Chapter Three: The Announcement of the Grand Examination Results

Chapter Three: The Announcement of Exam Results

The National Vocational Examination had arrived. Xia Zheng, along with tens of millions of other candidates, joined the epic ritual of braving the single-plank bridge—a trial by fire for the multitudes. With an acceptance rate of only one percent, out of ten million test-takers, merely one hundred thousand would pass; truly, only one in a hundred would succeed—an elite chosen from the masses.

The examination spanned three days, with two sessions each day, each lasting two hours.

Like many other parents, Xia Zheng’s mother and father took precious annual leave during these days. His father was in charge of transportation, while his mother took care of meals, doing her utmost to prepare delicacies and fulfill Xia Zheng’s every request—a testament to the boundless love of parents.

What worried them most was Xia Zheng’s state of mind. After all, the past days had been an emotional rollercoaster. To have been publicly announced as a special recruit by the military, only for that status to be rescinded—such a blow would be hard for anyone to endure, let alone a young man who had never left the confines of school.

Yet, after observing him closely, his parents were relieved to find that their son possessed an extraordinary resilience. His condition was poor on the first day, but improved steadily thereafter. By the time he entered the examination hall, he had returned to his pre-physical-examination self; by the second day, he was at his peak, and though fatigue set in on the third day, his brilliance still shone through.

So, when Xia Zheng emerged from the exam hall on the third day, his face haggard, his father could no longer restrain himself. Ignoring the stares of those around, he pulled his son into a tight embrace, patting his shoulder in encouragement. This taciturn man conveyed, in the simplest and purest way, that his son was his pride—special recruit or not, nothing would change that.

The results would be released in three days. Xia Zheng had no plans other than to sleep—he was exhausted, his nerves stretched taut for too long, fearful they might snap. Now, at last, he could relax and sleep for days on end.

Unfortunately, his plans were disrupted. The very next day, he received a call from a woman inviting him out. His mother, ever the gossip, asked if he was seeing someone. Xia Zheng, both amused and exasperated, explained that it was nothing of the sort—just a classmate inviting him out to have fun.

In the Canon Café at the heart of Portland City, a fashionably dressed woman with a model’s figure, golden curls, and sunglasses sat at the bar, surveying the customers as they entered.

“Hey, beautiful, are you alone?” A man’s flippant voice sounded. The woman frowned in obvious displeasure.

“Get lost!” she snapped, turning her head. The handsome man’s face registered embarrassment, and he slunk away. On a nearby circular sofa, seven or eight similarly dejected men nursed their failed attempts, their disappointment plain to see.

The woman resumed her vigil by the door. Soon, she spotted a familiar, youthful face and stood up to wave him over. Her exquisite figure drew the eyes of all the men in the café; once again, the collective male gaze converged, while the women frowned, casting hostile glances her way.

Xia Zheng was puzzled—why had she invited him for coffee? Upon entering, he saw the fashionably dressed woman waving at him like a model. Startled, he looked left and right to make sure it was indeed him she was beckoning, then scratched his head sheepishly and walked over.

“Se—Lieutenant Filina, is that you?” Xia Zheng could hardly believe it. Though she bore a resemblance to the female officer he knew, he wasn’t entirely certain.

Filina removed her sunglasses, pointed to her face, and said, “No more doubts now, right?”

“Hello, Lieutenant Filina,” Xia Zheng replied, neither servile nor arrogant, and ordered himself an iced coffee with sugar.

The men who’d tried to chat up Filina stared, bewildered. Was this striking woman waiting for a kid like that? Not tall, not handsome, awkward and inexperienced—a rookie if ever there was one. They couldn’t fathom her taste. Did she really like this type? The thought left them all feeling a little heartsick.

Filina studied Xia Zheng’s face for a few moments before saying, “You’ve matured a lot, Xia Zheng.”

“Thank you. Circumstances force one to grow up quickly,” Xia Zheng replied, taking a sip of his coffee, his tone calm.

Filina stirred her own coffee with a straw. “Do you hate me?” she asked.

“It would be a lie to say I don’t, but it’s in the past. People must move forward. Besides, I asked my homeroom teacher and others—they said it was Captain Diaz who mocked my qualifications, not you.”

Suddenly, Filina grabbed his hand. “Who told you your special admission was revoked?”

“Everyone knows. Besides, the military never contacted me privately,” Xia Zheng replied, trying to withdraw his hand. Although being held by such a beautiful woman felt nice, it also made him uncomfortable—especially with all those handsome men staring daggers at him, as if about to shoot him full of holes.

Unfortunately, Filina didn’t let go. Instead, she said, “Wait, let me make a call.” She dialed—apparently calling Captain Diaz.

“Diaz, what are you playing at? Why let the news of Xia Zheng’s revoked admission spread everywhere? How are you going to clean up this mess?” Filina demanded.

The response was a slow, unhurried, “There’s nothing to clean up. If he passes the review, he’ll be admitted. If not, there’s nothing else to be said. What’s the problem?”

The arrogance and overbearing tone made Xia Zheng clench his fists. Filina sensed his anger and quickly tried to soothe him, pulling his fist toward herself—completely unaware that his hand was now pressed right in the middle of her chest.

“Damn you, Diaz! Can’t you drop that arrogant tone? For talents like Xia Zheng, we should be doing our best to win him over, not antagonize him,” Filina fumed.

Diaz laughed on the other end. “Why should I care what some student thinks of me? Joining the Federal Army is a dream for countless young people. Even if he gets in as a special recruit, he’s just one among three million qualified candidates, and who knows if he’ll even graduate. And as for you, Filina, you’re my fiancée. Stop picking fights over some kid. If not for you leading the team to Portland, I wouldn’t have bothered with this small city. I’ve got plenty to deal with at headquarters. You should be spending more time with me, comforting me.”

“Diaz, don’t think you’re so great just because you’re my fiancé. I have my own freedom. You’re not my husband yet.” With that, she hung up, her chest heaving in anger—the very chest still pressing Xia Zheng’s hand, making him both uncomfortable and oddly satisfied.

The men in the café could no longer contain themselves. Who’d have thought their goddess already had a fiancé? What was the point in lingering? One by one, they left, while the women who remained seemed to hold their heads a little higher, for reasons unclear even to themselves.

“He… he’s your fiancé?” Xia Zheng finally withdrew his hand from Filina’s embrace, his expression unreadable.

Filina drained her coffee in one go, as if it were liquor, and replied with irritation, “Yes. My father and his were old comrades-in-arms, both high-ranking officers. They never cared how I felt—they just handed me over to him.”

A strange sense of disappointment washed over Xia Zheng. He knew he shouldn’t harbor such feelings, but he couldn’t suppress them.

“Lieutenant Filina, thank you for inviting me out today. I understand your intentions, but clearly, the military doesn’t see it that way. I’m an adult and know what choices I must make. I will bear responsibility for them. Thank you again for inviting me—this is the first time a girl has ever asked me out, and it felt nice. Goodbye.” Without waiting for a reply, he left.

Filina was sorely disappointed. The talented prodigy she valued had been dismissed by both Diaz and Dr. Wang, and now Diaz’s arrogance had completely alienated Xia Zheng.

“If, in the future, Xia Zheng demonstrates his extraordinary abilities, Diaz, how will you answer to the military?” She almost wanted to storm into Diaz’s office and slap him. Why should she marry such an arrogant fool?

In the following two days, Xia Zheng rested and also began researching the companies and universities he was considering. He also reviewed federal laws—particularly those related to employment rights and obligations—gaining more confidence for the decisions ahead.

On the day the results were released, Xia Zheng’s parents sat anxiously around the computer, watching as he entered his exam ticket number and citizen ID into the system before clicking “Check Results!”

The page refreshed: Please wait, your results are being retrieved…

His parents appeared more nervous than he was. Normally indifferent to matters of faith, they had even bought a Buddha statue for the occasion, said to bring good luck in exams, and had kept incense burning day and night. Unable to withstand the tension, his mother once again got up to offer incense, hoping the newly acquired statue would grant her wish.

Ten seconds later, the page changed, displaying the results:

Federal Law: 145
Life Sciences: 147
Rhetoric and Composition: 142
Advanced Mathematics: 150
Economics: 140
Philosophy: 148
Total Score: 872
National Ranking: 32
Portland District Ranking: 1
Rating: A++

In the history of the vocational exam, the top ten scorers received an A+++, those ranked 10–50 received an A++, 50–80 an A+, and 80–100 an A. These hundred candidates were the brightest among the hundred thousand successful examinees—their futures were all but guaranteed.

Xia Zheng let out a long breath, tears streaming down his face. The grievances of the past days were finally washed away, the shame too—at last, the Xia family could hold their heads high once more.

His father let out a triumphant shout, nearly frightening his mother, who was just finishing her incense. About to scold him, she was instead told that Xia Zheng had ranked first in Portland and thirty-second nationwide. She nearly fainted from excitement, and it took his father’s intervention to keep her upright—he urged her to call the relatives to come for another celebratory banquet.

“Absolutely!” his mother said, beaming as she dialed, looking as though she wouldn’t be able to sleep unless everyone knew how outstanding her son was.

“Hello… Eldest Sister? It’s me, your little sister. I’m calling to tell you—my Xia Zheng’s results are out! How did he do? Oh, not bad—just thirty-second in the federation and first in Portland district… Hello? Eldest Sister, are you there? Did you fall or something?” That was his mother’s call.

Meanwhile, his father was on the phone: “Hello, boss? I need to ask for more leave… No, it’s not that I want more time off, but there’s something important at home. My son’s exam results are out, and we’re busy planning the celebration. How did he do? Well… all right. First in Portland, just average nationwide—only thirty-second. The kid is still careless. I’ve told him so many times: if he paid more attention, he might’ve scored a dozen more points… Hello? Boss? You want to come by and give him a bonus? Oh, you don’t have to go to all that trouble…”

Listening to his parents revel in their happiness, Xia Zheng’s heart felt sweeter than honey. Perhaps, without the trouble over the special recruitment, he might not have achieved such a stellar result—truly, every misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.

His spirits soared, so much that it felt like he might start flying—and then he realized he literally was: his entire body floated half a meter above the chair.

“Ah!” Startled, Xia Zheng’s concentration broke, and he crashed back down, nearly toppling the chair—his backside was sore from the impact.

His parents rushed over, only to see him rubbing his rear and groaning in pain. They scolded, “Don’t get so carried away, you rascal, or you’ll split your backside in two!”

Then, they went right back to making phone calls, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Only Xia Zheng understood what had just happened. He sensed that his awakened ability had evolved, becoming much stronger than it was three days ago.