Unlike the written exams for the Elf Division, the practical combat exams have always garnered more attention. And based on past experience, no matter how poorly you performed in other subjects, a stellar performance in the Elf Division's practical combat exam could propel you to immediate success and the pinnacle of life.
However, that was the old way. Ever since word spread that Xia Hu Naoparticipated in the college entrance exam process, candidates knew things wouldn't be easy. Xia Hu Nao would undoubtedly find ways to torment them. If Xia Hu Nao were a decent person, he wouldn't have taken over the Awakened's empire. The chaos he caused during the written exams further solidified everyone's conviction that the practical combat exam would be as perilous as climbing a mountain of knives.
…
In the afternoon, candidates began arriving at the exam venue. More than a dozen buses were parked outside, and upon seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
“It doesn't seem to have changed much from previous years’ college entrance exams.”
“Boss Xia still cares about us, or rather, he doesn’t want to make things difficult for his girlfriend.”
“Then we have to work hard. If we have to take it again next year, who knows if Boss Xia might go all out.”
As everyone said this, the conversation naturally turned to Shen Yu, as the common assumption was that the practical combat exam's difficulty remained unchanged because of him. Shen Yu felt a bit uncomfortable under their gaze. Beside him, Zhang Hong glanced at the invigilators by the buses and suddenly panicked: “Hey, don’t celebrate too early. Boss Xia isn’t here, which means he might be off causing trouble!”
Hearing this, everyone first glanced at the invigilators, then their faces fell: “Damn it, we’re doomed!”
The despondent candidates startled the invigilators. Although they knew as little as the candidates, seeing Xia Hu Nao’s destructive potential made them feel the younger generation was formidable.
“Alright, everyone get on the bus, it's time to depart.”
The candidates boarded the buses according to their exam sites, and the buses drove out of the city. Some students had taken the exam twice or even thrice. Seeing the direction the buses were heading, one student raised their hand and asked: “Teacher, this doesn’t look like the road to Jinghai Elf Stadium?”
A teacher sitting at the front stood up: “Who told you the practical combat exam was at the Elf Stadium?”
The student who asked the question looked stunned: “But the past two years have always been…”
The teacher turned around: “The past two years were the past two years. I don’t even know where the exam is this year.”
If even the teachers said so, it was truly thrilling. It meant only the driver, who had nothing to do with this year’s college entrance exam, knew the destination?
The driver, hearing the teacher’s words, didn’t look back and simply said, “Sorry, I don’t know the destination either. I’m just following the navigation…”
This statement caused an even bigger stir. So everyone on the bus was clueless, being kept in the dark about where they were going?
The bus drove on and finally stopped in front of a building in the wilderness. Seeing the building and the other buses in front of it, the students on the bus finally relaxed. Some who were familiar with the place, or came here often, were even more at ease: “A secret realm. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I come here often.”
With veterans who frequently visited secret realms present, there was nothing to fear. The students on this bus, following the experienced ones, got off. As for the other buses, Shen Yu and Zhang Hong also calmly disembarked. The secret realms used for the college entrance exam, regardless of their difficulty, couldn't possibly harbor elves more formidable than those in Xia Hu Nao's possession. Therefore, there was nothing to be afraid of. They could just go at it.
Yu Long Du should have been the most relaxed. He could basically traverse any secret realm in Linglong City, let alone one used for a college entrance exam.
Each student, with their own thoughts, entered the secret realm under the teachers’ guidance. Upon entering, they saw quite a few students already present. In front of the student simulation area, a giant screen was set up, its purpose unclear.
Time ticked by. Xia Hu Nao sat on the podium in front of the large screen, chatting with a staff member: “How is it, are everyone here?”
The staff member glanced at the tablet in their hand: “Yes, all candidates from Jinghai District have arrived.”
Xia Hu Nao stood up and stretched his limbs: “Very good, now it’s time to ramp up the intensity.”
The moment Xia Hu Nao stepped onto the stage, he captured everyone’s attention. His face was also displayed on the large screen. Xia Hu Nao waved at the crowd below: “Everyone, can you see me?”
The crowd below responded: “We can see you…”
Xia Hu Nao cleared his throat: “Alright, next I will explain our new practical combat exam format for this year. It’s currently just before two in the afternoon. The first stage of the exam begins at two. Each student will receive a recording token from their teacher and then they can leave. Your performance in the secret realm will be fed back to our college entrance exam invigilation team via the recording token.”
As he spoke, Xia Hu Nao gestured to another staff member, and the large screen behind him changed to an image. Xia Hu Nao explained: “Your active area is within a ten-kilometer radius centered here. The exam content is to persevere for as long as possible and defeat the rampaging elves within the secret realm. The exam duration is three days. When only one candidate remains within the exam area, the exam will end early.”
Xia Hu Nao glanced at his watch: “Alright, everyone can start preparing to depart. The second stage begins after twelve o’clock today. After the second stage begins, you will be able to engage in combat. The exam ends when all elves have lost their fighting ability. Depart now.”
With that, Xia Hu Nao directly stepped down from the stage. However, the students present were in a panic. It was obvious he hadn't revealed all the necessary information. Were they expected to guess?
They didn’t know, but they didn’t dare to ask. College entrance exams were always this troublesome; the given conditions were never enough for you to find a solution. However, where there’s a problem, there’s a solution. If others didn’t dare to ask, why not find someone who did?
How many people in the entire Jinghai City dared to question Xia Hu Nao? Only Shen Yu. Thus, everyone’s gaze turned to Shen Yu. Shen Yu looked at them and finally, with no other choice, walked towards Xia Hu Nao. But by the time Shen Yu reached the vicinity of the stage, Xia Hu Nao had vanished. Only a group of staff members were playing cards. Seeing Shen Yu approach, one person stood up: “You must be student Shen Yu, right? Boss Xia knew you would definitely come to ask for more information, but I’m sorry, we can only say this much. The specific rules will be posted at the entrance for you to check after the second stage begins. Whether you fight each other or not, it doesn’t seem to be within Xia Hu Nao’s consideration. Also, please call student Yu Long Du over. We need him to join the invigilation or rescue team, as elf rampages are very dangerous. We hope you’ll be careful.”
These were the only pieces of information Shen Yu managed to gather, casting a pall of gloom over the candidate group. As for what a so-called elf rampage was, Yu Long Du, who was assigned to the rescue team, would naturally explain it. However, the more he explained, the greater everyone’s pressure became…
As the pressure gradually rose at the exam venue in Jinghai City, the pressure in other provinces and cities also began to steadily increase. Although there wasn’t a Shen Yu to ask questions, under the arrangements of Xia Hu Nao and the Alliance Headquarters, a plant was naturally set up in all exam venues to provide pressure.
At this moment, Xia Hu Nao was outside the secret realm, calling Meng Tian Ya.
“Brother Meng, the plan has started. You should have monitored everything on your end, right?”
Meng Tian Ya, on the other end of the phone, was in the temporary command center, watching the large screen with hundreds of people: “Yes, I have control of everything here. Are your branches okay?”
“Of course they are okay. But I’m a little worried. Is this plan a bit too much?”
Meng Tian Ya chuckled: “Weren’t you quite confident when you first proposed this plan?”
“That’s what I said, but creating a lie about an elf rampage… I’m worried…”
“That it will be seen through, right? Don't worry. If there’s a student who can see through it under such high pressure, they’ll likely be fought over by all the universities.”
“I’m not worried about the ability to fake it. I’m worried about it becoming real. If a real elf rampage occurs in any of these secret realms, I’m afraid our current invigilation and rescue forces won’t be able to handle it.”
“Becoming real… that’s a problem. But don’t worry, all the Alliance branches are on high alert. You only need to hold on for five minutes to receive rescue. Moreover, the experts here have analyzed that although the low-level secret realms we chose have a chance of rampaging, it’s not high. Furthermore, even if these low-level elves rampage, their threat is almost negligible.”
Xia Hu Nao nodded after listening: “That puts my mind at ease. A little danger is inevitable. After all, we are all trainers.”
After their brief phone call, Xia Hu Nao carefully checked the equipment in his hands and then entered the secret realm.
“What? Why isn’t anyone here? Where have the students gone?”
As soon as Xia Hu Nao entered the secret realm, he saw that the assembly point, which should have been described as ‘crowded,’ was completely empty. Where had everyone gone?
“A Du, what’s going on?”
Yu Long Du was playing cards with the staff and invigilators at that moment. Yu Long Du, with his head covered in paper slips, turned around, nearly scaring Xia Hu Nao to death.
“Damn it, what happened to you? I was only gone for a phone call, and you’re already in this state?”
Yu Long Du shook the cards in his hand: “It’s because I called three cards and played as the landlord. When I lost, I had to put on six slips. A ‘bomb’ is worth double, and that’s how it ended…”
Xia Hu Nao clapped his hands: “Damn it, you really know how to lose. So, where are the people? Why is there no one here?”
“The people, well, the situation is like this…”