NOVEL NEXT Chapter 84 - Competition
Under the protection of the security officers, the Anning arrived at the harbor leading to the Imperial Capital University.
Within a 50-kilometer radius around the Imperial Capital University, there is a flight restriction. No one, not even instructors, can pilot flying vehicles into the university without special reasons, let alone students who are strictly prohibited from any special treatment.
Therefore, students at Imperial Capital University must travel from the harbor to the university’s island by boat.
Normally, there are yachts available, but during the annual school season, whether new or returning students, the only way to reach the university is by swimming.
And it’s not as simple as just swimming over; the swim itself is considered a test and will be part of their end-of-year assessment.
Mai Dongzi looked at the record for the shortest swim time from the previous semester at Imperial Capital University. It turned out to be Ye Zhengyan, whom she had met at the special talent training center, with a time of 5:03:37.
In second place was Book Joe, with a time of 5:06:57.
Ren Guang was in thirty-seventh place, with a time of 5:43:39.
Mai Dongzi reviewed the records from the past two academic years and found that Ye Zhengyan and Book Joe had only recently become the top two swimmers in the previous academic year.
The waiting hall at the Imperial Capital University harbor was a very simple building with a large area, capable of accommodating forty to fifty thousand people simultaneously.
“This waiting hall has an emergency shield, and it also has permanent instructors and mechanical soldiers inside,” Su bodyguard informed Mai Dongzi about the details of the waiting hall.
Su bodyguard could only accompany Maidongzi to the outside of the Harbor Waiting Hall. Imperial Capital University does not allow special treatment for students; even if a princess from the Blue-Black Empire came, she would have to enter the university alone.
After bidding farewell to Su bodyguard, Mai Dongzi walked into the waiting hall by herself.
At the entrance of the waiting hall, Maidongzi, like everyone else, had her face scanned by mechanical soldiers before being granted entry.
Su bodyguard would remain outside the waiting hall, waiting until Maidongzi was safely inside the university’s island before driving the Serenity back to the capital.
However, Su bodyguard needed to remain on standby and would immediately rush to Mai Dongzi’s location if she called.
Inside the hall, there were rows of tables and chairs, with familiar students sitting together.
According to the schedule, this time slot was designated for new student check-ins, so the waiting hall was filled with freshmen.
Among these inexperienced new students, the instructors’ presence stood out prominently.
Although mechanical soldiers maintained security in the waiting hall, Imperial Capital University had dispatched more than a dozen instructors to supervise the area, highlighting their commitment to the students.
The harbor of Imperial Capital University was not open all the time; it operated every half hour.
Mai Dongzi understood this. The university couldn’t allow students to roam freely. After all, this was a sea area, not an isolated body of water. Although the school conducted regular clean-ups, it couldn’t guarantee that no sea beasts would come and attack the students.
Thus, whether new or returning students, they had to be accompanied by instructors throughout the process of swimming from the harbor to the university island.
However, instructors would only intervene if a student was in life-threatening danger, and their assistance would come at the cost of deducting credits.
The number of instructors was naturally far fewer than the number of students, so students had to try to stay together and move as a group.
By the time Mai Dongzi entered the waiting hall, it was almost time for the next half-hour cycle. There were already one or two thousand people in the waiting hall.
Even though Mai Dongzi entered at a leisurely pace, several instructors looked at her. From their slightly assessing and admiring gazes, Mai Dongzi could tell that these instructors recognized her.
Even one of the Level 7 instructors, upon seeing Mai Dongzi, quickly walked over and extended his hand. Mai Dongzi shook hands with him.
“Mai Dongzi, I’m the head instructor for the first-year Combat Department. We welcome you to join the Mecha Combat Department…” said the Combat Department instructor.
“Instructor Yan, that’s very underhanded of you, poaching students like this. Wasn’t it agreed that Mai Dongzi would choose for herself? If we’re talking, Mai Dongzi should join our Ability Department, after all, she’s a dual-ability practitioner,” another nearby instructor said, quickly interrupting the Combat Department instructor.
“Mai Dongzi is applying for our Art Department. She’s a student of our Art Department,” the only female instructor present also hurried over. She was a Level 6 Wood Elemental Ability user.
“I’m the head instructor for the Command Department’s new students. General Su graduated from the Command Department at Imperial University,” said the Command Department instructor, clearly hinting at an inside connection.
Being recruited by several instructors in front of so many people was undoubtedly Mai Dongzi’s moment in the spotlight. The students in the waiting hall all stared at her and whispered among themselves.
Despite the attention from so many instructors, Mai Dongzi remained calm and composed. With a humble yet firm expression, she said, “Thank you to all the instructors for your attention. I have already made my decision to pursue both the Art Department and the Command Department.”
The Art Department instructors were naturally pleased. Although they had spoken confidently earlier, they were actually quite apprehensive.
After Mai Dongzi updated her cultivation potential upon returning to Imperial Star, the Art Department head had already mentally prepared for the possibility of losing this student.
After all, with such a talent, every department would be eager to recruit them. Especially the Combat Department; those from the Abilities Department would definitely be relentless in their pursuit of such a genius.
Although the Command Department instructor did not smile broadly, his pleasure was evident.
He quickly moved past the instructors from the Combat and Abilities Departments, approached Mai Dongzi, and began typing on his holographic device, saying, “Mai Dongzi, the Command Department’s courses are more intensive than those in the Art Department. I suggest you stay here in the Command Department. Once you arrive at the school, if you pass the assessment, we can allocate a private suite for you.”
“Mai Dongzi, our Art Department has already prepared a suite for you. There’s no need for you to take any tests,” the female Art Department instructor quickly interjected.
Mai Dongzi understood the little schemes of these two instructors. Since she hadn’t specified her major, the Command Department instructor wanted to get her to stay in the Command Department’s dormitory, hoping to make it easier to persuade her to choose their department as her major.
Being on their own turf, it would be much easier to sway her towards the Command Department if they could convince her to stay there.
However, the female Art Department instructor was not to be outdone. She had initially assumed Mai Dongzi would leave the Art Department, so she hadn’t been very enthusiastic. Now that Mai Dongzi said she would stay in the Art Department, she certainly wasn’t going to let her be snatched away by the Command Department instructor.