The villains are redeemed, and the heroines cry and beg for forgiveness.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Gu Ran asked, puzzled.

"Ah, it's nothing, it's nothing." Xue Xiling was a little flustered for a moment, but then she slowly calmed down. "This is the first time I've seen Dad value someone so much. Although he was very polite to everyone before, it was just superficial politeness. If someone didn't truly gain his approval, he would never treat them like this, even more so than his daughter."

Gu Ran couldn't help but find it a little funny. Could it be that this girl was jealous?

However, as he laughed, Gu Ran also fell into deep thought.

Xue Yingsong, the president of Lanxin University and a special honorary researcher of the Human Alliance, what exactly does he want to do?

"Oh, by the way, have you thought about how to deal with the exam?" Xue Xiling suddenly asked.

Gu Ran asked in surprise, "Exams? There are still exams? Principal Xue didn't tell me about them."

“Normally, to become a researcher at Lanxin University, you have to go through two exams: a written test and an interview. You were specially recommended by your father, so you can be exempted from the written test. However, you still can’t avoid the interview, because you must be recognized by other teachers in the university,” Xue Xiling said.

So, the principal's recommendation only exempts you from one written exam? That doesn't seem to make much difference, since there's still an "exam" in the end.

"What's in the interview?" Now that she had decided to join Lanxin University, Gu Ran stopped resisting and started to actively prepare.

Xue Xiling smiled and glanced at him, counting on her fingers: "There's a lot of content involved, probably dozens of related academic monographs, and we might also ask about some cutting-edge academic papers and some research hotspots."

"Don't worry, although there's a lot of content, since you're someone even your father admires, I think you'll definitely be able to pass the test. If... if you have any questions, feel free to ask me, and I'll answer you patiently."

At the end, Xue Xiling suddenly became a little embarrassed and shy.

"So, when is the interview? How much time do I have to prepare?" But Gu Ran's mind was already entirely focused on the upcoming interview.

"Ah, let me think. It should be shortly after the written exam. You'll probably be interviewed with the other candidates who took the written exam, so it should be in about two weeks." Xue Xiling felt a little disappointed, but she thought for a moment before answering.

"In half a month, I will have dozens of books, an unknown number of related papers, and be familiar with the research hotspots and directions in academia..." Gu Ran felt that he would have a very fulfilling half month.

For the next two weeks, Gu Ran lost all interest in exploring the Lanxin University campus and focused solely on how to make the most of her time there.

Since he is not yet a formal researcher at Lanxin University, Gu Ran does not have the right to borrow books and materials from the Lanxin University library and can only use Xue Xiling's library card.

At these times, Xue Xiling would also pick up a book and stay by Gu Ran's side, but her attention would occasionally slip from the book to Gu Ran.

She had thought that Gu Ran would have questions to ask her, so that she could help Gu Ran. But to her surprise, Gu Ran didn't ask her a single question. He was completely focused on the book and flipped through it very quickly, even faster than reading ten lines at a glance. This made her feel a little disappointed, but she was happy for Gu Ran in an instant.

It can only be said that Lanxin University truly lives up to its name, possessing a collection dozens of times larger than that of Saint-José University, and many of these collections are unique to Lanxin University, with the results only published in Canglong City.

Gu Ran felt like she was in the happiest place, doing the happiest things. Compared to that, the job interview didn't seem so important to her.

Time flies. If it weren't for the fact that it was impossible, Gu Ran wouldn't even want to go back to the empty room on campus that Xue Yingsong had prepared for him for the past two weeks. Instead, he would have preferred to spend the night in the library.

"Wonderful! So this is how starstones can exist under these circumstances. If they could be manufactured artificially and standardized, the energy storage efficiency of the 'starstone chamber' could be increased several times over."

"The extent to which liquid starstone can infect humans? What a bold idea! People injected with liquid starstone will contract a strange disease? And it's even contagious to some extent?!"

"There are so many theories about the origin of the Star Stone. They all seem quite interesting, but there is currently no authoritative evidence to confirm any of these theories."

......

For fifteen days straight, Gu Ran absorbed knowledge with great eagerness.

He hadn't felt this way in a long time. The last time was when he and his sister were no longer worried about their safety in the slums, so he started collecting books that he could find in the slums. That was the first time he felt the wonder of knowledge and the joy of learning.

Throughout the entire period, Xue Xiling and Gu Ran exchanged only a few words, but the light in her eyes when she looked at Gu Ran increased significantly.

"Phew—" Gu Ran closed the book. "The interview is in two hours. The day has finally come."

Although he was very focused and devoted almost all his attention to reading, he still valued this interview quite a bit, because it not only determined his right to use Lanxin University Library for free, but also whether he could investigate the reason for Xue Xiling's abnormality.

Gu Ran still remembered the unusual movement of the triangular crystal pyramid.

If he fails the interview, won't he be kicked out?

These things are all irrelevant to him.

So during these days, Gu Ran devoted all her energy and energy to preparing for the exam. At this moment, Gu Ran can be said to be completely different from her former self.

Gu Ran, engrossed in his studies, was unaware of the uproar caused by Xue Yingsong's favoritism. It wasn't until Xue Xiling told him, and until he stood in the interview room and felt the scrutinizing and hostile gazes of the interviewers, that he realized the extent of the controversy.

"Leng Ran? Bounty hunter... Although I don't know what your relationship is with the principal that would make him make such a decision for you, I hope that for the sake of the principal and for your own sake, you will choose to withdraw."

The cold words and gaze made Gu Ran realize that this interview would likely be much more difficult than before.

130. The connection between Star Stones and the Beast Tide!? 4k

Questioning and criticism were to be expected, so Gu Ran didn't show any emotional fluctuation.

After all, judging from the procedures of Lanxin University, he is indeed a "dishonorable" person.

Gu Ran didn't know this before, but after he found out, he realized that Xue Yingsong's recommendation to him was not just about exempting him from the written test.

As one of the top universities in the Human Alliance, Lanxin University attracts countless people who want to join or become its researchers. However, Lanxin University has a strict background check system.

If a candidate has any conflict of interest with Canglong City or Lanxin University in their past, they will absolutely not be eligible and will be screened out.

Candidates' past must be clear and transparent. If it is unclear and they cannot prove that their past is not that of an "enemy force" of Lanxin University and Canglong City, then even if they are very talented, they will be rejected by Lanxin University unless they can obtain the endorsement of a highly respected professor within Lanxin University, who will vouch for them with his reputation.

Even if Gu Ran were to reveal all his past experiences, it wouldn't be enough to prove anything. The regions and people involved are too vast. So, if he were to apply for the exam himself, he would most likely not get an interview and would be eliminated during the background check.

However, Xue Yingsong acted as his guarantor. As the president of Lanxin University and a professor himself, Xue Yingsong was naturally qualified to act as guarantor. It's just that Gu Ran was the first person he acted as guarantor for.

As Gu Ran's guarantor, Xue Yingsong's interests were now tied to Gu Ran's to some extent. If Gu Ran could achieve great things in the future, Xue Yingsong, as his guarantor, would also be proud. However, if Gu Ran just coasted along without any achievements, or even did something that would harm Lanxin University, Xue Yingsong would also suffer as a result, and his prestige would be greatly damaged.

Compared to this, being allowed to enter the interview without taking a test didn't anger these interviewers as much.

Even if someone is admitted without taking the entrance exam, they still hold the final decision-making power and can still disqualify them. They are the final gatekeepers and can safeguard the honor of Lanxin University.

However, the principal used his privileges to help this guy and even vouched for his background check.

Who is the principal?

That is the soul of Lanxin University!

This is the strong guarantee that Lanxin University is so powerful and has become the top university in the Human Alliance.

The president is the most prominent feature of Lanxin University, and the president is the guarantee for Lanxin University's continued strength. This is the thought in the hearts of many Lanxin University members.

But now the principal is making an exception for someone, using his own reputation to vouch for a bounty hunter!

What is the identity of a bounty hunter...?

Although bounty hunters claim to pursue freedom, everything they do is for money, trampling all worldly morality underfoot. They are all morally flawed and have done countless dirty things in the past.

Does someone like that deserve the principal's guarantee?

Is he worthy? !

However, such a person was recommended by the principal. Even if they could use their power to disqualify him, it would be a loss of face for the principal. But if they did not disqualify him, it would be a loss of face for the entire Lanxin University.

The principal's prestige must be maintained, and the school's reputation cannot be lost, so the best option is for Gu Ran to withdraw on his own, which would leave more room for redemption.

Gu Ran glanced around and immediately understood their intentions.

His past information was not disclosed because no one came to him for a "background check." The only information about him that people knew was that he was a bounty hunter, a profession he initially claimed to be for convenience.

To his surprise, this profession has brought him some trouble today.

The interviewers present all had a special feeling towards him.

Given their strength and status, these people are all quite shrewd and capable of concealing their emotions. However, none of them did so; instead, they revealed their true feelings, which undoubtedly indicated their attitude—that they did not welcome him.

One candidate offended all the interviewers before the interview even started, and was "discouraged" the moment he entered the examination room. Faced with the "intense gazes" of each interviewer, an ordinary person would definitely have given up immediately.

Gu Ran thought for a moment, and for a moment he couldn't figure out Xue Yingsong's purpose in doing so.

Did Xue Yingsong really not know what would happen to him because of her high-profile guarantee for him?

Gu Ran was not familiar with Xue Yingsong and could not figure out his way of doing things, so for a while she could not guess his thoughts.

However, Gu Ran tends to believe that the other party knew he would encounter all of this.

"Is this a test of my abilities? What a cunning old fox," Gu Ran thought to himself.

Yes, Gu Ran guessed that Xue Yingsong was using others to test his abilities.

Although Xue Yingsong's invitation to join his research project seemed very rash, even if he agreed, he would still have to face all of this in the end.

Moreover, although he was exempted from the written exam, the difficulty of his exam did not decrease as a result; on the contrary, it increased significantly.

If he doesn't have real skills, he will still be stopped at this stage. This hurdle serves as a guarantee for Xue Yingsong's approach.

"But if I fail, your reputation will suffer a great loss. Is the outcome of this test really that important?"

Gu Ran thought to himself.

Lanxin University's interviews are not conducted individually, but rather all those who passed the written test are gathered together for a "group interview".

Therefore, the interviewer's undisguised expression of dislike for Gu Ran and his declaration that Gu Ran should withdraw on his own naturally reached the attention of the other interviewees present.

Gu Ran glanced at the other interviewees and found that they were all watching him with amusement, waiting to see how he would make a fool of himself.

"Interviewer, are you qualified to make decisions on behalf of Principal Xue Yingsong?" Gu Ran looked at the mature female interviewer who had "dissuaded" him and said calmly, "If you are qualified, then I will withdraw immediately without hesitation. But if you are not, are you trying to deprive Principal Xue Yingsong of the authority he has given me?"

The female interviewer was a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. She wore a high ponytail and gold-rimmed glasses. Her white uniform was taut against her voluptuous figure, but her gaze was colder than ice.

"Alright, it seems you don't know what you're about to face. The principal can vouch for you, but he can't share his wisdom with you, so your outcome will be the same no matter what—you'll be kicked out of Lanxin University! It's just a pity that the principal's illustrious reputation will be ruined because of someone like you."

The mature female interviewer seemed to be one of the most senior and respected interviewers this time, and her words represented the opinions of the other interviewers. After she finished speaking, the other interviewers did not continue to challenge Gu Ran.

The principal's reputation is important, but the reputation of Lanxin University is even more important. The interviewers present have already decided to act as "snipers" for Gu Ran's entry into Lanxin University, to "snipe" him out of the Lanxin University system and prevent him from entering.

"Alright, it's almost time. All the candidates have arrived, so let's start early. First, let's talk about the rules. Because of a certain special candidate, we've decided to increase the difficulty of the following questions."