After the Awakening Platform restarted, and the remaining students from the other nine classes finished their awakenings, two hours had gone by. At that point, Bingxi was passively forced out of her Beast-Eared Girl form and returned to her original human state.
The principal summoned the students with the highest talents—eight or nine of them who had already secured their contracts—to the principal's office villa.
On the first floor of the villa's office hall, the group of boys and girls took their seats. Among them, Xiao Ye and Bingxi were present as well.
There were nine people in total—Xiao Ye and Bingxi were the only two SSS-rankers, Xie Mengxuan was the lone S-rank, and the remaining six were all A-rank Beastmasters and girls who had awakened A-rank Fierce Beast Templates.
"I awakened the A-rank Demon Eagle Template and formed a contract with Zhang Ziyang. What about you guys?"
"A-rank Flame Python Template." "A-rank Dream Butterfly Template."
"I wonder why the principal called us here!"
The three pairs of A-rankers introduced themselves to each other.
Xie Mengxuan let out a cold snort—she alone had been called by the principal.
At the sound of her snort, the three pairs of students glanced over at Xie Mengxuan, then shifted their eyes to Xiao Ye. With awe and curiosity, they said,
"Heavenly aura for ten thousand miles, illuminating countless Divine Beasts—SSS-rank Beastmaster, Xiao Ye, oh my god!"
"And Bingxi, you're awesome too."
They turned their gaze to Bingxi—then all at once, as if they had seen something terrifying, their pupils contracted, their faces showing strange expressions. The reverence in their eyes vanished, replaced by surprise and a thin layer of disdain.
In her human form, Bingxi's right cheek still bore that same hideous, frightening scar as before, splitting her face from forehead to chin.
Bingxi's beautiful eyes widened angrily.
They instinctively lowered their heads, yet a trace of excitement flickered across their faces, as if they had suddenly found a sense of superiority over Bingxi.
In terms of talent, they couldn't compare to Bingxi, but Bingxi would never be as whole as they were. *So what if you have an SSS-rank template? You'll spend your whole life showing that horrifying scar to the world.*
"Bingxi, honey, your scar will get sorted out someday." Xiao Ye offered with a warm smile.
Bingxi's slightly downbeat mood began to lift, but the moment she looked up, she saw Xiao Ye staring right at the scar on her right cheek. She instinctively turned her head away, not wanting him to see it.
She dodged his eyes, mumbling quietly and without confidence, "It will."
Facing others with such a big scar, Bingxi could be stubborn and brave, pretending she didn't care. *But in front of Xiao Ye, she panicked and lost all her confidence. She worried that Xiao Ye might mind the hideous scar too much.*
*She feared she wasn't good enough for Xiao Ye!*
In front of Xiao Ye, she wished she could change into her Beast-Eared Girl form—the perfect, flawless, pure and noble Fox-Eared Lady Bingxi.
"Pfft!" Xie Mengxuan burst into laughter, her face unconcealed with pride and excitement.
But even in the principal's office, Xie Mengxuan only dared to gloat and sneer quietly for a moment, proud for just an instant.
*Trash will always be trash. Without the Beast-Eared Girl form, you're nothing!* she thought gleefully.
"Is everybody here? Let me introduce someone—this is a sophomore who dropped out from the Wilderness Academy. He possesses S-rank Beastmaster Talent and has already reached the second Realm. However, due to an accident, his Contractor died. Now he wants to retake the college entrance exam… Let's give him a warm welcome!"
The principal stepped in, holding a briefcase and bringing along a bald-headed young man, introducing him excitedly.
"Clap clap clap!" The group applauded enthusiastically.
S-rank, second Realm, Contractor died, retaking the entrance exam!
Even Xiao Ye was a little surprised—a sophomore who had already entered an Academy could actually retake the exam? *This wasn't Earth—this is Blue Star, a post-apocalyptic world overrun by Demon Beasts.*
The principal glanced at Xie Mengxuan and said, "Xie Mengxuan, you two can get to know each other. If you think you're compatible, you can form a contract."
The bald youth suddenly asked curiously, "Principal, I heard the Third High School has a girl who awakened an SSS-template today. Who is she?"
The principal pointed at Bingxi, saying, "Bingxi awakened the SSS-rank template, but she's already formed her contract with Xiao Ye!"
The bald youth looked over in curiosity. But when he caught sight of Bingxi's shocking right-side scar, his smile froze. The corner of his mouth twitched as he said,
"This classmate is… uh, kind of unique."
The bald youth promptly took a seat next to Xie Mengxuan and began whispering with her.
The principal scanned the office hall, nodded in satisfaction, and said solemnly,
"Here at Wilderness Base City, we've come dead last in the entrance exam competition among the base cities for ten consecutive years. This year, to prepare for the college entrance exam, the Wilderness Base City has decided to launch the Gaokao Youth Training Camp, ramping up support to cultivate the very best students from all the awakening classes in our high schools. The goal is…"
The principal paused, then announced in a passionate, inspiring tone, "The goal is to finally get rid of our last-place title and go all out for second-to-last!"
The students in the room were stunned. *He was gunning for second-to-last? And that took full effort?*
The students exchanged doubtful looks with the principal.
*Are you fucking kidding us right now?*
"Ahem!" The principal suddenly broke into a grin, saying, "Relax, everybody. From what I hear, both the First and Third High Schools have awakened S-rank templates and talents today—more than one, even!"
"This year, with the launch of the Gaokao Youth Training Camp, I'm confident Wilderness Base City can grab second-to-last in all of Dragon Country—a shot at third-to-last is even possible!"
That made the principal even happier. Third-to-last beat out second-to-last, which came with way more resources from above.
Xiao Ye piped up, "Principal, be brave and bring home first place!"
"…" The principal rolled his eyes at Xiao Ye, "Xiao Ye, don't interrupt!"
*Even third-to-last was just a possibility. Less than a fifty-fifty chance!* As for first place, that was something only the super base cities like Imperial Base City or Shanghai Base City, where prodigies gathered, could ever dream of.
"You're all students of the Third High, and for the Youth Training Camp, you need to be united and help one another. You'll be a team, and as your principal, I appoint Xiao Ye as captain and Bingxi as vice-captain. Does anyone object?"
"No objections!" "I approve!" "Couldn't agree more!"
The three A-rank pairs all raised their hands in agreement.
But a grating voice came from the back row—it was the bald youth.
"Wait! I object."
"Xie Mengxuan has already agreed to be my Contractor, and I'm in the second Realm. That means the two strongest in the team are me and Mengxuan. We should be the captains!"
"Uh," the principal hesitated mid-sentence.
The bald youth pressed on, "As far as I know, we only head to the Youth Training Camp tomorrow. So I suggest, after we all meet up tomorrow, we challenge Xiao Ye and their Summoned Beasts to a match. Whoever wins gets to be captain—how about it?"
[Contact with an Event, Quest Triggered]
[Quest: Defeat the second Realm Jing Ran and his Wolf King. Seize captainship of the Third High team. Reward: rare elixir—Beauty Enhancement Pill, one hundred Evolution Points]
[Beauty Enhancement Pill—as the name suggests, restores one's looks to perfection. A divine elixir coveted by all women. Evolution Points: used for Summoned Beast Form upgrades]
[Accept quest? No penalty if declined. No penalty if the quest is failed]
(Next chapter title: Meet the Parents, Enter the Bridal Chamber, Wedding Night)