"You monster, you monster! What the hell are you, human, demon, or some kind of human-demon hybrid? You actually took first place in the assessment? That's completely unscientific."
After the assessment ended, Yang Mao kept howling in misery. He even wanted to crack open Tang Jian's skull to see what kind of structure was inside.
He felt terribly unbalanced. He had always thought this best friend of his was someone he could keep beneath him and trample at will, yet now the serf had risen up and started singing. It gave him the chilling feeling of having his ass blown apart—jealousy, envy, happiness, frustration, all kinds of emotions beyond words.
"Playing the pig to eat the tiger. You really were playing the pig to eat the tiger all along. I'm not surprised at all," the chubby Jia Ling said as he looked at Tang Jian. Though he said that, his eyes held frustration, envy, and a trace of pride.
Students from several classes opposite them kept looking over. When they looked at Tang Jian, they pointed and whispered. Some admired him, some feared him, some envied him, and some were hostile.
"I never expected that guy to be Tang Jian. I didn't even know his name before. If I'd known he was that amazing..."
Hu Lingli from Class Four watched Tang Jian from afar as he stood beside Yang Mao. Her beautiful eyes flickered with surprise and frustration.
Beside her, Gu Du looked as if he wanted to breathe fire at Tang Jian. He was hostile yet wary. Losing to a student from Class Twelve felt unbearably humiliating.
Not just him—Wu Chun, Wang Ba, and the other Rocket Class students were even more furious and embarrassed, their faces burning. However, they were all being lectured by their respective instructors, so they could only glance at Tang Jian, basking in glory from afar, their teeth itching with rage.
"You all performed well this time. Tang Jian, you were excellent!"
Their instructor, Sun Yiying, walked over to Tang Jian and the others, offering encouragement as she smiled and gave Tang Jian a thumbs-up.
Tang Jian gave what appeared to be a shy smile. "Teacher, it's also because you taught me so well. Under your diligent care, I grew strong like a sapling."
"Could you be any more nauseating?" Yang Mao said speechlessly, shuddering.
Liu Kun, who had been feeling somewhat frustrated and conflicted, could not help laughing as well.
Sun Yiying rolled her eyes at Tang Jian. How could she not know how clever this kid was? He was probably hinting about rewards.
She shook her head. "Tang Jian, the points you earned in the first assessment can not only be exchanged for school resource rewards, but you can also transfer some of them to He Chong, Wang Lele, and Jia Ling, who were eliminated this time, allowing them to qualify for the Rocket Class sprint program."
After that, Sun Yiying explained further and mentioned that Vice Principal Zhou Dongbo had rewarded him with a case of Nutritional Express.
"Whoa, a case of Nutritional Express? Is it the eight-bottle pack or the twelve-bottle pack?" Tang Jian asked excitedly.
The Nutritional Express produced by the Solar Energy Group could provide the human body with a great deal of nutrients. It was exactly what he needed after his recent increase in vitality had depleted too much of his potential and left him needing nutritional supplements.
Although this Nutritional Express was not as valuable as Advanced Nutrient Solution or Solar Energy Potion, it still sold for 800 yuan per bottle. Even the smallest case had eight bottles, worth more than six thousand yuan. Tang Jian felt he had really made out.
Yang Mao and the others beside him became even more envious and jealous, howling like wolf cubs.
However, they soon returned to the main topic. Only then did Tang Jian learn that points from the first-floor assessment could be transferred.
The mysterious reward Zhou Dongbo had mentioned was that points could be exchanged for school resources. One point could be exchanged for a bottle of Low-Grade Nutrient Solution or an ordinary Solar Energy Pill, which was roughly one-twentieth as effective as a Solar Energy Potion. Ten points could be exchanged for a full bottle of Solar Energy Potion.
A Solar Energy Potion obtained through school channels probably cost only around twenty thousand Federal Currency, but its market price was undoubtedly much higher.
Throughout the entire assessment, only Tang Jian had earned more than ten points, reaching eleven.
"Tang Jian, your overall assessment result this time has definitely placed you in the top five. The school will reward you with a Solar Energy Potion and ten thousand in cash.
"As for your points, as your instructor, I naturally hope you can contribute to the class, but I certainly won't let you suffer a loss. You currently have eleven points. You only need to transfer nine points to Gao Yang and the other two."
As she spoke, Sun Yiying looked at the three of them. "I assume the three of you can come up with some money to buy points from Tang Jian, right? Two thousand per point. If each of you buys three points, you can join the Rocket Class sprint program."
Jia Ling, He Chong, and Wang Lele all nodded hurriedly before turning to look at Tang Jian.
This still required Tang Jian's agreement.
Tang Jian had no reason to refuse.
This could also be considered a form of preferential support from the school for their ordinary class. As long as someone from their class was powerful enough to rake in points, they could use those points to pull out other classmates who had been eliminated and bring them into the Rocket Class sprint program.
It might be unfair to some people, but there had never been absolute fairness in the world.
Was it fair to ordinary classes when the school funneled resources toward the Rocket Class?
Since someone from an ordinary class could rake in points, they had naturally earned the right to contend with the Rocket Class.
"Teacher, let's go by the normal price. A Solar Energy Pill only sells for around twelve hundred on the market, so let one point be worth twelve hundred."
Tang Jian agreed decisively and even took the initiative to lower the price to twelve hundred.
There was no need to take advantage of fellow students over such a small amount.
Even if he did not sell the points to Jia Ling and the others, exchanging them for Solar Energy Pills would only be worth that much. Their value would not increase.
Besides, other than Low-Grade Nutrient Solution being useful to him, Solar Energy Pills were not even as effective for him as the Red Card Cheater.
Since he was going to do them a favor, he might as well do it properly and make it perfect.
"Good. I knew I hadn't misjudged you." Sun Yiying smiled, dimples appearing on her cheeks as she nodded at Tang Jian.
"Thank you. Thank you."
"Thanks."
Jia Ling, He Chong, and Wang Lele all thanked Tang Jian, their faces filled with excitement and admiration.
"We're classmates. Why be so polite? After we get into university, we'll still need to look out for each other," Tang Jian said with a smile, waving his hand.
He remembered that in his previous life, He Chong had successfully entered the Rocket Class sprint program. Yet this time, He Chong had unexpectedly been eliminated, while Tang Jian had charged his way in instead.
After this incident, Liu Kun and the other students clearly had a changed impression of him.
In their eyes, the formerly inconspicuous Tang Jian had become increasingly confident. He was also generous and easygoing in how he treated people, easy to get along with, making it difficult for anyone to feel distant or resentful toward him.
Even Liu Kun, who had always considered himself the number one student in Senior Year Class Twelve, was now completely convinced by Tang Jian. He admired him greatly and no longer wanted to compete with him.
That afternoon, around dinnertime, Sun Yiying and the school's grade director, Director Hu, came to find Tang Jian and handed him a case of Nutritional Express, the rewarded Solar Energy Potion, ten thousand in cash, and the rest.
"Tang Jian, you're very good. The school is already preparing to train you as one of its seed students. We hope you can get into a prestigious university during the college entrance exams. If you have any problems with your studies, feel free to speak with Teacher Sun."
Director Hu's bald head gleamed, and his round face was slick with oil as he smiled and pulled Tang Jian's hand into a cordial shake.
Tang Jian could even feel the greasy sweat in the director's palm. He felt slightly disgusted, but could only nod and smile politely.
"Oh, right. I heard there's a student in Class Eleven named Xie Dong. He once got some hooligans outside school to cause trouble for you. Don't worry about this matter. The school will immediately handle it seriously.
"Xie Dong has already been sent home to reflect on his actions. If he commits any further excessive disciplinary violations that harm you, he will immediately face the full legal punishment of the judicial authorities!"
Director Hu said sternly.
Tang Jian was stunned and surprised. He glanced at the faintly smiling Sun Yiying and immediately understood.
This was probably the result Teacher Sun had obtained after appealing to the school on his behalf.
No wonder he had not seen Xie Dong during this Interstellar Tower assessment.
So that kid had been directly disciplined and sent home. What a case of trying to steal a chicken and losing the rice instead.
Tang Jian quickly stopped thinking about him.
Originally, he had wanted to find an opportunity to get revenge.
But now that the other party had already been dealt with, it was clearly Sun Yiying's intention. She was probably worried that he might seek revenge on Xie Dong in private, go too far, and cause trouble.
P.S. Bonus chapter—please vote!!!
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