Chapter 48

Lin Ke was excited about this idea.

He began to continue gathering data on maintaining witchcraft models for a long time without immediately releasing them, on innate witchcraft, on enchanting rune items, and even on witchcraft alchemy.

Anything he thought could help realize this idea, whether spellcasting, enchanting, or alchemy, Lin Ke intended not to miss any data or documents he could find in the Van Gogh-tier document library.

It's a bit regrettable that the "credits" that were consumed; those hidden documents surely contain related higher-level data.

However, there is no regret medicine to take.

The catalog of over a hundred documents appeared on the screen of the Portable Smart Brain.

Lin Ke sorted through them and decided to start reading the documents on maintaining witchcraft models for a long time.

Fact proves that, as long as history is long enough, there always exists predecessors' research that is ahead.

The emergence of the method for maintaining witchcraft models for a long time without immediately releasing them was due to a large-scale war.

At that time, the wizard world organized a multiversal expedition, planning to crush a splendid civilization slightly inferior to the wizard world.

The war's cruelty was unimaginable; losses were heavy at the top, middle, and bottom.

Later, a great sage proposed the definition of the wizard legion and the concept of collective spellcasting.

Research on maintaining witchcraft models for a long time thus began and quickly bore fruit.

After a brief rest, more than ten fully trained units, with great sages (7th to 9th rank wizards) as commanders, sages (4th to 6th rank wizards) as mid-level commanders, and official wizards (1st to 3rd rank wizards) as the main force, formed a massive legion that in one battle crushed that civilization's finest fighting strength.

From then on, the balance of the war completely tipped toward the wizard world.

Unfortunately, the later battle between the wizard world and the god world that shattered both sides caused both to lose too many precious things and knowledge.

The wizard world could no longer organize such a mighty legion of exceptional combat strength.

The cooperative combat method based on maintaining witchcraft models for a long time was also limited to sages and below.

Lin Ke could imagine that regret.

It was just like the Soviet Union's steel torrent sweeping the world, while Russia's tank and armored units could no longer sustain past glory.

Although this differs from Lin Ke's idea, stones from other hills can polish jade, and moreover the two share some common points.

Having gathered his thoughts, Lin Ke continued reading the documents, fully focused, even forgetting to eat lunch.

It was Mo Li who sent successive messages that finally woke Lin Ke.

She had finished her afternoon practical exam yesterday, her entire spirit nearly exhausted, and only now, after resting, did she recover.

At lunchtime, Lin Ke also seemed a bit dazed.

Mo Li was familiar with this situation; the last time she conducted that experiment, "paper," it was the same.

Then Mo Li asked, "Do you need Magic Stones? I can invest."

Lin Ke shook his head, refusing this "tea-art girl" who had tasted sweetness: "That's not it."

"Oh."

Mo Li didn't pester, acknowledged, and then ate on her own.

After the meal, Mo Li returned to the dorm to continue resting and recuperating, while Lin Ke returned to the Library to continue studying the documents.

Each did their own thing, not disturbing the other.

Monday of the eleventh week arrived quietly.

The theory exam began, and Lin Ke snapped back to attention.

These two days, researching documents to implement the pseudo-innate witchcraft idea, he was so absorbed that he forgot the time and overlooked the exam.

Fortunately, his knowledge reserves were sufficient, and he didn't need to specially review for the exam.

In the morning, the two exams were Mathematics and Rune Studies, with extremely high difficulty.

Especially Mathematics, it could be said to be deadly to individuals.

From basic arithmetic to equations and functions, then to algebra and geometry, and even one problem involved calculus.

The examiner seemed to have randomly produced the test paper, not at all considering whether Newbloods could answer.

It seemed as if, as long as he was happy, everyone would together be "happy."

Rune Studies was relatively not that aberrant; the hardest question merely required hand-drawing a few elemental runes... that's all.

After all, it's just a three-dimensional solid structure, not particularly complex.

Casual drawing, as long as you have hands, is enough.

The exam ended, and Newbloods walked out of the examination hall one after another.

The wailing that had spread across the experimental building last Friday reappeared in the teaching building, a scene most pitiable.

It was entirely a bunch of usual underachievers who didn't study seriously, crying and shouting.

However, the pitiable must have something hateful about them.

If we had known this would happen, why bother in the first place?

If they had been a bit more diligent and put in more effort ordinarily, they wouldn't have ended up so miserable.

Lin Ke shook his head, staying far away from those wailing and crying, lest he catch their aversion to study and laziness.

In the afternoon, an even more aberrant exam arrived.

The three courses—Brief History of Wizard Civilization, Overview of Mental Power and Meditation, and The Nature, Origin, and Development of Witchcraft—were combined into one exam.

Vast blocks of text, various charts and formulas, various three-dimensional structure diagrams, mixed together, with no discernible question pattern, making people dizzy, bloated, and their thoughts chaotic.

It targeted memory, comprehension, and psychological regulation abilities.

Without the aid of the highest realm Brain Seal Technique, Lin Ke would also fall into trouble.

After the exam, Lin Ke saw Mo Li again and noticed that the light in her eyes had gone out.

"I clearly worked so hard."

"I clearly worked so hard."

Mo Li repeated this sentence, her eyes vacant, her back slightly hunched, her whole person like a zombie.

Lin Ke didn't speak, giving her a quiet environment to let her calm her fluctuating state of mind.

…

The exam was divided into two days, but the results came out quickly.

On Monday evening, Lin Ke was buried in study in the library reading room when his Portable Smart Brain vibrated.

Lin Ke happened to take a break, switch his mind, and opened the notification.

At a glance, he discovered it was the ranking of scores.

He instantly became interested.

The result…

Ranking first was none other than himself, Linke Grand.

Even more, the college specially appended his wizard aptitude and native place after his name.

This time, Lin Ke became thoroughly famous.

After all, a fellow with mid-tier fourth-grade aptitude was sitting atop the heads of many geniuses with upper-tier fourth-grade and lower-, middle-, and upper-tier fifth-grade aptitude.

What a hype!

Lin Ke estimated he would become a hot search on the forum for a period of time.

After calming his mind, Lin Ke continued reading downward.

Second place was that consistently low-key genius girl with upper-tier fifth-grade aptitude, named Lan Ni. Tai Le, whose score was only slightly less than Lin Ke's by less than ten points.

She is the true academic ace.

Unlike Lin Ke, who relies on the Brain Seal Technique for support.

Mo Li Jideman's name appeared in seventh place.

It proves how important a good partner and learning atmosphere are.

If Mo Li didn't change, remaining as enthusiastic about socializing and entertainment as when she first entered school, how could she possibly achieve such good grades and ranking?

As for the rest, Lin Ke merely glanced over them, not caring much.

"The storm is about to come."

With a sigh, Lin Ke went on to continue reading the literature.

Who let him covet the reward for first place in the Two Districts Grand Comparison at the start of next summer.

With gain comes sacrifice.

(End of chapter)