After school, Lin Yu went straight home.
The house wasn't big, only about ten square meters, with no kitchen, just a bathroom and a bedroom.
As an orphan who had lived in a welfare institution since childhood, he naturally had no income.
Fortunately, he received a monthly orphan subsidy. This subsidy was only 300 star coins, but if he was frugal, it was barely enough for his basic living expenses.
He sat on a stool and opened his wristband, and a light screen immediately popped up.
The wristband was issued by the state to every citizen, equivalent to a high-end mobile phone.
It didn't need charging; a little sun exposure quickly replenished its power.
At this moment, a notification appeared on the light screen.
【You have a new message.】
Opening the message, a letter popped up.
Click to open and view!
【Student Lin Yu, congratulations on becoming a B-class Awakener.】
【Based on your talent level, you are eligible to receive an Awakener subsidy of 1000 star coins per month. This month's subsidy has been remitted, please check.】
【In three months, university enrollment assessments will be conducted. Please prepare well and register for a corresponding school as soon as possible.】
【We wish you grand ambitions and soaring wings!】
This was a very official email.
Moreover, every Awakener received a similar email with roughly the same content.
However, the subsidies for Awakeners varied by rank; higher-ranked Awakeners received more, and lower-ranked ones received less.
Because humanity faced the danger of invasion from various realms, humans in this era were very united.
In this age of universal awakening, even if a person didn't work, they could barely make ends meet solely on the Awakener subsidy.
However, to live well, to marry and have children, one had to strive and fight.
Awakeners had two main sources of income.
One was income from work, which required joining certain institutions.
For example, teachers in schools, clerical staff in various government agencies and companies, these were professions that did not involve hunting.
These types of jobs offered security, so their income was generally not high.
The other was going out to hunt and accept missions, which required leaving the city for the wilderness. This type of work offered the highest income.
But it was also often more dangerous, with many Awakeners dying in the wilderness each year.
It was thanks to these types of professionals that humanity had managed to establish a foothold in this chaotic era.
He glanced at his bank balance and indeed found an additional 1000 star coins.
Closing the wristband, his stomach rumbled. He quickly went downstairs to buy some food.
After a simple dinner, he browsed the internet for a while to gather some information, then went to bed.
He had to go to school tomorrow.
...
The night passed without incident, and dawn broke.
Chen Fan, who woke up early, washed up and headed to school.
The school was as lively as ever, with students rushing along the road.
He checked the time; class was about to start, so he quickened his pace.
As Lin Yu arrived at the classroom, he heard his classmates' discussions.
"Did you hear? Our class beauty, Zhao Ke, has been admitted early to Chaos Element Academy, one of the ten top universities!"
"SS-class talent, so being admitted is normal."
"That's nothing. You know, the SS-class talent Awakener from the neighboring second high school wasn't admitted early, which shows that our class beauty's talent is even stronger."
"........"
Lin Yu lowered his head and sighed inwardly.
Indeed, people were different.
Some were born with a head start over others.
Students like Zhao Ke, with her talent, were considered darlings of heaven, gifted by fate.
As long as she didn't die, she would at least become a prominent figure in a city.
Her life's path, though filled with hardships, and the dangers she would face were beyond the imagination of others, her future was one to be admired.
For most young people, a brief, brilliant peak was preferable to a mediocre, old age.
However, as people grow older, they become more adaptable and more afraid of death.
That is why it is said that the youth are the main driving force of social progress!
He was genuinely happy for Zhao Ke's admission to Chaos Element Academy.
While his classmates could only envy her, Lin Yu wasn't particularly envious.
With the system's assistance, SS-class talent was not something to be excessively coveted.
His path in life would undoubtedly be different.
Some people aimed to go to more developed cities, hunt more powerful monsters, or even witness the landscapes of other realms.
His goal, however, was the Divine Realm and the Demon Realm, to slay gods and demons, and become the lord of all realms!
At this moment, the class beauty, Zhao Ke, walked in with an icy demeanor.
Upon seeing her, all the discussions immediately quieted down.
Everyone knew Zhao Ke was a cold beauty, serious and aloof, making her difficult to approach.
However, the moment she sat down, her desire to teach kicked in.
She began to lecture Lin Yu again: "Don't be like them, gossiping behind people's backs like shrewish women. That is the behavior of the weak. We should be open and honest, like gentlemen!"
Lin Yu nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, what you said is absolutely right!"
Lin Yu sighed inwardly; he was used to it, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
Lin Yu sometimes felt that it was perhaps his indifferent personality that made Zhao Ke only talk to him incessantly.
Lin Yu asked, "Is it true that you've been accepted into Chaos Element Academy?"
"Mm!"
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you!"
The sudden coldness made Lin Yu a little uncomfortable.
He looked up and saw that their homeroom teacher was already standing on the podium.
No wonder she had returned to her cold, beautiful demeanor; was she afraid the teacher would see her lecturing side?
The homeroom teacher looked at Zhao Ke with satisfaction for a few moments before beginning the lecture.
It was a history lesson, a subject Lin Yu had long been tired of hearing.
"Three hundred years ago, the invasion of the myriad realms!"
"Spiritual energy surged, and countless animals evolved, acquiring incredible abilities!"
"And we humans also gained the ability to create divine altars, through which we ushered in an era of universal awakening."
"However, although we gained extraordinary power, powerful beings from various realms, as well as indigenous evolved monsters, have been relentlessly shrinking humanity's living space!"
"After three hundred years of effort, we have finally established a foothold!"
"But, compared to three hundred years ago when humans were the rulers of Blue Star, we are now merely confined to a corner!"
"Humanity possesses only three hundred cities, occupying less than one-ten-thousandth of the entire world's territory!"
"Monsters and forces from other realms occupy the majority of the regions!"
"..." This is humanity's sorrow, and our shame!"
"In the future, the arduous task of reclaiming lost territory will fall upon your shoulders!"
"I hope that in my lifetime, I can witness humanity return to its peak moment thanks to you teachers!"
"Furthermore, due to the invasion of the myriad realms, our world has become a transit point for these realms, allowing passage to any other world from ours."
"A transit point is a strategically vital location!"
"Therefore, it has led to the appearance of too many otherworldly creatures in our world."
"However, fortunately, powerful beings like gods cannot enter..."
He drifted off, hearing a bit of what the homeroom teacher was saying and ignoring the rest.
He had already learned this knowledge from the original owner's memories.
Not only that, but it was more detailed than what the teacher was explaining.
The invasion of the myriad realms, Blue Star becoming a transit point, thus becoming a contested area.
Countless forces settled on Blue Star, and although gods couldn't enter, they still threatened human survival.
As a result, humanity engaged in countless wars with otherworldly beings.
Therefore, despite their current safety, a war could erupt at any moment.
Even a single city could be directly destroyed!
This sense of crisis, like the Sword of Damocles hanging overhead, filled people with a sense of urgency!
He now desperately wanted to go out and hunt, to upgrade his talent level and combat power as soon as possible. Only by becoming stronger could he alleviate his inner anxiety.
The forty minutes passed agonizingly. Zhao Ke, however, diligently took down all the key points.
Lin Yu looked at his blank notebook and shook his head.
"Alright, class is almost over. I have an announcement."
"Congratulations to our classmate Zhao Ke for being admitted early to Chaos Element Academy, one of the ten top universities. Let's give her a round of applause!"
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Enthusiastic applause erupted.
"Alright, quiet down for a moment. You should all know that after awakening your talents, you need to prepare for university."
"Every university has its unique entrance exam. You should register as soon as possible and prepare yourselves in the coming days."
"I suggest that students with A-class talent consider applying to the top one hundred prestigious universities."
"As for students below A-class, I don't recommend applying to prestigious schools, as it's very difficult to pass the assessment."
"Also, to avoid interfering with your cultivation time, starting from now, we will have a class meeting once a week. Other times, you don't need to come to school; you'll have free time!"
"Alright, that's all I have to say. Class dismissed!"
The homeroom teacher then called Zhao Ke away. After they left, the classroom became lively.
"Besides our class beauty with SS-class talent, only Li Wu has an A-class talent Awakener."
"Sigh, as a C-class talent Awakener, should I go to university or join society?"
"Whatever! Let's focus on cultivation first. We'll figure things out as they come!"
"Yeah, it's best if we get in. If not, we'll find a job!"
"........."
Lin Yu was absent-minded throughout, which was consistent with his usual demeanor.
Zhao Ke was called out by the homeroom teacher again, leaving him with rare quiet around him.
An hour later.
"Ring ring!"
School was dismissed!