Chapter 533: Chapter 231: The Great Exam Concludes, National Champion

The office wasn’t quiet; a few colleagues were gathered together, making small talk.

"Hey, isn’t today the national Martial Arts College Entrance Exam?"

"Yeah, my nephew is taking it today too. My sister was so nervous she called me several times this morning."

"It’s almost noon. By this time in previous years, the results would be out and the rankings would be about to be released, right? How come there’s been no news at all this year?" a young man muttered in confusion as he scrolled through his phone.

Lin Tao held his thermos, listening to their discussion, and couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

"Exam Hall Number One in the Imperial Capital hasn’t finished yet. Of course the rankings won’t be released now."

The moment he spoke, all the idle chatter in the office came to a sudden halt.

Everyone turned their heads in unison, their gazes fixed on Lin Tao.

The young woman named Zhao, who had just brought a document for Lin Tao to sign, blinked her big, curious eyes and leaned in. "Mr. Lin, how do you know that? And what’s this about Exam Hall Number One? Do you have some inside information?"

"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Lin, let us in on it!"

"Was the exam especially difficult this year?"

The others in the office chimed in, crowding around him and talking all at once.

Lin Tao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the commotion, so he simply waved his hand dismissively.

"There’s no inside information. I was just making a wild guess."

He paused, a proud smile spreading across his face as he added slowly, "It’s just that my boy happens to be taking the exam in that very hall today. Heh heh."

The moment he said that, the office fell silent for a beat before erupting with cries of envy.

"Wow! Mr. Lin’s son is taking the exam in the Imperial Capital’s Exam Hall Number One? That’s a place only the nation’s top geniuses can get into, right?"

"Like father, like son! Mr. Lin, you’re so fortunate!"

Amidst this chorus of compliments, an older colleague with salt-and-pepper hair, sitting behind another desk, also spoke up with a smile.

"Heh heh, what a coincidence. My boy took the martial arts exam today, too."

This man’s name was Wang Yuchuan, the deputy head of the department. He was nearly ten years older than Lin Tao, yet his position was still half a rank lower.

He felt a certain sense of injustice toward Lin Tao, who had been appointed head of the department from the outside, but he never let it show.

Now, he cleared his throat, a hint of smugness on his face.

"Although the national rankings aren’t out yet, the exam here in Ninghai Province finished over an hour ago. The results have been out for a while."

He picked up his phone, pretending to swipe casually, and continued with a chuckle, "I just took a look. My boy did pretty well this time. He ranked somewhere in the one-thousand-three-hundreds for the province."

"He’s been going on and on about wanting to go to Jiuzhou Military Academy in Yanjing. It looks like with this score and rank, his admission is pretty much a sure thing. Heh heh."

Another round of appropriately timed compliments filled the office.

"Wow! There must be at least a hundred thousand examinees in the province, right? Ranking in the one-thousand-three-hundreds is incredible!"

"Jiuzhou Military Academy is a prestigious school! Your son really makes you proud!"

Lin Tao knew that at their age, many people stopped competing over their own accomplishments and started comparing their children’s achievements instead.

This Deputy Head Wang was a prime example.

This wasn’t the first time he had feigned nonchalance while bringing up his son’s excellent grades in the office.

However, Lin Tao didn’t really mind.

’It’s only human nature,’ he thought.

’Wasn’t he the same way?’

’Every time he thought of his son, he couldn’t hide the pride in his heart.’

"Congratulations, Wang. Your son has a bright future,"

Lin Tao said with genuine sincerity.

"Heh heh, you’re too kind. Compared to that genius of yours, my son has a long way to go. A long way."

Though his words were modest, the smile on Wang Yuchuan’s face grew even wider.

In this pleasant and harmonious atmosphere, the desk phone on Lin Tao’s desk suddenly rang.

The noise in the office instantly subsided.

Lin Tao picked up the receiver and pressed the speakerphone button—a habit of his, as he often needed to look through documents while on a call.

"Hello?"

A gentle, even deferential, male voice came from the other end of the line.

"Hello, may I ask if this is Mr. Lin Tao, the father of student Lin Ye?"

Lin Tao paused. "Speaking. May I ask who this is?"

"Hello, Mr. Lin! I’m from the admissions office of Jiuzhou Military Academy! My name is Zhang!"

The moment he introduced himself, the entire office fell into a strange silence.

Everyone froze, staring at one another in utter astonishment.

This was especially true for Wang Yuchuan, who had just been bragging about his son getting into Jiuzhou Military Academy. His eyes were wide and his mouth was agape, as if he’d just seen a ghost.

’The admissions office of Jiuzhou Military Academy?’

’Why would they call Lin Tao directly?’

The voice on the phone was clearly audible throughout the entire office.

"Here’s the situation, Mr. Lin..."

Mr. Zhang’s voice grew even more enthusiastic.

"Our academy’s leadership is extremely impressed with student Lin Ye. We are all in agreement that he is precisely the kind of top-tier talent Jiuzhou Military Academy has been searching for!"

"Therefore, we would like to formally extend a special admission invitation to student Lin Ye! If he is willing to attend our academy, we promise to immediately grant him the highest-level S-rank scholarship, which includes an annual stipend of five million."

"During his time here, all cultivation resources—including medicinal pills, Cultivation Techniques, and access rights to secret realms—will be provided to him in unlimited quantities!"

"Furthermore, we can immediately arrange for Yanjing household registration for you and your wife, Mr. Lin. We will also provide a fully-furnished apartment for you both near the academy, making it convenient for you to visit your son whenever you wish."

HISS—!

A collective gasp echoed through the office.

Everyone was left dumbfounded by the frankly outrageous offer.

’This isn’t a recruitment offer!’

’This is like rolling out the red carpet for a king!’

Wang Yuchuan was completely stupefied. He stood there, rooted to the spot.

His son had worked his fingers to the bone to rank in the one-thousand-three-hundreds for the province, barely meeting the school’s minimum requirements.

And yet here was Lin Ye, whose exam wasn’t even over, and the academy’s admissions office was already calling his father, desperate to recruit him.

’The comparison is just infuriating!’ he thought.

And yet, Lin Tao, on the other end of the line, showed little excitement after hearing the offer.

He simply replied in a calm voice, "Mr. Zhang, thank you for your academy’s generous offer."

"As for which academy Lin Ye chooses to attend, that is his own decision. As his father, I don’t want to make it for him."

"However, I will relay your invitation to him."

"Oh, yes, of course! Of course!"

Mr. Zhang on the other end of the line said hurriedly, "Mr. Lin, we’re counting on you, then! Please, you must have student Lin Ye give our Jiuzhou Military Academy top consideration! As for the terms, everything is negotiable! Everything!"

Just then, the desk phone made a BEEP BEEP sound, indicating another call was coming in.

Lin Tao said to Mr. Zhang, "My apologies, I have another call coming in," and switched lines.

"Hello?"

The call connected, and another voice came through—equally polite, but noticeably more self-assured.

"Is this Mr. Lin Tao? I am Liu Zhen, the Head of Admissions for Huaqing University’s Martial Arts Academy."

Huaqing University!

The moment those two words were spoken, the atmosphere in the office, which had just begun to settle, was instantly reignited.

If Jiuzhou Military Academy was a prestigious school, then Huaqing University was a true top-tier institution in the Great Xia Kingdom, one of the titans of the Martial Science College Realm!

Before Lin Tao could even speak, Mr. Liu on the other end, seeming rather eager himself, got straight to the point. "Mr. Lin, we at Huaqing University..."

"Hold on."

Lin Tao suddenly cut him off, his brow furrowing.

"Mr. Liu, I don’t quite understand. Logically speaking, the exam shouldn’t be officially over yet, should it? Why are you, and Jiuzhou Military Academy just now, in such a hurry to call me?"

On the other end of the line, Mr. Liu went quiet for a moment.

Then, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

"Jiuzhou Military Academy?"

"Mr. Lin, forgive my bluntness, but you should be considering a better school for your son, not some third-rate university like that."

As his words fell, Deputy Head Wang, who was standing nearby, felt his vision go dark as the breath caught in his throat.

"Thi... Third-rate university?!"

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