The Gentleman at the End

Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Test Difficulty

Annual tests presided over by the Principal herself were extremely rare.

The content of the test troubled all the new gentlemen cadets present, even shattering the confidence they had built up in the early stages of the testing.

The test would focus on their weakest areas,

Since gentleman cadets often specialize in one of the Basic Attributes, someone like Dagbert who is a Warrior would spend 70-80% of their effort on training Power, while barely spending any time on their lowest attribute, “Intelligence”.

Similarly, a frail gentleman wielding a staff, if asked to undertake a test related to Power, wouldn’t even know how to begin.

However, after a careful analysis of the Principal’s words, a small number of cadets still discovered the key points and breakthroughs.

Yi Chen also quickly understood the essence of the test,

“The Thought Space, which is a direct manifestation of the mind.

Although it’s a test of the weakest attribute, an individual with enough perseverance and steadfast will to take on the test

may achieve a mental breakthrough in the so-called Thought Space, reaching a state unattainable in the real world… It’s essentially a form of “Inner Potential” testing method.

No wonder Professor Qian Bosen suggested I participate, such a purely mental-level test can indeed be considered a special form of training.

Speaking of which, my Basic Attributes for coordination and Sensing are both only [3], I wonder which one will be chosen for the test… I hope it’s Sensing, as the firearms Edmund gifted me are mainly associated with the Sensing attribute.

Also, the ‘Black Umbilical Cord’ as a Relic is related to Sensing.”

As Yi Chen pondered, three students were already called up to the front.

The Principal slowly raised her hand, extended her pale and delicate palm, and touched the students’ foreheads with her index finger.

The instant she touched them, their eyes glazed over and slowly closed.

Their bodies were immediately wrapped in a starry cocoon and began to float in the air.

The “Floating Height” correlated with the depth of consciousness they entered, some only half a meter from the ground, while others floated above everyone’s heads.

However, this depth of consciousness would not affect the test too greatly under the Principal’s coordination. As long as they could find the ‘exit’ the Principal set up in the Thought Space, they could wake up normally.

Three minutes passed quickly.

Yet, only one gentleman woke up normally.

With two cadets declared to have failed right at the start, the atmosphere on-site immediately grew tense.

Generally speaking, the pass rate for the annual assessments is over 80%, its core purpose being to weed out those gentlemen who are malingerers and lack ambition.

After all, the majority of newcomers to Zion would still be eager to excel, at least in their first two years, trying to push their Limits.

The two students who failed were also hardworking; they spent all year trying to improve themselves, and the tasks they accepted in the Gentleman Hall were of moderate difficulty and met standards, they even experienced life-and-death situations.

But they could not pass the Principal’s test.

Then, a very gentle voice came from beneath the Crying Mask, a voice that alone could soothe the souls of the two.

“It’s a pity that you couldn’t directly confront the weakest aspect of yourselves on a mental level, nor could I discern where your Potential lies.

Given the current budget constraints and limited resources of the academy, we will have to end your training prematurely.

You may choose to stay in the academy at your own expense, or you may process the formalities to leave after the test concludes… Personally, I would recommend the latter.”

With those words, a hush fell over the room,

and when the two failed cadets tried to retort,

Malice emanated from the Crying Mask; as they looked towards the mask, their souls began to tremble… Their objections died in their throats, to the point where they couldn’t even breathe.

In a state of pallor, they quickly retreated back to their seats on the sides, only then gradually recovering.

Yi Chen, seated at the back, also felt puzzled by the situation, thinking to himself: “Is the Principal this strict? It seems there’s a reason little grape hid away.”

At that moment, he felt a poking sensation in his waist,

Yi Chen looked down and saw a severed finger gently prodding him, which then began to crawl up along his clothes.

The finger came from Zede,

yet Zede himself stared ahead, pretending as if nothing was happening.

The finger crawled like an earthworm to Yi Chen’s ear and pressed against his eardrum, engaging in a secret communication:

“Don’t be deceived by the old woman’s appearance! She is extremely dangerous. It’s because of her that the academy remains virtually free from any ungentlemanly conduct.

Even Zion’s high authorities must get her consent to interfere with the academy’s internal rights.

When she led a group of Main Doctors to chase after me, she almost had them pour my brain out to clean her mask.”

When it’s your turn, you must pay particular attention to etiquette. Since you came in sleeping, the Principal surely took note of it and is quite likely to target you specifically.

Moreover, because of my personal reasons, she may also transfer her hatred for me onto you.”

Hearing Zede’s words, Yi Chen’s face scrunched up, but he eventually swallowed his retort.

To Yi Chen, it didn’t matter; he just had to do his best in the test. If he was specifically targeted and failed to pass, the worst-case scenario would be paying for school himself.

Without thinking too much about it, he continued to watch the other students being tested.

With batch after batch of students stepping forward, the pass rate remained below 50%,

and Yi Chen’s name had yet to be called, seeming to save him for last.

“Edmund, Juliana, Dagbert.”

The familiar trio was called up by the Principal at the same time, making Yi Chen sweat nervously.

The Principal seemed to see something different in the three, and quietly commented:

“Hm, not too many impurities in your eyes, and your profile information is also good, very hardworking and relatively talented… Let’s see your performance then.”

Touching their foreheads, all three floated up.

Edmund and Dagbert’s weak point was “intelligence,” while Juliana’s was “sensing.”

Time ticked away, minute by minute,

and Yi Chen silently timed in his heart, hoping one of them would wake up ahead of time.

“57, 58, 59!”

At that second,

Juliana, floating several meters in the air, woke up and suddenly began falling.

Since she was in a period of recovery and could only walk simply, such a fall could cause secondary injuries… Instinctively, Yi Chen stepped over his desk, intending to leap up and catch her.

However, Zede grabbed his wrist, forcefully stopping him.

Buzz!

Juliana did not crash to the floor; she hovered in the air, just a second before landing, and floated toward the Principal’s position.

“You are the first student to wake up within a minute! @@novelbin@@

It seems you’ve made very effective ‘spiritual refinement’ by using the opportunity provided by your physical injuries, very good! Here is your reward.”

The Principal’s black wings trembled slightly, and a single feather drifted down.

Slowly floating to Juliana’s thigh, it turned into specks of starry night dots and absorbed within.

“Your recovery requires perseverance and the right opportunity, and I have given you the ‘opportunity’… The rest of the recovery is up to your own willpower.”

The Principal even patted her head with satisfaction.

Before long, Edmund and Dagbert also passed the test and landed normally.

When the trio returned to their seats, they also glanced at Yi Chen, with Edmund even sneakily making an OK gesture.

The testing continued.

With 40 students and the test being conducted in groups of three, there was just one person left.

“William Behrens.”

As the Principal read out Yi Chen’s name, the Crying Mask also looked over, and the Principal watched Yi Chen walk from the last row to the podium the entire time.

Without any questioning, her finger suddenly jabbed towards Yi Chen’s forehead!

Buzz!

This sensation of consciousness being pulled away was all too familiar for Yi Chen, who steadied himself and descended smoothly.

When he opened his eyes again,

he found himself in the corridor of an art gallery, with various dark-style paintings hung at regular intervals on the wall and candles of different heights placed at the corners.

Outside the window, a heavy rain was pouring,

pitter-patter~ the raindrops struck the window heavily, creating an odd sound and even chipping some minor cracks.

Crack! Suddenly, lightning flashed outside the window, bringing a momentary brightness.

It clearly illuminated numerous ghostly figures outside the window; they were using their fingers in sync with the rain’s impact, rhythmically tapping on the glass.