Chapter 12: Ch12: The genius and The Jealous
More students came and went after Mo Zun.
Yi Nam and Xu He each earned only 26 points, far behind Mo Zun's performance. Then came Sun Wu, who stunned the crowd by scoring 29—an unexpected result from someone unaffiliated with any major faction.
'I've trained relentlessly. My master gave me everything I needed to train non-stop. I won't be bullied or robbed like the others—not ever again. My hard work has finally paid off.' A faint smile touched Sun Wu's lips as he stepped away from the platform, test completed.
The teacher furrowed his brows. 'Strange... the usual top ten scores hover around 26 or 27. Yet now, even those ranked lower are hitting that range, and the top contenders are reaching 28 or 29. Mo Zun hoarded resources, so that's expected... but Sun Wu too? This year's level is far above previous batches—amazing.'
But he didn't know the real reason.
It was the pressure—the fear. Seeing others get robbed or being robbed themselves had opened their eyes. They had to grow stronger, fast. So they pushed harder. That was all.
"Sun Wu passed me. Do you think I won't make top ten now?" Mo Zun whispered to Mo Bai and Mo Fan beside him, right hand scratching the side of his neck—his telltale sign of anxiety.
Mo Bai's expression remained neutral. "Hmm? Not sure. It'll be tough. Sun Wu was the easiest one to overtake, but he somehow got resources and put them to good use. Your only chance now is for Bai Kuohui to score lower than you. It all depends on how much effort he's put in."
"Really, Mo Bai? That's your answer?" Mo Fan jumped in. "Don't listen to him, Mo Zun. You've still got a solid chance. Bai Kuohui might not surpass you." He gave Mo Zun's shoulder a comforting pat.
"Alright." Mo Zun nodded at both of them, but deep down, he agreed with Mo Bai.
'He's right. My chances are slim now. Damn it, where did Sun Wu even get those resources?!'