60: Chapter 60 Blacklists and Passes

Before the military training wrap-up had even begun, people from the Temple were already standing outside the forward command tent.

When Lu Jin returned from the field line with Instructor Han Tiecheng, two long black and white banners were already erected outside the forward command tent.

Three Temple inspectors stood by the flags, their robes pressed with silver-gray seals, their faces devoid of expression.

Three days had passed since the day of the coordinate fire stele.

Instructor Han Tiecheng did not let them enter the No. 7 Rift Zone immediately; instead, he took the special observation line and ran three tough missions along the outer edge of the fractured boundary.

The first trip was to mend the broken fire line.

The second was to clear out a beast den.

The third was to drag a section of an old road sign that had collapsed into a dead ditch out of the black mud.

These three jobs were not large, but they were more grueling than the last. They walked the old paths of the Military Court, mended old fires that were about to extinguish, and cleared out pollution-corrupted beasts that hadn't been fully killed. Lu Jin had not broken through in these three days, but the threshold blocking him from Apprentice Perfection had been worn very thin.

All he needed now was a sufficiently tough real-world battle.

But before he could move, the people from the Temple had arrived first.

The reason was not complicated.

The coordinate fire stele, black slurry samples, red-eye troop lines, plus the fact that he had just been singled out by the Military Court into the special observation line—the Temple could not pretend not to see it.

After Instructor Han Tiecheng entered the tent, he didn't even remove his armor, merely lifting his chin.

"State your business."

The lead Temple inspector raised a hand to unfold a document with black patterns, his voice flat, but his tone tight.

"Lu Jin, the Furnace Cave sacrificial route, red-eye troop lines, pollution samples, and the Old Military Court fire stele—all four of these items are tied to you."

"From now on, you are listed on the sacrificial path observation blacklist."

Once a name was added, any future contact with high-pollution sacrificial materials, ancient sacrificial objects, or anomalous fire steles would be recorded against him by the Temple. If something truly went wrong, he would definitely be among the first to be investigated.

The tent fell silent at once.

The inspector continued.

"During the military training, the high-pollution samples you brought back, the sacrificial path combat records, and the rubbings of the coordinate fire stele must all be handed over to the Temple for side-sealing."

"Before the observation period ends, you must not privately expand the polluted sacrificial path, nor continue to trial-feed high-risk sacrificial materials."

"This is not a negotiation; it is a notification."

Instructor Han Tiecheng listened, then glanced at him.

"You may record the blacklist, and you may keep the samples."

"But how the front line uses its personnel is not for you to decide for the Military Court."

The inspector turned his face, his tone still devoid of warmth.

"Instructor Han, I am merely acting according to Temple regulations."

Instructor Han Tiecheng did not lower his tone.

"Then you should state it clearly according to the regulations. Do you have an official sealing order in your hand?"

The other party paused.

"No."

"Then don't open your mouth about this in my forward command tent." Instructor Han Tiecheng's voice was not loud, but it landed like an iron block. "I acknowledge the observation blacklist. But if you want to cut off paths in my forward tent, you aren't qualified."

The atmosphere in the tent tightened immediately.

Qiao Ye and Wen Zhao stood behind, holding their breath.

Ning Yanqiu stood to Lu Jin's left; she did not hide, nor was she anxious. She looked at the black-patterned document first, then spoke.

"The coordinate fire stele was not touched by Lu Jin alone."

"I was present, and I was the one who read the stele. Qiao Ye and Wen Zhao were also guarding the point. If you want to record it, record the whole matter accurately; do not just pick one person to hang it on."

The inspector glanced at Ning Yanqiu.

"The Temple is currently focused on the risks of the sacrificial path."

"Since you are not following this line, this matter has nothing to do with you."

Ning Yanqiu stood still.

"But I know what happened that day."

"If it weren't for someone overstepping their bounds and acting recklessly, I wouldn't be standing here speaking for him."

No one in the tent interrupted.

Only then did Lu Jin take half a step forward to take over the conversation.

"You can take the black slurry samples and that black gold spine right now."

"I will give you a copy of the stele-guarding combat record later."

"But you cannot touch my Military Court pass, my outer perimeter task qualifications, or the copy of the old case record in my possession."

The inspector's eyes darkened.

"You are not yet qualified to negotiate with the Temple."

Lu Jin looked at him, his voice still flat.

"I am not negotiating."

"I am simply clarifying what can be handed over and what cannot be touched."

"I will cooperate if you want to look at risks."

"But if you want to use this to cut off my path, that won't work."

Once Lu Jin finished speaking, the tent became even quieter.

Qiao Ye and Wen Zhao said nothing.

Because everyone understood.

Lu Jin was willing to hand over what he could.

But if anyone tried to use this opportunity to cut off his path, he would not accept it.

Instructor Han Tiecheng glanced at him, then made the final decision.

"That is how it will be."

"The black slurry samples, the spine, and the copies of the combat records will be handed over to the Temple for side-sealing."

"The original rubbings of the coordinate fire stele, the front-line task authority, and the subsequent side records belong to the Military Court."

"The name stays on the list, but I will continue to use the person."

The inspector stared at Instructor Han Tiecheng for a few breaths, then finally rolled up the document.

"Very well."

"Lu Jin, I will make one thing clear to you."

"Once the blacklist is posted, it will not fall off just because you fought well in this military training."

Lu Jin nodded.

"I will remember that."

"That's fine." The inspector placed another black-sealed sheet on the table. "Sign."

Lu Jin raised his hand and pressed his fire seal.

As the patterns on the black-sealed sheet merged, his name sank completely into it.

At the same time, the Military Court records officer walked up from behind and placed a short black iron tablet on the other side of the table.

One black, one iron; two items were placed before Lu Jin.

On the left was the blacklist.

On the right was the pass.

The Temple personnel had just retreated to the edge of the tent when the military training wrap-up began.

There were quite a few people standing in the forward command tent.

Not just from Zhuixing Academy.

Beiyue Academy, Xuanhe Academy, Cangting, and several other academy teams that had made a name for themselves over the past few days were all called over.

From last night's camp defense, this morning's line clearing, to the previous three days of field work—who was tough and who was weak would all be laid out and calculated now.

The Military Court records officer opened a thick volume, first reporting the camp lines, then the individuals.

"B-7 qualification group, military training general evaluation, Grade A."

"Zhuixing Divine Academy, Third Battalion, Grade A+ for first-night camp defense."

"Coordinate fire stele guarding contribution, Grade A+."

As these words fell, people in the tent were already turning their heads to look at Lu Jin's side.

Many people in the front had just been listening.

But upon hearing the second Grade A+ and then hearing the special observation list, their expressions changed instantly.

The records officer continued reading.

"Zhuixing Divine Academy, Qiao Ye, meritorious service in bearing pressure on the front camp defense, border file record Grade B+."

"Zhuixing Divine Academy, Wen Zhao, meritorious service in guarding the fire line, border file record Grade B+."

"Zhuixing Divine Academy, Ning Yanqiu, first-night reporting positions, next morning reading the stele, border file record Grade A, approved for entry into the front-line joint training sequence."

Ning Yanqiu only acknowledged it with a sound.

But Lu Jin could tell that this merit was very important to her.

Once the border file was recorded as Grade A, after she returned to the academy, her position in the academy team and Military Court joint training would clearly advance.

The records officer turned a page, his voice dropping slightly.

"Zhuixing Divine Academy, Lu Jin."

"Late-stage peak Apprentice God Realm Controller, God Realm Furnace Cave Fortress."

"Grade A+ for first-night camp defense, Grade A+ for opening the stele and guarding the point the next morning, listed on the Military Court special observation list."

"Border file, Grade A+."

"Awarded Military Court temporary pass."

The short black iron tablet was officially pushed toward Lu Jin.

The tablet was not large, but its edges were pressed with a very fine dark red fire pattern.

This item was small, but no one in the tent would mistake it.

With it, after Lu Jin returned to the academy, he would no longer be just an ordinary student.

He could use the pass to enter the Military Court front stations, take on temporary outer perimeter tasks, and access old files and side records of limited levels.

The Military Court had already opened the door for him.

The records officer did not stop.

"Awarded task qualification for the outer perimeter of the Royal Court Ruins."

"After the No. 7 Rift Zone front station opens, he may report with the pass, form teams with the pass, and apply for one copy of side records with the pass."

The tent became even quieter.

This time, even those teams from the other academies turned their gazes over.

The task qualification for the Royal Court Ruins outer perimeter was not a standard military training reward at all.

That was an entrance ticket that could truly take one into the next layer of the battlefield.

The deputy captain from Beiyue Academy had been fighting with Lu Jin for points in the stele room yesterday morning, and by now, his expression was very heavy.

Because he knew very well.

Once this qualification was granted, in the eyes of the Military Court, Lu Jin was no longer just a "new student who fought well".

The Military Court had already begun to promote him to a more advanced line.

Instructor Han Tiecheng stood to the side, watching as Lu Jin put away the short black iron tablet, before adding a sentence.

"You are still at the late-stage peak of Apprentice."

"So what I am giving you is a temporary pass, not an official front-station certificate."

"When you truly step into Apprentice Perfection, the fire pattern on this tablet will brighten by another layer."

Lu Jin nodded.

"I understand."

Lu Jin also knew very well in his heart.

This military training had not yet pushed him directly over that threshold.

But since the Military Court had issued the temporary pass first, it meant that in Instructor Han Tiecheng's eyes, he had already reached that doorstep.

Now, all that was missing was that final step.

After the evaluation was read, the people in the tent dispersed one after another.

Instructor Gu Pingchuan was the last to enter.

He had been standing outside the tent handling procedures with the Military Court personnel, and only when the people had almost all left did he lift the curtain and enter.

He first glanced at the pass in Lu Jin's hand, then looked at the black-sealed list on the corner of the table, his brows furrowing.

"Opening a door for you on one side, while putting you on a list on the other."

"The Military Court and the Temple have both set their sights on you this time."

Lu Jin pressed down the page of the blacklist, his voice still neither fast nor slow.

"Let them watch."

"As long as the path ahead isn't blocked, this name can stay on the list."

Instructor Gu Pingchuan looked at him for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Fine."

"As long as you know what you are doing."

"After you return to the academy, this blacklist will not just stay on paper. Resource warehouses, sacrificial material rooms, side-record permissions—they will all hold you back to some extent."

"But this pass is also real. If you can hold on, the path ahead will be faster than others."

Having said that, he did not stay longer and turned to leave.

Only Instructor Han Tiecheng, Lu Jin, and Ning Yanqiu remained in the tent.

Instructor Han Tiecheng pulled a black fire scroll, thin as ash paper, from his sleeve and tossed it to Lu Jin's side.

"This is not a sealed scroll."

"It is the summary of that section you can read now."

"Keep it yourself after reading it. Don't take it around asking people."

"Also, don't think that just because you have this paper, the sealed mouths will open for you on their own."

Lu Jin took the black fire scroll; as soon as his fingers pressed onto it, the old fire pattern on it lit up.

There were only a few lines of text inside.

Third Exploration Team, second entry into the rift.

Outer edge marking completed.

Recovered one anomalous fire stele sample.

Accompanying observer, Observer Lu Chenyuan.

Status change, lost contact, then collected.

Lu Jin finished reading the last line, his fingers tightening bit by bit.

It was these few words again.

Lost contact, then collected.

This was no longer just the half-broken words on the stele.

This was an old record clearly written in the Military Court summary.

He looked up at Instructor Han Tiecheng.

"What about the rest?"

Instructor Han Tiecheng did not dodge, nor did he brush him off.

"You will have to see the rest yourself once you move forward."

"It is enough for you to know this much for now."

Ning Yanqiu stood to the side, never looking at the fire scroll from beginning to end. Only when Instructor Han Tiecheng finished speaking did she turn her head to look at Lu Jin.

"When the front station of the No. 7 Rift Zone opens, you will go, right?"

Lu Jin put the fire scroll into his sleeve and replied steadily.

"I will go."

Ning Yanqiu nodded.

"That's good."

"My border file has already been recorded. After returning to the academy, as long as the academy doesn't deliberately suppress it, I will also get that qualification."

She didn't say any more.

But Lu Jin understood.

Ning Yanqiu would continue to follow the path of the No. 7 Rift Zone.

Instructor Han Tiecheng looked at them both and dropped one sentence.

"If you want to go, first go back and sharpen your edge."

"The No. 7 Rift Zone is not some small scuffle like on the edge of this fractured boundary. Once you truly get there, below Apprentice Perfection, it won't even be easy to stand firm."

At night, the return convoy had not yet started.

The entire camp was quiet for a rare half-hour.

Lu Jin sat alone in the corner of the back tent and took out the black fire scroll again.

After reading it during the day, the surface had already faded until it was almost empty. But this item clearly had more than one layer. Lu Jin pressed his remaining old fire intent from his sleeve onto it, and the seal pattern at the very bottom slowly loosened.

The next second, a line of small red-marked characters floated out from the end of the scroll.

Last known position of Observer Lu Chenyuan: No. 7 Rift Zone, outer perimeter of the Royal Court Ruins.

Lu Jin stared at that line of text for a long time.

The night wind outside the tent was very cold.

The small fire in the tent, however, was steady and motionless.

He finally closed the fire scroll, his finger bones tightening bit by bit.

The line regarding his father, having reached this point, was no longer just fragments, coordinates, and guesses.

It now had a clear location.

And it had an entrance to move forward.

And that entrance was waiting for him outside the No. 7 Rift Zone.