Gathering

"Principal..." The head of academic affairs hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Zhao Jianguo raised his hand to stop him.

"No need to say anything more." He took a deep breath, his expression returning to calm, but the light in his eyes remained undiminished. "Level seventeen. Regardless of how he did it, this student must have his own unique strengths."

Moreover," he emphasized, "It's precisely because his core card is a stone that his strength is even more evident. Others rely on resources to reach their level, but he relied on his own understanding and intellect to force himself to reach the same position."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the teachers on the stage.

"Do you remember what he showed when he designed the dungeons before? That precise control over the theme and creative application of the rules were completely unlike what a high school student would do. I felt he was extraordinary back then. Now it seems that he might be the real dark horse this year."

After Zhao Jianguo finished speaking, he waved his hand. "Let's go, go down. We've got enough people, time to teleport."

Su Mu did not attract much attention when he walked onto the playground.

Most students' attention was focused on Ye Qingxue and Wang Hao, and those who occasionally glanced in his direction only gave a fleeting look.

He carried his bag and walked along the edge of the playground toward the teleportation array, searching for a familiar figure in the crowd.

Then he saw Ye Qingxue.

She stood under a tree next to the teleportation array, her white light armor standing out conspicuously in the morning light.

Several girls were standing around her, seemingly talking to her, but her expression was indifferent. She nodded occasionally, but most of the time she looked in the direction of the teleportation array.

Su Mu thought for a moment, then walked over.

When Ye Qingxue saw him, she slightly raised her chin, her gaze calm.

Su Mu stopped in front of her and said, "Thank you."

Ye Qingxue knew what he was talking about.

That Golden Lion Beast card and that random Soul Skill book together cost over ten million.

"You're welcome." Her tone remained as indifferent as ever. "I just don't want to owe you a favor."

She turned her head to look in the direction of the teleportation array, paused, and then added, "I thought about it when I got back. You actually had the ability to solo Nightmare mode from the beginning. Taking me along saved some time, but overall, I benefited from it."

Su Mu looked at her.

When Ye Qingxue said this, her profile looked particularly serious in the morning light, her ear tips were slightly pink, but her tone was very stubborn.

"Saving a little time with one instance, saving even more with two," Su Mu said. "Besides, running Nightmare difficulty also consumes a lot of mental energy. You can't deny your efforts."

He didn't mention the cooldown removal items. That was the biggest price Ye Qingxue paid... In just those three days at the Land of Buried Bones, the cooldown removal items she used were worth millions. But Su Mu knew that if he said it, Ye Qingxue would only think he was calculating, that he was quantifying their relationship into numbers.

He understands her.

Ye Qingxue didn't respond, but simply pursed her lips slightly.

After a while, she suddenly asked, "Are you really sure... you're confident you can get into Tsinghua and Peking Universities?"

Su Mu thought for a moment, "I'll do my best."

Ye Qingxue nodded, then whispered, "Good luck."

Her voice was very soft, as if squeezed out from between her teeth. But Su Mu could tell that she was serious.

"You keep it up," Su Mu said.

Ye Qingxue turned her head away, not looking at him.

Just then, footsteps were heard from the platform.

Zhao Jianguo, accompanied by several school leaders, came down and headed straight for the teleportation array.

He stood on a low platform at the edge of the teleportation array, his gaze sweeping over the hundreds of students who had already gathered on the playground.

There were no lengthy speeches, no impassioned pronouncements.

Zhao Jianguo only said one sentence, "Is everything ready?"

There was a moment of silence on the playground, followed by a few scattered responses.

Zhao Jianguo nodded and gestured to the staff.

The teleportation array suddenly lit up.

A deep blue light erupted from the center of the magic circle, spreading in all directions and enveloping the entire playground in a blinding blue glow. Runes spun rapidly on the ground, spatial fluctuations intensified suddenly, and the air was distorted into a blurry patch of color.

The ground beneath all the students' feet began to shake.

Su Mu felt a powerful suction force emanating from the center of the teleportation array, as if an invisible hand was pulling him upwards. He glanced one last time at Ye Qingxue beside him; she was also looking at him.

Their eyes met, then parted in an instant.

Then, the white light engulfed everything.