There were over three thousand people in the square, but after the aptitude assessment, more than eighteen hundred were immediately eliminated, leaving fewer than twelve hundred.
As the thousand-plus people watched with anticipation, a grinding "KAKA" sound echoed from the cliff face on the square's right side. A massive, ancient Stone Gate slid open, revealing five wide, deep alleys.
Inside the alleys stood a dense, seemingly random array of tall wooden men, leaving only extremely narrow paths between them.
Each of these wooden men was nearly two meters tall. Though called wooden men, their bodies were a dark cyan, appearing neither metal nor wood, seemingly refined from some peculiar material.
Some of the wooden men were empty-handed, some carried long wooden sabers, and others wielded spears. A few even held long chains tipped with enormous, spiked iron balls. The mere sight of them was enough to send a chill down one's spine.
