The sea extended endlessly. The examinees however didn't remain on the ship for long.
Just ahead, dark clouds suddenly appeared.
The captain said that once they passed through those dark clouds, they would be getting closer to the mainland.
And so, the three merchant ships taking along the old wrecked ship entered those dark clouds...….
They went through, but the examinees didn't.
The examinees immediately felt cold, like there were suddenly soaked with ice water.
In a blink of an eye, the scenery before them changed.
The merchant ship disappeared with the dark clouds. They had returned to the deserted frozen wasteland.
The moment they saw the stone cave, they fell into despair.
"After working so hard to get away, why are we back again?!" Someone complained loudly.
"Otherwise? Did you want to go home with the merchants?"
"...…That's true."
"I thought we would go back to the rest stop after going through those dark clouds."
"You wish. I didn't think we would return to the rest area, but I also didn't think we would return back here. I'm traumatised by this place. Just the sight of this stone cave makes me feel suffocated...."
"Me too. So why are we sent back here?"
"The points haven't been calculated yet?" Di Li suddenly suggested.
All the discussions instantly stopped.
They had become too immersed with helping the merchants that they had forgotten that they were in the middle of an exam. They had forgotten something so important.
And only Di Li who had been calculating points for more than ten years would remember something like this.
Sure enough, as soon as he said that, a familiar voice sounded.
Strictly speaking, that voice wasn't unpleasant. In fact, it actually sounded pretty good.
But with its monotonous tone and along with the nature of the contents it said, it made it difficult for others to like it.
[All merchants have returned. The examinees have completed their paper. The examination has ended.]
[Now finalising the rewards and penalties.]
The examinees froze for a moment before slithering into the cave.
A familiar stone wall, familiar ranks.
The only difference was that there were no fires around to heat up the cave nor were there snoring crew members.
They had clearly only just sent them off, but it felt like a century had passed.
[This examination followed the participation model. The questions are open-ended and there are opportunities for bonus points and point deductions throughout. All the points that were earned prior to this had been calculated and published in real time. It is now time for the final calculations.]
[The examinees in total triggered four areas.]
[1. Repairing the last merchant ship.]
[2. Providing sufficient fuel for the merchant ships.]
[3. Providing sufficient food for the crew members.]
[4. Successfully sending the merchant ships home.]
[The scores are calculated as follows:]
[A total of 3 points for repairing the merchant ship, including 1.5 points for preparing the materials and 1.5 points for repairing.]
[A total of 4 points for providing sufficient fuel for the merchant ships.]
[The total for provision of sufficient food for the merchants was originally 2 points but because the food far exceeded minimum requirements and is enough to provide the crew with filling meals every day, additional reward conditions are met. Applicable examinees are rewarded 6 points.]
[A total of 15 points for sending the merchant ships home as it was the main subject of this exam.]
As the system calculated, several of the examinees were in daze.
Because all the scores being added was too shocking...…
Apart from the 6 points for the food, they received points for all the other areas. In total, 22 points...…..
22 points!
Di Li's group who had the most points immediately flew to 69.
Shu Xue's group also changed into 56. Even Wu Li the silent, rational and down-to-earth person was shocked for a moment.
Apart from them, two groups received the extra six points.
One group was undoubtedly You Huo and Qin Jiu. They instantly swept from 24.25 points to 52.25 points.
The other group was Chen Fei and Huang Rui, but they didn't receive the full 6 points an only got an additional 3 points.
These two in the last ranked group was probably the most dumbfounded of them all.
"Why did we get three extra points...?" Chen Fei was confused.
Huang Rui was even more confused.
Sometimes when good things come too suddenly, it conversely seemed more like a scam.
Right now, they felt that the system was cheating them.
This continued until You Huo suddenly spoke up: "You also hit the octopus. Is there a problem with that?"
The two returned to their senses: "But...that also counts?"
"Why wouldn't it count?"
"...…."
They wanted to say that they only hit the octopus because they were caught by it, because they had no other choice. As for those two, they did it on their own initiative. It wasn't the same.
But if they said it, they feared that these two great masters would probably just glance at them.
And so, they hesitated for a moment before finally peeping out a small "thank you".
You Huo looked at them strangely: "Why are you thinking us? You did it yourself."
"......"
Chen Fei and Huang Rui were at a loss for a long time. They didn't know how to refute.
Once the scores were finalised, the cave was filled with excitement.
For most of the people there, this was their first time feeling so excited after an exam. It was as if they will soon be able to go home.
Di Li forcefully pinched his thigh and then moved to pinch Brother Li: "Sorry, just confirming."
Brother Li: "It's okay...…"
Di Li: "It hurts. Does it hurt for you?"
Brother Li: "It hurts a lot, so it's not a dream."
Di Li: "Then does that mean that we have already completed 60 points???"
Brother Li: "Yeah...….."
Not only 60, they even exceeded it by 9 points.
The second ranked group also felt like they were in a dream: "We also have completed it. 68 points. According to normal circumstances, does this mean we passed?"
"It's only the third subject and our scores are already so high?"
"Don't you think something's not right?"
The examinees didn't notice the problem. It wasn't until former invigilator Qin Jiu burst their bubble.
"Wake up. This is two people's total score."
This one slap of his instantly woke everyone from their daze.
Total score....
Then this meant that everyone's true score would be cut in half.
Everyone was struck by lightning.
But the damages inflicted on them didn't stop there.
The system took a deep breath and continued. It always has a knack for picking the most appropriate time to give them examinees another blow.
[All points have now been allocated. Bonus points and penalties will now be applied.]
[Today, examinees could be penalised for two areas.]
[1. Damaging the examination centre's punishment mechanism and deliberately setting the punishment device free.]
Examinees: "......…."
That's right...…..
The octopuses left together with the merchant ships.
But if you called that "setting free", the octopuses definitely would not agree.
[2. The purpose of this exam was for all crew members of the merchant ships to be sent home, that is, the living crew and their eight dead crew members. Examinees have exaggerated the meaning of the words and made incorrect interpretations ultimately maliciously setting free hidden parts of the exam.]
Examinees: "......"
That's right....
Those faces also left........
But if they only took those eight people, the faces definitely wouldn't agree.
Despite the fact that there were no undulations in the system's voices, everyone felt that the system was seemingly scolding them.
After the scolding, it said:
[The scores are calculated as follows:]
[A total of 5 points deducted for applicable examinees for setting free the punishment device.]
Everyone's points fell.
[A total of 5 points deducted for applicable examinees for setting free the hidden part of the exam.]
Only You Huo and Qin Jiu's groups points fell.
Examinees: "......."
Everyone immediately fell into discussion.
Di Li's voice was again the loudest: "What's going on? Didn't everyone drag the ship with bones over?"
But the system ignored them and stubbornly continued to report the final result.
[All examinees have completed three exams. The following ranking is calculated based on your performance in comparison to examinees in similar situations worldwide:]
Again, scratching sounds came from the stone wall.
An additional line announcing grades appeared.
Although 5 points were deducted, the examinees in the first six groups sat firmly in A.
Most of the remainder examinees were actually in B, including Shu Xue and Wu Li.
Only two groups fell in the C rank:
You Huo, Qin Jiu: 42.25
Chen Fei, Huang Rui: 38
[Examinees ranked B or above can successfully continue on to their next examination. Please return to the ship you arrived on within 5 minutes. You will be sent back to the rest stop for a short break.]
[C ranked examinees will retake the exam as specified by the rules.]
The system paused and said:
[In view of the fact that the punishment device was set free and the examination room emptied, a new round of examination cannot proceed. C ranked examinees will be taken back by the invigilators and will undergo re-examination at another examination centre.]
[Examinees You Huo and Qin Jiu's act of damaging the examination ship and instigating the punishment device to attack the invigilators have violated examinations rules. They will similarly be taken back by the invigilators and will undergo re-examination after punishment.]
The two rule violators looked at the score wall as if they were looking at an idiot. They were completely indifferent.
The announcement this time was unprecedentedly long. Everyone seemed to sense a hint of tiredness in the system's voice.
It must have been very angry, but it persisted with forcing out its next words:
[In addition, the total time spend in this exam was 4 days which was far less than the average time required. All examinees are rewarded one card drawing opportunity. Invigilators will implement this.]
Whether it is to deal with the C ranked examinees, to punish the violators or to draw cards, it all involved the invigilators.
This is on the premise that they can come...….
The system said: [Invigilators 021, 078, 154 and 922 have been notified.]
[Invigilator's ship is currently on its way to be repaired.]
Qin Jiu finally let out a mocking laugh.
The roasted rabbit instantly combusted on the spot.
As the examinees ranked B and above left the cave, You Huo asked: "With the ship damaged, can they still punish us as usual?"
Qin Jiu: "Did you think that we're going back to the invigilator's ship?"
"We're not?"
"Of course not."
Chen Fei and Huang Rui came over to listen. It was their first time encountering this and they were very uneasy.
Qin Jiu said: "If an examinee happens to violate rules just as the exam ends, they don't go to the invigilator's quarter in the examination centre. Instead, they are sent to the invigilator's district."
"Invigilator's district?"
"A place that looks no different from a normal city. It has a punishment sector and a special situation management sector. Apart from those special sectors, everything else is there. Sometimes, it even gives people the illusion that they're living a normal urban life."
Qin Jiu paused and added: "Invigilators also all live there."
You Huo: "All invigilators?"
Qin Jiu: "Yes, all."
Including the present ones, and also the past.
KK has something to say:
New arc~