9: Chapter 9 Director of the Education Bureau – Wan Xueping

He was the top student of Class (1). In the previous school-wide ranking, he was 10th, and the nine students ahead of him were all from the Elite Class.

"You've been working so hard lately; you're bound to make progress."

Qin Yan spoke up to encourage him; he was telling the truth, as he had seen Lin Yang's hard work with his own eyes.

"Do you think I'm like you, where hard work always pays off?"

"Besides, in terms of the level of effort, I'm still far behind you."

Lin Yang gave a bitter smile and joked, "Maybe your results will surpass mine in this Monthly Exam."

Qin Yan smiled and didn't respond.

After last night's frantic sprint, surpassing Lin Yang?

It wasn't impossible.

Soon, all the senior year students on the playground were lined up neatly by class.

A silent tension permeated the air.

Everyone placed immense importance on this Monthly Exam, which concerned rewards and their future direction.

At this moment, on the rostrum.

Principal Wu Ming was carefully accompanying a middle-aged man.

This man wore a crisp dark executive jacket, his face solemn and his gaze sharp.

He carried an aura of natural authority; he was none other than Wan Xueping, the Director of the Linhai City Education Bureau.

"Director Wan, rest assured, we still have a few good prospects in this year's batch."

Wu Ming's face was wreathed in smiles as he introduced, "Especially Zhao Bin, Liang Musheng, and Jiang Nan from the Elite Class; they are all very promising talents."

"If they perform normally, getting into Jianghai Martial University should be more than enough."

Wan Xueping merely nodded calmly, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd of students below the stage.

He directly asked the question he was most concerned about: "Then, do these three students have even a shred of certainty in getting into those two Top-tier Martial Arts Universities?"

The smile on Wu Ming's face froze instantly, and his expression became awkward. "This... Director Wan, Top-tier Martial Arts University... at the moment, that possibility is still very small."

Those two institutions standing at the peak of the country had admission standards that were brutally rigorous.

It wasn't just about having high enough scores; they had extremely high requirements for talent and potential.

It was no longer something a school of Linhai No. 1 High School's level could easily dare to hope for.

As soon as Director Wan saw Wu Ming's reaction, his heart became as clear as a mirror, and his face couldn't help but darken.

Suppressing his anger, he whispered, "The Education Bureau has given your No. 1 High School quite a lot of resource allocation over the years! And what about the result?"

"Every year you can only produce fewer than ten students who can make it into Jianghai Martial University for me!"

"Wu Ming, don't you think you owe me an explanation!"

Wu Ming was dazed by the sudden scolding, feeling extremely aggrieved in his heart.

He hadn't dared to embezzle a single cent of educational resources!

But he could also see that Director Wan was in a terrible mood today, clearly having nowhere else to vent his anger.

He could only bow and scrape in apology. "Yes, yes, Director Wan's criticism is correct. We will certainly redouble our efforts and strive for a Breakthrough of ten this year..."

"These leaders are practically harder to please one after another..."

Wu Ming groaned inwardly.

Looking at Wu Ming's submissive manner, Wan Xueping's anger subsided slightly.

He also knew that this matter couldn't entirely be blamed on the other party.

Linhai City's student pool and teaching conditions were what they were; for No. 1 High School to consistently produce several students for Jianghai Martial University every year was already a decent achievement.

He was just under too much pressure lately.

A while ago, there was an important vacancy in the Jianghai Province Education Bureau, and he originally had a chance for promotion.

But the Director of the Education Bureau in neighboring Hushan City was also on the promotion list, and the other's track record was significantly better than Linhai City's.

His promotion chances were far smaller than the other's.

If it were just a matter of not getting promoted, he wouldn't have lost his composure like this.

The key was that he and that Hushan City Director had an old grudge from their early years, and their conflict ran deep.

Once the other party successfully took the position and became his direct superior, they would surely use their authority to make things difficult for him at every turn.

At that time, let alone his career, he probably wouldn't even be able to keep his current position as Director of the Education Bureau.

If it were serious, they might even find an excuse to completely 'ruin' him and force him into early retirement.

Lately, he had been so worried about this that he couldn't eat or sleep.

The results of the promotion assessment would come out in about four months, shortly after the College Entrance Examination results were released.

After thinking it over, he realized the only thing that could create a miracle in the short term and reverse the situation was the track record of the College Entrance Examination!

If Linhai City could produce one student who got into a Top-tier Martial Arts University—even just one!

It would be an extremely dazzling capital sufficient to break the balance!

He could use this political achievement to defeat his opponent in one fell swoop and secure the promotion!

He had come to No. 1 High School full of hope, just to see if there was such a hidden 'Qilin child.'

But the reply he received was still 'the possibility is very small.'

Unable to hold back for a moment, he took his anger out on Wu Ming.

"Director Wan, the Monthly Exam for our No. 1 High School's senior year students is about to start, and the first item is Blood Qi testing."

Seeing that the other's anger seemed to have dissipated a bit, Wu Ming quickly seized the opportunity to change the subject. "If you have time, you can stay and observe.

Maybe among this batch of students, some unexpected dark horses or good prospects will appear?"

Wan Xueping took a deep breath, suppressed his irritation, and nodded.

By now, his political life was largely pinned on this session of the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination.

And Linhai No. 1 High School was the best high school in the city and the place where the greatest hope lay.

Deep down, how could he not be hoping for a miracle to happen?

...

In front of the Senior Year Class (1) queue.

Gu Feng gathered the students of the Elite Class and the regular Class (1) together for a final lecture.

His voice was steady and powerful, clearly reaching every student's ears:

"The test later will follow the school's arrangement.

The Elite Class will test first, and then it will be our Class (1)'s turn."

"The testing order will follow your student ID numbers!

Everyone remember, maintain order, don't lose your composure, and don't embarrass our class!"

"Students who have finished testing, return immediately to the class area and wait for the results.

No wandering around or whispering!

Afterward, I will take you all together for the Martial Arts Skill test!

Is that clear?"

"Understood!"

The students answered in unison, their voices filled with irrepressible tension and excitement.

Gu Feng nodded with satisfaction, said no more, and walked to the very front of the class queue.

With his arms crossed, he waited silently like a monolith for the test to begin.

After a while, the loudspeakers on the playground sounded a clear notification:

"Attention all students, the April Monthly Exam for Linhai No. 1 High School, the Blood Qi testing segment, begins now!"

"Please, students of Elite Class 1, get ready!"

"Zhao Bin, Liang Musheng, Zhou Nan, ... Zhao Shaowei."

The broadcast read out ten names in sequence.

"Please enter the arena in an orderly fashion!"