Of Health Screenings And Talents

Xiao Lin was about to walk out of the frames in relief before Qin Chuan said out of nowhere, "Wait, let me see your basic physique report!" 

Xiao Lin stood silently and waited for another few minutes. This time, everyone realized something odd had happened during Xiao Lin's health screening, but no one dared ask about it in front of instructor Qin Chuan. 

The virtual display in front of Qin Chuan flashed. He widened his eyes in surprise before cursing and looking over at Xiao Lin with a pitiful gaze. "Your total basic attribute points aren't even past 10 points. You're the worst I've seen since I came to Dawn Academy! I thought I finally found a talented recruit after such a lengthy scan; what a waste of my emotions!" 

"What are talented recruits?" Xiao Lin could not help but ask.

"Move it! Stop blocking the next one!" Qin Chuan did not want to explain anything and waved his hand in frustration. 

Xiao Lin was frustrated as well. He did not come to this weird academy of his own will; if they really did think that his physique was bad, they could just send him home! 

There were over a hundred people in the hall. After all of them completed their health screening, Qin Chuan's face was filled with disappointment. "There's not a single talented recruit. The quality of freshmen is going downhill! Forget it, your health screening reports will be given to you with your identity feed. Take a ten-minute break, we'll move onto the admission test." 

"Brother Instructor, what is the admission test? Can you help me?" A girl with heavy makeup asked in a sweet voice. Although Qin Chuan did not allow anyone to speak, she felt that her looks were enough for her to sidestep the order. 

Qin Chuan was undeterred. He glared at her and said, "This is a place you have to work hard. It's not a place for you to obtain credits and redemption points with looks." 

"The message from the admission letter mentioned that we will obtain unimaginable wealth and strength from this academy. May I ask if we can only get the wealth and strength from those credits and redemption points that you mentioned?" A decent girl among the crowd, wearing glasses with black frames, asked suddenly. 

Qin Chuan looked over at her in surprise and explained in a rare display of patience, "That's right, the credits and redemption points are basically this academy's universal currencies. With these, you could redeem anything you want, including real life currencies." 

"Interesting." The glasses-clad girl nodded calmly. 

"What's your name?" Qin Chuan asked. 

Qin Chuan lifted his brow. "So, you're the one who has the highest basic attribute points among these people. You may not be talented, but that's good enough for now. Work hard, and, although it's just the admission test, a good start will help you a lot in your freshman year." 

Xiao Lin checked Gu Xiaoyue out in surprise; she seemed like a decent girl, but she had the highest attribute points among the batch. Moreover, Qin Chuan spoke to her with unusual friendliness. It was obvious he had high hopes for her. If his basic attribute points were under 10 points, what were the individual points for each of his basic attributes? 

Moments later, the identity feed Qin Chuan was talking about appeared in everyone's minds. According to Qin Chuan, this feedback in everyone's consciousness was automatically created by the academy's Central Smart Computer System. 

[Name: Xiao Lin]

[ID: 201235]

[Credits: 0]

[Redemption Points: 0]

[Basic Attribute Points: 2 Strength points, 2 Agility points, 2 Intelligence points, 3 Physique points]

[Natural Life Expectancy: 83 years; 23 years old currently, 60 years to go. Warning: Every death will deduct 10 years off your life expectancy automatically; when your life expectancy becomes zero, you will die!]

[Physical Attack Power Evaluation: F-]

[System Evaluation: This evaluation was given because the database has yet to include a level lower than F-. According to the Central Computer's calculation, an adult pig's physical attack power is stronger than yours.] 

[Magic Attack Power Evaluation: F-] 

[System Evaluation: Same as above. This evaluation was given because there is no lower grade than F-.]

Xiao Lin could not help but laugh at himself; his total attribute points were under 10 after all. On top of that, what were 'physical attack power' and 'magic attack power' about? He was worse than a pig? Also, what was up with the intelligence points? Xiao Lin did not think that his intelligence was that low. Truth be told, he was the team leader for fighting Instances or Bosses for many years of his gaming career. 

But Xiao Lin came to the sad realization that this evaluation was rather factual. The otaku life had made his physique worse; there was fat on his waist and even running a few hundred meters would make him put him way out of breath. 

However, Xiao Lin was more concerned about his life points than his attribute points! 

The hall erupted like a boiling pot; the Life System was undoubtedly unacceptable to nearly everyone. 

"What joke is this! I only have 13 years to live. Wouldn't that mean that if I died once in this hellhole, I'd actually die?"

"It's probably fake! How could it detect our life expectancy? This must be a con!" 

Xiao Lin was shocked as well. If the system was accurate, he had 60 years left to live. This was not a bad thing. However, he thought of something all of a sudden and was going to ask about it before someone else cut him off. 

"Is deducting ten years of life for each death only applicable in the Dawn Academy, or does it apply to the whole world?" A bird-like voice was heard speaking again. It was the girl called Gu Xiaoyue; her question was exactly what Xiao Lin was going to ask. 

Qin Chuan had expected everyone's reaction. He observed them for a moment. He heard her question just as he was about to speak. He held his anger in and nodded, "When you're a recruit at this academy, this rule automatically applies to each and every one of you. This rule applies wherever you are as long as you're still on Earth!"

Those who were still confused understood it all at this moment; their angry voices now lowered. This meant that even if they were killed in society, they would only lose ten years of their life; they would not actually die!

Qin Chuan continued explaining, "I've said that this academy is capable of giving you things you could never imagine, such as your life expectancy. If you're good enough, it's not hard to become immortal!" 

Xiao Lin's final question was answered. Although it was clear to him that it would take unimaginable sacrifice to become immortal, he could not help but be tempted by it. 

This academy was too much of a temptation to everyone; even if there was a possibility of death, it was enough for everyone to work their hardest. 

Competition was always mankind's most primitive instinct. Everyone began talking to each other about their respective attribute points.

Those with higher basic attribute points expectedly exhibited hints of arrogance. Everyone also realized that the man who called himself the instructor spoke to those with higher basic attribute points in a friendly manner despite looking threatening; Gu Xiaoyue was one of them. 

"Hahaha! I have 10 Strength points. The system said that those with 10 points for a single attribute are considered the better ones in the academy!" A muscular man said loudly with excitement. 

I may not have high points for a single attribute, my total attribute points for four attributes are over 30!" 

"I wonder how many basic attribute points Gu Xiaoyue has. Didn't Qin Chuan say that hers were the highest among us?

"If my total attribute points of 31 aren't the highest, I can't imagine how high hers are!" 

"Although we don't know what the highest is, isn't there someone with the lowest of under 10 total attribute points among us?" 

"I was chatting around, those with lower total attribute points have at least 14 or 15 points." 

"Under 10 total attribute points? I think his years of life will be deducted soon!" 

…

Xiao Lin listened to the chatting around him silently. No one asked him for his total attribute points as Qin Chuan had already told everyone that he had under 10 total attribute points. 

Beep! The Smart Computer System's unique sound pinged in Xiao Lin's mind. "Recruit Xiao Lin, the detection has ended." 

What?

Did the screening not end earlier?

Xiao Lin was confused. He looked around him carefully; it seemed like he was the only one who heard it. 

[The Talent Detection has ended.]

[Talent Name: ??? (No matching answer found in the database)]

[Talent Level: ??? (No matching answer found in the database)]

[Talent Analysis: The recruit's learning ability has been greatly improved.]

[Results: As a LV1 talent, his learning efficiency of various abilities is increased by 100% while in a passive state. Once the talent is unlocked, the recruit will obtain a chance to replicate any F-grade ability (talent abilities cannot be replicated), and this will last for three minutes. This replicate skill can only be unlocked once every seven days. When the talent levels up, all numbers related to the results will be improved as well. Since there are no prior cases of this talent, according to the rules, the first person to possess a new talent will get to name it. Recruit, please name the talent.]

Xiao Lin felt a little dizzy and was in disbelief as well. Qin Chuan did mention the term 'talent', but whatever it was, it seemed like it was rare and not something an ordinary person would possess. But why could the health screening not detect his talent? 

[Recruit, please name the talent.]

The Central Smart Computer urged. Xiao Lin thought about it for a moment and said, "Academic Genius! Let's call it Academic Genius!" 

[Talent Name: Academic Genius]

[Level: LV1]

[Talent Level Evaluation: SS

Once a talent above the S grade is detected, the recruit's files will be automatically sealed. Recruit Xiao Lin, please note that the right to read this file is limited to the dean. Do adhere to the confidentiality clause.]

Soon after that, contents of the so-called confidentiality clause from the Smart Computer automatically flashed through Xiao Lin's mind. In summation, the SS level talent was not to be known by a third person other than Xiao Lin himself and the dean. 

Xiao Lin was terrified again. Although he did not know what an SS talent meant, it felt like it was something powerful. It was no wonder Qin Chuan did not know that he had that talent. Clearly, an instructor did not have the right to know about this. 

Qin Chuan did not give everyone much time to chat. He said with his loud voice, "Our class is already behind. The admission test begins now! Everyone, stand where you are!" 

Qin Chuan's threatening aura was already well-known. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stood in place; although everyone was confused about the admission test, Qin Chuan did not plan on explaining anything. Soon after that, a ray of white light shot down from the ceiling. Everyone was bathed in it before disappearing in the blink of an eye. Qin Chuan was the only one left in the metallic hall. 

Phew! 

Qin Chuan pursed his lips and seemed like he exhaled in relief. He mumbled, "How unfortunate. There's not a single talented recruit in this batch of students. Looks like I can't get a good score on the instructor's evaluation this time around. I shouldn't have signed up for this if I knew how this was going to turn out!" 

"Hahaha! Old Qin, I have some good news for you!" The hall's door was pushed open, and a man walked in quickly with a big smile on his face. He passed Qin Chuan a cigarette and helped him light it up. 

Qin Chuan was not friendly to many, but he would not say no to a cigarette. He drew a long one and scoffed, "You're good at enjoying things, aren't you? How dare you use your redemption points on something this fancy!" 

"Pfft! That's nothing! Listen, Class Three has two talented recruits!" The man did not attempt to hide his excitement at all. "No matter what, I'm definitely getting a good score on the instructor's evaluation. Haha, with the awarded credits, I might be able to get second-year students next year!" 

This brat was obviously here to show off. A hint of jealousy flashed through Qin Chuan's face before he replied nonchalantly, "Two talented recruits? Haha, what level are they? Talented recruits with low levels are just a little better than normal recruits. Our class has a strong candidate with over 40 total basic attribute points!" 

"Over 40 basic attribute points!" The man exclaimed before continuing with a smile. "No matter how high the attribute points are, she's still not a talented recruit. My talented recruits are of B and A-level talents. I've notified the Student Union about this. I think a few of the seniors will meet with them soon." 

Qin Chuan could not hide the jealousy on his face anymore. For one, he was jealous of the talent recruits; being talented meant that they were ahead of ordinary people. Although the instructors looked like they were powerful, it would take talented recruits one or two years to be above the instructors. 

Secondly, Qin Chuan was jealous of the man in front of him. If an instructor's class performed well, the instructor would be rewarded for it. Otherwise, no one would be willing to waste his time with a bunch of idiots. 

Qin Chuan no longer wanted to chat after remembering that his Class Seven did not have a single talented recruit and that he would miss out on the awards. 

However, the man who came over continued speaking, "Did you hear that there was a freshman with an SS-level talent in the US last year? Tsk tsk, SS, I've never even come across an S level in my life!" 

"SS? It's probably fake. I've heard that the dean in the US has denied this, and the Central Computer does not have a matching database for it. This means that there cannot be someone with an SS-level talent. Isn't there only a handful around the world with an S-level talent?" 

"Haha! You don't know much about this! A few days ago, I heard a few fourth-year seniors chatting that the US and Europe held a combined test, and this person who was said to have an SS-level talent showed unimaginable abilities. Although he's only in second year, his abilities are as good as some graduates! Only someone with an SS-level talent could have such terrifying abilities."

"It's probably just rumors! I don't believe there's someone with an SS-level talent in this world!" Qin Chuan refused to believe what he just heard. 

"Pfft! Forget it, we'll never meet that guy in our lives anyway. I heard that the Europeans have nicknamed him Demon King." 

"Demon King? Pfft, you might as well call him Satan." 

… 

The admission test was fully administered by the Central Smart Computer; this was something the instructors could not see. The duo continued chatting to fill their time.