After completing the freshman registration procedures, the next place Lin Zichen had to go was the dormitory.

At the registration desk, the senior brothers and sisters all scrambled to escort him in order to get closer to him.

In the end, a senior sister with wavy golden hair overpowered everyone else and won the right to lead him to the dormitory.

This senior sister’s looks were decent, at least 7 out of 10.

Her most outstanding trait was her figure—voluptuous and sexy to the point it could drive someone to crime.

All the way, this senior sister deliberately showcased her charm in front of Lin Zichen, wanting to catch his attention.

However, Lin Zichen did not take the bait at all and completely ignored her proud curves.

“By the way, Junior Brother Zichen, there’s a Student Combat Power Ranking up ahead at Sunrise Square, do you want to go take a look?”

As they walked through a forest path, the senior sister pointed toward a square ahead with a smile.

Lin Zichen was quite interested in the ranking, so he smiled back and said, “Sure, let’s go take a look, thanks for guiding me.”

“Not at all, not at all, it’s my honor to lead such a handsome junior.”

The senior sister lowered her stance, her smile and tone all geared toward pleasing Lin Zichen.

Soon, the two arrived before the so-called Combat Power Ranking.

There were two rankings: the Peak Ranking and the Freshman Ranking.

The Peak Ranking was for the whole school, with 500 names.

The Freshman Ranking was only for new students, limited to 100 names.

Lin Zichen glanced at both lists. The Peak Ranking was crammed with 500 names, while the Freshman Ranking was empty.

After all, it was only the start of term, the freshmen hadn’t fought each other yet, so there was nothing to rank.

As for using college entrance exam results to rank them, the school found it unnecessary—since they were in university now, only current strength mattered.

Lin Zichen scanned the Peak Ranking quickly.

The top 3 were Advanced Powerhouses: 1st and 2nd were Evolution Students, 3rd was a Mechanical Student, all were fourth-year seniors.

From 4th to 108th were Biological Level 9, all Evolution and Mechanical Students.

From 109th to 500th were Biological Level 8, mostly Evolution and Mechanical Students.

The reason it was “mostly” was because three Martial Arts Students made the list.

All three were fourth-years from the Martial Arts Academy, awkwardly ranked at 389th, 453rd and 498th.

For these three pureblood humans to rank this high was already a glory for Martial Arts.

Still, only three out of 500—such a disparity was staggering.

It showed just how weak pureblood humans were compared to Gene Fusers and Cyborgs.

“Junior Brother Zichen, those three Martial Arts Students on the Peak Ranking are also members of the Celestial Pavilion like you.”

To keep the conversation going, the senior sister introduced them.

She went on, “Their exam scores were high enough for the Evolution Academy, but since they believed in the pureblood path, they joined the Celestial Pavilion under Dean Liu’s recruitment. If not for that conviction, with their current physical strength, they would have already switched to Evolution Academy, embraced Gene Fusion and wouldn’t be grinding away in the Martial Arts Academy where there’s almost no future.

Isn’t Gene Fusion the better path? With an Aberrant Beast gene, just one fusion and you grow stronger—the effort needed is far less than the pureblood path. I really admire those three.”

Did she? In truth, she didn’t admire them at all, she thought they were foolish. She only said that to please Lin Zichen.

If it were her, she would’ve transferred to Evolution Academy without hesitation, become a Gene Fuser with a bright future.

It wasn’t her fault for thinking so—Martial Arts Students were really discriminated against, their lives miserable.

Though they shared the same inner campus with Evolution and Mechanical Students, many Martial Arts Students graduated worse off than cultural and arts students from the outer campus.

Unless, later on, they transferred into Evolution Academy or Mechanical Academy to change their fate.

Adaptability to Gene Fusion or Mechanical Modification could be improved through training, but only slightly.

Simply put—90% talent, 10% effort.

In the Martial Arts Academy, students trained for four years and maybe only 10% could raise their adaptability enough to qualify for Gene Fusion or Mechanical Modification.

90% of Martial Arts Students enrolled hoping to defy fate, treating it like a second college entrance exam.

The other 10% were either academic underachievers with decent physical scores forced into Martial Arts, or the rare few who sincerely believed in the pureblood path like members of the Celestial Pavilion.

“Junior Brother Zichen, with your talent, you’ll definitely break records and reach the top 5 of the Peak Ranking as a pureblood human!”

After explaining, she brought the focus back to him, hoping to win his favor.

Hearing “break records,” Lin Zichen asked curiously, “Senior Sister, what’s the record?”

“6th place.”

She added, “That record was set by a senior named Song Yuyan in her fourth year, right at the start of the semester. But within two months, her rank dropped below 20. Her pureblood path hit a bottleneck, while others kept advancing through Gene Fusion and Mechanical Modification.”

She continued, “Now, she’s a mentor at our Martial Arts Academy and also the Celestial Pavilion’s ace researcher, Dean Liu’s most trusted assistant.”

“6th place on the Peak Ranking?”

Lin Zichen was surprised.

Seeing his face, the senior sister explained, “The reason Mentor Song could reach 6th was because she was the Kyoto exam’s runner-up, with incredible physical talent. But even such a genius, by taking the pureblood path, has been stuck at Biological Level 9 for nearly ten years.

She became the example of talent wasted, often cited as a cautionary tale. Every time I hear her called a cautionary tale, I get angry. They don’t understand her sacrifice. If someday the pureblood path shines, Mentor Song will be the pioneer. How could mediocrities compare?”

Then she flattered again, “Junior Brother Zichen, with you in the Celestial Pavilion, the pureblood path will surely shine!”

She thought Lin Zichen would be moved, but he only replied lightly, “Hearing you say that, Mentor Song does sound great.”

His flat tone disappointed her.

The two then left Sunrise Square and headed to the dormitory.

With her guidance, Lin Zichen soon arrived at his dorm.

It was a small single room with a bedroom, bathroom and balcony. Nothing else.

“Wow, this is the best dorm in Martial Arts Academy? The exam runner-up treatment is great—you get a whole dorm to yourself. So enviable. Living here, you wouldn’t need a hotel for a girlfriend, just bring her back. Saves a lot.”

The senior sister looked around enviously.

Then, sweating a little, she tugged her neckline wide to show her cleavage and hinted, “Junior Brother Zichen, it was hot walking here… can I shower in your place?”

Lin Zichen skipped the question, smiling instead, “Senior Sister, thanks for guiding me. There’s a milk tea shop opposite the dorm. As thanks, let me buy you one.”

“That works.”

Realizing she couldn’t seduce him, she backed down and went for milk tea instead. Better not push too hard.

At the milk tea shop opposite, Lin Zichen spent thirty yuan buying her a cup with full toppings.

With that obligation repaid, he quickly finished his own cup and returned to his dorm despite her urging him to stay.

Back in his dorm, he got a WeChat message from Shen Qinghan.

Opening it, he saw many photos of her dorm, saying Vice Principal Yuan Dongzhi had arranged it for her.

One glance and his mood soured—her dorm was a luxurious apartment, with a training room, big living room, big balcony, large bathroom, even a bathtub.

His single room felt like a kennel in comparison.

[Hanhan: Xiao Chen, did you get to your dorm?]

[Zichen: Yes.]

[Hanhan: Quick, send me photos of your dorm!]

[Zichen: …]

Lin Zichen replied with ellipses, then recorded a video of his little single dorm and sent it to her.

After watching, Shen Qinghan was surprised—it looked shabby compared to hers, like a hut versus a palace.

[Hanhan: Yours is too small, why don’t you move in with me? The bed here is bigger than at home.]

[Zichen: Move? Of course I’ll move!]

[Hanhan: Where’s your dorm? I’ll come help with luggage.]

[Zichen: I don’t have much. Just tell me your dorm address.]

[Hanhan: Okay. I’m in Zhongyuan Building 8, Room 603, near the inner campus entrance.]

[Zichen: Got it. I’m on my way.]

No hesitation—he packed and left.

Who wouldn’t move into a luxury apartment?

* * *

Zhongyuan Building 8 was a luxury dormitory built by Evolution Academy to recruit exam prodigies.

At the entrance stood two statues—on the left a dragon soaring through clouds, on the right a phoenix dancing gracefully.

Grand and magnificent.

Lin Zichen looked at them and felt uneasy—compared to this, his “kennel” dorm in Martial Arts Academy was pathetic.

And that was supposed to be the Academy’s best dorm.

He began to doubt if Dean Liu Chuanwu could fulfill his promise of triple benefits, especially in evolutionary resources like Aberrant Beast meat, exotic fruits and vitality pills.

Shaking his head, he didn’t dwell on it.

He took the elevator to Room 603 and messaged Shen Qinghan.

Within a second, the door opened.

Shen Qinghan, in a dress, stood tall and smiled, “Xiao Chen, come in, the aircon is on—it’s super cool.”

Dragging his luggage in, he looked around—spacious and spotless. Clearly cleaned before she moved in.

“This dorm is so luxurious and clean. Your master actually takes good care of you.”

“I think so too, Master really is kind to me.” Shen Qinghan smiled sweetly.

After chatting a bit, they unpacked together. Towels, toothbrush, slippers all arranged neatly.

“Xiao Chen, from now on this will be our home. With no parents around, even if we ran around naked, no one would care.”

Lin Zichen groaned, “Running naked? Don’t be too outrageous.”

“Oh please, I was exaggerating!” she said helplessly.

Then she walked to the bathroom, saying, “I got sweaty earlier, need a shower.”

Seeing she brought no clothes, Lin Zichen teased, “So you’ll come out naked?”

“I’m too lazy to go back out. Bring me something later!”

She already treated him as her husband.

Soon, her singing came from the bathroom.

Lin Zichen sat, took out the student handbook and skimmed.

It had two sections: school features and rules.

He read fast, stopping at credits.

At Shanhai University, credits were like contribution points in sect novels, exchangeable for evolutionary resources.

The handbook said the school app had a mall for exchanges.

Downloading quickly, he logged in.

Opening the mall, he saw Aberrant Beast meat, Aberrant Beast gene reagents, exotic fruits, mechanical parts, advanced weapons—rare items you couldn’t buy outside.

‘All good stuff.’

His eyes gleamed, though as a freshman with zero credits, he could only look.

How to earn credits?

He read further: three methods.

Rank on Peak or Freshman Rankings—monthly credit rewards.
Complete school tasks for credits.
Represent the school in competitions—earn credits for good results.

So, no need to worry about money for Aberrant Beast meat—just focus on earning credits.

While thinking, Shen Qinghan’s voice called from the bathroom, “Xiao Chen, I’m done, bring me a dress—no underwear needed!”

She always skipped underwear right after showers, letting herself dry.

“Alright, coming!”

He grabbed a dress, entered and saw her soaking in the tub, shoulders white and smooth, cheeks flushed, breathtaking.

He hung the dress and turned to leave.

“Xiao Chen, soaking feels so good, want to join?”

Afraid he’d refuse, she added, “Such a big tub, wasteful for one person.”

She made it clear—if he refused, he’d seem impolite.

“Alright.”

He stripped, rinsed and joined her, unfazed.

Soon they sat facing each other in the tub.

“By the way, I learned back-scrubbing online—want to try?”

“Okay,” she said softly, turning her back to him.

It was his first time, but his technique was skillful, like an expert.

[You are scrubbing Shen Qinghan’s back, hand dexterity +1, back-scrubbing proficiency +1]

* * *

“Strange, the videos show dirt comes off easily, but I can’t get any from you.”

After ten minutes, not a speck.

Shen Qinghan said proudly, “Of course, because I’m clean.”

“Still, this defies logic. Must be your water attribute physique.”

“Probably,” she nodded.

From childhood, she never scrubbed off dirt—her body was naturally clean.

Lin Zichen admired, “You really have a divine physique, never dirty, even sweat smells sweet.”

“Jealous?”

“Of course,” he admitted.

She smiled and said, “Little Lin, now it’s my turn to scrub you.”

“Alright, let me see your technique.”

He started turning, but she said, “No need to turn around.”

“?”

Lin Zichen thought she’d scrub his back—but she had something else in mind.