# 1675
Chapter 1675: Queues and Slogans
"Excuse me, sir, is this the road to Chang'an ahead?"
On the barren land, a young man with a heavy pack on his back stopped an elderly man carrying a shoulder pole and asked respectfully.
"Yes, go forward another ten li and you'll reach Chang'an. However, you'd better detour five li to the southeast first."
Hearing this, the young man's face showed confusion. "Why?"
"There's a heavenly abyss ahead. If you don't detour in advance and try to walk along the edge of the chasm, it'll be even more exhausting." The old man waved his hand and said no more, walking straight toward the distance.
"Heavenly abyss…" The young man murmured. "Before this, I'd never heard of any heavenly abyss near Chang'an?"
Although he was puzzled, he followed the old man's words and began heading southeast.
The young man appeared to be around twenty-four or twenty-five, wearing a dust-covered dark blue robe that looked like the attire of a cultured scholar from afar. But if one looked closely, they would notice patches on his sleeves and hem. Though the mender's skill was considerable, there were still subtle color differences.
He tightened the heavy pack on his back, wiped the sweat from his brow, and walked forward step by step under the scorching sun.
After an unknown amount of time, he climbed a small dirt mound and looked back, only to see a vast abyss sitting in the distance. Its inner walls were unnaturally smooth, like an endless deep hole with no bottom visible.
"To think such a marvel exists near Chang'an…" Astonishment appeared in the young man's eyes. He couldn't imagine how such a massive and profound abyss could have formed.
After resting briefly, he set off again toward Chang'an. Several hours later, he finally arrived at the foot of Chang'an's walls.
What puzzled him was that a large section of Chang'an's city wall had inexplicably collapsed. Many laborers were busy rebuilding it, and a group of soldiers in armor stood where the gate used to be, checking everyone entering the city one by one.
"Brother, what's happening in Chang'an?" The young man asked the man in front of him while waiting in line.
"I'm not sure either, but on my way here I heard that Chang'an was attacked by some powerful evil creature. It was the Marquis who stepped in and prevented a major disaster." The man glanced around cautiously and said in a low voice,
"Did you see that abyss outside the city? Apparently, that was also the Marquis's doing!"
"That abyss was created by humans?!" Astonishment filled the young man's eyes.
"Hmph, that's the Marquis! What couldn't he do?"
"The Marquis…" The young man repeated this name, his eyes filling with admiration.
Seeing that the young man was interested in the Marquis, the man's mouth curved slightly upward. After a moment's hesitation, he leaned mysteriously toward the young man's ear and said with some pride,
"Brother, I'll tell you honestly—I came to Chang'an this time to join the Marquis!"
"To join the Marquis?" The young man was stunned. "Are you also here to take the Bureau of Evil Suppression examination?"
"? You're also??"
Once they realized they were fellow travelers, the two immediately warmed up to each other and began addressing each other as brothers based on their ages.
"I say, Brother Hu, since you're here for the Bureau of Evil Suppression examination, why are you only arriving now? If I remember correctly, this is already the last day, right?" The man asked, puzzled.
"My home is rather far from here. It took me some time to walk all the way."
"Oh? Where's your home?"
"Chonglin County."
"Oof, that really is far away… You walked the whole way? Why didn't you buy a horse?"
The young man smiled but said nothing.
The man saw that the young man was reluctant to say more and wisely didn't press the question. After chatting for a bit, it was their turn for the soldier's interrogation.
"Who are you? Why are you entering the city?" The soldier asked sternly.
The man opened his mouth to say something, glanced around sneakily, then finally leaned close to the soldier's side and answered in a lowered voice:
"I'm here for the Bureau of Evil Suppression…"
The soldier gave him a strange look. "Going to the Bureau of Evil Suppression is going to the Bureau of Evil Suppression. Why are you whispering? Move along… Hey, you in the back, what about you?"
"Same as him, I'm also going to—"
"Hey, move move move. Go straight in the gate for two li, then turn right. There are signs pointing the way the whole time. Remember to take a number and wait in line."
The soldier waved impatiently, apparently too lazy to ask further. The two of them passed through the city gate inexplicably. In the distance, they heard the soldier's impatient voice again:
"What? You're also going to the Bureau of Evil Suppression? Why didn't you say so together? Tsk, go on then… Anyone else going to the Bureau of Evil Suppression, no need to line up. Just go straight in. Don't block other people's way."
The young man: …
"So… there are this many extraordinary people in the world?" The young man scratched his head in bewilderment.
"Whether there are that many extraordinary people or not, I don't know. But those who admire the Marquis? Definitely not few."
"By the way, Brother Zhao, I haven't asked—what's your ability since you're also an extraordinary person?"
"Me? Hehe…" The man looked around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned close to the young man's ear and said triumphantly, "I can kill an ox with three punches!"
"…" The young man's mouth twitched slightly. Finally, he forced out a smile and politely praised him, "Brother Zhao is truly mighty…"
"Hahaha, it's nothing much. By the way, what about you, Brother Hu?"
"I… I'm not as capable as Brother Zhao. I can't even kill a single ox."
The man looked at the young man with pity, patted his shoulder, and wore an expression of "I understand," saying meaningfully,
"Brother Hu, it doesn't matter whether you're an extraordinary person or not. The fact that you have this aspiration is what counts…"
"Brother Zhao, we should hurry over. I see people waiting to take the exam are already spilling out onto the street."
"What?!"
The two of them headed forward as the soldier had instructed. Along the way, they indeed saw quite a few eye-catching banners:
—Extraordinary Persons' Examination: Two li straight ahead.
—Turn right ahead.
—One li from the examination site. Approximately two hundred people in queue. Estimated wait time: two hours.
—Time is precious. Please don't waste your own or others' time. If you are not an extraordinary person, please go to the opposite street to receive a bowl of mung bean soup, then return the way you came.
The two lingered far behind at the end of the queue. Seeing the densely packed figures ahead, the man sighed helplessly and turned to the young man:
"Brother Hu, there are way too many people. Maybe you should head back… Train more and come back next year when you can kill an ox."
"…" The young man shook his head. "It's fine. I can wait."
The man didn't press further. The two of them just stood in the queue, moving forward inch by inch. The bright afternoon sun gradually slanted westward, and their distance from that mansion grew closer and closer.
"Brother Hu, it doesn't seem quite that slow… People keep turning back at the front, probably giving up." Seeing they were about to reach their turn, excitement appeared on Brother Zhao's face!
As the young man was about to say something, a young man walked over coldly from the front, a jade token hanging from his waist with the words "Evil Suppression" inscribed on it.
"What is your ability?" Wu Quan stood before Brother Zhao, his expressionless face asking.
"You're with the Bureau of Evil Suppression, right?" Brother Zhao leaned mysteriously toward him. "I can kill an ox with three punches!"
Wu Quan glanced at him, then extended his hand, pointing toward the opposite street:
"Go drink your mung bean soup. Finish it and scram!"