CHAPTER 233: CHAPTER 233: JI YOU NOT SELECTED, TENACIOUS ONLINE

second.

seconds.

seconds.

...

Ji You waited left and right but never heard Teacher Mu Jianling mention her name. At this moment, Ji You couldn’t pretend to be timid any longer. Just as Teacher Mu Jianling was about to start discussing the next matter, Ji You suddenly raised her hand and loudly said, "Teacher, I have something to say!"

Mu Jianling squinted: "Hmm?"

Students around turned their heads to look.

Facing everyone’s gazes, Ji You felt a bit nervous inside, but she still tried her best to maintain a composed demeanor without blushing or gasping for breath, and bravely said, "Teacher, classmate Sheng Qingyan obviously doesn’t want to participate in the special training, so I request to switch places with him! I’m very willing to take his spot! Please approve, teacher."

Around her: "..."

Mu Jianling: "Hmm..."

Upon hearing Ji You’s words, Sheng Qingyan looked at her as if she were his savior. Teacher Mu Jianling hummed lightly with a kind expression on her face, and just when Ji You thought her request would definitely be approved.

Suddenly—

Mu Jianling said, "Not approved."

Ji You’s face fell: "Why?"

Mu Jianling said, "Isn’t it good to be alive? Why the need to dig deeper?"

Ji You: "..."

Ji You took a deep breath. She felt she was already very mentally strong; doing things like creating opportunities where there were none and preparing herself to be rejected... she had done it many times before.

However—

Still, being rejected so directly hurt a little.

But Ji You was the type who wouldn’t turn back until she hit the south wall. She persisted, saying, "Teacher, please give me a valid reason why I can’t take Sheng Qingyan’s place in the special training?"

Hiss—

Students around her looked at Ji You as if she were a fool.

The answer was so obvious, yet she still pressed on for answers. Should they despise her for her questionable intelligence, or should they admire her courage?

Mu Jianling, upon hearing Ji You’s words, couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Because you are too weak, you don’t meet the requirements for this special training selection."

Around her: "..."

As expected.

For a moment, everyone couldn’t bear to mock Ji You anymore. They all looked up and showed her sympathetic eyes.

However—

Upon hearing the accurate answer, Ji You’s face didn’t completely fall apart, it even showed a trace of brilliance.

Around her: "???"

Instead of being heartbroken, Ji You suddenly stood up and loudly said, "Teacher, since you said I’m weak, then, may I challenge one of the selected students? If I succeed in the challenge, will you withdraw your decision and allow me to join the special training?"

Hiss—

At these words, the students were shocked!

So there was still a way.

Yes.

There was still this way.

Why hadn’t they thought of it?

When Ji You said these words, some students who considered themselves not weak but had not been selected stood up one after another and spoke out in unison: "Teacher Mu, I agree with what classmate Ji You said, please grant us the right for a fair challenge."

"Teacher Mu, I also request the right to challenge."

"Teacher Mu, please grant our requests."

...

Mu Jianling’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, but she didn’t immediately respond. Instead, she glanced briefly at Ji You and the students who spoke up, gently tapping her fingers on the surface of the podium, slowly, very slowly.

Thump—

Thud——

Thud——

One sound, followed by another.

Mu Jianling finally nodded and said with a smile, "Okay."

"Wow~"

"Teacher, I love you."

"Teacher, you’re the best."

...

The students were instantly excited, and Ji You’s joy was written all over her face. As she tilted her head back and scoped out the 100 selected students, trying to figure out who would be an easy target, her gaze accidentally met Sheng Qingyan’s.

Sheng Qingyan glared, pouting his lips. Upon closer inspection, a mysterious light flashed in his widened eyes.

Ji You pursed her lips.

Just for a moment, as the eyes of the two met, it was as if they reached an unspoken agreement that transcended time, space, and distance.

Ji You was about to speak and name her challenger when suddenly—

Mu Jianling said indifferently, "However—Sheng Qingyan is not eligible to accept the challenge. Anyone else is up for choice."

Ji You: "!!!"

Sheng Qingyan: "!!!"

Both were stunned, in disbelief... Mu Jianling caught this reaction and the corner of his mouth curved up slightly: Kids, the tricks you’ve played are nothing; I’ve seen more than you’ve lived, thinking you can play tricks on me, you’d need to live a few hundred more years.

Unable to contain his frustration, Sheng Qingyan complained, "That’s not fair... Why don’t I have the eligibility to be challenged? I strongly suspect that Teacher is biased against me..."

As soon as this complaint landed, Mu Jianling bluntly said, "Yes, I suspect you would deliberately go easy, so I’m discriminating against you and revoking your eligibility to be challenged. Any objections?"

Sheng Qingyan: "..."

Mu Jianling waved his hand and said, "Alright, Sheng Qingyan, step back and find a corner to stay put. Everyone else, go to the training room. Those who want to attend special training can challenge any of the selected individuals. If you succeed, you can kick them out and qualify yourselves."

For a moment, everyone was excited, rubbing their fists and gearing up for a big fight when Mu Jianling added, "But, for the sake of fairness, each person is only allowed one challenge opportunity, and the challenged only need to accept one challenge."

In other words, to avoid the strategy of continuously challenging the same person and draining their physical and spiritual power, leading to their elimination, of these 100 selected individuals, each one only needs to be challenged once.

But—

With that, except for Sheng Qingyan, it meant there were only 99 chances to challenge.

Ah!!!

The competition suddenly became fierce.

However, these 100 were the cream of the crop, the strongest among the student body, and others were aware of their own strength, so they wouldn’t do something as foolish as throwing an egg against a rock. So, in reality, the number of people who would actually come forward to challenge was only a few dozen.

Ji You looked around, and with a clever spin of her eyes, immediately requested to Teacher Mu Jianling, "Teacher, I was the first to propose a challenge, so I request to be given the first opportunity to initiate a challenge."

Hmm.

Sly.

Crafty.

Everyone had to admit that Ji You, number 4444, had a quick mind. Being the first to challenge meant she could choose her opponent first. Among these 99 people, if she picked out the weakest, then no one else would have a chance.

How infuriating.

Yet Ji You’s request was just, and the students had no grounds for objection, so they could only glare at her, fuming.

Her?

E-rated physical strength, D-rated spiritual power?

Even if she got the first challenge, it would still be the same story—she’d end up defeated.

The students were all ready to enjoy the spectacle.

Mu Jianling was also very straightforward and immediately granted Ji You’s request.

Ji You looked and looked, finally made up her mind, pointed at a boy who was about 1.85 meters tall with a square face, looking the shortest, most honest, and weakest, and said, "Yu Yi, I challenge you."