Then, he threw a ferocious punch!

BANG!!!

The dull thud of the impact seemed to shake the very air of the observation hall, even through the screen.

The specially designed punching target, built to withstand fifty tons of force, was trembling violently from this single blow!

At the same time, the leaderboards on all the screens in the venue refreshed once more!

This time, the top spot had changed hands again!

A name that seemed to belong in first place appeared at the top of the list!

[NO. 1: Dongjiang Celestial Star Martial Arts High School, Class 1, Year 3, Xue Wangshu]

[Qi and Blood Index: 158.63]

[Life Index: 99.37]

With this, the top three on the leaderboard were officially set in stone.

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

Everyone was shocked beyond belief by these two terrifying sets of data.

There was a massive, visible gulf between the first-place Xue Wangshu and the second-place Xu Xiaoman.

This was especially true for the Life Index.

Xue Wangshu was already infinitely close to the 100-point threshold!

This was completely beyond the scope of a high school student!

At the same time, the results of Xue Wangshu’s first physical test appeared on screen.

Punching Power: 7,883.25 kg!

A single punch, nearly eight tons!

This was the number one genius of Dongjiang City’s younger generation!

A tsunami of gasps and applause suddenly erupted in the observation hall.

Xue Wangshu had been famous for a long time.

Everyone was discussing how much he had improved since the last time.

And just how wide the gap was between him and the other geniuses.

They wondered how many years it would take for Dongjiang to produce another talent like him.

In the seating area for Celestial Star Martial Arts High School, countless teachers shot to their feet, their applause thunderous.

Their school’s two top geniuses had taken the top two spots on the leaderboard. What an incredible honor!

A few of the school leaders even cast proud glances toward the private viewing area on the second floor of the venue.

That was where the true VIPs of Dongjiang City were seated.

They hoped that these results, worthy of being recorded in the annals of Dongjiang City’s educational history, would be noticed by those important figures.

Just then, a staff member in a second-floor work uniform hurried over.

He made his way to the back row of the school leaders’ section and, under numerous stunned gazes, walked straight up to Wang Zhengguo.

He bowed slightly, his tone cautious and polite.

"Excuse me, are you Principal Wang Zhengguo?"

Wang Zhengguo froze for a moment before subconsciously nodding. "I am."

The smile on the staff member’s face instantly grew wider.

"Principal Wang, Mr. Li Kai Nian, the Deputy Director in the second-floor viewing area, has requested your presence for a chat."

The staff member paused before adding another sentence—a sentence that left all the nearby school leaders, who had been straining their ears to eavesdrop, completely dumbfounded.

"Additionally, Mr. Li would also like to learn more about a candidate from your school named Lin Ye."

Wang Zhengguo was utterly stunned.

Li Kai Nian?

The name was like a bolt of lightning from a distant, dusty memory, jolting him awake.

Li Kai Nian was his company commander when he served in the army in his youth. He had heard that Li had been promoted steadily through the ranks but had long since left the military system.

’I never thought... he’d have been transferred to the Education Department.’

’And as a Deputy Director, no less?’

The educational institutions of the Great Xia Alliance were divided into four levels: Prefecture, Department, Bureau, and Office.

The highest-ranking official in Dongjiang City was merely the Director of the Education Bureau.

A Department was a provincial-level institution!

The shock in Wang Zhengguo’s heart was far more intense than what his face revealed.

’Even if his old company commander wanted to catch up with him...’

’...he definitely wouldn’t have chosen this moment.’ 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

’It’s most likely because of Lin Ye!’

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil of emotions within him, and forced a smile as he readily agreed.

This scene left everyone around him completely dumbfounded.

This was especially true for the leaders from Celestial Star Martial Arts High School near the front row; their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

’What’s going on?’

’Deputy Director Li didn’t invite them, the leaders of the school that produced Xue Wangshu and Xu Xiaoman?’

’Instead, he invited the principal of some obscure Dongjiang First Middle School?’

’And what did that staff member say?’

’Deputy Director Li wanted to know more about a certain student?’

’He didn’t want to know about Xue Wangshu or Xu Xiaoman, so why would he be interested in a student from a Municipal Martial Arts High School?’

In an instant, countless gazes filled with shock, jealousy, and confusion focused squarely on Wang Zhengguo’s back.

Chen Meng remained in his seat, watching the principal’s retreating back.

He glanced again at the leaderboard on the big screen, which still showed no changes, and fell into thought.

Before long, under the staff member’s guidance, Wang Zhengguo arrived on the second floor.

The space here was far more private and quiet than the first floor. Every person seated here had a composed aura and an extraordinary status.

"Zhengguo! Over here! Heh, long time no see!"

A loud and familiar voice called out.

Wang Zhengguo looked up and immediately saw him in the main seat.

An elderly man with a sturdy, upright posture, a stern face, and a square jaw was smiling and waving at him.

Wang Zhengguo hurried over. He saw that the person sitting next to Li Kai Nian was none other than the Director of the Dongjiang City Education Bureau.

This was his direct superior, the man who would normally scold him like a grandson.

Yet now, upon seeing him, the man wore an awkward smile and reluctantly shifted in his seat to make room.

Wang Zhengguo suddenly felt so awkward he didn’t know what to do with his hands and feet, flustered and uneasy.

"Sit!"

Li Kai Nian’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an authority that permitted no argument.

"It’s been a long time. Let’s take this chance to catch up properly. There’s no need to be so formal."