Chapter 51: Barren Planet Assessment 2

On July 19, it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon when Lin Yaogang returned to Room 107 from outside.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Yu Ze wearing a clean training uniform and sitting on the bed playing with Huihui.

Yu Ze saw Lin Yao coming in from outside and he looked unsatisfied. He remembered that this person was still asleep before he took a shower. He took a shower and this person disappeared, so he asked Lin Yao where he had gone.

"I haven't seen any warships, I just wandered around."

Lin Yao took off his hooded jacket and threw it on the bed, saying with a hint of curiosity, "I didn't expect it to be so big. I haven't even finished exploring the living area yet."

Yu Ze asked, "You...are just hanging out in the living area?"

Lin Yao nodded, took a glass of water, and took a sip:

"I walked around the living area for most of the time, only to find that the accommodation for those of us who came to the desolate planet for the assessment occupies less than a quarter of Living Area L003."

When Yu Ze heard this, he was surprised at how big L003 was. Then he slowed down his fingertips teasing Hui Hui, and a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.

"Actually, I'm also quite curious about the layout of the starship, but..." He scratched his head sheepishly, his voice lowered:

"When I first arrived this morning, I wanted to buy a bag of cookies from the vending machine, but it took me more than half an hour just to mentally prepare myself at the door."

Not to mention that Lin Yao asked him out for lunch at noon, and the scene when he drew lots before really killed him.

"When it was my turn to draw, my fingers were shaking." At the end of his speech, Yu Ze found it funny and his shoulders shrugged slightly.

Lin Yao also laughed, and after laughing, he thought of tomorrow's test.

Five days of assessment time;

The assessment time for each day is from 9 am to 6 pm, a total of nine hours;

These nine hours are divided into three rounds, with each round entering a large group of candidates;

Sentinel guides are divided into two groups, and fifty groups form a large group;

The basis for grouping is the number of the partner sentry drawn yesterday.

By this calculation, Yu Ze’s number 39 will be in the first round tomorrow.

Lin Yao asked him curiously and concernedly:

"If you're so scared, what are you going to do about the exam with Sentinel tomorrow? You're in the first round."

The smile on Yu Ze's face faded a little, then he raised the corner of his mouth again, and his tone became much more relaxed:

"I've actually already talked to that partner sentry on the laptop."

He shook the laptop in his hand and said, "I don't think he's the type to give others a hard time. He was quite polite and even said he could take care of me."

He was about to continue, wanting to talk about how the sentry's spirit body was a very docile Labrador, when the cabin's broadcasting system suddenly emitted a slight electric sound.

Then a steady and powerful male voice sounded: "Everyone, please pay attention. This is Zhao Yi from the Fourth Army. L003 is about to enter the magnetic storm zone of Barren Planet No. 73 and is expected to land in ten minutes."

Both of them looked towards the porthole at the same time, and a hazy red light appeared outside the window, which was the reflection of the atmosphere unique to the desolate planet No. 73.

"Due to the high-intensity magnetic storms on the desolate planet, severe turbulence may occur during landing," Zhao Yi's voice continued to come from the radio with unquestionable professionalism.

"Please take protective measures and avoid moving around the cabin. If you feel unwell, please contact the nearest medical staff immediately."

The moment the broadcast ended, the red alarm lights in the bridge began to rotate and the shrill beeping sound pierced the silence in the cabin.

"Tied him up again?" Lin Yao had just retracted his gaze and wanted to ask Yu Ze if he had tied him up again, but this man had already tied him up a long time ago.

Lin Yao hesitated to speak, then silently tied himself up.

The two continued the topic they had not finished just now.

-

In the L003 main control room, on the huge central screen, the image of the desolate planet No. 73 was being enlarged at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Not only is the atmosphere of that planet red, but its surface is also covered with a rusty reddish-brown color, like a rotten fruit forgotten in a corner of the universe.

"Enter planetary orbit and prepare to cross the magnetic storm layer." Zhao Yi's voice was as steady as iron.

The soldier followed his instructions, his fingers sliding quickly across the control panel.

"Increase port engine power to 80%, and activate the deflector shield to maximum defense mode."

The L003's hull trembled slightly, and the starlight outside the window was suddenly distorted into strange arcs.

This once industrial planet emitted strong electromagnetic radiation. The invisible energy field was like a giant net, frantically tearing at the warship's protective shield. The values ​​on the console screen instantly jumped to a dazzling red.

"The magnetic storm's intensity exceeded expectations!" the operator's voice was calm. "The starboard shield's energy is being lost too quickly, and the backup circuit has shorted! We can't land at the planned location."

The sharp sound of metal friction came from deep inside the hull, as if countless blunt knives were cutting the steel plates at the same time.

Lin Yao clutched the bed sheet tightly, feeling his body being repeatedly tossed up and pulled back by an invisible force. This was exactly the magnetic storm turbulence that Zhao Yi had warned him about.

He turned his head to see what was happening through the porthole, but because he was tied up, he could only see the atmosphere of the desolate planet No. 73 swirling red.

Silver-white arcs of electricity flashed through the clouds from time to time, and the crackling energy beams licked the hull of the warship like the tongues of poisonous snakes.

"Keep the ship stable!" Zhao Yi remained calm. "Activate the backup landing plan."

When the warship changed its course and broke through the last layer of the ionosphere, the entire ship suddenly fell as if it had lost weight.

Lin Yao's heart suddenly rose to his throat. It was too stimulating!

On the main control screen, the image of Planet 73 gradually became clear.

The skeletons of abandoned factories are like huge skeletons, the crooked chimneys pierce the gray sky, and the rusty conveyor belts are entangled with withered vines, swaying constantly in the strong wind.

"Found the backup landing site!" The observer's voice came,

"The old apron at Industrial Zone 3 is covered with about 30 centimeters of radioactive dust, meeting landing standards."

After hearing this, Zhao Yi frowned slightly, reached out and swiped a few times on the control panel in front of him, calling up a detailed data chart of the apron.

He scanned the various parameters with a sharp gaze, confirming that the thickness of the radioactive dust, the load-bearing capacity of the ground, the flatness, and other indicators were all within the safe range. Then he gave a solemn order into the communicator:

"Cleared to land, adjust attitude, slow down, and avoid ground debris."

"Received, start landing." The voice of the controlling soldier came with a hint of relief.

The landing gear of L003 slowly extended, and the metal bracket unfolded smoothly under the action of the hydraulic device, and the buffer pad at the end had a cold and hard metallic luster.

The warship gradually lowered its altitude with the low roar of its engines, approaching the old helipad below.

As we got closer to the ground, we could clearly see the scattered metal fragments and broken pipes on the apron. The radioactive dust was slightly lifted up by the air flow, forming a thin layer of brown dust mist.

The lights from the landing gear pierced the gloom, illuminating the area below, aimed precisely at the center of the apron.

"Fifty meters from the ground, keep steady."

"Thirty meters, buffer system activated."

"Ten meters, ready to touch the ground."

Following the commands, the landing gear of L003 slowly touched the radioactive dust on the ground, and the cushions sank firmly into the radioactive dust, absorbing the impact of landing.

The ship sank slightly by a few centimeters, and then stabilized without any violent shaking.

The huge impact force did not come as expected, and the entire landing process was smoother than expected.

The radioactive dust that rose up was like a brown mushroom cloud, slowly covering the entire warship and then gradually dissipating.

The alarms in the cabin died down instantly, leaving only the gradually weakening hum of the engine and everyone's relieved breathing.

After untying the straps, Lin Yao moved his numb hands and feet.

He looked out the window and saw L003 parked steadily on the old apron, its landing gear deeply embedded in the radioactive dust, as if it had taken root in this barren land.

In the distance, on the blast furnace of the steel plant, the huge gears were still turning, but they had long been consumed by rust.

The wind blew metal fragments across the ground, making a clanging sound, as if this dead planet was making a faint response to their arrival.

After landing safely, Zhao Yi's voice came through the radio again, with a hint of imperceptible relaxation.

"Special reminder: the environment on the desolate planet is complex, and the radiation and magnetic storms have not yet fully stabilized. Do not leave the ship without permission to avoid danger."

After listening to the broadcast, Yu Ze looked out the window thoughtfully and suddenly said, "It seems this is the backup stop."

Lin Yao turned to look at him, and Yu Ze explained:

"If it's the designated location, the environment there should have been thoroughly surveyed long ago. According to the plan, candidates like us can directly go out of the ship to experience the environment of the desolate planet."

He paused and pointed to the rusty pipes outside the window.

"Look at the thickness of the radioactive dust here, and the degree of rust on the equipment in the distance. This place is not suitable for us to leave directly."

"So this should be the backup point."

"Backup landing sites are usually chosen with an environment similar to the planned landing site, but Planet 73 is a bit special. The radiation levels vary greatly from place to place. It's difficult to find an identical location that's both safe to land and within a controllable radiation range."

Lin Yao looked in the direction he pointed and asked thoughtfully, "So, should we just go this way tomorrow?"

"It's hard to say." Yu Ze shook his head.

"It depends on the situation at the original landing site. If it meets the requirements, then we'll definitely go there. If not, we'll have to go from here to the assessment area."

The cabin was quiet for a moment. Lin Yao touched Shasha who had slipped out. No matter where he started in the end, the assessment on the desolate planet No. 73 was destined to be difficult for him.

"The radiation level in the air detected is 1.2 times the safety threshold," the optical computer received the message from the Longxiong Legion.

The reminder sounded coldly, "It is recommended to wear a protective mask for outdoor activities."

-

"By the way, you said you were going to look for sentry No. 39 later?" Lin Yao asked Yu Ze.

Yu Ze mentioned it when the two continued chatting during the landing.

His social anxiety is much better when communicating online, but not when facing real people.

Yu Ze told this situation to sentry No. 39, Zhang Zhang. The other party was very understanding and said that they could arrange a place to meet first to get familiar with each other. After all, collaboration in assessment is very important.

In response to Lin Yao's question, Yu Ze nodded, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his sleeves:

"Well, he said we should meet first so we can get to know each other's spiritual bodies to avoid any problems during tomorrow's assessment."

"What time? Where shall we meet?" Lin Yao asked.

"He said he'd be in Lounge No. 3 in the living area at nine o'clock. There aren't usually many people there."

Yu Ze answered, his voice still carrying a subtle nervousness, and the small movements of his fingertips also revealed his uneasiness.

Lin Yao thought about it and realized that there were indeed few people in the lounge when he went there in the afternoon. It seemed that the sentry named Zhang Zhang was really considering Yu Ze.

So Lin Yao suggested: "I'll go with you."

Yu Ze was stunned for a moment: "Ah? No need, I can do it myself..."

"Yes," Lin Yao interrupted him and pointed to the corridor outside the cabin door.

"Although the lounge is sparsely populated, and most people are probably in the dormitories at nine o'clock in the evening, getting there requires passing through the passage used by the Longxiong soldiers, and there are quite a few people along the way. Are you sure you can make it through?"

These words made Yu Ze feel nervous. He didn't know that he had to go through the passage used by the Longxiong soldiers.

I just thought that the candidates would probably be in the dormitory at that time, so it should be okay for me to go out by myself.

The thought of having to walk through those busy areas made his breath catch.

Seeing Yu Ze's hesitation, Lin Yao added, "I'll follow you and take you there. When we meet people, you two can chat about your things while I continue shopping. If you're leaving, send me a message and I'll pick you up and we'll come back together."

Yu Ze bit his lower lip, weighed the pros and cons for a few seconds, and finally nodded: "Then... then I'll trouble you."

He was really not sure if he could get through the crowd alone, so having Lin Yao by his side at least made him feel more at ease.

Huihui seemed to sense his master's relaxation, and poked his head out of Yu Ze's pocket, scratching the edge of the pocket with his little paws and gently wagging his tail.

Lin Yao looked at the furry tarsier and smiled: "It's not a big deal. I have nothing to do."

The two chatted for a few more sentences about the topics that might be discussed during the meeting, and Yu Ze gradually became less nervous.

The sky outside the window had completely darkened, and the lights inside the starship seemed exceptionally bright.

The sounds of other candidates' footsteps and voices could be heard in the corridor, all of which were laying the final groundwork for the upcoming examination.

At 8:45, Lin Yao patted Yu Ze on the shoulder and said, "Let's go. If you don't go now, you'll be late."

Yu Ze took a deep breath, as if he had made great mental preparations, and followed Lin Yao out of Room 107.

There are fewer candidates at this time, but there are still some.

In addition to the passage used by the Longxiong soldiers, the group of soldiers who protect their safety take turns on duty, so there are quite a lot of people in the passage.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong. Lin Yao and Yu Ze arrived at Lounge No. 3 smoothly before nine o'clock.

After telling Yu Ze again that they were going to tell him before they finished, Lin Yao left and went shopping on his own.

Lin Yao took a last look at the Labrador spirit at the sentry's feet. It looked quite docile.

The sentinel's spirit body usually reflects the owner's personality. If the spirit body is docile, the owner should not be too bad either.

Then, Lin Yao turned around and left. After all, he also had to meet his partner, the Sentinel, but that person didn't know about it.

-

The next morning, the atmosphere of the assessment day filled the entire L003.

Zhao Yi's notice came over the radio that all candidates whose turn it was needed to take an aircraft from the alternative landing point to the examination site.

After Lin Yao helped Yu Ze check his assessment equipment, he saw him repeatedly confirming the route in front of the computer and couldn't help asking, "Do you need me to take you to the preparation area on the starship?"

Yu Ze quickly shook his head and tapped the light computer screen with his fingertips: "No need, Zhang Zhang said he would wait for me at the entrance of the guide dormitory area."

Lin Yao then exclaimed in sudden realization.

Yesterday, after Yu Ze came back from Lounge No. 3, he excitedly told him that he and Zhang Zhang had a very good chat, and Ah Huang, the Labrador, was indeed as docile as Zhang Zhang said.

At that time, she took the initiative to come over and rub his palm, which made him feel less nervous.

"Okay." Although Lin Yao was still a little worried about Yu Ze facing the crowd alone, seeing the determination in his eyes, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Then be careful on the road and don't touch the buttons on the aircraft."

"I know," Yu Ze smiled and patted his backpack. "The assessment will be over at noon. We'll wait for you in the restaurant to have lunch together."

"Okay," Lin Yao patted his shoulder, "Don't be nervous, you'll be fine. I'll always be in front of the computer to cheer you on."

Yu Ze blushed after hearing this, and was very confused as to why both practical parts of the assessment were broadcast live.

Yu Ze stopped thinking about it because he couldn't figure it out. He nodded vigorously, took a deep breath, grabbed his backpack and walked towards the door.

When he reached the cabin door, he turned around and waved. Huihui poked his head out of his pocket and waved his little paws as if saying goodbye to Lin Yao.

After Yu Ze stepped out, Lin Yao hurried to the door. After watching Yu Ze's figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Lin Yao closed the door again.

He was packing his equipment bag when a message suddenly popped up on his computer screen. It was from Ye Heng: "Good luck on the assessment. Remember to report back when you're done."

Lin Yao's fingertips paused on the screen, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on the corner of his mouth.

After arriving at Barren Planet 73 yesterday, he sent a message to Ye Heng: "I have arrived at Barren Planet 73. Everything is going well. The assessment will begin tomorrow."

Ye Heng didn't reply until more than an hour later, with just two simple words: I understand.

Lin Yao was stunned for a moment when he saw the reply, then he realized that this was even busier than when he contacted Ye Heng in the afternoon.

He was so busy that he didn't even have time to type a few more words. He must have encountered some trouble again.

Lin Yao felt a pang in his heart at that time, and sent another message: There is no problem with my assessment, you please be careful over there.

After a long while, Ye Heng replied, "Yeah, you too," and added, "I'll always keep an eye on you." These few short sentences made Lin Yao feel a lot more at ease.

Lin Yao lowered his head and quickly replied: "Don't worry, wait for my good news. You should also pay attention to your safety and don't be careless."

After sending, Lin Yao put the computer into the storage ring and zipped up the equipment bag.

His fingertips touched the protective mask in the bag, and he thought of the frontline planet where Ye Heng was. It was said that the environment was a hundred times worse than that of the barren planet No. 73.

"We all need to be safe." Lin Yao silently said in his heart.

-

At two o'clock in the afternoon, with one hour left before the end of the second round of examinations, the radio broadcast a notice asking candidates for the third round of examinations to go to the preparation area.

Lin Yao straightened his clothes and was about to say goodbye to Yu Ze when Yu Ze came over with a cup of nutritional supplement: "I'll let you prepare it."

Lin Yao: "Well, I'll leave now."

"I will also keep an eye on the real-time updates in front of the computer and cheer you on!" Yu Ze waved his fist vigorously, and Huihui lay on his shoulder and nodded slightly.

Before Lin Yao could finish his greeting, Yu Ze's eyes accidentally swept across Lin Yao's neck. Suddenly, something attracted him, and his eyes lit up:

"Hey, your necklace is so beautiful."

Lin Yao subconsciously touched the necklace around his neck. The azure stone, strung on a black rope, shone with a warm luster under the light of the dormitory.

"It's the Silent Night Stone." Yu Ze nodded repeatedly, his tone full of admiration.

"It can absorb sound and mental fluctuations. The external environment of Barren Planet No. 73 is so harsh that mental fluctuations are inevitable over time. With it, I think it can help you!"

"Thank you for your good words." Lin Yao smiled, his fingertips gently stroking the cold stone. The slight glint in it seemed to agree with Yu Ze's words: "By the way, you have good taste."

"Of course," Yu Ze raised his chin, then scratched his head a little embarrassedly, "Hurry up and go to the preparation area, don't be late."

"Okay, see you later." Lin Yao patted his shoulder, turned around, grabbed the equipment bag and walked out of the dormitory.

There were already quite a few candidates in the corridor leading to the preparation area. They were all in a hurry, with nervousness and anticipation on their faces.

Lin Yao walked forward with the crowd, but he was silently adjusting his state of mind.

He placed the Night Stone on his neck under his clothes. The cool feeling against his skin calmed his irritable mood a lot.

When he arrived at the entrance of the preparation area, Lin Yao saw Zhou Yan standing inside at a glance.

Lin Yao took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and walked over.

Lin Yao walked to a place three meters away from Zhou Yan and stopped. As a sentry, Zhou Yan had already spotted him. "Are you refusing to receive my message?"

This was the first sentence Zhou Yan said when he met Lin Yao.

"I have nothing to say to you." Lin Yao replied expressionlessly.

"Why are you so confident? Don't forget that this is a collaboration between the sentinels and the guides."

Zhou Yan's mouth curled up with a hint of sarcasm. He didn't expect that after not seeing him for three years, this guide Lin Yao would actually refute him.

"But the assessment regulations also state that 'the sentinel's performance will not be judged separately in this stage.'" Lin Yao continued.

In other words, if Lin Yao performs well enough, he can still get a passing score even if Zhou Yan slacks off the whole time.

As long as he passed the exam, combined with the results of the previous items, Lin Yao would be sure to get the advanced guide certificate.

After these words were spoken, Zhou Yan was stunned for a moment, and then he burst into laughter. His undisguised and ostentatious laughter instantly attracted the attention of the surrounding candidates and the live broadcast barrage on Star Network.

Most of the people around were confused and just looked at the sentinel and guide who were about to partner up in confusion, not understanding the deep meaning hidden in their laughter.

But many viewers on Star Online recognized them.

Wait, Sentinel No. 104 is Zhou Yan? And his partner is Lin Yao?

"!!! Is this the Zhou Yan and Lin Yao that I know?

Oh my god, what kind of bad fate is this! In the accident at Firefly Ferry three years ago, wasn't it Lin Yao who rashly saved Zhou Yan and ended up suffering serious damage to his mental strength?

Yes, yes, Lin Yao was almost completely ruined at that time, and he was ruined for a long time afterwards. Unexpectedly, he was drawn into the same group in the assessment three years later. This plot is too dramatic!

Do you think Lin Yao would take this opportunity to seek revenge? After all, he suffered so much back then.

It's hard to say. Zhou Yan said Lin Yao was too impatient back then, causing Lin Yao to be cyberbullied for so long. This grudge is really big. This round of assessment will be interesting to watch!

Various comments were rapidly scrolling on the Star Network barrage, and the word "bad fate" was mentioned repeatedly.

At this time, Ye Heng, who had just escaped from a four-hour military meeting, was on his way back to the lounge and just clicked on the live broadcast of the assessment on the No. 73 desolate planet.

He wanted to check on Lin Yao's condition, but he caught a glimpse of the word "bad fate" flooding the barrage, as well as the discussions about Lin Yao and Zhou Yan's past.

These two words were like an icy needle, piercing Ye Heng's heart.

A beast like that who bites back can actually use the word "fate" with Lin Yao? This group of netizens is really talking nonsense.

Ye Mang and the others following behind him had a silent conversation, and then they all acted as if nothing had happened.

In the preparation area, Zhou Yan's laughter continued, but Lin Yao just looked at him coldly, without any emotion in his eyes.

The surrounding gazes and the noise on the Star Network seemed to have nothing to do with him. He was just waiting for the moment when the assessment would begin, which was also the moment when he would start to settle accounts for the original owner.