Chapter Thirty-One: The 3E Examination

Lu Mingfei woke up very early.

In truth, ever since his perception had become disordered, even the slightest rustle of wind felt like an indescribably filthy thing; a good night’s sleep had become a difficult luxury.

The betting pool Finn opened last night was exceptionally heated. However, Lu Mingfei discovered that his credit limit only allowed for a limited amount of cash withdrawal at a time—only twenty thousand dollars per transaction.

After he placed his twenty thousand dollars on the "Yes" option, Caesar, operating under the pseudonym "Dictator," single-handedly countered by placing forty thousand dollars on the "No" option. His bet drew the members of the Student Union to follow suit, eventually driving the odds up to one to four.

Curiously, Professor Guderian, who regarded Lu Mingfei as his beacon of salvation, didn't seem to react at all. Perhaps it was because the old man maintained healthy habits and rarely stayed up late.

***

The rising sun climbed above the cloud layer, its rays spreading flat across the clouds and staining the 3E examination hall in a faint, crimson hue.

Lu Mingfei walked into the classroom on the second floor of the library. The first thing that caught his eye was a pair of long legs in jeans dangling beside the lectern, clad in a pair of familiar-looking purple-gold Mary Jane shoes.

They were slender and straight; even wrapped in denim, one could feel their astonishing resilience, making one want to rest their head upon them for an afternoon nap.

When Nono saw Lu Mingfei enter the classroom, she reached out and pointed:

"Take your seat. The papers are about to be handed out."

Whether it was a guilty conscience or not, Nono had always been lukewarm toward Lu Mingfei at school.

Lu Mingfei followed the direction of her finger and saw his desk. A nameplate sitting on the walnut surface read "Lu Mingfei."

Professor Manstein flashed from the side, swept a cold glance at Lu Mingfei, and checked his wristwatch. "Everyone is here. I will now announce the exam discipline!"

"Cheating is strictly prohibited! Violators will have all qualifications revoked! Do not attempt to peek at others' papers; cameras cover the entire classroom without a single blind spot! Do not attempt to carry electronic communication devices; radio waves are also monitored within this room!"

"I know you are all geniuses, but I can tell you that people even more gifted than you have taken this exam in this very room, and every method of cheating you can imagine has already been attempted..." Professor Manstein spoke with cadence and imposing authority.

If that were the case, they must have never witnessed Lu Mingfei’s mythic sorcery.

***

While Professor Manstein was emphasizing the examination rules on the podium, the boy to Lu Mingfei’s right turned around to shake his hand.

"My name is Chilan, President of the Freshman Association. Lu Mingfei, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Our 'S' grade—could I get an autograph?"

The boy appeared to be Indian, possessing a handsome face, dark curly hair, and distinct, clear eyes, much like a male lead in a Bollywood musical.

Lu Mingfei was suspicious:

"Why do you want my autograph? A single signature isn't enough to take out a small loan, is it?"

Chilan’s Chinese was likely not proficient enough to understand the meaning behind Lu Mingfei's words. He handed a pen and a notebook to Lu Mingfei, saying with a hint of embarrassment:

"I hope to invite you to join the Freshman Association, we..."

"Alright, gentlemen, this is not the time for socializing. If you fail the 3E exam, you won't need to cultivate social circles at this school," Professor Manstein interrupted Chilan. "Before we officially begin, please turn off your mobile phones and place them on the corner of the desk along with your student IDs."

Lu Mingfei signed his name with flair, left his contact information, handed it to Chilan, and powered off his N96—the same device that had helped him cut through the rainy night secret realm.

Among the freshmen, Lu Mingfei was the last to arrive. It sounded like the students who had come before him had already formed some sort of organization. If Lu Mingfei could eventually usurp their position, it would save him a lot of trouble.

Black curtains moved silently from the interlayers of the carved wooden windows, sealing off all the openings, and the wall lamps in the classroom flickered to life.

Nono walked down the aisle, handing out exam papers and pencils to each freshman. As she passed Lu Mingfei, she stepped on his foot without a change in expression. Lu Mingfei wanted to pinch her delicate calf in retaliation, but Nono dodged it nimbly.

Nono’s kick had been extremely subtle; even Chilan, sitting right beside Lu Mingfei, hadn't noticed. But for some reason, he felt a familiar gaze land on him.

It seemed that a long, long time ago, there had been someone who looked at him with that exact same gaze.

Lu Mingfei had always trusted his instincts. He scanned the room and noticed the source of the gaze was a petite girl he had just happened to see before he jumped off the building last time.

She was also a freshman. After taking off her school uniform jacket, she wore a low-cut