The expert cleared his throat before answering. "This is a hope, the hope of our Hedong Province."
"China is rich in talent. In recent years, some First-Line Bases, especially Jingcheng Base and Modu Base, have seen College Entrance Exam candidates defeat Level 3 Exotic Beasts."
"So of course we hope that our own Hedong Base Province, a place blessed with outstanding people and beautiful scenery, can also produce a prodigy like that in the College Entrance Exam and catch up with the First-Line Bases."
"If, and I mean if, a dark horse like that really appears one year and we haven't prepared any Level 3 Exotic Beasts in advance, wouldn't we make ourselves a laughingstock?" the expert said with a half-joking smile.
It wasn't just the official livestream. At that very moment, the Huaxia Heroes platform was already buzzing with discussion.
"It's starting, it's starting! Everyone, come see my son. He's made it onto the Top Hundred at number ninety!" one candidate's parent called out in the official livestream.
"I'm still betting on Li Ganzhong from the provincial capital's Longcheng No. 5 High School. He's a Sixth-Stage Martial Artist, a cut above the rest. Who can compete with him?"
Experts from various walks of life were also playing armchair analysts in their own livestreams, drawing plenty of viewers as well.
Besides the host, the official livestream for Guanyun City currently showed split-screen feeds of three candidates: Lu Chong, Xiang Yueya, and Xue Cheng, all officially recognized Martial Artists.
They represented Guanyun City's hopes for the year: promising young candidates who could compete with those from other city-level bases.
An elderly man with white hair but a vigorous spirit sat beside the host. He was none other than Wei Jianguo, the principal of First High School.
"Principal Wei, you've taught martial arts and educated students for over thirty years, and you've seen twenty-one cohorts of College Entrance Exam candidates. You must have some unique insights into this year's candidates."
"Could you offer us a rough prediction? Especially about the final scores and rankings of our three candidates from Guanyun City?" the host asked Principal Wei curiously.
Nearly a million people were watching the livestream, and they were commenting below, hoping Principal Wei would make a prediction.
Principal Wei calmly set down his teacup, then looked straight into the camera and declared, "There's no doubt that all three of our candidates from Guanyun City are quite capable. They're certain to make the Top Hundred."
"Old Principal, that's just stating the obvious. Who doesn't know that three officially recognized Martial Artists can make the Top Hundred?" a viewer joked in the comments.
Still, no one cursed out the old principal in the comments. He'd put down roots in Guanyun City for more than thirty years, after all.
They wouldn't dare, and they didn't want to, because most of them had once been his students.
"Haha..." Principal Wei chuckled playfully and stroked his beard. "Just kidding. In fact, I can tell you all with certainty—"
"Our Guanyun City has already claimed this year's Provincial Top Scholar."
Boom...
The comments section erupted. The old principal really had some nerve. Who could possibly be in the running for the province's top spot?
There was no need to mention the other cities at the same level, but his words clearly showed no regard for the provincial capital's base.
After all, of the province's fifty-one Martial Artist candidates, half were from the provincial capital, Longcheng. Among them were several Fifth-Stage Martial Artists and even one Sixth-Stage Martial Artist. What made a little place like Guanyun City think it could compete?
Viewers from other cities had already started stirring up trouble, accusing the old principal of bragging and courting attention.
Even the host beside him awkwardly cut in. "Principal Wei must be joking. But I'm sure everyone can understand; it's only natural for an old principal to have high hopes."
Principal Wei didn't take the hint. Instead, he said solemnly, "I'm not joking. I'd stake my own reputation on it—my prediction is almost certainly right."
"The student I believe can claim the Provincial Top Scholar title is Lu Chong, from our First High School."
Kid, that's all I can do for you. I might be attracting some haters, but at least I can help you build a little more buzz, Principal Wei thought.
But the viewers were growing more and more unsettled. Was Principal Wei really serious?
A Martial Ancestor, and a school principal to boot, was staking his reputation on it in public. This wasn't something to take lightly.
But no one could understand why.
The old principal had their curiosity completely piqued.
No, they had to follow that candidate named Lu Chong and see what was so special about the student the old principal praised so highly.
Some viewers who didn't believe Principal Wei had already clipped the livestream footage and were sharing it everywhere.
"The old principal of Yuncheng First High School makes an outrageous claim, saying his student has the makings of a Provincial Top Scholar."
"Laughable and delusional. A little high school in a Fourth-Line Base City actually thinks it can dominate the whole province."
It took just half an hour for all kinds of comments and mockery to spread across the major platforms in Hedong Province, drawing a huge wave of attention to Lu Chong.
Lu Chong himself had no idea that over a million viewers had poured into his personal livestream. The number had reached three million, and he was about to overtake Xiang Yueya.
However, many of them were only there to doubt him and watch him make a fool of himself.
But once they actually started paying attention to Lu Chong, they couldn't help being shocked.
Was this candidate really that fierce? How had he already made it into the territory of Level 2 Exotic Beasts?
How long had the candidates been in the Hunting Ground? Not even an hour.
Most candidates were still in the territory of Level 1 Exotic Beasts, and many might not get any farther.
Even the candidates who had reached the level of officially recognized Martial Artists had only made it to the territory of Ninth-Stage Level 1 Exotic Beasts, where they were temporarily holding position.
On the one hand, they wanted to explore and adapt to the environment of Taian Hunting Ground. On the other, night was approaching, and they wanted to lie low for the night in a relatively safe area before going deeper.
But what about Lu Chong, now drawing the attention of more than three million people? He didn't stop at all. He charged straight ahead and had already barged into the territory of Level 2 Exotic Beasts.
The Level 1 Exotic Beasts blocking his way couldn't stop him at all. He moved through the dangerous mountain forest as if it were level ground, casually taking care of the Exotic Beasts that ambushed him along the way.
Because Lu Chong never stopped and raced through the area at a glance, he hadn't collected many Positioning Devices. So far, he had only 426 points, barely enough to make the rankings.
But Lu Chong wasn't worried. This was where he belonged.
After reaching the Fourth Stage as a Martial Artist, Lu Chong had long since stopped taking Level 1 Exotic Beasts seriously. Only Level 2 Exotic Beasts could stir his fighting spirit.
And the points awarded for Level 2 Exotic Beasts were in a completely different league from those for Level 1 Exotic Beasts.
A First-Stage Level 2 Exotic Beast was worth five hundred points, a Second-Stage one was worth a thousand, and so on. A Ninth-Stage Level 2 Exotic Beast was worth twelve thousand eight hundred points.
Before he left, the old principal had personally informed him that the Guanyun City Department of Education had promised to multiply his reward money tenfold based on the points he earned in the practical exam.
How could Lu Chong resist such a generous deal?
So no one was going to steal his Exotic Beasts.
No, steal his money.
Before you continue