Why Zuo Dongting was so certain, Qin Fen couldn't guess for a moment, and could only continue to listen to what the next supplemental examination question would be.

Zuo Lin stood quietly, arms crossed over his chest, leaning slightly back against the chair, his demeanor radiating an indescribable confidence and composure.

The one Lieutenant General who hadn't withdrawn, possessing seventeen-star martial power, kept his eyes half-closed, seeming to listen intently, yet also appearing to be in a deep slumber, as steady as a boulder.

The remaining two examinees, however, lacked the calm of the previous three; a slight hint of tension was visible in their pupils.

The vast interests tied to Saturn compelled the two of them to refuse to share the spoils with Zuo Lin, and even more so, to refuse to follow Qin Fen, whose future prospects remained utterly uncertain.

Zuo Dongting did not speak immediately. He slowly swept his gaze over the five individuals seated below, appearing to savor their looks of nervousness and confusion.

“As the future principal leader of Saturn's military, beyond possessing a certain level of personal martial prowess, one also requires personal command ability. This command ability encompasses many facets, such as charismatic appeal and negotiation skills, among others.” Zuo Dongting raised his right hand and lightly waved his index finger, and a three-dimensional projection image instantly reappeared before everyone’s eyes.

Zuo Dongting slowly spoke again: “This is your supplemental examination topic: recruiting talent from the military. Talents of different power levels have different point values.

For instance, a fifteen-star Martial Arts Master is worth at least one hundred points, whereas a fourteen-star Quasi-Martial Arts Master is only worth ten points. If one has already completed Marrow Exchange Nirvana but has not yet officially entered the Martial Arts Master realm, they are generally worth thirty points.”

Zuo Dongting paid no mind to the group quietly viewing the point values on the screen, continuing on his own accord: “Besides these, various technical talents will also carry point values. Of course, the quota limit for this round is ten people, and each of you can recruit ten individuals based on this foundation. The final score will be the total sum.”

Qin Fen nodded lightly while looking at the screen. This report was compiled with extreme detail and meticulousness; not only were point values calculated across various force hierarchies, but there was also a point calculation based on age.

Even for two fourteen-star Quasi-Martial Arts Masters who had completed Marrow Exchange Nirvana, if one was fifty years old, their score would be thirty points. But if they were forty, the score would increase to thirty-five points. If they were only thirty, the score would jump to fifty points!

Twenty years old, a Quasi-Martial Arts Master who has completed Marrow Exchange Nirvana—how many such individuals exist in the world? A faint, subtle smile lurked deep within Zuo Dongting’s eyes. There were many geniuses in this world, but how many could complete Marrow Exchange Nirvana by the age of twenty? Even among the young soldiers mentioned in Qin Fen's file, their strength upon entering the Sacred Martial Hall was merely that of Blood Stream Rebirth.

Zuo Dongting slowly leaned back against the chair, interlocking his ten fingers on the desk, a hint of confidence in his gaze. To complete Blood Stream Rebirth so young was already an extreme stroke of luck. Marrow Exchange Nirvana, and other talents for the army? Where could Qin Fen possibly find them?

The two previously tense Colonels now displayed a flicker of joy at the corners of their eyes. Recruiting talent! Every family with backing naturally possessed a certain amount of influence. Even if securing a rare martial power like a Martial Arts Master was difficult, fourteen-star Quasi-Martial Arts Masters who hadn't achieved Marrow Exchange Nirvana were still attainable.

As for other areas, talents categorized under "other aspects" valued at forty points—that was practically a free score.

In an instant, both Colonels simultaneously directed their gazes toward Qin Fen. They didn't need to look at Zuo Lin or the composed Lieutenant General.

The Zuo family’s influence was immense. If Zuo Lin intended to reveal his hidden power extensively, he might complete this task with an astonishingly high score, enough to make everyone faint from shock.

As for the Lieutenant General, a military officer with seventeen-star rank who didn't even lift an eyelid when facing the Zuo family’s threatening warning—that spoke volumes about the power behind him.

Qin Fen’s basic profile, under the scrutiny of many interested parties within the military, could be roughly ascertained. Born from the common folk, without any backing forces, he seemed to have achieved his current enviable strength purely through heaven-defying personal effort.

Pity! The eyes of the two Colonels sighed inwardly. Qin Fen’s strength was indeed astonishing, but this assessment was destined to be unfair to him. Unless one was a Divine Beast Martial Artist, in this era, group strength mattered more. Individual martial power without group backing could only be called awe-inspiring, but it could not form a true force.

In the Federation, without heaven-defying strength like that of a Divine Beast, having influence became an absolute necessity.

After three minutes, the projection image began to distort, and after two more seconds, it vanished completely.

“Alright, memory retention is also part of the test.” The speaker this time was a black General. “We will not issue the personnel point data to you again. Now, you have five days to find and invite the most suitable people. Gather here in five days.”

The six Five-Star Admirals appeared very busy. After issuing the order, they immediately rose and departed, leaving all the examinees seated quietly in the room.

Zuo Lin rose, adjusted his uniform, snapped his fingers lightly—not too loudly—and with a confident smile, slowly addressed those beside him: “If any of you have suitable individuals, you are welcome to recommend them to me. Saturn is vast; it can’t be entirely populated by Zuo family members, wouldn’t you agree?”

The several candidates who had withdrawn immediately showed excitement in their eyes. It seemed the Zuo family wasn't just posturing this time; they were willing to share slots from the ten-person roster. Those who entered Saturn first would reap the greatest benefits.

The bodies of the two Colonels who insisted on taking the examination stiffened slightly. Was the Zuo family truly willing to yield so much benefit? It appeared Zuo Lin wasn't just aiming to eat the meat; perhaps other factions might even get a few scraps.

Qin Fen saw the regret in the eyes of the two Colonels and his assessment of Zuo Lin rose further. To speak words at any time or place that always struck at the critical weak points of the opposing side—such methods marked an outstanding commander.

Winning outside the game! Qin Fen recalled what his former squad leader once said. What Zuo Lin was doing now were tactics that secured victory before the direct confrontation. Such words struck the Colonels’ confidence again, sowing seeds of regret. This meant that even if they faced him in the subsequent duels, he already held an absolute advantage in morale, potentially even leading opponents to consider that surrendering and defecting might still yield benefits.

Before the battle even began, such thoughts arose. Qin Fen couldn't fathom how someone like this could fail.

Zuo Lin tidied his clothes and left the room composedly with his entourage, not casting even a sidelong glance at Qin Fen from start to finish.

“Qin Fen Lieutenant…”

Clark, the tall and strongly built black man, was entirely etched with nervousness and unease, his large hands clenched into fists as he asked, “Can I provide candidates?”

Qin Fen smiled and nodded gently. Facing this situation, it would have been strange if Clark hadn't worried.

“Here’s the plan. I’ll look for people, and you look for people too.” Qin Fen still had to crane his neck to see Clark’s face. “When the time comes, we’ll select the ones with the highest point values. What do you think?”

“Deal!”

Clark’s voice still echoed in the room as he was already hurrying out, the gust of wind he kicked up accelerating his departure causing Qin Fen’s dark hair to flutter wildly.

“Right!” Qin Fen also accelerated his steps towards the door. Lin Ling followed behind him as quietly as ever. If not for her impossibly perfect beauty, she sometimes looked more like Qin Fen's shadow.

Qin Fen found the Lieutenant General, Zhao Huzi, in his room.

“Kid, if you’ve come here to ask for aid, don’t bother speaking,” Zhao Huzi said with a helpless shrug. “The biggest difference between the Serpent King and the Lion King is that lions care for their cubs. While they might push them off a cliff and force them to climb back up, once they succeed, the lions still look after them. But snakes are different. Have you ever seen a snake care for its young? If the Serpent King cared for its offspring, Du Zhanpeng wouldn’t be dead.”

Qin Fen listened quietly as Zhao Huzi finished his tirade, which sounded somewhat like grumbling: “I wanted to ask: does the military cover reimbursement for travel expenses incurred while recruiting personnel?”

Zhao Huzi’s copper-bell eyes widened, staring intensely at Qin Fen for a full moment before he snapped back to reality, every muscle in his face etched with an indescribable, bitter smile.

Zhao Huzi could never have imagined that at this critical juncture when everyone was agonizing over point values, he would run in only to ask about travel expense reimbursement for a business trip.

“Kid, I know you met those geniuses of your age during the New Recruit Competition,” Zhao Huzi said, shaking his head with a look of clear doubt. “But I personally advise you not to count on them. First, they are all too young. Even though they entered the Sacred Martial Hall, they haven't been there for a full year. Only those inside the Sacred Martial Hall know their current strength, but I am not optimistic about them.”

Zhao Huzi looked at Qin Fen’s impassive face, so similar to Lin Ling’s, took another breath, and continued, “Second, even if their strength has advanced by leaps and bounds—even if they are seventeen-star strength right now—if you go looking for them at this point, they won't help you because…”

A deep helplessness flashed across Zhao Huzi’s profound pupils: “They almost all have powerful family backgrounds. Many matters are simply beyond their personal control. Their families have likely already struck deals with the Zuo family. The moment their family patriarch issues an order, they can only obey unconditionally. So…”

Zhao Huzi rubbed the bridge of his nose and temples. “If you pin all your hopes on them, you are likely going to be disappointed this time. Here is a list; I haven’t contacted the people on it yet. They are all high-point value individuals. Go look for them yourself; take whoever you can sign.”

“I want to try.”

“Try?” Zhao Huzi’s brows furrowed tightly. “Kid, I know you have a good relationship with them, but don't forget, sometimes the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.”

“I want to try.”

“Why can’t you understand?” Zhao Huzi’s tightly furrowed brows shot upward. “They have families; many times, family interests must come first.”

“I want to try,” Qin Fen repeated for the third time. “Can the travel expenses be reimbursed?”

“They can be reimbursed!” Zhao Huzi’s hair shot straight up in anger. He had known all along that Qin Fen looked easygoing, but once he set his mind on something, he would see it through. But watching him walk step-by-step down the wrong path made him extremely unhappy.

Time was only five days; every second was precious. The list Zhao Huzi provided had been carefully considered for a long time; with enough patience in explaining the invitation, persuading these people wasn't impossible.

But five days! Zhao Huzi felt it was impossible to convince everyone, even if he went himself. Qin Fen still wanted to waste time going to the Sacred Martial Hall to find young people backed by family influence!

“Kid!” Zhao Huzi called out as Qin Fen snapped a salute and turned toward the door. He spoke earnestly: “I’m not afraid that you won’t be able to invite them. I’m afraid of the disappointment that will hit you after your invitations fail. The more you trust someone, the better you treat them, the harder it is to bear when they betray you.”

Qin Fen gently shook his head, a rare smile gracing his face today. “They are my friends.”

Zhao Huzi watched Qin Fen leave as the door closed, a bitter, helpless smile curling his lips. “Friends? The most hurtful things in this world do not come from your enemies. What can truly wound a person are only those you wishfully consider friends.”

Silence returned to the room. Zhao Huzi opened a drawer, pulled out a long-shelved photograph, and rubbed his finger gently over the picture with an inexpressible sadness, his murmuring words carrying more heartbreak. “Friends… friends…”

In another room within the military headquarters, Zuo Lin listened to reports gathered from various sources, twirling an expensive gold pen between his fingers, his sword-like eyebrows displaying a look of deep thought. “Zhao Huzi is rough but meticulous in character, and he interacts with many people. As a soldier loyal to the Du Hen line, he shouldn't act in a way that opposes Du Hen. Therefore, he likely won't give Qin Fen pre-selected candidates. He will probably hand Qin Fen a list of people he hasn't contacted yet, letting him invite them himself.”

The Colonels who had withdrawn mid-assessment looked at Zuo Lin with great admiration. Within three seconds of receiving news that Qin Fen had entered Zhao Huzi's room, he had already made a judgment that sounded incredibly convincing.

Zuo Lin’s fingers flew rapidly across the virtual keyboard of the computer, his entire being radiating a state of intense focus. He quickly flipped through various personal files, occasionally pulling out someone’s profile and classifying it into a newly created document.

This lasted for thirty minutes. Zuo Lin let out a long breath, leaning back comfortably, taking a sip of cool specialty water to moisten his lips. “Print out this list and send it out. Go talk to all of them, tell them that the Zuo family is interested in inviting them to be part of the second batch heading to Saturn…”

The Colonels who had dropped out of the assessment froze simultaneously, looking again at Zuo Lin’s calm demeanor and the list on the screen, finally grasping some of the situation. The chill in their hearts could no longer be suppressed, erupting in waves.

That’s right! Zuo Lin’s martial strength was only fourteen-star, inferior to the Martial Arts Master level of Qin Fen. But in terms of strategy… the Colonels felt cold sweat beading on their foreheads. In such a short time, he had not only neutralized Zhao Huzi's potential but also correctly deduced a list Zhao Huzi might give Qin Fen, immediately using his resources to send out invitations. With this undercutting move, Qin Fen might truly find himself without anyone left to recruit.

“And also,” Zuo Lin paused for a moment, his fingers typing out a few more small personal files. “Inform the families of these individuals that the Zuo family is very sincere.”

The Colonels stared blankly at the names on the list, exchanging confused glances. Was Zuo Lin being overly cautious? Caesar? Brooks? Yang Lie? Although these young recruits from the New Recruit Competition were outstanding, their files indicated they were only at ten-star strength before entering the Sacred Martial Hall. They hadn't been there for even a year now. No matter what, they couldn't possess high point values. Even with Saturn’s immense rewards, was it necessary to throw people away like a spendthrift?

“Qin Fen has been in the Sacred Martial Hall for an even shorter time,” Zuo Lin said, his eyes fixed on the screen, his quiet words sounding almost like self-muttering. “But after coming out, he killed three Martial Arts Masters. The Heavenly Gate Martial Arts Master who died in the suburbs of Shengjing was also killed by him.”

The Colonels were surprised again. The Zuo family’s intelligence network was truly vast. Many people didn't know who killed the fifteen-star Martial Arts Master from the Heavenly Gate; they had confirmation here from Zuo Lin today.

“If Qin Fen could advance his martial path so rapidly in the Sacred Martial Hall…” Zuo Lin rotated his chair to face the Colonels directly, their eyes in his sight. “Then why couldn’t those who went with Qin Fen? Although the star-level strength data of Sacred Martial Hall practitioners is strictly controlled and we cannot obtain accurate information, we must still prepare for all eventualities.”

Zuo Lin turned his chair back to the computer screen, his raised left hand and index finger gently swaying side to side. “In anything you do, you can despise a person, but never underestimate him. Although Qin Fen is not my equal, when we enter a competitive phase, he must temporarily be counted as an opponent. Don't forget how rare it is to achieve Blood Stream Rebirth into Xiantian. How long have those people been with Qin Fen, yet their star rank strength has advanced so quickly?”

“Therefore,” Zuo Lin rose. “I despise him, but when it comes to a competitive calculation, I will absolutely not take him lightly! A lion attacks a rabbit with full force!”

The Colonels felt somewhat relieved that their decision to withdraw earlier had been correct. Opposing a commander who possessed vast resources, who seemed arrogant like a spoiled heir but whose heart was still meticulously sharp, was a profoundly unpleasant prospect.

The Colonels watched Zuo Lin’s confident back, beginning to yearn for the vast benefits on Saturn, while secretly feeling pity for Qin Fen. This young man, who had become a rising star in the military since enlisting, now had no hope of winning from the start.

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