Chapter Fifty-Six: The Review
Being watched by a group of muscular, naked men, Yan Luo felt not the slightest ripple in his heart. He was a man who had broken through the limits of humanity, a creature of pure detachment. Besides, above his head gleamed a golden title only visible to the world tuner—“Sage.”
Sage mode.
“I’m here to register.”
Yan Luo’s interruption snuffed out the sparks that were about to fly between the ten athletes from Arcadia and Menesia, two city-states. These Greeks eyed him with confusion—when had foreigners ever been allowed to compete in the Olympic Games?
Moreover, this man looked unlike anyone they had ever seen.
An old man emerged from behind.
“I am the scribe. Only citizens of Greece may participate in the Olympic Games.”
His hair was a wild thatch of white, his beard unkempt, and his features so distinct they could rival Socrates himself. He wore a grimy Greek robe, wholly unkempt, yet such a man had been entrusted as the scribe to receive athletes from the city-states.
If this were a martial arts world, he might have been a hidden master, like the Monk Sweeper. But this was a world of historical athletic competition...
Yan Luo explained, “I am an athlete representing Athens. My status is that of an honorary Athenian citizen.”
He pointed to the badge on his chest, the insignia of an honorary citizen, and produced three athlete identity documents for participation in the Olympic Games.
“Honorary citizens can compete? Hm... I don’t recall such a precedent. Can they or can’t they... I’m not sure,” the scribe muttered, taking the documents. When he saw the papyrus signed by the Athenian Senate, bearing even the signature of Pericles, he was startled. Who was this youth, that even that man had been moved to act?
Pericles was a figure of great weight in today’s Greece.
Collecting himself, the scribe said, “Since you represent Athens, you may compete. However, to ensure the sacred purity of the Olympics is not sullied by the weak, I must examine the eligibility of all participants.
“Of course, if you’re only entering the chariot race, there’s no need for this. With an athlete’s status, all you need is a horse and chariot.”
The chariot race was akin to an exhibition match in the Olympics—nobles and slaveholders sent slaves and retainers to vie for honor, and due to its high mortality rate, few entered. True athletes would never compete in it.
“My two companions, Wang Dongwei and Zhu Xiaoyong, and I will enter the chariot race. I am registering us now.”
Thus, the main quest of this world was complete. Though he did not know what failure might entail, at least upon completion, he would receive a thousand points of bio-energy and one gene point. To him, a thousand points meant little, but a gene point was invaluable.
Ten points would elevate a basic lifeform to an intermediate one!
“Very well, I’ve recorded it... Er, how do you spell your names?” asked the scribe, perplexed.
Yan Luo used a stick to write their names in ancient Greek letters on a wax tablet. The ten muscular, naked men nearby, overhearing that they were entering the chariot race, immediately sneered with disdain. As athletes, they looked down on the chariot race, for it was typically only slaves who competed.
To hold athlete status, to represent a city-state, and to enter a performance event where slaves won honor for nobles—what shame!
“Ha, to represent Athens, the foremost city-state of Greece, and to hold the honor of an Athenian citizen—which must have been earned by great deeds—only to enter the chariot race?”
“Look at that smooth skin. It’s understandable he wouldn’t dare enter a real man’s competition... His complexion is even fairer than a Persian woman I once lay with in the Byzantine Empire,” an Arcadian remarked with a malicious grin.
“Perhaps he’s a beloved companion... Isn’t that quite common in Athens?” a Menesian joined in.
A round of laughter followed.
The two rival city-states found common ground in their scorn for Yan Luo.
“I will also enter the footrace, wrestling, boxing, pankration, and the pentathlon,” Yan Luo continued.
The laughter of the ten muscular men abruptly ceased.
Yan Luo was not reacting out of pique at their mockery—he had intended to enter these events all along, and even if he chose not to compete, he could forfeit later. Best to be prepared.
“Are you serious?” the old scribe asked, wide-eyed. Most Olympic athletes registered for only one event—a person’s stamina and talents rarely sufficed for more. Moreover, if one competed in multiple events, such as boxing, an injury might ruin any chance in the footrace. Not to mention wrestling and pankration, both more dangerous than boxing!
In these Olympics, each event had only one champion—there were no gold, silver, or bronze distinctions. One failure meant nothing at all. The wise choice was to enter only the event in which one had the greatest chance of victory.
“Of course,” Yan Luo replied.
Among the Arcadians, the muscular youth named Cornelus sneered, “Are you here just to play around? You’re insulting the Olympics. I, Arcadia’s foremost warrior, have only entered wrestling!”
“The athlete has the right to register as he wishes—you have no grounds to object!” the scribe rebuked Cornelus, then turned to Yan Luo with newfound respect, given the Pericles-signed endorsement. “I must now examine your physique... Remove your clothing so I may inspect your muscles. Then, lift this wooden table and run a lap around the temple.”
“Remove my clothes?” Yan Luo asked.
“Yes,” the scribe replied with a smile, guessing the young foreigner might be embarrassed. “You needn’t worry—all competitors, save those in the chariot race, must strip for examination. If your muscles are not fit, you’ll be disqualified immediately.”
“Remove my clothes? Even my undergarments?” Yan Luo pressed.
“Undergarments?” The old scribe’s comprehension was keen. He considered a moment. “You mean the loincloth? That you may keep on—though if you wish to remove it, I won’t stop you.”
At this, Yan Luo realized the ten muscular men were not dressed so by choice, but due to the examination process.
“I’ll keep my undergarments on, then.”
The Arcadians and Menesians looked on, some sneering, some watching with keen interest. A foreigner entering the Olympics—such a thing was unheard of! And to be an honorary citizen of Athens, no less.
To enter every event!
How arrogant!
They were eager to see what sort of physique this youth possessed to be so confident.
Under the gaze of an old man and ten muscular, naked men, Yan Luo first removed his trousers. He unfastened the leather belt of his jeans, pulled down the zipper, and the trousers slipped from his hips, revealing two pale, slender legs.