Chapter 101
"We were just one short. We only needed one more. These people are so useless. They don't have any special skills. All they know how to do is study!" Murong Qing said indignantly.
This statement included Si Ming as well, so he could only offer a brief explanation. "Because everyone's specialty is studying and taking exams."
On the contrary, Liu Qingqing was more relaxed than the two of them. "Forget it, what is destined to be will be, and what is not destined to be cannot be forced."
Murong Qing scoffed, retorting, "These words are just for fooling people. If you believe them, you'll be fooled. Besides, as a disciple of the Mohist School, how can you believe in fate?"
"Against fatalism" is one of the important ideas of the Mohist School. The Mohist School opposed the concept of fate and placed more emphasis on human subjective initiative. Although they did not go so far as to say "human will can conquer nature", they also opposed the idea that "if God wants you to die, you have to obediently die".
Mozi said, "To use the words of those who believe in destiny is to overturn the principles of the world. Those who overturn the principles of the world are those who establish destiny, and this is the slander of the people."
This means that listening to those who advocate "predestination" is actually destroying the great cause of the world; those who try to determine fate are essentially trying to exploit the people.
Mozi said, "To insist on the words of those who believe in destiny is a great harm to the world."
This means that the words of those who advocate "predestination" must be rejected, because such people are a scourge to the world.
Murong Qing had a Confucian School father, so he understood the Mohist School philosophy better than most Su State, and was even much more steadfast in his stance on it.
Liu Qingqing smiled and said, "That's why I said, Xiao Qing, you are my idol. Many things you take for granted are forbidden in my eyes."
Murong Qing clenched her fists, unwilling to give up, and said, "We finally became good friends, how can I give up here?"
Si Ming suddenly said, "How about I apply for special admission?"
Murong Qing asked curiously, "What kind of special admission are you applying for?"
Liu Qingqing guessed, "Music?"
Si Ming would certainly not apply for the music special admission program. Although he might be able to pass by cramming with his talent, being admitted through the special admission program doesn't mean you're free to do whatever you want once you're in school. You'll be required to join relevant clubs and even receive professional training from teachers. Si Ming doesn't have a particular fondness for music and doesn't want to waste three years of his youth on it. In comparison, he would rather join the literature club.
"I'm applying for the special admission program for martial arts!" Si Ming said, clenching his fist.
Murong Qing blinked, surprised, "Are you serious? Even I'm not confident I can pass the special martial arts admission at No. 1 High School."
There are so many people in this world who learn martial arts that, with such a large number of practitioners, the standards for evaluation naturally rise.
Applying for a martial arts special admission here is like applying for a table tennis special admission in China. You really don't have the guts to say something like that unless you're really good at it. After all, even among amateur table tennis players, there are always new masters, and there are countless people who Qi Ingestion.
You can't even beat Olympic athletes from other countries, and you have the nerve to call yourself China high school student who's good at table tennis?
How will you know if you don't try?
Si Ming's confidence stemmed from an unknown cultivation technique. Even after only three months of practice, he was confident he could easily defeat himself at the Youth Martial Arts Tournament. With little difference in skill, physical fitness became the decisive factor.
He had tested it at the Mohist Knight Guard base. His reaction speed had almost doubled, his strength had tripled, and his stamina was ten times what it used to be. If he hadn't stopped sparring recently because he was preparing for the high school entrance exam, Murong Qing would definitely have noticed the changes. Although he had noticed Si Ming's progress before, they were both in a period of rapid growth, so it wasn't enough to amaze him.
Murong Qing thought for a moment and agreed, "That's true. We have no choice but to try anything now."
Si Ming turned to Liu Qingqing and asked, "You won't stop me from participating in the special recruitment, will you?"
"Of course not, you won't lose anything even if you fail," Liu Qingqing said in a very realistic tone.
Si Ming snorted, "That's not what I want to hear. I need motivation! Quick, grant me the power!"
Seeing his antics, Liu Qingqing showed a helpless expression and said, "Okay, I admit it, I also hope we can go to school together, so, good luck."
Murong Qing wasn't entirely satisfied. He crossed his arms and said in a strong voice, "It's not about cheering him on, it's about making sure he passes! Without pressure, where does the motivation come from? Don't worry about adding to his burden. As a boy, how can he be afraid of a challenge?"
Si Ming sighed regretfully, "Although it's not the kind of encouragement I wanted, it'll have to do. What should we do next? Should we go to Tange No. 1 Middle School to inquire about the requirements for special admissions applications?"
Murong Qing said, "There's no need to go through all that trouble. Increasing the number of spots also benefits the school. Just talk to the homeroom teacher, and he'll naturally help us complete all the tedious procedures for the sake of the bonus. You just need to focus on preparing for the special admission."
"As expected of the head of the teaching department's daughter, you're quite adept at this kind of thing. The teachers must be moved to tears to have such a thoughtful student like you."
Si Ming's insincere praise earned him a glare. He smiled, patted his chest, and said, "Don't worry, since it's a special martial arts recruitment, they'll definitely send someone to assess your martial arts skills. So what I need to do is simple: whoever is the examiner, just beat them up."
At the martial arts gymnasium of Tange No. 1 Middle School, all the students who applied for special admissions in martial arts gathered together. Outside the gymnasium, there were even more relatives, parents and friends, crowding the entire gymnasium.
Standing on the high platform of the martial arts hall was a dignified man with an imposing presence. His clothes were pressed crisply without a single wrinkle.
"Hello, fellow students! I am Murong Zhe, and I am in charge of this special martial arts recruitment. If any cheating occurs during this recruitment process, you can report it to me directly. If I have engaged in any favoritism or malpractice, you can report it to the Education Bureau!"
Without going into unnecessary details, this martial arts special recruitment consists of two assessments. In the first assessment, you will compete against the testers selected by our school, who are the senior students of the martial arts club. The loser will be eliminated directly, and the winner will be able to enter the next assessment stage. The second assessment will be conducted by me personally.
If you have any questions, please ask them now. I will answer any questions related to the assessment. If not, please line up on the right in an orderly manner to draw lots. Anyone who disrupts the order will be disqualified!
Murong Zhe delivered a speech that was completely devoid of Confucian School style, and instead resembled that of Legalist School.
After hearing this, all the students who came to participate in the assessment immediately held their breath and fell silent, fearing that they would be disqualified for speaking too loudly. After all, the person in charge on the stage looked very strict and not the type to talk to.
Someone glanced at the tester and their expression immediately changed.
"Hey, hey, that couple over there looks like the captain and vice- Captain of the school's martial arts team, Ke Chajing and Hu Jixian. Could they also be here as testers?"
"This is bad. It's not just those two; the other testers also seem to be members of the school's martial arts team!"
"Weren't they supposed to be members of the martial arts club? Why has it changed to the school's martial arts team?"
"You're so stupid. If we pass the special martial arts recruitment, we'll still have to join the martial arts club."
"So, these senior students are essentially equivalent to us after one or two years of training? How could we possibly have a chance of winning? Not to mention this is only the first round of assessments..."
Amidst the widespread panic, only a handful of people remained calm, and Si Ming was not among them.
He looked at Murong Zhe on the high platform and cried out in his heart, "Director, this script is wrong!"