Xia Xue beakoned for Gao Yang to come over. Gao Yang's eyes whirled quickly, as he grinned from ear to ear. "You two..."
"Shut your mouth, or I'll tear you apart." Xia Xue interjected.
Xia Xue's haughtiness was well-known. Only with Lin did she tone it down a bit. After all, Lin was even colder; if she remained haughty, they wouldn't even speak to each other. Facing Gao Yang now, her domineering nature was on full display.
Gao Yang was startled, scratching his head, "Just joking, just joking, don't take it seriously." Xia Xue said, "Stop looking for a team. When our cooldown is over, we'll take you for a dungeon run. You'll reach level 12 before the big exam." Gao Yang let out an excited roar, "Really? You two are my saviors. You don't know how much I wanted to get into the school I wished for; being level 12 will give me confidence."
"Such a good person," Gao Yang exclaimed with an exaggerated expression. Xia Xue frowned, "Keep acting up, and we won't take you." Gao Yang immediately surrendered, becoming serious, "Don't worry, Miss Xia, I'll be as obedient as can be. You command me to the east; I won't go south. You send me north; I won't head east."
"What nonsense are you spouting? Shut up," Xia Xue snorted, her hand conjuring a fireball. If Gao Yang dared to speak again, she was ready to hurl it at his face. Gao Yang promptly shut up, "Understood, I'll wait quietly. Just wondering, how much longer for the cooldown?" Xia Xue checked the time, "About 10 hours."
That seemed long, but Gao Yang knew it would take him just as long to find a team by himself. "Alright, you two chat and rest up; I'll go grind some wild monsters. Lin, good luck, I'm rooting for you! Sooner or later, you'll win Xia Xue over." With that, he ran off.
Xia Xue, infuriated, stomped her foot and threw the fireball she conjured. It exploded right behind Gao Yang, scorching him. He yelped and ran off, clutching his behind, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Xia Xue, fuming, stomped her foot again, "Such a mouthy guy, asking for a beating."
Lin agreed but had to admit, Gao Yang was a good person. When others distanced themselves from him, only Gao Yang approached to chat. Even with Lin's sparse replies, Gao Yang never showed any disdain. Lin trusted his judgment; Gao Yang was a sincere joker.
Ten hours later, with Gao Yang added to the team, Lin, acting as the team leader, entered the nightmare-level dungeon. Upon entering, Gao Yang was the first to collapse in fear. "Hey, hey, Miss Xia, Lin big bro, why are we entering the nightmare difficulty?" Xia Xue snorted, "Quit your whining, just follow us, and you won't even have to fight."
What? Gao Yang was baffled, terrified, and confused. Xia Xue might've felt the same way during her first time here, probably scared stiff too. High Yang closely followed Xia Xue, knowing full well his life would be over with just a swipe from the monsters in this nightmare-level difficulty.
Ten minutes later, witnessing the boss's demise, Gao Yang's mouth hung open in disbelief. "This... this..." "It's dead?" Xia Xue glanced at him, "Can you close your mouth, you're drooling all over." Gao Yang wiped his mouth, then suddenly hugged Lin's legs, "bro, Lin big bro, please take me with you for dungeon runs, I'll be your lucky charm."
Xia Xue felt helpless, deciding to ignore him. Lin's level up glow flickered; he had completed another level up. Now at level 16, he was assured entry into Xia Jing Academy. Another dungeon run would also get Xia Xue to level 15, likely securing her spot at the academy too. As for Gao Yang, he aimed for the provincial Jiangning Academy, a respectable higher education institution with less stringent requirements than Xia Jing Academy. Being a level 12 knight was sufficient for entry.
As the sun set, casting long shadows over everything, several school principals stood together atop the southern city wall of West Sea City, gazing out towards the wilderness. "The kids should be coming back," one remarked, reflecting on the imminent big exam and the importance of students returning on time. Among them, Principal Lu expressed hope for Lin and Xia Xue, two of his students aiming for Xia Jing Academy, acknowledging the challenge but trusting in their potential.
Students began to return, with principals using detection spells to ascertain their levels. Pride and rivalry among the schools were evident as they awaited the arrival of their own talents. Lin and Xia Xue, aiming high, represented not just personal ambition but also the prestige of their school and city.
After ten hours, Gao Yang joined the duo for another dungeon run, experiencing the nightmare difficulty firsthand. Despite his initial terror, the swift defeat of the boss left him in awe of Lin's capabilities. By the end of their runs, Gao Yang's enthusiasm for following Lin into dungeons was palpable, a testament to Lin's extraordinary strength and strategy. As Lin reached level 16, securing his chance at Xia Jing Academy, the group looked forward to the possibilities the future held, with the big exam looming over them.