Becoming God of a Dystopian World

Zhao Luo looked confused.

The reason behind this confusion was the riddle that he had to solve.

'It will give me 5 points. Only 5?'

Zhao Luo thought as the difficulty of the riddle exceeded its worth.

"What has four letters yet, occasionally, it has 12 letters in it but, never, has five letters."

Zhao Luo read it thinking that reading it may help him solve it. But even reading it, didn't help him think of any answer.

'What if it's related to year and it's months?'

Zhao Luo wondered but soon gave up on this idea.

There were months that had four letters in it like June, July but these months also had such months that consisted of five-letter words like March and April which contradicted the riddle.

'It can't be the months. Hmmm.'

Zhao Luo thought while feeling stupid about his idea.

'What if it's related to something that I don't know yet?'

Another idea popped up in his mind.

This one was quite possible.

As Zhao Luo was 10 years behind in terms of the knowledge of the current World that he could have known. So it was possible that there may be some word that could be so tricky. But even more than the tricky word, the mind behind the riddle was the one to be praised.

Zhao Luo looked at Second Elder with praise in his eyes. 

'Haha, he has been fooled.'

The second elder thought as he could see that Zhao Luo was still unable to answer the question.

The second elder was smiling in Zhao Luo's struggle. That is when Zhao Luo looked at him and he could see the respect that Zhao Luo had for him in his eyes.

"20 seconds are left."

The elder told Zhao Luo. This caused Zhao Luo to focus on the riddle again.

Zhao Luo was only starting at the riddle. 

He focused on it so much that a splitting image of the riddle, the lines appeared in his head as he closed his eyes.

'Hmm, what is he doing?'

With only 10 seconds left, the second elder noticed that Zhao Luo had closed his eyes.

'Is he despaired because of bot being able to solve this riddle?'

The elder was starting to get worried for Zhao Luo.

This may just become a hurdle for Zhao Luo, later on. The elder was thinking along such lines. 

'Should I give him a hint?'

The elder was considering helping him but if Zhao Luo got more points, it wouldn't be good for him. Even if the amount is just 5 points, he couldn't let it happen, at the point that he had to be unfair to Zhao Luo.

'I will just give him a hint right in the last seconds before the test ends.'

The second elder had finally decided his way to help Zhao Luo.

By doing this, Zhao Luo will be able to solve the riddle but he won't get the points as the time will end by the time he answers it.

With only the last 5 seconds left before the test would end, the elder opened his mouth to hint at Zhao Luo.

"The answer may as well -"

The second elder intended to tell the hint before the time would end but Zhao Lup interrupted him.

"What, Occasionally, Never."

Zhao Lup said three words so fast that they landed on the second elder's ear in a beat.

Zhao Luo was looking at the elder with half-closed eyes. But he didn't look selfish or evil yet the second elder could see the bearing of a leader from him.

'The Persona of a King '

The elder thought about Zhao Luo's attitude.

"That's the answer to this riddle and I believe the test still hasn't ended."

Zhao Luo said, completing his previous sentence. 

This completely blew off the second elder as the test just ended right after Zhao Luo had completed his answer.

'Ting.'

A sound was heard by everyone who was in the Xin Sect's building as the last remaining sand passed through the neck of the upper bulb to fall on the lower bulb of the hourglass showing the end of the 5 minutes test.

As Zhao Luo heard that sound he knew the test had ended. The same goes for the examinees who were in the hall.

"This riddle was the most challenging for me, even though it was only worth 5 points. So for the elder, it was one of the easier ones. Truly the Master of Riddles."

Zhao Luo compared himself to the second elder and praised the elder. He had to admit that the old man was more than what he had thought. But he didn't know the truth.

It wasn't that the riddle was easy for the elder instead it was just that Zhao Luo had already too many points.

The second elder felt ashamed but it wasn't an extreme feeling that he would confess.

"75 Points in the 2nd test. You have done amazingly well. I knew you would do good but you have surpassed my every expectation."

The second elder looked normally at Zhao Luo while announcing the result as he praised Zhao Luo. Even though the elder was praising him, he looked lost.

"Is something the matter?"

Zhao Luo asked the elder as he didn't look good.

'It's just points, not a big deal. Plus this young man deserves more than what he got.'

The second elder thought when he heard Zhao Luo's question.

"It's nothing. Let's go back."

The second elder walked towards Zhao Luo and placed his hand on Zhao Luo's shoulder.

'Wooosh.'

They both disappeared from where they were and in the next instant, they appeared in the hall.

The elder had brought Zhao Luo back.

Zhao Luo looked around and noticed that everyone was already up and waiting for them.

He joined back with Feng Mei and Yan.

"Did you both do well?"

Zhao Luo asked them wondering how many points they had.

"Brother I am not sure but I think I did okay."

Feng Mei wasn't sure how well she did.

In the end, she was able to answer two riddles eventually 

It took her more than 20 tries to solve the second riddle. But then again when the third riddle appeared, she was stuck and in the end, the time ended with her being unable to answer it.

'She solved just two?'

Zhao Luo thought as that wasn't even half of what he had solved. Still, he considered Feng Mei as his sister.

"That is great. You did amazing."

Zhao Luo patted Feng Mei's head and praised her.

"I also solved two." 

Yan showed a 'V' sign to Zhao Luo while telling him about the riddles that he had solved.

Yan came a little closer to Zhao Luo thinking that Zhao Luo would pat his head too and smiled at him.

"Wow, Yan you did good too."

Zhao Luo told him as he smiled back at Yan.

"How many riddles did you solve big brother?"

Feng Mei asked Zhao Luo while looking at him with shining eyes.

Feng Mei looked so cute right now that Zhao Luo didn't dare to tell her that he had solved 7 riddles without much effort. 

Zhao Luo just smiled after hearing Feng Mei's question.

While the three were talking, someone else was listening to their conversation.

"Too shy to tell that you solved only one or maybe none."

Su Shi interrupted with her insult direc5ed towards Zhao Luo.

"Excuse Me."

Zhao Luo said as he didn't deserve a comment from her for any reason. He barely knew her and he was impressed by her story and yet here they are.

"Why would the second elder take you with him?"

Su Shi questioned Zhao Luo.

The reason behind her targeting comment towards Zhao Luo was what happened as the test had started.

The Second Elder has specifically taken Zhao Luo along with him. 

'How special could he be?'

Su Shi hated this thought. That, someone, was getting special treatment.

Even before Zhao Luo could answer her she started talking again.

"Just because you are a man doesn't mean you should get special treatment."

Su Shi said while nodding as if she was teaching Zhao Luo's teacher.

"How many riddles did you solve?"

Zhao Luo abruptly asked Su Shi out of nowhere. He understood that the girl had some issues because of the problems she had to face in her house.

"I solved 4. Why?"

Su Shi answered Zhao Luo while waving her hand through her red hairs.

"You did good too."

Zhao Luo praised her while putting his hand on her hair and patting her as if she was his cat.

"You"

Su Shi blushed as she felt nice when Zhao Luo praised her and put his hand on her head but it was weird as this was the first time someone treated her this way.

"Humph."

Su Shi turned her head around to shake his hand off her head. 

Zhao Luo removed her hand and he was still smiling. As his reason for doing this wasn't to make fun of her or ignore her, it was just to show her a simple truth. 

'Not everyone is the same.'

His message did reach her but in a different way as Su Shi was still staring at him as her cheeks were red like a rose.

'Clap, Clap.'

The second elder clapped twice to get the attention of everyone.

As everyone looked at him he began.

"Congratulations on joining the Xin Sect. This announcement had to be delayed as I wanted to present the 2nd test to you all. Now as for the result of the 2nd test."

The elder said as he flicked his wrist to make a scroll appear out of thin air.

He jerked the scroll as it opened up.

The scroll started with the person with the lowest points.

0 - Ruo Xing.

0 - Lao Ba 

And so on to,

20 - Feng Mei 

20 - Yan.

Including Feng Mei and Yan there two others who were lucky enough to solve 2 riddles, they also had 20 points.

Thus these were the eighteen names. Nine of them had 0 points. Five examinees had 10 points as they had only solved a single one. 

Then there were four who had 20 points. Feng Mei and Yan were in this group.

Then the last two names as the scroll opened up completely.

40 - Su Shi.

75 - Zhao Luo.

"This is the result of the 2nd test."

The Elder announced.