Student loans, 20% off.
What the Dimensional Audience originally perceived as a fiercely competitive Heavenly Martial Arts Training Base suddenly gained an inexplicable commercial atmosphere.
With just a glance, they saw the traps lurking within.
'It seems the acquisition of Heavenly Martial Coins is definitely not as simple as imagined.'
'While the ranking competition rules don't seem intense right now, the consequences of overspending by overestimating one's strength surely won't be easy.'
'I'm curious what happened to those who couldn't repay their student loans later on.'
It wasn't just the Dimensional Audience at Site 13; the people in the Stars World also recognized the sinister implications of these student loans.
However, knowing is often one thing; resisting temptation is another.
[Heavenly Martial Arts Kirin Tower Central Plaza]
"Alright, everyone, I've said just about everything I needed to say."
"For the next month, the Training Base will not conduct any form of assessment on you. Feel free to explore."
"Based on your performance in this qualification trial and your respective background information, the Base has temporarily assigned you to a specific area."
As the manager spoke, the otter-like administrator suddenly waved its paw.
The next second, a holographic list unfolded behind it like a giant electronic screen.
The four golden characters, 'Heaven, Earth, Profound, Yellow' (Tian, Di, Xuan, Huang), floated at the top of the list. Below them were densely listed names of the students and their corresponding activity zones.
To ensure students clearly knew their boundaries, the four zones were color-coded: Heaven-grade was dazzling gold, Earth-grade was steady blue, Profound-grade was gentle green, and Yellow-grade was the most basic grey.
Following the list, Chen Kong quickly found the names of his companions.
Liu Ma's name was in the mid-section of the Earth-grade list, while Vivian and Isabelle's names were in the Profound-grade list.
Isabelle frowned at this, clearly dissatisfied with the 'Profound-grade' ranking.
However, Chen Kong had the worst ranking. Because he had lost his Tear of the Stars early in the qualification assessment and only regained it at the last moment, his rank in the assessment was very low.
He was ultimately placed in the 'Yellow-grade.'
Yet, many people were unhappy with the list, and some expressed it directly.
"This list has a problem, doesn't it?"
A cold voice suppressing anger suddenly shattered the plaza's calm.
In a moment, a man in a black combat suit stepped out of the crowd, facing the small otter-like administrator. He was tall, with defined muscle lines on his arms, exuding the pressure of a Third-Tier Star Envoy.
Bai Chu looked down at the otter manager and asked with a cold face: "I am a Third-Tier Star Envoy, and my ranking in the qualification trial was not low, so why was I assigned to Yellow-grade?! What exactly is your standard for judgment?"
The otter manager shook the pointer in its paw, maintaining its perpetually smiling demeanor.
"Student, the standard of our Training Base is quite simple, oh."
"Talent, potential, and current actual strength. This potential grade is determined after a comprehensive assessment of these factors."
"Comprehensive assessment?"
Bai Chu sneered. He suddenly raised his hand and pointed at Isabelle in the crowd.
"What about her? I saw her attack in the qualification trial; she's only a Second-Tier Star Envoy. Why can she enter the Profound-grade, yet I am in Yellow-grade?"
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Isabelle. These gazes included curiosity and amusement.
Some Earth-grade and Heaven-grade students looked on with disdain, as they simply didn't care about such trivial matters.
The 'focus of attention,' Isabelle, suddenly turned cold. Pale blue Star Energy silently condensed at her fingertips. She took a step forward, directly confronting Bai Chu.
Bai Chu showed no fear either.
In an instant, the atmosphere between the two became tense and aggressive.
Fortunately, the otter manager spoke at this moment, interrupting their standoff.
"Student, if you have any dissatisfaction with the evaluation grade of this Base, you are free to demonstrate your abilities as much as possible during this month-long adaptation period. After all, the potential grade in this Base can be upgraded."
Saying this, the otter manager pointed to the 'Upgrade Rules' in the corner of the holographic list behind him. "As long as you complete specified tasks or reach corresponding floors in the tower climb, you can upgrade your zone access. However, oh,"
The otter manager's tone shifted, its round eyes sweeping over Bai Chu, and it said meaningfully, "I must remind you that the training content in this Base is a bit different from the outside world."
"Unless you can, like some 'special students,' clear the high floors of the tower on your own, then based on your current condition, I do not think you can change the Base's evaluation of you."
This statement seemed like a reminder but was actually implying to Bai Chu that while he was a Third-Tier Star Envoy, his potential wasn't sufficient. When it came to solo challenges, he might not go as far as a 'potential stock' like Isabelle.
Bai Chu clearly heard the 'contempt' in the otter's words.
But facing a being that looked cute yet was actually a disaster-level entity, raising a rational objection to the rules was the most he could do. If he spoke further, the disaster-level otter manager might not be so patient.
Therefore, after giving Isabelle a deep look, Bai Chu turned and walked back into the crowd, the Star Energy fluctuations around him growing more volatile.
Having resolved this minor interlude, the otter manager clapped its paws to draw everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone. As I just said, the next month is your adaptation period, and you are free to explore the Base."
"But be warned, oh, zone access is regulated. Heaven-grade students can freely enter all other zones. Earth-grade can enter Profound and Yellow. Profound-grade can only enter Yellow. And Yellow-grade students... can only move within their own zone, oh."
"After all, people are simply not all the same."
The otter manager deliberately dragged out its tone, a flash of shrewdness in its eyes.
"I wish you all a fun time at the Base~"
With that, the otter manager vanished before their eyes.
With the otter manager gone, a portion of the solo players immediately began moving, entering their corresponding zones to start exploring. Those who knew each other first gathered together.
But among these people, one person's vicinity was very strange.
That was Tendo.
Under the curious gaze of Chen Kong and the others, after Tendo spoke a few words to Caroline, Caroline immediately took out her wristband and approached certain students one by one, collecting the 'Heavenly Martial Coins' owed to them.
It gave a strong sense of a beautiful housekeeper helping a great landlord harvest the 'leeks' within his territory.
And among those forced to hand over a portion of their Heavenly Martial Coins to Caroline were, conspicuously, some Heaven-grade students.