Translated by: Taffy (+some help from a friend~)
Edited by: Frosty
Quiz 66: The Great Fountain in the Exam Room
It was the third test in the finals. In other words, it was the last showdown between Lin Xian Central High and Kui Yuan Central High!
This was the decisive final battle. Whether Lin Xian would turn the tides depended on this moment.
It was ten in the morning on a cloudy day with just enough sunlight.
All the students were already in their arranged seats. Although strange things had occurred during yesterday"s test, not a single person was missing today. The proctors were all in place as well. At this moment, Sun Ming Qing announced, "This is the final test I hope everyone finishes this last subject well. Do not make the mistake of behaving out of line. Don"t worry too much about your test scores. Companionship is number one and compet.i.tion is number two."
Hmph, what kind of student wouldn"t worry about their test scores? Zhou Lun Yu was annoyed. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d has taken all of the spotlight with his words.
On the other hand, Zhuge Meng Ming was more worried about whether they could really turn the tables here.
This was their last chance.
There must be a way to succeed…even though we fell behind in the other two tests. Meng Ming was thinking with the Zhuge Style Cheating Technique"s methodology: there was always a way to change defeat into victory, no matter how dire the circ.u.mstances. There must be a way to win!
The bell indicating the start and end of the examination was hanging outside the northern wall of the room. Sun Ming Qing raised a mallet and announced, "This exam will be 90 minutes long. Begin." Once the test papers had been distributed, the bell rang out!
90 minutes?!
Why…! This exam is shorter than the others by an hour?
As they didn"t even have the time to be shocked, the students immediately began to flip through their papers.
Meng Ming noticed that the test paper was only one page long, and the question was very short. The answer sheet was also only one page; this was an essay!
This test…is just an essay?! Meng Ming realised.
All the students present made the same realisation.
To think that they"d give us this kind of question…
My efforts to study philosophy yesterday were all wasted…
90 minutes to write an essay, huh, that"s enough to spare.
Everyone felt like this last test was similar to the imperial examinations of the past! The only difference was that there was only one question.
…Ugh, how can there only be 90 minutes? That"s way less than what we"d based our plans on! [Meng Ming]
It looked as if Sun Ming Qing had only just learned of the exam subject as well, as he stared at it for a long time. Zhou Lun Yu noticed his expression and suddenly thought: That"s right! An essay means that everyone"s answers cannot be identical. This time, his tricks won"t work…
"No," Meng Ming reminded him. "It"s possible that he can show everyone a reference essay for them to consult."
"Hmph, I"m suprised you know this…" [Zhou Lun Yu]
"Little Qiao taught me. But at the moment, we don"t have the time to start writing." [Meng Ming]
There were three sharpened pencils and two additional pieces of paper. There were no draft papers, erasers, or even small blades provided! If this was an imperial examination, we"d be using ink brushes to write so there would indeed be no way to erase anything. They"re really sticking to the model well…
Only paper and pencil! All the examinees began to write while Meng Ming and Zhou Lun Yu surveyed their surroundings carefully.
"As expected! Look at Guo Dian and Lu Xiao!" [Meng Ming]
"It"s not just them, even Qi Tian Ao is writing." [Zhou Lun Yu]
"They don"t plan on making a move?"
"They already have!"
While Guo Dian was writing with his right hand, there was water dripping down his left finger. Very little time had pa.s.sed since the start of the exam, yet Guo Dian"s water was already flowing through the cracks in the ground and spreading all over the room! He had initiated a large-scale attack from the beginning!
During the previous two tests, he hadn"t been able to carry out this move. This time, he used it as soon as he entered without giving anyone the time to retaliate!
Unlike before, Lu Xiao didn"t make any moves, and simply focused on writing his essay. It was clear to see that he was somewhat afraid of Guo Dian"s attack this time as well.
"There"s 60 minutes less time than before. We have to make the most of it!" Meng Ming wanted to be as efficient as possible.
Time was very tight.
Before Guo Dian"s water had spread completely, multiple Flaming Arrows flew at his test paper.
Water"s main weakness was how slow it was. They had previously planned to first destroy Guo Dian"s paper!
Just dodge it, Guo Dian. If Guo Dian continued to write, Meng Ming"s Flaming Arrows would burn up the paper.
However, Guo Dian continued to drip water onto the ground without moving to evade the attack!
What, why isn"t he dodging?!" [Zhou Lun Yu]
Hmph, if I just simply raised my test paper off the table, wouldn"t I be falling right into your plans? Guo Dian had been watching Zhou Lun Yu from the beginning. Since Zhou Lun Yu is a floor below me, he can"t see where my paper is when it"s on the table. If I raise it up, wouldn"t it immediately be sliced to pieces? In the past two exams, when have I ever raised my paper up?!
]Guo Dian wasn"t the least bit afraid of Meng Ming"s Flaming Arrows.
Why would I be afraid of fire? All I have to do is extinguish it! Guo Dian dipped his finger into water and then flicked out two large water droplets into the air, directly putting out the fire and causing the Flaming Arrows to drop to the ground.
…Besides, I won"t let those things get close to me. Guo Dian had already seen through Meng Ming"s trick. There"s probably lime on them.
Indeed, once the water droplet attack struck the Flaming Arrows, they began to let out thick smoke from where they"d fallen.
None of you will be able to touch me! After their last two exchanges, Guo Dian had already completely grasped their skills, making him even more arrogant than before.
The water flowing underneath his feet continued to surge with nothing stopping its path.
Meng Ming and Zhou Lun Yu had absolutely no way to block its flow!
The stream of water slowly made its way through the top level, and then down to the middle and bottom levels. The entire site was soon surrounded by a river once more.
Guo Dian"s previous failures had hardened his resolve. He refused to believe the exam site would hold up for very long with just those two watching over it. He doubted that his sprays of water would be blocked every time.
You guys don"t have anything this time, let"s see what you try to do. Guo Dian had control over the water flow all over the site. One could see from his expression that he would be able to cause a flood of water anywhere he desired!
Guo Dian already had precise control over the direction and fluctuation of the water. This time, he would build up waves.
From the start, Lin Xian Central High was completely powerless.
You guys won"t be as lucky as last time! Guo Dian aimed at all the Lin Xian students and began to raise waves that churned the water!
Now it"s time for all of you to become my canvases! Guo Dian made his move! He used all his power, but it only rippled the water. There were no water droplets spraying through the air.
"…" [Guo Dian]
When Guo Dian saw that the river he"d created remained unmoving, he grew extremely angry.
"Qi Tian Ao, why do you block me every time?"
Qi Tian Ao was sitting in the center of the top level, writing his paper like a good student. He didn"t reply to Guo Dian at first, but he could tell from Guo Dian"s expression that he really wanted to know the answer.
"You can"t do this," Qi Tian Ao answered. "If you did, you"d be the one at a disadvantage."
"How is that possible?!" Guo Dian refused to believe this. "Who could possibly put me at a disadvantage?!"
Qi Tian Ao looked over at Zhuge Meng Ming"s hand.
Guo Dian followed his gaze.
"What, there"s nothing there!"
"He"s hiding something in his hand." Qi Tian Ao had always paid close attention to Zhuge Meng Ming"s movements each test. "At these kinds of moments, it always looks as if his hands are empty, but a string of relentless attacks will always fly out towards his opponent from some unknown place."
"Hmph…" Guo Dian still didn"t believe him. "Cut the bulls.h.i.t." He looked at the water that had already covered the entire exam site. "What could he possibly do?"
"…" [Qi Tian Ao]
"Even if it"s you, you aren"t able to stop me!" Guo Dian manoeuvred out of Qi Tian Ao"s bindings, and, with a burst of strength, broke through Qi Tian Ao"s control and set off powerful waves! Water burst out like a fountain underneath every student"s desk, spraying in the direction of their uncompleted essays!
This was Guo Dian"s Autumn Spray.
"Hmph, what can he do?!" Guo Dian shot a glance at Meng Ming… "What…?!"
There were countless pieces of shredded test papers in his hand! Right before Guo Dian had made his move, Meng Ming had flung these papers out!
Zhuge Style Cheating Technique: Dandelion Umbrellas! Meng Ming"s umbrellas flew towards every Lin Xian student"s desk, blocking Guo Dian"s water sprays.
He…predicted my movements?! [Guo Dian]
Meng Ming had already witnessed Guo Dian"s river technique twice, and had already completely seen through the fluctuations of his river; he could predict where it flowed, where it would rise up, and where it turned. He had formed a complete defensive perimeter around the entire exam site!
Hmph, even so, you only have one test paper to use. On the other hand, I can reuse the same water over and over! Guo Dian thought that even if Meng Ming could use umbrellas to block this attack, he wouldn"t have any means to block another one.
"Good job…Zhuge Meng Ming." Zhou Lun Yu was surprised as well. "I"ll block the next one."
"No need. This instant will determine our victory!" [Meng Ming]
The multiple dandelion-like umbrellas had accurately blocked Guo Dian"s water sprays, but they didn"t just withdraw afterwards. All the umbrellas had been angled properly, and their elastic properties tuned so that upon blocking the water, the droplets were all shot back towards Guo Dian"s desk!
How…that paper had such an ability?!
Exceeding everyone"s expectations, Meng Ming had been able to use the pieces of paper to bounce the water droplets back!
After many trials, Meng Ming"s paper manipulation was already perfected. He wasn"t the least bit afraid of the turbulent fountains he faced! All of the reflected water droplets were heading towards Guo Dian"s desk from all directions!
You, you want to use water to delay me? What a joke! For the sake of protecting his own essay from being destroyed, he lifted his test paper to block the water.
In that instant, the test paper was shredded by Vacuum Blades. While Guo Dian was still reeling in shock, numerous small Flaming Arrows lit each shredded piece of paper aflame. Only one small piece remained, burned to the shape of Lin Xian Central High"s insignia.