On the first day of August, Chen Chuan arrived early at Wuyi College, wheeling his bicycle through the campus gate.
Just like last time, he entered through the side gate. From time to time, passenger cars drove in through the main entrance, cruising along the central avenue straight toward the front steps of the grand auditorium.
Stepping onto the campus grounds once more, he saw far more pedestrian traffic than on the day of the exams. After all, the examinees from that day had only been one batch, and exclusively locals at that.
In reality, over a hundred thousand eligible applicants from both the local prefecture and out of town took the college's entrance examinations every year. Many were admitted through examination stations established across various counties and towns. These out-of-town students accounted for at least half of the incoming class, and that proportion seemed to grow with each passing year.
Following the roadside signposts, Chen Chuan walked alongside a crowd of fellow students to the old examination building from before.
This time, directed by the upperclassmen standing outside, everyone walked straight into the original training hall to register and fill out forms. Soon after submitting his form, he was handed a reddish-brown student permit.
Opening it, he saw the photograph he had submitted previously, along with his temporary student number. With this booklet in hand, he could say without the slightest hesitation that he was a student of Wuyi College.
Even though he had yet to pass the retest, holding this credential put him in a very good mood. Right then, a cheer rang out. Looking back, he saw another student who had just received their permit shouting excitedly. Chen Chuan could entirely understand the feeling.
Obtaining this student permit meant planting a foot firmly on the ascending stairway. How far one could climb remained uncertain, but at the very least, a path now lay beneath their feet.
According to the handbook the college had issued earlier, holding this student permit entitled him to apply for a dormitory room. However, these accommodations were only temporary, intended primarily for out-of-town students who had nowhere else to stay. Once the retests concluded, assignments would be adjusted based on re-examination scores.
Originally, since he had agreed with Nian Fuli, he had intended to move out right away. But now that family matters were no longer pressing him, and considering that he might still need training under Yu Gang over the coming month, living on campus would not be convenient. The commute would be longer, and he would also be bound by school regulations. Thus, he decided to wait until the retest was behind him before reconsidering.
What he needed to clarify now were the specific details regarding the retest.
Walking out of the registration area, he noticed a sign on the wall beside the concrete stairs reading: "Admissions Retest Guidance." Other students were already heading upstairs, so he followed them up to the second floor.
Upon reaching the top, he saw that the original training hall had been partitioned into individual cubicles. A student had just picked up some materials and stood from one of the seats. Chen Chuan walked over and sat down. Across from him sat a gentle-looking upperclassman wearing glasses, who said, "Fellow student, please show your student permit."
Chen Chuan handed over the newly issued permit. After verifying it, the upperclassman asked, "Student Chen, may I ask, do you have any difficulty paying your tuition?"
Chen Chuan looked at him and asked, "Why do you ask that?"
The upperclassman explained, "It's like this: every year at Wuyi, quite a few students cannot afford tuition due to difficult family circumstances. This either results in long-standing arrears or forces them to take out high-interest loans or fight in underground rings. In light of this, the Student Council has organized a Mutual Aid Society."
He smiled faintly. "As long as both parties sign an agreement, the Mutual Aid Society will provide financial sponsorship. The arrears can be repaid after graduation. This helps the students and allows them to focus on their studies with peace of mind."
Chen Chuan understood. In truth, this was a sponsorship organization—a hallmark of the Republic of Great Shun. By offering financial or other forms of assistance to promising individuals or groups, sponsors secured a return on their investment.
While it sounded pleasant on the surface, in most cases, the recipient simply became an instrument for the sponsor to extract profit. Such arrangements were best avoided if possible. Besides, once he passed the retest, tuition would no longer be an issue.
He politely replied, "Thank you, Senior, but I don't need it for now."
The upperclassman merely smiled and dropped the subject. Looking down, he sorted through a stack of kraft-paper envelopes, drew one out, and pushed it across the table. "Here is the dossier of the upperclassmen you might encounter during the retest. Take a look."
Chen Chuan thanked him and opened the envelope. Inside were five mimeographed sheets of paper, each detailing an upperclassman, with general outlines of their specialties and preferred fighting techniques.
However, a question arose in his mind. Looking up, he asked, "Five people?"
In the end, only one upperclassman would be assigned to spar against him, yet he had been given five dossiers. Candidates in past years could not possibly study all five. Even if a candidate were willing, there was no time for targeted training against five opponents. Moreover, the profiles were far too brief, offering little in the way of actionable intelligence.
The upperclassman nodded. "Indeed, five. The college never directly reveals the actual opponent to the candidate. It's up to you to judge. However..."
He smiled slightly. "If a candidate accepts sponsorship from the Mutual Aid Society, the society will analyze the list and identify the upperclassman you are most likely to face. We cannot guarantee absolute accuracy, but our members are all experienced upperclassmen, and our track record has always been very solid."
Seeing that Chen Chuan remained silent, he continued in a tone that seemed remarkably sincere: "Fellow student, I understand why you might hesitate, fearing hidden obligations. But once you accept the sponsorship, the agreement's terms are not overly restrictive. No one will force you to do anything. Furthermore, the Mutual Aid Society provides more than just financial support—we offer academic advice, study perks, and practical conveniences. You'll only truly appreciate the benefits once you join."
At this point, he smiled again. "Of course, the retest is designed to select students of genuine capability. If you are confident enough to pass without relying on the Mutual Aid Society, you are certainly free to decline."
Chen Chuan said, "I'll need to think it over."
The upperclassman nodded in agreement. "Naturally. It's wise to give it proper thought. If you change your mind, feel free to come find me. Here is my contact information."
Saying so, he pulled out a prepared slip of paper and slid it forward. He added, "Oh, right—there's also this receipt slip. Please sign your name on it."
Chen Chuan glanced at the slip, picked up a pen, and signed. After sliding it back, he took the slip containing the contact info and slipped it into the kraft envelope alongside the five mimeographed sheets. Having gathered his things, he stood up, gave the senior a polite nod, turned, and headed down the stairs.
At the very same time, inside the grand auditorium, Shan Xiong, Liu Cai, and several other second-year students stood in a neat row. Each waited beside a waist-high, black-cased registry machine.
Before long, well-dressed young men and women began ascending the auditorium steps, entering through the bright double doors and heading toward them.
One of the students approached Liu Cai and handed him an exquisite, rigid card, smiling as he said, "Sorry for the trouble, Senior."
Unlike the student permits issued through entrance examinations, the permits for students admitted via recommendation came in the form of name cards, which were issued well before enrollment.
Liu Cai said hurriedly, "Not at all, Junior. No trouble."
Taking the card, he placed it into the machine's slot, punched in a sequence of numbers corresponding to the intensity of the color imprint on the surface, and then cranked the handle. A smooth, crisp sheet of paper slid out from the dispensing slot below.
On it was a detailed profile of a specific senior student, including height, weight, speed, blood type, heart rate, striking power, movement habits, limb dimensions, and body proportions—information so thorough it was almost tedious.
Liu Cai picked up the sheet, placed it into a pre-printed college envelope, and handed it back with both hands alongside the metal card.
"Thanks, Senior." The young student smiled, waved, and strolled further down the hall.
While Liu Cai finished his task smoothly, Shan Xiong was somewhat distracted today and moved a little too slowly. The student across from him grew instantly displeased and snapped, "What's taking you so long? Can you do this or not?"
Shan Xiong cursed silently, yet he could not vent his anger. These students admitted by recommendation were backed by powerful and wealthy figures. Even as freshmen, they were far beyond his ability to cross.
The muscles on Shan Xiong's face twitched. He pulled out the paper and card, hastily bagged them, and handed them over. The student gave him an irritated glare, snatched the package, and hurried inside.
Liu Cai glanced at Shan Xiong and murmured, "Keep your temper in check. Students with powerful backing aren't people to provoke. There are only a few dozen of them anyway. Just endure it and it'll be over."
Shan Xiong grunted. Had he known taking part in the entrance examination duties would land him here, he would never have stepped onto that ring. Speaking of which, the brothers outside had claimed they found that punk. Yesterday they had promised to settle things and told him to wait. Why hadn't there been any word all day? Could they have failed to catch the kid? Or had something else held them up?
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan exited the old building and walked all the way out of Wuyi College. He stopped before a telephone booth across the plaza, where a student was on the phone, seemingly asking his family for money. After a long wait, the student finally walked out, looking dejected as if he had been refused.
Once the booth was free, Chen Chuan stepped inside, lifted the receiver, and took a dozen coins from his satchel, feeding them into the slot one after another. He dialed a number, and a sweet female voice soon answered: "Mi Law Firm, how may I assist you?"
Chen Chuan said, "I'm looking for Assistant Solicitor Gao Ming. No appointment, I'm his older cousin."
"Please hold."
A moment later, a languid voice came through the receiver: "Cousin Chen Chuan? What made you think to call me?"
"Gao Ming, it's me," Chen Chuan said. "Two months ago, I passed the entrance exam for Wuyi College. The retest is next month."
The person on the other end paused upon hearing the news, but clearly knowing Chen Chuan had not called merely to boast, his tone turned noticeably sharper: "Go ahead, Cousin. I'm listening."
Chen Chuan shifted his stance slightly. "Wuyi College has a student organization called the Mutual Aid Society that offers funding and seems able to provide advice and screening regarding the retest contents. I thought I might be able to find out a little about this Mutual Aid Society from you."
The voice chuckled. "Mi Law Firm happens to be one of Wuyi's legal partners, so I can indeed look up the records here. As an assistant solicitor, my consultation rate is ten yuan per minute. Are you sure, Cousin?"
Chen Chuan answered without hesitation, "Positive."
A ticking sound came through the line, followed by the voice: "Billing starts now. According to the firm's case files, the Mutual Aid Society at Wuyi College in Yangzhi City originated from within the Student Council, established under the leadership of well-connected students.
"The Mutual Aid Society provides candidates with assistance during the retest and throughout subsequent studies. For talented individuals with outstanding performance, the society uses agreements to recruit them, binding them after graduation to serve those privileged students, their factions, and their underlying interests.
"As for those whose performance is mediocre, or students who refuse to fall in line, the society transfers the agreements through assignees to various corporations and high-end law firms, letting the latter take over enforcement."
Chen Chuan listened quietly with the receiver against his ear. He didn't bother asking what "enforcement" entailed; after all, an individual could hardly contend against such corporations and law firms. Thinking for a moment, he asked, "What is Wuyi College's stance on this?"
The reply was concise: "Unless a student proves exceptionally valuable, they simply aren't worth the college leadership's attention."
Chen Chuan nodded and asked, "I recall Wuyi College also offers aid to students?"
The rustle of turning pages came over the line. After a moment, Gao Ming said, "It does, but an application must be submitted in advance and routed through the Academic Affairs Office, requiring approval from at least three college trustees. The review process can take ages, and almost no one ever gets it. In fact, none of my records show any successful grants, so that funding practically exists in theory alone."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood. That's all I needed to know."
Another tick sounded over the line, followed by the voice: "Consultation concluded. Total time: ninety-two seconds, rounded up to two minutes. The firm's fee is twenty yuan, but since this is my first formal consultation case, I can give my cousin a fifty percent discount."
Chen Chuan said, "Thanks, Gao Ming." He knew very well that such inside information could never be bought so cheaply from anyone else.
The voice laughed. "Cousin, you got into Wuyi without even giving me a heads-up? Next time I visit Yangzhi City, you're buying dinner."
Chen Chuan smiled. "Definitely. By the way, there's another matter I'd like you to look into, but we can talk about it in person next time. I won't keep you from work. Talk to you later." After exchanging goodbyes, he hung up the receiver.
Stepping out of the telephone booth, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stood in the open plaza, facing the main gates of Wuyi College.
People were bustling in and out at that very moment.
Evidently, the aid provided by the Mutual Aid Society demanded a substantial return. If he wished to avoid falling under their control, he would have to rely entirely on his own strength to pass the retest.
Chapter 24