dognovel Ch. 26 - If Even One Gets In, That's Success
Ch. 26 - If Even One Gets In, That's Success
"Xia Bing, Wang Meng, Li Zixuan, come out for a moment. The rest of you, study properly!"Homeroom teacher Fang Ke called out the top three students. Although Beast Taming Class 5 had the worst grades, its top-ranking students still had a chance at making it into the special training class.
"Looks like they really do see me as a poor student."
Chen Shu shook his head. Teacher Fang was so oblivious—he didn't even realize a rising star was emerging right before his eyes. He yawned, preparing to rest for a while.
"Chen Shu, come out for a moment!"
Suddenly, a rather stern voice called from the classroom door.
"Teacher Yan?"
Chen Shu stood up, completely bewildered, and followed him to the office. Teacher Yan taught Beast Taming History, and his old-fashioned, strict demeanor made him feared by many students.
Fang Ke's mouth twitched. Why did it feel like this kid was everywhere?
"Teacher Yan asked for me," Chen Shu said, then walked over to a desk nearby.
"Old Yan, what did this kid do wrong?" Fang Ke asked.
"Hmph!" Teacher Yan's expression was terrible, like storm clouds gathering.
"He even cheated on a small quiz!"
At these words, Fang Ke's brow furrowed. Cheating was a serious issue that concerned the school's disciplinary atmosphere and could easily result in disciplinary action if pursued.
"Chen Shu, what's going on?" Fang Ke asked.
"Cheating? Me?" Chen Shu looked completely confused. "There must be some mistake."
"Still pretending? This is your history quiz from last week!"
Teacher Yan threw out a test paper. There was no score marked, but every question was completely correct, without a single error.
But the most abnormal thing was—
The name on it was Chen Shu, the same Chen Shu who ranked last in the monthly exam.
"Please explain to me how you went from last place to first place in just one week," Teacher Yan said.
Options appeared before Chen Shu's eyes at this moment.
[Option 1: Nod and admit it, saying: "I'm only seventeen years old, I just cheated once, what's wrong with that?"]
Completion reward: Small amount of Beast Taming Power
[Option 2: Deny the cheating accusation.]
Completion reward: High School Beast Taming Materials Knowledge
Was there even a choice?
Chen Shu threw up his hands and declared emphatically: "I, Chen Shu, would rather starve to death... cough cough, would rather be in last place, Cough cough would rather just lie flat doing nothing, than ever cheat!"
"So you went and pulled a 'true fragrance' moment? Fang Ke's forehead sprouted black lines.¹
"Teachers, I really didn't cheat." Chen Shu sighed. "If I had to give a reason, it could only be talent—incomparable talent! One-in-ten-thousand talent!"
"Alright, alright." Fang Ke knew this guy was about to start spouting nonsense again. Actually, he didn't really believe Chen Shu would cheat either—not because he trusted his character, but because someone who dared to score sixteen points would dare to get any score.
"Teacher Yan, if you don't believe me, you can test me on any history questions. I really know them all." Chen Shu couldn't exactly explain it was because of the system. The old-fashioned Teacher Yan still refused to believe him and picked up the test paper.
"What year did China's first dimensional space appear? And how was it suppressed?"
"Revival Era Year 5. The fierce beasts inside were dark-attributed. China's strongest 300 people joined forces to suppress the rampaging dimensional space."
"Hm?" Teacher Yan's eyes showed a hint of surprise as he examined Chen Shu carefully.
"What year did China's most dangerous dimensional space appear?"
"Revival Era Year 380. To this day, the Dragon's Nest in Huaxia Province remains our country's most dangerous dimensional space. The fierce beasts inside possess dragon bloodline, and it's currently guarded by the Spirit Suppression First Legion."
"Which year was China's most critical moment for its unity in history?"
"Revival Era Year 625. Within China's borders, twelve dimensional spaces united in rebellion. Countless fierce beasts counter-invaded. The bitter war lasted twelve full years with heavy casualties among all military legions before finally quelling the upheaval."
Looking at Chen Shu answering fluently, everyone else was dumbfounded. What happened to being a poor student? Not playing by the script, huh?
"I only wanted to live a low-key life, but now there's no choice—I have to lay my cards on the table." Chen Shu looked at homeroom teacher Fang Ke, his eyes full of confidence.
"I'll believe you for now." Fang Ke examined Chen Shu.
Teacher Yan continued testing Chen Shu with various questions, partly to verify, partly to help consolidate his knowledge.
Fang Ke stopped paying attention to Chen Shu. While he was surprised that Chen Shu had mastered history, it was a minor matter since the final exam covered more than just one subject. He returned to his desk and looked at the class's three top students—these were Beast Taming Class 5's real hope!
Fang Ke coughed and said with a passionate tone: "Now the dragon gate is right before you. You must consider whether this might be your only chance in life. Restoring Beast Taming Class 5's glory is your inescapable duty!" Instantly, the three top students' blood boiled, feeling an enormous responsibility on their shoulders.
Hearing this, Chen Shu directly stated what was on his mind: "Forget it—if even one gets in, that's success."
¹"True fragrance" (真香) is a Chinese internet meme originating from a reality show where a participant named Wang Jingze firmly declared he would never eat the rural food provided, saying he'd rather starve. Hours later, he was filmed happily eating and exclaiming "It's so fragrant!" The phrase now mockingly describes anyone who dramatically reverses their stance after making bold declarations.