Meng Zhengjun casually hummed and slowly nodded.
She was about to repeat the announcement and add a name when suddenly, her movement halted.
From the crowd below the stage, another group was intentionally parted.
A member of the Justice Hall, familiar to Zhao Rong, stepped forward, ascended the stage, and stood behind Zhao Rong and Gu Yiwu.
The new student mustered his courage and said, "Count, count me in, Justice Hall, Long Yuqi."
Under the unwavering gaze of the stern woman, his voice trembled slightly, but his expression was one of firm resolve.
Meng Zhengjun’s slightly open mouth slowly closed as she fixed her gaze on the three before her.
The student named Long Yuqi from Justice Hall caught Zhao Rong and Gu Yiwu looking back and flashed a smile that seemed strained, "Boss. Mr. Zhao."
The previously cheerful Gu Yiwu was now somewhat frantic, not concerned about the occasion, he whispered harshly, "Idiot, what are you doing up here? Get down quickly!"
If not for everyone watching, he would have kicked him.
Zhao Rong said earnestly, "Get down quickly!"
Long Yuqi shook his head, and the next second, he laughed again, gesturing with his chin towards the direction of the crowd below the stage.
Zhao Rong and Gu Yiwu turned their heads.
The students who had been silent and retreated under Meng Zhengjun’s oppression
This time, it wasn’t just one spot.
The crowd made way, creating multiple paths.
Three people... Four people! And more behind...
One by one, the students silently stepped forward, too numerous to count.
It rendered the onlooking students wide-eyed and dazzled, unable to discern each individual.
But still, some "patterns" were noticed by the crowd.
It seemed that they were all...
"Count me in, Justice Hall, Wang Chengmei."
"Count me in, Justice Hall, Li Xinfa."
"Count me in, Justice Hall, Qi Xiaojin."
"Count me in, Justice Hall, Shi Junyi."
Once a student started, they were soon inundated with responses.
The names of Justice Hall students filled the entire venue.
They were either looking down silently at the ground or standing tall and chest out, or showing indifferent expressions.
No matter their demeanor, their strides were firm, not stopping for a moment.
These Justice Hall students ascended the steps one after another, standing behind Zhao Rong and Gu Yiwu, gradually filling the previously empty and lonely stage.
The low murmurs that had instinctively risen from the crowd below, because someone dared to go up, became wave after wave of sound due to a ceaseless stream of people joining the stage, like the tide hitting the beach on a full moon night, growing ever higher.
Until... the whole venue was abuzz.
Rustling, rustling————!
In the open space in front of the Ritual Hall, students from the Six Halls, not missing an entire hall—the one-sixth of the people in the venue were now all on stage—students from the other Five Halls, regardless of their previous thoughts, were almost all staring wide-eyed.
Their ears were filled with one name after another being called out, as if in a relay that never ended.
The students fixed their stare on the figures on the stairs.
Particularly at Zhao Rong at the very front.
However, at that moment, Zhao Rong, with knitted brows and pursed lips, appeared somewhat helpless.
Gu Yiwu, standing next to him, was covered in metaphorical black lines.
This burly man looked around at all the Justice Hall students behind him with frustration, feeling a surge of anger that he could not vent.
Good grief, before coming to the assembly on the field, he had repeatedly emphasized, telling them to play low-key, act transparent, not to give Meng Zhengjun anything to grab onto.
But now, damn it all, they had all come up to throw it in his face.
Gu Yiwu was almost afraid to look at Meng Zhengjun’s face not far away.
He guessed it might be even darker than his own.
But soon enough, seeing the resolute eyes of his fellow students from his hall, Gu Yiwu’s tightly drawn, severe face couldn’t hold its stern look.
He sighed and shook his head, then his smile faded and he tacitly accepted the situation, looking calmly at Zhao Rong.
The two of them glanced at each other, then both looked towards a solemn woman with fine lines on her face.
Although Meng Zhengjun kept a straight face, a careful observer would notice that she had been growing increasingly unsightly and grim since the beginning.
Until now, it was as dark as still water.
Yet Meng Zhengjun did not move, showing no signs of reaction, because it seemed someone else was coming up.
"Ah, count me in, Shuaixing Hall, Fan Yushu,"
Fan Yushu appeared dejected.
But soon, as if realizing something, his expression changed, and he revealed the "extremely handsome" smile he had once emphasized to Zhao Rong, winking at him.
"Count, count me in, Shuaixing Hall, Jia Tengying,"
Jia Tengying said in a muffled voice, not daring to look at Meng Zhengjun as he lowered his head and went up the stage.
The two of them stood behind Zhao Rong.
Meng Zhengjun took a deep breath, her cold eyes flicking, looking back at the audience.
At that moment, there was a brief silence on the field, as if everyone who was supposed to come had arrived.
But the next second, she furrowed her brow...
Wu Peiliang, who had been standing with his arms crossed, coldly observing the ridiculous scene of a certain presumptuous individual,
thinking, the student proctor didn’t seek you out, yet you took it upon yourself to come forward, wanting to prepare for the Great Li enshrinement? Thinking it’s a chance to score high like in a Ritual Skill exam? Heh, Wu certainly did not expect people would jump into such a pit...
And then Wu Peiliang really did have his eyes opened wide.
At that moment, he widened his eyes, his expression stiff as he watched that person go from standing alone on the stage to being backed by dozens of companions.