Chapter 78: The National Examination Bet

Soon.

A staff member led Student Gandalf through a long corridor and pushed open a heavy door.

Behind the door was a spacious lounge.

Lu Qi, Ye Xi, and two other boys had already arrived.

The four were either sitting or standing, each with a different expression, but all exuded an undeniable weariness.

Their clothes were ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) stained with dust, and some areas even showed signs of damage, clearly indicating a fierce battle within the Tower of Revelation.

Among them, Lu Qi was surprisingly in the best condition.

Although his face was a bit pale, his spirit was unusually high, and he was chattering away to Ye Xi.

“Ye Xi, I really didn’t expect you to make it into the top five.”

His tone carried a hint of condescending surprise.

“It seems you haven’t been idle during this time.”

Ye Xi glanced at him, crossed her arms, and rolled her beautiful eyes.

“If you can get in, why can’t I?”

Lu Qi, hearing this, not only wasn’t angry but instead smiled proudly.

“Well said!”

He took a step forward, his voice rising a few notches, his gaze sweeping over Ye Xi and the other two boys.

“Since everyone here represents Dongning Province, I’ll be blunt.”

“Tomorrow’s National Examination, you all must follow my command!”

“If anyone drags me down, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

The other two boys were Shen Fuhai, who was slightly plump, and Yuan Kai, who was tall and thin.

Upon hearing this, both of them showed expressions of displeasure.

Shen Fuhai frowned and said, “Why?”

“Because I’m stronger than all of you!” Lu Qi lifted his chin high, his face showing undisguised arrogance.

He extended a finger and wagged it in front of the three.

“My provincial examination score, fourteenth floor!”

“What about you?”

“Which floor did you reach?”

As soon as these words were spoken, Shen Fuhai and Yuan Kai’s expressions instantly changed.

Ye Xi also gasped in surprise.

The three exchanged glances, all seeing shock in each other’s eyes.

The three of them had pushed themselves to their limits, barely reaching the thirteenth floor before the assessment ended.

This Lu Qi had actually gone one floor higher than them.

Seeing the shocked expressions of the three, Lu Qi’s smugness almost overflowed.

“So, do you all understand?”

He thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of controlling everything.

“Tomorrow, as long as you obediently follow my command, I guarantee I’ll lead you to a good score!”

Just as he was basking in his own Aura, the lounge door was pushed open again.

Gandalf walked in.

Lu Qi’s words came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to him in unison.

The newcomer wore a magnificent magic robe embroidered with the trajectories of stars and a crescent moon, its radiance subtle, mysterious, and noble.

He was tall and straight, with a handsome face, deep eyes, and a composed gait.

Compared to the disheveled state of the other four in the lounge, he was spotless, as if he hadn’t just emerged from a trial of blood and fire at all.

He looked more like a Young Master visiting for sightseeing.

Lu Qi scrutinized Gandalf, his gaze becoming wary.

He narrowed his eyes and spoke first.

“Are you that Gandalf?”

Zhou Huai, controlling Gandalf, swept his gaze over Lu Qi without lingering.

He seemed not to have heard Lu Qi’s question and walked directly towards the other three, a gentle smile on his face.

“Hello, I am Gandalf.”

This action made Ye Xi, Shen Fuhai, and Yuan Kai pause for a moment.

But the goodwill he extended immediately made them feel favorable towards him.

Ye Xi was the first to react, a sweet smile appearing on her face.

“Hello! My name is Ye Xi!”

“Shen Fuhai.” The slightly plump boy smiled honestly.

“Yuan Kai.” The tall, thin boy also nodded.

Lu Qi, completely ignored, instantly had his smug expression freeze, turning livid.

A surge of anger rushed to his head.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, are you deaf or blind?!”

He rushed a few steps in front of Gandalf, spit almost flying from his mouth.

“You’re also a student from Donghai No. 1 High School? Why have I never seen you before?!”

Only then did Zhou Huai turn his head, looking at him calmly with the eyes of someone watching a clown.

“Where did this dog come from?”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the entire lounge.

“Barking here.”

“You...!”

Lu Qi trembled with rage, his face under the mask turning a liverish purple, and he raised his hand to conjure a fireball.

“Stop right there, all of you!”

Just then, a sharp shout came from the doorway.

A teacher in a uniform strode in quickly, his face grim.

“Do you want to fight?”

“Do you believe I’ll cancel all of your National Examination qualifications right now?!”

The magical fluctuations around Lu Qi instantly dissipated.

Although he was arrogant, he knew how to differentiate between situations.

He glared fiercely at Gandalf, his eyes as if wanting to devour him alive.

“Very well, you just wait.”

He squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth.

Subsequently, the five, led by the teacher, left the lounge and entered a more spacious office.

In the office, Chief Examiner Li and two other examiners were sitting on sofas.

Their gazes, like three sharp swords, swept back and forth over the five individuals.

“Please, all sit.”

Chief Examiner Li’s voice rang out, carrying an Aura of authority without needing to be angry.

Once the five were seated, he slowly began to speak.

“First, congratulations to the five of you for standing out in the provincial examination.”

“We’ve all seen your performance, and it was excellent.”

He paused, his tone becoming serious.

“But the provincial examination was just an appetizer.”

“The upcoming National Examination is the real battlefield.”

“I hope you can continue to strive and bring glory to our Dongning Province.”

“As long as you can achieve a ranking in the National Examination, in addition to the rewards from the National Examination, our Dongning Province will certainly not be stingy!”

“Now, we have prepared individual rooms for you. Go back and get some good rest, adjust your state.”

“Yes!”

The five responded in unison, then stood up, preparing to leave.

“Student Gandalf, please stay.”

Chief Examiner Li’s voice suddenly rang out.

“I have some things I’d like to discuss with you alone.”

Zhou Huai’s heart tightened, but his expression remained calm.

He controlled Gandalf, calmly stopped, and sat back down on the sofa.

After Ye Xi and the other four left the office with puzzled looks, the heavy door closed.

The atmosphere in the entire room instantly became oppressive.

Chief Examiner Li picked up his teacup but didn’t drink, merely stirring the tea leaves gently with the lid.

“Student Gandalf.”

He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s.

“To be honest, you’ve surprised me greatly.”

“But you’ve also left me very confused.”

“I asked the principal of Donghai No. 1 High School, and they’ve never had a student named Gandalf.”

“It’s as if you... appeared out of thin air.”

He gently placed the teacup on the table with a soft clink.

“Where exactly do you come from?”

“And what is your purpose in participating in the Grand Examination?”

“Can you give me a reasonable explanation?”

As Chief Examiner Li’s words fell, the gazes of the other two examiners also locked onto Gandalf.

Invisible pressure filled the entire space.

Zhou Huai sighed inwardly.

As expected, it had attracted official attention.

There was no avoiding it.

He wanted to keep a low profile, but his strength wouldn’t allow it.

Fortunately, he had already prepared.

Zhou Huai, controlling Gandalf, met Chief Examiner Li’s gaze, his expression unperturbed.

“Your Excellency Chief Examiner, I am indeed from Donghai City.”

“I come from a certain Family, but as for which specific Family, please forgive me for not being able to disclose it for now.”

He spread his hands, his tone carrying a hint of matter-of-factness.

“You should understand that it wasn’t easy for my Family to cultivate me. Before having absolute certainty, it’s natural to keep a low profile. If I were to fall midway, wouldn’t all efforts be in vain?”

“As for my purpose...”

Gandalf’s lips curved into a confident arc.

“Naturally, it is to claim the top spot in the National Examination.”

“After all, our Family is counting on me to make a splash and lead the Family to soar.”

Chief Examiner Li listened quietly, his expression unchanged.

But he nodded inwardly.

This explanation was reasonable and logical.

Coupled with the invaluable epic-grade equipment on this young man, it would be impossible without a wealthy and powerful Family backing him.

In Donghai City... the only Families with such a foundation were the Zhou, Ye, and Sun Families.

The Zhou Family’s Lu Qi was already openly known.

The Ye Family’s young lady, though talented, their Family always acted gently.

Then, only the Sun Family remained!

No wonder the Sun Family had been so low-key these past few years; it turned out they were secretly preparing such a big move!

Chief Examiner Li frantically filled in the blanks in his mind, already completing Gandalf’s persona.

He looked at the confident young man before him and suddenly smiled.

“Want to be the top scorer in the National Examination?”

“That’s quite a boast.”

“How confident are you?”

Zhou Huai didn’t hesitate.

“The top spot will definitely be mine.”

“Hahahahaha!”

Chief Examiner Li burst into laughter, his laughter filled with admiration.

“Good! What a ‘definitely mine’!”

“I, Li Gang, love your arrogance!”

He stopped laughing, leaned slightly forward, and stared into Gandalf’s eyes.

“Young man, I’ll make you a promise.”

“If you can truly bring back a national top spot for our Dongning Province.”

“I’ll make the decision to let you pick any item you want from the Dongning Province Military Department’s treasury!”

Zhou Huai’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

“It’s a deal.”

He grinned.

“You can’t go back on your word.”

Li Gang’s smile grew even wider.

“When has anything I, Li Gang, said not counted?”

He pointed to the other two examiners beside him.

“They both can testify.”