Chapter 5: Fleeting Like A Snowflake  

With the unyielding march of the eight soldiers, that golden drapery occasionally flapped in the wind. This allowed Fang Zhengzhi a peek inside the darkness. Other than the darkness, there was a certain gold sparkle that flickered from within.

It was uncertain whether it was just a reflection of the golden drapery.

"Everyone quiet down!"

At this moment, the revered Village Chief appeared from the crowd with a smile as he stroked his beard while holding a smoking pipe.

"Southern Mountain Village Chief Meng Bai welcomes honourable guests from the Divine Constabulary!"

"En, I’m on a tight schedule. If everyone’s here, then let’s quickly get started!" A large man wearing a Black Ripple Armour with a no-nonsense face stepped out from behind the mysterious object. He was greeted the Village Chief with an impatient wave.

"Yes, yes. This old man will make it quick. I humbly invite General Li to take a seat in the stage," Chief Meng Bai said without letting down his smile a single inch.

"Fine." General Li nodded his head and looked at those eight soldiers by his side.

"Put that thing up there."

"Yes, sir!" the eight soldiers responded simultaneously. Then, with a single effortless leap, they landed firmly on the stage.

This scene gave Fang Zhengzhi a mild shock. This world was indeed different. Eight soldiers were able to clear a one meter high stage while carrying a large weight?

The villagers on the ground was also flabbergasted by the eight soldiers feat.

"They are indeed men from the Divine Constabulary!"

"But of course. Can’t you see the red triangular marks on their armour? If I’m not wrong, those are from the ‘Red Pinion Squad’!"

"Red Pinion Squad?! Rumour is that you have to at least successfully ‘Access Dao’. Accessing Dao meant that they would be among the men in the big-league that controlled the Dao of All Creation!"

Hearing this villager’s explanation, the others instantly gave envious looks at those eight soldiers on stage.

At this moment, Village Chief Meng Bai gave a grin and clumsily climbed the side of the stage to get on top. He faced the villagers engaged in heated discussion, waved his smoking pipe and cleared his throat.

"Folks! With the honoured ones from Divine Constabulary here, good fortune awaits us in the Southern Mountain Village. At the Divine Constabulary, lovely flowers in full bloom carpet their grounds. The Divine Constabulary is the hope of the Southern Mountain Village. The Divine Constabulary is amazing. The Divine Constabulary..."

Listening to the "refined speech" that Village Chief Meng Dai was straining his voice to deliver, Fang Zhengzhi finally came to an understanding why Southern Mountain Village was so poor...

Please. Even if it was ass-kissing, couldn’t he made it more subtle? Why not use metaphors? As a last resort, even a fable would be more appropriate.

...

On the stage, General Li was fidgety as he sat on the chair on the left. His hands was incessantly tapping the handle of the chair. He was trying his utmost to put up with the Village Chief as he stared at him shooting spit from his mouth.

As a general of an army, he appreciated the frankness of villagers but not this kind of blatant ass kissing.

The other soldiers were currently poised straight in the original position like javelins stuck in the ground. The only thing was that their face more or less showed some irritation.

Village Chief Meng Bai’s voice reverberated throughout the village square. Fortunately, Meng Bai lived for many decades. Although his cultural refinement was low, he could at least notice minute details of the crowd.

After free playing on the stage for more than ten minutes, he finally puffed from his smoking pipe and exhaled a light cloud of smoke.

"Alright. Let us begin the first round of testing. Those selected please form up two. On the left will be the kid’s test and on the right will be the official test. Let’s line up one by one and take turns for the assessment!"

Just as he finished, there were already a few dozen people walking out from the crowd. The two lines began the form within the chaos.

The number of participants for this round of testing was just over forty. After splitting into the kid’s test and official test, there were only about twenty in each line.

Although it was a messy scene, the lines were formed pretty quickly...

The General Li on the stage and the other soldiers all let out a sigh.

Fang Zhengzhi was curious after listening to Village Chief Meng Bai’s instructions. Assessment? What methods of assessment did this world use?

By squeezing through the gaps in the crowd, he managed to squeeze to the front. He then saw a familiar body. At this moment, Li Huer was held by a large fellow as he queued. That man was wearing a beast hide; glossy bronze skin and arms pulsing with veins.

In the front of the line, a few soldiers were making some preparation.

That fellow was the old man of Li Huer. The Deputy Captain of the Southern Mountain Village Hunting Squad, Li Zhuangshi.

Li Huer eye’s were roaming around while wearing a intimidating face. He immediately saw the Fang Zhengzhi who was at the front of the crowd. He was just given a harsh spanking yet he saw Fang Zhengzhi still holding that drumstick. His mood started to boil. He stood in line but he was continuously hand signing and mouthing words at Fang Zhengzhi.

From reading his lips, he seemed like he was saying, "When I done with this test, you’re finished!"

Fang Zhengzhi calmly stared at Li Huer. Then he put the drumstick in his mouth, tore and chomped on the meat, smearing his mouth with grease.

Li Huer instantly exploded.

His slightly tanned cheeks was red from suppressing his rage. He swung out his arms ready to leave the queue.

Suddenly, a open hand struck his bottom.

"Behave! If you little brat dare to fool around again, I will break your legs!"

Li Zhuangshi had no where to put his face today. His own son played "Robber" in front of the whole village. If not for the fact that Li Huer was only six, the villagers would have sent him for at least 30 harsh paddlings instead just a little spanking.

The first subject of assessment piqued Fang Zhengzhi’s curiosity.

Because...

After the soldiers were done with preparations, they realised it was actually for blood drawing! This just felt like a body check from his previous life. What could be the use for this?

As Fang Zhengzhi was trying to figure this out, the villagers around started speaking.

"If our Southern Mountain Village could produce a "Xuan Heavenly Dao Body", that would be a miracle!"

"Xuan Heavenly Dao Body?! How can that be? Don’t mention our village. I don’t even think the whole of the Northern Lands have a second Xuan Heavenly Dao Body. This test by the Divine Constabulary is mainly to sieve out anyone from the ‘Demon Race’ that sneaked inside...

Fang Zhengzhi was once again moved by the wonders of this world. There was actually a Demon Race? What’s the Xuan Heavenly Dao Body all about? Did he have it? Flailing his arms, it seemed unlikely that he had such luck.

He gave up after that...

Six year olds getting their arms pulled by the soldiers to draw blood was definitely not a gentle gesture. As a result, this more or less scared these children out of their wits. One by one, they started bawling.

The square suddenly got a lot noisier

When it’s Li Huer’s turn, the same could not be said about him.

Li Huer just exposed his arm and stared down unflinchingly at the long drawing tube that was in the soldier’s hands. He did not mind the blood that was drained from his arm with a hard face of fearlessness.

After the blood was drawn, Li Huer once again tried to intimidate Fang Zhengzhi with his side glare.

The meaning behind was obvious. Did you see that? This little lord was born fearless. I would never cry!

Fang Zhengzhi’s lips slightly curled and he opened his mouth.

His crow-black eyes blinked and looked at the totally oblivious Li Huer with an extremely confused look.

"Why did Big Brother Huer not cry? The other big brothers all cried except for you. Is it because you see the people at the Divine Constabulary as one of a kind idiots?"

Although Fang Zhengzhi voice at the front of the crowd was not that loud, it clearly caught the ear of the Li Zhuangshi that was still in the queue.

After drawing his blood, his eyes swept over the kids that were vigorously crying. Then he looked that the Li Huer by his side who was currently blinking blindly and puffing up his mouth.

His heart rate immediately shot up.

The words from a six year old child had no intentions. Although not crying would be complimented as bravery to familiar people, the people from the Divine Constabulary was anything but.

What if those people misunderstood?

This possibility might not be high but it was not impossible. If they really misunderstood, the repercussions would be enormous!

Thinking about this, Li Zhuangshi blinked at Li Huer signalling for him to cry...

Li Huer was currently smugly puffing out his cheeks, showing off his bravado and fearlessness to Fang Zhengzhi. He totally did not notice the look his father threw him.

Li Zhuangshi was getting uneasy. Looking around at the soldiers drawing blood, he saw some weird looks.

He raised his hand and struck hard across Li Huer’s cheeks.

"Slap!" Sweet and crisp for the ears.

Li Huer’s expression instantly froze, the arrogant expression did not even have time to disappear. He raised his head at Li Zhuangshi dumbfounded. He really did not understand what did he do wrong?

From Li Huer’s dumbfounded expression, it was clear that Li Zhuangshi’s heart was cold as steel.

If others saw this expression, they would immediately assume he’s a clear idiot.

With no hesitation to quickly achieve the desired effect, he raised his right hand high up and struck down again a second time.

"Slap!" This time it was even heavier.

The resounding slap echoed throughout the whole square.

"Cry! Are you dumb?" After the slap, he was desperate for Li Huer to fulfil his wish.

Li Huer tried to stifle his cries. However, the burning pain was too much for him to bear.

"Wa!"

The pitiful screams that pierced the heavens finally came out.

Fang Zhengzhi let out a light sigh. He slightly raise his head to the skies with a trace of deep sorrow.

"Life is always fleeting like a snowflake..."

...