Hello, Arknights

Chapter 228 Franka

"Strength test, don't force yourself for this one, just use 30% of your strength. It's just a test of your level, you don't need to go all out."

Zilan kindly reminded again and swiped open the door to the strength test.

"How to do it?" Ling Dengxian looked at the layout of the training room curiously, and followed Zilan to the place where tools were stored. Li Boli opened a cabinet and handed him a set of equipment.

"What is this?" Ling Dengxian tugged at the strap and felt a strong resistance.

"Training restraints. After all, compared to facility maintenance, having a restraint in advance will greatly protect the tester and reduce losses."

White-Faced Owl stepped forward to guide him in how to put it on. As the buckle closed, the straps gradually tightened, and he felt a very resilient contraction in the areas that fitted his arms, waist and abdomen. He tried to stretch his body again, and found that his movements were nearly one-third slower.

"I'll give you the second-level restraint strength first to get used to it. Normally, we start with the first level and then gradually increase the strength. But your physical fitness seems to be quite high, so I'll start with the second level." Zilan explained considerately to prevent this guy from misleading the students in the future.

"What's the highest level?" Ling Dengxian quickly adapted to the pressure.

"This is a test type for beginners, the highest level is level 5. Why, you are not stressed now?"

"It's okay, I'm used to it. It may affect my speed a little, but after a while it will have basically no impact." Ling Dengxian clenched his fist and nodded.

"White-Faced Owl, upgrade him to level five and adjust him gradually." Zilan also understood that this physical test equipment might not have much of a restraining effect on him.

Having said that, she was still silent for a moment when Ling Dengxian hit the maximum mark on the physical strength meter with one punch.

Okay, okay, there's nothing shocking about this guy. This guy is not an ordinary person. He is probably already at the level of an official operator.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have taken a strength machine that's not for operator training... This is usually used by ordinary fitness people."

"Ms. Zilan...Excuse me, does this instrument need to be zeroed every time it is used?" Ling Dengxian tilted his head.

"What are you adjusting to zero? It's not an electrical meter—"

"Report, Operator Zilan, the indicator on the strength meter cannot return to its normal position. Visually, there is a 90% probability that it has been damaged. Analysis of the cause: excessive external force."

"…Bai Ge, what did you do before?"

"Express logistics, didn't I just check the information?" Ling Dengxian said a little nervously. If he had known earlier, he should have put in more effort.

Zilan felt a bit overwhelmed. She was not unprepared, but this was beyond her expectations. This was a well-made and high-quality dynamometer, and it broke when she used a punch while wearing the restraints...

"Maybe the wear and tear value has been reached...but the strength test results are also very obvious. This is just a physical test. The subsequent formal combat effectiveness assessment will take you to a more professional strength test." Zilan shook her head, indicating that he could untie the straps first.

After walking two steps, Zilan noticed that he looked a little uneasy and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you?"

Ling Dengxian laughed dryly: "Ha... Well, how much money will this cost..."

Zilan smiled and said, "It's OK. It probably won't be your fault. I will take some responsibility for not making the right judgment. I will pay some of the expenses, but the bulk of the expenses will still be reimbursed by Rhodes Island."

"Okay..." Ling Dengxian felt a little embarrassed. After all, it was because of his curiosity that he acted excitedly.

He still didn't realize the level of strength represented by the fact that he had been intensively trained by a Vaifan, beaten up by a Vaifan, received a shocking sword blow from a dragon, was "instructed" by a pure-blooded Wendigo, and beaten up by a Drake, but he was still alive and well.

He is actually quite strong, but the enemies he faces often do not give him the upper hand in this regard, and he feels it is natural that he can defeat the enemies easily.

"Alas, it's also my fault for not thinking it through... I don't blame you." Zilan waved her hand, filled in "accident" in the strength column, and noted "Excellent level, will be tested again later."

"What's next?" Ling Dengxian hoped that it could be over quickly to prevent any more accidents.

"Take a break and wait for a while. The last comprehensive preliminary combat skills test... Actually, I wanted to cancel it, but I still have to go through the process." Zilan also guessed that he was a warrior who had seen life and death like White-Faced Owl said.

The normal process should be to go directly to the operator's professional evaluation, but unfortunately the doctor has been very busy these days. I heard that the doctor lost his memory when he was rescued from Ursus. In short, the new operator's entry test was not carried out until today.

"Are you waiting for the instructor?" Ling Dengxian understood.

"It's about the same for you, but it doesn't seem to be Instructor Doberman today. She hasn't come back yet. It seems to be a cooperative operator of Black Steel."

"Operator Black Steel?" Ling Dengxian looked at White-Faced Owl, who also shook his head to indicate that he didn't know more.

Ling Dengxian didn't have to wait too long. When Zi Lan finished writing the third line of the report for him, a slender figure opened the door and walked into the training ground. When she saw the three people who had left the strength test room and were sitting next to the center of the field, she smiled and waved her hand:

"Sorry for the long wait. After all, I'm on duty so I might be a little lazy. Remember not to tell on you~" Wolper smiled. Unlike other members of her race, she didn't look delicate but was just as agile.

"We didn't agree on an exact time, but you came very quickly, Franca." Zilan stopped recording and clicked to save the document, nodding to her, "Thank you for troubling me today."

"No problem. After all, a top student is still writing a report, and I have nothing to do for the time being. I saw the lovely Miss Zilan posted a request on the bulletin board, so I came here." After Wolper finished speaking, his eyes naturally turned to Ling beside him. His eyes widened a little, and he asked curiously, "Who is this..."

"Hello, my code name is 'White Dove'. Thank you for your guidance today." Ling Dengxian immediately stood up and said a little stiffly.

You have to be careless. If you make mistakes more casually, you will probably have to pay money.

"White Dove... just relax. Don't be as tense as a certain top student, Vaiven. It's quite interesting to guide newcomers." Franca smiled at him with curved eyebrows, making Ling Dengxian feel the playfulness of the Wolper people so clearly for the first time.

"Franka, don't be too careless. He's not a novice. Be careful not to be defeated by him and become a laughing stock for everyone."

"According to White Owl's calculations, Operator Franka may not be a match for White Dove."

"Oh? White-Faced Owl knows him? Why do you say that?" Franka was not angry, but was curious about the reason for her judgment.

"Because it is difficult for Operator Franka to penetrate Saria's defense." White-Faced Owl said calmly, which made Franka and Zilan silent.

Then the two looked at Ling Dengxian again, who shrank his neck and said, "Don't think too much. I was the one who got beaten."

"That's really scary... But let's finish the assessment. Since I know in advance that you are not simple, I will not underestimate you. I still want to remind you to be careful. Do you know Originium skills?" Franka had no intention of backing down. Instead, she took the lead and went on stage. She touched her hair and generously extended her hand to invite him to get started.

“I guess I can do it…” After experiencing those battles, Bai Yan’s abnormal performance made Ling Dengxian unsure whether Bai Yan’s nature could still be classified as an Originium skill.

"Actually, I'm not responsible for testing your Originium skills. I'm just asking~" Franka winked at him with an expression of "success".

"...Okay, according to convention, should I call you 'Teacher Franka' or 'Instructor Franka'?" Ling Dengxian grabbed her hand and used her strength to climb onto the platform. The two of them walked to the side of the venue, keeping a distance of two steps. They drew out ordinary steel swords for training. Ling Dengxian shook his wrist lightly to familiarize himself with the weight of the blade, while Franka had long since adapted to Rhodes Island's training sword and quickly got into the state.

The sword is not sharpened, of course, this is a different matter for operators with special needs.

The test item was swordsmanship, which was the requirement that Zilan had stated when she posted it on the online bulletin board.

"Then just call me instructor. Miss Doberman isn't here anyway, so she won't mind." Franca giggled, her eyes narrowed slightly, "Let's get started~"

"Clang!" The first sound of metal colliding resounded throughout the venue. The tentative touch came and went, feeling the power coming from the sword blade just now. Ling Dengxian understood that he still had to get used to the opponent's style.

The other party will not confront you head-on/you cannot confront him head-on.

Franka's sword flashed and pointed towards Ling Dengxian's neck. She blocked, advanced, and retreated. Ling Dengxian used two sword beams to tell her that he was not a strict offensive power fighter.

He held a sword in his hand, not a heavy weapon.

"This is the trouble... No wonder Zilan said he's not a rookie..." Franca tilted the tip of her sword and raised it, her eyebrows gradually sharpening, "But this is also interesting."

Not testing Originium skills and not using Originium skills is not only a requirement for Ling Dengxian, but also the instructor's default.

Hit up and down?

Ling made a judgment casually, and Wolper couldn't help but smile: "It's a lie."

The sharp edge may break easily, but it still has its toughness.

"Huh?" Franka looked at the tip of the sword that was suddenly stopped in surprise. Ling Dengxian, who had escaped from the small crisis, did not retreat in a hurry. He turned the hilt sideways and used the front half of the sword to press down his sword. He took a step forward and stretched out his hand directly to her face.

Ling Dengxian's ability to deflect the sword was actually a bit of luck. After all, Franca's fake move did fool him, and his sudden stop and counterattack was an attempt to regain the initiative.

Unfortunately, Wolper's agility and resilience made his surprise attack fail, and he half-bent down to the side kick and counterattacked on the ground to widen the distance again.

"I'm really not that good at attacking..."

Ling Dengxian said that whoever believed this would be resentful.

"Very good. Does your shoulder hurt? I didn't use much strength just now." Franka raised the tip of the sword again, and her long brown hair swayed slightly in the wind.

"It's okay, it doesn't affect anything." It does hurt, but at this level the sword won't deviate.

"The newcomers nowadays are so scary..." Franka sighed, then drew her sword again.

Ling Dengxian quickly defended himself, and saw Zilan gesture to him from the corner of his eye -

Don't get hurt.

...Oh yeah, I almost forgot.

Ling Dengxian quickly found his position. He was accepting a test rather than a duel. It was enough to prove that he had the counterattack skills. The next step was to prove his defense and response capabilities.

Franka, who vaguely sensed his thoughts from the tip of his sword, smiled. She didn't care whether she would lose if things got serious, because she wasn't the strongest in any way. There were naturally many people who were stronger than her. She knew very well that there would always be someone better than you. It was just that she happened to meet the person she was assessing this time, so she was unlucky.

Being addicted to power is the most foolish thing.

Zilan wrote excellent under Ling Dengxian's comprehensive combat skills.