You Guys Know Nothing, I Have a Cheat!

Luoying City, First High School.

In the classroom of Class 7, Grade 2,

"Li Qingshan, you want to join the Martial Arts Class too?"

A cry of surprise rang out. Several students nearby looked up, their gazes converging on the figure by the window.

Brilliant sunlight spilled in from outside, bathing the young man who was writing with his head bowed. The silhouette of his profile glowed under the golden light.

Li Qingshan stopped his pen, turned his head toward the student who had spoken, and chuckled.

"The Martial Arts Class doesn't have a threshold, so why can't I go?"

The person who spoke faltered. Although the other students looked at him with strange expressions, they turned their attention back to the application forms in their hands, hesitant and undecided.

A sonic boom exploded in the sky outside.

Yet, there was no reaction in the classroom; they seemed accustomed to it.

Only Li Qingshan looked up toward the window.

A ring of white air remained in mid-air as a black humanoid mecha, its body reflecting a metallic sheen, sped away into the distance.

Sky Patrolers, belonging to the Wuyi Province Patrol Bureau, patrolled the skies above every city daily.

"Accustomed to it? This is a mecha!"

Li Qingshan rubbed the application form in his hand, his expression unreadable.

Having transmigrated two years ago, his understanding of this world remained full of contradictions.

Interstellar Era... Crimson Rainbow Starfield... Ziying Star...

Starry sky warships... mecha... Martial Artists...

Astral Beasts... Evil God Cultists... Corruption...

These were merely pale lines of text in textbooks.

That's right, even though it was the Interstellar Era, the teaching on Ziying Star still used paper textbooks.

In two years of living here, he hadn't even seen a single hovercar.

The most sci-fi item Li Qingshan could touch was the projectable communicator on his wrist.

Only the mecha flying past in the sky from time to time and the martial arts he practiced daily reminded him that this was an Interstellar Era.

Mecha!

Martial Artists!

The only two manifestations of those pale lines of text in the textbooks!

"In such a magnificent Interstellar Era, how could I miss out?"

Li Qingshan smiled slightly and continued filling out his application.

On the podium, the homeroom teacher pushed up his glasses, his expression complex.

Every three years, this scene repeated itself, but the path of martial arts was not an easy one to walk.

"Students, although there is no threshold for the Martial Arts Class, I must still offer a reminder."

"Even if you truly enter the Martial Arts Class, those who can make it to the New Continent are few and far between."

"Even setting talent aside, the cost of Nutrient Solution alone is not low. I hope everyone will consider this carefully."

The low voice fell like a bucket of cold water. Most people sighed helplessly and put down their application forms.

Even a few students who were in the middle of filling them out tightened their grip on their pens, their faces showing struggle, before finally stopping in frustration.

The teacher's words were cruel, but they were not wrong.

Ziying Star was divided into two continents: the New Continent and the Old Continent. The continent they were on was the Old Continent.

The New Continent was the center of the planet; only by stepping into the New Continent could one have the chance to touch this vast Interstellar Era.

The New Continent and the Old Continent were separated by a vast ocean, but it was not insurmountable.

Talent was the ticket to the New Continent!

However, the screening for talent had begun long ago.

Among all the students present, from elementary to middle school, one or two classmates were sent to the New Continent almost every year.

And they, who remained here, were undoubtedly the massive denominator left behind after the screening.

Entering the Senior Martial Arts Class and getting into a Martial Arts University on the New Continent could be called their last chance to enter the New Continent.

But rather than an opportunity, it was more of a distant, unreachable wish.

In Wuyi Province, where Luoying City was located, only a handful of students managed to get into a New Continent Martial Arts University each year.

As the students' moods sank, the classroom grew quieter, with only the "rustling" of a few pens sounding particularly jarring.

The students present turned their heads involuntarily, their gazes converging on the three people who hadn't stopped writing.

"Jia Jiang, Zhao Hongzhou... huh? Li Qingshan is going to the Martial Arts Class too?"

At this moment, almost all eyes were cast on Li Qingshan.

"No, on what grounds is Li Qingshan applying for the Martial Arts Class?"

"Exactly. Jia Jiang's family runs a logistics company, so he can do whatever he wants. Zhao Hongzhou's family situation is average, but he's grown stronger over the last two years, so it's normal for him to give it a shot. But Li Qingshan..."

The boy who spoke hesitated and stopped. Someone nearby immediately chimed in:

"Why is it hard to say? Isn't he from a 'Public Rearing Center'? Mentioning 'public rearing' isn't discrimination now."

Public rearing was a product of the declining birth rate in the Interstellar Era.

Public Rearing Centers were where all children came from the Federation Embryo Bank, without fathers or mothers.

Before the age of 15, they all received unified education in the Public Rearing Centers.

After the age of 15, everyone faced a choice.

Continue to follow the arrangements of the Public Rearing Center until they were assigned a job, and sign a work contract for at least ten years.

Or, leave the Public Rearing Center and fend for themselves.

There were two or three students from Public Rearing Centers in almost every class at school; it wasn't rare.

As the words fell, the surrounding students became more open, continuing:

"With a publicly supported background, even if the school waives room, board, and tuition, the Nutrient Solution used for cultivation isn't covered. Without parents to help him, how does Li Qingshan dare to do this?"

"Not necessarily. I heard that after he left the Public Rearing Center, he started working to earn money before he even started high school, and he doesn't live at school either."

"Pfft, how much can a part-time job earn? I'm afraid a month's wages aren't enough for one bottle of Nutrient Solution."

"That's right. If Li Qingshan had talent, he would have been sent to the New Continent back when he was in the Public Rearing Center. Why would he come to our school?"

"No talent, no family support—why bother?"

Many students began to shake their heads and sigh, acting as if they were pointing out the flaws of the world.

With the vast majority of people giving up, abandoning the Martial Arts Class had become the "wise" choice.

And since Li Qingshan's conditions were worse than all of theirs, his "stubbornness" was, of course, the height of folly.

"Li Qingshan..."

On the podium, the homeroom teacher frowned but didn't say anything more.

He had poured cold water earlier only because he didn't want to see too many students exhaust their family's savings and end up with nothing.

The Senior Martial Arts Class was, after all, a strategy set by the Federation and a ticket to the New Continent.

Although the chances were slim, he couldn't forcefully stop them.

"It's just a waste of time anyway. He walked out of the Public Rearing Center, so he probably just wants to apply for the Martial Arts Class, right?"

The thought flashed through his mind, and the teacher shook his head, abandoning the idea of persuading him.

Without family support and without sufficient resources to provide for him, Li Qingshan wouldn't last long even if he got into the Martial Arts Class.

The noisy chatter buzzed in his ears. Li Qingshan frowned slightly, and the pen in his hand paused.

"Huh? Did he figure it out? Is he going to give up?"

"Definitely. After hearing our analysis, even if he's stubborn, he should give up."

Many students were smug, wearing smiles, having finally persuaded a stubborn classmate out of his "unwise" behavior.

A few students who had filled out half their forms and then given up even walked over to Li Qingshan together.

They looked at the application form in Li Qingshan's hand, and the corners of their mouths couldn't help but curl up.

Very good. Although the form was filled out, it hadn't been signed yet.

Yes, they had all given up; on what grounds could Li Qingshan continue to persist?

"Li Qingshan, choosing to give up is the right thing to do. There's nothing to regret."

Someone reached out, patted Li Qingshan on the shoulder, and said earnestly:

"We're all the same. We understand you."

"Brother Shan, don't listen to them. Let's go to the Martial Arts Class and give it a shot together."

A loud, clear voice rang out. Zhao Hongzhou had finished submitting his application and walked over.

"Zhao Hongzhou, if you don't understand, don't talk nonsense!"

"Exactly. You have family assets, so you can give it a shot. Li Qingshan doesn't even have parents; what does he have to fight with?"

"What, can you pay to help him buy Nutrient Solution?"

For a moment, the crowd was agitated, as if Zhao Hongzhou's words had incited "public anger."

"You guys..."

Although Zhao Hongzhou was tall, he still looked boyish, and faced with the accusations of the crowd, he didn't know what to do.

"How come I never noticed you all cared about me so much before?"

Li Qingshan let out a scoff and turned his head to look around, noticing that quite a few people were staring at him.

To be precise, they were staring at the application form in his hand.

They seemed to be waiting for him to crumple up this paper and "blend in with the dust."

It was funny, really.

He had been busy with part-time jobs before, so he was a nobody in class and wasn't particularly close with his classmates.

The only exception was Zhao Hongzhou, with whom he had a better relationship because they occasionally worked together.

He hadn't expected that today, because of a single piece of paper, he would unexpectedly become the "focus" of the entire class.

"What the hell do you guys know!"

Li Qingshan chuckled and picked up his pen to sign his name.

A phantom light screen, visible only to him, unfolded before his eyes.

[Li Qingshan]

[Realm: Body Forging 9/100]

Behind the light screen were faces.

Shock, furrowed brows, pity...

What a display of the many facets of life!