3E Exam

Being summoned by the principal hadn't caused any ripples in Li Lin's life. If he ignored the bet on the Night Watchmen forum that had already climbed to a hundred thousand dollars, his campus routine was even more relaxed and comfortable than it had been before he went abroad.

Not only had his bank card received a full scholarship, but while enjoying the cheap food in the student cafeteria, he could also mooch fancy meals at Amber Hall with his filthy-rich roommate every few days.

Most importantly... Xia Mi had become much more restrained after enrolling. She no longer dragged Li Lin out to fight every day, and he often saw her strolling around campus arm in arm with Su Qian.

Exactly. A sixteen-year-old girl in the bloom of youth should be sightseeing with her equally beautiful best friend after school, not rolling up her sleeves and dragging her childhood friend into some mysterious little room for a real-life round of King of Fighters.

Without any physical education electives, no matter how insane Xia Mi's course schedule was, it only made her classes extremely packed. She still had plenty of free time outside class.

Li Lin had even been idle enough lately to go to Professor Manstein's office and help grade assignments, earning himself some practical course credits.

The course the professor was in charge of this semester was Introduction to Dragon Clan Genealogy, offered to first-year students who had neither graduated from the preparatory program nor majored in literature.

Li Lin earned practical credits helping grade assignments in the professor's office even faster than he could write papers.

Of course, that was also thanks to Manstein deliberately giving him easy points.

Although he oversaw the Disciplinary Committee responsible for maintaining campus order, he was always happy to make things easier for his students academically.

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

Today was the school's officially designated club recruitment day, and classes across the campus had been canceled.

Li Lin and Xia Mi needed to take a qualifying exam arranged especially for them.

Monday.

AM 7:30.

As usual, the alarm Li Lin had set on his phone jolted Caesar awake from his sleep.

The Student Union president, who didn't have a single eight o'clock class all semester, sat up and glowered at the freshman across from him. At last, he made up his mind to buy Li Lin a smartphone that could play alarms through headphones.

What era was this? Who still used a flip phone?

Caesar ran a hand through his messy hair, got out of bed, and began washing up and getting dressed. Since he was already awake, he might as well go to Amber Hall and watch the girls from the dance club practice.

The Student Union was holding a banquet at Amber Hall today to celebrate the start of the new academic year and discuss the election of department officers.

Caesar actually wanted Li Lin to join the Student Union. That way, he could naturally invite Li Lin to move into Amber Hall with him instead of leaving the freshman to live alone in the dormitory.

Leaving the roommate Norma had assigned him in their double room while he ran off to Amber Hall to live a life of luxury... Just imagining it made Caesar feel a little ashamed.

So, just before heading out, Caesar stopped his roommate, who was pressing the elevator button.

"Li Lin, we'll be holding elections for Student Union officers at tonight's banquet. If you're willing to join, you can take any position in any department you like. Or I can recommend you as vice president."

"That sounds like too much trouble. Besides, I heard joining the Student Union means you have to run naked on the back hill."

The rejection in his words was already obvious.

Caesar counted clearly: this was the seventh time Li Lin had rejected him. Kakarot had already started summoning Shenron to make a wish after collecting seven Dragon Balls, yet Caesar had bought the four-year usage rights to Amber Hall and was still squatting in the student dorm with Li Lin, smelling Lao Gan Ma and instant noodles drifting in from the hallway.

The more he thought about it, the more annoyed Caesar became.

And the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got.

So, not long after Li Lin left the dormitory to take the 3E Exam, he spotted the Bugatti Veyron parked at the end of the tree-lined road.

Caesar rolled down the window and gestured for Li Lin to get in. "I'll give you a ride."

Li Lin readily opened the door and got into the back seat. He also smoothly changed how he addressed the young master, from "Senior Caesar" to the "Boss Caesar" used by most students who knew him.

"Boss, if I remember right, the academic building isn't on the way to Amber Hall, is it?"

"I know. I just wanted to ask you something while we were at it."

"Uh, this wouldn't happen to be about inviting me into the Student Union again, would it?"

"You guessed right." Caesar snapped his fingers. "You know, there usually isn't much I can't get for myself."

"But I'm not interested in being someone else's lackey."

"I've told you many times already. As long as you join the Student Union, you'll be my right-hand man and the next Student Union president. I heard the Lionheart Society recruited several very talented freshmen this semester. Once I graduate, you'll have to deal with them."

Caesar drove while looking at Li Lin through the rearview mirror.

"I have great faith in the school's judgment. You might turn out to be an outstanding talent just like me. And you're only sixteen. Maybe you could apply to stay at the school for another two years. By then, all of Kassel would treat you like a king."

"That sounds like a modern-day king picking his heir."

Li Lin couldn't help mocking him.

But those words made Caesar's eyes light up. He considered himself the finest hybrid in existence, so the next Student Union president to inherit his throne absolutely couldn't be some mediocre nobody.

The vast territory he had led the Student Union to seize from the Lionheart Society couldn't be ruined just like that.

"That's not a bad way to put it. You can enter this year's beauty pageant. If you see any beautiful girl you like, just invite her into your club. As long as I'm still at this school, I'll cover all the expenses you need for dates and hotel rooms. If you want to eat at any high-end restaurant, I can make the reservation for you."

Caesar grandly honked the horn, making several students who were slowly eating breakfast as they walked move out of the way.

"Have you already started treating me like the crown prince?" Li Lin finally couldn't hold it in anymore. Since things had come to this, he could only tell the truth.

"Boss, since you've put it that way, I actually am pretty tempted."

"Oh?"

Caesar raised an eyebrow, knowing there was more to Li Lin's words.

"But it really isn't convenient for me to become someone else's subordinate. It's just... uh, we might both get beaten up."

"What do you mean?"

Caesar stopped the car at the entrance of the academic building and asked Li Lin with a deep frown.

"Xia Mi has wanted me to be her lackey since elementary school, but I still haven't agreed. That's why she drags me out to fight after school every day. Even though your bloodline is A-rank, we can't use Word Spirits on campus. I don't think either of us is tougher than a carbon-fiber knife, are we?"

Caesar waved a hand and spoke as if he couldn't care less.

"Then let her come at us. I, Caesar Gattuso, have never been inferior to anyone in my life. As for you... report to the Student Union office tonight."

"Can I ask one more thing, Boss? How are you planning to beat Xia Mi...?"

"Why would I fight Xia Mi?"

"Huh?"

"First, I don't want to fight women. Second, Xia Mi wanting to make you her lackey doesn't conflict with my goal. I only want you to join the Student Union. If she's willing to join too, then at worst, the two of you can switch positions in the department later."

There was a carefree air about Caesar as he spoke, as though all the heroes of the world had already fallen into his grasp.

"If only it could really go that smoothly."

Li Lin sighed, opened the car door, and headed toward the academic building.

Caesar waved to him from behind. "Good luck on the exam! I hope tonight at Amber Hall, I'll hear Fingel howling, 'Breaking news! Li Lin is actually an S!'"

"That'd be way too cruel."

Li Lin quickened his pace and entered the building.

The entire building had been cleared out for him and Xia Mi today. Their examination room was in the largest screening room.

Manstein was waiting for them at the entrance. "If you're ready, you can go in. The principal said he'd sharpen your pencils himself."

"Such an honor!"

Xia Mi arrived at the examination room a little later. Hearing Manstein say that, the girl immediately put on an overwhelmed expression.

But when she stood on tiptoe and looked through the window at the two lone desks and chairs in the empty screening room, as well as the old man pacing back and forth with a folding knife in hand, her expression instantly fell.