Chapter 67: Competition Begins

Just as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen stood facing each other in silence, thinking about borrowing some money from Lei Jun later, a familiar voice rang out.

"Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu, you're already here."

The two quickly turned around and saw Zhao Tianxing coming out of the subway station. It was like meeting their savior; they rushed over like two zombies and hugged Zhao Tianxing.

Zhao Tianxing had come today specifically to watch their competition.

Zhang Yu: "Old Zhao, lend us some money. We need to buy dinner."

As it turned out, Zhao Tianxing only transferred 10 yuan after a long while, looking helpless. "My mom's afraid I'll spend too much, so she only lets me bring this much when I go out."

Useless momma's boy—I'm ashamed to be associated with you.

But ten was better than nothing, so Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen could only drag their hungry bodies into the convenience store nearby and buy a few steamed buns.

However, given their current cultivation and physical condition, a few measly steamed buns couldn't fill the hunger in their hearts.

Bai Zhenzhen's eyes gleamed green as she stared at the convenience store, then suddenly said, "Yu Zi, let's rob the convenience store."

Zhang Yu nodded. "Alright, you do the robbing, and I'll handle getting rid of the loot."

Bai Zhenzhen asked again, "Do you think White Dragon High School will offer free food?"

Zhang Yu: "Free? It'd be a miracle if they don't charge us double."

Just then, both their eyes suddenly lit up.

They saw a familiar figure standing in front of the main gate of White Dragon High School, looking devoutly at the signboard while taking photos with his phone.

"Old Qian!"

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen rushed over immediately, grabbed Qian Shen's hand, and said, "Treat us to dinner—we're so hungry we can't compete."

Qian Shen looked at them doubtfully, pulled out his phone, and said, "Is 300 enough?"

Holy crap! Zhang Yu was shocked.

Then he started reflecting on what he had been doing for the past two months.

Being friends with a card slave like Bai Zhenzhen? Being friends with a momma's boy like Zhao Tianxing?

Old Qian! You're my, Zhang Yu's, true good friend!

Thanks to Qian Shen treating them, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen devoured 12 packs of the 10-yuan set meal in the convenience store, costing Qian Shen 120 yuan.

Patting her slightly bulging little belly, Bai Zhenzhen said contentedly, "Let's stop here; we still have a competition ahead, so half full is enough."

Zhang Yu nodded in agreement, then turned to Qian Shen and said, "Don't worry, Old Qian. After the competition, when we get the prize money, we'll pay you back."

Qian Shen didn't care about that, though; he suddenly scratched his head and asked, "Um... is Zhang Pianpian, who got 699 points, coming to watch your competition today?"

Zhang Yu gave Qian Shen a pitying look—alas, poor Tom, completely infatuated by the high-scoring girl.

Zhang Yu really wanted to tell him, "You scored 620, she scored 699—the gap between you two is too big, you'll never be friends."

But feeling the bento he'd just eaten, Zhang Yu said, "Probably not. She's really busy—no time to watch a freshman competition."

Qian Shen nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. She's a senior now, busy preparing for college entrance exams and university interviews, right?"

Zhao Tianxing stood to the side, unable to stop glancing at the time on his phone, and reminded them, "You arranged to meet Teacher Lei at midnight, right? It's almost time—should we head over now?"

So the group of four went to the main gate of White Dragon High School again. Seeing that Teacher Lei Jun hadn't arrived yet, Zhang Yu suggested going inside to wait.

But as soon as the four got within a meter of White Dragon High School, it was as if some detection device had sensed them.

Then a warning came from the electronic screen beside them: "Non-White Dragon High School personnel, please do not enter."

The four turned and saw the screen writing:

"For campus visits, please scan the QR code to purchase a visitor ticket."

Single 12-hour tour ticket: allows touring below the 3rd floor. Price: 500

High school monthly exam or college entrance exam scorers above 660 points may tour for free.

Those scoring below 550 points or without high school education are prohibited from touring.

Damn it... "No slackers or dogs allowed," huh? Fine, not letting in those below 550 I can accept, but why must you score above 660 to get a free ticket?

Zhang Yu looked at the information displayed on the electronic screen, then glanced at his own group.

He felt that at this moment, all four of them present had been looked down upon by White Dragon High School from top to bottom.

And buying tickets... how could he have 500 yuan in his bank account right now?

Was the competition not even starting yet, and they would already be eliminated by this 500 yuan ticket at the gate of White Dragon High School?

Zhang Yu could only turn around awkwardly, shifting his gaze back to Qian Shen, and then he noticed that Bai Zhenzhen was also looking at Qian Shen just like him.

Qian Shen, however, was gazing longingly at the gate of White Dragon High School before him, sighing with emotion, "Just as I've heard, not just anyone can enter White Dragon's gate."

After saying that, he prepared to scan a code to buy a ticket.

Just as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were about to ask to borrow money for tickets, Teacher Lei Jun finally arrived late.

"You two don't need to buy tickets." Lei Jun waved his hand at the two of them and said, "We're all here for the competition. White Dragon High School has issued tickets."

After receiving the electronic tickets sent by Lei Jun, the group finally entered White Dragon High School smoothly, leaving only Zhao Tianxing standing awkwardly outside the gate.

Under the gaze of the four, Zhao Tianxing awkwardly scratched his head vigorously, repeatedly saying, "You guys go ahead. I'll call my mom for money, buy a ticket, and come find you inside."

Lei Jun knew that Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing had come to watch Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's competition, so he nodded and said, "The competition venue is on the basement level. You can come over on your own later."

As soon as Zhang Yu and his group stepped into the main building of White Dragon High School, Zhang Yu sensed a special smell in the air.

Qian Shen beside him took a deep breath and exclaimed admiringly, "Do you smell it? That sweet fragrance in the air?"

"White Dragon High School has specially added a cognitive enhancer to the air circulation system to improve brain focus and increase neural excitement, along with a hint of fruit and floral scents..."

Zhang Yu was speechless. Damn, the air at White Dragon High School really was fragrant.

The group continued forward and saw that the corridor floor was divided into white and red colors.

The white part was in the middle, with text reading "Exclusive Lane for Students with Scores of 660 and Above."

The red part was on both sides, with text reading "Exclusive Lane for Students with Scores Below 660."

Zhang Yu was momentarily stunned, then laughed in exasperation... So, students below 660 had to walk on the sides, huh? Qian Shen introduced beside him, "Every zone and venue in White Dragon High School has score standards for student entry and exit. Students must move within designated areas according to their scores."

Zhang Yu was speechless again... Wait, why are you introducing this? Qian Zi, you're from Songyang, how are you so familiar with White Dragon? Thinking of transferring, are you?

Next, they walked along the corridor to the elevator. When they wanted to take the elevator to the basement floor, they saw a sign saying "Elevator Prohibited for Those Below 660 Points."

Zhang Yu realized that students below 660 at White Dragon High School were not treated as human beings; they could hardly take a step.

Fortunately, Zhang Yu and his group were visitors and didn't need to follow these rules aimed at the school's own students.

So the group took the elevator to the basement level, and suddenly a huge sports field, about ten meters high and covering tens of thousands of square meters, appeared before them.

The venue was filled with high school students walking around; clearly, many schools' competition participants had already arrived.

But as Zhang Yu looked around, almost all the participants were from the three major schools, with hardly any from other high schools.

"Compared to the academic competition, this martial arts competition has almost become an internal league for the three major schools."

Meanwhile, in the spectator stands around, besides some scattered students from various schools, there were three groups of students sitting neatly, with their chests puffed out and heads held high, like phalanxes.

Zhang Yu looked at the students sitting in rows and their uniforms, and exclaimed in surprise, "Are those students from the three major schools?"

He felt very unexpected: "Students from the three major schools don't cherish every second for studying, but come to watch the competition?"

!.

Especially when he saw the students of White Dragon High School, eyes wide, chests out, full of spirit and radiance, as if they had hyperthyroidism.

Just then, a male voice came from the side: "They're all first-year high school students from the three major schools. After all, observing the battles of their peers can help improve their own martial arts combat level, recognize the gap between themselves and the strong, and strengthen their resolve on the Dao."

Zhang Yu and the others turned around to look in the direction of the male voice.

They saw Lian Tianji from Ziyun High School walking slowly over, smiling at Zhang Yu and saying, "I guessed you would come to the martial arts competition, and sure enough, here you are."

Then he glanced at Zhang Yu and the others and said with surprise, "Did Songyang only send these few?"

Next, he nodded thoughtfully and said, "But I can understand, after all, it is Songyang."

Zhang Yu felt that his Songyang school uniform had been subtly looked down upon once again.

But Zhang Yu was never a filial son of Songyang. What did he, Zhang Yu, care if Songyang was looked down upon? His true identity was an outsourced employee of the Songyang City Patrol Team.

So Zhang Yu asked curiously, "How many people came from the three major high schools?"

Lian Tianji pointed to an area beside the arena and said, "Look, they're all over there—Ziyun, Bailong, Hongta. Each school sent a full ten people. We've already competed within our schools, and only the top ten could come to participate."

After parting ways with Lian Tianji, Lei Jun said, "Let's go. We'll head to the contestant rest area first. Qian Shen, find yourself a seat in the audience."

Zhang Yu's group arrived at the rest area assigned to each school.

Zhang Yu looked at the rest areas of the three major high schools, key high schools like Songyang, and other ordinary high schools.

How to put it.

Zhang Yu felt that the three types of rest areas were like the difference between a 'VIP lounge,' a 'sunshade canopy,' and a 'straw mat.'

The 'VIP lounges' of the three major high schools had sofas, reclining chairs, drinks, fruit, and snacks.

The 'sunshade canopy area' of the key high schools had a row of chairs and a case of water.

And the 'straw mat area' of the ordinary high schools had a row of benches.

Old Man Bailong was probably afraid that the damn ordinary high school students would come freeload at Bailong again, right?

"This is way too discriminatory."

On the other side, Qian Shen watched the three leave and then walked over to a section of the audience.

Just as he was looking for a seat, he suddenly noticed someone ahead with a very familiar back.

He quickly walked up and found that this person was wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask. As soon as he saw Qian Shen, he immediately turned his head away.

Qian Shen looked at the top of the person's head, then at their face, and said in surprise, "You... you're He Dayou from Class 611?"

He Dayou from Class 611 was qualified to sit with him and watch the match.

And He Dayou really didn't want to be recognized, especially not by anyone from school finding out he came to watch the martial arts competition, and especially not letting anyone think he came to watch Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, which was why he disguised himself and sneaked over.

Who knew he'd be recognized face-to-face by Qian Shen right now? He had no choice but to turn his head back and say, "Yeah, you're here too, Qian Shen."

Qian Shen asked curiously, "Are you here to watch Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's martial arts competition too?"

He Dayou smiled dismissively: "Their strength... in this competition, it can't even reach the average line. What's there to see with that level?"

"Actually, a middle school classmate of mine is participating, and he specifically invited me to come watch."

Qian Shen simply sat down next to He Dayou and asked curiously, "Which high school is your middle school classmate from? What's his score level?"

He Dayou turned his head away, looking like he didn't want to talk.

On the other side of the arena.

The contestants first gathered together, then listened to the organizer announce the rules.

"To prevent strong contestants from being eliminated too early on the stage, this competition will first conduct a scoring round."

"Based on the contestants' scores, everyone will be divided into eight groups. Then, within the groups, random draws will determine the matchups. The first place from each of the eight groups—eight contestants in total—will proceed to the elimination round..."

Just as everyone was curious about how the scoring round would be judged.

With a series of banging sounds, a golden figure over two meters tall slowly walked into the arena.

The referee up front said, "The content of the scoring round is that each of you will take turns sparring with the Yellow Turban Warrior."

"The average physical strength level of this competition's contestants is 1.98, so the Yellow Turban Warrior will maintain a physical strength output at the 1.98 level, sparring with each of you for one minute."

"Then, the judges will score you based on your performance during that minute."

"The specific scoring rules are as follows..."