Chapter 101 - 101 84 Rewards for Promotion

101: Chapter 84: Rewards for Promotion 101: Chapter 84: Rewards for Promotion “Seventeenth in the final round? Ranked ninth overall? That’s not bad.” Lu Ping’an wasn’t being deliberately modest. Many candidates had already expected their scores at the end of the exam; they were just waiting for the results to be verified. Over at the square, the professors were urgently calculating the rankings. Once the standard scores and win-loss points were calculated, the scores and rankings from the last round were settled. Many people stayed here anticipating the outcome… Although there would be some discrepancies, the results were mostly accurate. Some were happy, others not so much. “I was ranked 72nd before, around 30th without the bonus points. I was only 0.7 points away from the top ten. I just performed well in the last round and caught up.” Lu Ping’an shrugged his shoulders, feeling that things had gone as expected. Why was Meow so excited? “A Silver-tier Taboo item! How stupid was I… How stupid…” But Wang Hai, often calm and composed, was now exasperated. He was constantly muttering nervously, his horns seemingly about to grow back. “Ahem, student Wang, calm down, calm down. Watch your emotions, be careful not to trigger a Ghost Transformation.” “That’s a Silver-tier Taboo item! Will we ever have one in our lives? How could I be so foolish to not give it my all? I should have been striving… Bodhisattva of Compassion, during the time of Prajna Paramita, you saw the emptiness of all things and saved us from suffering. Bodhisattva, form is no different from emptiness, and emptiness is no different from form. Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.” Was it possible to ramble on while reciting Buddhist scriptures to suppress one’s emotions? Lu Ping’an felt that he had learned something new. As for the recently joined chatroom that was originally silent, now everyone was rolling on the floor laughing, especially Li Dao’an… “Ahhhhhhhh…” The incessant “ah”s were enough to completely obliterate his normally aloof image. But no one paid him any mind. His written test was nearly a blank sheet; he never stood a chance from the beginning. Currently, there were no specific rankings, but it was estimated that he was ranked in the several thousands. He might have just regretted not cheating to maintain his appearance. However, there were some who genuinely had reason for regrets, such as… “…Sixteenth place, I was so stupid, really…” Wang, the current rambling student, was just 0.14 points away from making it into the top ten. Lu Ping’an subtly turned his head and chuckled; the scores for the top tier were actually quite close. If he had lost that match, they would have traded places, and it would have been rambling’ Lu now. “…We all knew the rewards for this time would be increased, but I didn’t expect it to be this much. The school must have gone all out; these aren’t just rewards for the candidates, but direct investments in ten combat-ready warriors…” In fact, it was no wonder that the 2-tier and 3-tier elites were so broken. Silver-tier Taboo items were that valuable. Previously, the first-place prize was a single Silver-tier Taboo item, which was essentially a promotion strategy. The top ten only received Brass-tier items, with a vast difference between the two. The first place… this time, the first place was the most shameless among the third-tiers. He, along with the second and third place finishers (one third-tier and one almost third-tier), scored near perfect marks (except in the interview) as they competed. With the three scoundrels on the scene, no one else had much hope (mainly because they couldn’t beat them). But if you look at the top ten… they’re all breaking down now. The stronger ones were more likely to win the rewards, and thus, broke down more thoroughly. That’s reality for you. “Is it that big of a deal? It’s just a Silver-tier…” “But that’s Silver!!” Rambling Wang and table-scratching Meow were suddenly stirred up, simultaneously criticizing someone’s outrageous behavior. Yes, Silver-tier Taboo items held this kind of allure. It corresponded to the fourth-tier “law.” Ten Bronze-tier items couldn’t compare to a single Silver-tier item, and each one even received a unique serial number from the administration. If used as the core of a strategy, it could form an excellent combat capability. If given to the right person, it might even help them break through their bottleneck, turning them into a fourth-tier powerhouse. For many long-stagnant third-tiers, this wasn’t just a matter of strength, but also a matter of life and death. The constantly evolving Talent Abilities were like tightening nooses around their necks. Even if it only provided the slightest inspiration for a breakthrough, many would be willing to pay any price. After glancing at the two excited classmates in front of him and the various defenses broken by the third-tier big shots in the chat room, Lu Ping’an silently gave them a thumbs up. “Hmm, not bad. This somewhat alleviates my sadness for not getting the top spot.” He clenched his fist. “I can’t hit him, can’t hit him now…I’m still using his flowers… otherwise–” Wang Hai took a deep breath, suppressing his rare surging emotions. He glanced at Meow, who was scratching the table furiously, and heard her whispering… “If I could beat ‘meow’, if I didn’t owe him ‘meow’, if even after hitting him, I could still get the ‘meow’…if I could beat ‘meow’!” Wang Hai suddenly had a strange sense of sympathy. “Is this how she usually spends her days?” But how would Lu Ping’an care about other people’s feelings? He was excitedly trying to switch input methods and type in the newly joined chat room. “Freshman got a Silver-tier Taboo item, is it any good…” And then he… “F***, why did they mute me! Can’t take a joke?” Muting was necessary; everyone below was about to explode, and even the admin was raging. Looking at the chat room, Wang Hai decided that silence was better, pretending not to know that he was the one who introduced Lu Ping’an, so as not to be kicked out together. The small interlude passed in a flash, and the three chatted casually, waiting for the flower period to pass. The specific rankings would have to wait, but since the top few were used as the standard score for calculation, the higher the ranking, the less likely it was to be wrong, and the top ten list had already been released. Lu Ping’an, a first-tier Soldier, stood out among the famous big shots, especially with the “Logistics Department” behind his name. More detailed ranking rewards had also been announced, with the top 10 receiving Silver-tier and corresponding treatment upgrades (little change to the bonus), the top 30 receiving Brass-tier, and the top 100 receiving Black-iron level… Ancient City University was not just bleeding out, but directly hemorrhaging massive benefits to death. This had long gone beyond the scope of simply attracting students and publicity… “This year’s outstanding students will basically go to the Secret Keeper’s ‘Profession Internship’ to increase the survival rate of the newcomers…” One big shot said this in the chat room and received unanimous approval. They also discussed some difficult issues afterward. For example, which areas had recently discovered new Secret Realms, and the fun had already become uncontrollable. For example, due to the frequent pollution incidents causing a surge in personnel losses, more and more people voluntarily embrace pollution, especially survivors of pollution incidents… Perhaps the number of candidates next year will double again. Lu Ping’an was still trying to message the admin privately, hoping to be unmuted since he still had things to say. “By the way ‘meow’, when did you become a first-tier Soldier, Lu Ping’an? I was shocked when I saw you using ‘All Weapons At Will’ ‘meow’.” Meow casually brought up a topic, fearing that Lu Ping’an would actually be unmuted and then continue to flaunt, being challenged and beaten to death… Considering everyone’s broken defenses and Lu Ping’an’s consistent style, this was not malicious speculation. After coming over, she didn’t even look at the two items on the table. She knew this bastard too well. You must not follow his rhythm ‘meow!’ You’ll get pissed off ‘meow!’ “Oh, about that? I broke through today, right after the second round when I had a little epiphany while fighting Wang Hai. I realized ‘All Weapons At Will’ outside the ring, and that’s when I broke through to first-tier Soldier.” “You must be joking, right?” “You’re joking ‘meow’!” The two were completely dumbfounded. They didn’t know this was possible. Other people took years to break through, but he realized it on the battlefield? And he played it so smoothly the first time he grasped it? But that was the truth. After breaking through the seventh-tier of All Weapon Specialization, the conditions were met. All that was left was to “add points.” Lu Ping’an naturally wouldn’t miss the extra blessings before the battle. Facing the disbelief on their faces, Lu Ping’an blinked innocently and said with a pure face. “How can you guys wrong me? I’m not the joking type, I never joke around… ” “No, you are.” “Wait up ‘meow,’ have some shame ‘meow,’ act like a human being ‘meow’!”