Study Monster Cultivation System

Chapter 173 - 172 The Birth of a New God

Facing Zhou Chenghuan’s argument, even Guan Chucheng began to feel bewildered.

At first glance, it indeed seemed like a disdain for the chemistry competition.

But upon closer inspection... This girl who slept on her desk really had a certain charm...

No, no, no.

But upon careful consideration, it really was the logic Zhou Chenghuan was talking about.

In the end, Guan Chucheng still chose to throw the burden even further away.

A team of three cross-examining the test papers wasn’t enough.

Let’s have three teams of nine people cross-examine this test paper.

If it’s still a perfect score, then if not sufficient, we’ll have twenty-seven people from nine teams do a massive cross-examination.

If there’s still nothing wrong, then we’ll award a perfect score.

So, that afternoon.

All the teachers saw that nap-taking drawing.

Especially when it got to the group with Sun Leyang, Yu Hong, and Yu Zhiqiang.

Yu Hong almost shouted out.

Good on you, Li Zheng!

I thought you were reviewing for the competition in class.

Turns out you were drawing Jingjing.

Of course, Yu Hong didn’t make a fuss and managed to suppress his anger.

Instead, it was Zhou Chenghuan who threw her a look from afar—

[Hmm, this bastard’s not lying, really loves to draw.]

Yu Hong covered her face and chuckled back.

[You’re not wrong, it was this asshole.]

In the end, the one question in all the teachers’ minds was.

Who on earth is this asshole?

...

After dinner, around seven o’clock, the group suddenly became lively, and the corridors outside the rooms also started to get noisy.

Word was that the theoretic scores were out, and although not the final results, after adjustments, the scores one could recover would typically not exceed two points, so these scores were still quite significant.

Which meant.

Recruitment can begin.

Large crowds of people began to squeeze toward the elevators, flocking to the location of the recruitment team.

The twentieth floor of the South Suburb Hotel, as well, was poised and ready to go.

The recruitment teams from various schools had also received the preliminary ranking sheet of the theoretic examination.

Just like the competition between the students, there was also fierce competition among them.

Whoever dared to offer contracts ahead of others had the chance to get better students.

They began to make frequent calls and send messages, getting in touch with the top contenders of the theoretic exams.

Unfortunately, Li Zheng and Shi Yang were engrossed in a "Kempo" clash. After receiving a few calls, they decisively turned off their phones and continued their closed-door sparring.

On the other hand, those who didn’t rank as high went proactively knocking on doors, seeking contracts.

Around eight past seven, the recruiting teachers’ extension on the 20th floor was already crowded and impenetrable.

Especially room 2093 where Ji University was located.

No helping it, Ji University Chemistry Institute was truly strong.

Zhou Yi had experience with this and handled the students flocking to him with reassurance as a priority and signing as a secondary matter. On the one hand, he prompted everyone to go back and rest, to prepare well for the experiments, while on the other hand, he didn’t miss out on the theory aces.

Besides, two unexpected people were also bothered.

Somehow the information was leaked, and since the recruitment team couldn’t find Li Zheng, they had to contact Yu Hong and Li Yi, eventually forcing them to turn off their phones as well.

Only Ou Xingzhuo and Wu Shu, who had already secured their admission early, were not bothered at all at this time.

In Wu Shu’s boudoir, she was sitting opposite Ou Xingzhuo, with a chessboard between them.

At that moment, Wu Shu hesitantly held a white piece, struggling to make a decision, looking very anxious.

During her hesitation, she gently placed the piece on one of the spots.

But no sooner had she made the move she felt it was a bad decision and wanted to pick it up to choose another spot.

"No regrets in placing the pieces!" Ou Xingzhuo pressed down firmly on her hand without hesitation, and with a sweep of his arm.

With a "clack," he smacked a black piece down on a critical spot on the board.

"Ha! I win again," Ou Xingzhuo laughed heartily, "17 to 0, the logic algorithm of the Physics Queen is nothing much after all."

"...Uh..." Wu Shu, frustrated, threw the white pieces she was holding back into the bowl. Having been thrashed 17 games in a row, even she was blushing now. She just pointed to the door and said, "No more playing, I am going to sleep!"

Ou Xingzhuo, however, was still immersed in the thrill, so elated that he couldn’t control himself. He teasingly leaned close to Wu Shu’s face: "That’s it, you’re done playing? Let me just make it 20 to 0, I’m just an Amateur 5th Dan in middle school, not much of a master really."

"Why are you so boring, even bothering with Go rankings?" Wu Shu scratched her head vigorously, tilting her head and tightly pursing her lips, unable to look directly at Ou Xingzhuo. This was probably the most humiliating moment of her life.

Seeing Wu Shu’s unwilling face, Ou Xingzhuo grew even more excited.

He unconsciously used his face-art skills, with wildly arching eyebrows and a raised mouth, leaned in close to Wu Shu and said with a demonic teasing in his tone, "I’ve always wanted to see this expression~~ this envious expression of yours~~"

"Ah!" Wu Shu closed her eyes, covered her ears, and shook her head wildly, "Get out, I want to sleep now, just go!"

"Eh~" Ou Xingzhuo finally gave up, cheerfully dusting off his pants, "Then let’s continue after the experiment tomorrow?"

"Continue my ass! Never, I’m never playing chess again. I’d rather play with Shi Yang and his shit than with you!"

"Ah? No... wait... if you really insist, I can still play with you..."

"Shut up! Get out, just get out, I don’t want to see you!"

"..."

Ou Xingzhuo was quickly shooed out.

The door then slammed shut with a "bang."

He didn’t have time to explain anything.

Looking at the empty corridor.

He seemed to have realized something.

He knocked on the door.

"How about I let you win three stones?"

"I don’t want to hear your voice!"

"Five stones?"

"Go away, just go!"

"..."

This night, Ou Xingzhuo was destined to spend it with an unnamed bespectacled buzz-cut man who was hard to distinguish.

...

The next day’s experimental assessment, due to limited laboratory space, was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Li Zheng drew the morning slot, while Shi Yang, Wu Shu, and Ou Xingzhuo all got the afternoon. They reluctantly parted ways for the time being.

Morning experiments were actually a disadvantage.

Because one had to wake up at 5 a.m. for breakfast.

Too bad, there was no time for a morning run.

In the cafeteria, when Li Zheng was dining alone in his lofty solitude,

He felt something odd about his surroundings.

Many people were glancing at him, whispering and pointing.

It was just like how they used to look at the foolish Zhu Zaizai.

But the specifics of their gazes were somewhat different this time.

This time, they seemed to be filled with humility and awe.

Presumably, it was because of the high theory scores.

Li Zheng smiled faintly and scooped a spoonful of savory tofu pudding.

Being discriminated against for so long because of his outstanding looks,

He had finally turned the tables.

You people, have you finally realized the error of judging by appearances?

As for the awe before him, it was something he had to endure.

He wouldn’t mind a bit more of it.

...

After breakfast, the candidates took a bus to Lu Dong University.

At eight o’clock sharp, the practical examination officially began.

The topic was "Preparation and Content Determination of Iron(II) Oxalate Dihydrate."

Although Li Zheng had never dealt with this specific compound, he had done far too many similar routine experiments.

It involved the same old water bath heating, vacuum filtration, drying, and so on.

This was definitely within his range.

Add to that yesterday’s Kempo spar, his touch now could only be described as both itchy and warm.

So, before the experiment started, he meditated as he had the day before, visualizing the microscopic process in his mind, while his hands moved in forms, displaying the essence of Kempo.

Seeing this preparation, the two proctors’ faces visibly darkened.

"Teacher Wang... what is he doing?" the older proctor whispered.

"I don’t know... but I seem to have seen this technique before..." the younger proctor’s brow twitched suddenly, "Have you seen ’Fullmetal Alchemist,’ Teacher Zhao?"

"No... but I’ve seen Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad doing alchemy..." the older proctor stroked his beard and pursed his lips, "Seems like he’s trying to get a boost of luck? Should we remind him?"

"Hmm... better not, this ritual choice is his freedom." The younger proctor’s face was full of youthful vigor, "After all, alchemy is about equivalent exchange, the same principle as a chemistry experiment."

About seven or eight minutes later, Li Zheng had thoroughly gone through the experimental process.

With a fierce glint in his eyes, he got to work.

The entire experiment was an old routine: measuring the product, titration for purity, filling in the report, writing a few thought questions.

The two proctors in the back were getting fired up from watching.

That ritual seemed to be quite effective, didn’t it?

Just over three hours later, Li Zheng had completed the entire process.

After all, it was an experiment; he really had no way to check his work, so he turned in the product and report, ready to leave early.

He didn’t know why, but when handing in his work, both proctors looked at him with eyes also brimming with ample awe.

"Doing the experiment with such grandeur, Li Zheng," the young proctor said as he labeled and stored the product, looking at Li Zheng with the expression one reserved for a kindred spirit in two-dimensional space, "You really have a bit of Edward Elric’s style."

The older proctor scrutinized Li Zheng’s experimental report, nodding repeatedly: "Li Zheng, actually, I know a bit about Daoism’s Five Elements too. Chemistry is closely related to Daoism, right? After the exams, how about we have a chat?"

Li Zheng couldn’t understand a thing they were saying.

They were really strange.

Only after the proctors gave their permission did Li Zheng complete his examination and, following the lead examiner’s instructions, went to a nearby enclosed waiting room to start zoning out.

Zoning out was his only option.

After all, the experimental questions for the afternoon exam were the same as the morning’s.

To prevent leakage of exam questions, those who took the experiment in the morning were forbidden from using communication devices and from interacting with the outside world until the afternoon batch of students entered the laboratories.

All he could do was zone out.

Just as Li Zheng was resigning himself to waste away the hours,

A pleasantly plump older sister suddenly appeared.

Without a word, like an angel, she brought pencils and white paper.

Then she hurriedly left.

That was too marvelous.

Without a second thought, Li Zheng began sketching his 227th "Napping Position" drawing.

Afterward, more and more people finished their experiments and entered the waiting room.

It was supposed to be a time for liberation, yet everyone became even more tense.

Fervently discussing the recent experiment on one hand, they exchanged information about admissions on the other, calculating the offers they might get.

In such an atmosphere, a window-side beauty absorbed in his art stood out conspicuously.

Li Zheng was unaware that from that moment on, he had acquired a title to rival those of Pleasure God and Cobalt God—

Beauty God.