Chapter Twenty: Chosen
A wave of shock rippled through the students. All eyes turned toward them.
Daniel's heart pounded. This was bad.
Slowly, he rose to his feet. A moment later, Mark Sūn—his friend and fellow cultivator—stood beside him. Mark's expression was unreadable, but Daniel could see the tension in his shoulders.
Caldwell let the moment settle before speaking again. "You might be wondering why this school was selected for the cultivation program. The answer lies in these two individuals."
More whispers spread through the crowd.
"First," Caldwell continued, "Daniel Rivera. Out of all the cultivators we have identified across the country, he has shown the fastest rate of improvement. The data we've gathered suggests that his cultivation speed is unprecedented in America."
Daniel forced himself to remain still. They've been tracking me?
He stole a glance at Mark, whose expression barely shifted, though his jaw tightened.
Caldwell didn't stop there. "The second reason is Mark Sūn. He is the youngest son of the Sūn Family, an influential cultivation family."
At the mention of Mark's family, the murmuring intensified.
Caldwell clasped his hands behind his back. "Cultivation families are lineages that have secretly passed down cultivation techniques for generations. They have been waiting for Qi to return to the world and remained hidden from public knowledge—until now."
The students stared at Mark as if seeing him for the first time.
"These families have long understood what the public are only just beginning to learn: that cultivation is real and that those who train in it can achieve incredible feats." Caldwell's eyes swept over the audience. "This school has been chosen as a testing ground to integrate cultivation into modern society. And it starts with these two."
Daniel barely heard the rest of the speech. His mind raced.
They know everything.
_____
The principal's office felt smaller than usual.
Daniel and Mark sat across from the large wooden desk, facing Agent Caldwell. The principal was nowhere in sight.
Caldwell studied them for a long moment before speaking. "I imagine you both have questions."
Daniel leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You think?"
Mark, ever composed, simply asked, "How long has the government been tracking cultivators?"
Caldwell's lips curled slightly, as if he expected the question. "Cultivators are still people and people are greedy. Before the modern era, even without cultivation, cultivation families were strong fighters. They passed down exceptional knowledge about every aspect of hand-to-hand and weapon combat to their children. Even after the invention of firearms, these families prospered due to their strong foundation and connections in every country in the world. Due to this, every government has connections with cultivation families."
Daniel frowned, but he knew it made sense.
"You, however, are odd," Caldwell said simply. "Most cultivators follow a predictable growth pattern and are supplied with pills to help them cultivate by their rich and powerful families. But you… you defy all of it. Your cultivation speed is unnatural and you don't seem to have any family, cult or sect relation until very recently. You are an abandoned orphan with unknown parents."
Daniel clenched his jaw. He knew he had been left by his parents—but to hear it said like this, by the government, made it sting.
Mark glanced at Danie with sympathy before turning back to Caldwell. "And what exactly do you want from us?"
Caldwell leaned forward slightly. "For now? Cooperation. We're not here to interfere with your training. In fact, we want to provide opportunities—resources, guidance, and protection." He looked between them both.
Daniel met his gaze and nodded.
Inside, he didn't like this at all.