Chapter 77: Interview

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Interview

As is customary, the Soul Energy Alliance would hold an official briefing on the first day of the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam to explain the situation and answer questions from parents and teachers.

This year’s Secret Realm College Entrance Exam was no exception. At 9:00 PM on the first night of the exam, this year’s "question-setter," Teacher Xu Lidong from the Capital Soul Energy University, would be conducting a live interview.

At that exact time, nearly every parent whose child was participating in the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam would punctually turn on their home computer or television to watch the live broadcast.

However, parents like Li Guobin and his wife—a couple sitting on the sofa, eating snacks, drinking Coke, and watching television with cheerful chatter and laughter—were a rare sight.

"It’s a good thing Hengzi left for the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam! If he saw us eating this junk food at our age, he’d definitely laugh at us!"

Although Zhang Yu Yao’s words implied she was worried about being mocked by Li Heng, her tone was completely relaxed. It held not a hint of concern, only a faint smile.

"It’s fine! Once Hengzi is off to Soul Energy University, it’ll just be the two of us at home. All those snacks you wanted to eat before, I’ll get them all for you... You can buy anything you want to eat!"

Li Guobin was also smiling. He had intended to pamper his wife by promising to buy her any snacks she wanted in the future, but halfway through the sentence, he remembered he didn’t have any money right now, so he awkwardly trailed off.

If not for Lin Jiangang’s sudden visit before, the couple would absolutely not be this relaxed. They would undoubtedly be just as nervous as all the other parents.

After all, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam was a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people. How could anyone not be nervous?

But things were different now. Their son was a Soul Disciple!

Moreover, he was an outstanding student who had been specially selected to participate in the national targeted examination!

With a "good son" like that, getting into Soul Energy University was practically a done deal. The couple understood this clearly, so their hearts had slowly settled.

Besides, in the couple’s view, their son was already inside the Secret Realm. Their worrying wouldn’t help or have any effect.

It was better to peacefully focus on the present and wait for Li Heng to return home.

"It’s starting! Let’s see what this year’s question-setter has to say! Here, honey, have a potato chip!"

As the couple chatted, 9:00 PM arrived before they knew it, and Teacher Xu Lidong’s interview began.

The title of the interview was: "An Analysis and Q&A on the Selection of the Desolate Moon Islands Secret Realm."

As the camera slowly zoomed in, a man estimated to be about forty years old, dressed in formal attire, appeared on screen.

"Hello to all the teachers and parents here in the studio and watching from your screens. I am the question-setter for this year’s Secret Realm College Entrance Exam—Xu Lidong."

As Xu Lidong began to speak, following a round of introductions from the host, waves of applause echoed through the studio.

The interview’s opening and preliminary remarks lasted nearly five minutes.

Only after those five minutes did the conversation slowly turn to the main topic of the broadcast.

"Teacher Xu Lidong, hello. To be honest, all the teachers and parents, myself included, are extremely curious about the Desolate Moon Islands Secret Realm. What was your thought process when selecting the Desolate Moon Islands as this year’s exam location?"

Hearing the host’s question, Xu Lidong gave a natural smile and began to speak with ease.

"Initially, I actually planned to use the Sun Flame Desert as the location for this year’s exam. However, after considering numerous issues, including the difficulty of the Sun Flame Desert, I ultimately chose the relatively more stable Desolate Moon Islands."

"According to preliminary statistics, there are over a million candidates in this year’s Secret Realm College Entrance Exam. The Desolate Moon Islands contains over one hundred thousand islands, which means there will be an average of about ten people per island."

"My primary intention with this exam’s design is for the candidates to do everything in their power to acquire Secret Realm resources within a limited time and space!"

...

Just as Xu Lidong was finishing his general introduction of the Desolate Moon Islands, the host interjected with a timely question.

"Teacher Xu, you mentioned earlier that you chose the Desolate Moon Islands after considering factors like difficulty. Does that mean this year’s Secret Realm College Entrance Exam will be easier than in previous years?"

Xu Lidong: "Of course not! Although the Desolate Moon Islands Secret Realm is relatively stable, the difficulty this year will not be less than in previous years. In fact, it will be somewhat greater."

The Host: "Teacher Xu, if you put it that way, I’m afraid I don’t understand. Could you please elaborate?"

Xu Lidong: "The Desolate Moon Islands were conquered by the Soul Energy Alliance many years ago. This Secret Realm has always had one unique characteristic: the appearance of the ’Desolate Moon.’"

"Every ten years, the Desolate Moon appears in this Secret Realm. When it does, all the islands begin to move, converging on the centermost island. After about four days, all the islands will have merged! In other words, by the sixth day of the exam, the Desolate Moon Islands will have become a single, super-massive island! Its area will be no less than that of some countries! And one more thing: on the first day the Desolate Moon appears, the Secret Realm Creatures will go on a rampage!"

The islands would move and eventually merge into a single, super-massive island!

And the Secret Realm Creatures would go on a rampage!

Eighty to ninety percent of the parents had been unaware of this. So when Xu Lidong announced it, it elicited the first collective gasp from the parents watching.

When Li Guobin and his wife heard phrases like "islands moving and converging" and "Secret Realm Creatures rampaging," they too sat up, their initial relaxed mood gradually fading as they began to listen intently.

In the live studio audience, one parent, upon hearing that the Secret Realm Creatures would go on a rampage, couldn’t stay seated. He shot up from his chair and demanded to know more.

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt! But Teacher Xu, this creature rampage... is it... safe? Will the candidates be facing life-threatening danger?!"

The question posed by this parent who had abruptly stood up was the very same one on the minds of all the parents watching. Every eye was fixed on Xu Lidong, awaiting his answer.

Xu Lidong’s expression instantly turned grave, and he replied to the parent with stark sincerity, "I cannot make any guarantees!"

"Then how can a Secret Realm like that be used for an exam? If you can’t guarantee the students’ safety, then the exam itself is..."

Hearing Xu Lidong’s reply, the parent became visibly agitated and tried to press his point.

But Xu Lidong cut him off abruptly. "This is the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam! Since it involves Secret Realms, no one can ever guarantee safety! If you find this unacceptable, then choose the regular college entrance exam! No teacher would ever force a student to make this choice!"

"Secret Realms are never safe! Not even one used for an exam! The best we can do is guarantee the students’ safety to the greatest extent possible! I can even tell you frankly that in their future lives at Soul Energy University, the Secret Realms that these children—and their teachers—will have to enter will be many times, tens of times, even hundreds of times more dangerous than this one!"

"Never forget the day the first Secret Realm appeared, and do not forget the cataclysm that occurred when the first boundary-breaking creature emerged! To the parent who asked, I understand your concern! I can personally assure you that as long as your child has not been transported to one of the islands with mountain peaks and ranges, their probability of passing the exam safely is eighty percent."

Xu Lidong said a great deal. His voice was calm, but the weight of his words instantly silenced the entire studio audience, as well as all the parents watching from home.

Indeed.

Secret Realms... had never, for a single day, been safe. No one could ever guarantee it.

Even a Secret Realm used for an exam could only achieve a relative "absolute safety"; there was still a death toll.

Every year, many students who took the Secret Realm College Entrance Exam never returned.

It was a somber topic.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere in the studio, the host quickly broke the silence and changed the topic.

"Teacher Xu, you just mentioned islands with mountain peaks and ranges. Could you tell us... what is special about those islands?"

"In fact, as I recall, there are only about ten islands with mountains and peaks. Unless a candidate’s luck is exceptionally bad, they shouldn’t be transported to one. This is because those mountains are home to Tier Two Soul Beasts... and perhaps even Tier Three Soul Beasts!"

Tier Two Soul Beasts!

And even Tier Three Soul Beasts!

When Xu Lidong uttered these words, a new wave of shock and terror crashed through the hearts of countless parents.

Li Guobin and his wife, sitting in front of the television, were now fraught with worry. Zhang Yu Yao even asked in a concerned voice, "Our Hengzi’s luck can’t be that bad, can it? There’s no way he was sent to one of those ten islands, right?"

Li Guobin wasn’t sure himself, but he thought about Li Heng’s usual disposition and tried to comfort Zhang Yu Yao.

"Don’t you worry too much. I remember Hengzi telling me he’s always been an ’Emperor Ouyang’—you know, the kind of person with really good luck. Something about getting SSRs on a single pull and all his weapons being dark-gold rarity... Anyway, when it comes to luck, I think Hengzi will be fine! Here, have a potato chip to calm your nerves."