Class 1 of Science Stream, senior year. Monday morning self-study session.
"The results of this Nine Provinces Joint Examination are out."
"Everyone, take a look."
The homeroom teacher of Class 1 of Science Stream turned on the multimedia system and displayed the results from last week's exam.
The students in the classroom all turned to look at the screen.
Over the previous weekend, a Nine Provinces Joint Examination had been held, including in their Hui Province.
With 4.5 million examinees and coverage spanning fifty percent of the country, it was an enormous examination.
As expected, it had also been extremely difficult. Every subject had questions that tormented the examinees.
Now that all the results had finally been released, they could hardly wait to find out how they had done.
Of course, they habitually looked at the student ranked first.
Then, the students in the classroom were stunned.
"The first place isn't Wang Zichao?"
They all wore expressions of disbelief.
Throughout senior year, there had been one eternal first-place student: Wang Zichao.
From first year of high school through senior year, Wang Zichao had always ranked first in every exam, every semester. He had never fallen from that spot.
In a sense, Wang Zichao had become a legend among the senior-year students.
Yet this time, he was not first!
What was more... the name at the top was especially unfamiliar to them.
Xiao Yi.
"Who the hell is this Xiao Yi? How did he take first place right away?"
"He's from Class 3? Class 3 has someone that awesome?"
"Holy shit, this guy's a complete monster!"
The students of Class 1 of Science Stream stared at this student's scores, their faces filled with indescribable shock.
Chinese language 131, Mathematics 150, English 144, Science Comprehensive 300, total score—
"725! Fuck, did they put up the wrong score? This is the score sheet for the Nine Provinces Joint Examination, right?"
"Damn it, full marks in both Science Comprehensive and Mathematics? Even cheating doesn't work like that!"
What did a score of 725 mean?
In the Gaokao, that would undoubtedly be Gaokao Top Scholar material.
And now, it had appeared right before their eyes?
For a moment, every student present thought this had to be the overall score sheet for all nine provinces.
However, when they shifted their gazes to second place, they rejected that guess.
Because second place was their grade's legendary student, Wang Zichao.
Total score: 695.
A difference of—30 points!
"He really is from our school..."
The entire class fell silent.
"Whose general is this? How is he so fierce?"
"No idea. Could he be a transfer student?"
"Why does his name sound a little familiar?"
"I think it sounds familiar too."
"Hey, wait, he really is a transfer student. Look, his rank improvement column is blank."
Hearing this, the senior-year students all looked over. Sure enough, it was blank!
Since it was blank, that meant he had not been at their school for the previous exam. He could only be a transfer student.
They all breathed a sigh of relief. If that was the case, they could accept it.
It was normal for a transfer student, an "Outer Realm Demon," to be absurdly overpowered.
But at that moment, their homeroom teacher said, "Don't worry about the student in first place. You should have heard his name before. He's that second-year student selected for the USTC Young Scholars Program."
"Since he'll be taking the Gaokao with you this year, he joined you for this examination."
After he said that, the top students of Class 1 of Science Stream, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, instantly froze.
If... they had heard their homeroom teacher correctly, this Xiao Yi was a second-year student?
Were Gifted Class students really this incredible?
"Ahem, all right, don't overthink it," the homeroom teacher said. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them somewhat. This was just too demoralizing.
In fact, he somewhat regretted agreeing to include Xiao Yi's scores on his class's score sheet. That decision had been made before the exam.
They had discussed it before the exam and ultimately decided to place Xiao Yi's results from this examination among their class's scores. That was why his score had appeared on their score sheet.
Originally, the homeroom teacher had thought the second-year genius's results could spur the students in his class on, creating a catfish effect. Instead, things had gone completely wrong.
A total score of 725, first place in this Nine Provinces Joint Examination, and the only student to achieve full marks in both Mathematics and Science Comprehensive. It was simply...
A score that had dazzled every senior-year teacher.
"Hahaha, I told you, he really is a second-year student! Why would I lie to you, Principal Chen?"
In the principal's office of USTC High School, Principal Liu Songlin laughed heartily into his phone.
This time, their school had truly made a name for itself.
Who could have imagined it?
The Nine Provinces Joint Examination had nearly 4.5 million examinees. In scale, it was almost second only to the Gaokao—and the Gaokao only compared students within the same province, not across provinces.
Yet in an examination like this, the first-place student among 4.5 million students had actually come from their school—and was even only a second-year student.
As a result, people from all sides called USTC High School to inquire about the situation.
The person calling Liu Songlin now was the principal of Fei City No. 1 High School.
Among Fei City's "Five Tigers" high schools, No. 1 High School ranked near the top. Upon learning that the first-place student in this joint examination had come from a "friendly school," he naturally made the call.
"Principal Liu, you certainly have good luck to produce such a genius-level student."
"What? Is Principal Chen interested?"
"Of course I am. What, are you willing to introduce him?"
"Ha, feel free to be interested. But as for an introduction, let's forget it!"
Principal Liu laughed loudly.
What a joke. Handing over such a genius student?
What kind of joke was that!
He would put it plainly: "If anyone dares set their sights on this student, I'll raise hell even if the head of the provincial education department comes himself!"
"Aha, don't be so hasty, Principal Liu. I was just saying."
Principal Chen of No. 1 High School gave an awkward laugh, while inwardly cursing.
Damn it!
This year's Gaokao Top Scholar was probably no longer within reach!
"All right, Principal Chen, I have something to handle here. Student Xiao Yi has come to see me, so I'll hang up first."
After putting down his phone, Liu Songlin looked up at the opened office door and saw Luo Penghua enter with Xiao Yi.
"Principal Liu," Luo Penghua called out. Then he lowered his gaze to Xiao Yi, his eyes full of emotion.
Who could have imagined that a month ago, Xiao Yi had merely scored 700 points on their second-year monthly exam, only to tear through the senior-year Nine Provinces Joint Examination a month later?
He had witnessed the rise of a genius with his own eyes.
Liu Songlin rose from his seat and greeted them with a smile. "Student Xiao, you're here. Come, let me have a look at our genius boy."
Xiao Yi respectfully greeted him as well. "Hello, Principal Liu."
Liu Songlin nodded, stepped forward, took Xiao Yi's hand, and gave him a careful once-over. Then he smiled and nodded. "A fine-looking young man indeed. No wonder you're such an extraordinary genius."
Then Principal Liu led him over to sit on the sofa beside them.
"How has your recent studying been... Well, I suppose I don't even need to ask that. It must be going very well."
"Then let me ask something else. Is there anything you need for your studies?"
Xiao Yi paused, then cautiously said, "Um... can I arrange all my time freely from now on?"
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