Chapter 37: Sky-Net and Earth-Net

Chapter 37: Sky-Net and Earth-Net

Bang.

As the door slammed shut, only Zhou Chedan and Lan Ling remained in the office.

Lan Ling continued to lift the barbell in his hand and said, “President, this Zhang Yu is a bit too greedy.”

Zhou Chedan, lying on the sofa, chuckled, “Poor people, once they achieve something, they tend to get overconfident. It’s quite normal.”

“I’d be the same if I improved by seventy points in a month.”

“Let’s give him another month to think about it.”

Lan Ling’s eyes turned cold. “President, are you really going to increase his contract terms?”

Zhou Chedan said calmly, “Lan Ling, you’ve seen too few poor people and don’t understand them.”

“Limited by their upbringing, experiences, and living standards, their horizons are often very narrow.”

“In a situation like this, nine out of ten would sign the contract on the spot.”

“But Zhang Yu can keep his cool and say he needs to think about it. I actually respect him more for that.”

“If his grades improve even more in the next Monthly Exam, why not raise his contract terms by one level?”

Lan Ling frowned. “I’m just afraid this kind of person will never be satisfied.”

Zhou Chedan laughed heartily. “Alright, Lan, be more generous. Don’t compete with the people below us.”

“Zhang Yu is not on the same path as us, and he won’t come and take our positions. We’re not in competition.”

“On the contrary, the better he does and the more he progresses, the more we profit, making him a worthy investment…”

As he spoke, Zhou Chedan placed a Spirit Interface Mask over his head.

“I’ll be in the Spirit World for the rest of the afternoon. Don’t come to me unless it’s urgent.”

…

In the cafeteria.

As soon as Zhang Yu left the Student Council office, he rushed to Bai Zhenzhen’s table.

Seeing her calmly eating, Zhang Yu exclaimed, “Zhen, you better give me a good reason.”

“Do you know how much resolve it took for me not to sign?”

“You have no idea how much they appreciate my talent…”

Bai Zhenzhen replied calmly, “Did he rush over to shake your hand as soon as you entered, without even putting on his shoes?”

Zhang Yu paused, slightly taken aback.

Bai Zhenzhen continued, “It’s the same with Zhou Chedan. He always treats people like that when he wants to sign a contract.”

“Really?” Zhang Yu was surprised.

Playing the host like that, huh?

Zhang Yu added, “But he also cleared my debt.”

Bai Zhenzhen snorted. “Did he really?”

“Didn’t he just become your creditor?”

“Didn’t he tell you there’s no interest and you don’t have to repay it urgently, that you can pay it back after you graduate and find a job?”

Zhang Yu was shocked again. “He said the same to you?”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded. “He probably says the same to everyone he wants to sign a contract with.”

“But don’t think it’s a good thing.”

“‘No need to repay’ is just words.”

“If you don’t repay, once you default on the debt, the decision is in his hands.”

“If he doesn’t care, it’s no big deal.”

“But if he applies for forced execution, the money in your account will be used to repay the debt.”

“If there’s not enough money, your assets will be seized.”

“Think about what your most valuable asset is.”

Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered. He didn’t really have any assets, so forced execution would likely make him a deadbeat.

Bai Zhenzhen sneered. “Your most valuable asset is your cultivation, your battle-hardened body, and your Energy Core.”

Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed. “You mean they would…?”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded. “Forced execution means paying with money if you have it, or selling your assets if you don’t. Once your external assets are gone, they’ll sell your organs, your body, your Energy Core…”

Although Zhang Yu had long given up on expecting anything good from Kunxu, Bai Zhenzhen’s words still made his heart sink.

Bai Zhenzhen continued, “Don’t think you can run away. This contract isn’t just on paper.”

“Remember the Law Department in the Eight Divine Guardians?”

“When you sign the contract, the Student Council will use a Talisman to invite the Celestial Contract Deity as a witness. The Eight Divine Guardians will enforce the contract.”

Good one, Zhou Chedan, Zhang Yu thought, feeling a mix of shock and betrayal. You’re playing games with me, huh? You’re trying to trap me into the park?

Across from him, Bai Zhenzhen continued, “But if you fully comply with the contract and your grades meet their expectations, they might not do anything to you.”

“The key lies in another part of the contract, about university and major choices, and the penalties for violating the terms.”

“Once you sign, they decide which university and major you apply for.”

“Any violations will result in astronomical penalties…”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s bewildered expression, Bai Zhenzhen said irritably, “Didn’t you read that part of the contract?”

Zhang Yu replied confidently, “The benefits at the beginning were so tempting, I was afraid I’d sign if I read further, so I quickly refused Zhou Chedan and came to find you in the cafeteria.”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded. “Alright, I’ll give you credit for your willpower.”

Then she changed the subject. “Zhang Yu, have you noticed that the super-rich in our school rarely conflict with us poor people?”

“Have they always been polite and well-mannered, rarely using their advantages to bully us?”

Zhang Yu thought for a moment and nodded. “It seems so.”

Bai Zhenzhen explained, “That’s because the rich and the poor don’t compete on the same track. They never see us as competitors, so they act like normal people.”

Zhang Yu frowned. “But we all take the Imperial Entrance Exam. What do you mean we don’t compete on the same track? Can they get into university through aerobics?”

Bai Zhenzhen continued, “Poor people aim for regular universities, while the super-rich aim for the top universities of the Ten Great Sects.”

“To them, with their wealth, regular universities are easy to get into, so they don’t see us as competition.”

“Only the top universities are worth their full effort to compete against other rich people.”

Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Can’t poor people aim for the top universities?”

Bai Zhenzhen replied, “The admission quotas for the top universities of the Ten Great Sects are limited, and even fewer in each city.”

“In Songyang City, the total number of admissions for the Ten Great Sects each year… is just a few dozen.”

“These quotas are monopolized by them in various ways.”

“Class A Contracts are one such method, signing talented and high-achieving poor students and deciding which universities they apply for.”

“Of course, signing this contract means you can’t apply to the Ten Great Sects, but you become their investment. They’ll still be polite and friendly, and you’ll be their good classmate.”

“But if you don’t sign and show any intention of applying to the Ten Great Sects, you’ll become their true competitor.”

“You’ll face ruthless competition, see their true ruthless tactics, and feel pressure from all sides.”

“The admission quotas for the top universities of the Ten Great Sects are something they protect together, and they won’t let any poor person touch them.”

“Even the Student Councils of all the key high schools share the same interests, rising and falling together.”

“Don’t expect the school to intervene much. When the social influence of students’ parents far outweighs the school’s, even the principal can’t control the Student Council.”

Hearing Bai Zhenzhen’s words, Zhang Yu understood immediately. The rich in Songyang City were indeed colluding to exclude the poor.

At that moment, he felt as if an invisible net was covering all the students, pressing down and making it hard to breathe.

Zhang Yu couldn’t help but sigh, “The top universities of the Ten Great Sects, are they really that different from regular universities, making them so afraid?”

Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. “What else?”

“The Ten Great Sects are something people can’t live without from birth to death, determining the direction of Kunxu.”

“Only by entering the top universities of the Ten Great Sects can you have a chance to join the Ten Great Sects.”

“As for graduates from regular universities, the Ten Great Sects won’t take them as disciples, at most they’ll become employees of a group under the Ten Great Sects.”

Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. Indeed, even after graduation, there’s no escaping the discrimination of education. Graduates from regular universities can only be peripheral disciples.

Bai Zhenzhen added, “Of course, there’s another important point: only in the Ten Great Sects can one Ascend to Immortality.”

Her tone now carried a hint of longing.

Ascending to Immortality, the ultimate goal of countless cultivators, is something every cultivator who treads the path of Xian Dao dreams of.

Zhang Yu recalled that immortals only exist in the Ten Great Sects.

Bai Zhenzhen continued, “In short, that’s the situation.”

“Wanting to apply to the top universities of the Ten Great Sects means facing a relentless onslaught.”

“Zhang Yu, now that you know all this… what are your plans?”

Under Bai Zhenzhen’s gaze, Zhang Yu looked extremely hesitant.

“Should I sign the contract? If I sign, I can study and take exams safely, and with the Feather Codex, even if I only get into a regular university and work for a Sect group, I should still do well.”

“But… the Ten Great Sects…”

At that moment, Zhang Yu thought of the Immortal Spirit Roots only Sect disciples can implant, the Immortal Sect-level techniques only Sect disciples can use, and the path to Ascend to Immortality only Sect disciples can take…

Countless differences, known and unknown, separated the future paths of top universities and regular universities.

As Zhang Yu felt hesitation, a chill rose from his heart, and the appearance of the Countdown reminded him of something.

“Ha… study hard, work hard, get into university, join a Sect, and then earn money to buy the antiques in my shopping cart.”

“To join a Sect, I must get into the Ten Great Sects…”

“Damn… I’ve had no choice from the beginning.”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s constipated expression, Bai Zhenzhen patted his shoulder. “Take your time. This isn’t an easy decision.”

“They should have given you a month to think about it.”

As Bai Zhenzhen stood up to leave, Zhang Yu suddenly asked, “What about you, Zhen? What are your plans?”

Bai Zhenzhen paused, then said firmly, “I won’t sign.”

“I want to get into the Ten Great Sects.”

Feeling the chill in his body slowly dissipate, Zhang Yu seemed to see his own choice clearly.

He smiled. “Then let’s do it together.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end