Chapter 700: Gains and Reflections on the First Day of the Joint Exam
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 700: Gains and Reflections on the First Day of the Joint Exam
The Joint Exam hunting continued.
The hidden rule regarding the "Wanted Order" for Teaching Assistants had indeed disrupted many of their original plans and rhythms.
Forced to carry a tracking marker while desperately evading the pursuit of the candidates, the TAs found that their energy was not infinite.
Some TAs, after killing their first candidate and noticing the bounty, chose to grit their teeth and endure for an hour before stopping their attacks entirely. Others, deciding that in for a penny, in for a pound, used their early-game advantages to farm kills before beginning a life on the run.
Some even chose to band together. After seeing the candidates hunt them in packs, they formed their own groups to retaliate.
This game of cat and mouse lasted an entire day.
"I can't take it anymore. It's getting dark, and another bounty countdown just ended... Dammit, we should have fed them a few more kills back then. Those TAs were just watching the clock; now that it's night, the tracking markers are gone."
At that moment, a group of candidates sat huddled around a campfire in the wilderness. This was the same massive group that had spent the entire day hunting TAs.
The result, however, was a dismal harvest.
"They're TAs; they aren't going to lose their heads and ignore the big picture just for a fight. If anything, we're the ones who were played like monkeys..."
"I'm hungry. Does anyone have food?" someone asked, raising the most critical question of the moment.
"No. we don't even have enough points to buy a tent, let alone food."
At this point, everyone finally realized the problem: after a whole day of frantic activity, they had to face the reality of their earnings—or lack thereof.
They were forced to re-examine themselves and this Joint Exam hunting competition. They quickly realized they had put the cart before the horse.
The goal of this Joint Exam was hunting!
Hunting earned points, and the prey could be kept as extra profit. If they had hunted mutant beasts or the special creatures released by the academy, wouldn't they be better off than they were now, with absolutely nothing to show for their day?
Many people began to realize where they had gone wrong. It is often only when one has nothing to eat that they truly reflect on their mistakes. But the day was already over, and many things could no longer be undone.
They could only drag their exhausted bodies and empty stomachs to sleep by the campfire.
A few people spontaneously volunteered for the night watch to guard against any dangers that might creep out of the darkness.
"We can't keep doing this tomorrow."
"Right. Those TAs are too cunning, and their strength far exceeds ours. We can only suppress them with numbers, but it's just not worth it."
"We need to focus on points now. We can't keep moving in a massive horde like this. We need to split into small squads to flexibly hunt mutant beasts, and... we can't stay here forever."
"I agree. I looked at the general map of the Ninglan Territory back in Ninglan New City. We're currently in the inner regions of the territory, where there are almost no mutant beasts, let alone points to farm. We need to head toward the outskirts!"
"But the radiation zones on the edge of the Ninglan Territory belong to the shelters or sanctuaries. That's not our Witch Academy's turf..."
"What's there to be afraid of? It's not like we're forbidden from going there. They can't stop us from hunting mutant beasts, can they? Mutant beasts are the main source of points, followed by the academy's special hunting targets. Those should be our secondary focus. As for hunting TAs... we'll just have to leave that to fate."
Similar moments of clarity played out around campfires all across the region. It was predictable that by tomorrow morning, the super-sized groups formed to hunt TAs would quickly disintegrate.
People kept awake by hunger and the cold bite of reality cannot sleep; and if they cannot sleep, they inevitably think of change.
* * *
On the TAs' side.
Although the total number of TAs was tiny compared to the candidates, there were still quite a few of them. To survive this week-long Joint Exam, they also needed to join forces.
However, the conversations around their campfires were much more restrained, as they were acutely aware that their every word and action was being live-streamed.
They represented the pinnacle of power among the non-Transcendent mentor groups of the Witch Academy. They had already consciously distanced themselves from the student body, even though they knew perfectly well that a single word from their own mentors could send them crashing back down to where they started.
"We got played. I didn't expect a hidden rule like the TA Wanted Order. I was chased for over half an hour this morning."
"Hidden rules are a Witch Academy tradition," another girl chimed in. "They're there to remind us of our current status—what we should do and what we shouldn't."
Many TAs seemed to have grasped the intent behind this hidden rule. In this hunting game, the roles they played were very free; they could do whatever they wanted on the surface. As long as they aligned with the spirit of the competition, the rules wouldn't target them.
But the moment they tried to seize more—and took the initiative to do so—the hidden rules were there specifically to keep them in check.
Of course, there were also reckless TAs who had already accumulated dozens of hours on the wanted list, unlocking more than half of their skill trees.
Unfortunately, that particular individual hadn't shown up at this gathering.
"I suspect that after today, the candidates won't be as crazed about us tomorrow or in the days following."
"Why?"
"Dummy, they need points too. They need points for supplies, to unlock skill trees, to buy tents, and to buy food. Those candidates who were chasing us all day have zero earnings. They're probably starving somewhere right now, deep in late-night reflection."
"That makes sense."
The TAs picked up food roasted over the fire. As they chewed on the mediocre meat, they suddenly felt it didn't taste that bad after all.
"Pah! Disgusting! This is the worst thing I've ever eaten in my—"
"Ahem! That! Uh... let's change the subject."
"Change the subject? You think of one then~"
"Let's talk about Yang Yuehan. She was wanted all day, for about a dozen hours or so. That means she's probably unlocked at least her fourth skill tree..."
At the mention of the name "Yang Yuehan," the TAs around the fire fell silent. They were all too familiar with this figure. Admitting that someone much younger than them was more outstanding, more of a genius... was simply too difficult!
They preferred to believe it was just luck.
But speaking of luck, who could have better luck than a Child of Destiny? A Child of Destiny, protected and blessed by the world, was a pampered existence within that world.
Provided... that nothing from outside the world interfered.
The world can give a Child of Destiny everything it has to offer, but it cannot provide what it does not control.
For example, when Transcendents descend upon a world, the world can manipulate luck to make everyone in that world adore the Child of Destiny, but it cannot use luck to force an outside Transcendent to view that Child of Destiny with any special regard.
And the Main World was exactly such a world—one invaded and dominated by outside Transcendents.
Why were Children of Destiny so sought after by many academies in the beginning?
Because a Child of Destiny has smooth sailing in the Main World; their luck is so good that it invisibly shapes them into an individual with a perfect image and personality. The World Consciousness monitors them strictly, so there's no need to worry.
And who doesn't like a friend with great luck?
More importantly, Children of Destiny are not troubled by the Ley Line Shackles that plague ordinary people. Once they reach the appropriate stage step-by-step, the world naturally opens up its restrictions, allowing them to become Transcendents.
Mentors loved children who were guaranteed to become Transcendents.
Unlike ordinary people, whose psychological shackles formed by the Ley Line Shackles would keep them firmly anchored to the Main World during their attempt to ascend.
"If you ask me, we shouldn't have just left three of them back then. It would have taken at least five to maintain continuous suppressive fire."
"Are you sure it's not just because you're too weak?"
"Who are you calling weak?"
"Three against one and you still let her get a counter-kill. I won't name names, but... hmph~"
"She clearly understands the power network very well! Don't forget, that Omni-Link Main Network Tree thing was her creation from the start, and only then did..."
"Ahem! Let's end this topic for now," someone else forcibly interrupted the argument. "Do we have to keep obsessing over Yang Yuehan?"
"It's a matter of principle! She's a student who just reached adulthood, yet she skipped over years of our hard work to reach the same platform. By what right? Why does she get to be like this? And haven't you noticed? She has zero respect for our group. We're her seniors, and I just can't stand her attitude!"
"Is it a matter of principle? It looks to me like it's just your ego," a voice suddenly interjected from the shadows.
The voice came from the dark woods nearby. The group stood up warily, staring at the dark figure hidden in the moonless night.
"Who's there!"
"That voice... Oh~ isn't that Lifaeya? Since it's Lifaeya, come and sit with us." Someone recognized the newcomer—or rather, recognized her voice.
"Lifaeya? What are you doing here?"
"Why shouldn't I be here?"
"Shouldn't you be with Yang Yuehan?"
"She's a lone wolf. She doesn't want me~ what can I do?" Lifaeya walked into the orange glow of the campfire and sat down on a fallen log. Her arrival made quite a few people uneasy. After all, the name Lifaeya... was one many had heard of.
In the Witch Academy, if someone had a title, a rank, or a nickname, they were usually someone you didn't want to mess with. Even someone like Lifaeya, whose name was simply remembered by many, was a source of great wariness.
She was a known troublemaker, as unpredictable as the most temperamental cat. No one knew if she would suddenly bare her teeth or lash out with her claws at any given moment.
"I wonder what a person like you wants with us, Lifaeya?"
"You shouldn't be asking me that question," Lifaeya said leisurely, looking at the person who spoke.
* * *
The night passed quickly. Sunlight spilled across the land, dispelling the darkness. No one knew how many people had failed to sleep the night before.
The candidates, starving after a night of hunger, were forced to find other ways to feed themselves in the morning—such as foraging for berries or non-toxic wild vegetables.
A living person wouldn't let themselves starve to death, right?
After a pathetic meal of "grass," many secretly vowed to earn points today so they could return to the city for a proper meal.
Who cared about the point rankings? Being full was more important!
Meanwhile.
Inside Ninglan New City.
I had already woken up in my hotel room and enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast. I hadn't missed my daily routine of fixed meditation and the practice of the Enlightenment Meditation Art.
The life of a TA was just that simple and unadorned.
Since TAs had no point restrictions, travel during this period was essentially free.
Last night, by the time the Wanted Order expired and was canceled, it was already dark. So, I simply returned to Ninglan New City, picked a hotel, and checked in.
Perhaps it was because the night was too dark, or perhaps it was a case of reverse psychology—no one expected anyone to return to the city. Regardless, I had strolled back in quite brazenly.
Very few people even noticed my return.
After a careful review of the situation, I had a rough idea of what was happening. Yesterday, a large number of people were tricked into hunting TAs, resulting in no points earned. For most, even staying in a tent was a luxury.
If they returned to the city, they might have to sleep on the streets. If they were seen by acquaintances, they'd be a laughingstock. But sleeping on the grass in the wild with a campfire? They could stubbornly claim they were "camping."
Of course, the main reason was that once the Wanted Order's tracking failed, finding a specific person among the vast crowds was simply too difficult.
"Hey, wait, that one over there... the one with white hair. Is that Yang Yuehan?"
"It's probably a member of her fan club who dyed their hair. Yang Yuehan is a TA; would she dare show her face in Ninglan New City?"
"But she really looks like her..."
"Then... shall we go check?"
As I appeared in the plaza of Ninglan New City, many curious gazes fell upon me.
At this moment, I truly understood the power of "anti-common sense first perception." Preconceived notions will override a person's desire to seek the truth; only a greater stimulus or external interference can make someone attempt to find the reality of a situation.
"She really does look a bit like her..."
"But why isn't she running? She seemed to look back and see us just now. If she were the real Yang Yuehan, wouldn't she bolt immediately?"
The two girls continued to approach, carrying their doubts.
"Um... excuse me, fellow student?"
"Student?"
"Is something the matter?" I turned my head to look at them, my tone flat. Since combat was prohibited within the city, I wasn't in the least bit worried.
"Well... some people are saying your appearance is really easy to mistake for someone else... Are you cosplaying as Sister Xiao Han?"
"I only agree with the first half of your sentence," I said. "My appearance is indeed easy to mistake."
After all, using my original appearance made it very easy for people to think I was a member of my own fan club cosplaying as myself...
"Eh? The first half? You're not cosplaying as Sister Xiao Han?" The two girls hurriedly followed me as I walked toward the city gate.
"I am certainly not cosplaying as Xiao Han," I said matter-of-factly.
"You're not? Then who are you supposed to be?"
"Well... okay, you've misunderstood me. I'm not 'cosplaying' as Xiao Han. Unless there's a second Xiao Han in the Witch Academy, then I am the Xiao Han you're talking about."
With that, I cast a Gale Spell on myself and departed Ninglan New City through the main gate at extreme speed, leaving the two gossiping girls dazed at the entrance.
"What?"
"Aaaaah! What did we just miss?!"