Chapter 114: Ruining Good Deeds Invites a Thunderbolt

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Wu Jihan, principal of Jiang City No. 1 High School, felt as though the pressure might crush him.

In every city, the No. 1 high school—regardless of whether its grades truly ranked first—always carried the conviction that it was the baddest school in town.

Whether that was good or bad was hard to say, but right now, the status of No. 1 High was under serious threat.

That little bitch from No. 3 High had somehow, without anyone noticing, latched onto an expert in Imaginary Space and acquired a batch of holographic simulation helmets. Word had it that in barely ten days, more than twenty students had already leveled up.

They were secretly plotting a coup!

No. 3 High had fewer than three hundred students in total. Twenty-some students already amounted to fifteen percent of the school.

And that was after only ten-odd days. With the college entrance exam still more than ten days away, there was plenty of time for another fifteen percent—or even twenty percent—to level up.

Not to mention that those who had not leveled up would surely improve by leaps and bounds as well.

It was fortunate that something had gone wrong and the whole matter had blown up, making the entire city aware of it. Otherwise, if Guan Junyuan had quietly saved his trump card for the college entrance exam…

The admission quotas were determined by the universities, but the scores were calculated and ranked separately within each city.

There were roughly fourteen or fifteen hundred examinees in Jiang City this year. If the Big Four universities admitted a hundred students between them, that would already be considered impressive. The second-tier universities would take another two hundred, and the Guan Academy another two hundred. At most, one-third of the students would have a university to attend.

After all, enrollment quotas did not increase every year. Before the Cataclysm, some directly governed municipalities had even boasted admission rates exceeding one hundred percent.

And every additional student admitted from No. 3 High meant one fewer place for No. 1, No. 2, or No. 4 High.

If No. 3 High rose to heaven, No. 1 High would be dragged straight into hell.

Good heavens! This could affect his political future!

Elder Li Jing'ao, the General Affairs Elder, had placed a large order for six hundred helmets in the name of the Guan administration. No doubt the high schools would receive priority, especially with only a dozen days left before the college entrance exam.

But in Wu Jihan's eyes, Li Jing'ao's approach was far too passive and defeatist. The key to the matter was not the helmets, but the person who manufactured them!

When Wu Jihan saw Ye Chao, it was as if he had spotted a thick, glittering golden thigh. He immediately thrust a microphone toward him.

Only after extending his hand did he realize something was wrong. He tossed aside the microphone and enthusiastically seized Ye Chao's hand instead.

“Hello, hello, Ye Zichao. I’m Wu Jihan, principal of No. 1 High.”

The principal of No. 1 High? Ye Chao had heard of him, but they had never met. What was he doing here?

Perplexed, Ye Chao turned to glance at Guan Junyuan, who was standing guard at the door.

Guan Junyuan breathed a sigh of relief and dashed inside.

“Principal Wu, that’s not very sporting of you. You’re stealing someone’s glasses, someone’s microphone, and even someone’s script. How is that reporter supposed to work?”

Relying on his broad back, his thick arms, and fists sturdy enough to support a person, Guan Junyuan shoved Wu Jihan toward the exit.

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As for Wu Jihan’s position, it was indeed a little higher than his own.

But Guan Junyuan was a five-star expert. In that respect, he was also a little higher than Wu Jihan.

Besides, after this year’s college entrance exam, it was still anyone’s guess which of them would be the principal of No. 1 High.

This warehouse belonged to Jiang City—and to Gu Ji.

A seven-star expert had made it perfectly clear that the warehouse was exclusively for storing goods involved in transactions. It also served as a place for her disciples to practice. All unauthorized personnel were forbidden from entering.

Guan Junyuan himself had only been allowed in after receiving permission with a glance. Who did this No. 1 High principal think he was?

As Wu Jihan was about to be pushed out—there was a considerable gap between them in terms of strength—he grew desperate.

“Ye Zichao, come to No. 1 High! If you come here, I’ll guarantee you admission to one of the Big Four!”

What the hell!

Guan Junyuan nearly lost his balance.

That old bastard really knew how to poach people!

He had assumed Wu Jihan had merely come to ask for a few more helmets. The floodgates had already been opened, so a few more or fewer would not make much difference.

He never imagined that Wu Jihan wanted to dig up the entire tree and carry it away.

“What are you talking about? Do you think No. 1 High is the only school with guaranteed-admission slots? We at No. 3 High—” Guan Junyuan paused. No. 3 High really did not have any. He hurriedly changed course. “Do you think Ye Zichao even needs a guaranteed-admission slot? With his ability, he can enter whichever school he wants!”

What a naive little fellow.

Wu Jihan shot Guan Junyuan a glance and smiled strangely.

“Ye Zichao, of course I know your scores. But I’m afraid neither you nor Teacher Guan nor the principal of No. 3 High knows that the college entrance examination is being reformed this year.”

Reformed? Again?

What had changed? Had exam reforms also become fashionable after the Cataclysm? Even Alpha Ji pricked up her ears.

“I’ve heard that after passing our own cutoff score, candidates will still have to pass an interview conducted by the Big Four. The interviewers from the Big Four arrived yesterday together with the college entrance examination inspection team.”

“This is top-secret information. Apart from the Three Grand Elders and the reception team, almost no one knows…”

This really was important news.

Especially for Ye Chao.

His secondary subjects were excellent, while his core subjects were heartbreaking. He had been counting on his secondary subjects to raise his score, and there was no doubt he would pass the cutoff.

But if the martial Big Four were allowed to choose, they would certainly pick other candidates first and leave him for last.

Ye Chao fell briefly silent.

Guan Junyuan’s bald head gleamed as he looked at Ye Chao with concern. He wanted to stop this, but there was no way to do so. After all, everyone had the right to decide their own life.

Outside the warehouse door, the radio reporter who had been listening with his ears pricked up scribbled furiously in his notebook, his eyes shining.

“Well, Ye Zichao? How about coming to No. 1 High?”

Wu Jihan seized the opportunity to make his pitch once more.

“Thank you for telling me, Principal Wu. Truly, thank you. But I won’t be going to No. 1 High.”

Ye Chao declined politely.

Whew…

Guan Junyuan let out a long breath of relief.

His political future was safe!

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Wu Jihan’s smile froze on his face.

His political future was finished.

“Wh-why?” The answer had been completely beyond his expectations.

He had never thought he could definitely poach Ye Chao. He had considered it a fifty-fifty chance.

But even if the answer was no, did Ye Chao really not need to think about it at all? He had rejected him so decisively, as if he were buying fruit from a market stall.

Why?

There were plenty of reasons.

For instance, Guan Junyuan had imagined that since the father was at No. 3 High, his son would naturally attend No. 3 High as well—a matter of affection, tradition, and carrying on his father’s unfinished mission.

Or perhaps it was simply Alpha Ji’s instinctive reaction: He was so ugly and had no bearing whatsoever, yet he still thought he could come here and recruit people? She truly wanted to know how No. 1 High managed to retain its students. If he had at least grown up to look like Guan Junyuan, he could have called himself ugly-cute.

But the real reason was this:

The Big Four did not want Ye Chao, and Ye Chao had never intended to go there in the first place.

The school he had set his heart on was Yunzhou University of Technology.

That was right—the alma mater of Hai Lili, and also the alma mater of his father, Ye Shulou. It had been his choice from the very beginning.

The reason was simple. The school possessed what was said to be the largest and most comprehensive prehistoric archives library in Yunzhou.

As for studying, was it not simply a matter of teaching himself and occasionally pointing out a flaw or two in his professors’ lectures?

When he had lacked ability, the Big Four had never been his goal. Now that he possessed ability, nothing had changed. Because ultimately, his power was called knowledge.

Knowledge was power.

And now, feeling the lightness of his body—feeling the “power of knowledge” that he had scarcely experienced since birth—

It had taken so long. Far, far too long.

At last, he could stand on a stage openly and proudly, competing with others in a fair contest.

And now they wanted to guarantee him admission?

Ruining someone’s dream was an offense deserving of a lightning strike.

Of course, Ye Chao would never say that last part aloud. So Wu Jihan could only stand there in bewilderment as Guan Junyuan pushed him out.

The moment he stepped outside, he suddenly spotted the radio reporter writing away as though his pen were raining ink.

Wu Jihan immediately began sweating as profusely as the reporter was writing. He hurriedly returned the glasses, microphone, and script, then launched into another round of public relations.

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