Chapter 19: Day of the Assessment
The clock hands around Asia Metropolitan Region's 4th District had just pointed to the 8:30 AM mark when Tang Mu arrived at the gates of the 4th high school to undergo the Psionic Society's assessment.
His eyes glistened with desire as he scanned the familiar sights of flying aeromobils landing on the disembarking pad in front of the school. He took a moment to admire the technological wonders before sighing and walking into the school gate.
As it was the day for the Psionic Society's assessment, the human traffic congestion in the school was at abnormal levels. Thousands of students wearing uniforms of varying designs and colors formed small groups while rushing along the walkways and heading toward the sports field like a rushing tide.
The moving groups didn't just include Tang Mu's former classmates. Instead, they also comprised students from neighboring institutions that usually underwent the Psionic Society's assessment at the fourth high school.
It was important to note that only the official government-aided schools could host the Psionic Society's assessment. These high schools didn't have any flashy names but were always labeled with numbers - 1, 2, 3, and so on, depending on the order of their establishment in a given district.
Asia Metropolitan Regions' 4th District's 4th high school, which was Tang Mu's alma mater, was such a school, and that was why all high school graduates from neighboring private institutions had rushed over to undergo the assessment.
Tang Mu increased his speed and moved along with the tide of humans. He eventually arrived at the sports field and noticed that high school graduates from different schools had separated into distinct groups. He searched the crowded place for a few seconds until he suddenly heard a familiar voice yelling.
"Brother Tang Mu! We're here..."
Tang Mu turned toward the source of the voice. He immediately spotted Yuan Cheng, his fat friend, screaming and waving his arm wildly to summon him over.
Around the chubby, short guy were several of Tang Mu's former classmates, like the annoying Zhong Li and the goon's girlfriend - Xu Lexin, among others. They all remained huddled together on one side of the sports field to form a distinct group representing the stature of the very distinguished 4th high school.
Their uniforms were spotlessly clean without blemishes, their hairstyles sleek, and their heads annoyingly inclined at pompous angles. They were just like proud peacocks in a group of chickens. With just one look, anyone could ascertain that they were students who had graduated from one of the most prestigious high schools in Asia Metropolitan Region's 4th District.
Tang Mu smiled with helplessness and walked over.
"Tsk... tsk..." The annoying Zhong Li tsked with mockery when he saw Tang Mu arriving. "Look at what the wind has brought over. A beggar hoping to undergo the Psionic Society's assessment."
"You are wrong, my prince," Xu Lexin, the goon's girlfriend, said while batting her eyelashes.
"Babe!" Zong Li frowned at the girl, seemingly annoyed. "Why do you think I'm wrong?"
A smile outlined Xu Lexin's gorgeous face, and she said in an exaggerated tone, "The wind isn't what brought the beggar over. Instead, it was Yuan Cheng who brought over his loyal pet."
Most of Tang Mu's former classmates, including Zhong Li, chuckled at the remark.
"What's wrong with you people?" The plump Yuan Cheng questioned with annoyance. "We're already high school graduates undertaking the Psionic Society's assessment. Why are you still behaving like annoying young bullies?"
Zhong Li shrugged. "Yuan Cheng! Please, don't blame us. We're just annoyed since this beggar is shaming us in front of students from other institutions with his presence. Just look at his tattered uniform and worn-out shoes. Do you think he is qualified to stand with us proud graduates of the 4th high school?"
Yuan Cheng was about to retort with another remark. However, Tang Mu hurriedly tapped his chubby friend's arm to stop him from saying anything else.
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Tang Mu took a good look at Zhong Li, who looked like a gangster with his spiked hair and pierced ears. He then swept his glance past the sultry-looking Xu Lexin and eyed the rest of his former classmates, who had just laughed at him. He eventually shook his head and decided to step away from the annoying group of his former classmates.
"I'll find somewhere else to stand while waiting for the assessment to begin. Let's talk after everything is over." He said to Yuan Cheng and started walking away. He was only at the venue to undergo the Psionic Society's assessment. More than anything, he didn't wish to take any more shit from his former classmates, who clearly didn't want him in their group.
At such a time, Tang Mu really missed the company of his hostel mates. People like Hu Ning and Huang An would never behave like his annoying former classmates.
Unfortunately, those good-natured friends of his had graduated from the 3rd high school, another government institution within Asia Metropolitan Region's 4th District that hosted the Psionic Society's assessment. As such, they separated from Tang Mu early that morning and headed to their former high school to undergo the assessment there.
"Brother Tang Mu! Wait!" Yuan Cheng's voice suddenly sounded behind Tang Mu. "I'll go with you. Let's ditch those fools and find somewhere more peaceful."
"Count me in, too."
"I'll also leave with you."
Two more feminine voices sounded in concert with Yuan Cheng's declaration.
Tang Mu turned in time to see the chubby Yuan Cheng and two pretty girls with identical faces leaving the group and chasing after him.
The two girls were surprisingly good-looking identical twins who went by the names Yao Tinglin and Yao Tong. Their alluring dark eyes smoldered with a sensuality that had long enraptured every young man attending the 4th high school. Their figures were ravishing, and their fitting school uniform couldn't conceal the lush curves of their breasts, hips, and outlines of their gorgeous thighs.
Tang Mu gave them a brief look before turning around and continuing on his way.
He was, of course, pleased with the stance they had taken against the group of bullies. But the problem was that all that was on his mind at the moment was the Psionic Society's assessment, and he had no time to entertain pretty girls.
He quickly found a corner at the far side of the sports field and stood there, hoping to acquire some minutes of peace while awaiting the start of the assessment. The chubby Yuan Cheng and the two pretty twins also arrived and took positions beside him.
Silence reigned supreme within their group after that until one of the twins eventually spoke.
"Brother Tang Mu!" She called out.
"Yes!" Tang Mu turned to glance at the pretty girl with alluring dark eyes and black hair arranged in a ponytail. Every detail about her was similar to that of her sister, and he couldn't tell whether the girl was Yao Tinglin or Yao Tong of the two twins.
"You shouldn't take the words of our former classmates to heart," the girl said. "They're just ravings of young boys and girls yet to see the world."
Tang Mu nodded. "Don't worry! I have gotten immune to their insults over the past three years. By the way, are you Yao Tinglin or Yao Tong?"
The girl smiled. "I'm Yao Tong, and she is Tinglin," she said while pointing at her twin sister. "You can easily tell us apart by looking at this small mole below my ear. My sister doesn't have one."
"Ohh!" Tang Mu said and glanced back and forth between the two sisters. Indeed, one of the girls had a tiny black spot below her ear, while the other didn't.
Tang Mu sighed inwardly after realizing that. Even though they had attended high school together for the past three years, it was the first time he found a way to tell the twins apart.
Due to his status as a poor orphan on scholarship in a prestigious school full of rich kids, he had maintained a reserved attitude throughout high school.
Aside from Yuan Cheng, he hadn't interacted much with his former classmates, especially since most of them had never missed an opportunity to mock him. Because of that, the current situation of being a stranger to most of his classmates was the result.
"Stop looking at us as if we are alien biological specimens," Yao Tong hurriedly said while pouting. "Even though I don't mind your gaze, I still have to dissuade you since your actions are causing my shy sister to become embarrassed."
"Oh, sorry about that," Tang Mu said and stopped scrutinizing the twins. He had indeed noticed that the ears of the other girl had turned a bit red. Most likely, she was blushing from embarrassment.
Yao Tong nodded and distanced herself a bit to converse with her sister.
"The one called Tinglin seems to like you," the chubby Yuan Cheng, who had been standing quietly by the side, suddenly whispered into Tang Mu's ear. "You should get her X-Global chat ID before the end of the assessment today. If you make some effort, you could touch third base before heading to university."
Tang Mu's eyes narrowed as he heard Yuan Cheng's whisper. His heartstrings tightened, and he looked at the twins. Fortunately, he discovered that the girls seemed to have not caught the chubby guy's words, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fatty!" He whispered to the guy. "I will punch you if you dare say something like that again."
The chubby Yuan Cheng smiled sheepishly in response.
"What are you guys whispering about?" Yao Tong's voice suddenly sounded from the side.
"Nothing," Yuan Cheng hurriedly said. "Just some useless guy stuff."
"Ohh!" Yao Tong's eyes twinkled, but she shook her head and returned to talking to her sister.
"You see," Tang Mu said in a low voice. "You were about to get caught."
"But I didn't," Yuan Cheng retorted.
"Let's just meditate as we wait for the assessment to begin. I want to enter my best condition."
"Suit yourself. But count me out," Yuan Cheng said with a casual shrug. He didn't follow Tang Mu's example but continued admiring the girls in uniform around the place.