A few hours later, Xiang Nan arrived at the military recruitment center in Wesera City. There was already a sizable line outside—apparently, people came to enlist every day.
Now that he was officially single and had cut all ties with his family, there was nothing holding him back. His (previous body's) wife had tried finding him at the hospital a few times, but he was never around. Later on, she tried calling him.
Eventually, they came to an agreement. So the divorce proceeded without much trouble; he left with nothing and agreed to pay alimony.
Money wasn't really an issue for him—and in a way, this was also to protect the original wife and daughter of this body. Being tied to him at this point was bound to end badly.
The recruitment center was a small office building, not heavily guarded. Most of the young people lined up outside were regular civilians.
For them, enlisting was just a way to earn a salary—nothing more. Since the Republic of Padokea didn't have neighboring countries (hence no border conflicts), the military stayed relatively peaceful, and the demand for soldiers was modest. Mainly, they needed soldiers to handle underground criminal elements.
In fact, not just Padokea but just about every country or region in this world—except some isolated, dictatorial states cut off from the outside—had mafia and underworld organizations. They were deeply embedded in society and often brazenly flouted official authority.
The Ten Dons were considered the emperors of the underworld. In Hunter x Hunter, the mafia has become an integral part of society, deeply rooted. Virtually impossible to uproot. Just look at how the Zoldyck Family's assassination business has been profitable for ages—if public order were too perfect, they wouldn't make any money. The law was only there to control the masses, after all.
Before coming, Xiang Nan had looked up the recruitment criteria. As long as your background was clean, you met the age requirement, and your physical condition was up to par, you were basically in.
Following the queue into the building, Xiang Nan eventually entered the interview room. Sitting behind the desk was a blond military officer who frowned upon seeing him. Discover more novels at NoveIꜰire.net
Just by looking at Xiang Nan, you could tell he wasn't all that young.
"No wonder you left your age blank on the application… You must realize you don't meet our standard requirements, right?" the officer said, his tone gruff.
"I'm applying under the 'Specialist Talent' category," Xiang Nan answered with a calm smile.
Luckily, the Republic of Padokea's recruitment policies weren't too strict. On a practical level, it was almost like a formality. Under stricter systems—like in Xiang Nan's previous life—they might've tossed his application just for his age, and he wouldn't have gotten this far to speak with an examiner on the same day.
The blond man glanced at Xiang Nan's file. "Your medical background looks solid, which could qualify you for specialist recruitment. But we already have a decent reserve of medical personnel…"
"Sir, why not let me take the standard fitness tests, just like everyone else? If I meet the benchmarks, then you can pass me. Deal?" Xiang Nan proposed.
He was basically making it harder on himself.
The blond officer chuckled. "Sure, I'll give you a chance."
Xiang Nan nodded and headed into another room for his medical and fitness exams. He'd already planned what to do if he couldn't get into the Padokean military: join the mafia. Whether official or underground, joining as a normal citizen wasn't too difficult. And both arenas offered resources far beyond ordinary civilian life.
To become a Hunter, he'd have to take the Hunter Exam. Xiang Nan was confident in his abilities, but there were two downsides: first, the risk of running into other players; second, from the original story, even just reaching the final exam site had a crazy low success rate. And anyone who actually made it far enough to earn a badge was no pushover.
Right now, Xiang Nan judged himself as "really good by normal human standards," but nowhere near "elite," let alone a match for those with Nen. He and the guy he killed at the hotel would both get destroyed in a heartbeat by a real Nen user—just two random extras who'd get knocked out in one panel.
If he went straight for the Hunter Exam without a decent chance of passing, he'd just waste time and wouldn't gain much. He also wouldn't get any real resources. And time was a huge factor for players.
By comparison, joining the mafia or the military was easier, had lower risk, and offered immediate resources and influence. So there was no rush for the Hunter Exam—he'd get around to that eventually.
He fully expected rejection from the military; he just hadn't imagined the whole recruitment process would be so casual.
Before long, the test results for Xiang Nan's group reached the person in charge. The man's eyes widened when he saw Xiang Nan's data.
He'd aced every single test.
"When did doctors start having such insane physical stats…?" The blond officer was dumbfounded. He'd assumed Xiang Nan might fail at least one specialized test, giving him an excuse to reject the application. But the guy was top-notch in everything.
"He's not that old… looks under thirty. And besides…"
A subordinate coughed and gave the officer a meaningful look. Xiang Nan's performance was too good to pass up.
"Did you check his file thoroughly?" the blond officer asked in a low voice.
"Yes, sir. No issues."
"Then notify him," the officer sighed.
Moments later, Xiang Nan walked out of the building, holding an official acceptance notice from the recruitment center.
Here he was again, about to start military life in an isekai. He had specifically tried the military option first—over the mafia—because he was more comfortable in that environment and knew it better.
"Still, the military is just the starting point," Xiang Nan muttered, hands in his pockets. "If I want real resources fast, I'll need a quick promotion. Whether you're in the mafia or the army, a player can make use of these organizations. Until I become a Nen user, it's way better than fighting alone."
It was like a game where one player fights solo, while another brings an army of NPC allies. The second player obviously has the advantage—not just in manpower, but in authority, intel, and connections.
That's how Xiang Nan intended to boost his own "soft power": leveraging every possible asset to survive to the end and not get culled from the competition.
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