Verification

"Do you want to go to the Martial Arts Academy?" Zhou Zhengxiong and Qin Fengying were both surprised and taken aback by Xiao Wang's words, while also feeling somewhat troubled.

"Wang, how about we play it safe and go to a vocational skills school instead? Look at your uncle and me—we're doing pretty well, aren't we?"

In Mount Yuan City, students generally had four good paths after graduating from high school.

The first was for those with outstanding academic grades to attend a traditional university. After graduation, they could become doctors, teachers, and so on. The best among them could even become Federation employees or join the research institutes of the three major conglomerates in the inner city, gaining a chance to enter the inner city.

The second was to attend a vocational skills school. After graduation, they could enter the underground factories in Mount Yuan City's inner city. Though they were called inner-city underground factories, their exits opened into the outer city, so they were actually considered part of the outer city. The work was not as good as being a teacher, doctor, or Federation employee, but it was relatively stable. This was the choice of most outer-city residents. Zhou Zhengxiong and Qin Fengying had taken this path, but it offered almost no chance of entering the inner city.

The third was to attend a military police school, with the chance to join the Constabulary or the Federation military after graduation.

As the Federation's sole armed institution responsible for security in the outer city, the Constabulary could not enter the inner city, but within the outer city, its members were firmly part of the upper-middle class.

As for the Federation military, Mount Yuan City was located on the front line against the rebels, where firefights broke out from time to time. Thus, outer-city residents who enlisted were almost always sent to the front lines, where casualties occurred frequently. Only a very small number could enter the inner city through the Federation military's channels.

The Federation soldiers Xiao Wang had seen atop the inner-city wall were almost all children of inner-city residents. They were inner-city people themselves.

The fourth was to attend the Martial Arts Academy. Before firearms became mainstream, martial arts students had been the primary source of recruits for the Constabulary and Federation military. But firearms had surged in prominence and were now evenly matched with martial arts. Many believed martial arts was bound to decline, while firearms were the true path of the future. It was only because a dying camel was still bigger than a horse that enrollment competition at Mount Yuan Martial Arts Academy remained fierce.

Among these four types of schools, military police schools had the cheapest tuition, as they were basically funded by the Federation. But because their students had to go to the front lines of war, most applicants came from poor families.

Traditional universities were also relatively cheap, and they offered the only scholarships provided by the three major conglomerates. They were considered the most cost-effective choice, but not everyone could attend. Those who could get into traditional universities were almost all at the very top in academic subjects.

Next came vocational skills schools, whose tuition was moderate. If graduates could enter the inner-city underground factories, their salaries would not compare to those of traditional university graduates, but they would still be relatively stable.

Martial Arts Academy tuition was the most expensive. Before firearms became mainstream, it had been even more expensive. Though it had gone down somewhat now, it was still beyond the means of ordinary families.

More importantly, martial arts required talent. Having money did not necessarily mean one could attend.

"Uncle, Auntie, I've already decided. I'm going to the Martial Arts Academy." Xiao Wang naturally knew what his adoptive parents were worried about, and added, "Uncle, Auntie, you don't need to worry about the tuition. I'll find a way myself."

Hearing Xiao Wang's words, Zhou Zhengxiong and Qin Fengying exchanged looks but said nothing.

If Xiao Wang insisted on attending the Martial Arts Academy, they truly could not afford it.

Their salaries could not bear the cost of the Martial Arts Academy. Back when they adopted Xiao Wang, it had also been a helpless decision forced by financial hardship.

The Federation had a rule: anyone who had no children before the age of twenty-eight would have half their salary deducted as tax. This was meant to encourage childbirth and ensure sufficient population growth, labor, and military recruits.

Those who adopted orphans, however, were exempt.

Zhou Zhengxiong and Qin Fengying had still had no children by the time they turned thirty. After doing the math, they adopted Xiao Wang. Yet just a few years after adopting him, they had their younger son, Zhou Xuanyu.

In the years since Zhou Xuanyu's birth, Qin Fengying had no choice but to quit her job and stay home to care for him. Just like that, the burden of supporting the family had fallen entirely on Zhou Zhengxiong.

The family's finances became even tighter.

"Wang, logically speaking, we should support you no matter what, but..."

"Auntie, don't say any more. I understand. I've already been very grateful to you and Uncle for all these years. I really will find a way to pay for the Martial Arts Academy myself."

Zhou Zhengxiong chewed his bread in silence. After a long while, he finally asked, "Martial arts requires talent. Have you been tested?"

"Not yet. If I'm not suited for it, I'll go to a vocational skills school."

Xiao Wang truly had not been tested yet, but he was not completely without confidence. His former self had begun preparing long ago. Otherwise, he would not have dared to kill an enemy from the Constabulary on his own.

After all, Constabulary personnel came from either the Martial Arts Academy or military police schools. Neither was easy to provoke, and the Constabulary was equipped with firearms.

"Go get tested first. I'll think of a way to deal with the money." Zhou Zhengxiong spoke quietly after listening.

Xiao Wang said nothing more. He knew that no matter how often he said they did not need to, his adoptive parents would still do everything they could to raise money for him.

What they did not know was that Xiao Wang had no way back. He had to enter the Martial Arts Academy.

The family ate breakfast as broadcasts continued to play over the radio.

"Blessed Life Pharmaceutical Group has developed a new genetic drug and is recruiting test subjects. Those interested may register at Hall No. 43, Happy Sky Road."

"A gang fight broke out on Xiabao Road in the outer city last night. The Constabulary arrived in time, killing five and arresting seven. One suspect remains at large. The fugitive is approximately 1.7 meters tall and weighs around seventy kilograms... His left cheek was wounded by a bullet. Citizens are urged to provide any leads."

"At seven this morning, a rebel spy attempted to infiltrate an inner-city underground factory and steal confidential information, but was captured on the spot."

Xiao Wang ate breakfast while listening to the radio. When he heard the first report, he paused, then silently memorized the address mentioned in the broadcast.

When he heard the third report, his entire body tensed. He did not know whether he now counted as a rebel spy as well.

But the next report seized his full attention even more.

"Early this morning, a murder occurred on Cloudpool Road. The victim was a Constabulary employee. According to reports, the scene was extremely gruesome. The cause of death is currently unknown, and the killer remains at large."

After hearing this, Zhou Zhengxiong sighed. "Things are getting more and more chaotic. People even dare to kill Constabulary officers now. Be more careful when you go out from now on."

"Got it," Xiao Wang answered calmly.

He did not know how Aries had handled the scene, but judging from the news report, he should be safe for the time being.

After breakfast, Zhou Zhengxiong left for work while Xiao Wang headed to school.

After going downstairs, Xiao Wang did not rush straight to school. Instead, he found a small shop and asked the owner for a bottle of medical disinfecting alcohol.

The owner was an acquaintance.

"Xiao Wang, are you injured?"

"No. I bought it to drink."

The owner: ???

Ignoring the owner's startled, suspicious gaze, Xiao Wang found an empty corner and chugged the entire bottle.

He wanted to test the effect of the bead in his mind—to see whether it was truly as he had guessed and could absorb harm to his body.

Of course, he had calculated it as well. If he was wrong, he should be able to reach the hospital within ten minutes.

After Xiao Wang drank the alcohol, he had been ready to endure agonizing stomach pain. Yet ten minutes passed without the slightest reaction.

Instead, the bead in his mind kept deepening in color.

"Looks like I was right. This bead really can absorb damage."