"Hey, candidate! What are you doing?!" The examiner in black suddenly noticed Tianmiao taking out a bottle of water to drink and asked sharply.
"Drinking water," Tianmiao answered earnestly.
"You’re actually drinking water?" The examiner in black looked at Tianmiao in disbelief.
"Is there a rule saying you can’t drink water while running?" Tianmiao asked, puzzled.
The examiner was stunned. After thinking it over carefully, there really wasn’t one!
However! Isn’t this physical endurance test all about strength and stamina? When proving oneself, who would think of drinking water?
"Is there?" Tianmiao asked again.
"N-no, there isn’t." The examiner shook his head awkwardly.
Tianmiao glanced at the examiner with a look that said if there’s no rule, why are you talking nonsense?
The examiner, exasperated, rode his little scooter to the back to continue mocking others out of frustration.
"You guys are really terrible! Someone actually just sat on the ground and gave up? As a Demon Exorcist, shouldn’t you at least crawl to the finish line?"
"Duoduo, do you want some water?" Tianmiao asked.
"Thanks, Tianmiao, I listened to you and brought water." Lin Duoduo indicated she didn’t need it and took out a bottle of water herself from her backpack, unscrewing it to drink.
In less than two hours, some were already exhausted, lying on the ground, frothing at the mouth and convulsing, forced to give up their qualification, taken out by the logistics examiners.
Examiners in gray clothes were much gentler, watching like herding sheep beside the crowd on their little scooters, but at least they shouted encouragingly: "Keep going, believe in yourself."
...
Another hour passed.
Examiners stationed at the finish line contacted those running with the candidates through their inner line.
"How’s it going this year?"
"Ugh, not good. Dozens have already given up before three hours are up."
"This is the worst batch of candidates I’ve ever led!" The chief examiner complained angrily, "There’s even a candidate leading by drinking water, so slack!"
"Haha, which candidate made you so angry?"
"It’s number 66, does she think she can do whatever she wants because she’s good-looking? I’ll see if she can pass!"
"But boss, seems like she’s not violating any rules. The exam doesn’t state you can’t drink water."
"Keep it quiet, I think being good-looking really lets you do as you like."
"Who whispered just now? I heard it," the chief examiner asked sternly.
Silence greeted him.
After a while, the line went off again.
"So, does it mean we can rest a bit more, maybe even take a nap?" This was the examiner stationed at the finish line.
"Seems like it. Anyway, the group I’ve been watching runs slower and slower."
"Then I really am going to sleep—ahhhhhhh!"
"You haven’t even slept yet and you’re having a nightmare? What are you screaming for?"
"Holy crap! A candidate appeared, ahhhhhhh reached the finish line. Didn’t you say it was still early?"
"What? Which candidate?"
"Number 66, Tianmiao."
"Are you sure you saw correctly?!" The chief examiner asked, horrified.
The examiner at the finish line didn’t speak, and directly transmitted a video via the inner line. The footage was extremely clear.
The long-haired, graceful figure of a beautiful woman stood casually at the finish, peeling chocolate. The number plate on her chest was crystal clear: 66.
"Boss, luckily you didn’t make a flag saying if number 66 passed, you’d do something. Otherwise, I can’t imagine how tragically bizarre today’s scene would be."