My love game is too abstract

"Does... does this count as him passing?"

Behind the scenes, the professors exchanged glances, unable to judge Yaroslav's actions.

"Hmph, just clever sophistry. This kind of student will only be a troublemaker in the future!"

"But he did get three axes and pass the assessment."

"Alright, alright."

Vice-Principal Hagen raised his hand: "This isn't a bad way to pass either."

"Besides, he's the one the Saint Beast wants. Just let him pass."

With the Vice-Principal speaking, the others didn't say anything more, continuing to watch the scene on the screen.

After Serena left the River God's simulation and entered the exit, she arrived at another scene.

This was a quiet stagecoach stop on the edge of a small town, with only an old man in a cotton coat, scarf, and hat sitting by the platform.

A spot of light outlined words in front of her:

[Success Condition: Board the stagecoach that arrives in ten minutes and leave.]

"Ten minutes."

Serena came to the platform and saw a wooden sign with the rules for riding the stagecoach:

"A ticket is required to ride the stagecoach. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office two kilometers away."

"Ticket holders can bring up to one additional person on board."

"Tickets have identity recognition; they cannot be used by anyone other than the owner."

"The ticket office is two kilometers away?"

Serena was a little dazed. Magic couldn't be used for quick movement in the simulation. At this distance, it was impossible to catch the stagecoach by running back and forth.

"Could there be another way to get a ticket?"

Serena touched her body, but didn't find any items related to the ticket.

She looked around and finally saw a ticket in the old man's breast pocket.

She thought about the ticket rules, that the holder could bring one more person on board.

Thinking for a moment, she came to the old man and asked him:

"Grandpa, do you have any other companions?"

"No," the old man said in a muffled voice.

"Then, can you please take me with you on the next coach? I can pay for the ticket," Serena said politely.

"Heh heh, why should I take you with me?" The old man chuckled, shrinking into his coat.

"I, I can pay for the ticket."

"Do you think I care about the money for a ticket?" the old man said coldly.

"Then what do you want?"

The old man raised his hand, pointing to a small stall not far away.

"I'm hungry. Go buy me a sandwich from over there."

Serena looked back and forth, sighed helplessly, and walked towards the stall.

She quickly bought a sandwich and brought it back, handing it to the old man, but he only glanced at it:

"I don't eat eggs."

"Huh?"

Serena looked at the egg in the sandwich, hesitated, and said, "Then, then I'll go buy another one."

This time she walked over quickly and bought a beef sandwich, without eggs.

But the old man only glanced at it again:

"I don't eat beef."

Serena paused, still enduring, and asked, "Please, what kind of sandwich would you like to eat?"

"I don't know," the old man said with a chuckle.

Serena held her breath, but still endured her temper, and ran to the stall again. This time she bought one of every flavor of sandwich and ran back with a large bag.

"Grandpa, you, you choose yourself..." she said, panting.

But the old man only glanced at it and said, "You only bought food and no water. Do you want to choke me, an old man, to death?"

"I..."

Serena couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, but she took a deep breath and went to the stall, bringing back a bottle of milk.

"I'm allergic to milk. I can't drink this," the old man said with a hum.

"But, but that's all they sell there," Serena said awkwardly.

The old man threw her the kettle next to him and said unceremoniously, "Then go fetch me water from the well over there."

Serena took the kettle, opened her mouth, but finally sighed, ran to a slightly further place, found a well, laboriously drew a bucket of water, filled the kettle, and feeling that there was very little time left before the stagecoach arrived, she trotted back to the station.

"Grandpa, here's your water," Serena said breathlessly.

"Hmph, in this cold weather, do you think it's appropriate to give an old man like me cold water to drink?"

"But, but..."

Serena couldn't help it. It was impossible to boil the water for him now. There wasn't enough time.

At this moment, the stagecoach jingled into the station and stopped in front of them.

After the ticket inspector checked the ticket information, he let the old man board the stagecoach. After getting on the coach, he turned to look at Serena again and said:

"Bring my luggage over here."

Although the other party didn't mean to take her with him, Serena still endured her temper and carried all his luggage onto the coach.

After he took the luggage, he finally showed a kind smile and said to Serena, "Alright, child, get on the coach. You passed."

"Yes, a very good performance. There aren't many students these days who can endure their temper, manage their emotions, and continue to help under this kind of treatment."

Behind the scenes, the professors commented on Serena's performance.

"Indeed, not bad. Let's see if she can pass the next two levels."

Yaroslav arrived at the station and also saw the passing conditions and the ticket rules, as well as the ticket in the old man's breast pocket.

"Well, if I go to the ticket office now, I definitely won't make it. Is the only option to ask this old man to take me on board?" he thought.

Coming to the old man, he asked, "Old man, can your ticket take me for a ride?"

"Hmph, why should I take you?" the old man still said.

"Uh, I'll pay for the ticket?" Yaroslav said.

"Do you think I'm short of that little bit of money?"

"Then..."

"I'm hungry. Go buy me a sandwich from over there," the old man said.

Yaroslav was helpless and had to walk towards the stall, but after taking a few steps, he felt something was wrong.

"There's still a trick."

"The rules specifically state that the stagecoach will arrive in only ten minutes, but this old geezer wants to send me away."

"The stall isn't far away, but what if he keeps making things difficult for me and makes me go further away to do other things?"

"I can't fall into someone else's behavioral trap."

He thought, looking at the old man, and thought about how the ticket had the owner's photo on it.

Yaroslav had an idea. He didn't go to buy a sandwich, but picked up a stick by the side of the station, quietly came to the old man, and then knocked him unconscious with a single blow.

Then, he dragged the unconscious old man into the bushes. After a while, a "old man" wearing a cotton coat, a scarf covering his face, a hat, a ticket in his breast pocket, and even a tuft of white beard on his face returned to sit by the station.

After a moment, the stagecoach jingled into the station. The ticket inspector took the ticket, looked at the ticket, and then looked at the "old man."

"Is this you on the ticket?"

"Why wouldn't it be me? It's so cold, are you not going to let me on? Are you going to compensate an old man if he freezes?" Yaroslav said in a hoarse voice.

The ticket inspector was speechless and had to let him on the coach.

"This, this, this isn't right, is it?"

Behind the scenes, several professors said in stunned voices.

"This kind of performance definitely can't be considered passing, right! He knocked Professor Freg unconscious!"

All eyes were on Vice-Principal Hagen, waiting for him to decide.

Hagen was silent for a long time, and still said, "This isn't a bad way to pass either..."

"But Professor Freg is still lying naked in the bushes! He even pulled out his beard!"

"He's the one the Saint Beast wants..." Hagen sighed.

After a long silence, he still said, "Let's not let him continue the assessment for now. After all, Professor Winnie in the next level also has a script that makes things difficult for the candidates..."