Chapter 118: Golden Dragon Academy

“Who are you?” I glanced behind me. A middle-aged man in a gray suit was applauding, surrounded by a dozen or so men in suits and sunglasses—apparently bodyguards—who were also clapping.

The man said, “I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zhao Xing, but everyone calls me Uncle Zhao. You can also call me Mr. Long Ling.”

I replied coldly, “Are you the leader of these guys?”

Uncle Zhao nodded, “Yes.”

I said, “Good. I’m going to beat you up now, then take a taxi back to continue searching for that place called Jinlong Academy.” I cracked my neck as I spoke.

But Uncle Zhao suddenly laughed heartily. “Ha ha ha! What a spirited young man. Congratulations, you’ve passed!”

“What do you mean?” I demanded sharply.

He said, “Nothing much. Welcome to Jinlong Academy, Mr. Long Ling!” The bodyguards formed two lines beside him, and behind them stood a massive gate made entirely of marble. Above it hung four golden characters spelling “Jinlong Academy,” entwined by a majestic golden Eastern dragon, radiating power and grandeur.

I was stunned, speechless for a long moment before I finally asked, “What… what is going on here?”

Uncle Zhao explained, “Every new student asks this question. Let me tell you, Jinlong Academy is not just any private school anyone can enter. It was founded only three years ago. We don’t have the solid reputation of Tsinghua or Peking University, but we’re a very respectable institution. The difference is, we don’t train high-achieving university students. You know, nowadays, very few university graduates have real skills or stable jobs…”

I interrupted, “Then what do you train for?”

Uncle Zhao continued, “We cultivate professional talents in electronic sports—we specialize in training professional gamers.”

“Ah! So this kind of school exists,” I said, somewhat surprised.

He smiled, “Exactly. It didn’t exist before, but now it does. You must realize that global tensions have eased considerably; wars are nearly nonexistent. No country is willing to spend huge military budgets launching attacks or so-called military strikes—it’s a waste of lives and resources. War has no winners, only losers; it leaves behind nothing but hatred.”

I asked, “What does that have to do with video games?”

Uncle Zhao replied, “Everything. Think about it—if there were real wars happening now, would you even have the heart to play video games?”

I shook my head.

“That’s right,” he said. “Video games are a symbol of peace. Games know no borders. People play games for entertainment, to free themselves from the stresses of real life. People need it, and nations need it too. To understand this, we must consider the relationship between people and the state. There’s an old saying: a nation exists because of its people, and the nation’s utility is paramount…”

“Uncle, you’re going off on a tangent,” I said, half amused.

“Sorry. Back to the point. The kidnapping you just experienced wasn’t a real kidnapping—it was an entrance exam.”

“Such a bizarre entrance exam,” I said with a wry smile.

Uncle Zhao explained, “Our test isn’t a rigid written or oral exam. We assess each student’s personal abilities. From your records, we saw you’re someone who likes to meddle in affairs. So we staged the kidnapping to see how you’d react, whether you would fall victim due to your flaws or find an effective way to save yourself.” He glanced at the groveling, beaten men on the ground and sighed. “Clearly, you passed the test. I was impressed by your self-rescue methods. And your calm expression in the vehicle—it didn’t look like fear or panic, but more like someone who’d gotten on the wrong bus and was waiting to transfer at the next stop. And when you counted your money, it was obvious you were checking if you had enough cash. You’re truly an extraordinary kid! In short, you’re composed and qualified. You passed with flying colors.”

I smiled wryly. “Thank you.”

Uncle Zhao said, “Alright, Long Ling, welcome to Jinlong Academy.” Everyone, including him, burst into enthusiastic applause, though I felt a bit strange.

I stepped into this unusual academy and found the campus bustling with people. Many freshmen were accompanied by parents or teachers, wandering about or searching for their dorms. I went to the information desk to ask about my dorm, but the attendant said I hadn’t officially registered yet and therefore hadn’t been assigned a room. To register, I needed to visit the finance or education office to pay tuition and submit paperwork. But the attendant said I should see the principal to register. What was going on?

Never mind. I decided to look around since I hadn’t planned to enroll anyway. The campus was quite large, much bigger than my old high school. I never imagined such a place still existed in this world.

“Hey, Wei Wei Long!” a voice suddenly called out. I shuddered and turned around to see a beautiful girl running toward me. I recognized her immediately.

“Xinyue,” I said. She looked exactly like her in the game.

“Heh, are you here to enroll too?” Xinyue asked as she caught her breath.

“Yes. Xinyue, you too?” I replied.

“Yeah, but please call me Xu Xiatian. Xiatian is my real name; Xinyue is just my gaming handle. Wei Wei Long, what’s your real name?”

“I’m Long Ling,” I said, though that was just my alias. Xiatian smiled and said, “Come on, I’ll treat you to a welcome meal.”

Before I could respond, she dragged me to the cafeteria. The dining hall was interesting—though modest from the outside, inside it was clean, tidy, and surprisingly elegant. With carpets and wallpaper, it could easily be the lobby of a five-star hotel.

While we ate, Xiatian asked, “Long Ling, what are your plans after enrolling?”

I swallowed and said, “How do you know I’m definitely enrolling?”

Xiatian laughed, “Why wouldn’t you? Don’t you want to see Huanyue?”

“Ah! You mean Huanyue is here?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes,” she said. “She joined just a week ago. She’s now the vice president of the student council and a big name on campus. There are plenty of people chasing after her.”

“What does that have to do with me?” I asked.

“Why nothing? Didn’t you say Huanyue was the only girl you’d ever pursue?” Xiatian teased.

I was shocked, “How do you know that?”

“Secret,” she smiled. “Want me to take you to her?”

I hesitated, but Xiatian didn’t give me a chance to think. Dropping her chopsticks, she pulled me along. We arrived at the sports field, where three girls were exercising—two playing badminton and one roller skating with remarkable skill. She glided smoothly forward and backward, weaving through obstacles effortlessly, even performing fancy tricks.

As we entered, Xiatian waved and called out, “Xiao Tian! Look who I brought!”

The skater turned her head. My heart tightened and I took a step back—it was Huanyue, the girl I’d met half a month ago. She was still stunningly beautiful. I felt unworthy of her.

Huanyue skated over and, noticing my blush, said before I could speak, “Long Ling, you’re here too?”

I nodded. She reached out her hand as if to shake mine. My heart pounded wildly, nearly bursting from my chest.

Then Xiatian mischievously gave Huanyue a gentle push from behind. Huanyue stumbled and fell into my arms. My face turned as red as an apple, utterly lost for words. Huanyue quickly stood up and scolded Xiatian, “Xiatian, you’re so naughty!” Her cheeks were also flushed.

Xiatian said, “I didn’t do anything! You just lost your balance, didn’t you, Long Ling?”

“I…” I was speechless.

Xiatian added, “I have to go now. I won’t disturb you two. Bye!” She sprinted off. The two badminton players had also vanished, leaving only Huanyue and me alone on the sports field.