Chapter 45: An Unexpected Turn

At the entrance, long lines had already formed. All students were only allowed to bring basic stationery for the exam and had to pass through specially set up security gates to enter the academy.

The lines moved quickly, and within a few minutes, Su Ming smoothly passed the inspection and entered the academy.

He picked up his admission ticket and glanced at it, then headed to Exam Room 7 as indicated.

Soon after, Su Ming arrived at Exam Room 7 and immediately saw Chen Yi, along with four other proctors and two guards, standing at the classroom door.

They conducted a secondary identity verification for arriving students, ensuring that each person matched the information on their admission ticket.

At the same time, Chen Yi continuously reminded the students present:

“No talking after entering the exam room! If you encounter an emergency, please raise your hand and speak only after receiving permission from a teacher, otherwise you will bear all consequences.”

Su Ming took his admission ticket and stepped forward. He quickly passed the identity verification and entered the classroom.

He scanned the classroom; all the desks inside were spread far apart, ensuring sufficient distance.

Additionally, a camera was temporarily installed at both the front and back of the classroom to record the exam process for archival purposes.

At this moment, Su Ming unexpectedly saw Chen Tong; that guy was also taking the exam in this classroom.

However, unfortunately, Chen Tong’s seat was very far from his; he was in the front-left of the classroom, while Su Ming was in the back-right.

Chen Tong glanced at Su Ming, who entered from the front door, but said nothing. Talking was not allowed here, and the entire classroom was silent.

Su Ming nodded slightly to him, then walked to the back and sat down, quietly waiting for the exam to begin.

To be honest, due to the hasty preparation, Su Ming wasn’t entirely confident he would do well. But it was precisely this uncertainty and challenge that made him quite excited.

Time passed bit by bit.

Soon, it was time for the exam to start. Chen Yi and the four other teachers walked in, carrying sealed exam papers. They placed the papers on the podium and immediately began unsealing them.

He took out the papers from the sealed bags and, while distributing them, said:

“We are now distributing the papers. Do not start writing after you receive them. Wait until you are notified that you can begin!”

Su Ming’s heart grew more excited, and he kept his eyes on Teacher Chen Yi as he distributed the papers.

Soon, Teacher Chen Yi handed the papers to Su Ming. Su Ming quickly scanned them; it was the usual twenty-page exam. And a quick glance showed that the questions were very complex.

Su Ming’s expression grew more serious; the difficulty was higher than he had imagined.

At this point, Teacher Chen Yi, having finished distributing the papers, waited quietly.

About two minutes later, a clear bell rang throughout the academy.

“Begin writing!”

Teacher Chen Yi then announced.

Su Ming and the others picked up their pens, but just as they were about to start writing.

A rapid sound of footsteps approached, followed by the tightly closed classroom door being violently pushed open. Ten soldiers wearing first-generation grey metal exoskeleton armor, ‘Iron Shells’, led by a burly man in second-generation crimson metal exoskeleton armor, ‘Rock Steel’, burst in.

“Nobody move!”

The leading burly man roared at the top of his lungs.

The examinees present were all startled, each showing expressions of fear and unease.

Teacher Chen Yi and the others were even more dumbfounded.

“You…”

“We are from the Royal Court Order, directly under the Royal Court Academy. I am Captain Leo. From now on, we will take over the exam room. Proctor teachers, you may leave. There’s nothing more for you here.”

Leo said in a deep voice.

Teacher Chen Yi and the others were stunned to hear that the military had taken over the exam room, and they walked out in a daze.

Su Ming was also very surprised. What kind of scene was this playing out?

At this moment, the entire Mient Intermediate Academy was surrounded by soldiers of the Royal Court Order, with military armored vehicles driving into the campus.

Parents waiting at the campus entrance were dumbfounded. They watched so many troops enter, talking anxiously and fearfully.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!”

In fact, it wasn’t just Mient Intermediate Academy that was taken over; all schools conducting the City Exam in the entire Thirteenth District, and even the Three Cities and sixteen districts, were all placed under control.

Inside the classroom.

Leo’s fierce gaze constantly swept over all the examinees, making them even more fearful.

To this day, they still didn’t understand what had happened.

At this moment, an instruction came through Leo’s wireless communication device.

“Begin re-inspection.”

Upon receiving the order, Leo bared his teeth in a cruel smile and said to all the seated examinees:

“Everyone, when your name is called, come out. Everyone will undergo a re-inspection. Any small movement will be considered cheating! Also, I want to tell you something: anyone caught cheating will have their City Exam qualification immediately revoked, and they won’t have to draw red or black lots; they’ll be sent directly to the front lines!”

As soon as these words were spoken, several students present immediately showed expressions of extreme terror.

Leo instantly locked onto them.

“You, you, and you! The three of you stand up!”

The three students who were called out stood up trembling, their faces very pale.

Su Ming looked at the reactions of the three students and immediately had a bad premonition.

Leo strode forward, glaring at the three and saying fiercely:

“What are you three afraid of? Tell me!”

“Nothing, sir.”

A boy wearing glasses said with trembling lips.

Leo’s gaze fell on the pen on his desk. The boy became even more anxious. Leo directly picked up the pen and snapped it.

Crack!

Precise electronic components were immediately exposed inside, along with tiny sparks.

In an instant, the boy’s face turned ashen.

“Sir, sir…”

“Take him away, send him directly to the front lines!”

Leo gave the order without hesitation.

A soldier stepped forward and grabbed his collar, pulling him out.

“No, don’t, I was wrong, I won’t dare again…”

The student was terrified to the extreme, constantly begging for mercy. He had even wet himself, a large stain on his pants.

Unfortunately, it was no use; the Royal Court Order soldiers forcibly dragged him away.

Seeing this scene, another two students, one of them, immediately had his psychological defense collapse and begged for mercy on the spot.

“Sir, can I just not take the exam?”

“Yes, of course you can! Take him away!”

Leo revealed a cruel smile and waved his hand!

“You can’t do this to me! Do you know who my father is? Let me go quickly…”

The student desperately shouted, but it was useless; he was still mercilessly dragged out.

Leo looked at the last female student and asked fiercely:

“Do you want me to do it myself, or will you confess?”

Su Ming frowned slightly. These were elite soldiers, and it was clear at a glance that they were veterans who had been on the battlefield. Not only were their methods ruthless, but their eyesight was also unusually sharp.

These problematic students had too poor psychological resilience; they simply couldn’t hide their thoughts.

“I, boo hoo, I was wrong!”

The girl immediately burst into tears on the spot.