Forbidden Zone of the Human Race

Chapter 6 Accusations

When Ma Shujing announced the results, Xiang Ning was shocked because he felt that Zhang Cheng shouldn’t have scored so low. He was a rich kid with good family background, plus his results were always good, no? However, he quickly let it go. Maybe Zhang Cheng was an exception? 

When Miss Ma continued reading the rest of the results, Xiang Ning’s relaxed demeanor slowly stiffened as she announced that she had reached the end of the name list.… It seemed no one else did as well as him? 

Just from the number of completed questions, Xiang Ning knew they were far from him. He scratched his head in embarrassment as thirty pairs of eyes fell on him. 

Miss Ma looked at him with pride; he was a good kid. Usually, very few students could complete more than seven hundred questions other than the prodigies in the first and second classes. Not to mention achieving such a high accuracy rate. This kid didn’t look arrogant, either, so he had great potential for a research position in the future. 

The class simmered with countless mutters. 

“Don’t you think that’s a little too many?”

“Yeah, do you think he cheated?” 

“I think he did.” 

Xiang Ning was initially overjoyed, because he would be named Stellar Student and receive a month’s worth of cultivation resources, but the mutters knocked him over. He looked at Ma Shujing, choosing to believe that the teacher would trust him. Zhang Cheng incredulously said, “Miss Ma, I would like a re-mark.” 

Zhang Cheng had thought that Xiang Ning’s shocked expression was surprise and admiration at his own results, but when Xiang Ning’s results were announced, he felt played. It meant that Xiang Ning was looking down on his results! 

Ma Shujing’s brows furrowed when she looked at Zhang Cheng. “Please state your reason.” 

“Although a month’s worth of cultivation resources doesn’t matter much to me, I don’t think it should be given to someone that cheated. And I don’t think a part-timer could achieve such grades!” The class exploded upon hearing such accusations. 

The initial mutterings were merely private speculations, but now Zhang Cheng had just publicly accused Xiang Ning. His meaning was obvious: how tempting was a month’s worth of resources to a part-timer? He thought Xiang Ning was cheating for the rewards. 

Xiang Ning chewed on his lip, confident in his own grades. All his life he had known he wasn’t that talented in cultivation, so poured all of his effort into his studies. Therefore, such grades were natural. 

“And if I didn’t cheat?” Xiang Ning finally spoke up, defiantly staring straight at Ma Shujing. He hoped she would be fair. 

“Alright.” The reply made Zhang Cheng’s lips curl up, though he froze when she continued, “But if we prove that Xiang Ning did not cheat, you must immediately apologize.” 

Xiang Ning looked at her with gratitude while Zhang Cheng clenched his jaw. “Alright!”

Miss Ma started pulling up the questions. While she did trust Xiang Ning, she still wanted to see how he had answered his questions. She needed to know this student who held great potential. She projected the recording of him taking his exam on the board. There were no blind corners, and the audience could even clearly see him answering each question. 

“Tsk! He even answered such an obscure question correctly? That’s.…” 

“Shh! Look at the speed! He didn’t even hesitate! He might be the real deal!” 

Liu Ruoxue was Li Zimo’s deskmate and they had known each other since childhood. She whispered, “What do you think?” 

“Nothing much, he’s just good at culture subjects. He isn’t our kind.” Li Zimo was unimpressed. 

After watching a sped-up run-through of the recording, Zhang Cheng was left in disbelief. Ma Shujing looked at him. “After inspection, I can confirm that Xiang Ning didn’t cheat. Therefore, Xiang Ning, Liu Ruoxue, and Li Zimo will receive the title ‘Stellar Students’ and shall be awarded a month’s worth of cultivation resources.” When she finished, she looked at Zhang Cheng. 

His face was flushed; at this moment, all eyes were on him and his cheeks burned. He left his seat in the first row of the classroom and walked to Xiang Ning in the corner. He clenched his fists tight, hearing faint chuckles and seeing mocking glares along the way. 

Xiang Ning stood up and looked straight at him. Zhang Cheng lowered his head and squeezed three words out from between his teeth: “I am sorry.” 

He turned to leave. 

“I haven’t forgiven you yet.” Zhang Cheng’s footsteps stopped, but when he turned around, Xiang Ning continued, “Now I have.” 

Zhang Cheng could have exploded in flames. “You ASSHOLE!” A fist flew toward Xiang Ning, but Ma Shujing appeared in a flash, pulling his arm back. “Get back to your seat this instant or you’ll be punished!” 

The students had no time to react. The school semester had just begun, this was unnecessary. 

Experience +50

Level: Physical Tempering Phase Stage 8 (50/1000)

Xiang Ning paused. When Zhang Cheng’s fist flew, he instinctively blocked the punch with his arm. It didn’t hurt, but a voice in his head still rang out. Did that mean getting hit could help him level up? That seemed to be the case, although Xiang Ning didn’t believe it would be that simple. 

As he mulled it over, Miss Ma spoke again. “Are you alright? Do you need to go to the nurse?” In her experience, part-timers were often much weaker than their counterparts. It had been a heavy punch from Zhang Cheng, and she could tell Zhang Cheng was at least a Physical Tempering stage eight practitioner. She didn’t think a part-timer could endure such a punch without being injured. 

After a pause, Xiang Ning smiled. “Thank you, Miss, but I’m fine, I don’t need to see the nurse.” 

Upon Xiang Ning’s insistence, Ma Shujing nodded and turned to return to the rostrum. Along the way, she coldly huffed at Zhang Cheng to show her disappointment while the rest of the students whispered among themselves. She slapped her palm on the rostrum. “Alright, students, you may take a break. Xiang Ning, Liu Ruoxue, Li Zimo, please follow me to the office.” 

After saying that, she pushed the door open and left. 

…

This was Xiang Ning’s second time at the office. Ma Shujing handed Su Muhan the documents and said, “These are the top three students from the exam.” 

Su Muhan was surprised to see Xiang Ning, but smiled after she looked through the results. “Mm, very good, I hope you’ll make our class proud.” She produced three green badges with pictures of a sprouting seedling on them. 

“This is a symbol of what we call Stellar Students. You’ll receive this month’s cultivation resources when the school issues them for the rest of the students.”

“Thank you, Miss!” 

When the three students left, Ma Shujing turned to Su Muhan with a smile. “That student Xiang Ning is a good kid.” 

“Yeah, I didn’t expect him to get such great grades. It’s just a pity he lacks some talent in cultivation or he’d be in the first class by now,” she sighed. 

“Oh? I was curious too. How’s his cultivation?” Ma Shujing curiously asked. 

“Only Physical Tempering stage four.” 

“That’s a pity. Maybe he’ll improve this year? Or perhaps he’ll show talent in other areas?” Ma Shujing grinned. This was an era of technological advancement, after all, thus members of the scientific world were increasingly gaining recognition.