Chapter 139: A Frenzied Scramble for Admissions

The organizer beamed at Ou Yulan's words. "Teacher Ou, you put that very well. Truth be told, there are plenty of talented young seedlings among our Luzhou students; it is just a pity they lack the proper resources."

"It is exactly as the saying goes: a thoroughbred is common, but a talent scout is not," she replied.

The organizer probed cautiously, "Is Beisheng University willing to provide some educational aid to Luzhou?"

Ou Yulan’s expression tightened, appearing somewhat troubled.

Beside her, Yu Jiajin chuckled and said, "No need to be so impatient, Organizer. Let us look at the test results first; there will be opportunities."

"Very well, I shall defer to Old Yu," the organizer replied immediately. He knew this was not something to rush, and having brought it up, he understood that any real implementation would likely be a long and arduous process.

...

As another student stepped away from the testing crystal, it was finally Lu Shiyu and Tang Ruotong’s turn.

Lu Shiyu smiled. "You go first. I’m a little nervous; you set the pace for me."

Tang Ruotong was startled, then felt a warmth spread through her heart. She understood that Lu Shiyu was letting her test first so she could showcase her own strength. Otherwise, if Lu Shiyu went first, her far superior level and powerful hidden class would likely leave the recruiters unable to see anyone else who followed.

"Thank you," Tang Ruotong whispered. She stepped forward and placed her hand on the crystal.

The crystal ball flared with light. The teacher monitoring the screen behind it looked over and announced loudly, "Tang Ruotong, class: Sacred Shield Knight, level: fifteen."

Her statistics were instantly transmitted to the screens in front of all the recruiters.

A buzz of discussion broke out among them.

"This girl is quite good. Her class is strong and her level isn't low."

"Old Xue, aren't you going to consider her for Qingzhou Academy?"

"Of course I am! Don't you dare try to snatch her from me, kid!"

"Pfft, why do you think I tipped you off? I’ve already submitted her name to our academy to have an admission letter sent out! I only told you so I could see the look of regret on your face, haha!"

"Damn you. You wouldn't be capable of doing a single decent thing, would you?"

Tang Ruotong had become a minor hit, favored by many recruiters. The homeroom teacher of Class Six, watching from the sidelines, beamed with pride.

...

"Old Yu, what do you think of this girl?" Ou Yulan asked with a smile from the high platform.

"Not bad, her class and level are both decent," Old Yu laughed. "But perhaps not quite up to the standard for your Beisheng?"

"You may not be aware, but we have an exchange student program with the Holy Empire recently. They have quite a bit of experience in cultivating classes like the Sacred Shield Knight. I see great potential in this girl," Ou Yulan replied.

Hearing this, a flicker of joy appeared on the organizer’s face. That was Beisheng University; if one more child from Luzhou could get in, Luzhou would have that much more leverage in the future.

"Are you going to notify the school and issue her an admission letter?" Zhu Jingjun asked, his voice devoid of inflection.

"I think I’ll wait to see how she performs in the practical test before deciding," Ou Yulan said with a smile.

Zhu Jingjun’s lips curled in what looked like a sneer, and he said nothing more. The joy on the organizer’s face dimmed slightly.

Ou Yulan and Yu Jiajin exchanged a bitter smile. Being around Teacher Zhu, who was as stiff as a terracotta statue, was truly dull.

...

Tang Ruotong left the crystal and waited to the side for Lu Shiyu.

Lu Shiyu walked calmly up to the crystal ball and placed her slender hand upon it.

Suddenly, the crystal ball shone with a brilliance brighter than any other student’s test so far!

The teacher looked at the screen, stunned. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly to confirm what he was seeing before stammering, "Lu Shiyu, class: Ice Empress, level... twenty-four!"

With that shout, the entire venue fell silent for a heartbeat, only to erupt into an uproar.

"Holy crap! Is Goddess Lu really that insane?"

"As expected of the beauty and top student of our First High. Everyone else must be terrified!"

"Level twenty-four! Good grief... that is a cliff-like lead!"

"Hiss, First High is still First High. Truly the best high school in Luzhou."

...

These were the gasps of the students.

...

"Old Li, you have to help me secure this student, don't you dare snatch her! I feel like I could put her name directly on our school’s recruitment brochure!"

"Brother, let’s have a bit of self-awareness. She has a powerful hidden main-combat class and such a high level; do you think she’d even look at your school?"

"I don't care! I’ll offer her a scholarship—one hundred thousand a month... no, two hundred thousand!"

"...Playing that dirty? Fine, I’m going all in! I’ll bypass the red tape and promise her four hundred thousand a month! Don't you dare compete with me!"

...

These were the frantic negotiations among the recruiters.

...

On the high platform, the dignitaries were also somewhat shaken.

"Yulan, you surely have to recruit this girl for Beisheng now, don't you?" Yu Jiajin laughed. "I rarely see a child with such high innate talent in a regional area!"

Ou Yulan was also excited and nodded repeatedly. "At least the trip wasn't in vain today; this girl is definitely worth recruiting."

"I’ll file the report to the school right now." Ou Yulan made a move to pull out her phone.

Just then, Zhu Jingjun said coldly, "I don't think that’s necessary. Lu Shiyu will likely come to our Qinghua."

Ou Yulan froze, then retorted indignantly, "Teacher Zhu, that isn't right, is it? We haven't even spoken to her yet, so how could you know?"

Zhu Jingjun’s mouth twisted into a faint, mocking smile. "Her surname is Lu. Do you know who Lu Han is to her?"

Ou Yulan was first confused—who was Lu Han? She had a vague impression, but she had been handling too many complex affairs lately, and her memory was a bit muddled.

Seeing her confusion, Zhu Jingjun pointed out the crux of the matter. "Lu Han is a guest lecturer for practical combat at Qinghua, and Lu Shiyu is his younger sister."

"I imagine Teacher Lu would prefer his sister to attend the school where he teaches, don't you think?"

Ou Yulan’s eyes widened. She hadn't expected Zhu Jingjun to play such a card! He must have targeted Lu Shiyu the moment he arrived in Luzhou.

Feeling stifled, Ou Yulan began typing on her phone anyway.

Zhu Jingjun watched her, puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Ou Yulan replied expressionlessly, "One must at least try. I’m filing the report; whether it succeeds is up to fate. Does Teacher Zhu have a problem with that?"

A flash of sharp malice crossed Zhu Jingjun’s eyes. "Very well, Teacher Ou, you certainly have spirit. Let us wait and see."

The others on the high platform watched the exchange. The other recruiters dared not speak; since both Beisheng and Qinghua had expressed interest, they knew better than to overestimate their own standing.

Yu Jiajin, meanwhile, watched the progress on the screen with a relaxed expression.