Chapter 119 - 119 Jiang Cheng’s Choice
“I choose to save myself.”
As soon as this answer came out, not only did the teachers responsible for scoring freeze, but even the hosts guiding the candidates in the examination hall were taken aback.
To confirm the answer, the host repeated into the microphone, “Your physical strength is only enough to save one person. Please make your choice as quickly as possible.”
Candidate number 1002 was unequivocal, “I choose to save myself.”
“You can save one person.”
“I’ve saved them, that person is myself.”
“Apart from yourself, you can save one more.”
“I can’t swim, so I can only save myself.”
In the spectator stands outside the examination area, Cheng Bingxin opened her mouth in surprise and after a moment, she elbowed Yue Linger in the waist.
“Linger, I think he makes sense. If you can’t swim, you really can only save yourself.”
Yue Linger immediately retorted, “You think he makes sense, then you can go find a boyfriend who can’t swim in the future.”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Bingxin hastily shook her head, “No sense, no sense, I still prefer one who can swim; it’s better when they can swim.”
Yue Linger wasn’t surprised by her best friend’s response; this person was always full of nonsense and never spoke a word of truth.
However…
Yue Linger’s beautiful eyes couldn’t help but drift to Jiang Cheng in the arena.
Even in the crowded crowd, he still stood out.
So, Jiang Cheng, what would you choose?
Yue Linger couldn’t help wondering.
If I fell into the weak water, would you choose to save me?
You definitely would.
If it were between me and Liu Qing…
Yue Linger bit her red lip, not so certain anymore.
“Linger?”
“Huh?”
“Who are you looking at?” Cheng Bingxin looked at Yue Linger with suspicion.
“Nothing, oh, look, the score for candidate 1002 has come out.”
Cheng Bingxin thought to herself: Humph, changing the subject, huh? Watch me expose your little fox tail!
The choice of candidate number 1002 left all the teachers of the Talisman Department in room number three in deep silence.
You could say he didn’t save anyone, so he should be given zero points for lack of gratitude.
But if you say he really didn’t save anyone, he did indeed save one person—himself, who couldn’t swim.
So how should this score be given?
Giving zero points doesn’t seem right, but high points might set a bad example and lead others to not save anyone, spoiling the atmosphere at Lotus University.
After much deliberation, everyone adopted the widely-favored compromise policy.
50 points!
Not too low, but also a warning to those students who don’t want to save others that they should, at the very least, be like the first student who made sure to keep ‘Mom’ safe first.
However, the stagnant atmosphere in room number three didn’t last too long, as more experts were yet to come.
The Shadow Capture Array’s broadcast showed that candidate number 1003 had entered the space.
The host, as usual, posed the question, and the response from candidate number 1003 shocked the audience yet again.
“I won’t save anyone!”
“Why?”
“Women, they’ll only slow down my sword-drawing speed!”
In front of everyone, candidate number 1003 drew the sword from his waist, his face showing a look of obsession. It seemed that this sword was his true partner.
The teachers in the adjacent room number four were going mad.
Their shouting could be clearly heard throughout room number three.
“Damn it, you want to play with swords, go apply to the Sword Cultivation Academy! We in the Treasure Department don’t need someone who slashes women!”
“Zero points! You’re supposed to save someone, not show off your love! Definitely zero points!”
The birdsong and fragrant flowers atmosphere of room number four made the teachers of the Talisman Department in room number three breathe a sigh of relief.
They had thought candidate number 1002 from the Talisman Department was outrageous enough, but it turned out that candidate number 1003 from the Treasure Department was the real heavyweight.
“Thank goodness this eccentric student isn’t from our department.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Ah, I genuinely feel a bit sorry for the department next door, having to deal with such an outlandish student.”
At the test site, Jiang Cheng thoughtfully eyed candidate number 1003’s zero score.
Everyone on the scene was concerned about candidate number 1003’s act, but it was only Jiang Cheng who noticed something different.
“Could it be possible that he’s confident about getting into Lotus University, which is why he casually gave any answer?”
Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury to play around like that, I must try to get a perfect score. Jiang Cheng thought to himself.
When candidates like 1002 and 1003 kept appearing one after another, Li Youyuan, the head of the recruitment office, felt truly on edge.
Li Youyuan even began to doubt whether there was a major error with this year’s recruitment work, otherwise how could there be so many outrageous students all at once?
However, fortunately the next dozen or so candidates performed normally, allowing Li Youyuan to relax again.
Students like 1002 and 1003 who were rather outlandish were in the minority. He estimated there wouldn’t be any more popping up. He had to firmly believe in the righteous atmosphere of the Cultivation World under the rule of the Immortal Sect.
He also had to believe in his own ability, honed over many years of recruitment work.
Just when Li Youyuan began to relax, he saw a familiar figure stepping onto the stage.
It seemed to be that second prize Talisman Master. Named Jiang something.
But the character test is very simple, as long as this kid is sane, he can just casually answer “save mother” to pass.
Nothing worth paying attention to.
The character test proceeded normally:
“You are a filial son, as well as a responsible husband. But now, your mother and your partner have both fallen into the weak water which can cause the loss of cultivation. Your strength is only enough to save one person, please make your choice quickly.”
Jiang Cheng: “I choose to save both.”
Huh!?
Li Youyuan’s eyes widened instantaneously.
Within the test site.
As if afraid that Jiang Cheng hadn’t understood, the examiner reiterated: “Your strength is only enough to save one person, please make your choice quickly.”
Jiang Cheng also repeated: “I choose to save both.”
“Your strength, is only enough to save one.” the examiner emphasized.
Jiang Cheng looked puzzled: “Indeed, my strength is only enough to save one, but why must I use physical strength to save someone? This question seems to be about making a choice, testing a person’s character. But in reality, the true purpose is to test a person’s wisdom. How to save more people with limited strength is the answer to this question.”
Li Youyuan: Stop right there, this question is indeed testing character; wisdom will be tested in the following questions!
The examiner, who had not anticipated Jiang Cheng’s answer, could only follow along: “Uh, in that case, candidate number 1016, what do you intend to do?”
“Of course, to save people,” Jiang Cheng replied.
“But how will you save them? The river’s water is weak water, which suppresses a cultivator’s cultivation level.”
The examiner voiced the doubt that everyone had.
You’ve made big claims about saving both; now show us how you’ll do it!
Are you just boasting?
Some busybodies in the stands immediately started to jeer.
“Just boasting, right? How is it possible to save both at once?”
“Exactly.”
“Cut it out, we don’t want to delay the next candidate.”
Yue Linger’s eyes were fixed on Jiang Cheng in the test site. She knew that Jiang Cheng had made some preparations, but she didn’t know whether Jiang Cheng had actually prepared a talisman capable of saving both dummies in the river.
Cheng Bingxin looked at Yue Linger, then back at the distant Jiang Cheng, and pondered.
Compared to the clamor from the outside, Jiang Cheng’s heart was incomparably calm.
He drew out a talisman with ease.
[Name: Crisis Calm Talisman
Rank: First Order
Type: Healing
Effect: Duplicates the neural signals from oneself and transmits them to the key muscular groups in the other person’s body, thereby causing the other person to become your shadow and mimic your movements.
Cautions: The principal and the shadow must not be too far apart or the signal may be interrupted, leading to uncontrollable twitching of the shadow’s muscles.]