[This round uses behavioral participation scoring—no answer sheets, no standard answers. In addition to the base score, there are opportunities for extra points, as well as penalties for deductions.]

[When this exam concludes, groups with a combined score ranking of C will need to retake the exam, while those ranked D will be eliminated collectively.]

[The initial scores for each group of examinees are now announced as follows.]

Clang, clang, clang, clang— A sharp, rhythmic hammering of stone echoed simultaneously throughout the vast cavern and outside. In the blink of an eye, the names of the 18 groups of examinees appeared on the smooth stone surface above the Arctic Rabbit’s head.

Those names were paired in twos, with a long bar next to them indicating their combined score.

The higher the score, the higher the rank, and the longer the bar.

The entire ranking was listed from highest to lowest based on the scores.

You Huo glanced at it. The pair at the very top of the ranking had a combined score of 42.

Then came groups scoring 40 points, 39.5 points, 35 points…

Descending in order.

They spotted Shu Xue’s name near the lower-middle section of the rankings. She was grouped with another examinee named Wu Li, and the two had a combined score of 26 points, currently ranking 12th with a provisional grade of C.

Aside from this, no other familiar names were found.

Yu Wen and his son really weren’t in this exam hall, but thinking optimistically, perhaps the ones they ran into were the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.

As for You Huo, Qin Jiu…

These two grand names remained dignified and steady, sinking to the second-to-last position.

Examiner No. 001 didn’t gain points but lost them instead, single-handedly dragging the team’s total score down to 17.25, stubbornly holding onto the D-level ranking, unshaken by wind or rain.

You Huo’s face was colder than an Arctic hare.

Qin Jiu met his gaze and spread his hands, saying, “Thanks to the top student for helping out, preventing me from firmly holding the last place. I’ve decided to behave well and try to bring you some face.”

You Huo: “…”

Even the system, that dead rabbit, couldn’t stand to hear such shameless words.

The system’s voice mercilessly cut him off:

【Scores are updated in real time. If you have any questions unrelated to exam answers, you may inquire with the current proctors 154, 922, 078, or 021.】

When You Huo heard 154 and 922, he glanced at Qin Jiu.

“Since we’re both proctors, why do you look so pleased when you hear about 154 and 922?” Qin Jiu asked.

“…What kind of nonsense are you seeing with those eyes of yours?”

As they spoke, the dead rabbit spoke again:

[This examination now officially begins. Now playing the examination topic.]

[In the winter of 1597, three Dutch merchant ships were trapped in the frozen sea while passing through Russia and temporarily docked on an unnamed deserted island, waiting for the long winter to pass. This is their eighth month of living here. There are 15 days left until the end of winter and the thawing of the sea. Examinees in each group are requested to help all personnel of the merchant fleet return safely.]

[Topic requirement: Not a single crew member may be allowed to die; otherwise, the examinees of the group ranked last at 0:00 on that day will bear the responsibility for the death.]

If the number of deaths on a given day exceeds two people, it will be postponed to the next day, with the examinees in the last-ranked group at 0:00 on that day still assuming the death responsibility, and so on, until it covers the number of dead crew members.

Assume death responsibility?

How would they assume it? By substituting for the dead? Or by being buried with them?

You Huo couldn’t help but think of the villagers of Chasu Village, and his expression darkened again.

Suddenly, he felt two taps on the back of his hand.

You Huo lowered his gaze and saw it was Qin Jiu’s finger.

“Don’t look at my hand, look over at the cave entrance,” Qin Jiu said, raising a finger to point.

You Huo glanced over and saw someone poking their head out of the cave entrance.

Those men were dressed in medieval-style thick gray cloth garments, wearing brown woolen vests, and some even had filthy animal hides draped around them. By their appearance, they all seemed to be foreigners.

They were emaciated, their expressions dull and lifeless, slowly carrying several people as they walked out.

“What’s going on?”

You Huo watched as those people were carried out, and his heart sank.

Those individuals had their eyes tightly shut, their faces ashen and utterly devoid of life. Two of them were already stiff…

The person in charge seemed to understand a bit of Chinese. His gaze drifted vacantly before slowly turning toward You Huo and Qin Jiu. In extremely broken Chinese, he said, “Dead… sailors.”

Qin Jiu’s voice drifted softly from the side, “This is a bit bad—8 sailors died right at the start.”

The last-place group wasn’t even enough to fill the vacancies, and soon it would be their turn—the second-to-last group.