Chapter 30
The matter of the study group was settled in a chaotic fashion.
The homeroom teacher did not want to be bothered by this matter for too long, so he used the blackboard eraser to tap at the podium and said loudly, “Alright, let’s set aside everything else first. Now, I want to talk about taking the exams to get into college!”
1
College!
The students shuddered, and all of them forgot about the farce just now.
“If you want to get into a better college so that you can get a job that can guarantee a good life, you can prepare for your exams at ease. You just need to enter the exam hall one and a half months later, but the legendary undergraduate course is a whole new concept. You will need to clear three stages, and soon, the first stage that will decide your fates will arrive!”
The homeroom teacher told everyone that the undergraduate course was divided into three gates of hell: the initial test, the second test, and the ultimate practical test.
The first test was held in the school. The students were tested on their maximum punching force, their hundred meter dash, and their shooting skills. There was a limited number of people who could advance to the next stage, so half of the people would be eliminated from key regions.
The second test was held in the regional education department. They used a supercomputer VR system to test the students’ mental strength, which passed only a few students.
The third test was the national college examination during the second half of July.
The national college examination was divided into theory and practical tasks. When it came to the theory test, the test for college and higher vocational college was the same.
But when it came to the practical test, the Type Two Examinees, who were applying for higher vocational college, had to go to the monster research centers to fight against bio-monsters who had already been tamed, modified, and controlled.
1
Type One Examinees were applying for college, and they had to go to the edge of the city, which was close to the fog. They had to enter a real battlefield!
“The test this year has already been brought forward. It’ll be held a week later, and the school has one hundred and fifty slots for the first test. Those who pass it can advance to the next test.
“Everyone, don’t start thinking that one hundred and fifty slots is a lot. You must understand that there are already one hundred people in the rocket classes, and based on our experience from previous years, the six strolling classes will only be able to get fifty to sixty slots at most. Each class can get around ten slots. The ones ranked at the top fifteen can try getting those slots, those remaining are in danger of not getting any spot!”
Every time the homeroom teacher said a sentence, he smacked the podium with the blackboard eraser. The taps caused everyone’s faces to turn solemn.
The ones ranked at the top were relaxed, while the ones ranked at the tail end had long since given up on fighting for a slot. Only those ranked at the tenth to twentieth place started talking with each other.
“Mr. Wang, why do they have to make things so complicated for us to get into college? Can’t they make it the same as the tests for postsecondary specialized colleges and let us take it in one shot in July? This way, we’d still have one month to work even harder!” said someone loathfully.
“It’s simple, because a large amount of resources has to be spent to escort the examinees to the edge of the fog so that they can fight against real monsters. The military and the powerful fighters have to be mobilized to protect the examinees, and the thing Dragon City lacks the most is resources,” the homeroom teacher said coldly.
“Besides, walking down the path of superhumans is a path of life and death. It can bring you endless glory, but it is also very dangerous. If you aren’t someone who stands at the top and possesses extraordinary talent, there’s no need for you to have any sort of lavish hope and give yourself additional worries. It would be better for you to get rid of those thoughts early on and focus on getting into postsecondary specialized colleges!”
His words caused many of the students to bow their heads.
Since they were in the strolling class, many of the students had already accepted their fate. A qualification from a postsecondary specialized college was also valuable. After all, getting into higher vocational colleges would still make them people with a good financial situation and a rather high social status.
The student who had spoken earlier continued grumbling. “This is unfair. Even if my mark during my one hundred meter isn’t that great, it doesn’t mean that I won’t have an epiphany during a real fight and suddenly reveal my talents…”
“Fair?” When the homeroom teacher heard him, he frowned and slammed the podium so hard that it jolted. “There has never been fairness in this world. When Dragon City transmigrated here, we had nothing, but we had to face the invasion of zombies and monsters. Are we to talk about fairness with zombies or monsters now?
“Superhumans were slowly born among us so that we could survive the danger and hardship. The superhumans stand above us and possess all sorts of special privileges, but all that they enjoy isn’t handed to them on a silver platter. They have to use their fists, weapons, and even teeth to snatch them from the monsters. This is the greatest ‘fairness’ you will see!
“I’m telling you. Don’t just look at the glory that the superhumans enjoy. You don’t know the mortality rate of the superhumans in Dragon City. It’s five times the number of normal humans. And every year, during the Type One Practical Test during the national college examination, there is a quota of the injured and dead. Last year, the quota for the injured was one hundred, and the quota for the dead was ten people. This year, that number was doubled!”
2
“What?!” the students cried out in shock,
If the quota for the injured and dead was twice the number compared to last year, did that not mean that the national college examination this year was very dangerous?
Meng Chao thought of something. The regional government must have noticed some clues and realized that the war against monsters was about to become more dangerous. Hence, they needed to train up more superhuman fighters who were stronger, more determined, and even more fearless.
That was why they decided to be serious in the practical exam for college this year.
“You understand now, right?” the homeroom teacher asked. “If we filter all of you earlier, we can eliminate the normal people who are not suited to become superhumans. This is our way of being considerate to your lives.”
The students’ expressions turned dark.
“It wouldn’t get to the point where we reach the quota, right?” someone asked.
When they thought about it, they found that he was right. There had seldom been years where the batches of examinees had hit the quota during the practical test. Usually, only five people would be injured at most, and the number of dead would be around one to two people. In fact, there were two years where the examinees had been lucky and no one died, which was something that delighted everyone.
“Stop thinking about it. The national college examination this year is different. I can disclose a secret to you. The school has already released a notification to all teachers telling us to get the parents prepared. Very soon, the Survival Committee, the military, and the education department of the city will release a statement at the same time.
“The injured and dead examinees of the national college examination this year will receive the same treatment as injured and dead soldiers.” The homeroom teacher spoke firmly. “In other words, this won’t be a normal test. It will be a real battle!”
The students were shocked.
“I’ll be honest with you. For my sake, I’d want a lot more of you to get into college and become superhumans.
The homeroom teacher clenched the blackboard eraser and said softly, “But for your life’s sake, if your results aren’t really that good and you aren’t very confident when it comes to your fighting power, I suggest that you don’t try to get into college. I’m being serious here.”
His words were sincere, and the students digested the shocking news with pale faces.
But Meng Chao just clenched his fists. Now, more than ever, he desired strength.
“Alright, go to the testing room and check your strength. If you can’t reach the speed of an Olympic champion in short-distance running or the punching force of a heavyweight champion, you will not be able to pass the test in school, and you will not need to bother with this anymore!” Wang Longjun waved his hand at them dismissively.
4
At the end of the day, the students were all a bunch of carefree youths. While they were sighing in the corridors, once they reached the cultivation center, everyone became fired up again.
The death quota had been doubled, which meant that it was now twenty. If they compared it to the number of examinees, that quota was less than one percent of their total number. No one believed that they would be so unlucky as to die.
Besides, they were born in Dragon City. Everyone understood the logic that if they did not face high risks, they would not get high returns.
Since the national college examination would be much harder, the local authorities would not just watch them march to their own deaths. They would definitely increase the outpour of cultivation resources to them.
And just as they expected, Wang Longjun told them that as long as they passed the test in school, they would be provided double the amount of cultivation resources as compared to previous years.
In the past, they would only provide bone growth hormones to the students once every three days. This year, they were giving them one per day!
2
Since those were great rewards, there were definitely students who were brave and wanted to take up the challenge.
“The time has come for us to use our weapons and fists to expand the living space of Dragon City! It’s time for us to have our names spread far and wide!”
When the youngsters entered the testing room, they were so excited that they started hollering.
Of course, they did not miss out on the show of humility that they had to put up.
1
“Sigh, those monsters bothered us for an entire night last night, you know? I didn’t manage to sleep well at all. I’ll definitely not be able to bring out my full strength. Ah, I’m doomed! I’ll definitely flunk my test!”
“Ace Student Wu, stop pretending. Everyone knows that your maximum punching strength is among the top five in class. I’m the real pitiful one here. I sprained my ankle yesterday, so I’m limping today. I might end up over ten seconds during the one hundred meter dash later. Sigh.”
“Ace Student Zhao, stop being so sleazy. If you manage to finish the one hundred meter dash in less than 9.7 seconds, you’ll have to treat the whole class to milk tea. Do you have the guts to take up the bet?”
“Could you all please start acting like decent human beings? All of you are ace students in the class, but you’re all pretending as if you have myasthenia gravis. Is there a need for you to do that?”
The students started their tests while laughing and fooling around with each other.
All of them started pretending to be weaker than flowers. Even the tall and built boys started acting coyly while whining.
But once they stepped on the running track or stood in front of the punching force gauge, they looked like rabbits who had transformed into wolves. All their whining turned into growls.
This was especially the case for the people who had learned Super Reckless Bull Force.
Even though they did not manage to get an increase of 3% in their maximum punching force in one go like Chu Feixiong, which was a really over the top increase, and only gained an increase of 0.5%, it meant that their mark would increase by a point or two, and it was enough for them to get rid of a lot of competition.
Besides, Reckless Bull Force was not a pure punching technique. It was a highly scientific way of using the entire body to execute force. It also provided help when they were doing short dashes.
For a period of time, the testing room was filled with cries of surprise.
“Ace Student Wu broke the record of his maximum punching strength! In just a few days, he got an increase in 0.5kg? And he said that he didn’t sleep well? What a monster! You’re a bastard, jerk, scum!”
“Ace Student Zhao, your one hundred meter dash is 9.57 seconds. You already surpassed Usain Bolt’s world record. Limping, my foot! Milk Tea! You have to treat the entire class to milk tea!”
3
“Chu Feixiong! Big Brother Xiong! Your maximum punching force is 233.5kg! You just renewed the class’ record! Even Earth’s boxing king, Mike Tyson, can’t compare to you!”
4
The students started yelping, and when they looked at Chu Feixiong, their gazes were filled with shock and idolization.
The homeroom teacher’s expression was very complicated.
The average score of the entire class and their records o were renewed repeatedly, and when he observed the marks carefully, he found that all the students who had reached a breakthrough were those who had joined the study group. All his experience gained from teaching for twenty years was shattered, and he became even more interested in Super Reckless Bull Force.
Meng Chao put his hands in the wide pockets of his worn out uniform and leaned against a corner of the wall comfortably. With a smile, he admired the waves on the girls’ bodies when they performed the one hundred meter dash and threw their strongest punches. Those waves were created when the force the girls exerted was reflected back on their bodies.
“Trash.” Suddenly, Zuo Haoran walked over. He had a friendly smile on his face, but he spoke in a voice only the both of them could hear. “Even if Chu Feixiong breaks the record, gets into college and becomes a superhuman, it’s useless. He’s him, and you are you. He can soar to the skies, but you’ll forever be trash!”
Meng Chao quirked an eyebrow.
‘There we go. Here comes the class rep’s trash talk.’
1
In his memory fragments, he had been agitated when his mother was severely injured by the creatures in the Other World and had argued fiercely with Zuo Haoran.
This guy was very polite when he argued with someone in public and would say things like, “Meng Chao, you’re going overboard.”
But when there was no one in the area, he would come up with the most wonderful insults ever. The profanities he spewed were… Whew, they made Meng Chao’s ears want to puke.
Of course, Zuo Haoran did not lose his rationality and was not just venting. Instead, he was trash talking Meng Chao to provoke him into attacking.
Meng Chao had fallen into that trap in his previous life. The class rep used dirty tricks to leave behind hidden injuries in his body, and those injuries acted up during his national college examination, which was why his ranking plummeted, and he could not even get into a higher vocational college.
But what about this life?
Meng Chao smirked and simply enjoyed Zuo Haoran’s act.