Chapter 28: Art of character image
Elder Wang Kai stood tall, one hand resting behind his back, the other holding a paper. Two guards stood a few steps behind him, silent and stern. In front of him, the children were assembled in four straight rows, their postures tense, their expressions uncertain.
He glanced at the paper in his hand before speaking, his voice calm but authoritative.
"Thirteen of you didn't even participate in the test," Elder Wang Kai announced. "You are all now declared failed candidates. You will not receive any spiritual stones until your punishment period is over."
He didn't spare even a glance at the group he just condemned. Without pause or emotion, he continued, "Among the rest, nine of you failed to reach the minimum score of one thousand points. You too will be considered failures and will receive no spiritual stones."
The children whose names had been called stood frozen. Some clenched their fists; others lowered their heads. But Elder Wang Kai remained indifferent, not allowing a single ripple of sympathy to cross his face.
Then his voice rang out again.
"Now for those who passed," he declared. "First is Wang Mei with thirteen thousand seven hundred points, followed by Wang Shui with ten thousand two hundred and eighty points..."
The list continued, names and numbers echoing across the silent platform, each one a judgment, a label, a measure of worth.
Finally, he reached the last name.
"Wang Ming — one thousand points."