Chapter 275: The Agreed Day
After parting ways with Meng Chuanling and her companion, Xu Zhi headed straight to the Academic Affairs Office to apply for a credit loan.
According to Meng Chuanling, the loan amount available to each freshman varied depending on talent, but generally fluctuated around one thousand credits. Xu Zhi pondered this—given how extraordinary her talent was, shouldn’t her loan limit exceed the norm?
Maybe she could even borrow two thousand?
Based on Meng Chuanling’s estimate, if a freshman won a bet, the payout ratio would be at least fifteen times!
Meng Chuanling’s side had six thousand credits. At fifteen times, that would be ninety thousand credits. Xu Zhi would take seventy percent—over sixty thousand. And if she herself could borrow two thousand, at fifteen times that would be another thirty thousand. Her total credits would approach one hundred thousand!
“…Tsk. No wonder Meng Chuanling was so excited.”
Winning once and getting one hundred thousand credits—this was practically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Even if Meng Chuanling and the red-haired girl only took thirty percent, after deducting the principal, each of them would still net ten thousand credits!
An ordinary freshman might not earn ten thousand credits in an entire year. And now, all they had to do was place a bet on Xu Zhi winning. It couldn’t be easier.
Aside from a handful of students born into powerful families, once they obtained those ten thousand credits, their starting resources would far surpass others. As members of the special recruitment class, their talent was naturally above average. Talent plus superior resources—this move would secure them a massive advantage.
“If I can really borrow two thousand, then one hundred thousand credits will be enough for me to try constructing a Moth-attribute circuit.”
Xu Zhi was already celebrating internally, imagining how she would allocate the resources after converting one hundred thousand credits.
Arriving at the first floor of the Academic Affairs Office, Xu Zhi approached the service window to inquire about freshman credit loans. The staff member asked for her student ID number, then said with mild surprise, “Your loan limit is three thousand credits. How much would you like to borrow?”
Three thousand?
Even more than she expected. Not bad—this academy really knew how to treat talent!
“All of it.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.” The staff member worked for about half a minute. “All done. Three thousand credits have been transferred to your account. Please note that credit loans are interest-free, but the full amount must be repaid before you take the graduation examination.”
Xu Zhi nodded and politely thanked them.
The inner academy was quite generous—zero-interest loans. Although the loan amount wasn’t huge, as long as nothing unexpected happened, repaying it before graduation shouldn’t be difficult.
Time quickly passed until the monthly break—the day of her appointment with Meng Chuanling.
She postponed her appointment with the doctor, simply sending a message saying she had matters to attend to during this break, without specifying details. Since she was inside the Light Academy, the other party had no choice but to agree.
As compensation for breaking the appointment, the doctor requested that she undergo a full-body examination next time she visited the clinic. Xu Zhi had no objections.
After all, before going to the clinic, she would inform her inner academy instructors. Given how highly valued she currently was by the academy, they certainly wouldn’t allow her to go alone, nor would they neglect to take precautions regarding the clinic’s examination procedures.
And the clinic would hardly be foolish enough to attempt anything under the watchful eye of Light Academy. That was why Xu Zhi dared to agree so boldly.
In the afternoon, she met Meng Chuanling and the red-haired girl at the appointed time. As soon as they saw her, they eagerly asked how many credits she had managed to borrow. When they heard “three thousand,” Meng Chuanling’s expression turned complicated.
It was a mixture of envy and jealousy—though she had expected it, she was still surprised.
“The academy really values you.”
Xu Zhi wore a polite but distant smile, yet nodded matter-of-factly. “As they should.”
Meng Chuanling laughed. “Xu, your personality really is…”
Xu Zhi glanced at her in confusion.
“…Completely different from the first impression you give.”
She looked refined, gentle, and scholarly—befitting a Lamp attribute user. But once you got closer, her temperament and way of speaking were unpredictable.
The red-haired girl muttered under her breath, “Different? She’s just showing her true colors!”
She hadn’t forgotten how Xu Zhi had intimidated her on their first day.
Xu Zhi’s hearing was sharp enough to catch the whisper. Behind her glasses, her gray eyes casually drifted toward the red-haired girl. The moment their gazes met, the latter immediately shut her mouth.
Though her eyes still showed defiance, her body was very honest.
“The arena is inside the academy. The inner academy is huge—there are many recreational facilities, and plenty of venues for sparring. The arena is set up there.”
Meng Chuanling summoned a car via her wristband. As they sat inside, waiting for the automated navigation to take them there, Xu Zhi asked curiously, “Who established the arena?”
“Who else? The Student Council.”
So there was a Student Council here too.
And it was actually the Student Council leading this kind of unofficial “underground” operation?
“The Student Council has nothing to do with first-years. You can only get involved starting in the second year. Generally, anyone who gets in is someone Light Academy favors. The Student Council holds substantial authority. Before graduation, members can already participate in certain academy affairs. After graduation, they can directly enter the management level.”
So it was a promotion pathway.
“My goal is to enter the Student Council as an intern in my second year!” Meng Chuanling’s eyes burned with passion—passion for power.
Xu Zhi understood now. This Qi-attribute girl had money and authority on her mind at all times. There was nothing wrong with that. Xu Zhi was perfectly willing to maintain a shallow friendship with someone like her.
Most of the time, such people were useful.
After all, money, strength, and power were the essence of this world. If Meng Chuanling pursued only these things, wasn’t she simply seeing that essence clearly?
“We’re here.”
Meng Chuanling stepped out first and led Xu Zhi to the entrance of a massive venue.
From the outside, it resembled a stadium—only far larger than any Xu Zhi had seen before. The building also seemed to be enveloped in some kind of Transcendent energy field. Presumably, it was designed to allow students to better utilize their Transcendent abilities inside.
“Let’s go. The arena’s on the second floor. If it’s inconvenient for you to place your own bet, you can transfer the credits to me, and I’ll place it for you?”
Meng Chuanling asked tentatively.
Xu Zhi nodded. “Sure.”
Meng Chuanling blinked in surprise. “You trust me that much? Aren’t you afraid I’ll run off with your credits?”
Xu Zhi smiled faintly. “Trust?”
Of course not.
“I just know you wouldn’t dare.”
Trust was far too fragile. Fear and awe were far more useful.
Meng Chuanling respected her strength—so she wouldn’t dare deceive her.
