33: Chapter 33 The Shocked Proctors

Hey, Old Sun, is there anyone in our Nanyang City ability college entrance exam this year who can actually stand tall?

Don't let it be like previous years, ending up at the bottom among the thirteen cities of Jiangnan Province and turning our old faces into insoles.

The proctor chewed on an unlit cigarette, his head sweating with anxiety.

Teacher Sun slumped back in his chair and rolled his eyes: "Don't you know the situation in our area?"

In previous years, once candidates entered the exam venue, distress signals were like New Year's greetings; 'Save the child' would ring from the start of the exam to the end.

This year is different. The difficulty of the exam venue was maxed out, like a challenge letter to the candidates. Yet, the distress signals are pitifully few. I counted three times yesterday, and they didn't even add up to the number of buns I ate for breakfast. Isn't that weird?

Weird! Too weird!

The proctor sat up straight, his eyes shining like searchlights, "Could it be that the kids in our Nanyang City suddenly had an Epiphany collectively?"

Let me tell you, I heard rumors that there are at least two good seedlings this year. Maybe we can ride the east wind and take off the hat of being at the bottom—Quick! Where is the leaderboard? Hurry up and let me see!

Teacher Sun got excited too, his fingers tapping on the keyboard like he was playing clappers: "Coming! If there really are good seedlings, I'll treat you to that crayfish place in the south of the city tonight, extra numb and extra spicy!"

As the page loaded, Teacher Sun's hand froze in mid-air, his mouth open wide enough to fit a fist, looking like a robot pressed on the pause button.

"What's wrong? Is the score so low you're embarrassed to look?"

The proctor leaned over, and after just one glance, he was like a cat stepped on its tail, letting out a howl that almost blew the roof off.

"My goodness! Zhang Wen—8700 points? Was this score written with supernatural powers?"

"In previous years, the provincial top scholar would barely reach 7000 after three days, let alone now when only two days have passed!"

Teacher Sun swallowed his saliva after a long while, his voice drifting: "Believe it now? It turns out it wasn't that there were no distress signals, but that they were busy farming points inside!"

"They probably didn't even see what the distress button looked like—well, I need to add two more portions of crayfish tonight, I need to calm down!"

"Forget about crayfish! If this matter is delayed, let alone crayfish, we'll probably be eating steamed buns at the bureau!"

The proctor grabbed Teacher Sun's arm, stamping his feet in anxiety, "Report it quickly! If we really miss this person, us getting fired would be the least of our worries!"

"Oh, oh, oh! Look at my brain!"

Teacher Sun fumbled to take out his phone, his fingertips shaking, "Hello? Is this Director Chen? I am Sun Ming, the person in charge of the invigilation for this year's ability college entrance exam!"

The voice of Director Chen came slowly from the other end of the phone: "Oh, Old Sun, what's up? Which little brat is crying and shouting to go home in the exam venue this year?"

"No, no!"

Teacher Sun quickly raised his voice, "It's just that there is... uh, it's not a problem, it's just that there is a candidate in our Nanyang City whose score is almost 2000 points higher than last year's provincial top scholar! I thought I should report to you, is... is this normal?"

"2000 points higher?!"

Director Chen's voice sounded like he had been electrocuted, "What's the name? Is it that girl from the Ding Family? I heard she awakened an S-Rank, does she have this strength?"

"Not Miss Ding, that candidate's name is Zhang Wen."

"Zhang Wen?"

Director Chen paused, "Never heard of him... Could it be a hidden ace from some big Family? Isn't that the trend these years?"

"Doesn't look like it!"

Teacher Sun flipped through the information and confirmed, "The information shows he is from Ningjiang District No. 1 High School. His parents do odd jobs, and his Family is quite difficult. How could he be from a big Family?"

"Ningjiang No. 1 High School?"

Director Chen suddenly went silent, and after a few seconds, he suddenly raised his voice, "Isn't that where that old thing stays?!"

Before Teacher Sun could react, he heard a "clang" on the other end of the phone, as if a chair had fallen, followed by Director Chen's hurried voice: "Old Sun, watch the exam venue closely! I'll be there soon—no, I'll fly over right now!"

The phone hung up with a "snap," and Teacher Sun stood there holding the phone, muttering: "Is it necessary to be so anxious... Could this Zhang Wen be some chosen one?"

Director Chen hung up the phone and dialed another number as if pressing a buzzer. As soon as the call connected, he exploded: "Li Tianji! Did your crappy school hide a kid named Zhang Wen?!"

Li Tianji on the other end took a slow sip of tea and started slowly: "Yes, what's wrong? And did you swallow a loudspeaker? I'm old, not deaf—"

"What's wrong!"

Director Chen almost crushed his phone, "You hid such a thick golden thigh and didn't show it to me? Do you still treat me as a brother? That's not cool, Old Li!"

Li Tianji "snorted" on the other end and suddenly changed to a triumphant tone: "Hey, I originally wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but I got distance in return. I'm not pretending anymore, I'm showing my cards—that kid awakened an SSS-Rank Talent, the Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder! How about it? Surprised? Unexpected?"

"And it's an SSS-Rank Talent?!"

Director Chen's voice cracked, "Then what is his Realm now?"

"I guess he's probably at the Late Stage of the Forming Realm,"

Li Tianji said lightly, "I haven't seen him for a few days, so what, is this score enough to secure the top scholar title for our Nanyang City?"

"Nanyang City top scholar?"

Director Chen sneered, as if he had heard a huge joke, "That kid has over 8700 points now! The throne of the provincial top scholar has to be wiped clean and waiting for him!"

"How much?! 8700?"

Li Tianji's teacup fell on the table with a "clang," and his voice shook, "He is an SSS-Rank Talent, that's true, but how long has it been?"

"Don't worry about whether he's printing money or not!"

Director Chen roared at the phone, "Hurry up and get to the exam venue! When we get to the scene, we'll see what's going on with this kid."

Deep in the Secret Realm, Zhang Wen was lying spread-eagled on a large bluestone, looking like a cat that had had enough sun, swinging his legs leisurely.

"Achoo!"

He rubbed his nose and touched his chin with a smug look, "It's strange, I've been sneezing non-stop lately. Could it be that the candidates outside were dazzled by my uncontainable handsomeness and are all talking about me?"

Ding Siyi was sorting through the wild fruits she had just picked nearby, and when she heard this, she laughed out loud: "Give it a rest. It's good enough that people aren't cursing your ancestral graves—after all, you snatched quite a few of their points."

She tossed a red fruit over: "Seriously, have you found a suitable target for the Forming Realm Vicious Beast? Have you planned the tactics? What if you capsize in the gutter? Have you planned an escape route? I don't want to accompany you here to feed the beasts."

Zhang Wen caught the fruit steadily, patting his chest proudly: "Don't worry! With my strength, that Forming Realm Vicious Beast will have to obediently come over to let me farm points, right? The target has already been locked. The most important thing now is to conserve energy so we can give it a 'surprise gift package' later."

Ding Siyi gave him a standard eye-roll, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up: "Fine, if you can't beat it later, I won't wait for you."