"What… what do you all want?" Bai Ze took two steps back and asked.
As soon as he asked, the crowd outside exploded with even more chaos, pushing and shoving to get closer.
"Mr. Bai Ze, hello! I'm from Era Corporation. Our company has nurtured many top-tier teams like the Era Circus. We're willing to pay a hefty price to invite you to join us!"
"Step aside! Mr. Bai Ze, I'm here on behalf of the Ali Mama Group. We sincerely invite you to join us. I assure you we can provide abundant resources to help you reach the pinnacle of the universe!"
"And me! And me! I'm from Penguin Group! Penguin!"
Seeing the overwhelming enthusiasm, Bai Ze was startled and quickly slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
"Seriously? How did the news spread so fast? They've all come to me?" Bai Ze frowned, feeling both surprised and helpless.
Era Corporation, Ali Mama, and Penguin all were top-tier conglomerates in Su Lin Province, renowned for their power and influence.
It wasn't hard to guess why these major players had come knocking. They were trying to recruit him.
This kind of thing wasn't unheard of. In the past, if a talented individual without a strong background achieved outstanding results in a competition, these companies would swoop in with sky-high offers to recruit and groom them.
But Bai Ze wasn't tempted.
Joining a faction came with both advantages and drawbacks. Most notably, it meant facing restrictions from the group you joined.
It was like those melodramatic dramas from his past life rich heirs being forced into business marriages with spoiled scions of other groups. In this world, such things happened for real and were all too common.
Ultimately, it boiled down to strength. If you lost your value in a major faction, you could be ruthlessly discarded at any time.
Thus, even if he were to consider joining a faction, Bai Ze wouldn't rush into it.
"I need to figure out how to get out of here first," Bai Ze muttered to himself.
He quickly came up with an idea. This was a single-story house he could just climb over the wall to escape.
But just as he was contemplating his plan, a sudden sonic boom resounded from outside.
Bai Ze turned to look and saw through the window a massive figure speeding toward his home.
The crowd of representatives outside hastily stepped aside, fearing they'd be run over.
"Seriously, who drives like this? Don't they know who we are?"
"If they hit us, can they even afford to pay for it?"
The shouting stopped abruptly when the "vehicle" drew closer.
Boom!
"Mr. Bai Ze, I'm a reception teacher from Tianzhou Academy."
"I'm here to escort you to the academy. You may come out now; we'll be departing shortly."
Hearing this, Bai Ze's heart lifted with joy. He immediately reopened the door.
As he stepped outside, he was stunned by what he saw.
Calling it a "school bus" was an understatement it was a massive aircraft!
Its exterior was sleek and silver, entirely metallic, and several times the size of his small house. It even blocked out the light in the area!
The aircraft was slowly descending, and a teacher standing at the window waved at Bai Ze.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize."
"I'm in a hurry to get to school, so I'll have to take a rain check on your generous offers!"
Seizing the opportunity, Bai Ze used the excuse to make his escape.
With nothing to pack, he quickly made his way onto the aircraft.
Tianzhou Academy would provide dormitories for new students, complete with daily essentials.
For top students, there were even individual villas with everything fully equipped, so there was no need to bring anything along.
As Bai Ze boarded the aircraft, the representatives from the major powers outside looked on in silence.
Tianzhou Academy was the second-ranked institution in Su Lin Province and one of the top ten nationwide. With a prodigy like Bai Ze now among their ranks, the academy was at the height of its prominence.
The major powers had already crossed a line by trying to recruit him directly. They dared not push further and risk a confrontation with the academy.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if there's nothing else, we'll be taking our leave."
"You might want to let your backers know that if they're truly interested in recruiting Bai Ze, they'd better come up with some real 'sincerity.' Don't you think?"
With those words, the windows closed, the doors sealed, and the aircraft took off, leaving the representatives behind with darkened expressions and gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, inside the aircraft, Bai Ze was once again stunned by the luxurious interior.
The spacious seating and minimalist yet elegant design were even more lavish than first-class on a plane.
"Bai Ze, Bai Ze is here!"
"The top new student in the province this year! I can't believe I'll be attending the same school as him. What an honor!"
The other students, who had been picked up earlier, lit up with excitement upon seeing Bai Ze.
His reputation as the academy's rising star had preceded him. It wouldn't be surprising if even the headmaster wanted to meet him in person.
Not everyone was thrilled, though. Hiding in the back seats, Wei Chi and Huang Tian kept their heads down, their faces pale, avoiding Bai Ze at all costs.
"Bai Ze! Over here! Sit here!"
A clear, melodious voice called out from not far away.
Bai Ze turned and saw Xia Yinyue poking her head out from behind a seat, beckoning him over.
Without hesitation, Bai Ze walked over and took the seat beside her.
"Yinyue, you arrived before me. Did you ask about how things will be arranged when we get there?"
Bai Ze casually took his seat. It was a two-person row, and he had the window seat.
"Yeah, I asked as soon as I got on board," Xia Yinyue replied.
"Tianzhou Academy is located in the center of Su Lin Province, quite a distance from our South City."
"But with this aircraft, it'll only take about an hour to get there."
She explained that Tianzhou Academy, as a top ten national institution, was naturally situated in the most prosperous area of Su Lin Province.
That region was home to numerous conglomerates, aristocratic families, and powerful factions a stark contrast to their small South City.
"The details about class assignments and accommodations will likely be provided after we arrive."
"But don't worry Teacher Zhou will be with us to handle everything," Xia Yinyue reassured him with a smile.
Tianzhou Academy was accepting around 300 new students this year.
The elite class was limited to 30 students, with a minimum requirement of a B-grade evaluation.
If more students exceeded the B-grade, the top 30 would be selected.
Fortunately, both Bai Ze and Xia Yinyue had scores far above the B-grade threshold, so securing spots in the elite class wouldn't be an issue.
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