Chapter 46

Lin Ke

First Grade Wizard Apprentice

After deep meditation, Lin Ke entered the Hall of Thought and reviewed the cause, development, handling, turning point, and outcome of today's affair from start to finish once more.

Library

Magic Stone

Portable Smart Brain

Originally, Lin Ke intended to use the 'credits' on a secret document that could not be found even in the high‑level literature archive, to aid academic research.

Two Districts Grand Comparison

Thought Palace

Silver Star Flower

Five Viscera Shrine

Auspicious Fertile Seek Think Biological and Medical College

Storm Sea

Kui Te Archipelago

Paro Wizard

Possibly "Thought Palace" we already have.

The shield's defensive power is at the average level of first-ring defensive magic.

Among wizard apprentices, even a third-grade apprentice, only a small handful of those about to be promoted to full wizard can master a carefully chosen first-ring magic to be used as their innate magic.

Thus, with a first-ring tier magic-item vest and glasses, Lin Ke's personal safety undoubtedly received strong protection.

Lin Ke satisfiedly turned off his Portable Smart Brain, washed up, and went to sleep.

……

The next day.

Because today was the midterm exam day, Lin Ke didn't leave too early.

He tidied up the greenhouse simulation equipment in his study.

As for those Silver Star Flower sprouts, he had already sold them to the shop that sells greenhouse simulation equipment.

The proceeds were not much—half a standard first-grade Magic Stone.

It just offset the cost of buying the seeds.

The reserve funds thus became 8 Magic Stones.

Lin Ke certainly knew he had sold at a loss, but what could he do about it?

Continue cultivating?

One, no space; two, no special nutrient solution.

Want something, don't have it.

To avoid a total loss, he could only accept the middleman's price gouging.

The reason he tends the greenhouse simulation equipment is: first, routine maintenance—after all it's secondhand, so use and cherish it; second, having tasted the sweet rewards, he plans to look for another extraordinary economic crop like Silver Star Flower to see if he can make something happen.

Earning money by part-time work, although stable, ultimately comes too slowly.

Entrepreneurship is again impossible; time is not abundant, and risk is too high.

All he can do is tinker with research, license or transfer patents, to make a living.

After carefully maintaining what could become his long-term means of livelihood, Lin Ke went out.

After paying respects to the Five Organs shrine in the Cafeteria, he went with the crowd to the exam hall.

This year, the Ruiwo Si Si Biological and Medical College admitted over 400 Storm Sea Newbloods.

One of the upper fifth-grade aptitude individuals is a girl who usually acts low-key; her demeanor is extremely similar to Lin Ke's—she doesn't socialize, doesn't entertain, focuses solely on studying, and never removes her face veil in public.

She is the one ranked just ahead of Lin Ke, the second place who reported to the college for promotion to First Grade Wizard Apprentice.

Six in middle fifth grade, eight in lower fifth grade.

Among these fourteen people, only two or three are not flighty and study diligently; the others temporarily lost themselves in various hype, becoming addicted to socializing and entertainment.

Even without enjoying the benefits given to the top five who reported to the college, it didn't alert them.

Until the news of the three exams and the Two Districts Grand Comparison kept coming out.

Only then did these people begin to have a sense of being Storm Sea Newbloods.

Lin Ke had once secretly laughed at them in his heart.

Is high aptitude something to be proud of?

Do you have Magic Stones? Do you have resources? Do you have elders and family sparing no effort to support you?

Having nothing, and still not making an effort—how can one become a great talent?

Over 160 people have fourth-grade aptitude, and the quantity structure is also pyramid-shaped, with few at the top and many at the bottom.

Around 220 people have third-grade aptitude, the most numerous, and their performance is also relatively mediocre.

Worth mentioning is that the number structure of third-grade aptitude is an inverted pyramid.

Upper third grade accounts for seventy percent, middle third grade for over twenty percent, lower third grade for less than ten percent.

Lin Ke understood this, and then vaguely realized why the Que Te Archipelago didn't detect any middle or lower third-grade aptitude individuals.

Actually, they weren't absent; it's that the Para Wizards didn't give them a chance.

Upon serious reflection, there is indeed a reason behind it.

Resources are limited; when one increases, the other decreases.

When the number of low-aptitude people increases, they consume more resources, but the returns do not necessarily grow proportionally.

The world is unfair.

So…

The location of the practical exam is naturally in the Experimental Building.

A huge crowd surged in, then each split off according to their exam points.

Lin Ke and Mo Li were assigned to different exam points.

The two went their separate ways in the lobby on the first floor of the Experimental Building.

In the morning there were two exams: the first was Botany, the second Zoology.

The exam contents are largely the same: identifying plant/animal types, names, characteristics, functions, etc.; explaining specimens, making specimens, dissecting, processing, handling…

Anything recorded in the textbook or taught in class could be drawn.

Both comprehensive and in-depth.

It tested not only the breadth of the Newbloods' knowledge, but also its depth.

After a morning packed with content, the exam ended with no break; the Experimental Building was filled with gloom and sorrowful cries.

Lin Ke walked out of the Experimental Building with a calm expression.

This exam's difficulty was indeed high, but not enough to stump Lin Ke.

The top-tier Brain Seal Technique, the Hall of Thought, and the diligent study after enrollment are not just for show.

I don't expect a perfect score, so mistakes and omissions are inevitable.

Coming close to a perfect score is entirely possible.

Mo Li's expression was also relaxed; she was tested on the material she had diligently studied, so her grades would certainly not be poor.

After lunch and a brief rest, came the afternoon-long practical exam in Human Anatomy.

The format of this exam is simple: dissect while explaining.

Each person randomly draws a body part, then receives the corresponding simulated model teaching aid, and must dissect it and explain it systematically as required.

The so-called simulated model teaching aids are actually products of human refinement.

Appearance, texture, blood circulation, nervous system—none are anything less than lifelike; in fact, they are real.

The exam began amid a faint fishy-sweet smell and ended in vivid crimson and shattered pallor.

Its many difficulties and high intensity left Lin Ke somewhat unable to bear it.

The Newbloods were no longer just uttering sorrowful cries; they were wailing everywhere.

It's hard, really too hard!

Fortunately, it's over.

(End of chapter)