Chapter 42: Breaking the Norm is Now a Necessity

"Hmph... Heh!"

The entire panel of judges stared silently at the screen, watching Liam, who appeared to be in a state of "dejection." Suddenly, the tense silence was broken by a cold laugh.

Everyone's gaze shifted to the source of the laugh—Li Qi. Realizing that she had drawn the attention of so many distinguished figures, she quickly covered her mouth, stifling any further sound. But within, she was utterly ecstatic.

She had been suppressing her feelings for far too long, having stayed in that room for over ten hours. Unlike some of the other judges, who had taken breaks to eat or handle other matters, Li Qi had remained in place the entire time.

While a few hours without sleep might not be a big deal for a superhuman, Li Qi wasn't just foregoing rest; she was also enduring psychological torment. Watching Liam break one record after another, listening to the praise from high-ranking members of various academies and organizations—it was a torment that gnawed at her insides.

So, she had stayed, even without the qualifications to be a judge, as Liam's most loyal detractor, hoping for the moment he would finally fall.

It must be said, sometimes the biggest critics are the most devoted.

Whether in poverty or wealth, in health or sickness, in good times or bad, they will always follow you, never abandoning their post.

Even though she knew that Liam's performance was already monstrous and that even if he didn't take first place in the test, his future was assured, with so many higher-ups favoring him, destined to soar to great heights—still, seeing him lose the hard-earned Divine Core brought her immense satisfaction.

Seeing Sophia, seated among the judges, beginning to frown only heightened Li Qi's pleasure.

Wasn't it you who said he was guaranteed to be first? Now look—he hasn't managed it, has he?

"Well done, well done! Truly exciting!" Zhong Jing coldly watched Liam crouch motionless on the ground for what seemed like an eternity, then clapped lightly before turning to Cain and saying, "This is your design too? Are you satisfied now?"

"Those students who resorted to theft, they're not bad people. In their daily lives, they might even be good people. But under your rules, you've forced them into becoming petty schemers who rely on ambushes to get ahead."

"Liam was originally the most talented of this year's students—smart, calm, and powerful."

"But you've made him the target of everyone's envy and hatred, turning him into a thorn in their side, causing his hard-earned points to be stolen by others."

Of all the judges, Zhong Jing was the most emotionally charged at this moment.

Clearly, the specific details of this test were Cain's design, and Zhong Jing had been dissatisfied with it for a long time.

Having said so much, he saw that Cain remained silent, which only fueled his frustration. Unable to contain himself any longer, Zhong Jing stood up, walked directly in front of Cain, and blocked his view.

"Zhong Jing, calm down," Dong Wushuang couldn't help but interject, but Zhong Jing ignored him.

Bang!

He slapped the table hard enough that Cain shook from the impact.

"I'm talking to you, Director Mo!"

"We run an academy! A school! We're supposed to nurture talent, not breed schemers and power-hungry individuals!"

"Superhumans of the future need to fight side by side, trust each other, and entrust their lives to their teammates. They need to face formidable enemies together."

"What is your educational philosophy? What kind of people do you want to cultivate? Are you trying to produce a generation of backstabbers who use any means necessary to advance their own interests?"

Listening to Zhong Jing's forceful words, the smile on Cain's face slowly faded, replaced by a look of resignation. He remained silent for a long while, eventually offering a brief response: "I have my reasons..."

"Your reasons are nonsense!" Zhong Jing slapped the table again, clearly not interested in further debate, and turned to leave, saying as he walked away:

"This test is the most unpleasant and malicious internal conflict we've ever had."

"Liam, or any of the other students involved, might undergo psychological changes because of this exam."

"I will report this to the Human Federation and call for the cancellation of the guaranteed admission test. If necessary, we'll settle this in the Federation's court!"

With that, Zhong Jing's emotions erupted, and he fully tore down the façade of politeness, plunging the room into an icy silence.

These were all respected figures in their fields, and none had expected such a confrontation.

For a moment, the room fell into complete silence, the sound of breathing distinctly audible.

Seeing the tension, Cain's face softened, and he sighed deeply, slowly letting out a long breath.

"Sigh... Zhong Jing, if you want an explanation, I'll give you one."

Hearing Cain's response, Zhong Jing turned back, surprised.

Cain slowly stood up, his figure appearing more aged than before, and raised two fingers.

"I had two thoughts in mind when designing this test."

"The first is that you keep saying superhumans need to fight together, trust each other, and be honest and brave. These are indeed admirable qualities, but the reality?"

Cain stared into Zhong Jing's eyes, the wrinkles etched by time giving his gaze a depth that seemed unfathomable.

"The reality is that backstabbing among teammates happens every year."

"The reality is that while superhumans are fighting bloodily at the front lines, the high command at the back is scheming for personal gain."

"The reality is that countless geniuses have perished for all sorts of ridiculous reasons."

"I just wanted to make the kids... a bit more cautious. Idealists driven by pure passion are commendable, but their demise is even more heartbreaking."

As Cain's deep gaze bore into him, Zhong Jing slowly calmed down and spoke with a sense of helplessness:

"I understand... I do. But our approach to educating the next generation should be about improving the darkness, not forcing them to adapt to it!"

"I know." To Zhong Jing's surprise, Cain agreed with him, not offering further rebuttal.

"This method has its pros and cons, and in the long run, it might indeed have negative effects."

"That's why I had a second reason..."

"The time we have left may not allow us the luxury of thinking about 'long-term' issues."

With these words, Cain turned his profound gaze to the screen showing Liam, crouched on the ground, staring at him with deep meaning.

"Because of my unique abilities, I probably understand better than anyone else in this world how terrifying the gods are."

"I can't go into specifics, but I know that their power is vastly unequal. The upper limits of a god's power might be unimaginably high—something we've yet to fully comprehend."

"And superhumans have only existed for a century. We're still plagued by countless internal issues, unable even to achieve unity."

"Given this situation, ordinary people and ordinary actions may no longer suffice. We need extraordinary circumstances to arise!"

"That's why I'm waiting for someone—someone who can defy the rules, break the norms, overturn conventional wisdom, and do something... different. Only then can we have more hope for the future."

"Breaking the norm is now a necessity!"