Chapter 12: The Examination Begins
Starting this chapter, to avoid future confusion, I will be referring to the game as God's Domain, Instead of Divine Realm.
After everyone had arrived, Zhong Tianyue stood up, delivered a rousing speech, and finally announced the start of the examination.
The simulation hall housed hundreds of specialized examination pods, similar to the God's Domain gaming pods but with additional functions. The most basic was the ability to summon creatures from other planes to invade the students' divine realms.
The students' performance would be judged by how long they could withstand these invasions. The longer they lasted, the better their score.
Of course, being a simulated combat, any injuries or deaths to the students' species weren't real. Everything would return to normal upon exiting the pods. It wouldn't be feasible to cause actual damage during this crucial development period for the students' divine realms.
The first batch of students soon entered the pods for examination. Simultaneously, virtual screens above the hall lit up, displaying real-time footage of the students' divine realms.
Rivers, mountains, swamps, lakes... and most importantly, the species inhabiting them were visible.
To protect student privacy, these images were only rough overviews. During the actual examination, only small portions would be shown, not revealing their entire realm development.
The screens constantly switched between views, with thirty projections around the hall cycling through hundreds of students. Those awaiting their turn could choose which examinations to watch.
As the students connected to their divine realms through the pods, they interfaced with another plane. Upon contact, the creatures from that plane began their invasion.
For Xu Luo, with his rich invasion experience and upgraded Invader title, watching these battles was incredibly dull.
If he had to comment, he might only use the term "amateur hour."
They were just too weak.
But this was the reality of God's Domain.
Without massive resource support, ordinary students could only rely on self-development.
One month in reality equated to ten months in God's Domain. What could be accomplished in that time?
Building living areas, crafting some tools, developing civilization a bit, or allowing species to multiply somewhat.
Not all species were as easy to raise or as faithful as the Zerg.
Cultivating species was a long-term and hugely expensive process.
The invading creatures were mostly powerful warriors, though still at the Bronze tier. They had weapons, armor, and even skills. Against the students' unarmed species, the outcome was predictable.
After about fifteen minutes, the last student's realm was destroyed, and the first batch exited.
Seeing these results, the homeroom teachers of these classes looked displeased but helpless.
This was the current situation.
Without resource support, ordinary students' development was generally like this.
Although annual examinations occasionally produced surprises, with some lucky students starting with powerful species, these were rare exceptions; moreover, getting a powerful initial species wasn't always beneficial.
For instance, there was once a student who started with a mythical dragon, but being ordinary, he starved it to death within three days.
Ordinary people simply couldn't sustain powerful species.
Geniuses existed, but they were extremely rare.
Batch after batch of students went up, then were eliminated. Few could last beyond fifteen minutes, with even fewer reaching twenty.
Against the invaders, the students' realm species were mostly swept away, their realm cores swiftly destroyed.
"This..." Zhong Tianyue frowned deeply. This year's students were too weak. How would they fare in the upcoming Tianhai inter-school competition? Not to mention the planetary or even human civilization selection.
Sixth High School didn't aim that high, but it had been years since anyone from their school had advanced to the global competition.
Other school leaders exchanged glances, shaking their heads in disappointment.
Having outstanding students benefited the school leadership too, but now it seemed that apart from the elite class, it would be hard for others to stand out.
"Next batch for examination: Class 1, Class 15, Class 19, Class 24!"
A mechanical voice echoed through the hall.
There were about 320 simulation pods in the hall, but with only four classes left, all remaining students would be examined together.
Sixth High School had 28 classes, each with about 50 students. Six classes were examined at a time, with the selection being random, not manually controlled.
"It's our turn. Students, don't feel too much pressure. Just perform at your normal level. Everyone will be watching your performance!" Zhang Jianming quickly encouraged his students.
After each examination, many students couldn't handle the blow, becoming disheartened and demoralized. However, at this moment, the other three classes were mere backdrop. All attention was on one piece of news.
"Class 1 is up?"
"That's our school's elite class! I heard they're all prodigies or from extremely wealthy families. They're incredibly strong!"
Students who had finished their examinations and were dissatisfied with their performance suddenly became excited upon hearing this news.
It was a chance to see the gap between themselves and the elite class.
At the same time, some people looked sympathetically at the students from the other three classes.
Without Class 1, outstanding performers from these classes might have caught some attention. But with Class 1 present, they'd become mere supporting actors.
With Class 1's brilliance on display, who would pay attention to the ordinary?
Those who had already completed their examinations secretly felt relieved they hadn't been examined alongside Class 1. Otherwise, all attention would have been on Class 1, and no one would have noticed them.
"Xu Luo, don't feel too much pressure," Zhang Jianming patted Xu Luo's shoulder, hearing the whispers around them.
He had high hopes for Xu Luo, currently the strongest in his class.
"I understand, teacher," Xu Luo nodded.
Pressure? Nonexistent.
These people should be grateful that this simulated combat wasn't student-versus-student. Otherwise, he would have shown them the true meaning of ruthlessness.