CHAPTER 533: DRUNKEN UNCLE

"Uhm...D-29, is this normal?" Luca finally asked the question everyone was thinking.

Because now, everyone was looking at him like he was supposed to say something.

Anything.

But the truth was, the first-time proctor was sweating bullets.

Because as soon as the simulation started, nearly half of the candidates almost face-planted.

"!!!"

And one such person was Corporal Anya Merren, who wobbled so hard she was almost floored.

She was only twenty-six—fresh blood, one of the youngest to reach her position.

But as a medically discharged soldier under the House of Kyros, she was quite literally the youngest.

She had been a rising star. Cross-trained. Medal-earning. A name people expected to shine in the military.

Until it all fell apart.

Contaminated during a mission to save her stranded squad, she came back broken. Medically discharged.

The day they told her about her condition and how it was better for her to retire, she thought it would’ve been better if she hadn’t made it out alive back then.

All her dreams were thrown into the gutter. And all that was left was the orphaned girl who dreamt of giving back.

But who would’ve thought she’d make it this far?

And who would’ve thought they’d have another shot at life?

Not her.

And likely not any of the eighty-three other people who were going to be tested today.

But here they were. Not just trying to get back into things, but likely coming back with a vengeance.

All because they were fortunate enough to end up in this house, and were lucky enough to continue staying alive until their savior arrived.

They were given a second chance.

So when they called for volunteers who could pilot the biomechas, which their very own young lord would make, all hell broke loose.

A brawl broke out just to get to the sign-ups.

Because just who was smart enough to place a single holoboard instead of sending a notice via their terminals like normal people?

Well, a certain heir who approved Master Quinn’s suggestion.

Thankfully, the heir as well as the Duke and Duchess hadn’t seen the kind of spectacle that resulted in blackeyes and hurting shins.

But more importantly, Anya was thankful for the rating requirement. For it not for that, the eighty-four candidates would’ve tripled or so!

As if it wasn’t tricky enough already, when she could clearly see a few legends competing for the ten spots. Not to mention the other people watching. Eyes sharp. Judging every move.

She swallowed as she stepped into the chamber.

It was definitely not their first time in the training hall, but the configuration of the simulation area looked different from anything they had tried.

Apparently, all they had to do was to remain upright for as long as possible.

Okay, that shouldn’t be too bad, right?

[COMMENCING SIMULATION]

[3]

[2]

[1]

[BEGIN]

BEEP!

Famous. Fucking. Last. Words.

"!!!"

It felt like someone had dropped a full-grown adult on her back.

From out of nowhere.

And then sat on her shoulders just for fun.

The air left her lungs. Her knees nearly buckled.

She glanced around.

And saw the same thing happening everywhere.

People gritting their teeth.

Candidates wobbling like newborn foals.

Soldiers gasping and swearing through their teeth.

Oh yeah.

This was going to be hell.

Had they not been trained to respond instinctively, Anya would have collapsed immediately.

Her instincts alone saved her from being disqualified on the spot.

At first, she thought she could conserve spiritual energy while the gravity sat at a manageable two times normal.

But wait.

They never said which planet’s gravity this was based on, did they?

Which godforsaken planet even had gravity like this?!

Certainly not Planet Nova.

She gritted her teeth and quickly surrounded herself with spiritual energy before the suppression crushed her completely.

For a moment, she thought she could handle it.

Until the pressure shifted.

What initially felt like carrying one heavy person suddenly turned into carrying a drunk, deadweight uncle who decided to bring his entire extended family.

"!!!"

Groans filled the chamber.

Realization dawned on everyone at the same time.

They were probably going to die.

And it was only going to get worse.

Because the drunk uncle’s family just brought their entire vehicle.

Anya gasped. Sweat trickled down her forehead as her knees trembled.

She glanced at the others.

At least she wasn’t alone in her misery.

Outside the simulation hall, the onlookers shot to their feet.

Ollie gawked at the screen, horrified.

Everyone inside looked like they’d thrown their backs out.

"Brother, what’s happening?" The blonde asked, panic evident in his voice.

The longer the simulation ran, the worse the candidates looked.

And yet... they just stood there. Ollie couldn’t even see any attack whatsoever.

One by one, knees started hitting the floor.

Candidates dropped like flies.

The crowd gasped and whispered.

But Luca?

His good brother stayed silent.

Ollie frowned and looked up, expecting an answer.

Only to see his brother staring at the chamber with crazed eyes.

Yeah. Crazed.

To others, they may have occasionally seen this look whenever Luca looked at his account balances, but for certain people, those beautiful and expressive eyes carried a different kind of danger!

After all, those same eyes he had whenever he told them it was a good time to study.

Ollie trembled, from his foot to his head and all the way back down. Then his jaw slackened.

Had the crying from yesterday broken him?

Because the moment Luca realized what it took to survive the simulation...

He lit up.

Positively beaming.

"Brother," Luca said sweetly, his golden eyes glinting in a way that screamed danger, "there are only thirty-four candidates left for the next round, no?"

Ollie froze.

"What do you say we try it ourselves?"

Luca smiled at him.

That sweet smile.

That dangerous, deadly sweet smile.

Ollie gaped at him, wondering if his best brother had finally gone mad.

But then.

Then the others—the ones who were supposed to be sane and hadn’t had to cry or face their deep-seated traumas—started saying they wanted to try too.

Even Steward Han, Cece, and worse, even the quiet Theo?!

Heck, even the guy next to him!

Huh?

Kyle?!

When his very own Kyle calmly said he wanted in...

Ollie knew.

This wasn’t just madness.

It was contagious.

And that was how a full-fledged, perfectly respectable mechanic ended up standing in line for a death trap.