Chapter 45: Assessment Begins

The morning light illuminated the world, filtering through the gaps in the leaves and the early mist, casting shimmering rays across the entire campus.

Nangong Yuchen and Nangong Kexin had breakfast early, boarded the monorail, and arrived at school.

Today marked the opening of the Illusory Island and the assessment day for the top students!

At nine o'clock, Shangguan Luohua appeared at the classroom door on time. After entering, he announced directly, "Everyone, gather at the school square!"

This scene repeated in every class. Although the three grades originally had separate teaching areas and rarely gathered together, today they all converged on the central square of Xingzhi Academy.

"So many people!" The students began to murmur softly as they surveyed the crowded figures filling the relatively small square.

Nangong Yuchen nodded slightly in understanding and began to examine the round platform raised about half a meter in the center of the square. Two rows of chairs stood below it; he guessed these were reserved for the school leaders and teachers.

Meanwhile, he waited impatiently for the competition to begin and searched for Nangong Kexin's figure among the students in the adjacent class.

After more than ten minutes of this, the empty round platform suddenly split open, flashing bright white light. Nine crystal balls, each approximately five meters in diameter, then rose from below.

"Quick, look at that!"

Nearly three thousand gazes turned toward it. When they clearly saw the nine massive crystal balls appearing above the platform, the crowd erupted in excitement.

"What's inside those crystals... is it scenery?"

"Ice plains, deserts, forests, ruined cities... these..."

"Isn't this the scene from the Illusory Island that Director Li showed us last time?"

"Wow! They're so beautiful. Could this be the venue for the top student assessment?"

Nangong Yuchen stared at the nine crystal balls that had risen halfway into the air, his face filled with shock. Each one displayed a different scene: grasslands, deserts, rivers, and so on, various vistas. They acted like nine circular screens, projecting the images within.

Just as the students on the field were stunned, ten young figures suddenly emerged from the square's entrance. Six men and four women, they carried an air of supreme arrogance, their postures tall and upright. Their upper bodies wore identical sky-blue school uniforms, with a blue crystal bearing a glowing red five-pointed star on the left chest. As they approached, the entire square fell silent.

"Top... top students!"

"Are they all the top students of our Xingzhi Academy?"

"Oh my... isn't the shortest one in front the little demon girl... Shangguan Yueling? When did she become a top student at our Xingzhi Academy?" A sharp-eyed high-school junior saw the smallest loli up front and was instantly left stunned in place. His expression suggested he carried some unresolved shadows.

"She has always been like that. Look at yourself, so useless!"

"Look, behind are Lu Shijie from the Lu family, Cheng Shiyu, Mu Ningxue from the Mu family! And Mu Ling, Yi An, and the others!"

"This... aren't these all the top students of our Xingzhi Academy?"

"Tch, don't you know we have twelve top students at Xingzhi Academy? I didn't see it; only ten are visible?"

“...”

Nangong Yuchen listened to the even more exaggerated chatter rising from the square, and his face darkened instead.

Especially when he saw Lu Shijie's handsome profile, hatred surged violently in his heart. Then, the quiet presence of Mu Ningxue stirred a longing that poured forth like a shattered five-flavor bottle, with various emotions flashing through his mind...

The ten individuals walked toward the admiring gazes and directly took their seats on the chairs below the platform. They had long grown accustomed to this, closing their eyes to rest and awaiting the arrival of the school leaders.

"Nangong?" Le Han walked over from behind and pushed the frozen Nangong Yuchen.

Le Han called his name several times before he finally woke. Then, concerned, he asked, "Are you all right?"

Nangong Yuchen did not seem to have heard, and after a long moment he shook his head. His gaze remained fixed on Mu Ningxue's figure ahead.

At the same time, in the first-year class three team, Nangong Kexin's figure trembled noticeably, far more than anyone else's. The names Lu Shijie and Mu Ningxue were deeply etched in her soul like a curse. Especially the former; seeing him again after half a year, she wished she could rush forward and immediately sever the enemy who had destroyed her family!

This terrified Chu Huiyan and Xia Ruli. The two girls knew nothing of their hatred and could only watch Nangong Kexin with worry from the side.

Angel stood at the very front of the twelfth-class team. She seemed to sense Nangong Yuchen's sudden change, and following his gaze to the beautiful figure, she walked over and called out, "Nangong Yuchen!"

No one answered.

Just as she prepared to speak again, Nangong Yuchen finally turned his gaze, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He looked at Angel and asked, "What's with the twelve top students?"

Last time in the Science City, he had been extremely puzzled by the twelve top students Le Han mentioned, because there were only ten now, missing one besides Shangguan Youran, which left him somewhat confused.

"Are you okay?" Angel could not keep up with his abrupt transformation.

Nangong Yuchen shook his head expressionlessly. Although he felt extremely uncomfortable inside, he restrained himself. He understood that he was still far from avenging now; the only thing he should do was become a top student and save his parents!

"Oh!" Angel glanced at the silent Le Han beside her and could only explain helplessly, "The twelve top students of Xingzhi Academy are simply twelve top student trainees, nothing more."

“...” Nangong Yuchen gave her a speechless glare and deliberately played dumb.

"Shangguan Youran and another boy!"

"Shangguan Youran!" The figure of Purple Awakening flashed in Nangong Yuchen's mind.

"Yeah!" Angel nodded. Seeing his expression, she said, "You know him?"

Nangong Yuchen shook his head. He did know Shangguan Youran, but the reverse was not true.

Then he asked, "What about the other boy?"

"I don't know! I only joined Xingzhi Academy a few months ago too. I only heard that the boy has exceptional talent and seems to have been noticed by the principal of a physical education school in the Maple Sea Capital, who took him away!" Angel answered very straightforwardly!

The words had barely left her mouth when Le Han beside her exclaimed in shock, "The Maple Sea Capital, one of the four great cities? Our capital?"

"Yeah!" Angel nodded in confirmation.

"Then, how perverted would someone have to be to be noticed by the principal of a Maple Sea City school?" Le Han smacked his lips in astonishment.

"Maple Sea Capital?" Nangong Yuchen murmured in some surprise as well.

At that moment, more discussions rose from the square. The three turned around to see more than ten figures appear at the square's entrance. The leader was a man in his fifties, with strands of white hair at his temples. Behind him followed Li Xiuyuan and Guan Jingyun, then the class teachers from the school, and Shangguan Luohua was there too.

As they ascended the platform, the man in his fifties looked down at the more than two thousand students and spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

"Students, you have waited long enough. Next, I will announce the rules within the Illusory Island!"