Chapter 31

June 12 was the final day for the nationwide Wu Ke Gaokao score rankings to be released.

That meant, on this day, the score rankings would definitely be published!

The Ning'an City Education Bureau, capital of Jiangnan Province.

The director and a group of teachers waited in front of their computers, anticipating the release of the rankings.

Even in this sizable office, numerous cakes and champagne drinks had already been prepared.

They were waiting to celebrate joyfully the moment the results were officially announced.

"Lei Zhou from Ning'an No. 1 High School performed well this year, scoring over nine thousand two hundred points—he's likely to be the provincial top scorer."

"High probability, but it's not certain; I heard a few talented students from the neighboring province also did well."

"True enough—it all comes down to fate."

"......"

The teachers were chatting and discussing among themselves.

Lei Zhou, from Ning'an No. 1 High School, possessing an A-rank ability and First-Stage High-level cultivation, was a top contender for provincial top scorer.

"The rankings are out!"

At that moment, the teacher who had been watching the computer screen suddenly brightened, opened the ranking list—but then froze in slight shock.

"What's wrong?"

The director of the Ning'an City Education Bureau, sensing something amiss, frowned and leaned forward, only to discover the top rank bore an unfamiliar name:

"Jiangnan Province No. 1: Xu Jingming (Jiangcheng No. 2 High School), Total Score: 【blank】."

"What?! The provincial top scorer is from Jiangcheng?!"

The director's eyes widened, his face filled with shock.

This same scene unfolded not only at the Ning'an City Education Bureau, but also at education bureaus across other prefecture-level cities in Jiangnan Province.

Yet unlike the stunned education officials, Jiangnan Province's news reporters sprang into action!

Know that

Jiangnan Province is one of Daxia Nation's most populous provinces.

It contains twenty-four prefecture-level cities and nearly thirty-four county-level cities.

Ning'an City, the provincial capital, along with several nearby prefecture-level cities, are universally recognized as the most prosperous, with the highest concentration of ability users and the greatest likelihood of producing geniuses.

Yet Jiangcheng, located in the remote northernmost region of Jiangnan Province, is universally regarded as resource-poor and lacking in talent.

In past years, Jiangnan Province's provincial top scorers always came from Ning'an City or its neighboring prefecture-level cities.

But this year, everything was different!

The provincial top scorer came from Jiangcheng—a place unknown to most people in Jiangnan Province!

What did this mean?

It meant traffic and a breakout sensation!

Thus, these news reporters frantically gathered every piece of information related to Xu Jingming.

They didn't realize until they checked—then they were stunned!

Phrases like "E-rank ability," "unpromoted Awakened," stirred their nerves.

They marveled at it, their eyes gleaming—this was a naturally born hotspot!

Thus, turning into tentacled monsters, they produced article after article, each over a thousand words, within mere minutes:

"Absolute dark horse! Provincial top scorer from Jiangcheng!"

"Shocking!! The provincial top scorer is still just an Awakened!"

"Who says an E-rank ability user can't be provincial top scorer?!"

"......"

Each of these article titles was crafted to hook readers.

As soon as they were posted online, they attracted numerous clicks and views.

Especially among Jiangnan Province's netizens, who kept leaving comments beneath these articles.

"Aren't provincial top scorers usually First-Stage High-level ability users? Can an Awakened even win provincial top scorer?"

"An E-rank Awakened as provincial top scorer? If that's true, I'll eat shit right here!"

"Up there, wait—I'm going to find his Wu Ke Gaokao video right now."

"......"

Among these news reports, the most common response was skepticism.

After all, past Jiangnan Province top scorers had always been First-Stage High-level ability users!

Their ability ranks were at least A or B.

Now, an E-rank Awakened had emerged as provincial top scorer—naturally, no one believed it.

Some extreme individuals even shouted in the comments.

Claiming the Wu Ke Gaokao was rigged, that Xu Jingming was actually the incompetent son of some behind-the-scenes big shot, forcibly elevated to provincial top scorer.

Cheating in the Wu Ke Gaokao was an extremely serious offense.

With such comments appearing, public sentiment began to ferment.

Many directly left messages on Jiangcheng's official account, demanding the truth be revealed!

As public sentiment threatened to spiral out of control, Jiangcheng's official account calmly released Xu Jingming's Wu Ke Gaokao video.

For those malicious trolls who had prepared to launch a brutal attack, this left them speechless.

Jiangnan Province's provincial top scorer, Xu Jingming, really was an Awakened!

"Holy shit—he stabbed through the skull of a First-Stage One-Horned Rhino with a single spear! Damn, that strength is even stronger than a First-Stage ability user's!"

"It looks like an enhancement-type ability with strength amplification, but he's only an Awakener—how could the amplification be this strong?!"

"Holy sh*t! It's not enhancement-type, it's lightning-type!"

"You call this an E-rank ability? Shameless media, making up lies without any bottom line just for traffic!"

"......"

Xu Jingming's Wu Ke Gaokao video was twelve hours long, perfectly capturing every moment of his time in the examination hall.

Thus, the moment the video came out, the voices questioning Xu Jingming quickly vanished.

In their place came people's amazement at Xu Jingming's exquisite marksmanship and his powerful lightning ability......

Topics about Xu Jingming exploded online, and in Jiangcheng itself they ignited just the same!

The Wu Ke Gaokao is a topic the whole nation participates in.

Only, in every past Jiangcheng Gaokao, the best result was merely within the top 100 of Jiangnan Province.

Too embarrassing to even mention!

So in the past, Jiangcheng people didn't pay it much attention.

But now it's different!

Jiangcheng produced a provincial top scorer!

Quite a few people eagerly posted topics online.

Some who already knew Xu Jingming even began to identify themselves as his friends.

As for Jiangcheng's local media, they were even busier, swarming to Jiangcheng Second High School to interview the principal.

As early as when Xu Jingming had scored over 10,000 points, the principal had already anticipated this scene.

So, dressed in a suit, he faced the many microphones without the slightest fluster, speaking at length with ease.

Besides that, Xu Jingming's homeroom teacher as well as many subject teachers also received interviews.

This time, the usually strict homeroom teacher's smile never left his face.

In his words too, he spared no praise for Xu Jingming.

Apart from Jiangcheng Second High School, senior officials from the Municipal Education Bureau and the Municipal Government also accepted interviews.

"Xu Jingming is the pride of us Jiangcheng people. To achieve such results is inseparable from his own hard work.

Of course, it's also inseparable from the vigorous cultivation by the school and the Education Bureau....."

As per convention, Education Bureau Director Zhang Wenshan spoke several paragraphs of official-sounding rhetoric with great fervor.

He then stated that Xu Jingming would be rewarded with a grand gift including 1 million in cash and an ability training method!!

Once the Municipal Education Bureau finished its commendation, the Municipal Government followed suit.

They announced they would give Comrade Xu Jingming 1 million in cash, and gift him a luxurious courtyard house in the city.

Rewarding the provincial top scorer is an old tradition in every province.

Although compared with provincial capital cities like Ning'an City, Jiangcheng is much poorer, a few million is still affordable.

Besides, the buzz Xu Jingming brought to Jiangcheng far exceeds the government's expenditure......