This was naturally one of the library rules that examinees needed to follow.
In fact, it held even higher priority than "maintaining silence."
Given Kurapika's tone at the time, damaging a book would likely result in immediate disqualification.
Gon and Leorio hadn't considered this point, and Morrow's timely reminder earned him their gratitude, as well as the most basic trust needed before cooperation.
This interlude made things much simpler.
Morrow once again held up his test paper toward Gon and pointed at the answer to the first question with his pen.
Gon had already understood Morrow's meaning earlier, but Leorio's sudden approach had interrupted their silent communication.
Now, he nodded at Morrow, then carefully pressed his test paper against the side of a bookshelf. Using his ballpoint pen, he copied the answer to the first question that Morrow had shown him.
After finishing, he wrote the answer "Master of the Swamp" below the fifth question, then turned his test paper to face Morrow.
Morrow actually knew the answer to the fifth question as well, but he needed to use this method to make Gon understand the importance of "cooperation."
After writing the "Master of the Swamp" answer on his own test paper, Morrow put away his pen, smiled at Gon, then suddenly looked up and glanced at the surveillance camera on the ceiling.
Examinees really can exchange answers after all.
Morrow quickly averted his gaze, thinking to himself.
The exclusive bonus question was a hint, and also the key that prompted him to make this judgment.
However, faced with the risk of possible elimination, for examinees to establish cooperation, they first had to overcome the natural wariness and suspicion inherent in human nature.
Morrow possessed a broader perspective, allowing him to further discern the hints and put them into action without psychological pressure.
But other examinees had far less "information" than Morrow, coupled with risk-averse psychology. Forget taking the initiative to open up possibilities...
They'd probably even avoid Morrow's proactive approach.
This was the fundamental reason why Morrow chose Gon as his first cooperation target.
As for why he didn't approach Kalluto?
The reason was simple.
The so-called library rules in this test superficially restricted the examinees' actions and range, but actually gave them considerable freedom.
So what was the purpose of this "freedom"?
Morrow speculated that Kurapika might want to observe the examinees' performance through this method.
Looking at it from this angle, the examinees' performance during the test was likely one of the important criteria for judging whether they passed.
Based on this premise, taking the initiative to take risks meant that risk and reward coexisted.
It was precisely for this consideration that Morrow didn't choose to cooperate with Kalluto.
Because when they were eating in the restaurant earlier, he had actively called Kalluto over, which had already exposed their acquaintance to some extent.
Therefore, to demonstrate better performance during the test, he chose Gon, someone he had almost no prior contact with, as his first cooperation target. Of course, these were merely Morrow's personal speculations.
He couldn't be certain that these actions would definitively become the decisive advantage for passing the test.
But he was absolutely sure that the surveillance cameras scattered throughout the library would faithfully record every move and performance of his during the exam.
After confirming that answers could be freely exchanged, Morrow circled a large section of questions on his test paper with his hand, then pointed at himself.
After making this gesture, he circled another set of questions on the paper and pointed toward Gon.
Through these hand signals, he attempted to convey the idea of "division of labor" to Gon.
The exclusive bonus questions only made up a small portion, while the truly difficult problems required finding answers by searching through the library's collection.
Thus, division of labor was necessary; each person would be responsible for a portion of the questions.
Gon was naive, but he wasn't foolish.
It only took him a second or two of thought to understand Morrow's meaning.
However, he didn't accept the set of questions Morrow had circled for him. Instead, he raised his test paper and pointed out over a dozen questions with his finger.
Then, mimicking Morrow's earlier actions, he pointed at himself while giving Morrow a serious look:
I can take responsibility for finding the answers to these questions.
Alright.
Morrow instantly grasped Gon's intention and immediately gave a thumbs-up to show it was no problem.
Nearby, Leorio watched Morrow and Gon's gestural exchange and gradually realized the key to passing this test.
He took two steps forward, picked up his own test paper, and pointed out seven or eight questions one by one, indicating his willingness to join the collaboration.
Leorio's initiative was naturally something Morrow was happy to see.
However, Morrow was curious that the questions chosen by Gon and Leorio were neither sequentially numbered nor confined to a single field; they spanned multiple specialized areas, making them quite diverse.
Seemingly noticing Morrow's reaction, Gon and Leorio exchanged a smile, then, under Morrow's gaze, pointed in unison toward Tonpa, who was not far away.
Seeing this, Morrow immediately understood.
It was likely that Tonpa's analysis from the previous day had prompted Gon and the others to search the library for so-called test clues.
In the process of rummaging through books, they had probably memorized the titles and locations of some volumes.
If that were the case, their efficiency in targeted book searches would be significantly higher.
Understanding this, Morrow gestured to Gon and Leorio to begin their search and then headed toward another section of the library.
His goal was clear: to expand the scope of collaboration and encourage more examinees to join this information-sharing network.
The best outcome would be for everyone to participate.
Otherwise, disputes might arise due to "book snatching."
After all, each question corresponded to a specific book, and it was unlikely the library had duplicate copies.
If any examinee tried to exploit this to cause trouble, the situation could become complicated.
However, this possibility meant little to Morrow.
No matter how the test unfolded.
Morrow could use "manipulation" to pass the test, or he could use "numerical superiority" to overwhelm the other examinees.
The only difference lay in whether he wanted to or not.
If he wished, he could employ the power of Nen, a force akin to dimensional suppression, to silently destroy the test papers of the other examinees.
The interactions and actions between Morrow, Gon, and Leorio were all observed by the other examinees watching from the shadows.
Direct collaboration is allowed!
Exchanging answers is also within the permitted scope, which makes completing the exam much easier.
Haha, I guessed right!
Watching Morrow clear the minefield, Tonpa and some other examinees felt their spirits lift.
With the anticipated risks eliminated, their motivation instantly peaked, and they quickly gathered together.
However...
Even though they recognized that collaboration was key to completing the exam, veterans like Tonpa didn't fully let go of their wariness and suspicion.
They had to consider a potential possibility:
The fourth phase of the exam might limit the number of qualifiers.
Unlike the veterans' cautious preparations, Morrow had far fewer reservations. While searching for other collaborators in the archive section, he was suddenly stopped by someone.
Morrow halted and looked at the girl who had intercepted him.
She had delicate features, wearing a fluffy-looking yellow round hat, with indigo-blue eyes and long hair of the same color.
It was examinee No. 246, Ponzu.
After stopping Morrow, Ponzu got straight to the point, raising her exam paper and using her pen to point at the three questions she had already completed, indicating her desire to join the collaboration.
Understanding her intention, Morrow readily agreed and straightforwardly shared his own progress on the exam with Ponzu.
A smile spread across Ponzu's face as she nodded at Morrow.
Once the collaboration was established, Morrow suddenly took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them.
Faced with Morrow's abrupt move, Ponzu felt a slight jolt of surprise internally, but her outward reaction remained composed. She showed no signs of wariness or vigilance.
On one hand, it was to demonstrate her sincerity in collaborating; on the other, she could rely on the reactions of the hornets in her hat to detect any ill intent from Morrow.
Still, she was well aware that even if she could sense Morrow's malice in advance, given what she perceived as an overwhelming gap in strength, she would have no choice but to accept whatever might happen next.
Observing Ponzu's calm response, a flicker of surprise passed through Morrow's eyes.
This girl, who in the original storyline had been devoured by the Chimera Ants, might not be strong in terms of ability, but at least in terms of mental fortitude, she wasn't as fragile as one might assume.
Morrow held up his exam paper and, at a steady pace, pointed out nearly twenty questions, then shook his head at Ponzu.
These questions are already assigned to others.
Understood.
Ponzu nodded to confirm, then picked up her own paper and circled ten questions based on her own judgment.
Then I'll take care of this part.
Agreed.
Morrow gave a thumbs-up and immediately headed toward the next archive section.
Watching Morrow's retreating figure, Ponzu's gaze shifted thoughtfully as she mused:
This person is really impressive... If the final test really is a combat trial like Tonpa said, I hope I don't end up facing him. Ugh, what am I thinking? I might not even pass the fourth phase.
Shaking her head, Ponzu refocused and hurried toward the shelves piled high with books.
In the time that followed, Morrow brought Kalluto and Killua into the team. With Barbara and Hanzo joining later on their own initiative, the collaboration grew to eight members, almost enough.
With the collaboration settled, Morrow began searching for answers to the questions he was responsible for.
But he had only found answers to two questions when he noticed Hisoka approaching him.
How about I join in too?
Without needing to gesture, Hisoka clearly conveyed his meaning through his expression and subtle... or rather, somewhat alluring body movements.
Morrow ignored him outright.
Earlier, when Morrow was expanding the cooperative team, he had noticed Hisoka deliberately slacking off.
If he wasn't mistaken, this guy must have already prepared an escape route, which was why he was so brazen.
His sudden approach now was probably out of boredom.
Morrow disregarded the signals Hisoka was sending and continued browsing the books on the shelves.
Seeing Morrow's indifference, Hisoka felt disappointed but didn't press further. He casually wandered around the library area, though he kept a subtle eye on Tonpa's situation.
So boring, Hisoka thought to himself.
As someone who thrived on combat and bloodshed, he had no interest in such a "peaceful" scene.
In stark contrast to Hisoka were Gon and Killua.
The seemingly tedious task of finding the "correct" book among the many volumes gave Gon and Killua a treasure-hunt-like joy, and they gradually became engrossed in it.
Perhaps due to their mindset, Gon and Killua's efficiency in locating the corresponding books was remarkably high.
As time passed, the examinees made increasing progress on their answer sheets.
However, certain issues began to emerge.
In this phase of the test, examinees like Gon and Leorio approached finding answers to each question with a "puzzle-solving" mentality, lacking a competitive edge.
So, when they found the book corresponding to a question, they would return it to its original spot after noting the answer.
In contrast, the more competitively-minded veterans would take the books back to the reading area, the desks for the written test, effectively locking away some of the answers.
As long as we secure a lead in the number of questions answered, our chances of passing will increase accordingly. Those rookies... are so naive, Tonpa thought with a sinister chuckle.
After forming an alliance with other veterans, Tonpa immediately came up with the idea of hoarding books to block answers.
He hadn't expected Gon and the others to dutifully return the books after finding the answers...
When Tonpa noticed this, he could hardly contain his glee.
He quickly coordinated with the veterans, dividing tasks to collect the returned answer books while blocking access to the books Gon and the others hadn't found yet.
By the time Gon's group realized what was happening, Tonpa's team had already secured at least twenty books, representing a minimum of twenty answers.
The approaches of the two groups were clearly distinct.
Those bastards are playing dirty! Leorio thought, veins bulging on his forehead as he clenched his fists tightly.
Watching Leorio's frustrated, stifled reaction, Tonpa and the other veterans smirked mockingly.
Leorio was furious and anxious, but bound by the rules, he could only swallow his curses and grit his teeth.
Gon and the others looked toward Morrow.
Seeing Morrow's calm expression, Gon, Ponzu, and the other rookies inexplicably began to feel reassured.
In truth, during the process of searching for answers, Morrow had noticed Tonpa and his group's underhanded tactics, but he paid them no mind, merely casually blocking two questions himself. At the same time, seeing that Gon and the others were enjoying themselves, Morrow didn't let the situation affect them.
With just a casual use of his "Starlight Convergence" ability, Morrow was able to collect the answers to the questions that had been blocked by Tonpa's group, as well as the answers to the bonus questions exclusive to them.
After gathering all the answers, Morrow picked up his pen under the watchful eyes of Gon's group and began filling in the remaining blanks on the exam paper.
Scratch, scratch...
The pen tip glided smoothly across the paper, and the answers to nearly thirty difficult questions flowed out one after another like clouds drifting across the sky.
Gon and the others gathered around, watching as Morrow effortlessly completed nearly thirty questions.
!!!
Can he really solve such difficult questions without even referring to the books!?
Even without cooperating with us, could he have finished the entire exam on his own?
Gon, Killua, Hanzo, Ponzu, and the others all stared at Morrow with stunned expressions, as if witnessing something beyond their comprehension.
So incredible!
Unconsciously, Gon and the others exclaimed in their hearts.
Their shock was so intense that Tonpa and his group noticed something unusual.
Wait, something seems off!
Seeing the excited and thrilled expressions on Gon's group, Tonpa and the others immediately felt a sense of foreboding and turned their gazes toward Morrow, who had just finished the exam.
Did he do something!?
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Bonus chapter@ 400power stones