. However, just as it was about to transform into a specific shape like Arthur's golden light, it gradually dimmed!

"How come?!" Carl suddenly panicked. After staying here for some time, he had learned that the result of the War Spirit warriors' aptitude test was linked to the instrument in front of him.

The instruments of people who were disqualified, did not give any reaction at all, for example, Harry's and Glew's. As for those who had been chosen to be warriors, like Arthur and Sofia, their instruments would display some specific patterns.

However, the instrument before Carl had an unusually different reaction. At first, it emitted a dazzling beam of red light and under normal circumstances, it should have transformed into a specific object. But now, it weakened constantly and almost vanished...

At this moment, the military officer standing on the side was also confused. He had been in the army for many years and had supervised the aptitude test more than a dozen times. However, it was his first time to witness such a weird situation!

It seemed as if Carl's instrument wanted to upset him deliberately. Its originally dazzling red light gradually darkened until it was completely extinguished. In the end, his instrument returned to its original misty state...

Carl looked at it and his face turned ashen. In contrast, Arthur's and Sofia's instruments were still shining with a glorious golden light.

Standing aside, Arthur and Sofia looked at Carl in embarrassment. They wanted to say something to comfort him, but Carl's distressed face rendered them speechless.

With a sigh, the officer took a deep look at the pale-faced Carl and the instrument that gave no reaction. Then he pointed at Arthur and Sofia and ordered, "You and this little girl, stay here. Everyone else, get out!"

...

Only then did Carl come to his senses. He looked at his right hand and lifted it up from the flat plate slowly, as if he had lost his soul.

Then he looked back at Arthur and Sofia, who exchanged a knowing look with him. Suddenly, Carl was filled with a great sense of loss.

Since they were little, the three of them had never been separated from each other. From this moment on, did they have to go their separate ways?

The soldiers began to press them to leave. Carl lowered his head helplessly and left with Glew and Harry.

As soon as they walked out of the door, two soldiers immediately came up. They pushed Carl and the two to the side and gave each of them a form to fill in.

"Hurry and sign your names. Report for duty in the northern region of Rum Town tomorrow! Don't waste any more time!" The soldiers next to them continuously urged.

In a flurry, Glew and Harry wrote their names at the bottom of the form. Carl glanced at them and turned to his form.

He grew up in the orphanage and did not receive any formal education. Nevertheless, Silas and the dean had taught them how to read and write.

"Three years of military service."

"Obey the arrangement of the arms of services."

"Restore to the status of a civilian after serving in the army."

"Anyone who disobeys will be hunted down and killed."

Carl read it hastily and could only recognize these contents. He sighed softly. In this case, he had no choice but to sign his name on this form.