Results Announced! Jiangnan Provincial Top Scorer!

Over the past several decades, Jiangnan Provincial Top Scorers had generally come from Ning'an City, the provincial capital of Jiangnan Province.

Or from relatively affluent cities near Ning'an City.

Of course, that was perfectly normal. After all, literature favored the poor, while martial arts favored the rich.

Those who could afford to live in such cities generally had some family assets, and the descendants they raised were exceptionally strong as well.

The eventual Provincial Top Scorers, much like those in the capital Qingjing City, all possessed A-Rank Abilities and First-Order High-Rank strength.

But now, not only had Jiangnan Province's Provincial Top Scorer not come from any of the cities familiar to the teachers from Modu Metahuman University—

He was not even a Metahuman, merely an awakened individual. His ability was even the second-lowest E-rank metahuman ability.

Who would dare believe that?!

Thus, when Xu Jingming's information reached the many teachers, their first reaction was disbelief.

"An awakened individual can become a Provincial Top Scorer? Could there have been some mistake?"

"Could the information have been collected incorrectly? Maybe it was gathered for someone with the same name?"

"Huh, that's possible."

"..."

Every Martial Arts College Entrance Examination candidate's results underwent professional review by the National Education Bureau.

No one doubted the authenticity of the scores. They merely suspected that the information had been collected incorrectly and attached to someone with the same name.

But with Modu Metahuman University's information-gathering capabilities, it should have been impossible for them to make such a basic mistake as confusing people.

"Eva's information is correct!"

As if it had sensed the doubt cast upon it, an especially adorable ball of light was projected into the room through Holographic Projection. There was even a distinctly humanlike angry expression on its surface.

It was Eva, the Artificial Intelligence responsible for information collection and management throughout Modu Metahuman University.

"Eva is the highest-level Artificial Intelligence. It would never make such a low-level mistake. There may have been an issue with Xu Jingming's information from the moment it was entered into the database."

The slightly plump middle-aged man waved a hand. "Won't everything be clear once we watch his Martial Arts College Entrance Examination Video? Eva, open Xu Jingming's college entrance examination video."

"Understood, Director."

Only after the Director's reassurance did the angry expression on Eva's light sphere disappear.

At the same time, Xu Jingming's figure was projected above the center of the round table.

The footage began with the scene of him entering the Innermost Core Area and facing numerous First-Order High-Level Ferocious Beasts and Second-Order Ferocious Beasts.

"Huh, he actually uses a spear as his weapon. That's rather rare."

A teacher's eyes lit up as he watched the upright figure carrying a spear on his back.

Among the dozen or so Provincial Top Scorers before him, nearly all had used either longswords or broadswords.

This was the first time someone using a spear had appeared.

"A spear is even harder to master than a sword or saber."

Another teacher nodded slightly.

Although Xu Jingming's weapon had drawn the teachers' attention, they had not forgotten their main purpose.

They needed to confirm Xu Jingming's ability and rank.

His ability had not yet been displayed, so it could not be identified. His rank, however, was easy to determine.

There was a fundamental difference between Metahumans and awakened individuals: their aura!

Although Xu Jingming's aura in the footage was sharp, none of the admissions teachers present detected the characteristics of a Metahuman.

"So Xu Jingming really is an awakened individual?!"

After repeatedly confirming it, every teacher present was stunned.

What did it mean for an awakened individual to become a Provincial Top Scorer?

Nothing like this had happened in decades!

Then, the battle in the Holographic Projection began.

When Xu Jingming unleashed Purple Heaven Divine Lightning and slaughtered numerous First-Order High-Level Ferocious Beasts, the teachers were left utterly dumbfounded.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! This is definitely not an E-rank metahuman ability!"

"With this power, it's at least A-Rank! How could it be an E-rank Weak Electric Ability?!"

"What are those people responsible for registering abilities doing? How could they get something like this wrong?"

"..."

The experienced admissions teachers immediately noticed something wrong with the power of Xu Jingming's ability. Zhang Chaoyang, the Director of Admissions Office at the front, narrowed his eyes and ordered:

"Eva, analyze Xu Jingming's ability rank."

Abilities needed to be tested with specialized equipment before their rank and type could be confirmed.

However, a high-level Artificial Intelligence could still produce a fairly accurate analysis.

"Xu Jingming's ability belongs to the Lightning Type within the Natural Type. Due to the inability to collect elemental information from the air, analysis can only be conducted based on the video footage.

"There is a 4% probability that Xu Jingming's ability is B-Rank.

"A 10% probability of A-Rank, an 83% probability of S-rank metahuman ability, a 1% probability of SS-rank, and a 0% probability of SSS-rank."

Artificial Intelligence Eva swiftly produced its analysis. Upon receiving the conclusion, Director of Admissions Office Zhang Chaoyang's pupils contracted sharply.

"The probability of S-rank... is 83%?"

As a high-level Artificial Intelligence, Eva's judgments were almost never wrong.

An 83% probability was practically enough to confirm that Xu Jingming's ability was S-rank!

"S-rank??!!"

Every teacher present began breathing rapidly.

What did S-rank mean?

Once it matured, it would become an absolute top-tier combat force!

And in the current Great Xia Country, no awakened individual with an S-rank metahuman ability had appeared in three or four years!

At that moment, Xu Jingming in the Holographic Projection ended the Second-Order Bloodthirsty Tyrant Bear's life with a single spear thrust, in an incomparably violent fashion.

"An ability suspected to be S-rank, coupled with such formidable combat prowess—Xu Jingming deserves his title as Provincial Top Scorer!"

Zhang Chaoyang, the Director of Admissions Office at the front, let out a long breath. After pondering for a moment, he said gravely, "Xu Jingming will be assigned an S+ Rank special admission slot. We must recruit him at all costs!"

"S+ Rank special admission slot!"

"It's been many years since we used this level of special admission, hasn't it?"

"With an S+ Rank special admission, it looks like we'll have to offer something valuable."

"Director Zhang, I went to Jiangnan Province for special admissions last year. How about I go again this time?"

"Director, I want to go to Jiangnan for special admissions too!"

"..."

The S+ Rank special admission slot, combined with his nearly confirmed S-rank metahuman ability, instantly made Xu Jingming highly sought-after.

Many teachers clamored to make the trip to Jiangnan Province for the special admission.

However, Zhang Chaoyang, the Director of Admissions Office at the front, shook his head. "None of you need to go. I'll make this trip personally."

"If the Director goes himself, then it's settled."

Although the other teachers were somewhat disappointed, Zhang Chaoyang was a Fifth-Order Metahuman of the Mental Type.

Having personally recruited many students of boundless potential into Modu Metahuman University, Director Zhang Chaoyang was indeed the safest choice for this trip.

"S-rank ability... Xu Jingming, I hope you won't disappoint me..."

Staring at the upright figure in the Holographic Projection, Director Zhang Chaoyang could not help murmuring softly.

June 12th, the fifth day after the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination ended.

"Jingming, don't be anxious. The results will be out by today at the latest."

"Principal, I know. I'm not anxious."

"Good, good. It's good that you're not anxious. I'm just worried that young people like you might be too impatient..."

"..."

Xu Jingming was walking through the residential complex. After talking for quite a while, he finally managed to end the call from the Principal.

Good grief. Every one of them tells me not to be anxious, but they're more anxious than anyone else.

Xu Jingming could not help shaking his head.

During the days he had spent waiting for the rankings to be released, he had received more than one call from his homeroom teacher, the Principal, and even the Education Bureau Director.

The meaning behind their words had always been for him not to be anxious, that the rankings would be released sooner or later.

Yet they did not sound unhurried at all. They practically wished the scores and rankings had been announced the day after the college entrance examination ended.

Of course,

Xu Jingming understood.

After all, Jiangcheng desperately needed an opportunity to prove itself.

"But it's already the fifth day. The results should be released by now, right?"

Just as Xu Jingming muttered to himself, a notification chime sounded.

He took out his phone, unlocked the screen, and checked the text message:

'Xu Jingming, candidate from Jiang City Second High School: the Jiangnan Province Martial Arts College Entrance Examination Ranking has been released. Please check it promptly.'

A website link followed beneath the message.

"The college entrance examination rankings are out!"

Xu Jingming's eyes lit up, and he tapped the link without hesitation.

A document densely filled with the scores and rankings of every candidate in the province immediately appeared on his phone.

Xu Jingming looked directly at the first line of the document:

'Jiangnan Province First Place: Xu Jingming (Jiang City Second High School). Total Score: 11,124 points.'

"First place! Jiangnan Provincial Top Scorer!! I did it!"

At that moment, even Xu Jingming, normally so calm and detached, could not help revealing a delighted expression as he excitedly punched the air.