Chapter 118
Chapter 118 - Not Giving Me Any Face
As the bell tolled, all examinees were instructed to cease answering questions, with the warning that any violations would result in disqualification.
Indeed, some students dared to take the risk and were promptly disqualified on the spot.
Upon exiting the examination hall, Ye Hao was greeted by Xu Mengmeng, who had been waiting for him.
“How did the exam go?” Xu Mengmeng inquired.
“I left three questions unanswered,” Ye Hao responded.
Xu Mengmeng's eyes widened in surprise. “Only three?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Do you have any idea what the highest score was in last year's Proverb Championship elimination round?”
“I'm not aware.”
Xu Mengmeng was at a loss for words upon hearing Ye Hao's response.
How could he not keep track of past competitions?
“The highest score last year was 960 points.”
“Okay.” It dawned on Ye Hao that he might have just achieved another astonishingly high score.
But then again, he was a super scholar.
“Do you have any more obscure materials?”
“None left.”
“That's too bad.”
“Have you gone through all the materials I provided?” Xu Mengmeng had been diligently bringing Ye Hao several books of information daily.
“Yes, I've read them all. I'm certain those three questions weren't covered in any of them,” Ye Hao confirmed with a nod.
“The only place with that obscure information would be the Riverbank Academy,” Xu Mengmeng mused.
“Is it possible for you to get hold of Riverbank Academy's materials?” Ye Hao inquired.
“Absolutely.” Xu Mengmeng nodded. “How about we head to the internet cafe after we grab a bite?”
“Sounds good.” It was now eleven o'clock, the perfect time for lunch.
As they walked out together, Ye Hao noticed a distinguished young man, flanked by several bodyguards, making his way outside.
“That's Faang Wen,” Xu Mengmeng blurted out.
“The name rings a bell.”
“He's this year's champion.”
“Oh.”
A thought struck Xu Mengmeng. “By all accounts, you should have been the champion this year.”
Ye Hao just smiled, offering no reply.
After a casual meal at a small diner, they headed to the internet cafe.
Xu Mengmeng booted up the computer and swiftly accessed over a dozen documents.
“Take a look at these while I keep searching for more information,” she whispered.
Xu Mengmeng took note of how quickly Ye Hao's mouse was flying across the screen.
“Are you sure you're not going through those too quickly?” Ye Hao asked with a nonchalant air.
“I'm familiar with a lot of the content already,” he said.
Xu Mengmeng kept supplying Ye Hao with the information.
By nine in the evening, Ye Hao had reviewed 45 documents.
“Let's continue this tomorrow,” Ye Hao suggested, stretching languidly.
“There are 43 left. I've emailed them to you,” Xu Mengmeng whispered.
“How about I treat you to some late-night eats? What are you in the mood for?”
“Kebabs sound good.”
“Great.”
Ye Hao and Xu Mengmeng made their way to a bustling barbecue street.
They picked out an assortment of grilled meats and vegetables and found a spot to sit down.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Some juice, please.”
Spotting a supermarket nearby, Ye Hao got up and headed over there, leaving Xu Mengmeng waiting at the table.
Within half a minute, a drunken youth plopped down beside Xu Mengmeng.
“Hey, sweetheart, join me for a drink,” he slurred, offering her a glass of wine.
“I don't drink,” Xu Mengmeng declined promptly.
“You think you're too good for me?” the youth snapped. “Guys, she's disrespecting me. What should we do about it?”
His friends closed in around her, and Xu Mengmeng's face drained of color.
“Finish this beer, and I'll leave you alone,” he said, slamming the bottle on the table. “Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next.”
“You're that eager to sleep with me?” he taunted, peeling off his shirt to reveal a tattooed chest.
“I'll drink,” Xu Mengmeng said, her voice shaking.
Having never tasted beer before, she coughed and sputtered with her first sips.
The group of men laughed heartily at her distress.
After a severe bout of coughing, Xu Mengmeng regained her composure and began to chug the beer, tears streaming down her face.
Once the bottle was empty, she announced, “I'm done.”
“But you didn't drink it all at once,” the youth said, eyeing Xu Mengmeng with disdain. “You've disrespected me.” He cracked open another bottle. “If you can finish this one in a single go, I'll drop the issue.”
“You're just bullying me,” Xu Mengmeng finally realized, as she recognized the young man was just toying with her.
It's rare for men to chug a bottle of beer in one go, much less a woman.
To Xu Mengmeng's surprise, the young man offered, “Alright. I'll give you a chance. If you can down this bottle in two gulps, I'll let you go.”
“Any problem with that?” he challenged, glaring at her.
His intention was clear: to get Xu Mengmeng drunk. He couldn't very well abduct her in broad daylight, but if she were inebriated, it would be easy to whisk her away.
Even if Xu Mengmeng managed to gulp down the beer in two swigs, he would invent other excuses to keep her there.
Just as Xu Mengmeng reached for the bottle, a hand clamped down on it.
“If everyone's having such a good time, how about I join in?” a frosty voice cut through the air.
“Who the hell are you?” a thug blurted out in anger.
Ye Hao's gaze flashed with a chilling intensity.
He gripped the bottle and swung it at the thug's head.
The thug was stunned on impact.
His world spun, and his legs buckled, sending him crashing to the ground.
“Beat him!”
“He dared to hit our brother!”
“Take him down!”
The thugs were furious.
They hadn't expected this student to strike their comrade with such force.
Ye Hao nonchalantly picked up three chopsticks and hurled them, skewering the palms of three thugs.
Then, he forcefully drove the chopsticks into the thick tabletop.
The thugs wailed in agony.
The troublemaker, witnessing the scene, shook uncontrollably.
He now understood that the student before him was a martial arts expert.
“Enough noise,” Ye Hao said as he grabbed another young man's hand and impaled it with a chopstick.
“Do you still feel like screaming?” he asked. The young man's face contorted with pain as both his palms were pierced.
Without hesitation, Ye Hao drove another chopstick into the young man's palm.
The young man's teeth chattered from the pain.
But now, he was too frightened to utter another sound.
“Now, let's really enjoy ourselves,” Ye Hao said, and then he called out to the owner across the way, “Hey boss, bring over a case of beer.”
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