Chapter 7

A rank-three Star Bearer in his twenties...

A monster!

The Fang family had held their heads high thanks to Fang Suyun alone. If He Song were in Huangcheng, he would have been a renowned figure too.

Li Yang added, "Teacher He is a really good person. He said Four-Leaf Clover had a bounty mission, so he gave me a reward of ten thousand yuan."

Chen Xiangrong and Principal Sun: "!"

Ten thousand Huaxia yuan was nothing, of course.

This Star Master He had clearly recognized Li Yang's Physique Points and extended her an olive branch. Now he was just waiting for her to get into Zhongdu Military Academy!

Chen Xiangrong had asked everything he needed to and felt he had found a treasure. He said earnestly, "Student Li Yang, get plenty of rest and mind your diet. As long as you perform steadily in the practical assessment a week from now, you'll be fine."

Principal Sun remembered something else. "Student Li, would you like to move into the school apartment building? It would also make it easier for you to work out at the school gym."

Huangcheng No. 1 High School did have student dormitories, but the eight-person rooms were in such poor condition that Principal Sun feared it would be unfair to Li Yang.

But conditions at Li Yang's home were even worse. The investigator had already sent over photos showing that the place had nothing but bare walls.

For one thing, the sight had pained Principal Sun. For another, he feared that other high schools might try to poach her once they heard. What would he do if Li Yang transferred?

He had to protect a prodigy of her caliber.

Chen Xiangrong saw through Principal Sun's little schemes but said nothing.

It didn't matter which school Li Yang attended. Either way, she was one of Donghua Province's talents!

Principal Sun added, "Don't worry. Only teachers live in the school apartment building, so it's very safe, and the accommodations are good too. Once you pass the practical assessment, you'll also need tutoring for your academic subjects, and it'll be convenient then."

Li Yang thought it over and decided moving to the school would be good.

Heqing Residential Complex was some distance from the school, and there were too many people she knew there. No one had paid attention to her before, but now that her Physique Points score of 90 was out, someone might come knocking for an "interview."

If someone she knew noticed anything unusual, it would be hard to explain away.

Moving out was a good idea. Living at school really would be safe and save her a lot of trouble.

"Thank you, Principal," Li Yang said gratefully.

Principal Sun arranged for a female teacher in her thirties to drive Li Yang to Heqing Residential Complex and take care of the move.

In an elegant old building on the outskirts of Huangcheng.

Fang Chuyun stood up. "I'm moving to Heqing Residential Complex!"

Fang Xiyuan looked at his daughter.

Fang Chuyun said firmly, "That's not all. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to take on odd jobs."

How could Fang Xiyuan not know how stubborn his younger daughter was? Reading Li Yang's background had fired her up.

Since "true knowledge came from practice, and great children came from poor families," she was going to live in poverty and get some practice herself!

Fang Xiyuan stopped his daughter with a single sentence. "What's the rush? Her potential awakened because she suffered a devastating blow after her closest family died. Wait until I'm dead first."

Fang Chuyun: "..."

In Huangcheng's most expensive villa district.

Yu Hongyuan burst into tears as soon as he got home.

He was furious, absolutely livid.

By the time he took his final test, everyone on the field was gone!

When the teacher announced his "86" points, he might as well have been announcing "68."

He had spent three years building up to this, waiting for so long, and how... how could someone have stolen his thunder?!

A capable-looking woman in a leather jacket walked in and slapped him across the face. "What are you crying for?!"

Yu Hongyuan covered his face and looked up. "Mom, I finally managed to stabilize my physique value at 86, but then..."

Yu Zhiying looked at him coldly.

Yu Hongyuan jolted and said, "It's all Li Yang's fault. She was being completely unreasonable. I'm going to..."

Yu Zhiying slapped him again. "What are you going to do? Are you going to bully her? How did I give birth to an idiot like you?! Is there an empty ball sitting on your neck?!"

Yu Hongyuan didn't dare make a sound.

Yu Zhiying took out a card and tossed it onto the table. "Starting tomorrow, you'd better get along with Student Li Yang. I don't expect you to become her friend. Just being her underling will do!"

Yu Hongyuan: "???" His face was full of disbelief.

Yu Zhiying gave him another thump on the head. "Can't you use your brain? 90 Physique Points! Li Yang is either a Grandmaster's descendant left out in the world, or she's had an extraordinary stroke of fortune! Either way, her future is boundless! While she hasn't made it big yet, we need to invest in her. It's a sure win!"

Yu Hongyuan listened in a daze and muttered, "N-no, it can't be that serious..."

Yu Zhiying was so angry her liver hurt. "If I were thirty years younger, I'd have gone and become sworn sisters with her myself. Why would I need a good-for-nothing like you?!"

Yu Hongyuan picked up the bank card dejectedly, though he was deeply unwilling.

She wanted him to be Li Yang's underling?

Why should he? His Physique Points were only... four lower than hers.

His mother was making too much of it. He'd heard that people with 90 points were everywhere in Central Capital. What was so special about it?

Chapter 7

Principal Sun had someone clear out a small two-bedroom apartment for Li Yang in the apartment building.

The living room had a fabric sofa set and a bright coffee table. A small dining area adjoined it, with an open kitchen on the left. Even the kitchenware had been provided.

The master bedroom faced the sun and contained a comfortable large bed with a wooden wardrobe beside it. The second bedroom had been turned into a study, neatly and tidily arranged.

One glance was enough for Li Yang to see that Principal Sun had put thought into it.

While packing up at home, Li Yang had also done a little probing, and the female teacher had let something slip. "Our principal really values you. He's afraid you'll transfer schools!"

Li Yang had worked before and understood the importance of "performance." Presumably, to Director Chen and Principal Sun, a student like her with 90 Physique Points was an important "achievement."

Of course, Li Yang had no reason to transfer. It would take too much effort and hinder her preparations for the upcoming practical and academic exams.

The military academy preliminary test was merely an entrance ticket. The assessments that followed were the real event.

Huangcheng No. 1 High School treated her well, so there was no need to make trouble for herself.

As it turned out, Li Yang was lucky she had moved into the school apartment. The day after the preliminary test, Huangcheng's major media outlets swarmed Heqing Residential Complex, hoping to interview her.

When the reporters discovered she had moved, they swarmed to the school instead.

But the school was an important place where Huaxia nurtured its talents, and Principal Sun had considerable authority. He could keep them outside.

Principal Sun not only kept the media out, but also stopped curious students, telling them not to disturb Li Yang while she prepared for her exams.

After a week had passed, everyone's enthusiasm faded.

The media wouldn't keep hounding Li Yang forever. After all, the practical assessment was about to begin, and everyone's attention had shifted to Donghua Province as a whole, and even all of Huaxia.

A score of 90 Physique Points was big news in Huangcheng, but across all of Huaxia, there were many people who attained it every year.

Li Yang didn't attend classes that week, but Principal Sun brought her materials from past practical exams so she could familiarize herself with them and know what to expect.

In the afternoons, teachers also came to give her special tutoring in her academic subjects.

Li Yang spent a busy and fulfilling week, and learned quite a few things along the way.

The practical exam was administered uniformly by province.

The first round was for the two top military academies, Zhongdu and Star Slaying. The second was for the remaining first-rate military academies, followed by the third round... and the fourth...

As long as their Physique Points met the requirement, students could take the practical exam multiple times. For example, if they applied to a top institution in the first round and found they hadn't been admitted, they could still apply to a first-rate military academy in the second round, or even one in the third.

The first round of practical exams was the day after tomorrow. Li Yang had already packed her luggage and was preparing to head to the provincial capital.

Knock, knock, knock.

A knock came from outside. Li Yang set down her suitcase and went to open the door.

The visitor wore the uniform of Huangcheng No. 1 High School, and her tall figure nearly reached the top of the doorframe. Her short hair was straight and smooth, with the black hair on the left tucked behind her ear, revealing a smooth earlobe adorned with a black diamond stud.

"Student Fang? What can I do for you?" Li Yang looked at her in surprise.

The visitor was none other than Fang Chuyun. She looked at Li Yang and offered her a direct invitation. "I'm going to Donghua Province this afternoon. Want to come along?"

Li Yang: "..." How should she put it? It was a little abrupt.

Fang Chuyun said, "The intercity high-speed train takes a lot of time and effort. It'll be faster if we drive to the provincial capital."

Li Yang had booked an intercity high-speed train ticket.

The high-speed rail in this world was far less advanced than in Li Yang's previous life. Presumably because of the Astral Realm's existence, the technology tree here had grown a little crooked.

In Li Yang's previous life, the high-speed train would have taken at most two hours to cover the distance from Huangcheng to the provincial capital. Here, it took a full six.

Cars, on the other hand, seemed to have some sort of "black technology" and were much faster, reaching the provincial capital in an hour.

But Li Yang wasn't familiar with Fang Chuyun... She wasn't quite sure what Student Fang was thinking.

Of course, Fang Chuyun's father was in the military, so there was some assurance of safety.

Ten minutes earlier.

Yu Hongyuan paced anxiously around the school.

Almost a week had passed, and he still hadn't prepared himself mentally, so he had yet to approach Li Yang.

His mother was asking too much of him!

What kind of mother made her son become someone else's underling?!

Her son had at least 86 Physique Points!

How could she look down on him like this?!

Yet Yu Hongyuan only dared complain inwardly. After all, Yu Zhiying held his purse strings. If she cut him off, he would cry himself to death in the street.

After he had hesitated for several days, Yu Zhiying gave him an ultimatum. "Go find Li Yang and invite her to go to Donghua Province with you."

Before Yu Hongyuan could speak, Yu Zhiying said, "If you can't even manage that, then next month's allowance... heh."

Yu Hongyuan: "..."

For the sake of his allowance, Yu Hongyuan compromised. But he really didn't want to go to Li Yang, so he found another way and went to Principal Sun.

Principal Sun was busy, but when he heard Yu Hongyuan was looking for him, he let him in anyway.