Euri couldn’t find any signs of the superhumans when he reached his campus. He was certain that they had landed here. Nothing else nearby could be worth their attention. The area was piss-poor, and not the type where superhumans would visit to investigate anything.
Perhaps they had been welcod into the principal’s office. Euri couldn’t just barge in there without taking advantage of a commotion, as he had done last week. So he had to suppress the burning curiosity and head over towards his classroom.
On the way, discovering the busy clerks and teachers running in the hallways, accompanying unfamiliar people in red uniforms, Euri managed to gather so intel.
It turned out that Jaakie hadn’t made a mistake while sending him that ssage earlier.
Red Sea Lab was indeed about to conduct a test on them with the goal of direct recruitnt, rather than scholarships.
The official explanation given for it was that the company didn’t lack skilled interns at the mont, but they needed volunteers for several projects. They were willing to hand out nominal diplomas to whoever passed the test and volunteered for one of their projects under an NDA.
Even though they were students, few were naive enough to believe that volunteering would be safe, especially not so in the case of a research company in a field of ntal disorders induced by the extraterrestrial dinsions.
Who could guarantee that they’d co out of the projects sane and safe?
Naturally, the enthusiasm of the students had taken a nosedive. Even the online taunting from the students of Yellow Sun School couldn’t fire them up.
Jaakie, however, was one of the few exceptions. It seed that the fear of falling into diocrity forever was pushing his spirits with great montum. When Euri entered the classroom, he discovered his scrawny friend hunched over a desk in a corner, attentively scrolling through online articles on the public projects of Red Sea Labs.
Euri felt an urge to disturb his studies for no other reason except that it’d probably infuriate him, which would be a little funny to watch, considering how loose Jaakie’s attitude towards studying had always been. But he held himself back.
He hoped that this otherwise hopeless guy would succeed.
Occupying his seat in silence, Euri took out his academic materials and focused on revising for the upcoming annual exam, the final school-level examination that would determine his future academic prospects.
He had to score exceptionally well in the elective courses on business and law. University requirents were getting harsher every year. Top notch faculties, which could sufficiently guarantee a good corporate career, were few and far between.
Classes were suspended today as the teachers were busy helping the workers from Red Sea Labs set up the testing procedure and handling paperwork. So Euri got a good couple of hours into his studies before deciding to call it quits.
The nervousness of the entire class had made for an excellent environnt today, silent and disciplined. There was an odd satisfaction in this novelty, Euri thought as he pulled out his miniscreen and logged into the ga.
To his surprise, there was a new notification of ingredient deposits into the Ambrosia Pool. Scavenger Rat had finally discovered another batch!
"Took you long enough," Euri muttered suspiciously while checking in on the disheveled-looking rat. It was leaning on Scout Dog’s belly and sleeping soundly, not even interested in cultivation.
Euri would have felt bad for putting it through constant scavenging duty had he not noticed how bloated its stomach was every ti it returned with ambrosia ingredients. It was evident that the rat was having a good ti, taking big commissions of the supply without Euri’s permission.
He needed to have a long conversation with Scavenger Rat about sacrificing its food for the greater good—Euri’s good. The ambrosia ingredients were too precious.
If it was hungry, couldn’t it eat from the corpses around the pool? Everyone else was doing it!
The pool already had a beast core and body deposit from earlier hunts. So Euri didn’t need to wait for his next batch of ambrosia. Fifteen minutes later, a dull surge of power coursed through his body as his in-ga profile was refreshed.
[ Administrator Profile ]
[ Rank-0 Lifeform ]
[ Physique: 1.22 ]
[ Special Attribute: - ]
[ Familiars: Scout Dog, Brawler Rat, Scavenger Rat, Dread Spider, Saw Serpent, Infinity Locust × 103, Blizzard Porcupine ]
[ Administration Skill: Shepherding ]
"1.22 points... Very soon, I’ll reach the first landmark—a 25% increase. But it feels like I’ve grown nearly three tis as strong as my ordinary self.
"Lifting that forty-kilogram rice sack at ho isn’t even an issue now. If I try hard, I could definitely lift heavier sacks without proper technique.
"This increase in physique is definitely not linear growth. It’s more similar to a cumulative incrent. I wonder if it can be put into a mathematical equation! If only I had access to accurate testing techs..."
Now almost convinced of this theory, Euri envisioned scenarios of his potential growth in the near future. If his growth stat was truly cumulative, then soon, he’d discover that consuming ambrosia was no longer increasing his physique by a significant margin!
With each leap in power, the next leap would beco more demanding. He’d probably have to switch to better quality of ingredients for visible incrents very soon.
"Looks like I have to invest more into building my defense army in the ga. Taking down Rank-1 beasts is going to beco a necessity to keep up the progress of my physique in real life."
While he was lazily checking the status of the cultivating beasts, a teacher suddenly entered the classroom, followed by a young woman in a neat red suit.
"Students, et Miss Rei, a project representative from Red Sea Labs, and your test guide this evening. I will call out the nas of twenty students every fifteen minutes, and you guys are going to follow her into the primary testing room."
Everyone in the room sat up straighter, their full attention on scrutinizing the beautiful guide. In a sowhat exotic accent, she greeted them and introduced herself as a recent graduate of Rising Moon University, one of the best in Peacock District in science fields.
The teacher called up twenty students quickly, among whom Jaakie was one. Euri slapped him on the back as a gesture of good wishes, but he seed way too worried about the test, barely responding as he flashed back a nervous smile.
Miss Rei guided them out of the class, and the remaining sixty students imdiately broke into buzzing discussions, trying to predict how the test would go.
"Hahaha, look at yourselves, guys. How can you spout such wild theories with no actual basis?" Soone shouted from the back of the class.
Euri, like everyone else, turned to see who it was. Unsurprisingly, it turned out to be that student who had tried to sell intel on Yellow Sun School’s activities last week, unsuccessful in the end because of his weak sales skill.
"You got sothing you want to share, Eddie?" Shenna, the class monitor said in a dubious tone.
"Maybe I do..." Eddie shrugged, smiling mysteriously. "But of course, if you want to share it, you gotta pay-"
Almost everyone imdiately turned their backs on him, leaving the young entrepreneur disappointed again. Euri couldn’t help but feel pity for this guy.
Everyone was going to take the test within the next hour. What was the point in selling intel on it now? If he had made this offer yesterday, or even this morning, he’d definitely be able to collect so cash. This guy was just not cut out for this line of business despite his abundant resources.
"Should I guide him and start a joint venture?" Euri muttered to himself, recalling the situation at ho. This type of small hustle was not his area of interest, but he could see himself making so stacks using Eddie’s mysterious sources of intel.
Looking back, he noticed that Eddie didn’t seem overly disheartened by the rejection; a true entrepreneur at heart for sure. His willpower would have to be ground into dust by harsh reality a couple more tis before he’d start accepting an outsider’s guidance.
For now, Euri would watch his career with great interest!
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