PGVCW Extra1

Playing God in Various Catastrophic Worlds

​Extra Chapter 1: The College Entrance Examination and the Sea of Blossoms

​Following the conclusion of the College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), walking through the campus cleared specifically for the testing period, the group could hear a vibrant mosaic of voices echoing around them.

​This examination was undeniably intensely exhilarating, both for the awakening squads and for the ordinary students.

​"Incredible, isn't it? Just a few days ago I was clutching heavy armaments, risking life and limb on the frontlines to defend Blue Star, and today I was dragged into a quiet classroom to take the Gaokao!"

​"That's nothing! On the battlefield, I personally wiped out five invaders without batting an eye, completely cool under pressure. But the moment I picked up that writing pen today, my heart was thumping like crazy!"

​Among the examinees, there were not only sixteen and seventeen-year-old youths, but also many older candidates—people in their twenties, thirties, and even fifties.

​They were awakeners who, in their youth, had set aside their academic pursuits to hurl themselves into battle on the frontlines. Later, plagued by mental pollution, they had been forced to spend years in obscure subterranean sanctuaries recovering in a state of confused trance.

​Xia Wang'an had previously brought back water resources to Blue Star, purifying its polluted environment and restoring clarity to those awakeners trapped in the depths of mental pollution.

​They underwent physical rehabilitation, re-adapted to civil society, and joined the ranks of those resisting the Corrupters.

​Now, with universal peace established across the realm, those who had never sat for the Gaokao received their examination hall passes.

​It was a uniquely profound experience. Ordinary students might dread examinations. But for those veterans who had fought through fields of blood, witnessing untold tears, cruelty, and agonizing loss, being able to sit peacefully inside an examination hall bathed in warm sunlight, completely free from the terror of mutants and corruption—what a blissful grace that was.

​Naturally, if their examination results turned out well, their happiness would be doubly complete.

​"Say, if I tell my family I didn't perform well on the Gaokao because I was too busy saving humanity to review, do you think they'll understand?"

​"It wasn't a waste that I carried a review booklet into the underground shelter! I feel like I aced it, hahahahaha!"

​"You think that's something? When I was slaying invaders on the battlefield, my mind was still frantically reciting review study guides!"

​Listening to the chatter around her, Xia Wang'an subtly lifted her chin with restrained pride.

​"When I was deploying my Dharma Idol to obliterate meteorites, I was also reciting review study guides in my head."

​007 followed suit, proudly raising his head as well: "Me too! While I was slaying Corrupters, I was putting immense effort into memorizing study materials!"

​Having formerly been a non-human entity, he possessed absolute confidence in his academic performance.

​Her companions: [...]

​Qiu Zhuang leaned against Cai Cai: "To be completely honest with you guys, even while sleeping I dreamed that I was studying hard, reviewing with absolute earnestness."

​Lin Ke asked: "Did it help?"

​Qiu Zhuang replied with dead-fish eyes: "The moment I woke up, I forgot every single detail."

​Cai Cai had originally felt quite confident, but after stepping out of the hall, she began to doubt whether she had truly secured a stellar score.

​She could hardly conceal her envy: "It's still Yuan Ning and Lux who have it best—one passed the exam years ago, and the other is illiterate so he doesn't even have to take it."

​Just as she spoke, she spotted Yuan Ning standing up ahead.

​The young man was dressed in civilian attire—a simple white shirt pressed impeccably crisp and smooth, his hair obviously styled with care. Just standing there, a refreshing and dignified aura radiated from him.

​In his hands, he held a vibrant bouquet of flowers. Blossoms of every color competed in glorious bloom, layered in deep and soft hues, bursting with vital life.

​Cai Cai gasped in pleasant surprise, tugging Xia Wang'an and pointing toward Yuan Ning: "Look! Yuan Ning brought Wang'an Flowers!"

​The Wang'an Flower was a species that had sprouted across the vast grasslands after the world system was re-established—a stunning, unprecedented botanical phenomenon.

​Because it had never existed in any of the contiguous realms, and because it was not only visually captivating but also entirely edible, its presence made the planet's surface far safer; growing tightly together in dense patches, these fields of flowers could even buffer seismic tremors.

​Furthermore, these blossoms possessed a unique property: once plucked and placed in fresh water, they would continue to grow naturally, blooming and dropping petals in their standard life cycle.

​The people of Blue Star had joyfully logged it into the Botanical Records, and after seeking Xia Wang me's consent, officially named it the "Wang'an Flower."

​Though peace had been achieved only a few days prior, virtually everyone cherished the Wang'an Flower. Most people would never catch a direct glimpse of Xia Wang'an, their savior, but that did not hinder them from bringing these blossoms into their homes, nurturing them with care while harboring bright hopes for future tranquility.

​At this moment, many parents and wartime comrades of the examinees had arrived to greet the students, the vast majority carrying fresh bouquets.

​This was a traditional custom of ancient Blue Star—one that many people hadn't even known existed until a few days ago.

​However, this particular session of the Gaokao was monumentally significant; it symbolized that humanity had broken free from war and famine, stepping into an era of permanent world peace.

​Consequently, countless citizens had shared historical guidelines on the Interstellar Net regarding peacetime Gaokao customs—one of which was holding bouquets of flowers to welcome graduating students and celebrate their passage into adulthood.

​The group ran excitedly toward Yuan Ning.

​For some reason, a rare hint of nervous fluster crossed Yuan Ning's customarily composed face. As he looked at Xia Wang'an, before he could even utter a word, a subtle blush flushed across his cheeks.

​Cai Cai and Lin Ke leaned in enthusiastically, each plucking a flower from the bunch, brimming with joy: "Yuan Ning, you actually came to give us flowers! Thank you so much!"

​Lin Ke sniffed the blossom, let out a light sneeze, yet remained thoroughly cheerful as he laughed: "This is the very first time in my life I've received flowers."

​To the side, 007 also leaned over curiously, picking a blossom and holding it as if he couldn't bear to put it down: "Me too!"

​Yuan Ning, who had originally intended to present the entire bouquet exclusively to Xia Wang'an: [...]

​Xia Wang'an also stepped forward and took a flower, smiling brightly: "Thank you!"

​Yuan Ning couldn't help but smile along with her: "As long as you like it, that's all that matters."

​Beside them, Qiu Zhuang refrained from taking a flower. Standing behind the others, he took in every single nuance of Yuan Ning's facial expressions, shaking his head in his heart with deep sympathy.

​How pitiable... A guy who is usually so brilliant turns into a total blockhead at a time like this.

​Just as he was musing, Cai Cai let out a delighted shout: "My family is here with flowers too! Let's go!! Quick, let's grab the flowers!"

​Qiu Zhuang instantly snapped to attention, following her with a goofy grin: "Coming!"

​The people presenting flowers today were not limited to the families of Yuan Ning and Cai Cai. Many key figures from HQ had arrived—Fan Aimi, the Director of the Energy Research Institute, Director Zheng, and even the Chief Executive herself had taken time out of her pressing schedule to deliver flowers to them, congratulating them on completing the College Entrance Examination.

​The Five Tongs Squad was swiftly engulfed in an ocean of blossoms. Flowers were clutched in their hands, tucked into their waistbands, and even perched atop their heads; at a glance, they looked almost like walking floral figures.

​Yet Xia Wang'an was immensely happy. Submerged within the sea of flowers, her laughter radiated pure joy: "Everyone brought Wang'an Flowers."

​Wang'an, Wang'an [Wishing Peace]—she genuinely loved her name.

​When the Gaokao results were officially published, Xia Wang'an had indeed secured the first-place score across the entire nation.

​This filled her with tremendous pride. After all, she had continuously harbored a slight grudge about how she had painstakingly prepared for the exam, fully determined to conquer it, only to unluckily transmigrate right before the test date.

​For Xia Wang'an, if something proceeded smoothly according to standard protocols, she might not hold an intense obsession with it.

​However, once an external force obstructed her from accomplishing a task, achieving that goal would instantly become her lifelong imperative.

​For instance, transmigrating before the Gaokao; for instance, being forbidden from consuming too many sweet desserts; for instance, slaying the Corrupters.

​And now, with the Gaokao behind them, a brand new predicament presented itself.

​The Five Tongs Squad assembled in the briefing room where they customarily held strategic meetings.

​Everyone wore grave expressions. The holographic screens were packed with dense academic dossiers, every individual knitting their brows in deep deliberation. Even Xia Wang'an, who was usually serene and unflappable, maintained a solemn countenance.

​An elderly scholar passing by the doorway inquired nervously of the recorder on duty: "Has something happened? Is it a critical crisis?"

​The recorder replied: "Not at all."

​"They are deliberating over their university application choices. They've been discussing it for a long time without reaching a consensus."

​The elderly scholar: [...]

​Since it wasn't a classified project, he was permitted to audit the session. Turning on the audio-visual feed, he happened to hear their savior speaking with utter seriousness.

​Back when Xia Wang'an had been unaware of her extra-ordinary abilities, her dream had been to gain admission into the First Research Institute...

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