On the sports field of Number Eleven High School.
After honoring the memory of the Interstellar Federation's number one genius, Wang Tianyi—Wang Hao's own father—Principal Zhongli officially commenced the school assembly.
"For the upcoming selection for the Four Great Key Universities, Number Eleven High School will be implementing an open registration system. Anyone who believes they have what it takes may sign up for the arena tournament, with the winners representing our school to compete against other high schools across Earth."
The second Principal Zhongli finished speaking, an uproar erupted from the students below.
"An open registration system this year? That's completely unexpected!"
"Unexpected, sure, but it makes sense when you think about it."
"Exactly. Every year, every high school sends their top three students to the Hundred Academy Battle. Only the top ten in that battle get to represent Earth in the selection for the Four Great Key Universities."
"Oh, I get it now. The school's doing this to save time. The only people who'll dare sign up are the top geniuses anyway."
"Right. If you don't have the strength to back it up, signing up will just get you humiliated."
"Sigh. Looks like there's no chance for the rest of us."
"Whatever. We'll just go to other universities. Getting into the Four Great Key Universities was never in the cards for us anyway."
"Going to another university doesn't mean we'll amount to nothing! Everyone needs to stay positive!"
"Positive? Graduates from the Four Great Key Universities are fought over by every major corporation in the Federation. If they join the Military Department, they start at the rank of Brigadier General at minimum. What about us? We'll have to scrounge for jobs on our own, and if we join the military, we start as grunts. How the hell are we supposed to stay positive about that?"
…
Principal Zhongli made no move to stop the discussions below, letting the students talk freely among themselves. Graduation was fast approaching, after all, and there was no telling if they'd ever see each other again once it was over.
While the students chattered, Principal Zhongli's gaze drifted to Wang Hao standing behind him, and he asked casually, "Wang Hao, what are your plans after graduation?"
He wanted to test just how deep Wang Hao's love for alchemy ran, so he could figure out the best way to steer the boy back onto the right path of martial arts, and help him inherit his father's legendary legacy.
"Me?" Wang Hao pointed to himself, and once the principal nodded, he puffed out his chest and declared boldly, "I'm obviously gonna get into one of the Four Great Key Universities, join the Military Department, become the Supreme Marshal, lead an army to march on the Imperial Planet, and make those nobles, the President included, kneel before me and sing their surrender! My goal is to save the world!!"
What the hell?
Save the world?
Had this kid watched too many hero movies?
Principal Zhongli stared at him, dumbfounded. In this era where the nobles ruled the entire Federation, countless ambitious commoners had dreamed of rising up and taking power, yet not a single one had ever succeeded. Every last one had been crushed by the noble houses.
But as Principal Zhongli thought it over, he realized this heroic dream likely came from Marshal Wang Tianyi himself. After all, the marshal was widely recognized as the greatest hero of the Interstellar Federation.
By now, the chattering students below had fallen silent.
A moment later, a tidal wave of mocking jeers erupted across the sports field.
"This pretty boy from the alchemy class? He thinks he can get into the Four Great Key Universities!?"
"I might believe it if Wang Hao wanted to join the Alchemy Guild, but getting into the Four Great Key Universities? He's living in a fantasy world."
"University is nothing like high school. It's a world ruled by martial artists. If he wants to mess around with alchemy, he should just go to the Alchemy Guild!"
"Him? Join the Military Department? He'd just be fresh meat for the veteran soldiers the second he stepped through the door."
"Haha, that's right! He even wants the President to sing surrender to him? Is he daydreaming with his eyes open?"
"You know what they say: the farther your dream is, the farther you should fuck off."
"Haha, exactly! Dream big, fuck off far!"
…
Principal Zhongli pointed to the stone statue of Wang Tianyi and said earnestly, "Wang Hao, as long as you follow his example and hold fast to your dream, I believe you will succeed. Keep going!"
He couldn't reveal the truth of Wang Hao's identity, no matter what.
Wang Tianyi had risked life and limb for the Interstellar Federation, yet the nobles had expelled his son from the Royal Academy, banished him from the Imperial Planet, and sent him to this backwater Tier-1 Planet. If word of that got out, the noble lords would never let him live. So all he could do was offer a subtle hint and a little encouragement.
Wang Hao curled his lip. "Role models are for admiring. There are only two types of people I admire most, and he's not one of them."
"Oh? Two types of people?" The principal perked up, his curiosity piqued.
Wang Hao tilted his head back to gaze at the sky, his face deadly serious. "The first type of people I admire most are those who watch porn and don't jerk off. The second type are those who jerk off, then keep right on going."
Pfft!!
The second the words left his mouth, every teacher and student in the entire field spat out whatever they'd been drinking or holding. This guy was absolutely outrageous—his words had just blown their minds! Who in their right mind would admire those two types of people? He was a freak among freaks!
Principal Zhongli stared at him, utterly aghast. Was this boy really Marshal Wang Tianyi's son? This was the most insane whiplash he'd ever experienced!
"Shameless pervert!!" Xia Weiwei beside him spat, her face twisted with disgust. Just as she'd thought—any high schooler who could mix that kind of drug was no good.
"Ding Dong. Congratulations to the Host for being labeled a pervert. Awarded 10 Villain Points."
"Ding Dong. Congratulations to the Host for being labeled a degenerate. Awarded 10 Villain Points."
"Ding Dong. Congratulations to the Host for being labeled a shameless fiend. Awarded 10 Villain Points."
…
"Total Villain Points awarded: 1500."
Wang Hao sighed inwardly. Being condemned by the masses earned far fewer points than provoking someone's sense of justice to try and take him down. Still, 1500 points for a few offhand sentences wasn't half bad.
He was certain that if he built up his "reputation" and made his name known to more people, he'd earn even more points in no time.
Principal Zhongli, meanwhile, felt his world spinning. He needed to get in contact with Marshal Wang Tianyi's old university mentor immediately, and get him here at once. If he didn't, this rising star of the martial arts world would surely go down a dark and twisted path.
With that thought in mind, Principal Zhongli hastily brought the assembly to a close, rushing back to his office to contact Wang Tianyi's old mentor.
…
Meanwhile, in a small grove of trees at the edge of the sports field, a young man lurked in the shadows.
His name was Xi Rongxuan, the Earth branch leader of the DY Terror Organization, tasked with recruiting new members for the group.
When he'd heard Wang Hao's bold declaration just now, his years of instinct had screamed one thing: this boy was a born villain, perfect for joining the DY Terror Organization.
But he'd need to watch him closely first. He couldn't make a decision based on a few words alone. The DY Organization was a legitimate terror outfit, after all—not just any random nobody could walk through their doors.
"Wang Hao, is it? I've got my eye on you." Xi Rongxuan's lips curled into a smirk, and he slowly slipped back out of the grove, vanishing without a trace…