Chapter 475 474 – Fenric Is Scrapped?

"Next, Xiao Ling'er!"

The moment her name was called, the atmosphere shifted. Murmurs spread through the crowd as everyone's attention fixed on the stage.

Fenric's eyes narrowed. He suddenly remembered—Xiao Ling'er was one of the important supporting characters in the novel.

As she stepped gracefully onto the platform, her figure immediately drew countless eyes. Boys stared without blinking, eager to witness her performance, while many girls looked on with a mix of envy and jealousy.

In Dawn High, Xiao Ling'er wasn't just a student. She was a legend—

the dream goddess of countless boys and the rival every girl compared herself to.

No one wanted to miss her results.

"Hey, what do you think Xiao Ling'er will score?"

"I don't know, but it definitely won't be low."

"Exactly. Her family's loaded—ample resources, daily nutritional supplements, everything. Her qi and blood must be strong."

"Didn't you hear? When Xiao Ling'er was supposed to transfer to the city's key high school, our principal personally begged her to stay."

"For real? Why didn't I know this?"

"You just don't know enough, that's all."

"Shh! It's starting!"

Xiao Ling'er placed her hands on the qi-and-blood monitor first, then moved to the boxing machine.

Boom—!

Her punch looked deceptively light, almost weak, yet the sound that followed was louder than Zijian's earlier strike.

The numbers on the screen raced upward before freezing in place.

829!

Gasps rippled across the playground.

"How… how can that be?!"

"Incredible! That body looks so delicate, yet she has this kind of power?"

Her result was more than double the strength of an average adult male.

If Xiao Ling'er's slender fist ever landed on someone for real, they would be crippled at best—if not outright destroyed.

Countless boys shivered, their fantasies about their goddess shattering instantly. She wasn't someone they could "control." She was too far beyond their reach.

The supervising teacher's eyes gleamed with excitement as he read the results aloud:

"Xiao Ling'er—qi and blood: 201. Boxing strength: 829!"

The students erupted in noise again.

For comparison, a healthy adult male's qi and blood value typically peaked around 100. Xiao Ling'er, still in her teens, had already doubled that.

She was a natural-born martial seed, a genius destined to walk the path of greatness.

Envy filled the eyes of her peers. The boys who once secretly harbored feelings for her now gave up entirely. Xiao Ling'er was out of their league.

"Damn… I didn't expect Xiao Ling'er to be this strong. She's practically a monster," Jitto muttered. He turned to Fenric with a sigh. "Ric, you're good, but compared to her? You're still miles apart. Brother's advice: change your target."

Fenric's face remained calm.

Inside, however, he wasn't shaken. He already knew the plot.

Xiao Ling'er's achievements in the future would indeed be dazzling—second only to the protagonist himself. She would become a figure on the level of a demigod.

For her to reach such results now was perfectly normal.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out on the stage.

Several admissions teachers from different martial academies were practically quarreling over Xiao Ling'er, each unwilling to give up the chance to recruit her.

The invigilator stepped forward quickly. "I'm sorry, teachers. Xiao Ling'er has already been accepted by the War Academy."

At that name, silence fell.

Even the recruitment teachers could only sigh in defeat. No matter how generous their offers were, they couldn't compete with War Academy.

War Academy—the number one martial institution in the Eastern Region, one of the best in the entire world. For Xiao Ling'er, entry was almost guaranteed.

Trying to poach her was meaningless.

Sensing the dissatisfaction among the teachers, the invigilator hastily added, "Of course, aside from Xiao Ling'er, our school has other outstanding seedlings this year."

He glanced down at his list. His eyes brightened. "For example, the next student—he's consistently performed well and is considered a strong candidate."

The teachers exchanged skeptical looks.

Then the invigilator raised his voice.

"Next, Fenric!"

"Ric, it's you!" Jitto tugged at Fenric's sleeve, his face pale with excitement and nervousness.

Fenric walked onto the stage with steady steps, his expression calm.

"Come," the invigilator instructed. "Place your hands here first. Let's test your qi and blood."

"Teacher."

Fenric's voice interrupted him.

"I won't be taking the test."

The invigilator froze. "What?"

Fenric pulled a folder from his pocket and handed it over. His tone carried just the right amount of helplessness.

"A few days ago, I overtrained. My eagerness damaged my internal organs. The doctor said I may need years to recover. This… is the medical report."

His eyes glistened faintly, as if he were holding back tears.

"..."

The invigilator's smile stiffened.

A buzz spread through the audience.

Fenric might not have been as dazzling as Xiao Ling'er, but he was still well-known. With his solid foundation, nurtured from childhood by his father, many had expected him to shine in today's test.

Yet now he claimed his organs were injured, forcing him into years of recuperation?

That wasn't just misfortune—it was tragedy.

Everyone knew the golden age for martial cultivation lay between 18 and 25. Miss that window, and the body's peak would be gone forever.

No matter how much effort one put in afterward, great achievements would be impossible.

In other words…

Fenric was finished.

Scrapped.

Destined to live as nothing more than an ordinary man.

"This guy Fenric is really unlucky?"

"Yeah! To injure his internal organs at such a critical time… that's terrible."

"I heard his father was beaten to death not long ago, and his family's gone downhill. Now this happens? What a tragedy."

"At first, I didn't like him much. He used to brag about wanting to chase after Goddess Ling'er. But now… sigh, fate really plays cruel tricks."

The students who knew Fenric whispered among themselves, their voices filled with pity and surprise.

On stage, the invigilator's expression darkened as he finished reading the medical records.

The documents carried the official hospital seal. Clearly authentic—there was no way this could be a forgery.

Which meant one thing: the seed student the school had pinned its hopes on was now completely ruined.

The invigilator's face grew uglier by the second.

He wasn't just a teacher—he was the dean. The school's reputation, its honors and shame, all tied directly to him. This year's graduating class didn't have many promising talents to begin with. Now, with Fenric scrapped, their prospects looked even bleaker.

Every seeded student was a chance for the school to shine. Losing one hurt deeply.

But the facts couldn't be changed.

"Sigh…" The invigilator could only let out a heavy breath as he returned the file to Fenric. "I understand. You may step down."

Fenric descended the stage under countless sympathetic gazes.

Xiao Ling'er glanced at him briefly but quickly looked away. She had heard of this boy—had even heard about his foolish claim of wanting to pursue her.

But so what?

For Xiao Ling'er, martial arts were everything. She had no time for such distractions.

"Ric… why didn't you tell me about something this serious?" Jitto asked, his expression complicated, struggling to find words of comfort.

Fenric forced a smile. "It's fine. An injury to the internal organs doesn't necessarily mean the road of martial arts is closed forever."

Indeed, rare cases existed—individuals who had missed the golden age yet still achieved remarkable success later. But those people were monsters of talent and fortune, exceptions among exceptions.

Was Fenric one of those?

Not in Jitto's eyes.

The odds were too slim.

"Ah, Ric," Jitto sighed. "Wait for me after the test. I'll take you out for a few drinks."

Fenric shook his head. "I can't. I'm still on recovery medicine. No alcohol. Besides, I need to return to the hospital for a follow-up. I'll head out first. If the teachers ask about me, just cover for me."

Seeing Fenric's urgency, Jitto could only nod. "Alright… we'll gather when you're better, then."

"Good."

With that, Fenric slipped quietly out of the school grounds.

He had no interest in the remaining tests.