Performance Below Par?

Performance Below Par?

At dawn, the sky was still dim.

Wang Ye had finished practicing the Life Evolution Method and felt refreshed.

On the dining table sat a bowl of small wontons sprinkled with chopped scallions, a plate of pan-fried dumplings, and a steaming cup of soy milk.

When an immature girl was still making demands and throwing unreasonable tantrums, a mature woman already knew how to cherish and care for someone.

"Up so early? Looks like you weren't tired last night." Wang Ye smiled as he sat down.

Shu Mengou gave a soft snort and pulled out a chair beside him. "You got up even earlier. You started cultivating before dawn."

"It's a habit." Wang Ye dug in heartily and gave her a thumbs-up.

Shu Mengou smiled. "Feeling confident today?"

"Of course!"

The Graduation Exam was held on the surface level.

It marked the official end of the trainees' nearly six months of Evolution Camp training.

The first day's assessment consisted of three written tests, split between morning and afternoon. The morning session was a three-hour knowledge test.

Wang Ye had hired a private tutor last night and had Doctor Shu help him review the key points.

Private tutoring at my house.

When it came to knowledge, doctors were practically straight-A students.

The test covered Basic Knowledge about cultivation, Evolvers, and monsters.

"Fill in the blank: Evolvers are divided into—beginner level (Levels 1–3), intermediate level (Levels 4–6), and advanced level (Levels 7–9). Every three levels form a threshold, and Evolutionary Materials are required to break through."

"Monsters are divided into—Ferocious-level Monsters, Nightmare-level Monsters, and Hell-level Monsters, corresponding to Evolvers. Each level is further divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced grades."

"Multiple choice: Of the following four Evolutionary Materials, which has the highest safety rating?"

"A: Blood Sea Water. B: Red Rain. C: Evolutionary Serum. D: Evolution Fruit."

"D."

"Brief answer: Explain the difference between Gene Warriors and Ability Users."

"Evolvers are divided into Gene Warriors and Ability Users. Gene Warriors practice Evolution Methods, strengthening and increasing their genome, with the body as the main path of cultivation. Ability Users stimulate their brain domain, absorb Cosmic Energy, and make it their own, with abilities as the main path of cultivation."

"Essay: Describe Blue Star's current situation, the state of the battle between humanity and monsters, and your view of the future."

"Blue Star is currently in the early stages of the apocalypse. Conditions have continued to worsen over the past five years. Most countries have already fallen, and more than half of the first hundred Base Cities established by the Earth Alliance have now been overrun..."

"Humanity is at a complete disadvantage in its war against the monsters. In particular, the ten Cosmic-level Monsters that appeared out of nowhere when the red light descended are utterly impossible to fight against. So far, humanity has produced fifteen Perfected Evolvers, four of whom have died in battle, while the number of super monsters worldwide has already exceeded one hundred..."

"Moon Web has given humanity hope and a future, but the enormous disparity in starting numbers, combined with the powerful suppression of Cosmic Monsters, means that disasters will continue worsening for the foreseeable future. Humanity's future hope lies in high-level combat power. Only by concentrating limited resources on the most gifted geniuses and nurturing transcendent beings capable of surpassing Cosmic Monsters can Blue Star be saved..."

During the lunch break.

Wang Ye did not go to the cafeteria. Instead, he focused on reviewing for the afternoon's two tests.

He had skipped most of his classes over the past month, so he had no choice but to cram at the last minute. Doctor Shu had prepared past exam papers and model answers for him.

Having gone through college entrance exams and interviews at major corporations, Wang Ye found the afternoon's two tests fairly easy.

One was a behavioral test, mostly dilemma questions without fixed answers, like whether to save your mother or your wife, or whether to save the mother or the child during childbirth.

For example, if you encountered a Ferocious-level Monster attacking ordinary people in the wilderness, what would you do?

If you saved them, you might die.

If you turned around and left, you would face moral condemnation.

For example, if you discovered that your wife had cheated on you behind your back, what would you do?

Would you forgive her, or divorce her?

Rather than a behavioral test, it was more like a personality test, mainly used to screen candidates for positions in various departments.

The second psychological test was the same.

Various question types would be used to roughly determine one's psychological tendencies.

Whether one was mentally sound, had antisocial tendencies, violent tendencies, and so on.

The exams ended.

The trainees let out long sighs of relief and left in groups.

Of the three days of the Graduation Exam, the first day had the most uncertainty.

The second day's full physical examination was not nearly as worrying.

The third day's practical assessment depended more on one's actual strength.

"A-Ye, how did the afternoon exams go?" Lu Yong greeted him as he walked over.

"Not bad." Wang Ye felt pretty good about them.

"How did you answer the final question about an Evolver slaughtering ordinary people?" Lu Yong asked curiously.

"Kill him." Wang Ye was concise.

"But he killed many monsters, made great contributions, and helped humanity rise," Lu Yong frowned.

"There's no correct answer." Wang Ye said, "If you choose to save the ordinary people, it proves you're kind-hearted and suited for the Rescue Team. If you consider the bigger picture, it shows you're suited for the Guardian Division. After becoming Evolvers, people will be recommended to suitable departments based on their personalities."

Lu Yong nodded in realization. "Then what did you choose for the section on views about love? Did you also write about lifelong, unwavering devotion?"

Wang Ye glanced at him. "Why are you being so dishonest? Is that really what you think?"

"Huh?" Lu Yong was stunned by the retort. He said blankly, "So... lustful?"

Wang Ye shook his head. "Can a man's business be called lustful? It's called a gentleman's love for fair ladies."

"Is that also for department screening?"

"No, that's just following your heart."

December 19th.

The second day of the Graduation Exam.

Having practiced the Life Evolution Method all night and truly replenished his energy, Wang Ye arrived at the Data Research Center early.

The full physical examination was divided into three parts.

The first part consisted of testing and examining all bodily functions, including whether there were hidden illnesses, whether the body was sound, whether any ailments had been developed during Evolution Camp, whether fighting Mutated Monsters had left any aftereffects, whether there were Mutated Blood Crystals in the blood, and whether one could receive an Evolutionary Serum injection.

The second part tested and assessed the body's genome and brain-domain reaction fluctuations. On one hand, it recorded data on the Life Evolution Method's effects on ordinary people. On the other, it determined the trainee's future development path and whether they had the potential to become a rare Ability User.

The third part tested six physical attributes. A score of 60 for boys and 55 for girls met the standard. The higher the score, the better; the more outstanding the physical fitness, the higher the success rate of receiving an Evolutionary Serum injection.

He smoothly completed the first two tests.

His data in every aspect was excellent.

As his physical fitness improved, it naturally boosted all of his bodily functions.

As for the blood and hair analysis and genetic testing, he would have to wait three days for the results.

It was just a formality.

How bad could they be?

After having lunch in the cafeteria, Wang Ye remained calm about the afternoon's standard-line tests, unlike the other anxious trainees.

Because half a month ago, he had already met the requirements for an Evolutionary Serum injection.

His score of 8 in the Second Comprehensive Test was long in the past.

Now, even he did not know how high he had reached.

But it was far beyond 8.

Data Research Center.

The Class 23 trainees entered in groups of six, divided into male and female lines.

As one trainee after another received fresh scores, waves of discussion broke out.

When Zhao Xiaoyu emerged from the testing room, the girls' line was filled with jealousy and envy.

Lu Yong, who was standing in front of Wang Ye, raised his brows. "Want to know what score your ex got?"

"I don't." Wang Ye felt no ripples in his heart.

Ever since the Second Comprehensive Test, Zhao Xiaoyu had kept messaging him, but he could not be bothered to reply.

It was not that Zhao Xiaoyu was not pretty. She was just too troublesome.

At this stage, he preferred a woman like Doctor Shu, one generous enough to let him cultivate without distractions and rapidly improve his strength.

Not some troublemaker.

Besides, Doctor Shu had an amazing figure.

"75 points!" Lu Yong got no reaction. "She's third in the class, and the only girl to score above 70. Don't you regret it?"

"I'm afraid she'll regret it," Wang Ye said.

Lu Yong rolled his eyes. "You really dare to say that—"

A commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

Lu Yong craned his neck and immediately went to gossip. When he came back, he said excitedly, "Wang Ye! Yu Haitao scored 81! A full five points above second place! We're stronger than Class 22! They don't even have anyone above 80!"

Why not compare yourselves to Class 21? They have people scoring 90.

Wang Ye mocked inwardly. "Why are you so happy that Yu Haitao scored high?"

Lu Yong chuckled. "When he becomes famous someday, at least we'll be able to brag about it."

"Mm, you two are good brothers." Wang Ye chuckled.

"Don't say it out loud when you see through it."

Lu Yong looked ahead. Six trainees emerged from the testing rooms one after another, and he hurried Wang Ye. "Come on, come on, it's our turn."

Wang Ye nodded and went in with him.

There were six testing rooms—for strength, flexibility, speed, agility, endurance, and essence. Wang Ye was already very familiar with the entire process.

He was the first to enter the empty Flexibility Testing Room.

Men were usually quite bad in this area, unless they were popular with women.

And skilled at doing the splits.

He entered the specialized testing device. Rows of numbers appeared on the computer screen, and the static results were quickly calculated.

Wang Ye saw the staff outside freeze slightly, while the data researcher also looked surprised.

Pushing open the transparent glass door, Wang Ye looked toward the display. Two numbers were prominently shown on it—

85.

A little low.

"Hello, we'll test your dynamic data next." The staff member smiled.

"Mm, help me curl my body into an O shape." Wang Ye was in a good mood.

Outside the Flexibility Testing Room, two trainees stood dumbfounded.

They watched Wang Ye walk out of the testing room, glance only once at the score on the screen, then enter the Strength Testing Room expressionlessly, as though dissatisfied with the rating.

Was this a joke?

Big brother!

Your flexibility score is 88. How did you do that?

"My dynamic data seems to be a little better than my static data." That was Wang Ye's genuine feeling in the Strength Testing Room.

Just like in the Flexibility Testing Room, his static data was relatively ordinary, only 95, but his dynamic data reached 105.

A full ten points higher.

"It's probably the Nine Forms of Elementary Blade Technique at the limit-breaking level." Wang Ye roughly deduced the reason.

What had improved was not merely his blade technique, but also his control and use of his body.

He pushed open the door and walked out to find Lu Yong's long face gaping so wide he could have hung Spring Festival couplets from it.

"O-One hundred..." Lu Yong was frightened stupid.

When he finished his second test, he had not believed it when he heard Wang Ye scored 88 in flexibility.

But now that he saw the score outside the Strength Testing Room, his legs went weak.

100 points?

What kind of concept was that!

Yu Haitao, the top scorer in the class, had only gotten 81!

But Lu Yong had no idea that this was only the beginning.

Speed: 104!

Agility: 111!

Endurance: 95? Did he perform below par?

No, why was he thinking that? 95 was already terrifying—

Lu Yong watched Wang Ye emerge from the Essence Testing Room at last. As the astonishing number lit up on the screen, he felt as if he had suffered a ten-thousand-ton blow.

Essence: 120!

(End of Chapter)