168: Today's Choice

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured on all the students who had just been so fired up.

Fail three times, and it's a direct zero score.

This punishment was too severe.

This meant that choosing a high-star mission was a huge gamble.

Win the bet, and you ascend to heaven in one step.

Lose the bet, and you are doomed forever.

The atmosphere below instantly became heavy.

The teacher seemed very satisfied with this effect, he paused, then threw out the last, and most crucial, rule.

"Additionally, for this assessment, free team formation is allowed. The team limit is five people."

"But!"

It was another "but."

"When the final score is calculated, it will be adjusted proportionally based on the number of people in the team."

"For a five-person team, each member receives one hundred percent of their individual final score."

"For a four-person team, each member receives one hundred and twenty-five percent of their individual final score."

"For a three-person team, one hundred and fifty percent."

"For a two-person team, one hundred and seventy-five percent."

"If..." The teacher's voice trailed off, keeping everyone in suspense.

"Completing the mission alone will earn double the final score!"

Boom!

These words were like a thunderclap, completely exploding among the crowd!

The entire examination hall instantly turned into a noisy market.

"Double score! My goodness! If someone completes a nine-star mission alone, the theoretical maximum score is 1998!"

"Are they crazy! How is this possible! Going into a nine-star mission alone is just asking to die, isn't it?"

"Team up! We must team up! Five people is the safest! Even if someone gets injured, as long as there's a healing profession in the team, we won't fear failure and star reduction!"

"But the more people there are, the less points you get! Completing a five-star mission and getting 550 points is 550 for a five-person team, but 687.5 for a four-person team! That's a difference of over a hundred points, which is like a whole star!"

"These rules are too insidious! They're forcing us to make our own choices!"

"Do we choose stability, or do we go for a big gamble?"

Everyone was discussing, everyone was calculating.

Countless gazes crisscrossed through the crowd, searching for reliable teammates and evaluating potential competitors.

Everyone wanted to get a higher score, but everyone was also afraid of failure.

Teamwork could greatly increase the fault tolerance rate and ensure a stable lower limit.

Going solo, on the other hand, offered the chance to reach that insane upper limit, but the risk also increased exponentially.

"Finally, one more point."

The teacher with the receding hairline on stage adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his voice not loud, but clearly audible throughout the empty examination hall.

"Considering the layout of the examination hall and the allocation of mission resources, all mission selections and team confirmations must be completed today, right here!"

As soon as these words were uttered,

The entire examination hall completely erupted.

"What? We have to decide today?"

"How will we have enough time! Nine star levels of missions, plus the team size adjustments, there are too many variables!"

"No time or not, we have to! Hurry, hurry, find people! Are there any tank professions? We need a strong tank, our team is four short of one, ready to go for six stars!"

"Healer! Are there any healing professions willing to join our team? Five stars guaranteed, super strong!"

"Stop shouting! The most important thing now is to figure out whether to play it safe or take a gamble! Once chosen, it can't be changed!"

The crowd, which had just been whispering, instantly turned into an incredibly noisy market.

Everyone was anxiously calculating benefits, assessing risks, recruiting teammates they favored, and at the same time, warily guarding against potential competitors.

Team formation and mission selection had to be completed today.

This decision was almost equivalent to locking in their future destiny at this very moment.

However, amidst all this clamor and anxiety, Lin Yu remained unusually calm.

He even had the leisure to turn and ask Lin Yao, who was beside him,

"How about it, want to team up with big brother?"

Lin Yao was frowning her delicate nose, seriously analyzing the rules on the big screen, and rejected him without even thinking.

"No."

"Why?"

"You have the College Entrance Examination with thirty-two times the difficulty. The rules state that special difficulties are not included in the team bonus for the final score. If I team up with you, I still get one hundred percent of the score, with no benefit at all." Lin Yao analyzed it clearly and logically, with a look that said, "I'm not going to lose out."

Lin Yu clicked his tongue.

"I doted on you for nothing."

Lin Yao made a face at him and continued to bury herself in studying the rules, seemingly calculating which star mission would be most cost-effective for her to challenge alone.

Lin Yu shook his head, stood up, and walked amidst the clamor.

Just as Lin Yu was about to reach the light screen, a slightly tense shout came from behind him.

"Brother!"

Lin Yu stopped and turned his head.

Lin Yao quickly ran over, her previous calculating demeanor gone, replaced by a serious and nervous expression.

She looked up at Lin Yu and said very earnestly,

"If you need me, I can do it."

She could give up the temptation of double points, give up the honors that were within her easy reach.

As long as he needed her.

Lin Yu looked at his sister's solemn expression, as if facing a formidable enemy, and suddenly smiled.

He reached out his hand, but not to pat her head.

He flipped his palm, and the Vampire Bat that had been perched on his shoulder, disguised as an ordinary accessory, flapped its wings and landed on his hand.

The little creature seemed a bit displeased, looking at Lin Yu with its red eyes.

Lin Yu ignored it and directly placed it on Lin Yao's shoulder.

"Take it with you during the assessment, and you'll be helping me."

Lin Yao was stunned.

She looked down at the little bat on her shoulder, which was curiously observing her and looked somewhat cute.

Then she looked up at Lin Yu.

She suddenly let out a sigh of relief.

For Lin Yu to say this meant he had absolute confidence.

After her brother's five-year return, Lin Yao decided to trust him unconditionally.

There must be a reason for big brother to do this!

She said no more, only nodded heavily, carefully protecting her new companion on her shoulder, and retreated to the side.

Lin Yu turned around.

This time, no one disturbed him again.

He stood alone, facing the huge light screen that displayed countless mission details.

Around him was a buzzing crowd, like a pot of boiling water.

Everyone was loudly discussing, recruiting, and arguing.

For scores, for their future, for that seemingly bright path.

This clamor was somewhat superfluous.

Lin Yu's fingertip hovered before the light screen, his gaze sweeping over the scrolling mission descriptions.

One-star, patrol mission, clear low-level Demonization creatures around the campus.

Three-star, escort mission, safely deliver a batch of supplies to a designated outpost outside the city.

Five-star, annihilation mission, clear a contaminated abandoned factory... "Student, wait a moment."

A voice sounded behind him.

It was the teacher with the receding hairline. He had descended from the high platform at some point, walked through the chaotic crowd, and came directly to Lin Yu's side.