Chapter 652: Final Exams and College Entrance Examinations
The small world of plant technology has been expanding in the Expanding Realm for several months now, and for the Witch Academy, it has only been a bit more than half a semester.
Or rather… at the halfway point of the semester, the Expanding Realm had quietly undergone changes.
If a world experiences destruction but retains its population, the process of rebuilding their civilization will be long and will require at least nine stages.
Starting from the first stage, “Survival and Stability.”
They need to solve the issues that allow their continuation, such as basic food and water…
However, this civilization has the most basic resources to allow for a relatively ample development time, and to achieve further stability, they need housing and corresponding medical and sanitary conditions.
Soon, this was largely covered by the extraordinary students who arrived here, but… it was limited to the areas surrounding Ninglan New City.
Other places did not receive assistance, so the lives in the Expanding Realm relied on their own endurance.
This isn’t to prove anything; it’s just a fact. Those students helped some refugees, while many more wanderers gathered in various places within the Expanding Realm, relying on their own abilities.
Thus, they reached the second stage, “Organization and Leadership.”
However, near Ninglan New City, those students jumped over the second stage and forcibly advanced them to the third stage, “Infrastructure Reconstruction,” which involved building shelters for them.
This was in direct contrast to my actions; my clones were continuously deepening the second stage in the Expanding Realm, encouraging them to utilize their strengths to shape everything.
Due to the limited strength of my clones, this was the only method I could choose, letting them choose their own paths and progress to the third stage through their means.
And this third stage was roughly where the entire Expanding Realm stood, still far from completion.
But the third stage is also the most important stage, as every subsequent phase requires a foundation of infrastructure to sustain itself.
Just like the shelters and refuges in Ninglan New City, the infrastructure construction was nearly complete, and even included the laying of the Plant Network, prompting them to hurriedly engage in the sixth step of “Economic System Reconstruction,” as this was the purpose for most clubs coming here. Perhaps not everyone came for profit, but groups like clubs certainly did.
As for the fourth stage of “Education and Knowledge Transfer” after the completion of infrastructure, they have not pursued it.
Because within the shelter, there was no designated area for teaching planned, and regarding the transfer of knowledge… there was only the information stored within the Wanlian Main Network Tree and the rare talents scattered throughout the Expanding Realm.
The fifth stage, “Technology and Innovation”…
I must admit that those students were indeed engaged in this aspect of reconstruction, but the technology was firmly controlled by them and not returned to the civilization rebuilders.
They tightly grasped these technological and innovative leads, all for the sake of the sixth stage, “Economic System Reconstruction.”
As for the subsequent seventh stage of “Social and Cultural Reconstruction,” it goes without saying that they did not embark on that, and the final two stages of “World Union” and “Environmental Recovery and Sustainable Development”…
They have not initiated any of those stages, entirely relying on me for progress, but my strength is still too weak; the union of the entire Expanding Realm is confined to the Plant Network.
The construction related to sustainable development is only limited to the realm of mutated beasts, only showing benefits once civilization reaches a peak.
Yet, I must say that, over time, the two major shelters and three major refuges centered around Ninglan New City have indeed been developing in a way that leads the reconstruction of civilization in the Expanding Realm.
As plant technology continues to “reemerge,” the people living in cities on the land are gradually restoring their former ways of life.
And utilizing the interconnected Plant Network as a hub, they continuously spread this influence to various regions across the Expanding Realm.
As representatives of civilization reconstruction, they naturally need to set an example and, through the Plant Network, have taken over the guidance of the reconstruction work in other regions.
As they interacted with others through the Plant Network, the students remaining in Ninglan New City also realized something: those ordinary people scattered throughout the Expanding Realm engaging in the reconstruction of civilization… surprisingly possessed extraordinary power!
And on such a large scale too!
This indeed made them feel a sense of unease, for this was a scene they had never encountered before.
If the leaders of the two major shelters wielded the power given by the Teaching Assistant Xiao Han, they could understand that, but outside the region of Ninglan New City, the sheer number of people wielding extraordinary power… was terrifying!
Even though they learned that this power was bestowed by the fruits of the Wanlian Main Network Tree, they had no way to obtain those fruits.
The Wanlian Main Network Tree in the Disaster Refuge was being studied by instructors, and they had no right to reach out, while the tree in the second shelter… was being “guarded” by those 18 leaders, and they couldn’t just seize it outright. Such actions would be spontaneous; although the others were weak, according to their Witch Contract upon entering the Expanding Realm, they could not take action against them.
Unless… the others acted first, but now those dozen people were also one of the leaders of a shelter, having exchanged much intelligence and sharing some taboos, so they tacitly decided not to be the first to strike.
Of course, various groups also provided reminders, such as… the backup team of Xiao Han.
To be more specific… Millien.
She was well-acquainted with the tactics of those clubs, so long before she joined the later stages of constructing the second shelter, she had spoken with those dozen “hot-headed” leaders.
But even so, these people could not contend with the crafty veterans of the clubs. Although they did not suffer any actual losses, the club members managed to acquire fruits from the Wanlian Main Network Tree through various means.
They needed to confirm exactly what kind of power and growth potential those individuals had gained from their extraordinary abilities.
After consuming them, they also learned about the game-like interface.
This was not the “Awakening of Abilities” model they had anticipated.
These fruits were definitely unnatural!
How could there be such fruits that one could simply consume to gain such abilities?
But this made them think of that group of guys…
Players!
Aren’t those self-proclaimed world invaders just like that?
After these pieces of information reached certain club members, they also sent it back.
The fruits of the Wanlian Main Network Tree could accomplish such feats; it definitely had something to do with those instructors gathered in the laboratory.
However, due to issues with information transmission and accuracy, this intelligence also became evidence within their families, confirming that those players were indeed the handiwork of extraordinary mentors!
Even if they weren’t, those mentors had the means to create those players; the fruits of the Wanlian Main Network Tree were the best proof of such techniques!
Yet, some students straightforwardly asked their instructor, such as the mentor Elena, who had been in Ninglan New City.
However, their response was that those players created by the fruits of the Wanlian Main Network Tree were not the same as the original players, and that this was merely an inspiration from the players’ attempts, with the academy preparing to imitate this model.
As for whether those who learned this information believed it, that was another matter altogether.
But it could be confirmed that… extraordinary witches never cared about these trivial matters.
Even if they were worried, it was merely those guilty parties who felt anxious; all their struggles and resistances were meaningless.
In fact, many perceptive people could see the difference; for example, the power forms mastered by these two “players” were different—one wielded powers similar to pixels, while the weapons used were modern firearms.
In contrast, the players from the Wanlian Main Network Tree possessed “professions” and “skills,” showing a clear stylistic distinction.
It was probably akin to the gap between “science fiction” and “fantasy.”
Moreover, the intensity of skills granted by the Wanlian Main Network Tree was also quite weak; even the Small Fireball Spell not only required a casting time but was also weak in strength, while the sub-professions like Farmer and Architect had no combat potential whatsoever.
Thus, they speculated that this was a method the mentors were responsible for developing to help people in this world rebuild civilization.
While marveling at the terrifying methods of extraordinary mentors, they also worried that if the Wanlian Main Network Tree appeared in their outside society… it might lead to a significant upheaval in the world!
Therefore… the truth about the players seemed increasingly irrelevant.
Because these mentors had already begun to shape the foundation of transformation; the stable social structure of the outside world… was likely to undergo a huge reshuffling.
So, as a member of the Extraordinary Academy, what path should they take?
Should they follow the academy to become agents of change, or should they obey their families and become obstacles to this transformation?
In fact, it seemed they had no choice; the power of the Extraordinary Academy was something they couldn’t resist, but those from the families who had not witnessed firsthand what lay beyond did not know.
They maintained a blind faith in their grasp on the outside world, driven by interests; it was impossible for them to give up everything and start anew!
They would rather march toward d*ath alongside their power and profits!
This is where the danger lies.
Not recognizing their status and identity in this world is the “tumor” that the family has continually accumulated through its development.
Even if the family has grown, amassing a level of influence where they can call the shots in the outside world, it is all hollow; everything needs to revert to basics. What is the foundation of their family’s survival?
It is the tolerance of the Extraordinary Academy; without this foundation, the family is nothing.
So, the difference in perspective lies here, with the people of the family considering themselves the true masters of the Main World.
Meanwhile, those who enrolled in the Extraordinary Academy benefitted from the cultivation, nurturing, and resource allocation of the family, ingrained with ideologies and educational methods from childhood. Even when they come to realize the truth in the Extraordinary Academy… the invisible shackles that bind them also lead them to make the most emotional choices.
This is also what every Extraordinary Academy finds most troublesome: their students contribute to their families, clearly only a step away from the extraordinary, yet they choose not to advance into the extraordinary and embrace what their race represents.
Many matters cannot be resolved through sheer force, including power at the extraordinary level.
Even the current reshaping of order is just a corresponding solution, that is, to “flip the table.”
This is a very helpless choice, yet it is also the most convenient and dignified method.
Since they could not maintain order, they would overturn it and start anew; at least the order after restarting for a while is what they wish to see.
If there were gentle solutions, they would never choose such an extreme method, but they see no options, and of course, the main issue still lies in their inability to let go of prejudices between the extraordinary and ordinary identities, needing to negotiate and compromise between extraordinary beings and ordinary people.
Thus, they chose the most direct approach, especially since the trend is as such!
Coincidentally, they encountered the fact that the Witch Academy possessed the technique for world vein restoration, which is the fundamental reason behind everything.
However, regardless of how the situation develops, time continues to push forward.
And soon, two important events were about to occur in the Main World.
One event relates to the Extraordinary Academy, and after each academy completes the last monthly exam of the semester…
The final semester exam has quietly arrived.
It can be said that this semester’s monthly exam has been a novel experience for students of every academy, especially the Witch Academy, connecting with other academies in the outside world to experience the friction between different academies.
This time, the semester exam also carries heavyweight arrangements.
Last semester, various academies held a multi-school joint examination, securing the entire Bobapop Islands for the assessment.
This time, it is rumored that the joint examination will be held in the Expanding Realm, and the eligibility for the academy joint examination depends on which academies have established stable transport channels with the Expanding Realm this semester.
The transport channels serve as proof of qualification for participation in the multi-school joint examination.
Moreover, this multi-school joint semester exam also involves another plan, known as the “Knowledge Seed Multi-School Joint Sharing Plan.”
Although many people are not familiar with the concept of Knowledge Seeds, that does not prevent those who do know it from yearning for it!
In addition to the semester exam within the Extraordinary Academy, there is also something very important happening in the outside world!
That is the global unified… college entrance examination!
This is a choice that everyone experiences at a crucial juncture in life.
At the current stage, the subjects covered in the college entrance examination are actually very few; the usable subjects include only “General Language Subjects” and Mathematics, while the remainder consists of “Basic Meditation,” “Magic Theory,” and “Elemental Theory,” the three courses.
Of course, all three courses are at an introductory level of teaching; even if one exhausts the textbooks, they will only attain a basic understanding of these subjects. Besides some basic meditation for enhancing mental power, there are no pathways or material foundations for mastering extraordinary power.
Because the true knowledge and pathways to mastering extraordinary power can only be obtained in the Extraordinary Academy.
As for physics, chemistry, politics, history, and biology… from an extraordinary perspective, they are actually unnecessary, but those courses still exist; however, formal examinations are not held for them, as these subjects are useful for shaping a person’s cognition. The truth doesn’t need to be discussed, but it cannot be absent.
Additionally, the college entrance examination process also includes assessments of a person’s spiritual affinity and spirit vision awakening, among other projects.
For example, to enter the Extraordinary Academy, one must awaken their spirit vision before filling out their application.
And to reach higher levels of the Extraordinary Academy, spiritual affinity will significantly enhance the student’s own evaluation, although affinity mainly revolves around the student’s choice of path, it is not a decisive factor. Everyone is an ordinary person, and even with geniuses, the difference won’t be substantial. Thus, many Extraordinary Academies, such as… the Witch Academy, do not particularly consider spiritual affinity.
