Chapter 190: 183 Unbelievable, the examiner is Boss Ying【1 more】

The doors to the middle carriage of the subway opened.

The attendant who had previously blocked the boy’s way personally alighted and respectfully welcomed the girl aboard.

She was standing sideways to them, and although she was far away, her profile was clearly visible.

He Xun followed the direction of the boy’s voice and managed to catch a glimpse of a profile before the girl boarded the subway.

After the doors closed, the subway departed.

The underground subway station became empty, devoid of other people.

“How could that be?” laughed students from the International Class nearby, “Teacher He brought us here and even used a pass, so even if she is the top of her second-year class, she doesn’t belong to Norton University.”

Without a pass, even if someone made it inside that phone booth, they wouldn’t be able to reach this underground subway station.

Another student from the International Class commented, “Yeah, even if she wanted to save face and follow us, she couldn’t get in.”

With both companions saying so, the boy hesitated, “I must have been mistaken, but…”

Ying Zijin’s face was too distinctive, Verdant’s reputation too widespread.

Once seen, even if just in profile, it was unforgettable.

He surely couldn’t have mistaken someone else for her, simply because he was too excited about entering Norton University, could he?

He Xun didn’t really believe that Ying Zijin would be here either, finding the notion rather far-fetched.

The person that would be personally received by Norton University’s vice chancellor wasn’t even someone the president of Imperial Capital University would qualify to meet.

The strength of Norton University as the world’s number one was insurmountable and far ahead of the rest.

It had to be someone from the very top echelons of the academic world.

He Xun didn’t give it much more thought.

Forget about the vice chancellor, in his four years at Norton University, he hadn’t seen a single member of the management team.

As a student of a D-level faculty, he never came into contact with the core of Norton University.

**

On the subway.

The interior of this subway car was completely different from the outside.

Adhering to the style of the Middle Ages and Ancient Rome, it had candelabras and oil paintings next to the windows.

There were no seats, but rather coffee tables, sofas, and bookshelves.

It didn’t resemble a train carriage, but more a lavish room.

Ying Zijin glanced up and noticed one of the paintings, heavy with the Baroque style.

Clearly a work of Qinuo Feng.

And an original at that.

The most expensive painting by Qinuo Feng had been auctioned for a high price of 300 million US dollars.

Even in the time of Ancient O Continent, his paintings were considered precious.

Being one of the masters sponsored by the Lorentz Family, the majority of Qinuo Feng’s works were preserved within the Lorentz Family’s possession.

Many are still kept in Xize’s underground treasure vault.

This particular one was part of the compensation received by Norton University’s president after using Alchemy to alter Qinuo Feng’s body.

The attendant had left, leaving only the vice chancellor, who had been sitting upright, eagerly waiting.

At the sound of footsteps, he looked up impatiently.

Upon seeing the girl, the vice chancellor clutched his chest, his eyes bulging, nearly passing out from shock.

He rubbed his eyes and looked again, rubbed his eyes once more, pinched his thigh, and let out a hiss.

“No need to keep looking,” Ying Zijin took a seat on the sofa, picking up a cup of hot cocoa from the coffee table, “It’s my real face.”

The vice chancellor, who was about to pull out a magnifying glass, “…”

He awkwardly withdrew his hand, feeling embarrassed, “Well, I’ve never seen you like this before.”

Two hundred years had passed, and the times had changed too quickly.

Yesterday it was 4G, today 5G has come out.

It forced him, an old antique who should have been lying underground long ago, to keep up and learn.

But no scientific advancement could compare to the shock that Ying Zijin gave him today.

In the three years they’d worked together before, he’d never seen her wear any color other than black.

Ying Zijin gave him a glance.

The vice chancellor immediately sat up straight, cleared his throat, and spoke seriously, “You can rest assured that only I know of your arrival.”

“To prevent others from identifying you, ever since the day you made that post, I’ve had the school send out three subways in the morning, afternoon, and evening, arranging a variety of people to come from all over to Norton Town.”

“Aside from a bit of an issue today, everything has been normal.”

Ying Zijin picked up another chocolate muffin and upon hearing him, lifted her eyelid in a perfunctory manner, “Hmm.”

The vice chancellor: “…”

Two hundred years later, he wasn’t even entitled to a word of praise on their reunion.

After finishing the chocolate muffin, Ying Zijin asked, “How’s your health?”

“Not too good,” the vice chancellor was taken aback, then shook his head, “While the school president has used Alchemy to transform my body, in recent years I’ve also felt that I’m reaching my limit.”

After a pause, he added with a wry smile, “If you had come a few years later, you would probably have to dig me out of the ground.”

Ying Zijin nodded.

This was an expected development.

Even the strongest alchemy must adhere to the laws of nature; it can only tap into the human body’s full potential to the extreme, but it cannot grant eternal youth.

“Why did you suddenly ask for an invitation?” the vice principal asked in confusion, “The principal had already said that you could serve as principal, but you were unwilling.”

“I didn’t intend to originally,” Ying Zijin replied indifferently, “Just opening a back door for my younger brother.”

The vice principal, who’d thought he was here to visit him and the principal, was taken aback: “…”

“I’ve always been away,” Ying Zijin looked out the car window, “What have been your admissions standards these years?”

“As you know, in the technology era, there’s just too much information being disseminated. If the school only offers those courses, it would inevitably reveal some secrets,” the vice principal wiped his sweat, “but changing them was not an option. So, the principal and I decided to divide them into different tiers.”

“The Alchemy Department, Supernatural Department, Mechanical Department, and other similar faculties are all above the S level, and I am personally involved in their recruitment along with the Admissions Department.”

“The faculties from A to D level are no different from courses offered at other universities. This batch of students has been recruited by the teachers below, so it’s quite chaotic, a mix of both good and bad.”

“By the time I went to review, I found that many unqualified students had been admitted, so a few years ago I established an assessment. If they fail the assessment, their degree is revoked on the spot.”

The vice principal raised both hands: “I swear, it’s not because the school has lowered its standards. Anyway, this group of students won’t come into contact with the core of the school.”

Ying Zijin pondered, “What about the world number one?”

“This…” The vice principal scratched his head and spread his hands, “Maybe the principal had a whimsical moment, you know, alchemists’ minds can be a bit off.”

Ying Zijin pressed a hand to his head.

This was indeed true.

About ten minutes later, the subway came to a stop.

The doors opened and Ying Zijin stepped out, looking up.

In view was a huge island surrounded by water on all sides, a spectacular and vast sight.

Under the night sky, high-rises stood densely packed, their lights bright and clear.

The central clock tower rang out with deep, long tolls.

This was Norton University.

The subway had traveled beneath the town, across the ocean, to arrive within the campus.

And around this island, there was an extremely tight security system in place.

Once inside, all signals from the outside world were automatically blocked, ensuring utmost safety.

“The school has changed a lot since it was first established,” the vice principal stepped off the subway, glancing at the time, “It’s very late today. You should rest first, and I’ll take you on a tour tomorrow.”

Ying Zijin nodded slightly, “Let’s go.”

**

The vice principal took Ying Zijin to the core area of the campus, where entry required fingerprint, facial recognition, a card swipe, and a password, a triple-check procedure.

It was to prevent face-changing artists from entering the campus.

Apart from the Lorentz Family, Norton University was undoubtedly the place most coveted by the hunters on the NOK rankings.

There were also many bounties posted, offering rewards for footage of the core areas of Norton University, though none had been successful yet.

“Over there is the dormitory for students from faculties lower than S level,” the vice principal pointed out, “There’s an assessment going on for them recently. The school has given them a chance. If they can’t pass, they’ll just have to leave.”

In the last few years, especially the D-level faculties, there haven’t been many who passed the assessments.

But those who’d passed were the elites of various industries.

The two walked past the dormitory zone, heading towards the Inner Island.

Nobody seemed to notice them on the way.

Apart from a few professors in the Admissions Department, no one else in the school had ever seen the vice principal.

Even He Xun’s advisor was no exception.

When he noticed He Xun staring in a daze across from him, he immediately reminded him, “He, your temporary residence is here, that side is for S-level faculties.”

He Xun turned sharply, but his back was already covered in a cold sweat, “I know, advisor.”

After a pause, he asked, “Advisor, would there be any students from the school who attend high school outside?”

“How could that be?” The advisor was quite surprised and chuckled, “Those who can enter Norton University definitely wouldn’t attend high school.”

He Xun also felt that his idea was absurd.

He must have seen wrong.

Ying Zijin couldn’t possibly be here.

“By the way, He,” the advisor continued as they walked, “I just received a notification from above, saying there will be a new interviewer for your assessment.”

His expression turned serious, “This interviewer is a board member of Norton University; I’ve never seen him myself, but he’s certainly going to be stricter than before. You… sigh.”

In his view, He Xun was not going to pass the assessment.

He Xun pursed his lips, “I understand, advisor.”

**

Two days later.

He Xun arrived early with three students for the interview.

There were additional interviewees from other regions today, so multiple venues had been arranged.

He Xun glanced at the time and said to the male student, “You can go in.”

The male student nodded, confidently pushing the door open.