Chapter 148 – This Isn't Like a Minor Character at All

Over five hundred thousand contribution points!

A combined total of over one million contribution points!

This was the contribution value of Su Ming and An Zijin!

Many who noticed this scene began murmuring in surprise.

“No way?”

“H-How could it be so much?”

“This amount… even many top students can’t come close, right?”

Expressions of disbelief appeared on the faces of numerous students.

While ordinary students typically had only around ten thousand contribution points, and even elite and top students generally had only about a hundred thousand, the contribution values of Su Ming and An Zijin were strikingly high, making it impossible for everyone not to exclaim in surprise.

Because of these contribution points, Su Ming and An Zijin’s names even ranked at the very top of the electronic screen, almost making it into the top three.

This drew the attention of more and more people, who couldn’t help but feel shocked and astonished.

“Isn’t Su Ming just an average student with middling grades?”

“And An Zijin is only a freshman!”

“So how could their contribution values be so high?”

“Isn’t this just too unbelievable?”

Everyone began discussing fervently.

However, some who had taken the same defense line mission as Su Ming and An Zijin, or those with more well-informed sources, weren’t particularly surprised by this.

“You have no idea how exaggerated their performance was while guarding the defense line.”

“They spammed area-of-effect Spirit Arts as if there were no cost, their Spirit Power was so high it was almost inhuman.”

“Even many seasoned Professionals were shocked.”

“You’ll understand if you look into it.”

Such remarks gradually spread among the crowd, letting many people know the reason why Su Ming and An Zijin’s contribution values were so absurdly high.

It was truly because, on the first night of guarding the defense line, Su Ming and An Zijin’s performance had been overwhelmingly eye-catching.

At that time, Su Ming’s Vision Mark was stimulated, on the verge of Awakening, causing him to instinctively vent without stopping, to the point that An Zijin was affected by some unknown influence and went wild alongside him.

The events that occurred at that time were genuinely witnessed by many and firmly remembered in their hearts.

From that moment on, the evaluation of Su Ming’s team had been steadily rising, and the personal evaluations of Su Ming and An Zijin had also been elevated by more than one level in the eyes of many.

Moreover, after advancing the battle lines, Su Ming, knowing that his exceptionally high Spirit Power had already been exposed, decided to no longer hide it in order to avoid seeming abrupt and arousing unnecessary suspicion. He fully displayed his immense Spirit Power, and together with An Zijin, hunted countless Phantom Demons along the way. As a result, their contribution values accumulated and climbed, eventually reaching such a high point.

“I’m convinced, such high contribution points.”

“You two are about to strike it rich, aren’t you?”

Lei Hao and Ye Bai were both somewhat envious.

With such high contribution points, they could definitely exchange for a lot of good stuff, right?

Just thinking about it made others feel envious too.

“Not really.”

An Zijin, however, seemed a bit embarrassed, her shy and hesitant demeanor once again melting many people’s hearts.

“Tsk tsk, are they going to get rich from this wave too?”Only Su Ming, ignoring the astonished gazes around him, stroked his chin and began calculating.

Admittedly, Su Ming didn’t believe he could exchange for anything truly valuable from Longyao City’s reserves.

But for items of ordinary value, using such high contribution points should allow him to obtain quite a lot, right?

When the time came, he could just toss this batch of goods into the marketplace and earn a considerable amount of chips again.

“It seems the follow-up packages are secured.”

Su Ming chuckled inwardly.

At that moment, Jiang Wanyu beside him pointed at the electronic screen again.

“Everyone’s rankings seem to have risen a lot too!”

Jiang Wanyu’s words made everyone look up and gaze at the electronic screen once more.

Upon looking, they realized their rankings had indeed improved significantly.

Perhaps because their performance this time was exceptionally outstanding, aside from contribution points, the Academy had awarded Su Ming’s group numerous commendations.

A substantial amount of academic credits went without saying, and the scholarships and reward compensations were also very high, ensuring Su Ming and the others wouldn’t need to worry about expenses for the next few years.

Additionally, the Academy had opened the Archive to Su Ming’s team.

This was a treasured vault of the Academy, distinct from ordinary libraries, specifically storing various sophisticated combat techniques, high-sequence Spirit Arts, and other learning materials.

If students achieved outstanding results, completed difficult important tasks, or made significant contributions, the Academy would grant temporary access to this Archive, allowing them to study precious combat techniques or Spirit Arts.

For example, in the Sorcerer Department, the top hundred elite students had permission to enter the Archive, where they could learn Intermediate Spirit Arts not typically taught in regular courses.

As for the top ten students, they might even have the chance to access Advanced Spirit Arts.

Now that this Archive was open to Su Ming’s team, everyone was naturally overjoyed.

Of course, most importantly, as Jiang Wanyu had mentioned, the substantial academic credits and massive contribution gains had significantly boosted Su Ming and the others’ academic rankings within the Academy.

Yao Beibei, a freshman who had just enrolled this year, was now ranked over 500th. In the Hunter Department, which had over a thousand students, this ranking placed her in the upper-middle tier—quite impressive for a new student.

Jiang Wanyu, also a freshman, ranked even higher than Yao Beibei. Thanks to the effectiveness of her alchemical weapons and numerous successful hunts, the academic credits and contribution points she earned placed her in the 300s, firmly in the upper ranks of the Hunter Department.

Even Ye Bai’s ranking had risen considerably. Originally in the middle tier, he was now ranked over 200th, also securing a place in the upper ranks of the Sorcerer Department.

However, compared to An Zijin’s leap, Ye Bai’s progress paled.

An Zijin, whose performance in the recent battle was particularly outstanding, had surpassed many older and upper-year students as a freshman who had just enrolled today, climbing to a higher position than even Ye Bai.

Currently, An Zijin was ranked 188th, making her the only first-year freshman within the top three hundred of the Sorcerer Department.

With this, An Zijin was likely to firmly secure the title of top freshman and be regarded as a future candidate for the Chief of the Sorcerer Department.

“So amazing, little Zijin!”Yao Beibei felt happy for An Zijin.

“I… actually ranked lower than our goddess junior?”

Ye Bai seemed utterly shocked, standing there frozen.

“As expected of Zijin!”

Jiang Wanyu giggled and pounced on An Zijin, hugging her while rubbing against her playfully.

“Not at all!” An Zijin weakly resisted, quickly adding, “Brother Su Ming and Senior Lei Hao are the truly impressive ones!”

Indeed.

If anyone’s ranking had surged even more dramatically than An Zijin’s, it was undoubtedly Su Ming and Lei Hao.

The reason was quite simple.

“Su Ming, Sorcerer Department, Rank 99.”

“Lei Hao, Hunter Department, Rank 100.”

In this round, Su Ming and Lei Hao’s results had directly skyrocketed into the top hundred rankings.

What did this mean?

It meant both Su Ming and Lei Hao had become elite students!

“No way?” Lei Hao himself was astonished, unable to believe it as he exclaimed, “I actually became an elite student?”

Su Ming was even more speechless.

He had actually become one of the Academy’s elites?

This was anything but being an extra character!

“Wait! How is this fair!?” Ye Bai immediately jumped up, shouting, “How did both of you become elite students!?”

In their team, aside from the three first-year juniors—An Zijin, Jiang Wanyu, and Yao Beibei—the remaining members were the three second-year seniors: Su Ming, Lei Hao, and Ye Bai.

The three had previously been in the same team and were even roommates, their relationship so close they might as well have shared the same pants.

But what was the outcome?

After this round, both Su Ming and Lei Hao had become elite students ranked in the top hundred, while he remained stuck in the two-hundred-something position?

How was this fair!?

However, reality was cruel.

“Well, objectively speaking, the main reasons our team performed so well and received such high evaluations this time are thanks to Senior Su Ming and Zijin.”

Jiang Wanyu expressed this viewpoint.

“Little Zijin already rose to over a hundred places after this round. For Senior Su Ming, who was originally in the middle ranks, to directly jump into the top hundred and become an elite student is, in a way, quite normal.”

Yao Beibei also whispered in agreement.

“After all, it’s Brother Su Ming!”

An Zijin didn’t bother explaining further, directly showcasing her blind support for Su Ming.

Ye Bai choked up, recalling Su Ming’s performance throughout their journey—his bottomless Spirit Power, similar to An Zijin’s, and his unrestrained bombardment of Spirit Arts. He had to admit that Su Ming truly deserved to be an elite student.

“Then what about this guy?” Ye Bai pointed at Lei Hao, unable to accept it as he yelled, “Why did this guy become an elite student too?”

The one who explained this was none other than Lei Hao, who had already processed the situation.

“I think I get it now.”

Lei Hao clapped his hands, suddenly enlightened.

“What?”

Ye Bai was taken aback.

“It’s still because our team’s evaluation was too high,” Lei Hao grinned. “My original results weren’t bad—not top-tier, but not failing either. I was in the middle ranks. With the massive credit reward from this mission, plus the casualties from Senior Li Wei’s team and other elite teams, vacancies opened up in the rankings. After recalculating the scores, I probably just barely squeezed into the top hundred by luck.”

Lei Hao’s rank was exactly 100th—neither higher nor lower.

So, his theory about it being luck might not be entirely wrong.In contrast, the Sorcerer Department generally had sorcerers protected in the rear, unlike hunters who needed to charge into battle and face Phantom Demons head-on. As a result, the casualty rate in the Sorcerer Department was certainly lower than that of the Hunter Department.

This meant there weren’t many vacant rankings in the Sorcerer Department.

Thus, Ye Bai’s chances of luckily squeezing into a higher rank were significantly lower than Lei Hao’s.

Moreover…

“The Academy must already be aware of our squad’s situation. They know that Lei Hao has always been the first to charge into battle, blocking the fiercest attacks for us. Since our squad’s evaluation has improved, Lei Hao’s personal evaluation must have risen as well, right?”

Jiang Wanyu strongly agreed with this point.

“Indeed, Lei Hao has always been at the forefront, very reliable.”

Yao Beibei nodded repeatedly.

In fact, in the eyes of the Academy’s higher-ups, among the six members of Su Ming’s squad, aside from Su Ming and An Zijin, Lei Hao had the highest personal evaluation.

Although Jiang Wanyu had made significant contributions by advancing the frontlines and eliminating many Phantom Demons, she had withdrawn from the frontline during defense line duties. Her impressive achievements were largely attributed to the sharpness of her alchemical weapons, so in the view of many Academy higher-ups, her personal evaluation couldn’t match Lei Hao’s.

Therefore, Lei Hao could be considered the third-highest evaluated member of the squad, after Su Ming and An Zijin.

Even though Lei Hao didn’t possess the high potential and qualities of An Zijin, Jiang Wanyu, or Yao Beibei, his bold, charging Heart-Nature and his performance of bearing all the pressure for the backline teammates had earned him considerable points.

Thus, Lei Hao naturally ranked within the top hundred of the Hunter Department, becoming an elite student.

As for Ye Bai…

“Old Bai’s personal evaluation is probably the lowest in our squad, right?”

Lei Hao spoke first, delivering a fierce blow to Ye Bai’s heart.

“After all, he only knows supportive Spirit Arts, so his performance can’t really be called impressive.”

Su Ming followed closely, dealing a second heavy blow to Ye Bai’s heart.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Senior Ye Bai use any Spell Formula other than [Grey Binding].”

Jiang Wanyu suddenly recalled something and inadvertently voiced it, making Ye Bai’s chest ache with pain.

“Could it be that Senior Ye Bai only knows the Seven Forms?”

Yao Beibei looked utterly astonished, causing Ye Bai’s face to turn pale as he staggered back a few steps, unsteady on his feet.

Finally, An Zijin turned to look at Ye Bai.

“Um, Senior Ye Bai…”

An Zijin hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking,

“How about… I teach you how to use the Thirteen Forms?”

Heaven knows, An Zijin said this purely out of pity.

She had received a lot of care and guidance from her seniors this time and, being a fellow student in the Sorcerer Department like Ye Bai, she had also learned much from him.

Additionally, during this war, Ye Bai had been “diligent and conscientious,” arriving early at the Mission Hall every day to wait, and “eagerly” running around to assist her in every way. An Zijin felt she ought to repay him in some measure.

But she had no idea that, as the goddess in his heart, having surpassed him in rank and speaking such words as his junior, the damage inflicted on Ye Bai was immeasurable.”Wah… Waaah…”

Ye Bai was crying.

“I will definitely master Offensive Spirit Art————!!!”

Shouting this through tears, Ye Bai ran sobbing out of the Mission Hall.

“”””Senior!””””

An Zijin, Jiang Wanyu, and Yao Beibei couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, reaching out their hands as if trying to stop him.

“Oh dear, he’s broken down.”

Lei Hao, meanwhile, burst into hearty laughter.

As for Su Ming, he initially wore a somewhat smug expression before glancing toward the direction of the electronic screen.

There, in the foremost position, was a name.

“Name: Xu Qianqian.”

“Affiliation: Hunter Department.”

“Contribution Points: 920,378.”

“Rank: 1.”

Looking at this name at the very top of the electronic screen, Su Ming smiled faintly.

“As expected, Young Miss is still Young Miss after all.”

(End of Chapter)