Chapter 34: A Single Cry Startles the World

Early the next morning, before the admissions assessment had even begun, the Puhai Martial Arts Square was already swarming with people.

On the first day's gene fusion rate test, a host of astonishingly gifted geniuses emerged.

The top name on the massive electronic ranking screen was Ai Xi, with an assessment score of S (96.0073), Qiaoqiao University.

Ai Xi, the number one ranked, was a young girl from Europe with a gene fusion rate of an astonishing 96%—undoubtedly an S-class.

Ai Xi was not the only one to reach S-class; Mu Erku from Africa also achieved an S-class gene fusion rate.

Even though he had just barely crossed the S-class threshold, a 95% fusion rate was still astonishing.

Students who had arrived on the first day full of confidence now felt uneasy after seeing others' gene fusion rates.

Almost all students here for the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' assessment had taken gene fusion rate tests themselves.

Of course, even tests conducted at the most authoritative institutions, like the Huaxia Martial Arts Gene Detection Center at Puhai Square,

were not perfectly accurate—the margin of error could reach as much as twenty percentage points.

"Wanran, are you three really confident?" Geng Qianxing, entering Puhai Martial Arts Square for the second time, felt his own confidence waver.

To be honest, when he first arrived, he had been brimming with confidence.

The things Ding Huan taught—even he himself had gained immensely, let alone the three students.

Added to that, Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi had always been bursting with confidence, which had greatly boosted Geng Qianxing's own.

After the partial results of yesterday's first round were released, Geng Qianxing had felt uneasy.

But as the team leader, he couldn't show discouragement, so he held back his questions.

Today, seeing the massive ranking screen again—with two glaring S-class names and a sea of A-class ones—he couldn't help but ask.

After asking, Geng Qianxing immediately regretted it.

At this moment, a teacher was supposed to rally the team, not deflate them—wasn't this exactly what he was doing?

Li Wanran, usually so confident, said uncertainly, "Teacher Geng, even if our first-round gene fusion rate doesn't get a high grade, passing should still be no problem, right?

Our strength lies in the third and fourth rounds."

"Yes, we have absolute confidence in the third and fourth rounds," Fang Chong's confidence seemed undiminished.

The Basic Long Fist—he felt stronger the more he practiced.

Too bad he'd only ever sparred with Lü Zi and Li Wanran; he'd never fought outsiders, so he didn't know just how strong he really was.

Li Wanran and Lü Zi both trained in Basic Long Fist, and whenever they sparred, it was always evenly matched.

That's precisely why he was looking forward to the third and fourth rounds.

"I should've had you three tested first."

Geng Qianxing regretted it—he should've taken the three to the Puhai Martial Arts Gene Detection Building beforehand.

At least then he'd have had some idea.

"Teacher Geng…" Huang Chengwei, walking toward the Luhe Shangwu University waiting area, met Geng Qianxing face-to-face and awkwardly called out.

To be honest, he resented his parents' arrangement.

Since he was going to fail anyway, now he hadn't just been left behind at Yujiang University for training—he was even forced to wait in the Luhe Shangwu University zone. It was utterly humiliating.

That Professor Fu—he honestly thought the man was overhyped.

Three months of training, he hadn't charged less, but what he taught was mediocre at best.

Basic gene knowledge, what to pay attention to during testing to improve fusion rate, the dawn breathing method…

How much had he actually learned in three months? Huang Chengwei knew better—he'd improved a little, but that little improvement was negligible.

It would've been better to stay at Yujiang University; at least Yujiang had two decent teachers.

Especially Teacher Ding Huan—he at least spoke well and knew how to boast.

And Teacher Geng's foundational gene knowledge, Huang Chengwei felt, was superior to Professor Fu's. People with big reputations aren't necessarily skilled.

Geng Qianxing nodded, said nothing more, and led his three students back to the lonely Yujiang University waiting area.

He had no resentment toward Huang Chengwei's choice—people naturally seek higher ground—but he still felt it lacked humanity.

The assessment announcement sounded again, and wave after wave of students entered the testing area to continue the first-round gene fusion rate test.

As if timed perfectly, just as Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi were at their most tense, the announcement called their test numbers.

"Don't be nervous, do your best," Geng Qianxing said, though he himself was extremely nervous.

It was impossible not to be nervous—but Fang Chong and the others had to walk into the testing area regardless.

The gene fusion rate test here differed from others: elsewhere, candidates stood on machines and placed both hands in testing slots.

Here, a needle was inserted into the back of the hand; once blood seeped out, the test was complete.

Geng Qianxing hadn't even sat down when the three returned.

"So fast? How was it?" Geng Qianxing asked immediately.

Li Wanran shook her head, "We don't know. We went in, the needle pricked our hands, blood came out, and the test ended—less than three minutes total."

"The results will show up on the big screen soon," Lü Zi added.

Fang Chong snorted, "The names on the big screen are all those who passed—at least E-class."

"If you don't even reach E-class, knowing your score is meaningless. Wait—that's not right—if we don't reach E-class, we won't even get to the third and fourth rounds…"

Fang Chong suddenly fell silent, then stared wide-eyed at the massive electronic score screen standing in the square.

On the global ranking screen, the top name was Lü Zi, with an S-class assessment score, fusion rate 98.

That was the global ranking screen.

"Lü Zi, you're number one, fusion rate over 98%—how are you this strong…?" Fang Chong finally processed it.

At that moment, not just Fang Chong, but Geng Qianxing and Li Wanran were equally stunned—they all saw Lü Zi's S-class score.

After the S-class assessment score was a parenthetical: 98.0339—that was the fusion rate data.

A 98% fusion rate was nearly the best ever recorded in the first round of the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' admissions assessment.

Lü Zi also clenched his fists; he had always suspected his score wouldn't be bad, and now it proved true.

And there was one more thing: only Teacher Ding knew he had become a Level One Gene Cultivator.

As a Level One Gene Cultivator taking this level of examination, he would surely achieve excellent results in the third and fourth rounds.

"Li Wanran, you're S-class too… no, Fang Chong, you're S-class as well…" Geng Qianxing was so excited he could barely speak coherently.

Li Wanran and Fang Chong, who had just been envious of Lü Zi, now froze in shock—they saw their own scores: one ranked second, the other fourth.

On the global first-round gene fusion rate results screen, Li Wanran's score stood prominently in the second column.

Li Wanran, examination score: S (96.1107), Yujiang University.

Fang Chong's name appeared in the fourth column: Fang Chong, examination score: S (95.2261), Yujiang University.

The former number one, Ai Xi, dropped straight to third.

Geng Qianxing and the others were overwhelmed with excitement, while outside, Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi's families and friends all suspected the electronic screen had malfunctioned.

When they confirmed the scores were genuine and valid, Li Wanran's mother burst into tears from excitement.

Fang Chong's father deliberately rubbed his eyes, thinking that after today's exam, his son's name would be done with.

His son Fang Chong had at least taken the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' admission exam; now, helping him find work would be much easier.

This admission exam was elimination-based: fail the first round, and you had no chance to enter the second.

What was going on? Fang Chong hadn't just passed the first round—he got an S-class score?

Then Fang Yinbao remembered: Fang Chong had repeatedly said he was confident, claiming their teacher was extremely powerful.

He'd just brushed it off before, but now it was actually true?

Compared to Fang Yinbao's stunned expression, Principal Tan Bei of Yujiang University was truly overwhelmed, repeatedly rubbing his eyes, fearing he was seeing things.

Though he longed deep down for Yujiang University to have a student admitted to one of the Blue Star Top Ten Academies, he knew the odds were virtually zero.

He merely deceived himself, unwilling to accept that Yujiang University would become a thing of the past.

But what had he just seen? In the first round, Yujiang University's students Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi all achieved S-class scores?

And Lü Zi was temporarily ranked first? Was he not imagining it? He'd rubbed his eyes for so long.

Tan Bei, having endured the harshness of society, quickly snapped to his senses and burst into loud, joyful laughter.

He turned to find a few acquaintances to share his excitement, only to realize he had no familiar faces beside him.

Tan Bei's excitement faded; people only learn who truly cares for them in hardship.

When Yujiang University was thriving, if he stood here, his sides would have been crowded with teachers and staff from every department.

Now, he stood utterly alone.

No—there was still one: Geng Qianxing.

Hmm, Teacher Geng was a talent, and a loyal, devoted comrade.

When he returned to Yujiang University, he would make Geng Qianxing one of the school's leaders.

Only a teacher like Geng Qianxing could ensure Yujiang University's lasting prosperity.

(That's all for today's update, friends—goodnight!)