Don't You Have Anything to Say?

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Dreaming.

I had to be dreaming.

Whether it was the provincial top hundred inside the secret realm or the spectators at the various examination sites outside,

at that moment, everyone felt as if they were dreaming.

The news was like a massive boulder crashing into the sea, sending up towering waves.

"Did King Yama Zhou read the rankings wrong?"

"Yeah, how could Zhu Yaoguang possibly be in second place..."

Outside the secret realm.

The first thing countless students did after recovering from their shock was assume King Yama Zhou had made a mistake.

Who was Zhu Yaoguang?

A genius girl who often appeared in the papers.

She had taken part in numerous intercollegiate competitions and won the championship every time.

With white hair and red eyes, she was cool and aloof—the dream girl of countless boys.

She was also a role model countless girls aspired to become.

Back when Zhu Yaoguang was a freshman, influential figures in Nanzhou Province had declared:

"Three years from now, Zhu Yaoguang will surely top the Nanzhou Province Trial Ranking!"

In fact,

for Zhu Yaoguang, taking part in this Job Transfer Trial was entirely optional.

Her past achievements had already earned her guaranteed admission to several Key Combat Academies.

Those academies would have been delighted to let her skip her senior year of high school and enroll directly to pursue advanced studies.

But Zhu Yaoguang didn't want to stand out too much, and she also wanted to experience a little of high school life.

That was why she had entered this nationwide Job Transfer Trial Entrance Examination.

Everyone had believed that Zhu Yaoguang would top the Nanzhou Province Trial Ranking. It had seemed all but certain.

But now, even as everyone reeled in shock, they couldn't help wondering who had taken first place.

Who could possibly have beaten Zhu Yaoguang?

"I really didn't expect the famous Zhu Yaoguang to place second in the National Job Transfer Trial."

On the podium at City No. 1 High School,

one principal couldn't help shaking his head with a wry smile.

As a rising star in Nanzhou Province, Zhu Yaoguang had naturally attracted plenty of attention.

Every school's principal kept a close eye on her.

The reason was simple.

What if Zhu Yaoguang wanted to transfer schools?

It had happened before.

At the end of her freshman year, Zhu Yaoguang had transferred.

Her reason had been: This school is too boring.

As a result, countless principals had flocked to Zhu Yaoguang's home, eager to persuade her parents to send her to their schools.

They had even thumped their chests and promised her the best treatment.

"Old Zhong, do you think Sun Ze might have taken first place?" another principal asked.

"Impossible. You're overthinking it."

Zhong Wenshan immediately shook his head. "I know my own students and what they're capable of. I'm already satisfied that Sun Ze made the provincial top hundred. No matter how good he is, he can't be better than Zhu Yaoguang."

The other principals nodded, clearly agreeing with Zhong Wenshan.

If Zhong Wenshan had actually said Sun Ze might have taken first place, they would have laughed at him.

They would have laughed at his wild imagination.

Compared with the shock and commotion outside,

the plaza inside the secret realm

was unusually quiet.

Every prodigy's face wore the same expression: blank shock.

The announcement had been so overwhelming that the prodigies couldn't recover from it.

"How could Yaoguang be surpassed..."

Huang Bo murmured to himself.

In his heart, she was perfect.

She was also the goddess he pursued.

And now, someone had beaten her?

He couldn't quite accept it.

Zhu Yaoguang's eyebrows were as white as snow.

She furrowed them slightly, her radiant red eyes sweeping across the plaza.

At last, they settled on Ling Zhan, who had taken out a second biscuit and was slowly eating it.

Could it be him?

The thought surfaced in Zhu Yaoguang's mind.

But she gave a slight shake of her head and dismissed it.

No matter what, he was only a Jobless Freelancer.

How could a Jobless Freelancer surpass her?

If it wasn't him, then who was it?

After all, before she entered the plaza, Ling Zhan had been the only one there.

So,

she raised her head and fixed her bright red eyes on King Yama Zhou.

The prodigies all shook off their stunned expressions. One by one, their eyes, brimming with curiosity, fixed on King Yama Zhou.

Even King Yama Zhou, a mighty figure in his own right, felt uneasy under the children's stares.

He knew the announcement had been far too shocking.

It wasn't just the children.

When he, the person in charge of the Job Transfer Trial, had learned of the rankings,

his own heart had been swept up in a tumultuous storm.

Thinking of the identity of the person in first place, King Yama Zhou couldn't help feeling a surge of anticipation.

This was the first case of its kind in history!

And it had happened at the examination site under his supervision!

Whoosh.

King Yama Zhou slowly let out a breath, then spoke in a solemn voice:

"I believe you're all shocked by these rankings, but the next announcement will shock you even more!"

"First place in the province—and the champion of this Nanzhou Province Trial Ranking—is Ling Zhan!"

"His class is Jobless Freelancer, and his completion time was exactly four hours and fifty-six minutes!"

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Everyone felt as if a giant log had slammed into a massive bell inside their heads.

The ringing wouldn't stop!

Sun Ze's ears were actually ringing.

At that moment,

whether outside or inside the secret realm plaza,

everyone felt their blood pressure rising. They were so overwhelmed they nearly rolled their eyes and foamed at the mouth.

Su Rou, who had been standing elegantly and conducting herself with perfect courtesy,

now had her little mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a duck egg.

Bai Wushuang simply lay down on the spot, his eyes dull as he muttered, "This has to be a dream. This has to be a dream..."

The junior students had stopped cheering.

Their faces were frozen as if encased in snow that had lain for ten thousand years.

On the podium,

Zhong Wenshan's hand was frozen as he lifted his teacup, as if time had stopped.

The other principals' expressions had gone stiff too, like wooden carvings.

What was going on?

What on earth was going on?

He was a Jobless Freelancer!

How had he become Nanzhou Province's top scorer?!

Countless people screamed inwardly.

Yet,

when the screen turned to that figure,

he had just finished his second biscuit, cheeks puffed out, wearing the honest, good-natured look of a decent fellow.

He wiped his hands, gulped down the biscuit in his mouth, then started choking because it was too dry. He quickly pulled a bottle of water from the bulging pack on his back.

He took a few big gulps.

Then he wiped his mouth.

He turned to King Yama Zhou. "Teacher Zhou, is the announcement over? If it is, can I go home now?"

Everyone: "..."

Whoosh!

Sun Ze, standing beside Ling Zhan, grabbed him by both shoulders.

He stared at Ling Zhan as if he could eat him alive!

All the prodigies around them were staring at Ling Zhan as if they had seen a ghost.

"You..."

Sun Ze had so much he wanted to say, so many complaints to air.

But in the end, only one faint question came out:

"You... don't you have anything to say?"