Protest

Outside Mient Junior Academy.

Anxious parents quickly obtained the latest news online.

"Oh my God, the Imperial Court Cult took over the City Exam and caught a whole bunch of cheaters. I heard all the cheaters were sent to the front lines."

"Ah! No!"

Many parents at the scene instantly broke down, collapsing to the ground and wailing.

Su Yuan was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan. He turned to Zhao Ning and said,

"Wife, what do we do now? The Military Department took over the City Exam. Su Ming won't be in trouble, will he?"

"Shut your jinxing mouth. How could anything happen to Su Ming?"

Although Zhao Ning said that, she was also extremely uneasy, terrified that Su Ming might have cheated in secret as well. If so, it would all be over!

"Right, right, I'm a jinx!"

Su Yuan raised his hand and slapped himself across the mouth.

"That's enough. Just wait patiently."

Zhao Ning took a deep breath and forced herself to wait.

Inside the examination hall, Su Ming returned to his seat after undergoing another security check.

He quietly watched as every student in the entire examination hall finished their security checks one by one.

This security check was extremely thorough. Cheating was basically impossible.

At that moment, Leo walked up to the podium, rudely rapped his knuckles against the desk, and said coldly,

"I'm a blunt man, so I won't beat around the bush. The exam starts now. Do your papers honestly, and don't force me to get rough!"

When the examinees heard Leo announce that they could start, they immediately lowered their heads and began answering their papers. No one dared to entertain any ulterior motives; they had practically been scared witless.

Su Ming also picked up his pen and focused completely on answering the questions.

For a time, the entire examination hall seemed frozen in place. He could not hear the slightest extraneous sound.

Time passed bit by bit.

In the blink of an eye, it was three in the afternoon.

The communication devices of Leo and the others all sounded with instructions. They immediately shouted,

"Put your pens down!"

Not a single student at the scene dared to write even a little more. Some were so frightened that they threw their pens away.

"Collect the papers!"

Leo waved his hand, and the soldiers stepped forward one after another to gather the exam papers and hand them to him.

In front of all the examinees, Leo sealed the papers in a special document pouch and closed it with a special label.

After finishing, he announced to everyone,

"I declare the first examination over."

"Whew~"

"It's finally over."

Inside the classroom, the examinees' taut nerves relaxed, and they slumped in their seats one after another.

"The exam is over. Can we leave now?"

"Yeah, can we go home?"

One student after another stood up.

At that moment, Leo swept over them with a fierce glare. The students who had just stood up obediently sat back down.

"When did I say you could leave? Sit quietly and wait for further notice!"

Leo shouted at the top of his voice.

Every student at the scene hunched their heads down. No one dared to argue.

Just then, several messenger soldiers entered and took the sealed exam papers from Leo.

Su Ming and the others sat quietly in their seats and waited.

Although they were deeply resentful, none of them was stupid enough to provoke trouble.

About five minutes later, Leo and the others received accurate information. They revealed feral grins and shouted at the top of their voices,

"I announce that the second examination, the subsidiary subjects, will begin in half an hour!"

"What? We're taking the subsidiary subjects now?"

"No way! We haven't even eaten. Besides, we just finished the papers, and our heads are still spinning."

"How are we supposed to take the exam like this?"

"Exactly! We protest!"

The students angrily protested.

"Shut up!"

Leo let out a thunderous roar, and everyone present immediately fell silent.

Outside the school, countless parents gathered at the entrance, repeatedly rising onto their tiptoes to peer into the sealed-off grounds.

"That's strange. It's already three o'clock. The exam should have ended by now!"

"No idea."

"Why haven't they opened the gates and let the students out?"

"Could something have gone wrong again?"

Sweat poured from Su Yuan's forehead as he anxiously asked Zhao Ning,

"Wife, why hasn't our son come out yet?"

"I don't know. Stop asking me. I'm already irritated enough. This year has become a complete mess."

Zhao Ning had no idea what was happening either, and she was deeply worried about her son.

Just then, the sealed school gates opened.

"The gates are open!"

Everyone cried out in delight.

However, what happened next poured over their heads like a basin of cold water.

Soldiers clad in Exoskeleton Armor Shell marched out with murderous expressions and immediately cleared the road.

"Move aside! Clear the entire road!"

Although the parents did not know what was happening, they cooperated and made way. Not a single person dared to cause trouble.

The Imperial Court Cult was not a force from the Thirteenth District. They would show absolutely no mercy to anyone who refused to cooperate.

Once everyone had cleared the road, a tremendous rumbling came from the distance.

Then everyone witnessed an astonishing sight: one extended military transport vehicle after another drove over.

When the transport vehicles drew near,

Su Yuan and the others saw that the extended military transport vehicles were hauling black metal cylinders. Brand-new simulation training pods were embedded diagonally across the surfaces of those black metal cylinders.

"This..."

Everyone was too stunned to utter another word.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the military transport vehicles drove into the school one after another. Once every vehicle had entered, the soldiers sealed the school gates again.

"Wait, what are they doing?"

"Exactly!"

The parents excitedly discussed the matter.

At that moment, Principal Luoken came running over with a handkerchief, wiping the fine sweat from his forehead while putting on a smile. He addressed everyone,

"Everyone, please remain calm. I've received definite notice that the subsidiary-subject examination has been moved forward. The students still have to take a second examination now. Don't panic. Once the examination is completely over, the students will be released."

"How can they act this recklessly?"

"They just finished the first examination, and you won't even let them eat or rest before immediately making them take the second one? Isn't this ridiculous?"

"Exactly! We're going to file a complaint!"

Groups of parents angrily berated Principal Luoken.

They did not dare to shout at the fully armed soldiers of the Imperial Court Cult, but venting their anger on Principal Luoken was still perfectly fine.

Looking at the parents who seemed ready to devour him alive, Luoken cursed inwardly. Damn it, I'm not the one who arranged this. If you're angry, take it up with the Imperial Court Cult.

Of course, Luoken could not actually say that. He helplessly tried to placate them.

"I can't do anything either. I'm only a principal. The real decision-making authority lies with the Imperial Court Cult. Everyone, calm down, and whatever you do, don't act irrationally. The people from the Imperial Court Cult are utterly heartless. Quite a few students have already been taken away and sent to the front lines. If you make a scene like this, you might end up—"

As soon as he said this, everyone at the scene fell silent. No one dared to continue shouting.