Cheating Craft - Chapter 34.1

Quiz 34: Vacuum Blade (1/2)

On the second day of exams, most students went straight to their exam sites from their homes. As long as one was wearing the school uniform while entering and then verified their ID, they’d be let in.　　

Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi had arrived at Lin Xian Library early. Unlike other students, who had immersed themselves in studying as soon as they’d entered, the two of them were looking around the entire layout of the library’s exam site, as if going on a walk.　　

The first floor didn’t have an exam site; the second had some second year class, the third floor was the first year Class A’s exam site, and the fourth had another second year class… 　

“I’m so lucky…that I didn’t see the idiot quartet group.” Who knew how Meng Ming had thought of those guys.

“I also find it strange how the Three Missing One Quartet haven’t stayed back a grade with how they are,” Huang Qiao Yi told Meng Ming.

Only when there were only 5 minutes remaining until the beginning of the exam did majority of the examinees enter and sit down. Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi returned to the third floor and sat in their original seats, simultaneously checking the newly distributed stationary.　　

A small blade, an eraser, three pencils, and quite a bit of draft paper…　　

It was unknown whether the school had a lot of money, or pencils were just inexpensive, but the exam site always gave every student 3 pencils. By the end of the entire exam period, 10,000 pencils would be used up, just like that. With the addition of the large amount of paper, the entire exam period pretty much destroyed an entire forest in its process. The school disregarded the costs to prevent cheating. That way, they could force students to study diligently in order to deal with the college entrance exam. This would also raise the school’s rate of grade promotion.　

Moreover, the four surveillance cameras have also been replaced with new ones. However, their lights aren’t even on; it looks like these are cameras that are just there, but can’t actually survey…they’re probably fakes that were put up there last minute, Meng Ming thought.

Regardless of whether the cameras were real or fake, they were very easy to evade.　　

The old man proctor arrived right before the exam began. Compared to yesterday, he had changed to another fake hair style, and had seemingly stuck it on quite firmly too.　　

Where’s Zhou Lun Yu…Meng Ming twisted his head around, and saw that Zhou Lun Yu had also arrived. He was currently sprawled across his desk sleeping.　

Meng Ming wondered if he was still half-asleep, or if he had some kind of crafty scheme.　　

Zhou Lun Yu said yesterday that he wouldn’t hold back today…had he been analyzing my skills last night to come up with methods to defeat me?!　　

The exam was just about to start. Zhou Lun Yu seemed to also discover that it was almost time. He got up while rubbing his eyes, and tidied up his hair.　　

Exactly what…is he going to do… 　　

Meng Ming was unable to forecast what would go on during the exam, which made him once again feel a heavy pressure.　　

The test papers were distributed again. Just like before, it was three pages! Aside from the multiple choice questions, there were fill-in-the-blank and calculation problems, which needed to be answered directly on the test. The multiple choice questions were each 4 points, giving a total of 40 points; the fill-in-the-blanks were each 4 points, giving a total of 28 points; the calculation problems were worth 32 points overall, with 4 problems total.　　

The bell rang, the second exam had begun!　　

Meng Ming watched Zhou Lun Yu’s actions as he picked up his own pencil. He had absolutely no clue what tricks Zhou Lun Yu would try to pull this time. When he thought about it, he realized he still hadn’t ever seen how Zhou Lun Yu attacked!　

He was just about to fill out his student number on the scantron, but the instant his pencil touched the surface, the scantron seemed to sprout wings and jump away by itself!　　

Ai?! Shocked, Meng Ming immediately realized what was going on. Zhou Lun Yu was pulling tricks so early? Indeed, Zhou Lun Yu had at some point wrapped threads around Meng Ming’s scantron!　　

Meng Ming could only reach out to grab it. However, the scantron was extremely nimble, and kept dodging Meng Ming’s hands over and over again.　　

Meng Ming gloomily stopped moving, only to see Zhou Lun Yu leisurely drawing out circles in the air rhythmically with his pointer finger.　　

He was so far, yet he had such ingenious control!　

Zhou Lun Yu moved his mouth as if he was whistling, and provocatively glanced at Meng Ming. He then flicked his fingers, and the scantron began to gracefully dance around in front of Meng Ming’s eyes.　　

Is he, playing fetch….?!　　

Meng Ming grew furious, and quickly displayed his original movement speed with a sudden grab. However, his actions were still seen through by Zhou Lun Yu, and the scantron still slipped away. Brilliant Blossom! Meng Ming had long since anticipated this, and had hidden the little blade in his hand. The instant the scantron flashed away, Meng Ming stuck out the little blade and quickly cut the red thread controlling the scantron!

The scantron slowly floated down.　　

Meng Ming glared at Zhou Lun Yu in annoyance, but he didn’t respond. Just as the scantron landed in Meng Ming’s hand, it suddenly flew up once more! —The instant Meng Ming had looked at Zhou Lun Yu just now, Zhou Lun Yu had happily attached a new red thread to play around with Meng Ming’s scantron.　　

Bastard! Meng Ming angrily grabbed the scantron back at an amazing speed.　　

His swift movements actually managed to shock Zhou Lun Yu, who was momentarily unable to react.　　

Meng Ming tightly gripped the scantron…　

Too detestable. He even pulled such a thing on me… Meng Ming’s hand was still hiding the blade. His eyes scanned his surroundings to check for any other threads.

He didn’t see any other threads, but instead felt like something was missing from his desk.　　

…Where are the pencils?! Aside from the single pencil in Meng Ming’s hand, the other two had vanished without a trace!　　

They had been stolen!　　

It was at that moment that Meng Ming realized Zhou Lun Yu’s trick just now with his scantron had been to scatter Meng Ming’s attention! Zhou Lun Yu’s real goal had been to steal away Meng Ming’s weapons—the pencils.　　

I fell for his scheme?! …How had Zhou Lun Yu wrapped his threads around it? With just threads he was able to…! 　　

Meng Ming doubtfully glanced over at Zhou Lun Yu’s seat once more, and saw that there were now 1, 2, 3, 4…5 pencils on his desk! Zhou Lun Yu smugly gestured: This isn’t fetch, but fishing!

The exam was only 5 minutes in, and Meng Ming had already lost 2 pencils! He could only hurriedly clutch his scantron and test paper, firmly grab hold of his little blade and eraser, as well as the remaining pencil between his hands.　　

He needed to copy others’ test papers in addition to defending against Zhou Lun Yu’s movements…it would be too easy for him to end up neglecting one or the other.　

Zhou Lun Yu didn’t bother doing anything else to Meng Ming, and instead began copying answers. He had already cast out the red threads he needed ages ago. This is a psychological battle. I won’t bother wasting effort to keep baiting you with your things, but you have no choice but to invest effort into guarding against it.　

For several minutes, Meng Ming just blankly sat there, looking at his own test paper. He anxiously watched Zhou Lun Yu write quite a bit down, but he didn’t touched his own test at all.　　

Suddenly, a shadow flashed in front of him. It was a test being flipped! Meng Ming immediately shifted his gaze. With practiced skill, he instantly saw and memorized the whole paper! He picked up his pencil, prepared to write it all on the draft paper. However, an unexpected rustle sounded out as the draft paper flew up again.

Zhou Lun Yu was playing fishing once more?!

Meng Ming hurriedly secured all his things, then immediately re-seized his draft paper. You’re trying to pull this on me again? It’s no longer of any use! He flattened his draft paper, and was just about to take notes. However, he discovered—

I, I forgot it…the answers I had seen just now…

He had been completely duped! Meng Ming was so frustrated that he wanted to flip the table. It looked like this was the difference in experience!　　

How am I supposed to take note of so many things at the same time!! This is even more troublesome than a casino!　　

One could never underestimate the exam sites in China. Meng Ming suddenly came to a realization: dealing with tests was much more difficult than gambling.　　

The Zhuge Style Cheating Technique instructed this—no matter what situation one encountered, one must remain calm and persevere. Any unexpected circumstance could occur in any time and place, but one couldn’t panic.

Meng Ming felt himself grow more and more impatient; if this continued, the situation would become extremely unfavorable on his part! He knew that he had to stabilize his state of mind first in order to make appropriate judgments and actions. Thus, he steadfastly pressed his things down, closed his eyes, and calmed his heart—

Calm down, persevere, do not panic. Do not slip up on the test, and definitely do not lose to Zhou Lun Yu…　

After a while, Meng Ming slowly re-opened his eyes, and immediately caught the two test papers from the students in front of him. With a calm mind, he instantly saw all of the content on both pages. He pressed down his paper, and began to move his pencil.

With his now cooled down head, Meng Ming felt a flash to his side. There’s danger. It’s a red thread?!　　

He saw a few red threads currently being pulled next to him! He didn’t know what Zhou Lun Yu had sent out these red threads for.　　

No matter what, I have to block him! Meng Ming used his pencil like a rod, and quickly twisted the red threads next to him onto his pencil, disrupting the red threads’ movement trajectories! He then firmly gripped his pencil, not allowing Zhou Lun Yu to snatch it away.　　

Zhou Lun Yu’s red threads had been used to probe the answers from the two students behind Meng Ming. Unlike the literature and language exam, the math exam had examinees that worked at completely different paces. Relying on only a few people wouldn’t work at all. He hadn’t imagined that these red threads would be discovered by Meng Ming, and even get entangled onto Meng Ming’s pencil! He wanted to immediately retract his threads. After a few tugs, the red threads smoothly untangled themselves! Just when he was about to pull the threads back, Meng Ming reached out and grabbed hold of them!

There’s no way I’d let you pull them back so easily!

Meng Ming’s right hand grasped the threads that were just about to leave, while his right hand picked up his pencil and began to record the answers he’d seen just now. However, Zhou Lun Yu still had another hand. He flicked the finger that held the thread, swinging all of them into the air. He then forcefully pushed them above Meng Ming’s left hand, wanting to cover Meng Ming’s pencil! Meng Ming clearly saw all this happen, but the red threads were too many in number, as well as chaotic, which made them too hard to evade. With a sudden flash of inspiration, he opened his mouth and used his teeth to bite down on the approaching threads.

When Zhou Lun Yu saw that Meng Ming had even used his teeth, he believed that the red threads had probably been completely ripped apart already. Zhuge Meng Ming, no matter what you do, it won’t matter as long as I reach my goal. He had taken advantage of when Meng Ming hadn’t been paying attention earlier, and cast out other red threads around the surveillance cameras to head towards the pencil he had targeted just now!

The calm Meng Ming had completely gotten into the zone, and discovered the abnormality on top of the cameras. He bit down hard on the numerous red threads in his mouth to break them apart, and while Zhou Lun Yu recollected them, he threw two arrows from his left hand with all his strength to first strike the two pencils that Zhou Lun Yu had locked onto, forming a defense! Just as Zhou Lun Yu’s thread was about to cover the pencil, it was split apart by the short arrow!

Stolen away…?! Zhou Lun Yu hurriedly retracted all the red threads he had been using. Although he still had other trajectories, Meng Ming seemed to have suddenly reacted to the exam site in a single burst. His performance isn’t bad…unlike before, when he only acted after thinking.　　

Meng Ming had already smoothly written down many test answers in the meantime! He thought: I think I’ve pretty much grasped Zhou Lun Yu’s red threads. After their exchange just now, he had reached a detailed analysis of Zhou Lun Yu’s red threads—

1) Before the red threads were cast out, one had to decide on set trajectories for them to move along. After casting, one couldn’t easily change their paths.

2) Although the trajectories could be disrupted, once the head wrapped around the opposite point, the red threads could change their paths and continue being cast out for use.

3) If the trajectory was disrupted and the head hadn’t wrapped around the opposite point, the red thread would quietly be retracted.

This means that if I disrupt the head of the thread before it wraps itself around anything, I can break through them!　　

According to this, Meng Ming began to seriously draft up a plan for battle! But there was still one other question—Where does Zhou Lun Yu hide all these red threads…