After careful consideration, Gu You stepped forward and picked up a soul-guided assault rifle.
Looking at the lethal weapon in his hands, Gu You smiled. When he was a child, this was the thing he had most wanted to touch.
Seeing his choice, the lieutenant raised an eyebrow slightly. A trace of regret flashed through her eyes.
"You're the same as most new recruits," she said. Her tone wasn't particularly friendly, but she didn't say anything more. She led him out of the warehouse and into the center of the camp, toward an especially massive building.
The top of the structure was shaped like a sharp spire, making it the tallest building in the entire camp—around fifty meters high. Entering through a side door, Gu You finally saw other soldiers.
There were dozens of them, all wearing white military uniforms. The uniforms were elegant, with the Snow God Condor emblem he had seen on his recommendation letter embroidered on their chests.
No one paid any attention to Gu You being brought in by the lieutenant.
But Gu You noticed something unusual—based on the insignia on their shoulders, every one of them was an officer. The lowest rank present was a second lieutenant. There wasn't a single enlisted soldier in sight.
Could this be the Blood God Legion's command center?
The lieutenant led Gu You to an elevator nearby. As the elevator doors opened and the two stepped inside, a cold voice suddenly rang out.
"Wait."
With the voice, another person entered the elevator.
Gu You's eyes lit up.
The newcomer was a female soldier with the rank of major on her shoulders—the very same officer who had brought him into the camp earlier. She had already removed her heavy outerwear and was now dressed only in a crisp white uniform.
The snow-white uniform was immaculate, without a single crease. Accented by the golden epaulettes on her shoulders, she looked sharp and valiant.
"Major!" The lieutenant immediately saluted her.
The female major returned the salute, striking her chest with her fist.
That motion, however, wasn't exactly suited for a woman.
She had a tall, slender figure and striking looks, but more than beauty, she carried a kind of heroic aura most women lacked. Still, none of that interfered with her natural development—when she struck her chest with her right fist, the result was… quite eye-catching.
Gu You's mouth twitched slightly.
"I'll be responsible for his assessment. You can return," the major said in a deep voice.
The lieutenant froze for a moment. "You'll handle it personally?"
The major nodded. "Yes. I reviewed his movements after he entered the mountains. His assessment will be under my supervision."
"Yes!" The lieutenant saluted again and strode out of the elevator.
The elevator doors closed.
From the sensation alone, Gu You could tell they were descending. Inside the small, enclosed space, only he and the female major remained.
Gu You coughed lightly. "Major, hello. My name is—"
"Address me as Officer," the major said coldly.
"Oh—yes. Hello, Officer," Gu You quickly corrected himself.
"Attention!" the major barked.
Huh?
Gu You froze for a moment, then straightened his posture. He wasn't quite used to her commanding tone, but recalling what the lieutenant had said earlier, he endured it.
The major said nothing further and showed no intention of introducing herself.
A moment later, the elevator chimed with a crisp ding, and the doors opened.
Outside was a metallic corridor. Walking down the corridor and turning left, the major led Gu You into a room.
The moment he entered, Gu You's face showed surprise.
This place felt… oddly familiar.
This was—
Didn't it look exactly like the entrance to the Spirit Transmission Tower's Ascension Platform?
And not just any—this was clearly the basic-level Ascension Platform. Glass pods lined the room, each large enough for a person to stand inside.
The major walked to the control console and began operating it. Her hands moved incredibly fast, fingers flying across the keyboard as crisp tapping sounds echoed through the room.
On the metal wall, two glass pods slowly opened. At the same time, various instruments throughout the room lit up.
"You've been to the Ascension Platform before?" the major turned and asked.
"Do I even need to—yes, I have," Gu You answered honestly.
The major nodded. "Your test will be similar to the Ascension Platform. Your task is simple—protect me inside until the assessment ends."
"Alright." Gu You nodded and walked toward one of the glass pods.
Watching his back, the major narrowed her eyes slightly before quickly following him.
"Let me remind you—inside, you won't be able to use soul power. You may only rely on the weapon in your hands. Understood?"
"Understood." Gu You looked unconcerned. With just his physical strength, he could punch most low-level monsters to death anyway.
He stepped into the glass pod. The glass enclosure slowly closed, metal plates pressing snugly against his body. A metal brace locked him in place from behind as the surroundings gradually brightened.
It had been a long time since Gu You last entered an Ascension Platform.
He closed his eyes, silently sensing the changes around him.
A faint stinging sensation spread through his limbs, converging in his brain. His body shuddered briefly, and his mind fell into blankness.
Vaguely, Gu You could sense electrical stimulation, fluctuations in data, and waves of spatial energy.
These were things he couldn't perceive before.
But now, with his spiritual power having reached the Spirit Domain level, his perception was far sharper.
There was no discomfort.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a snow-covered plain, the soul-guided rifle still in his hands.
What surprised him even more was that, looking around, he could see the familiar outlines of the camp not far away—the same camp he had just been in.
A simulated environment?
It was perfectly modeled after the camp area. Interesting.
However, right beside him was a massive pit.
The pit was unfathomably deep, its bottom shrouded in darkness. Faint, unknown auras drifted upward from within.
Gu You examined himself inwardly.
Sure enough, he couldn't sense his soul power at all. The soul power vortex seemed to have vanished from his body entirely.
Fortunately, his bloodline aura was still present. His qi and blood energy remained vigorous, so he wasn't affected much.
Just then, a flash of light appeared, and the female major materialized beside him.
"You got in pretty fast," she said, sounding puzzled.
"Is there a difference?" Gu You replied.
The major's expression returned to normal. She pointed at the abyss beside them.
"Jump."
"Oh."
Without hesitation, Gu You leapt forward, plunging straight into the dark pit.
The major followed immediately, jumping in after him.
The surroundings rapidly grew darker.
Gu You's eyes, however, shone brightly.
A purple glow flickered within his pupils—the unmistakable Purple Demon Eyes.
This was indeed a cavern.
The surrounding cave walls were jagged and uneven, and—
(End of Chapter)