This Isn't Fair!

As Lin Xuan rejoiced at the rapidly rising advancement progress of Toddling, some of the candidates finally could no longer hold back and voiced their doubts:

"Teacher, this isn't fair!"

Vice Dean Pei, who was walking at the front, stopped immediately upon hearing the objection. He turned to look at the candidate and asked:

"Oh? How is it unfair?"

"In the first test, those Martial Artists already had an advantage. Now they have an advantage again. Teacher, you can't favor them just because you're a Martial Artist, can you?" the candidate said indignantly.

Vice Dean Pei did not get angry. He merely asked calmly, "What reason do you have to think I'm deliberately favoring Martial Artists?"

The candidate continued, "Isn't it obvious? The first test looked fair, but Martial Artists naturally have stronger willpower than those on other paths. I dare say that among those eliminated just now, there were definitely people stronger than the Martial Artists who remained, yet they were still eliminated!"

Vice Dean Pei said blandly, "The assessment standard was never strength. If it were that simple, why not just have everyone fight in an arena? The Spark Program wants true geniuses, not weak-willed cowards."

The candidate was immediately rendered speechless, while Vice Dean Pei continued, "And who told you this was a test of physical strength?"

"Isn't it?" the candidate asked in astonishment.

"I only told you to keep up with me. When did I ever say that every one of you could only rely on physical strength to do so?"

Vice Dean Pei pointed to the candidate's rear left. "You don't use your brain when doing things, so you assume everyone else is just as thoughtless as you?"

The candidate immediately looked in the direction Vice Dean Pei indicated and saw that beneath one candidate's feet, several mechanical tentacles like spider legs had appeared at some point, carrying that candidate along behind them.

When the candidate who had questioned Vice Dean Pei looked at him, the man even smiled and waved at him.

"I..."

The candidate who had raised the objection turned pale. He had realized that he had trapped himself in a dead end, yet he had even accused Vice Dean Pei, the chief examiner, of showing favoritism.

"For a true genius, willpower is important, and so is intelligence... but more importantly, one must learn humility."

Vice Dean Pei said unhurriedly, "Even if you could not think of this yourself, you only needed to look back to discover that someone had already realized it. All you had to do was learn from them, but you chose not to."

The candidate who had objected lowered his head. His lips trembled slightly, but though he wanted to say something, he could not utter a word.

After a moment, he finally raised his hand and said:

"I withdraw—"

Vice Dean Pei's expression grew even more disappointed. He shook his head and continued climbing upward.

The other candidates followed after him, leaving only the candidate who had withdrawn behind. Before long, staff members came to take him away.

This sudden little incident did not affect the ongoing test.

Even though the candidates had each displayed their own abilities and used every trick at their disposal, some still could not keep up with the main group.

Hua Yiren was one of them.

As soon as she had realized that they could use their own methods to keep up, she had already used her Divine Gift.

Her Divine Gift seemed to let her control plants to a certain extent.

However, such a Divine Gift was clearly not very useful in the current situation. The only help it gave her was rapidly catalyzing two seeds into two sturdy vine crutches, making things a little less exhausting for her.

But this was clearly only a temporary solution. It had helped her hold on for less than ten extra minutes before she was about to collapse again.

"Sister Yiren, are you alright?"

Xing Yan noticed Hua Yiren's pale lips and hurriedly asked.

"You two go on ahead. I think this is as far as I can make it." Hua Yiren gave Lin Xuan and Xing Yan a strained smile.

Lin Xuan reacted a beat slower than Xing Yan because he was still immersed in the rapidly growing progress bar for Toddling.

It was not until Xing Yan spoke that he noticed Hua Yiren could no longer hold on.

He had a fairly good impression of Hua Yiren, especially since when Li Xin had asked the other three to look after him, Hua Yiren had been the most sincere in her response.

Seeing that Hua Yiren could not keep going, he smiled. "Sister Yiren, can you turn these two vines into ropes? I'll pull you along."

"No, it's nothing if I get eliminated. But if I drag you down and get you eliminated too, I really won't be able to face anyone." Hua Yiren hurriedly refused.

"Don't underestimate people, Sister Yiren. If you really feel bad about it, then just help me later with something I'm not good at," Lin Xuan said.

"But... can we really do that?" Hua Yiren hesitated.

She could indeed see that Lin Xuan was not tired in the slightest. He clearly still had plenty of strength left and was not merely putting on a brave face.

But in a test like this, would asking someone for help not count as cheating?

"Trust me, Sister Yiren. It'll be fine." Lin Xuan flashed a brilliant smile.

"I'm in too. If we get eliminated, the three of us will go home together!" Xing Yan was moved by Lin Xuan's words and immediately made his decision.

Seeing that Hua Yiren was still hesitating, Lin Xuan played his trump card. "Sister Yiren, if you keep delaying, all three of us will be eliminated right away."

Lin Xuan pointed behind them, indicating that the main group had already gone quite a distance ahead.

Only then did Hua Yiren stop hesitating. A faint green glow appeared around the hands gripping the two vine crutches.

Very quickly, the two crutches softened.

Lin Xuan and Xing Yan each wrapped one vine around a hand, then pulled Hua Yiren along as they quickly caught up with the main group.

The others also noticed what the three were doing. Immediately, candidates whose strength was nearly exhausted began asking their companions for help as well.

Candidate A: "Give me a hand, Brother Wang. If we run into trouble later, I promise I'll help you too."

Candidate B: "Can you guarantee that if I help you, I won't be eliminated for breaking the rules?"

Candidate A: "But weren't they not eliminated either?"

Candidate B: "They just haven't been eliminated yet. That doesn't mean there definitely won't be consequences in the end. You should just keep trying on your own."

Candidate A: "You! You're ruthless... Fine, then you can stay here and keep me company!"

The two started fighting outright after a single disagreement.

The candidate who had asked for help already knew he could not keep going. At worst, he would only be eliminated.

Seeing that there was no help to be found, he simply threw caution to the wind!

The candidate being asked for help dealt with him in shock and fury, while looking toward Vice Dean Pei in hopes that he would intervene.

But unfortunately, Vice Dean Pei did not even turn his head. He continued climbing upward without pause.

There were several more incidents like this, instantly sending more than ten people out of the competition.

Meanwhile, Lin Xuan's group of three, along with the other candidates inspired by them who had also chosen to help their companions, suffered no consequences whatsoever.

At the same time, a long-awaited system prompt finally appeared in Lin Xuan's mind:

"Talent Toddling has met the advancement requirements. Advance?"