Free Web NovelChapter 14: Chapter 14: Making a Fortune in Silence
Inside the Mysterious Secret Hall of the Quiet Forest.
Goblin Fodder watched as another newcomer materialized at the entrance of the Secluded Path, then slowly averted his gaze.
He pulled a black stone slate from his pocket with his left hand.
The slate wasn’t large, fitting perfectly in his palm. Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, and its edges were etched with intricate runes.
It was clearly a Witchcraft Item.
Right now, a line of Secret Spirit Text floated on the slate’s surface:
[Serial Number: 7-118-232, Bea.]
At first glance, the text seemed to be a raised relief, protruding from the slate’s surface as if it might break free at any moment.
Upon closer inspection, however, the text was merely a two-dimensional image.
This strange contradiction was undoubtedly a result of Witchcraft.
Fodder’s yellow eyes shifted slightly. He recalled the moment Bea entered the hall—her gaze had fallen upon him, a mixture of curiosity and a trace of disgust she couldn’t hide.
The disgust was faint, so faint an ordinary person would never have noticed.
But Fodder was no ordinary person.
He was a goblin who had grown up in the human world, raised amidst countless cold shoulders and looks of contempt.
As a member of an Alien Race, he was almost instinctually sensitive to disgust.
This left the goblin feeling deeply unsettled.
He grumbled in a low voice, barely louder than a buzzing mosquito, "A weakling who pissed herself in fear actually dares to look down on me, the Assessor."
Fodder glanced down at the Witchcraft slate, a flicker of intent in his mind.
The text on the slate changed in an instant.
Behind the name "Bea," five black, heart-shaped symbols had quietly appeared.
Black hearts represented a negative evaluation.
Five black hearts—the worst possible evaluation.
Looking at the five black hearts, Fodder felt his discomfort ease a little. "This is the most appropriate evaluation," he muttered.
Then, the goblin remembered the other newcomer who came before Bea—Mo Ning.
The corners of his mouth curled into a slight smile as he grumbled again, "I like that kid. He actually knew I’m a legend among goblins."
The attitude Mo Ning had just displayed truly soothed Fodder’s deeply wounded, sensitive pride.
As he spoke the word "legend," the writing on the slate changed again.
[Serial Number: 7-118-256, Mo Ning.]
Behind Mo Ning’s name, there were already four red, heart-shaped symbols.
Red hearts, the opposite of black ones, represented a positive evaluation.
Fodder looked at the four red hearts and thought, ’Politeness is a commendable virtue, and virtues should be rewarded accordingly.’
With a mere thought, another red heart quietly appeared.
The total went from four to five.
Five red hearts—the highest evaluation.
After doing all this, Fodder even came up with a high-minded justification for his actions:
"Interpersonal skills are a survival trait. Treating people well helps you live longer.
"I’ve seen too many arrogant fools who ended up without even a complete corpse to bury. Mo Ning’s behavior, therefore, should be encouraged."
He nodded in satisfaction, a hint of pleasure in his voice. "This is perfectly reasonable."
The academy’s rules granted Assessors a certain amount of discretionary power.
Fodder didn’t feel his actions violated the rules in the slightest.
Just then, another male newcomer taking the assessment walked to within ten meters of him.
The tall youth stared at the goblin guarding the vine-covered archway, his eyes filled with wariness.
And—a deep-seated revulsion for other species.
Fodder keenly sensed the newcomer’s revulsion, and he felt rage swell in his chest.
The rage shot up his windpipe and erupted from his throat as a furious shout. "Hey!"
It was followed by a blunt insult: "You useless rookie! Get over here and shine my boots!"
At that moment, the goblin wished from the bottom of his heart that he could give Mo Ning six red hearts.
Too bad the rules didn’t allow it.
They say that comparison is the root of all suffering. But without it, you can’t truly appreciate the kindness some people show.
Fodder felt this truth deeply.
*****
After Mo Ning stepped through the vine-covered archway, the forest vanished instantly. In its place was a silent corridor, just over two meters wide.
He froze for a second, stunned by the sudden change in scenery.
The corridor walls were made of red brick, and the floor was paved with intricate, beautiful, floral-patterned tiles. Under the light of Magic Stone Lamps embedded in the walls, the patterns glowed with a faint yellow sheen.
His Guiding Ring grew cool as a message flowed into his mind.
[Assessment Notification: Serial Number 7-118-256, Mo Ning.]
[You have completed the first group assessment, the "Willpower Test." To avoid disturbing other candidates, you are now prohibited from entering the Mysterious Secret Hall of the Quiet Forest. This restriction will be automatically lifted when the assessment concludes.]
’So it really was an assessment!’
Mo Ning instinctively glanced back. The archway he’d come through still stood there, but the hall behind it was now submerged in a darkness so thick it seemed solid.
Goblin Fodder and his wooden chair seemed to have been completely devoured by the darkness, leaving not a single trace behind.
A single doorway separated the two spaces, cleaving them into two starkly different worlds.
Mo Ning was no longer surprised by such astonishing sights.
He walked about ten meters down the corridor, rounded a sharp corner, and another, similar archway appeared before him.
Peeking through the doorway revealed a dimly lit, simply furnished hall. Tables and chairs made of white birch were arranged in neat rows.
However, the instant his figure was fully enveloped by the shadows within, a dramatic transformation occurred.
Light rewrote reality.
The light was no longer dim. It was like the unfiltered, celestial light of a spring afternoon, pouring down from above.
It was clear and full, with a purifying transparency that illuminated every corner, revealing the finest details.
The tables and chairs were still the same, the grain of the white birch clearly visible in the bright light.
But the four walls had vanished completely.
In their place was a boundless, flowing, aquatic world, shimmering with a billion golden fragments.
Beyond a transparent barrier lay a bottomless, deep-blue abyss of water.
Swift undercurrents surged silently, churning up tiny bubbles. Sunlight pierced the layers of water, transforming into countless swaying, shimmering specks. These points of light danced and flowed across the floor and tabletops, painting ever-changing patterns.
Even more breathtaking were the creatures in the water.
Schools of fish, each with a unique form, swam leisurely by.
Some were clad in rainbow-colored scales. Others trailed long, gossamer fins, their movements as graceful as a dance. Stranger still, some were almost completely transparent, their organs and skeletons the only visible parts, glowing with a faint phosphorescence.
Most were vastly different from the fish Mo Ning had known in his previous life. They were bizarre and beautiful, creations that could only belong to this Witchcraft World.
This was, astoundingly, an underwater cafeteria.
Mo Ning stood frozen, once again marveling at the fantastic imagination of the Wizards.
He glanced around and saw a dozen or so figures scattered throughout the cafeteria.
Without exception, they were all newcomers with later serial numbers, since the higher-ranked ones were busy forming cliques.
All eyes focused on him as he entered.
A youth with light-blue hair spoke up first. "Hey, man, I remember you. Mo Ning, right? How’d the assessment go?"
None of the newcomers were fools. They had all figured out this was a test arranged by the academy.
Mo Ning recognized him as well—Aik, Serial Number 244.
He immediately forced a very "strained" smile, his lips struggling to curl. In the end, he didn’t speak, simply shaking his head.
To the other newcomers, that gesture said it all.
Aik sighed, his voice full of frustration. "Don’t worry about it. Out of everyone here, not a single person passed that damn assessment."
The blue-haired newcomer pointed to the right and added a friendly reminder, "The food counter’s over there."
Mo Ning nodded and walked over.
He understood full well that flaunting his success would attract not just envy, but also resentment.
And resentment could easily lead to both open and hidden attacks.
That was just human nature.
So, it was best to get rich in silence.
