Ma Kaiji's latter statement was understandable to Li Chonglou. The Executive Department and the Intelligence Department were different; one operated in the shadows, and any conflict was akin to assassination. However, the former was unlike that.
The primary prerequisite for joining the Executive Department was sufficient strength!
Like Yuan Bei of the Commoner's Guild, even a simple mission could escalate into a fight, which was normal for members of the Executive Department.
Ma Kaiji continued, "Although the General Bureau intends for you to join, rules are rules. If you fail the test, we cannot explain ourselves."
Li Chonglou nodded. For a large organization, rules superseded everything; otherwise, they couldn't command respect.
However, Ma Kaiji also reassured him, "You could even hold back Yuan Bei of the Commoner's Guild, so this test shouldn't be a problem for you. You don't need to worry too much."
He had been fine until he heard this. A sense of foreboding inexplicably rose within Li Chonglou. His strength had only recovered to five-tenths, and he couldn't afford another battle like the previous one. After all, it was unknown when he would next go to the underground world, and it was best to conserve the resources of Old Lin and the others.
What he didn't know was that to ensure he could stay at the General Bureau with peace of mind, the Bureau had arranged the highest-level entry test for him this time.
After bypassing the Freelancer Organization, Ma Kaiji led him to a nondescript building.
"This is our secret base," Ma Kaiji said with a smile, pointing forward. "This building is specially prepared for you. Your current mission is to train here for three days. After three days, I will take you back to the surface, and you will be an elite in the Executive Department. Do you understand what I mean?"
Li Chonglou nodded.
"Very good. Let's go in," Ma Kaiji said, patting Li Chonglou's shoulder and leading him towards the building.
Two people stood at the entrance of the secret base, a man and a woman, both wearing black trench coats and looking serious.
Seeing someone approaching, one of them stepped forward and asked, "What is it?"
"We need to take a test," Ma Kaiji stated directly.
"A test?" The woman frowned slightly. "Are you mistaken? Wasn't the test for this batch supposed to have started already?"
Ma Kaiji replied, "I'm not mistaken. I received a mission from the Executive Department. This individual can join midway due to special circumstances."
The woman glanced at Ma Kaiji, then at Li Chonglou beside him, and sneered, "I'm sorry, I haven't received any orders. Without instructions from above, I cannot let you in."
"You haven't received orders?" Ma Kaiji's brows furrowed tightly.
Li Chonglou beside him also sensed something was amiss.
Ma Kaiji suddenly said in a cold tone, "Then this should count as an order."
He took out a white token from his pocket, bearing only the inscription "General Bureau."
The woman's expression changed drastically. She looked up and down at Ma Kaiji a few times, her attitude suddenly undergoing a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree shift. "Alright, if that's the case, you may enter."
Ma Kaiji snorted coldly and put the token away.
Li Chonglou watched all this silently, especially the man and woman, and had already formed a guess.
The woman opened the door, motioned for Ma Kaiji and Li Chonglou to enter, and then closed it again.
Ma Kaiji pulled Li Chonglou into the secret base.
The moment he stepped into the base, Li Chonglou was stunned by the sight before him. This was not a secret base; it looked like a military training ground.
The entire training ground was divided into three sections, each constructed from special materials.
At the forefront of the training ground stood a wall, inscribed with: "Three thousand meters, carrying ten kilograms, three hundred laps of cross-country running."
To the left and right of this wall were small rooms for carrying ten kilograms, twenty kilograms, thirty kilograms, and forty kilograms, respectively.
Li Chonglou was puzzled. Wasn't this the training method for ordinary special forces soldiers?
Ma Kaiji proactively explained, "I know you're very confused, but don't rush. This is just the first gate."
The first gate?
As Li Chonglou pondered in confusion, Ma Kaiji pulled him towards the wall.
Approaching the wall, Ma Kaiji raised his hand and knocked on it.
Knock, knock, knock!
He then said, "This is a memory wall made of special materials. You need to open it with your own strength."
Li Chonglou finally understood. He had to pass some tests to enter.
When he looked at Ma Kaiji, the latter said earnestly, "This is not meant to be difficult. Everyone who enters must do this. Otherwise, even the Director's own son wouldn't be allowed to participate in the test."
The Executive Department, in a sense, was the face of the General Bureau. This department was more active externally. If their strength was insufficient, it would not only harm the individual but also affect the reputation of the entire General Bureau.
Li Chonglou understood the logic after a moment's thought. Without further comment, he followed Ma Kaiji's instructions and punched the wall.
A muffled sound immediately spread throughout the surroundings.
Thump!
"So hard!"
Li Chonglou was astonished. He had used seventy percent of his strength, yet the memory wall before him only trembled slightly!
Again!
Thump!
"Still not enough?"
Li Chonglou was dumbfounded. He had used ninety percent of his strength. Although he only had five-tenths of his power, this wall was too hard!
Bang!
Li Chonglou continued to attack the wall. However, each impact caused a deafening boom that made Ma Kaiji's eardrums buzz, almost exploding.
"Enough!"
Finally, after the seventh attempt, Li Chonglou stopped punching.
He gasped for breath, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Damn it! Are your recruitment standards this abnormal? What level of cultivation is needed to break through this?"
Li Chonglou felt his entire body go numb. He had thought it was just a formality, but he couldn't even get through the door!
Seeing Li Chonglou exhausted, Ma Kaiji couldn't help but inwardly marvel. He hadn't expected Li Chonglou to have such robust physique, no wonder he could survive in the underground world.
But it was good this way. Without such a formidable physique, how could he endure the tempering of the underground world?
"Well, to break open the memory wall, you can't just rely on brute force; you need to use skill."
Li Chonglou's expression suddenly froze.
His face instantly flushed red. Damn it, he was utterly embarrassed!
How could he be so foolish and forget to use his internal force!
He quickly closed his eyes, circulated his internal energy, and released a surge of momentum from within.
Rumble!
The memory wall instantly cracked!
Crrack!
The memory wall shattered with a resounding crash, turning into countless stone fragments that scattered on the ground. However, upon closer inspection, one could see that there were still subtle connections between these fragments.