Though the youth before him was dressed in boys' clothing, her breathtaking face and cloud-like white skin betrayed her true gender. Anyone with eyes could tell she was a girl disguised as a boy—especially the tiny earring hole in her earlobe, which made it obvious.
The girl felt uneasy as Evan Chu stared at her, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She thought to herself, "Why is this guy so rude, just staring at me like that?"
Evan Chu knew she was a girl but chose not to expose her. He smiled and said, "Since you trust me enough to join me, how about we skip the formalities and just enjoy a drink together?"
The girl studied Evan Chu and found him strikingly handsome, his eyes clear and bright—definitely not the sleazy type. She replied, "Since big brother is so kind, I’d be honored to accept."
"Waiter, another set of dishes and chopsticks! Bring a few more side dishes!" Evan Chu called out immediately.
Gavin Wei spoke up at this moment, "May I ask where you’re from, little brother, and what brings you to the Royal Capital?"
"I came to sign up for the Royal Capital Guard, but this year the registration fee suddenly shot up. I got thrown out for not having enough money," the girl said.
Evan Chu could tell she didn’t want to reveal her identity, so he didn’t press. Everyone has their own secrets—no need to dig too deep, especially when it’s just a chance encounter.
But hearing her mention the Royal Capital Guard, Evan’s heart stirred. He’d been worrying about how to get information—he hadn’t expected it to fall right into his lap.
"Could you tell us more, brother? We just arrived in the Royal Capital to apply for the Guard, but we don’t know much about this year’s recruitment," Evan Chu said.
Just then, the waiter brought over the extra dishes and chopsticks. Evan Chu poured a cup of wine for their guest and said, "Come, let’s have a drink first and chat slowly afterward."
The girl hesitated as she looked at the wine cup, but eventually picked it up and drained it in one go. Her reaction was a mess—clearly she’d never drunk strong liquor before, and she kept sticking out her tongue, crying, "So spicy! So spicy!"
Evan Chu and Gavin Wei exchanged a knowing smile. Though neither said outright that the youth was a girl in disguise, their eyes made it clear they both understood.
"Looks like you don’t drink much, huh? That reaction was something else," Evan Chu teased.
Blushing, the girl quickly straightened up and insisted, "I drink all the time! Just... usually fruit wine or honey wine. I’ve never had anything this strong before."
"So what’s up with the Royal Capital Guard recruitment this year?" Gavin Wei couldn’t help but ask.
"It’s way stricter than before. The registration fee jumped to five hundred Starstones, and there are only fifty spots open. But that’s not even the main thing."
The real change is in the format. Before, you could just compete at the Capital Training Field and get in, but now there are three trials, and a lot of people might not make it through," the girl explained.
"Three trials? Be specific. If it’s really too tough, we might just give up," Evan Chu said, though he found it odd—why did everyone love doing three rounds? Even Heavenly Dragon Academy’s entrance test was a trial system, and now here too.
"The three trials sound simple, but pulling them off is another story. The first is the Gravity Trial. There’s a corridor with crushing gravity—if you can make it to the inner chamber within the time limit, the further you go, the better your score. But the deeper you go, the heavier the gravity, and a lot of people die in there."
Each trial has its own reward for the top ten. First place gets five thousand Starstones, second place three thousand, third place one thousand, and fourth through tenth each get five hundred Starstones."
Evan Chu’s curiosity was piqued. "That’s a pretty good deal. The Starstones aren’t much, but the honor is worth it."
"Exactly. Even if you don’t make it into the Royal Capital Guard, taking first place means you can still become a regular palace soldier. Everyone wants that chance," the girl said. Privately, she thought, No way this guy could get first—he’d be lucky to crack the top ten.
"What about the second trial?"
"The second trial tests attack power. At the Capital Training Field, there’s a mystical great bell—strike it with enough force and it will ring. The stronger your attack, the longer the bell rings. Same rewards: whoever makes it ring the longest takes first place."
After explaining, the girl glanced at Evan Chu and Gavin Wei, secretly thinking, Even if you somehow pass the first trial, there’s no way you’ll clear the second.
"What about the third trial?" Gavin Wei asked, feeling a bit resigned about the whole Royal Capital Guard recruitment.
"I don’t know about the third trial. The Capital Training Field only posted details for the first two. Maybe you’ll only find out if you make it that far."
Evan Chu thought for a moment and said, "Has the testing started yet? We should go take a look."
"Today’s the last day to register. If I had enough Starstones, I’d already be inside—no need to be hanging around here," the girl said with a sigh.
"Don’t worry, I can cover your Starstones. Let’s go register together. Even if we don’t make it, at least we’ll get a taste of the experience. Visiting the Royal Capital is worth it," Evan Chu said.
After a few rounds of drinks, the three left the restaurant and headed for the Capital Training Field.
Soon, they arrived at the Capital Training Field, where two long lines of people were still queued up. They joined the end of one line.
After waiting for more than an hour, they finally finished registration. Each of them received a black token with a number on it.
After asking around, Evan Chu learned that the trials would start early the next morning. Only those with tokens could enter the Capital Training Field, and each token had to be verified before entry.
"Let’s find a place to stay for the night. Rest up so we can all try to pass the trials tomorrow," Evan Chu said.
(This chapter isn’t finished yet ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!)
Just then, a middle-aged man in golden armor, riding a black horse, appeared before them, flanked by dozens of palace soldiers in black armor.
The girl’s face showed a hint of panic when she saw the middle-aged man, and she quickly turned to Evan Chu:
"Thanks for covering my registration fee, big brother. I won’t go with you—I’ve got some errands to handle. See you at the Capital Training Field tomorrow." With that, she hurried off.
After dismounting, General Roland Lowell was greeted by several palace soldiers in charge of registration, who respectfully said, "Greetings, Grand General!"
"How is the Royal Capital Guard recruitment going this year?" General Roland Lowell asked.
"Reporting, Grand General: so far, over thirteen thousand have registered—slightly fewer than previous years," one palace soldier replied.
"Good. Later, check how many of the applicants are named Lauren. Give me a report tomorrow morning," General Roland Lowell instructed, then headed straight into the Capital Training Field.
"Bro, I know that guy—he’s General Roland Lowell, the top general in the Royal Capital. His strength is unfathomable, and he always oversees the Royal Capital Guard recruitment," Gavin Wei whispered.
Evan Chu said nothing, still pondering the general’s order to look for someone named Lauren. Both shared the Lowell surname—could there be a connection?
"Let’s find the best inn and get a good night’s sleep—gotta be ready for tomorrow’s trials," Evan Chu said, and they left the registration area.
(Author’s note: Feeling dizzy and totally uninspired—tragic! Off for an IV drip, will update next chapter after I get home! Want to cry but there are no tears…)