On the first of August, Chen Chuan arrived at Wuyi University Hall early in the morning, wheeling his bicycle through the campus gates.
Just like last time, he entered through a side gate. Outside, cars would periodically drive in, taking the main road from the front gate directly to the steps of the grand auditorium.
Stepping onto the campus again, he found the paths far more crowded than before. After all, the group that came for the initial entrance exam was only one batch, and all of them had been locals.
In reality, hundreds of thousands of prospective students, both local and from out of town, applied to the university each year. Many of them were admitted to Wuyi through testing centers the university had established in various counties and towns. They accounted for at least half of the incoming student body, a proportion that seemed to be growing annually.
Following a signpost on the side of the path, Chen Chuan, along with numerous other students, arrived in front of the old building where they had taken the exam.
This time, an upperclassman standing in front of the building directed them straight into what had been the Training Ground. There, he registered and filled out a form. After handing it in, he quickly received a reddish-brown student ID.
He opened it and saw the photo he had submitted previously. The ID had his temporary student number on it. With this in hand, he could now confidently tell anyone he was a student at Wuda.
Even though he hadn't passed the re-examination yet, just having this proof in his hands put him in an excellent mood. Just then, he heard a cheer and turned to see another student, ID in hand, shouting in excitement. Chen Chuan understood the feeling completely.
This student ID was like a foot on the first rung of a ladder. It was hard to say how high he could climb, but at least now, there was a path forward.
According to the brochure the university had provided, he knew that with this student ID, he could apply to the School Office for a dormitory room. However, the dorms were only temporary, currently offered to out-of-town students who didn't have a place to stay. After the re-examination, rooms would be reassigned based on test scores.
He had originally planned to move out right away because of his agreement with Nian Fuli. But since his family wasn't pressuring him anymore, and considering he still needed to train with Yu Gang for the next month, moving in now would be inconvenient. For one, the commute would be long, and for another, he'd be under the university's supervision. So, he decided to wait and reconsider after this month's re-examination.
Now, he needed to figure out the specifics of the re-examination.
After leaving the registration area, he saw a sign on the wall by the concrete staircase. It read, "Re-examination Guidance." The other students were all heading up the stairs, so he followed them to the second floor.
Upstairs, the former Training Ground had been divided into cubicles with partitions. Just as he arrived, a student was getting up to leave, so he walked over and took the empty seat. Across from him sat an upperclassman with a gentle face and glasses. He said, "Student, please show me your ID."
Chen Chuan handed over his new student ID. After the upperclassman confirmed it, he asked, "Chen, forgive me for asking, but will you have any difficulty paying the tuition fees?"
Chen Chuan looked at him. "Why do you ask?"
The upperclassman explained, "Well, every year at Wuyi, a number of students from poor families can't afford the tuition. They end up either falling deep into arrears, or they're forced to take out loans or fight in underground rings. In light of this, the student union, with the university's backing, has organized a Mutual Aid Association."
He smiled. "As long as both parties sign an agreement, the Mutual Aid Association provides financial assistance. The student can repay the debt after graduation. This helps students and allows them to focus on their studies without worry."
'It's basically a sponsorship organization.' This was a common practice in the Dashun Republic: providing financial or other forms of assistance to promising individuals or groups in exchange for a return on the investment.
'Though it sounds good on the surface, in most cases, the sponsored party just becomes a tool for the sponsor to exploit for profit. It's best to avoid these things if possible. Besides, as long as I pass the re-examination, tuition won't be an issue.'
He replied politely, "Thank you, but I don't need it for the time being."
The upperclassman smiled and didn't press the issue. Instead, he looked down, rummaged through a stack of manila envelopes, and slid one across the table. "Student, this is the file on the upperclassmen you might face in the re-examination. You can take a look."
Chen Chuan thanked him, opened the envelope, and pulled out five mimeographed sheets. Each sheet corresponded to an upperclassman and contained a general overview of their specialties and preferred techniques.
At this, however, he sensed something was off. He looked up and asked, "Five people?"
The student he would ultimately face would only be one person, yet they'd given him files on five. It would be impossible for a candidate to study all five of them. Even if they wanted to, there wouldn't be enough time for targeted training. Besides, the information in the files was so vague that it was practically useless.
The upperclassman nodded. "That's right, five. The university doesn't just hand out the name of the actual opponent. Candidates are expected to figure it out for themselves. However…"
He gave a slight smile. "If a candidate accepts sponsorship from the Mutual Aid Association, then the association will help analyze which upperclassman you're most likely to face. We can't guarantee it's one-hundred-percent accurate, but the association is full of experienced upperclassmen, and our accuracy rate has always been very high."