20: Chapter 20 Gray Rock Rat

Behind each glass door were individual rooms, each containing a table and a cage.

Inside the cage was an Armor Spirit waiting to be identified.

Lin Fan was assigned to Room 9.

He pushed the door open and entered. An examiner was already in the room—a middle-aged woman in her forties, wearing glasses, with a stern expression.

On the table sat an iron cage, with a small, furry creature curled up inside.

Lin Fan walked over to take a closer look; it was a dusty, mouse-like creature, shivering in the corner.

The examiner handed him a sheet of paper and a pen.

"This is your exam paper. Identify the Aptitude, Rank, and current status of this Armor Spirit on the spot, and write a reasonable cultivation plan and evolution plan. You have thirty minutes."

Lin Fan took the paper and pen and looked at the small creature in the cage.

His left eye warmed slightly.

Lines of small text appeared.

【Race】: Grey Rock Rat

【Aptitude】: Mortal Spirit Low-grade (Cap: Mortal Spirit Mid-grade)

【Rank】: Rank 6

【Attribute】: Earth

【Armor-able】: Hands

【Armor Skill】: Burrowing (rapidly digs through soft soil), Stone Skin (briefly increases skin hardness)

【Current Status】: Malnourished, internal parasites, growth stunted due to prolonged state of fear.

【Standard Evolution Route】: Consume 3 Earth Spirit Stones, 5 Hardening Grass; can evolve into Rock Armor Rat (Mortal Spirit Mid-grade), Rank requirement: Rank 9.

【Hidden Evolution Route】: If parasites are cleared first and state is adjusted, then consume 1 Earth Vein Mushroom, 2 Soft Light Stone fragments; can evolve into Earth Listener Rat (Mystic Spirit Low-grade), Rank requirement: Rank 7.

The cost of this route is only one-third of the standard route, but the current health issues must be resolved first.

After reading, Lin Fan had a plan in mind.

This Grey Rock Rat belonged to a species with inherently low quality.

But he hadn't expected it to have such hidden potential.

The Earth Listener Rat, a Mystic Spirit Low-grade, is skilled at sensing underground movements and is an Armor Spirit highly sought after by mines and exploration teams.

The key is that the cost of this evolution route is extremely low.

Although Earth Vein Mushrooms are rare, they are not expensive, and Soft Light Stone fragments are mere scraps, extremely cheap.

In comparison, the standard evolution to Rock Armor Rat, while usable...

...the Rock Armor Rat has a low cap, poor combat power, and its utility is far inferior to the Earth Listener Rat.

Lin Fan picked up his pen and began to write.

Ten minutes later, he put down his pen and handed the answer sheet to the examiner.

The middle-aged woman took the answer sheet and glanced down at it.

Then she froze.

"Earth Listener Rat?"

She looked up at Lin Fan. "Are you sure?"

Lin Fan nodded. "I'm sure."

The middle-aged woman was silent for a few seconds, then spoke.

"Where did you learn all this?"

Lin Fan blinked. "I read it in a book."

"Which book?"

"Uh... I forgot, it was an old book anyway."

The middle-aged woman stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"Alright, go outside and wait. The results will be announced collectively this afternoon."

Lin Fan nodded and walked out of the room.

There were already quite a few examinees waiting in the corridor; some were dejected, while others were excitedly discussing things with those around them.

Lin Fan found a corner, sat down, and waited.

Several people nearby were chatting.

"What did you draw?"

"A Fire-Tail Fox. Its condition was poor, so I wrote a standard treatment plan for it. I should pass."

"I drew an Iron Beetle. That thing is too difficult. I just wrote whatever came to mind; I don't think I'll make it."

Lin Fan listened without interrupting.

After waiting for about half an hour, a staff member walked out.

"All examinees, please gather at the auditorium on the third floor. The results will be announced shortly."

The crowd surged toward the elevators.

Lin Fan followed the crowd back to the auditorium where the exam was held in the morning.

On the podium, that white-haired old man was already standing there.

The old man tapped the microphone.

"Quiet. The written exam results are out."

He picked up a sheet of paper and began to read.

"Wang Ming, 68 points. Li Xue, 72 points. Zhang Qiang, 54 points, fail..."

As the names were read one by one, some were happy, some were sad.

Lin Fan leaned back in his chair and waited.

"Ye Qing, 100 points."

A round of applause broke out in the hall.

Ye Qing stood up, nodded slightly, a faint look of pride on her face.

Lin Fan watched her, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

100 points—truly impressive.

The old man continued reading.

"Lin Fan, 100 points."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Then someone exclaimed.

"Another perfect score?"

"That kid? The sixteen-year-old?"

"A perfect score on the written exam? Is he a monster?"

Ye Qing turned her head sharply, looking at Lin Fan in the last row.

For the first time, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

Lin Fan leaned back in his chair and smiled at her.

That smile looked incredibly punchable.

Ye Qing withdrew her gaze and said nothing.

The old man finished reading the remaining names, then looked up.

"The written exam results have been announced. Next are the results for the practical operation."

He paused, his expression becoming somewhat subtle.

"The practical operation results... are a bit special."

People below began whispering to each other.

The old man continued.

"Most of the examinees' results have been determined and will be posted on the big screen. However, one examinee's answer sheet has caused a dispute among the examiners."

He looked toward the last row.

"Examinee number nine, Lin Fan, practical operation result: pending."

The hall was in an uproar.

"Pending? What does that mean?"

"It just means they aren't sure if he passed or not, right?"

"Perfect score on the written exam, pending on the practical—this is too dramatic."

Lin Fan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The old man tapped the microphone.

"Quiet. As per custom, disputed answer sheets will be reviewed personally by President Ye. Now, will examinee number nine, Lin Fan, please come up to the stage."

Everyone's gaze turned to Lin Fan.

Lin Fan stood up slowly, hands in his pockets, and walked onto the podium.

The old man looked at him with a complicated expression.

"The examiner gave your answer sheet a zero."

Someone below laughed out loud.

"Zero points? Doesn't that mean he failed?"

"What's the use of a perfect written score if you get a zero on the practical? You still fail."

Lin Fan remained calm, waiting for what came next.

The old man continued.

"But the examiner wasn't sure, so they handed the answer sheet to President Ye."

Just as he finished speaking, the side door of the auditorium opened.

A middle-aged man in his fifties walked in, wearing a dark suit, with a refined demeanor.

Ye Qing's father, the President of the Dongyun City Armor Spirit Breeder Association—President Ye Wenyuan.

The hall fell silent instantly.

President Ye Wenyuan walked onto the podium, his gaze landing on Lin Fan.

"You are Lin Fan?"

Lin Fan nodded. "Yes."

President Ye Wenyuan smiled and took out an answer sheet from behind his back.

"This is the cultivation plan you wrote. Earth Listener Rat, right?"

Lin Fan nodded. "Correct."

President Ye Wenyuan looked at him with a hint of interest.

"Can you tell me what you were thinking?"

Lin Fan thought for a moment, then spoke.

"That Grey Rock Rat appears to be Mortal Spirit Low-grade with poor Aptitude. But it has internal parasites, is malnourished, and has been in a state of prolonged fear—these factors suppressed its potential."

"I observed its reactions and found it is very sensitive to underground movements. Although faint, this kind of perception ability is not something a normal Grey Rock Rat should have."

"So I judged that it might have a recessive Bloodline, just suppressed."