The Hecheng Society was still processing the patent, so Gu Ya didn't need to worry about it for the time being.
Two days later, Gu Ya finally ushered in the most important exam of his life: the formal mecha master assessment.
All third-year students were gathered on the combat field.
The first part of the assessment was practical.
For most students, the practical assessment wasn't particularly difficult.
Controlling the mecha to smoothly perform a few prescribed movements was generally enough to pass.
To aim for a high score, one could choose to perform more challenging maneuvers, such as a quick recovery and dash after a roll, or a mid-dash body rotation.
After the practical assessment, without waiting, they would proceed directly to the written exam.
The written exam would be followed by the mecha maintenance test.
These three sections were considered normal tests, and most students could handle them.
However, after the mecha maintenance assessment came the most crucial part of the annual evaluation, the most anticipated, and the most controversial exam among students.
The Perception Assessment.
This assessment didn't care about scores, effort, or connections; there was no room for resistance.
It was all about luck.
In previous years, diligent and hardworking elites had failed the assessment.
Conversely, lazy slackers had achieved excellent scores and were directly admitted with special consideration.
For over a hundred years since the mecha master assessment began, the perception exam had been criticized and cursed by students, yet it remained in practice.
Many had speculated about its principles and reasons, but the Mecha Master Assessment Committee and even higher authorities had never publicly disclosed any information.
Only a very small number of those in power knew the reasons, and they had all chosen to remain silent.
Faced with mandatory enforcement, the students could only accept it with resignation.
All students in the grade were gathered on the sports field, divided into five teams, queuing to enter the giant flying saucer-shaped instrument in front of them.
Gu Ya caught up with Liu Feng halfway and patted his shoulder, asking, "How did you do in the previous few exams?"
Liu Feng's expression was a bit dejected. "I messed up the written exam, but the others were okay."
Gu Ya encouraged him, "It's fine. Remember what Instructor Wu said, you can definitely do well in this one!"
Liu Feng nodded solemnly after hearing Gu Ya's words.
The two of them hurried to the sports field and lined up behind the same queue.
At this moment, the proctor's voice came through the loudspeaker: "There are changes to this year's exam regulations. I will state the exam details, and new students pay attention!"
"First, once you enter the instrument alone, you must stand in the designated position and not move erratically!"
"Second..."
...
"Here are the passing standards: Students entering the instrument, time will be counted from the moment the instrument door automatically closes until it automatically opens. A duration of 10 to 12 minutes is considered passing. A duration of 12 to 15 minutes is excellent!"
"To achieve passing or excellent status, your scores in the first three exams must also be passing. Only then can you become a formal mecha master!"
"Students exceeding 16 minutes will be directly admitted with special consideration!"
As expected, the new students let out a wave of grumbling.
Based on past experience, only about one-fifth of students could pass, and excellent students were even rarer.
In the past decade, this school had only produced 28 excellent students.
"Who do you think will be an excellent student this year?"
"It's hard to say. That slacker from last year's F class, who never attended classes, just took the perception test and got excellent, with special admission."
"The year before last, an elite student was full of confidence before the exam, but his perception score was only four minutes."
"What about Shao Yang and Gu Ya? They're the strongest in combat."
"Tsk, what's the use of being the strongest in combat? If your perception isn't good, you'll never become a formal mecha master."
The students' idle chatter reached Gu Ya's ears from behind. They were right; this section was entirely a test of luck.
Even if Gu Ya knew the method, he might not truly pass.
It was like the world's first tightrope walker, who walked for 30 years, only to fall in the end.
Liu Feng also looked a bit melancholy and said, "Perhaps this is just fate."
Gu Ya smiled and said, "You're so young, talking about fate. Don't worry, you can do it."
Liu Feng lowered his head, his expression deepening.
"Failed! Next!" the proctor shouted from inside the testing instrument.
Inside the instrument, a girl emerged, panting heavily, head bowed, her expression terrified. She leaned on the wall as she walked out slowly and was escorted to the rest area by two invigilators.
Immediately after, a boy walked into the instrument. The door opened less than a minute later, and the boy stumbled out, leaning on the wall, his legs weak and unable to walk.
"Failed! Next!" the proctor shouted expressionlessly.
The third boy went in. Similarly, the door opened in less than five minutes. The boy knelt on the ground, with a pool of vomit at his feet.
After that, over a dozen students failed, each looking more distressed than the last, as if they had endured inhuman torture inside.
"Failed! Next." The proctor continued to shout expressionlessly.
A girl in front entered the instrument. The next person was Liu Feng.
He nervously rubbed his hands, took deep breaths, and muttered words of encouragement to himself.
"Failed!" the proctor's voice came again.
Inside the instrument, the girl was completely terrified and collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably. She was quickly taken away by medical staff.
Gu Ya patted his shoulder and said, "Good luck!"
Liu Feng took one last deep breath, nodded at Gu Ya, and walked into the instrument.
The moment the instrument door closed, Gu Ya's heart began to race.
Next, it would be his turn.
Gu Ya kept Instructor Wu's words in mind. He didn't suppress his nervous emotions; instead, he indulged them, letting them run wild.
He allowed his subconscious to guide his body, his id to dominate his consciousness, and his ego and superego to recede for the time being.
Time stretched on, three minutes, five minutes, nine minutes.
The instrument door had not yet opened, and the ten-minute mark was fast approaching.
Even the proctor became interested, looking up at the instrument with a barely perceptible smile.
The students below became more vocal. No one had expected Liu Feng from class F to have such a level of performance.
Finally, the instrument door opened, and Liu Feng emerged slowly, leaning on the wall, a look of regret on his face. 138 Reading Network.
He glanced at Gu Ya. Before he could reveal anything, he was escorted away by two teachers.
"Haha, exactly twelve minutes. Excellent!" The proctor smiled.
The students behind Gu Ya were instantly shocked, and even students from other queues turned to look in surprise.
"Liu Feng is excellent? I wouldn't believe it if you killed me!"
"It's true, miracles always come from class F."
"Maybe I should enroll my brother in class F!"
"Quiet down in the back! Maintain order in the exam hall! Next!" The proctor looked at Gu Ya.
Gu Ya took a deep breath, his gaze calm, his muscles relaxed, and he steadily walked up the steps and into the instrument.
Standing within the designated area marked by a yellow circle, Gu Ya looked up and scanned his surroundings.
It was a metal, arched inner chamber, very bright, with technological patterns covering all four walls.
That was all.
Suddenly, the door behind him closed heavily.
The previously bright inner chamber instantly plunged into darkness, with no trace of light. Even waving a finger in front of his eyes revealed nothing.
Gradually, Gu Ya felt his body being pulled and twisted by some force.
Gu Ya didn't resist, instead allowing this force to reshape his body.
It was as if he had fallen into a black hole, his thoughts spinning at lightning speed, countless formulas and memories flashing through his mind.
He felt his body being flattened into a plane with a thickness infinitely close to two dimensions, then twisted into a line as narrow as a molecule, and finally collapsing into a singularity.
Perhaps only a second had passed, but it felt as eternal as an eon.
Suddenly, a soft, dim yellow light illuminated the inner chamber.
A scene appeared before Gu Ya.