C5 Ranked First in the City

During class, the homeroom teacher strode into the classroom, exuding confidence.

"Students, I'm proud to say that your scores were exceptional this time. You've brought great honor to our class."

"Now, I'll announce the results. When I call your name, come up and collect your exam paper."

"Lin Tian scored 668 points, placing seventh in our class and ninety-sixth in the city."

"Huang Zhongyu scored 670 points, earning sixth place in our class and eighty-third in the city."

Huang Zhongyu's heart settled upon hearing his score. It was just as he had predicted—his best performance to date.

With such impressive results, he thought surpassing Ye Chen would be a piece of cake.

"Young Master Huang, you're truly remarkable! It's rare to find a perfect Prince Charming like you," Lin Kang lavished praise on him.

Basking in the adulation, Huang Zhongyu replied, "I'll give you thirty thousand for that."

"Thank you," Lin Kang said, grinning from ear to ear. For him, money trumped academics. His grades were dismal, and he believed that studying made no difference to his prospects.

"Ye Chen, you and I are simply not in the same league. I am an existence you'll never surpass in your lifetime," Huang Zhongyu boasted.

Ye Chen gave him a dismissive look, as if he were observing a fool.

"Are you dense? The rankings are announced from the lowest to the highest, and the teacher hasn't called my name yet."

Huang Zhongyu paused, realizing Ye Chen's point was valid.

His expression then darkened considerably.

"Su Xueqing scored 701 points, taking second place in our class and third in the entire city."

"And now for the highlight. I never imagined that our class harbored a hidden genius. What's more tragic is that this genius was nearly overlooked and subjected to bullying. This is not only an affront to our school but a shame to us as educators."

"Let's give a hearty round of applause to Ye Chen for his exceptional score of 747 points, securing the top spot in the city!"

"He's actually the top scorer in the city?"

"Am I dreaming? Ye Chen scored first place in the city!"

"It's incredible that we had such a genius among us! This just shows the extent of the harm Lin Kang has done to him."

"Ye Chen has endured so much injustice!"

"He's faced such adversity, yet he managed to achieve such excellent results. We should all look up to Ye Chen as a role model!"

In the next moment, thunderous applause erupted!

Everyone wholeheartedly celebrated Ye Chen's impressive performance.

Upon hearing his results, Ye Chen didn't rejoice; instead, he frowned in private.

He examined his scorecard and noticed a point had been deducted from his math score.

He was certain he should have received full marks in math.

"Ding... Mission: You are a once-in-a-generation prodigy. You cannot allow even a single point to be miscounted. You must strive for accuracy."

"Reward: You have unlocked a special skill – Reading a hundred lines at a glance!"

It turned out that his math score was docked because of a grading error by his teacher.

Ye Chen stood up slowly, his statement taking everyone by surprise.

"Teacher, I believe there's been a mistake with my score. I'd like to review my exam paper."

The room fell silent. Did Ye Chen doubt his own high score?

"I knew it! How could a student like Ye Chen rank first? His score must be incorrect," Lin Kang laughed heartily.

"Exactly, the teacher must review the papers again. How could his score exceed mine? I bet he's been mistakenly given an extra hundred points!" Huang Zhongyu chimed in.

"What do you mean?" The form teacher asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

Ignoring the murmurs, Ye Chen calmly stated, "Teacher, as per the rules, no matter how well my Chinese and English essays are written, my scores in these subjects will each be docked one point. That's fair. However, my math score should be perfect."

The form teacher responded with a smile, "Ye Chen, your paper has been meticulously marked according to the standard answers multiple times. Losing one point isn't the end of the world. Just try harder next time!"

Clearly, the form teacher was skeptical of Ye Chen's claim but didn't want to discourage him.

Ye Chen just smiled wryly and shook his head. He didn't want to quibble, but the task set by the system was too crucial for him to ignore.

Reading a hundred lines at a glance was an extraordinary skill.

He read martial arts manuals at a snail's pace and needed this ability to accelerate his reading.

He was willing to compromise on other issues, but on this one, he stood his ground.

Out of nowhere, Ye Chen was filled with an immense sense of confidence. "Teacher, if my test paper is graded strictly according to the standard answer, then it must be the standard answer that's incorrect, because my test paper is the actual standard!"

Ye Chen's declaration sent shockwaves through the classroom.

Nobody had anticipated such audacity from Ye Chen.

"Ye Chen, are you out of your mind? You dare to challenge the standard answer? You're getting way too cocky," Lin Kang jeered, seizing the chance to mock Ye Chen mercilessly.

The homeroom teacher's expression soured; it was clear he thought Ye Chen was too full of himself.

He had only ranked first once, and already he was this conceited. It seemed he would only grow more arrogant with time.

Ye Chen remained unfazed.

There had to be a reason the system assigned him this task.

He was determined to review his test paper; he had to take on this standard answer today.

"Ye Chen, on what grounds do you make such a claim?"

Just then, a female teacher entered the classroom.

It was Chu Yuexi, the same teacher who had pledged to safeguard Ye Chen's academic journey just days before.

She was one of the authors of the test, and naturally, she was responsible for the so-called standard answer.

Ye Chen greeted her with a smile and a shake of his head. "I have no evidence, just the confidence that my answers are flawless."

Chu Yuexi squinted thoughtfully and nodded. "Fine, let's examine your test paper. If you're correct, I'll publicly vindicate you. I might even share your story with the whole city. But if you're wrong, you must agree to one condition. Deal?"

"What's the condition?" Ye Chen inquired.

"You'll be directly admitted to Jianghai University."

What?

The room erupted in disbelief.

Jianghai University was a top university in the nation, on par with Qing University and Jing University in Huaxia.

It was a dream institution for many, a place worth fighting tooth and nail to attend.

Only a select few were ever directly admitted to Jianghai University. If Ye Chen was mistaken, he could still attend Jianghai University, a prospect that left his peers, who were diligently preparing for their own college entrance exams, struggling to come to terms with it.

Comparing ourselves in this way only leads to harm for everyone involved.

Chu Yuexi had crafted a rather clever plan.

Ye Chen, after all, was Jianghai City's top scholar. For someone of his caliber, gaining admission to any prestigious university would be effortless.

Chu Yuexi learned that both Qing University and Jing University had dispatched representatives. They were eager to discuss the possibility of Ye Chen attending their institutions.

How could Jianghai University possibly settle for second place?

Moreover, having an additional genius like Ye Chen would significantly boost Jianghai University's odds in future rankings among top universities.

Missing out on a talent like Ye Chen would be a loss not just for Jianghai University, but for the entire Jianghai City as well.

Thus, she was resolute in securing Ye Chen for their university.

Her initial purpose for this visit was to negotiate with Ye Chen. The bet she proposed was simply an impromptu idea.

"Alright, I agree to your terms!"

Ye Chen nodded in affirmation. In his past life, he had never had the opportunity to attend college, and he had always admired those who did.

This time around, he was determined to address the regrets of his past.

As for which university he would choose, he was content to leave it to destiny.

Chu Yuexi retrieved Ye Chen's exam paper from her office and displayed it for everyone to see.