They Are Like a Numbly Operating Machine

It was like a numb, mechanically operating machine under the "all-seeing eye" of the surveillance room, directing the staff of various departments to take action.

The rebellion of the cards was quickly suppressed.

After all, it really wasn’t that big of a deal.

Otherwise, Old Wang wouldn’t have yelled at Chen Yuan for wanting to cancel the martial exam over this matter.

However.

The methods of the invaders went far beyond this.

The female examinee who had previously killed three fourth-tier Origin Realm creatures simultaneously was now in stable condition after receiving treatment for her injuries.

Two medical staff members carried a stretcher, swiftly heading toward the exit of the Origin Realm.

But at this moment, for some reason, there were still over a dozen people standing in the Origin Realm.

Chen Yuan frowned. "What’s going on with these people? Why are they still blocking the exit after the exam?"

"Earlier, I saw three or five people blocking the exit, thinking they were unwilling to leave because of poor results."

"But now there are more than ten gathered here?"

Due to the limitations of the surveillance array’s range, it could only capture visuals without audio.

So while this was an anomaly, it wasn’t treated with the same urgency as the card rebellion.

Only after resolving the crisis of the card rebellion did they realize something was off here.

"Zoom in on the footage. I’ll read their lips."

Soon, Chen Yuan deciphered their conversation.

"Hey, what’s the matter? Even if your results are bad, there’s no need to refuse to leave, right?"

"Move aside, I need to get out."

"Bro, it’s not that I want to block the exit—I just can’t leave for some reason."

"What do you mean you can’t leave?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

"Want to try for yourself?"

"I’ve already reported it to the staff, but for some reason, there’s been no response."

"They’re just passing the buck—one says it’s not their responsibility, another tells me to contact a different department."

"And one was even more ridiculous, asking me to prove I’m an examinee."

"I showed my exam admission ticket, and they said it wasn’t enough proof? Seriously?"

A examinee with a middle-parted hairstyle scoffed in disbelief. "Move aside, let your Brother Kun try."

He charged headfirst into the void-like rift, from which faint mocking laughter echoed: "How’s that for skill, huh?"

But the next second, he was "spat" back out.

He landed face-first in the dirt, his mouth full of mud.

A disgusting taste filled his mouth—apparently, the mud had gone moldy.

No one paid attention to Brother Kun. Another skeptic stepped forward.

"You’re just weak. Let me try."

That person also entered the rift between realms, only to be ejected the same way as Brother Kun.

The only difference was that, learning from the earlier mishap, he managed to flip mid-air and land steadily.

This seemed to confirm it—they were "trapped" in the Origin Realm.

"So what do we do now?"

They were just a group of examinees, after all, with no authority to make decisions.

No Origin Realm had ever experienced something like this before.

Fortunately, they spotted a pair of staff members rushing toward them with a stretcher.

Brother Kun sprang up and intercepted them. "What’s going on? Why can’t we leave?"

But the two medical staff ignored him. Instead, they tentatively reached out toward the Origin Realm’s entrance.

A powerful repulsive force pushed their hands back.

The two exchanged a glance.

They set down the stretcher, leaving the injured female examinee at the entrance.

"Sorry, this isn’t our responsibility. Ask another department."

Brother Kun: "???"

Suddenly, a glass vial arced through the air, aimed at one of the medical staff.

"Damn officials playing dead, huh?"

"You think I won’t report you when I get out?"

Another examinee sneered mockingly: "Who dares accuse this official? Who put you up to saying such things?"

Though medical staff weren’t combat specialists, they were still at least seventh-tier in strength.

Naturally, the attack didn’t land.

With a slight sidestep, he dodged the vial.

But with a hiss, the vial struck another examinee instead.

"What the hell is this?!" the examinee shrieked.

Immediately, his body began to corrode violently.

The skin where the liquid had touched withered, oozing dark brown blood.

The medical staff member who had been about to leave walked over.

Without hesitation, he sliced off the corroded flesh.

The examinee screamed in agony: "AHHH—!!"

The medical staff quickly used a healing-type card to halt the spread of the injury.

Though the treatment wasn’t perfect, at least it was no longer life-threatening.

Then, as if fulfilling some "duty," the medical staff turned and walked away.

Just like a numb, mechanically operating machine.