Chapter 26 : Chapter 26
Chapter 26
"So that's what you were curious about?"
After hearing Ji Qing's question, You Xingluo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least Ji Qing wasn't tormenting him with difficult questions like "When will the Aberrants be exterminated?" or "Who is my fated other half?"
That's really not how a prophet is supposed to be used.
You Xingluo explained with a smile, "It's common for noble families to use arranged marriages to maintain relationships. Shao Huayu is Zhou Que's older cousin. Their mothers are sisters."
"Wow." Ji Qing's eyes widened in surprise.
That explained everything.
It was precisely because of such a close blood relationship that their bond had developed to its current state. Mothers always play an especially important role in a child's growth.
A bond established through their mothers would indeed be more stable than one from their fathers' side.
A pang of bitterness rose in Ji Qing's heart.
He took a deep breath and asked with feigned nonchalance, "I don't think I've ever asked what you think of commoners, have I?"
You Xingluo was momentarily stunned.
He stressed with a serious attitude, "That question is too broad. I'm not sure what kind of answer you're hoping to get from me."
"Just a casual question," Ji Qing explained, pretending it was nothing. "It's mainly because I find your thoughts hard to grasp. After all, you never seem to take sides."
"...Mmm," You Xingluo fell silent.
You Xingluo said with a hint of melancholy, "That's true. I was taught from a young age not to take sides easily. That's what's so troublesome about being a prophet. But please rest assured—"
"No matter what, I will always support the side that makes the world a better place."
That sounded very solemn, Ji Qing thought.
It didn't sound like something You Xingluo, a student, would say, but rather like someone in a high position... well, forget it. He didn't want to make his connection with You Xingluo any closer.
"That's the same as saying nothing at all," Ji Qing waved his hand dismissively. "I'll be going then."
After saying this, Ji Qing turned and walked in another direction.
You Xingluo's destination was the dormitory building. As for Ji Qing, he had never said he was going back to the dorms, only that they would walk together for a stretch.
Judging by the direction he's heading, he's probably going to the cafeteria, You Xingluo thought.
You Xingluo lowered his eyelashes, hiding the complex emotions welling up in his eyes. He thought with some annoyance, That annoying ability test... it made me see something unpleasant...
***
The lists of banned and exempted participants were announced at noon the next day.
Li Xuehua specifically forwarded the school's announcement to the class group chat for one simple reason: all three of the banned students were from Class S.
[Ji Qing, Shao Huayu, Song Xiaoran]
The names of the three were written on the banned list, and only their names.
Ji Qing was now completely cut off from the ability items.
What was noteworthy, however, was that You Xingluo was on the exemption list, but Ling You'er was not. Compared to You Xingluo's "Prophecy," the school considered Ling You'er's "Ghost Possession" to have a certain degree of combat capability.
She could participate in the individual competition.
Just as Ji Qing noticed this, a message from Ling You'er immediately popped up in the class group chat:
Ling You'er: [Teacher, does the school want me to die QAQ?]
Li Xuehua: [Crying_laughing.jpg]
Li Xuehua: [It's not that serious. It's just a spar between students, so you just need to know when to stop. I believe Student Ling can definitely overcome this challenge!]
Zhou Que was also hit hard:
Zhou Que: [Why am I not on the banned list? This announcement makes me lose face...]
Li Xuehua: [Isn't this perfect?]
Li Xuehua: [Go for it, Student Zhou Que! Strive to win an ability item from the top three in the individual competition! I believe you can do it!]
Zhou Que: [Teacher, where is your office?]
Li Xuehua: [...Um.]
Li Xuehua didn't dare to reply after that. It turned out that Zhou Que's straightforward personality was a major headache for many people.
Perhaps it was also due to their interactions during the ability test.
Previously, they had only spent one morning with their homeroom teacher, and after that, those who wanted to skip class did. But after the ability test, everyone discovered that Li Xuehua was someone who could get along well with her students.
A playful smile touched Ji Qing's lips.
But because of this, Li Xuehua was forced to manage the overall situation for Class S. After all, two of her students were dissatisfied with the school's arrangement.
When Ji Qing ran into Zhou Que and the others in the afternoon, Zhou Que was lying on a bench with a dejected look on his face. Shao Huayu and You Xingluo stood nearby, both looking helpless.
From the looks of it, Zhou Que is still struggling with it, Ji Qing thought.
Although Zhou Que really wanted the "dispensable" ability item the teacher mentioned, the school's decision would only make the entire student body and faculty notice that the fourth-ranked Zhou Que was no match for the top three.
But Zhou Que didn't think he was bad.
After the ability test, Zhou Que knew that Ji Qing and Song Xiaoran deserved their rankings. But why was he the only one excluded from the list?
Even the joy of potentially winning an ability item was considerably dampened.
"It's probably because his destructive power is too high," You Xingluo held his chin with his hand and speculated pretentiously. "Plant-type abilities are inherently difficult to control, and if Song Xiaoran wants to go all out, he will inevitably destroy the school's public facilities."
"The school must have made the decision based on that consideration."
Zhou Que retorted, "Isn't the destructive power of a fire-type strong?"
"Don't you dare nitpick with me, you bastard," You Xingluo immediately dropped the act and threatened with a smile. "Since it's a done deal, just accept it. Don't complain about these pointless things."
Shao Huayu took the opportunity to add, "And don't you dare provoke Song Xiaoran. If I hear you say anything similar, you can forget about your allowance for the next few months."
Zhou Que: "Sob QAQ."
Zhou Que became even more dejected after hearing that.
The thought of greeting them, which had just crossed Ji Qing's mind, was completely extinguished. Greeting them now might just be adding insult to injury to Zhou Que's already heavy heart.
So, Ji Qing retracted the foot he had just put forward.
The next time Ji Qing saw Zhou Que, he had regained his usual spirit. He was partly frustrated and partly eagerly awaiting the lottery draw, calling the process "stomping noobs."
Ji Qing raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
What on earth had happened while he wasn't looking?
Zhou Que's change in attitude was so dramatic that even Shao Huayu, who was standing nearby, almost lost his composure. But with the top three freshmen of this year out of the running, it was hard to say who would be in the top three of the individual competition...
The individual competition was essentially to serve the team competition; it was established to facilitate future teamwork and understanding of each other's abilities. And one of the goals of the team competition was to confirm class placements.
Ji Qing recalled the information Li Xuehua had revealed in the class group chat and thought with some hesitation, In that case, does this mean that since I've lost my eligibility to compete, I can already start looking for teammates for the team competition?
The team competition required a minimum of two members and a maximum of five. Teams that included a student exempted from the individual competition would get a 1.25x point multiplier.
Ji Qing's gaze suddenly fell on You Xingluo.
Among the people he knew, it seemed only You Xingluo was exempted. Of the only two non-S-class members Ji Qing had interacted with, neither Liu Mu nor Feng Youyou were on the list.
Although a 1.25x point multiplier was low, it could be a lifesaver at a critical moment.
My apologies, Student Shao.
Inwardly, Ji Qing revealed a cunning smile. You would never have guessed that I would be scouting for teammates this early, would you? Let me teach you a thing or two about being two-faced.
"You're not planning to participate, are you?" Ji Qing casually struck up a conversation.
You Xingluo was stunned at first, then alarm bells went off in his head. "That's right. What's up?"
"When are you planning to submit the application form?"
You Xingluo hesitated. "Today."
"Excellent. I'll walk with you for a bit."
You Xingluo: "..."
You Xingluo immediately blinked in confusion. "Again?"
He felt like a brick in Ji Qing's eyes, to be moved wherever needed. You Xingluo thought with a troubled expression, What kind of role is this?
In the on-campus print shop, multiple printers were churning out paper.
The whirring sound of the machines echoed intermittently throughout the shop. While waiting for the application form to be printed, Ji Qing told You Xingluo about his plan.
You Xingluo's tone was complex. "You really show no mercy to your classmates."
"Scouting for teammates this early..." a meaningful smile touched You Xingluo's lips. "By the time Huayu realizes what's happening, his teammates will probably have vanished on the spot."
It feels like we're not talking about the same thing, Ji Qing thought strangely.
"Of course I can~" You Xingluo replied with a bright smile. But he paused and added slyly, "But have you thought about the rest of your teammates? The team competition requires a minimum of two members."
"I'm thinking about it," Ji Qing admitted frankly.
"Very well, then I'll offer a suggestion as well." You Xingluo held his chin pretentiously, his tone resolute. "My suggestion is to win Liu Mu over. Since we're backstabbing, let's backstab him completely!"
Ji Qing: "..."
Ji Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You're the one who really wants to backstab Shao Huayu, aren't you?"
He hadn't even considered it, but You Xingluo had already arranged it. If they really managed to pull Liu Mu over, Ji Qing couldn't imagine what Shao Huayu's reaction would be afterward.
"Ahem." You Xingluo cleared his throat and explained, "Liu Mu's ability is the support-type 'Memory Reading.' He can track a target's whereabouts by touching an object."
"It doesn't show much of an advantage in the individual competition, but it's extremely useful in the team competition."
The team competitions at the Third Ability Academy always centered around the theme of "Danger Zone experience." The school would select a low-risk Danger Zone and have students accumulate points by hunting Aberrants and finding mission items to determine the final winner.
In fact, these were already the tasks of a wasteland hunter.
Ji Qing was surprised. "Is that so?"
In that case, Liu Mu's role in the team competition would indeed be important. After all, Danger Zones were vast, and being vigilant against Aberrants and searching for mission items would consume a lot of energy.
Ji Qing then frowned. "But isn't this backstabbing a bit too much?"
Ji Qing had no intention of making an enemy of Shao Huayu.
Shao Huayu was a respectable opponent. Although his actions regarding Xie Chang'an had been unpleasant, he conducted himself with considerable elegance in his daily life.
"Don't be afraid," You Xingluo said, his plan succeeding. "I'll find a chance to talk to Liu Mu. When the time comes, just remember to accept the two of us. And finally—"
"Congratulations, your team is complete~"