Shen Ye gave Qian Rushan a strange look.
Qian Rushan did not even raise his head.
"Fine, eat it if you want." Shen Ye pushed the plate of barbecue toward the boy.
Delight immediately appeared on the boy's face. He took the plate with both hands, grabbed a skewer, and started eating.
He was terribly thin, practically skin and bones.
Every time he took a big mouthful of meat and chewed, Shen Ye could see his temples moving.
"Does the corporation not even give people enough to eat? Surely it's not that bad."
Shen Ye glanced at Qian Rushan as he spoke.
This time, Qian Rushan answered:
"Don't look down on our corporation-there are candidates selected from eleven provinces aboard this Flying Shuttle. Besides our corporation, there are newcomers selected by the Exo-Hunting Equipment Research Institute and the Eternal Life Technology Association."
Shen Ye looked back at the dark, skinny boy.
The boy was easygoing. He raised a hand and volunteered:
"I'm with the Eternal Life Technology Association."
"Where's your team leader?" Shen Ye asked.
"Here he comes," the boy said.
Suddenly, someone patted Qian Rushan on the shoulder and said with a laugh:
"Well, if it isn't Old Qian! What stroke of luck did you have this year to actually recruit a newcomer yourself?"
Shen Ye looked up. The speaker was a scrawny old man with a teasing smile on his face.
Seven or eight junior high school students stood beside the old man, looking about Shen Ye's age.
"Yu Sihai, you recruited seven people at once?"
Qian Rushan sounded astonished.
The scrawny old man's face twitched, and a trace of world-weariness flashed through his eyes.
Qian Rushan immediately dropped the question and waved Shen Ye away.
"Go have some fun. We adults have something to discuss."
"That's right. You might even end up as classmates," the scrawny old man said.
Shen Ye was speechless.
-They clearly had something to say that they did not want him hearing.
He looked toward the boy, only to find that he had finished the skewers and was beckoning to him.
"Come with me. There's somewhere fun aboard this Flying Shuttle. I'll take you there."
"Oh, sure," Shen Ye replied.
The boy led the way, with Shen Ye following. They soon passed through one cabin after another and reached a venue with wooden flooring.
It was a bowling alley.
"You want to play this?" Shen Ye asked.
"Not at all." The boy shook his head repeatedly. "The seats are too cramped, and there's nowhere else to play. This is the only place where we can stretch out and move around."
"True. Just thinking about sitting for twenty-odd hours is enough for me," Shen Ye said with a sigh.
He looked around.
Some teenagers had already gathered here.
They were all taking the special examinations for the Three Great High Schools, and none wanted to remain in their seats, so they had gathered here to talk quietly about the exams.
"I'm Guo Yunye. What's your name?" the boy asked.
"Shen Ye," Shen Ye said.
The boy named Guo Yunye said, "When I asked you for food just now, I was actually playing this."
He took a card from inside his clothes and held it up for Shen Ye to see.
The name "Guo Yunye" appeared on the card, with three lines of small text beneath it:
"To obtain a unique card of your own in the 'Newcomers' deck, first complete the following mission:" "Eat food from seven examinees for free." "Current mission progress: 3/7."
"What is this?" Shen Ye asked curiously.
"You don't know? Looks like your parents aren't professionals. No problem, I can tell you," Guo Yunye said.
He placed the card in Shen Ye's hand, then pulled it back.
Shen Ye instinctively looked down at his hand and discovered that a card had appeared in it.
Yet Guo Yunye still had a card in his hand too!
"Nice magic trick."
Shen Ye offered his praise.
"It's not a magic trick," Guo Yunye said. "This is the 'Three Great High Schools Newcomers' deck produced by the Tower of Tarot. I'm only telling you because you helped me complete part of a mission-"
"Take a look at the card in your hand."
Shen Ye raised the card and saw lines of small text appearing on it:
"Shen Ye." "To establish your place in the 'Newcomers' deck and become one of its cards, first complete the following missions:" "1. Without any publicity, have at least six examinees step forward to participate in an activity you host;" "2. Have at least twelve examinees step forward to participate in another activity you host."
...The words had actually appeared on their own.
It knew his name was Shen Ye!
If this was not a magic trick, what was it?
"Hey, how come I have a mission too?" Shen Ye asked.
"Complete the missions, and you can become a reserve card in the 'Newcomers' deck-that's what I'm working on," Guo Yunye said, leaning closer.
"What's the benefit of becoming one of the cards?" Shen Ye asked.
"The Tower of Tarot is the adjudicating organization for this exam. If you make the list, not only can you earn bonus points in your evaluation, but you'll also receive ongoing attention from major organizations. You'll have more control in the later exams and when choosing a school, and you'll look more impressive in front of other examinees. Besides-"
"You can get lots of exclusive exam information through the deck."
"If you have a positive image and your performance really stands out, you might even win some advertising sponsorships and earn commissions!"
Guo Yunye's eyes shone at the mention of commissions.
Shen Ye paused.
The Tower of Tarot...
There really did seem to be an organization like that.
It was simply too mysterious. The former Shen Ye had never encountered anything on that level.
Still, with so many benefits, he had to give it a try too.
Shen Ye grew serious.
"Without making any requests, have at least six examinees voluntarily step forward to participate in an activity you host."
This really was rather difficult.
How should I do this?
He looked around, thought for a moment, then pointed high up on the wall.
"Hey, see that vent?"
"I see it," Guo Yunye said, looking up.
"We're just standing around here bored anyway-can you touch that vent?" Shen Ye asked.
"It's pretty high." Guo Yunye estimated for a moment. "I'd probably have to give it everything I've got to reach it."
"Really? I don't believe you," Shen Ye said.
Guo Yunye became interested.
"What if I do touch it?" he asked.
"Then I'll be impressed." Shen Ye gave him a thumbs-up.
"Just watch. Let me get a running start," Guo Yunye said.
He backed up a few steps, accelerated, and leaped high into the air.
His fingertips swept beneath the vent.
"Almost-you were this far short." Shen Ye showed him the gap.
"That was a warm-up. Again." Guo Yunye refused to concede.
"Wait, it's my turn to try," Shen Ye said.
"Okay, one turn each." Guo Yunye stopped.
Shen Ye backed up a few steps, took a running start, and leaped high-
He missed it too!
"Hahaha, now that's what I call far short! My turn." Guo Yunye laughed.
Their activity drew the attention of the others.
A girl was chatting and laughing with three boys when she noticed that all three had turned to look.
"What's wrong?" she asked, puzzled.
"Look over there. They seem to be testing how high they can reach," one boy said.
"How high they can reach?" The girl giggled. "How childish."
But none of the three boys answered.
All three were studying the vent intently.
"That spot's too high," one boy commented.
"It's a little high for you guys, but if I take a few more steps for my run-up, I should be able to touch it," another boy said.
"Brushing the bottom edge with your fingertips doesn't count. You have to touch the middle of the vent-that's the height you need to reach for it to really count," the third boy said.
"Of course I know that. I'm saying I can touch the top edge."
"Yeah, right."
"You don't believe me?"
"If you said you could touch the bottom edge, that might be possible. But touching the top edge? That's a bit unrealistic."
"You're underestimating me, buddy. I used to train."
As they spoke, the first boy was already running toward Shen Ye.
The other two followed him.
Only the girl remained where she was, eyes wide as she murmured in disbelief:
"Honestly. What's so fun about this?"
Suddenly, someone answered, "It's a challenge."
The girl whipped her head around.
Another boy walked past her and smiled at her.
"Zhao Ming, you're going too?" the girl asked.
"Watch closely for me. I'm definitely going to reach higher than them," the boy said.
"But so what if you reach higher? You won't get anything out of it." The girl spread her hands, unable to understand.
The boy glared at her:
"Can't I just have some fun?"
Beneath the vent.
The boys gathered together, chattering excitedly as they took turns trying to touch the vent.
Every time someone jumped only for his fingertips to sweep beneath the vent, he inevitably met a chorus of jeers and whistles.
But no one got angry.
They huddled together enthusiastically, critiquing the jumper's takeoff posture, how much farther his fingers had needed to reach, and how they themselves would touch it in one go.
Naturally, the boy being critiqued refused to accept it, stiffening his neck and insisting that he had not been ready, that next time he would definitely reach such-and-such a spot, and so on.
Then they all watched a new boy warm up, urging him to hurry up and try.
After jumping a few times, Shen Ye stood off to the side, watching with a smile.
Boys were that simple.
Their happiness was even purer.
Shen Ye looked down at the card in his hand.
"Without making any requests, you had six junior high school students step forward to participate in an activity you hosted." "Now complete the second test:" "Have at least twelve examinees step forward to participate in another activity you host."
This one was rather difficult.
The only thing he could take advantage of was that this task had dropped the condition "without any publicity."
All right...
What else could bring the boys together?