Chapter 18: Provincial Champion Candidate?

Ruins Observation Zone

"Attention: The current Martial Arts College Entrance Exam has concluded. Eliminating beasts will no longer award points. All examinees must return immediately."

"Attention: The current Martial Arts College Entrance Exam has concluded. Eliminating beasts will no longer award points. All examinees must return immediately."

"..."

The AI voice looped across the ruins. Examinees within the testing grounds sheathed their weapons, exhaling in relief as they trudged toward the exits.

Above them, the holographic display erupted in golden light, projecting the final rankings. The observation stands fell into stunned silence.

Third High Principal Zhang Tianming hurled his water cup to the ground, eyes locked on the flickering numbers: Lin Ye (Third High) — 15,945 Points. This score didn't just crush Qingyang City's historical records—it surpassed Yunzhou Province's two-decade-high mark of 14,892 points, set by the provincial champion five years prior.

"Is... this real?" Class 7 Homeroom Teacher Xu Haiping gripped the railing, trembling. Behind him, a tsunami of screams nearly tore through the dome—Third High students flung their uniforms into the air, chants of "Lin Ye! Lin Ye! Lin Ye!" reverberating off the alloy walls.

Many examinees who had activated Defense Orbs and been eliminated early had returned to the observation zone. Staring at Lin Ye's monstrous score, they froze in collective disbelief.

As the shock faded, murmurs erupted:

"Never saw this coming. Neither did I."

"Who the hell is Lin Ye? How'd I never hear of him before?"

"That's our Class 7!"

"Holy shit, Class 7 had this monster all along?! Savage!"

"But Lin Ye only has an E-Class Special Ability! How is he this strong?!"

"E-Class? Have you ever seen an E-Class Special Ability user dominate like this? I'm not buying it."

"Nearly 16,000 points! I only got freaking 230 points! Is he even human?!"

"Finally, it's our Third High's turn to shine!"

"Where are all those First High loudmouths now? Come out and talk!"

"..."

As expected, people only believed what they saw. Even when Class 7 students insisted Lin Ye had an E-Class Special Ability, no one trusted the claim anymore.

The livestream channel flooded with viewers the moment signals restored. Bullet comments cascaded like waterfalls:

History is being witnessed here!

Qingyang City is giving birth to a provincial champion!

Mom's asking why I'm kneeling in front of the scoreboard!

The First High contingent sat in tomb-like silence. None had anticipated this outcome. The glory that should've been theirs was snatched by some nobody who appeared out of thin air.

Lu Tianyu stared at his 6,842-point score—a result he'd initially been proud of, one that met his expectations. But now, all eyes had abandoned him. He gritted his teeth until blood seeped from his clenched fists.

Wang Shuo suddenly kicked over a chair: "Never thought he'd actually kill the Bloodthirsty Frenzy Bear!"

"Shut up!" Lu Tianyu snarled, ripping the Defense Orb from his belt. "Lin Ye… you won this round. But don't celebrate too soon. I'll surpass you."

Zhao Meng sat slumped on the floor. He'd barely entered the Inner Zone before being overwhelmed, forcing him to crush his Defense Orb and return to the Observation Zone. Though he missed the final moments of Lin Ye's battle, what he'd witnessed had left him speechless. Suddenly, he slapped himself hard: "I called Lin Ye a 'Power Bank'! What a blind fool I was!"

 Li Qiang, pinned to a stretcher by the medical team, flailed wildly: "See that?! That's my bro! We've bragged together! We've bathed together!" A nurse rolled her eyes while injecting him with sedatives: "Keep thrashing, and you'll need three more months to recover."

Su Qingyue and Ke'er stood in a corner, staring at the glaring numbers on the rankings. Having exited the exam grounds after it ended, they hadn't witnessed Lin Ye's battle. The surreal sight of his overwhelming score left them stunned.

"Qingyue, introduce me to your cousin!" Ke'er tugged Su Qingyue's arm, pouting. "Please?"

Su Qingyue recalled the indifferent look Lin Ye had given her months ago when she'd urged him to quit the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam. She shook her head. "Given how I treated him before… I can't help you, Ke'er." Without another word, she walked toward the exit.

Qingyang City First Hospital

The sting of antiseptic hit Lin Ye's nostrils as his eyelashes fluttered. Dawnlight filtered through the quantum barrier of the ICU, casting diamond-shaped patterns on the metal floor. He tried moving his arm, noticing faint lightning patterns swirling beneath his skin.

"You're awake." A cold voice came from the corner. Instructor Wang Chong sat in a chair, his cybernetic eye glowing red: "Remember how you killed the Frenzy Bear?"

Lin Ye propped himself up, his hospital gown revealing jade-like muscle contours: "So… you saved me, Instructor Wang? All I remember is the Frenzy Bear lunging… then nothing."

"Remember nothing?" Wang Chong suddenly leaned in, thrusting a tablet at him. Though the final moments of the battle had been cut from broadcasts, archived footage remained.

Lin Ye gaped at the video of "himself" slaughtering the Bloodthirsty Frenzy Bear, his own manic laughter echoing. His hands trembled: "Is… this me?"

"Don't recognize yourself?" Wang Chong pressed closer, locking eyes. "You even tried attacking me. That murderous intent—I won't forget it."

Lin Ye clutched his head: "Instructor Wang, I swear I don't know what happened."

Xu Haiping entered with perfect timing, the steam from his goji berry tea diluting the tension: "Lin Ye, how do you feel? The docs say you're fine. What's your body made of? You should've been crippled!"

"Talk later." Wang Chong pushed past the door, his voice trailing: "10 AM tomorrow. Security Bureau."

Lin Ye turned to Xu Haiping: "Teacher… what happened to me?"

"Not sure." Xu Haiping's hands shook imperceptibly, ripples forming in his tea. "Perhaps… a Special Ability mutation. That'd explain your E-Class power surge."

"So you still think I'm E-Class." Lin Ye didn't argue. "What's a mutation?"

"Just rumors." Xu Haiping sipped. "The Security Agencymight explain tomorrow. Regardless, you've made the school—no, Qingyang City—proud."

"Just did my part." Lin Ye nodded faintly, his expression blank. He burned to uncover the truth.

Xu Haiping's next words struck like thunder: "I know you're hiding secrets." Lin Ye's body went cold with sweat.