At precisely six thirty-three in the morning, the heavy doors of the primary school's assembly hall closed with a resounding thud, sealing off everyone inside.
Through the windows, people who had just arrived could still be vaguely seen anxiously banging on the doors, trying to force their way in.
However, the school seemed to show no consideration for the students who hadn't made it inside. After only a few minutes, some people outside started shouting curses.
Children with backgrounds and influence naturally possessed a degree of arrogance and would not tolerate being locked out. They were even less willing to admit that the situation was their own fault for being late.
Luo Qi, sitting in his seat, could even hear the screams of the children outside.
He clicked his tongue, "There are at least a fifth of the students still outside. Are they really not going to let them in?"
He Yuan smiled and said, "Yes, what's keeping them outside isn't about waking up early, but about whether they can be obedient, meaning whether they can follow rules."
He pointed to a few people sitting in the farthest corner and said, "Look at those few. They seem to be from remote star systems. In terms of both physical strength and ability, they are not as good as most of the people blocked outside.
But they are able to sit here because they are obedient enough. Since the school has already notified everyone what time they must arrive, they must come on time to be able to stay here."
Luo Qi nodded and was about to speak when Ye Mu, sitting next to him, patted his shoulder and whispered, "It's starting."
Luo Qi had no choice but to retract his words and stop paying attention to those who were destined to have no opportunity to continue their studies at the Earth Star Primary School. He focused his attention on the stage.
The curtain slowly drew open. The principal stood on the stage with his hands clasped behind his back, a smile on his lips as he looked down at the audience. His robe was in the style of ancient Earth Star, but not entirely.
In an era where suits and ties or more practical combat uniforms were common, it looked somewhat informal.
The principal raised both his hands and pressed them down in the air. The assembly hall immediately fell silent. He said with a smile,
"Welcome, little friends, to Earth Star Primary School.
I am very pleased that all of you present have passed the first test before admission."
He paused after speaking, and indeed, many children gasped in surprise, clearly many hadn't realized this was a test.
After a few seconds of realization, the next thought was that this test was too easy.
The principal smiled slightly, as if he knew what everyone below was thinking, and said,
"However, I hope you children will not let your guard down. Our tests may begin at any time, and they may end at any time.
Only those who can still remain here after ten days will be able to truly become students of Earth Star Primary School.
Of course, if anyone here does not wish to continue staying, they can also leave with those students outside after the meeting concludes today."
Luo Qi looked around. The children who had been chattering and discussing just moments ago had quieted down again and were looking back at the stage.
The principal continued, "I believe that before you came, you children have all, more or less, understood the rules here. Starting tomorrow, the real-time rankings of all students in the entire grade will be updated on the light screen at the entrance of the stadium.
If there is anything you do not understand, you can ask the senior students for information.
As for whether you can make it onto the rankings, and how high you can rank, that will depend on your own abilities."
The principal raised one hand, bringing his thumb and little finger together, indicating a small distance: "Perhaps, it will also depend on a little bit of luck."
"Hmm..." The principal lowered his hand, his smile seeming to widen a bit. "Of course, sometimes, if you lack both strength and luck, having someone to escort you is also a form of capability."
Luo Qi pursed his lips. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt as if the principal's gaze was directed towards him when he said this.
He shook his head and sighed. It must be his imagination. Didn't this just mean that if he couldn't do anything, he could still get on the rankings if someone helped him?
That was the principal, after all. Would he allow such blatant cheating?
The principal paid no mind to the reactions below. After speaking, he clapped his hands and said, "Alright, I'm not one for long-winded speeches. You can go and explore whatever you want to know. I won't say any more."
With that, he walked off the stage decisively, without a hint of lingering.
Luo Qi was stunned. "Then what are the next assessments? What are the general directions? And what about that so-called ranking, are they not going to explain anything?"
He picked at his finger, a mix of laughter and tears on his face. "Is this principal reliable or not?"
Ye Mu stood up and pulled Luo Qi up as well. "Let's go. We should head back first."
Luo Qi yawned. "Let's go back then. I'm going to take a nap."
When they went out, the people who had been blocked outside the assembly hall had already dispersed. It was unclear whether they had left in anger or if the principal had sent people to escort them away.
Not long after returning to the dormitory, just as Luo Qi lay down on his bed, there was a knock on the dormitory door.
After two knocks, the door opened, and Mo Xuan walked in from outside.
Luo Qi, surprised, flipped over and sat up. "Mo Xuan! You're here too!"
Although he already knew his friend was here, Mo Xuan only smiled when they actually met. "I was busy packing yesterday and didn't have time to come find you."
To prevent Mo Jue from causing trouble everywhere, he had to arrange for him to do something to keep him from running around.
Luo Qi walked over in his slippers and pulled Mo Xuan to sit beside him.
"Ye Mu said you were in another dormitory building and that you would definitely come today. Otherwise, I would have come to find you first."
He handed him the small cake he had managed to rescue from Lei Wa yesterday.
"Here, if you didn't come soon, there would be no more cake."
Mo Xuan took the cake and said meaningfully, "We're all in the same grade, enrolling on the same day, and we're all outsiders. I thought we would be in the same dormitory building."
Ye Mu, standing nearby, snorted. He was thinking too wishfully.
Mo Xuan sighed. "But it's okay. I'll just come find you whenever I'm free."
Luo Qi nodded happily, even forgetting about sleep. He introduced He Ning and He Yuan to Mo Xuan.
After chatting for a while, Luo Qi asked Mo Xuan, "Ah Xuan, do you know what that ranking thing means? The principal didn't explain anything clearly."
Mo Xuan nodded. "I was also planning to tell you. If it's not necessary, it's best not to get on that ranking."
The rankings in the primary school sounded good, but they were actually not as simple as Luo Qi imagined.
If you were on the list, students with lower rankings could challenge students with higher rankings at any time. This "any time" offered too many opportunities to be exploited.
Whether you had just recovered from someone else's challenge, or had just finished training, or even if you were injured, if someone challenged you, you had to accept the challenge.