In the grand hall, there were about a hundred students selected for this year's exam.
The hall was well-equipped, with numerous metal tables in the center laden with a variety of fruits, snacks, and seemingly expensive beverages. The surroundings were decorated to create an elegant atmosphere, resembling a high-end buffet restaurant.
However, the atmosphere in the hall was somewhat strange. People clustered in small groups, speaking in hushed tones, creating an overall quiet ambiance. Everyone seemed outwardly calm but was internally tense.
These were all young prodigies who had stood out from countless others and earned a recommendation to this place. Soon, there would be an additional assessment for all these geniuses.
Being labeled a genius came with its own pride. No one wanted to fall behind, and everyone was aware that their peers were also geniuses. Today was the moment to determine who among them was the greatest of all.
Each person hoped not to rank too low and secretly wondered if they could stand out among the crowd.
The examiners, like Jun Anyi, had stressed the importance of this assessment, mentioning that many significant figures would be observing it. Performing well would bring benefits.
As a result, everyone kept to themselves, treating those around them as competitors rather than friends, lacking the usual camaraderie among young people.
Yet, there was one very unusual thing in the venue.
Almost all students had a common reaction: their eyes would occasionally drift towards a certain person in the hall, followed by a slight frown and a look of confusion.
Many would glance, then quickly look away, only to glance again, unable to resist.
—So strange, let me look again.
The focus of their curiosity was a man who looked out of place.
Despite everyone wearing similar combat uniforms and him not having any unusual hairstyle, he easily attracted everyone's attention.
Xin Yuan didn't conform to the others' restrained behavior. Instead, he wandered around the hall frequently, holding a plate. To him, the plethora of food and drink was clearly meant for enjoyment and relaxation before the exam.
He wondered why everyone was sitting still, perhaps they had overeaten breakfast and were a bit sluggish?
He didn't understand this and decided to make the most of the self-service buffet. After all, he still needed to repay the 300,000 borrowed from Jun Anyi.
Thus, he was the only person moving around the spacious food area, sampling everything.
To avoid any issues, he used his "All Things Voice" ability to make careful choices. This divine skill was employed in picking out his food.
[Strange Ice Fruit: If you eat too much, you might get diarrhea. If the back door can't handle it, it's better to try less.]
[Purple Tomato: Nutritious, plump, and juicy. You can eat more.]
[Green Goji Berry: Enhances virility, ten of them will keep you strong for three days.]
...
Xin Yuan followed the guidance of his ability, browsing and sampling, becoming the only person casually exploring the food area.
Jun Anyi, seated at one of the judges' tables, noticed Xin Yuan's distinctly different behavior. She slapped her forehead in exasperation.
Although the food was indeed provided for the students to replenish their energy before the exam...
This was their first time entering the academy, and normally, people were relatively reserved. It was unusual for someone to be as relaxed and carefree as Xin Yuan.
Unable to ignore it, Jun Anyi took out her phone and messaged Xin Yuan using her online identity "Yogurt Stick":
[Yogurt Stick: Didn't you say you have an exam today? Is there a lot of people? Are there any... unusual individuals among them?]
The message subtly hinted that he might need to be aware of his surroundings and act more appropriately.
Soon, Xin Yuan's reply came back.
[Traveler: Unusual people? It seems like everyone else is quite strange. The academy prepared a lot of self-service food, but they're all just sitting there, very picky about their food.]
Jun Anyi: ...
She looked at the message and decided to ignore it. Whatever.
...
At this time, Li Qian also arrived at the scene.
Jun Anyi, who was at the judges' table as the Frost God of War, wasn't typically required to be there. However, Li Qian came specifically to find trouble.
Originally, she intended to locate the E-grade student, but she immediately spotted Xin Yuan, who seemed out of place both in appearance and atmosphere.
Upon getting closer, she noticed his superpower card marked as "E-grade."
"E-grade?" Li Qian was shocked and looked at Xin Yuan's face with a look of disbelief.
She thought that an E-grade student being recommended was like a husky entering a wolf's den.
She expected it would be hard to find, thinking the person might be hiding in a corner, feeling self-conscious.
This outcome was completely unexpected.
Seeing the seemingly ordinary man so relaxed and seemingly only concerned about food, Li Qian felt an inexplicable anger rise within her.
This guy was as infuriating as Jun Anyi!
So, she approached Xin Yuan with a sarcastic tone:
"Oh, a big genius, enjoying yourself with the food. You're about to finish off all the purple tomatoes, huh? Can't you afford a meal?"
Xin Yuan glanced back at her. Although everyone was in combat uniforms, this person clearly didn't fit in, so he mistook her for a server.
"Hello, could you please bring more of this? It's too little, and the others haven't had any yet."
"What?!" Li Qian was initially taken aback, then her anger flared.
She was mistaken for a server?
Her sarcastic attitude now turned into genuine frustration as she scolded him:
"Do you have a problem with your eyes? I'm not a server! Is this how you treat your seniors?"
"Alright, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend," Xin Yuan said, frowning. He thought the person was overreacting. He apologized casually and didn't wish to engage further.
But Li Qian was clearly not satisfied. Xin Yuan's nonchalant attitude only fueled her anger further, leading her to continue:
"Everyone else is sitting quietly at their seats. Why are you the only one behaving so differently? Are you starving or something?"
Xin Yuan was equally displeased and, regardless of her role, replied:
"What's the problem? The food here is meant for the students, right?"
"Uh..." Li Qian was momentarily speechless. Xin Yuan was right; the food was indeed meant for the students.
But she quickly retorted: "But no one else is out here eating. No one has ever behaved like you in previous exams. You..."
"So what?" Xin Yuan interrupted, looking down at her with a hint of disdain, "It's always been like that, so it must be correct?"