Early the next morning, Zac and Marty arrived at the examination venue.

The first day was reserved for the written test, so Carrie and the two mothers stayed back at the hotel, already planning how to spend the day exploring the city.

On the other side of the city, inside a massive campus, a sea of students stretched across the entrance.

"So many people..." Zac’s voice slipped out.

"Yeah, no kidding. But isn’t that normal?" Marty shrugged, then paused when he caught that look on Zac’s face.

Marty’s brows snapped together. "Don’t look down on me. I may not match you in academics, but I worked my ass off for this exam."

Zac’s lips curved faintly. "Is that so? Then go on. Enlighten me." Marty puffed his chest with pride. "Very well. Listen, peasant."

"During the apocalyptic era, when the countries merged. Different cultures, ethnicities, religions... all forced into living together."

"But because of the monsters’ invasion, no one had the luxury to argue about it then." He paused, glancing at the restless crowd around them.

"But when the war ended. Tension crept in with disagreements arising one after another." His fingers spread slightly. "That’s when the Great Divide happened, and the five nations were born."

"Among them, our Eastern Alliance has the largest landmass and highest population. If I’m right, at least a million people are taking the exam this year alone."

"The written exam in particular separates the students into two sessions, morning and afternoon, to accommodate everyone."

He gestured toward the overwhelming crowd pressing around the entrance.

"Even then with only twelve exam centers, of course it would look like this."

"Now... did you get it?"

Zac gave a slow nod, eyes lingering on the crowd. "Seems like you actually studied."

Marty snorted, pride flashing across his face. "That’s what I’ve been saying from the start."

[Unlike a certain someone... at least he studied for the exam.]

Zac’s gaze hardened slightly. "Huh. You’re still alive?"

[Relax. I won’t die before you do.] The system’s tone carried its usual mocking.

[I simply chose not to interrupt while you were having fun with your family.]

"Well, thanks."

[Not needed.]

"Hey." Marty waved a hand in front of him. "Why are you spacing out?"

Zac blinked, pulling himself back. "It’s nothing. Come on, let’s go."

***

The examination is conducted by the Variant Association on a massive campus with numerous buildings all over the campus, each packed with rooms and assigned staff.

Artifacts, space rings, and VSBs were all removed and confiscated without exceptions. Even the system inventories were checked strictly before anyone was allowed inside the exam room.

Zac and Marty were separated at the entrance, each directed to a different room. Inside the room, sixteen desks are arranged in a perfect six-by-six grid, totaling 36 students for class.

When the last seat was taken, a man stepped in and moved to the front, facing the students, eyes sweeping across all thirty-six desks.

"I am the Variant assigned as the invigilator for this room."

"Listen carefully."

A brief pause settled over the class.

"The most important rule is any form of cheating or malpractice will revoke your eligibility for this exam and thus put a full stop to your academy dream."

A few students shifted in their seats with sweat gathered along their brows. They understood the meaning clearly. The academy is the best possible way to climb the ladder, so a fall here and the gap would only widen.

The invigilator continued without a hint of emotion. "The exam begins at ten and ends at one. You have three hours."

He raised a hand slightly.

"There will be five topics, with each containing twenty questions."

"Each correct answer gives one point, and each wrong answer deducts one." His eyes narrowed faintly. "So think carefully before you write."

"At 9:55, the question papers will be distributed. Once the bell rings, you can start writing your answers directly on the question paper."

Time crawled forward.

When the clock struck 9:55, papers were placed on every desk, one by one. The rustle of sheets echoed like distant thunder.

Zac lowered his gaze to the paper in front of him, fingers resting lightly on the edge.

Dong.

A deep bell rang across the entire campus, its sound rolling through every building.

"You may begin."

Zac flipped open the question paper and gave a glance at the topics before writing the answers.

History and Language. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

CAA (Changes after the Apocalypse).

Variants and Current Affairs.

Math and Science.

Aptitude and Personality.

A faint breath left his lips.

One question followed another, and he answered them without pause. Being the top student, most of the questions felt familiar to him.

And when a question or two slipped beyond memory. [I should probably charge you for this.] The system’s voice echoed.

Zac didn’t even look up. "Weren’t you the one who said basic information that already exists is free?"

[I did. But I didn’t expect you to exploit it like this.]

A small smirk touched his lips. "Stop whining and give me the answer for this problem."

An hour and a half passed.

After writing his final answer, Zac leans back slightly in his chair, his gaze drifting across the room.

The other fifteen students were frowning, scratching their heads, and wiping sweat from their brows as they were seen struggling to answer the questions.

To avoid drawing attention, he picks up his pen again and puts on a show for the next thirty minutes. When the clock strikes twelve, he folds his paper, walks out of the classroom, and waits for Marty to arrive.

After an hour the bell rang again, marking the end of the written exam. Students begin pouring out, discussing answers with one another with clear tension on their faces.

Zac spots Marty in the crowd, walking with a wide grin. "You look happy."

"I am," Marty replied, barely holding back his excitement. "I’m sure I scored well."

He glanced at Zac. "What about you?"

Zac opened his mouth, but before he could answer, Marty waved it off with a chuckle. "Never mind. I already know you definitely aced it."

He turned. "Let’s go."

They had barely taken a few steps before Zac stopped. His body stiffened and started trembling. Marty frowned and turned back. The change in Zac’s face made his chest tighten. "Those eyes..."

A chill ran down his spine seeing the red eyes.

"What happened...?"

Zac stood still, staring ahead. Marty followed his gaze and saw a couple walking through the crowd, hands intertwined.

Rage surged through Marty in an instant. "That bitch." He stepped forward.

A hand caught his wrist. "Don’t," Zac said, nothing, but the grip spoke enough.

Lily noticed them and walked over with Peter beside her. For a brief moment her eyes lingered on Zac’s face with confusion flickering on her mind.

Peter smirked. "Well, look who it is. Isn’t this the walking barrel who used to follow your ex around?"

Lily clung to his arm, a soft laugh slipping out. "Don’t tease me, baby. I never considered him my boyfriend."

Her lips curved slightly. "I was just using him."

Her gaze shifted to Marty. "Hey, Marty," she called out casually. "Where’s that useless ’E-Rank’? Too scared to even show up for the entrance exam?"

Neither of them recognized Zac because of his changed appearance.

Peter let out a low chuckle, eyes gleaming with cruelty. "We should’ve wiped out his entire family instead of just poisoning his mother."

Lily laughed and smacked his cheek lightly before pressing a quick kiss against it. "You’re awful, baby." She waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever. We don’t care."

Peter’s gaze slid to Marty. "Hey, Barrel. If you see that piece of trash, tell him not to show his face in front of me again."

With that, the two of them turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Zac said nothing; he simply turned and walked in the opposite direction, heading toward the hotel.

Marty followed him quietly for a while. But the words pressed against his chest, refusing to stay buried. "Zac," he finally said, "why didn’t you say anything? Aren’t you angry?" he pressed on. "Or... do you still have feelings for her?"

Zac stops walking and suddenly turns toward Marty.

For a split second, Marty sees a flash of killing intent in his eyes. His body jolts with his breath catching in his throat.

Then Zac exhales slowly, draining the tension away. "Sorry, I lost control for a moment."

They move to the roadside and sit on a bench, looking up at the sky before Zac starts talking. "You know, Marty... when I found out she was cheating on me, I didn’t feel anger toward her... or... Peter."

"The only person I hated... was myself."

A quiet silence followed after that. Marty, listen carefully without any interruption.

"I was furious at how blind and gullible I’d been. How easily I trusted her and how useless I was. But when I learned she was behind my mother’s poisoning..."

The air around him grew cold. "That’s when she signed her own death sentence." He looked at Marty with calm eyes. "Tomorrow...will be the last day of her life."