"It's room number eight."
The Elder nodded at Chang Miao's words as a sign that he agreed. Then, he asked again "And, What's the number of this room?"
"It's my room, so it's number eight."
"I'm afraid you are wrong. This is room number seven."
"Ehhh..."
At the Elder's words, every single one of them made a confused expression. They were pretty sure this room is number eight, why does it become seven? Did they make a mistake somewhere?
One of the young recruits could not help but went outside to peek at the room number once more. In front of the door, there was a wooden nameplate which indicates the room number.
"But, Elder... This is clearly room number eight. It said so here..."
"Deng Huan, I thought a genius like you could do better than that. But, even after receiving multiple hints over the past few days, and knowing the answer right now, how could you not realise the truth?" the Elder replied. "On the first day, try to remember what kind of uniform you received?"
"Wait... Could it be? You mean the reason I received girls uniform was..."
The Elder nodded.
The young man called Deng Huan rethinks the whole situation again. Previously when the training started a few days ago, he and his roommate received the girls uniform. Meanwhile, Chang Miao and her friends got the boys uniform. Not just that, the others also claimed they received the wrong size. They thought it was a mistake and trade the uniforms with each other. However, it seemed it was not a mistake in the first place.
Deng Huan looked around the area in the hallway. Then finally he took out the wooden nameplate from the door. As he turned it around, he discovered there was something else written at the back.
Two different numbers, the front was written "8" with sloppy handwriting. However, the backside was engraved "Room 7". Just by the type, it was kind of obvious, which is the real one. There were also other hints, it's hard to see, but the doork.n.o.b also was marked with the number "7".
"The rooms were switched. No... it was not switched, we just entered the wrong room from the very start!"
"Exactly!" the Elder gave a big nod. "This was part of the test, and if you want to be a disciple of the Silver Hands Owl, you should be able to discern the truth information from the fake ones. If you were told to infiltrate a stronghold and were given the wrong address, it could just be a trap. So before entering, you should gain information first and verify if it was really the place you supposed to go to. Even after so many days, the one who discovered it was actually the new recruit who just entered, Fei Bao Xing. You guys should be ashamed of yourself!"
The Elder calmly focus his attention back to the girls. "Thus, Fei Bao Xing can't be blamed because this is his room. In fact, you three girls are the one who should apologise for entering without permission. "
"But... But... He almost a.s.saulted me..." said Chang Miao.
"Fei Bao Xing could not possibly a.s.sault you, he's not..."
The fact that Fei Bao Xing was not a cultivator was to be kept a secret. But, this fact was the very reason Fei Bao Xing could definitely not a.s.sault someone. The Elder thought that Chang Miao just did not like the fact that she and Fei Bao Xing roomed together overnight.
"I mean, it was right to attack a stranger that entered their territory. Does this explain everything?"
Upon the Elder's explanation, it was made very clear that he had no intention to punish Fei Bao Xing.
"Ye... Yes..."
The three girls expression became dark.
It seemed the girls could not accept this decision. It was not because they were unable to discover their real room, but the fact that Fei Bao Xing heard that they called Chang Miao as "Young Lady Min."
But, if they made a move on Fei Bao Xing, they will be the prime suspect. With the Elder protected him so much, killing him was not an option. They had no choice but to find some other way to shut Fei Bao Xing's mouth.
***
Fei Bao Xing felt relieved. He did discover the real room number from the start, but that was because he's just being careful. After all, he's not a cultivator, which make it more important to be cautious.
After, he received his uniform of Silver Hands Owl recruit. Fei Bao Xing and the other recruits began to gather in front of the dorm just as the Elder instructed.
"Ahem..." as the Elder clears his throat, the recruits stopped talking among themselves and line up nicely.
"Today's mission is to enhance your tracing and detection skills. Create a team consisting of four people and enter the Northern Dark Forest. In the forest were hidden keys just like this." said the Elder while showing four different types of keys. "Each green key will earn you 1 point. The blue key is 5 points. The red key is 10 points. Lastly, the silver key is 100 points."
"Within three days, each team should earn at least 30 points. Below that will be considered as a fail and will be eradicated. But, try to get more than 30 points, I guarantee it will be worth your time. Now, create your team and discuss some strategies, we will depart at noon!"
"Ah... One more thing! This is Silver Hands Owl, and everyone is a thief. You'll be allowed to steal other team's key. If you accidentally kill someone... you will be penalised, and your team has to earn 30 more points."
At the Elder's words, the recruits gulped in horror. Basically, you are allowed to kill if you can pay 30 points of each person. They did not dare to think about it anymore and search for their teammate.
"Chang Miao... Let me join you, girls!"
"No! No! Pick me... I'll be the one who joins Chang Miao's team!"
As usual, Chang Miao and her two friends were very popular. As the only girls among the boys, they were like flowers in the centre of sh*ts.
Make way!" shouted Deng Huan. At his words, the other boys went back and left a path for Deng Huan. No one dared to oppose him, not only he's talented in dark arts and thievery, but he also has a high cultivation level.
"Chang Miao. Let me join, and I guarantee that we will earn 100 points!"
If Deng Huan said so, it definitely would come true. Cheng Miao puckered her lips and read the situation. Under normal circ.u.mstances, Chang Miao would say yes. However, she has more important things to do than this mission.
"I'm sorry. But we already have someone else in mind!"
"Ehh..." Deng Huan was a bit shocked. To think Cheng Miao rejected him for another guy.
"Fei Bao Xing, will you please join our team?" said Cheng Miao.
"Eeeh... Me?"
[What the h.e.l.l is this? Cheng Miao actually wanted to be a teammate with someone who a.s.saulted her. Is this Stockholm Syndrome?]
"That's right!" said Cheng Miao with a cheerful smile. "We must earn at least sixty points!"
"Umm... Why sixty points?"
"Just because..."
[Thirty points for clearing the mission, and another thirty as a penalty for eliminating Fei Bao Xing.]