What's with These Two Boys? (13)

What's with These Two Boys? (13)

Every scene that unfolded on the spiral staircase and in the barren land was captured by the aerial cameras following the candidates and displayed before Li Xin and the others.

Unlike the candidates, Li Xin and the others had recognized the tower as the Old Earth Oddity, the Unfixed High Tower, the moment they first saw it.

Of course, they knew nothing about the assessment itself either.

After all, the candidates inside were all young geniuses they had recommended. If they knew in advance, it would truly count as leaking the questions.

However, even without knowing the assessment content beforehand, when they saw Vice Dean Pei lead the candidates onto the Unfixed High Tower's spiral staircase, they could more or less guess what this stage was about.

One of the main functions of this Old Earth Oddity, "Sequence 097," was trapping people.

Anyone who entered the Unfixed High Tower without knowing its nature, climbed the spiral staircase, and lost sight of the entrance and exit would be thoroughly trapped within the tower.

Whether they went up or down, they would never see the end.

Unless someone with authority over the tower actively guided them out, or they possessed the absolute strength to blow up the tower, escape was impossible.

Yet, according to the intelligence currently known on Earth Origin Star, no one had ever been heard of destroying an Old Earth Oddity ranked within the top hundred sequences.

Thus, the Unfixed High Tower was regarded as one of Earth Origin Star's most formidable absolute prisons.

It was said that quite a few unlucky people were still trapped inside the Unfixed High Tower, including enemies from alien civilizations and opponents of Qinghong Academy.

Qinghong Academy's willingness to use the Unfixed High Tower as an assessment venue for the Spark Program this time had truly surprised many people, because it was practically Qinghong Academy's treasure that safeguarded the academy.

After all, Old Earth Oddities ranked in the top hundred sequences were not so easily obtained, and the sequence rankings were not made by Earth Origin Star itself.

Old Earth Oddities were secret treasures that had existed in the Old Earth World for many years, treasures sought after by every civilization.

According to incomplete statistics, Earth Origin Star possessed a total of four Old Earth Oddities ranked within the top hundred sequences.

The Unfixed High Tower was one of them.

"Sorry, Uncle Gao. I let you all down."

When Hua Yiren was escorted out by the staff, she looked even worse than Xiang Beifeng had earlier. Her face was still deathly pale.

That was only natural. Xiang Beifeng had merely been eliminated after being knocked unconscious by Vice Dean Pei's Martial Soul Domain, while Hua Yiren had been forced out after exhausting herself to the point of collapse. Naturally, she would not recover so quickly.

"No need to apologize. Your family only sent you here to broaden your horizons. Your ability was never suited for fighting alone in the first place."

Gao Yang shook his head with a smile. "Besides, even if you had held on through the second stage, do you think you could have lasted through this third stage?"

Prompted by Gao Yang, Hua Yiren turned her attention to the broadcast screen as well.

At that moment, twenty-five high platforms had already risen, and Vice Dean Pei had explained the elimination rules to the remaining candidates.

When Xing Taisen saw Lin Xuan say something to Xing Yan, after which the two immediately claimed separate platforms, he revealed a gratified expression.

Xiang Beifeng was puzzled. "Why did they go up so early? Shouldn't the ones who go up first be at a disadvantage?"

Hua Yiren also showed a worried look at his words, though she did not directly voice her question like Xiang Beifeng had.

Clearly, she too felt that Lin Xuan and Xing Yan were being unwise.

In fact, he was far from the only one who thought so. Even Gao Yang was baffled.

"What's with these two boys? Why are they being so impulsive?"

Tong Jincheng, floating beside him, sneered. "You should be glad the person you brought isn't as stupid as you are. Otherwise, they definitely wouldn't be able to clear this stage."

Gao Yang glared at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"

After taking a sip of red wine from his goblet, the flamboyantly dressed Wang Chongzu said calmly, "Old Tong isn't wrong. While strength is certainly one of the key factors in this stage, it definitely isn't everything...

"Of course, with your intelligence, it really is hard for you to see that. Look at Island Master Xing and Third Sister—they don't think there's anything wrong with it."

Though Gao Yang was furious at Wang Chongzu and Tong Jincheng joining forces to put him down, this time, he unusually did not argue back.

Because he had indeed noticed that Xing Taisen and Li Xin both showed gratified expressions upon seeing Lin Xuan and Xing Yan's choice.

Xing Taisen had reacted first, while Li Xin had only been a beat slower.

They were the two most concerned about Lin Xuan and Xing Yan. If the two little ones had truly made the wrong choice, they would not have reacted like this.

Thus, Gao Yang quickly concluded that there had to be some crucial point he had not thought of yet.

"Beautiful!"

While they chatted, the situation within the assessment grounds changed rapidly.

When Xing Taisen saw Xing Yan make his opponent surrender without much effort, the father naturally could not help letting out a delighted exclamation.

However, they soon noticed that the little fellow Xing Yan had eliminated was actually walking straight toward the platform where Lin Xuan stood.

"That guy... He couldn't beat Younger Brother Yan, so now he wants to bully Xuan Xuan Younger Brother? Shameless!" Hua Yiren immediately fumed at the sight.

The others were not as agitated as she was.

Li Xin and Gao Yang were naturally worried about Lin Xuan's safety as well, but they understood that the choice made by the little fellow defeated by Xing Yan was the most reasonable one.

Since it was an assessment, there was naturally no room for courtesy.

Lin Xuan was young, but that was not enough reason for others to refrain from challenging him.

"That boy is one of yours, Old Tong, isn't he?" Wang Chongzu asked with a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Tong Jincheng had not intended to say anything. After all, the person he brought had lost to Xing Yan, whom Gao Yang had brought. That was obviously nothing to be proud of.

What was more, the little fellow intended to continue challenging three-year-old Lin Xuan. Even if he really won in the end, Tong Jincheng would have no face to brag about it.

However, now that Wang Chongzu had pointed it out, he could not pretend not to know. He could only nod.

"Yeah. That little guy is called Bai Yu, and he isn't even seven yet."

He deliberately pointed out Bai Yu's age, the implication being nothing more than that Bai Yu had lost only because he was two years younger than Xing Yan.

If they had been the same age, it was not certain who would have won.

Xing Taisen did not try to argue with Tong Jincheng after hearing that. He merely smiled.

But Gao Yang had no intention of letting him get away with it and retorted directly, "You just want to say that Xing Yan only won because he's older."

"I never said that." Tong Jincheng shrugged.

"But that's what you're thinking, isn't it?" Gao Yang sneered. "You don't seriously think that kid Xing Yan went all out just now, do you?"

(1/3) Two more chapters to come.