Shen Ye hesitated for a moment, then went to the office area to fetch some paper and a pen. After writing something down, he returned.
A few boys were still practicing their vertical reach.
Most of the others had stopped and were getting ready to do something else.
“Hey, everyone—boys, look over here.”
Shen Ye waved his hand.
By now, everyone had become somewhat familiar with each other’s faces and knew that he was the first one to reach the bar earlier. Naturally, they all turned their attention to him.
Meeting their gazes, Shen Ye’s expression turned serious. He waved the slips of paper in his hand and spoke loudly:
“Gentlemen!”
“We’ve all come from different places, but no matter what, being selected to participate in this world-class exam means we’re all outstanding in some way.”
“To protect everyone and ensure that we don’t suffer unnecessary harm in the prime of our youth—”
“President Qian of the Human Martial Arts Group asked me to prepare some materials.”
(Meanwhile, Qian Rushan: ?)
“As for the cost, President Qian has already covered it, so don’t worry about that. Feel free to take a look and ask me any questions.”
“If you’re interested, come have a chat.”
Not suffer harm?
What was he talking about?
Guo Yunye asked curiously, “What exactly are these materials?”
Shen Ye replied, “Some conversation tactics used between the sexes—so you guys don’t fall for them. More importantly, it’s for your mental and physical well-being, so you can be aware in advance and build some immunity.”
The mention of interactions between the sexes immediately piqued the boys’ interest.
Taking advantage of the moment, Shen Ye spread out the slips of paper on the ground.
Everyone leaned in to look. Each slip had a sentence written on it:
— “You smell so good.”
— “Wow, are these muscles? That’s amazing!”
— “Let’s have a drink, okay?”
— “Your Adam’s apple is moving. Can I touch it?” ——– TL : BRO What
— “Hug me, that’s all I want. I just like the feeling.”
— “It’s so dark and scary outside. I don’t dare walk alone.”
— “We have time. Let’s go watch a movie.”
— “It’s too late to go home. What should I do?”
— “Relax, I’m just your friend.”
— “Your hands are so warm. Can you warm mine?”
— “I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before.”
— “Wow, your shoulders are so broad. Do you work out?”
— “Big brother, your lips are really pretty. They look so soft too.”
— “My ex hurt me too much. I’m scared to open my heart again.”
— “Whenever I drink, I can’t walk straight. Can you help me?”
— “I just remembered—I forgot to turn off the washing machine. Can you come upstairs with me?”
…
The boys were stunned.
Suddenly, one of them froze, staring at a specific slip of paper, unable to speak.
Everyone turned to look.
The paper read:
— “You really have abs? I don’t believe it!”
Shen Ye asked, “Has a girl ever said that to you?”
“Yes,” the boy admitted sheepishly, lowering his head. “I was dumb enough to lift my shirt and show her.”
Shen Ye studied his expression before speaking. “But you didn’t actually like her, did you?”
“No,” the boy admitted.
“And after she saw your abs, she wouldn’t stop chasing you?”
“Yeah. I regret it now, but I didn’t know how to handle it at the time.”
Shen Ye patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Remember, girls aren’t easy to deal with. Be careful with these kinds of tactics, and don’t casually show your body.”
“And,” he added, “watch out for whether she secretly took a photo.”
The boy’s head snapped up to look at him.
Wait—could that really have happened?
The crowd collectively tensed.
Shen Ye sighed, closed his eyes, and spoke with deep emotion.
“A man’s body is valuable. If you end up online, who will you even complain to? Do you really want to spend your life being pointed at while people say, ‘I have his picture’?”
The boys shuddered at the thought.
“Got it. Never expose ourselves to someone we don’t love—and always be careful about being recorded!” The boy nodded firmly.
Shen Ye spread his arms and solemnly declared, “Brothers, I speak from experience because I’m just too handsome. You guys, having already stood out from the crowd, must be extra careful about these things and protect yourselves.”
The boys fell silent for a moment.
One of them hesitated before asking, “Bro, what if she keeps messaging me online? I don’t want to be rude since we all know each other, but I also don’t want to engage.”
Shen Ye replied, “Just keep responding with: ‘Haha,’ ‘Oh wow,’ ‘That’s amazing,’ ‘So cool,’ ‘Really?’, ‘I see.’”
“…And if that still doesn’t work?”
“Just say you’re going to take a shower. That ends the conversation naturally.”
The boy nodded in sudden realization.
Just then, another boy pointed at a paper. “Bro, how do we respond to this one?”
Everyone turned to look.
The slip read:
— “It’s so cold outside. Are we really going to stand here talking the whole time?”
They then looked at the boy who had spoken.
His eyes were slightly red, as if he had a painful memory.
The crowd inhaled sharply.
— This was a tricky one. Who could resist that?
It was impossible to guard against!
Shen Ye’s expression grew serious.
“Remember, always choose a public place with lots of people. Never go somewhere dark, deserted, or with no cell signal. Otherwise, she’ll have the perfect setup.”
“But… what if she’s genuine?” the boy hesitated.
Shen Ye nodded. “That’s exactly the key issue—does she like you for who you are, or does she just want something from you? You have to be alert to that.”
“Can you explain in more detail?”
“Of course.”
More boys gathered around.
Within minutes, over a dozen were listening, and more were being pulled over to join.
They stood there, nervous yet eager, absorbing Shen Ye’s advice.
Some curious girls tried to peek in, but the boys all turned to them with synchronized, wary gazes—causing them to retreat.
At that moment, they were united in their cause!
After a while, Shen Ye’s pocket vibrated slightly.
He took out his card and glanced at it.
A new message had appeared:
— “Second challenge completed.”
— “You have become a member of the ‘Newbie’ deck.”
The card’s surface started to change colours.
To Shen Ye’s surprise, his own portrait appeared in the center.
The figure of himself on the card first pulled out a knife, then shook his head and tossed it away.
Next, he drew a short sword, hesitated, and threw that away too.
Finally, with a deeply frustrated sigh, he slumped in defeat.
And then—
A lightbulb appeared above his head.
It was as if he had received an epiphany. He suddenly grabbed a skull from behind him and held it in his hand. Only then did he nod repeatedly, standing tall and puffing out his chest, striking a confident and spirited pose.
Behind him, the intertwining black and red colours of darkness and blood created a gloomy, mysterious atmosphere on the tarot card.
Shen Ye’s pupils shrank sharply.
—This Tower of Tarot card was something else!
It had not only seen through the fact that he didn’t use swords but also noticed that he was carrying a skull!
Several lines of small text appeared on the card:
“Shen Ye.”
“Candidate of the Mortal Martial Arts Group.”
“Reserve card, no star rating.”
“Explanation: All newcomers start as reserve cards upon joining the deck for the first time;”
“Your evaluation will improve based on your future performance. Once you reach a one-star rating, you will become an official card.”
“Current privilege: You may inquire about some basic information related to ‘newcomers’.”
Flipping to the back of the card, he saw constantly updating information about the exam:
“Your shuttle will arrive at Yunshan Port in 24 hours.”
“The heirs of major families have already taken their positions.”
“For this exam, Global News Network has dispatched a large-scale interview team.”
“The three major high schools are making final preparations. The spokesperson has stated that everything is progressing in an orderly manner, and the exam will proceed as scheduled.”
“The Tower of Tarot’s judging panel is also ready.”
At the same time, another line of small text appeared at the top of the card:
“You have become a reserve card in the ‘newcomer’ deck. You may ask about basic matters related to this selection exam.”
There was no time to waste now.
After answering numerous questions from the other boys and helping to clear their doubts, Shen Ye finally put away his stall and pulled out the card again.
What should I ask?
Shen Ye thought for a moment and asked, “How many official cards are there in the ‘newcomer’ deck?”
“54 cards.” The small text appeared on the card.
“Only 54… What’s the benefit of becoming an official card?” Shen Ye asked.
Another line of small text appeared:
“If you become one of the 54 newcomer cards and maintain this status until the exam ends, you are guaranteed admission to the three major academies.”
What?
It was a guaranteed pass!
In that case, wouldn’t everyone be fighting tooth and nail for it?
“How many candidates are participating in this exam?” Shen Ye asked.
A number appeared on the card:
“3,579 candidates.”
These 3,579 people were the top students from around the world!
Yet, there were only 54 official cards.
Only 54 people would make it onto the list.
“How many total cards are in the ‘newcomer’ deck? How many are from prestigious families, and how many are ordinary candidates?” He asked again.
The card displayed another set of small text:
“Currently, 1,603 heirs from prestigious families have entered the newcomer deck as reserve cards. Ordinary candidates: 105.”
“Are there any heirs from prestigious families who haven’t entered the deck?” Shen Ye asked.
“No.”
From the total numbers and the number of people in the deck, ordinary candidates were clearly at a disadvantage.
—The gap between people was just too vast!
If they became classmates in the future, how was he supposed to catch up?
Unless he was an unparalleled genius!
So, right now, 3,579 people were fighting for 54 guaranteed spots.
If they failed to secure one, they would have to take the exam under the normal rules.
In other words, there were two paths.
However…
Even the 54 official cards had to take the exam.
If their qualification was taken from them during the exam, and they lost their card position, they would also have to go through the regular test.
Shen Ye suddenly thought of that girl.
“Is Xiao Mengyu in the ‘newcomer’ deck?”
The back of the card immediately displayed Xiao Mengyu’s image.
She wore a bamboo hat, standing alone in a small boat, her arms crossed over her sword. Her beautiful eyes carried a cold, murderous intent.
Five bright, icy stars shimmered in the night sky above the river.
“Xiao Mengyu.”
“Descendant of the Luo Family.”
“Strength Level: Five Stars.”
“Official card, undisputed number one in swordsmanship among all candidates.”
“Five-star privilege: ??? (You must reach five stars to unlock this information).”
