As the student with the best performance, Scarlet had been chosen as the captain of this year's squadron who had the authority to recommend only one person onto the list. And yet, she unexpectedly wanted to use this extremely precious opportunity on Wang Zhong?
Did they just see a ghost?
"At the same time, Emily and Grai are both excellent freshmen, and I hope that they will be included in the list to participate in the academy's selection process."
"That isn't possible!" Lu Zhan Tian shouted as his face turned red. " It would be a waste of slots to add those kinds of rubbish to the list."
"Vice-president Lu Zhan Tian, this isn't something you can decide," replied Scarlet calmly. He was the type of person to get agitated easily, and is often ambitious, but with no real talent to back it up. He had the same issue last year as well, and it seemed to have aggravated over the year.
Ma Dong immediately felt his spirit rise a thousandfold. "President Scarlet, you have made a wise decision." Ma Dong interjected. " As the president of the Prodigy Society, I wholly support your decision and will do my best to accommodate you."
"President Scarlet, you may be the granddaughter of the dean, but you can't just act as you wish!" Lu Zhan Tian stiffly said.
"Lu Zhan Tian, how can you speak like that? Apologise to Scarlet immediately!" A gentle voice reprimanded. Though his mouth twisted into a grimace, Lu Zhan Tian still lowered his head to apologise to Scarlet.
"I apologise." Lu Zhan Tian said.
"Scarlet, please don't be angry. This fellow may have a slightly obstinate temperament, but he meant well. This competition is extremely important to our Tianjing Academy. If the Prodigy Society were to take up 3 positions on the team, the other societies and a vast majority of the students would be unhappy with this decision even if I were to accede to it."
The person who had spoken was Reeves, the President of Saint Judgement and currently the most prestigious person in the academy. A few words from him defused the tense situation; not only did he manage to resolve the awkwardness introduced by Lu Zhan Tian, his words portrayed his maturity and made Scarlet appear to be a willful little girl in contrast.
"President Reeves, as this quota is decided by the Black Rose, selecting Wang Zhong would not impede upon the quota of other societies. Moreover, whether one gets chosen would depend on their performance during the trials and the fair judgement of Teacher Grace."." Scarlet said.
"Yet it would pose an unfair advantage for the members of Black Rose." Reeves replied with a laugh. "Although I believe in the strength of Emily, as she is the successor of the Assassin clan, Wang Zhong and Grai are altogether a different matter. One is too weak, while the other is still a freshman. I personally feel that it isn't necessary to let them participate."
From the way he spoke, it seemed as though he had already made the final verdict for Scarlet.
Scarlet scrunched her forehead slightly. She was just about to speak when Milami tugged at her. That previous statement of Reeves had caused some dissatisfaction among the other high-ranked members of Black Rose. Who would get into the list still meant a great deal for Black Rose. However, many of them were less troubled by whether one was able get in. Rather, it was a matter of pride and not many would be receptive to having their chance taken away by a couple of freshmen.
Wang Zhong then stood up and said,. "I thank you, President Scarlet, for the recommendation. Personally, I am interested in participating in this competition, but what President Reeves said is logical. I offer a simple solution to this predicament. Why not have a bout between our Prodigy Society and the Saint Judgement? If we were to lose, then the proposition is relinquished. If we, however, were to win by some chance, then the Saint Judgement will accept whoever we place on your list."
Silence spread in all directions.
Reeves gawked, then proceeded to laugh. "How interesting Wang Zhong." He said jovially, "Let us do as you have recommended."
With a hostile look, Lu Zhang Tian said, "You brat, you'll rue the ignorance you have displayed today. I'll show you what every weakling deserves."
"Who is Wang Zhong?" An extremely clear and loud voice resounded within the grand hall.
"Who is shouting so blindly here? Your father…!" Lu Zhan Tian turned around and shouted at the bastard that interrupted his tirade.
The next moment, Lu Zhan Tian immediately shut his mouth. Everyone in the grand hall followed suit as silence filled the hall. Everyone's gaze was fixated on the silvery snow emblem present on the chest of a middle-aged man.
"Brat, be more polite when you speak." The man looked about 40-years-old. He gave a cursory glance at Lu Zhan Tian and his nonchalant words could easily be heard over the quiet audience.
That emblem was just too dazzling. As members of the Federation, almost everyone recognised the symbol. The silvery snow emblem belonged to one of the five greatest clans in the Federation: the Stuart clan. They were one of the shareholders of the OP system and were informally called one of the rulers of the Freedom Federation.
In the Freedom Federation, any word or action from a clan as great as this could be viewed as the law.
Lu Zhan Tian immediately looked down and stopped talking. Luckily, the other party didn't pay him much attention.
"I am Wang Zhong."
The middle-aged man stared at Wang Zhong with an expressionless face. After sizing him up for a while , he said, "This is a letter for you."
Wang Zhong felt confused. The greatest clan he knew of was the Assassin clan.
After handing Wang Zhong the letter, the middle-aged man gave a slight nod to Scarlet before leaving.
The people nearby looked at the letter in Wang Zhong's hand in confusion. This infamous trash of the academy was somehow related to the Stuart clan. This was akin to a beggar receiving an imperial edict.
Even Ma Dong and Emily were filled with curiosity. Emily wriggled her nose a little, saying, "There is a scent of perfume coming from the letter. Is this from a girl?"
Wang Zhong couldn't help but shake his head. Is this little girl a dog? He opened the letter, which only contained a single sentence. "Wang Zhong, let's meet up at the CHF."
The CHF? The letter reverberated with Carolyn's arrogance, making Wang Zhong laugh. This was exactly like her. Alright then, let's meet up at the CHF!
While Ma Dong was full of questions, he knew that this wasn't the right time for them. After this mess, no one would satirize Wang Zhong anymore. He had a connection with the Stuart clan. Although it was only with a branch and not the main clan, it would be unwise to ridicule him offhandedly..
The first team match that the Prodigy Society would face after its establishment was to be against Saint Judgement. This would surely be a handful for Ma Dong, but student Ma Dong was, as always, an optimist. If you want a fight, we'll give you a fight! What was worrying, however, was the contents of the letter. Could it have been sent by that girl Wang Zhong was crushing on?
To even send someone, it wouldn't be an act, right?
☀
At the end of the banquet dinner, the match between the two societies was finalized. The time was decided by the Prodigy Society as it would not be good for someone with Reeve's standing to be seen as bullying the freshmen. Furthermore, Lu Zhan Tian and the others felt that the Prodigy Society was just asking for their deaths.
Finally returning to the academy and with Emily away, Ma Dong could barely keep silent, especially with his curiosity bursting at its seams..
"This letter was sent by the girl you like?" Ma Dong asked.
Wang Zhong nodded his head.
"Is she a member of the Stuart Family?"
"Possibly, I'm not very sure."
"Fuck. It's better not to provoke a girl like that. It doesn't matter if she's from a branch or is a direct descendant, she is realms above us in terms of social standing. Being too far for us to see or touch her, how is this any better from Scarlet? I feel that she appreciates you; this is your chance!" Ma Dong couldn't resist giving some of his advice.
Ma Dong was shocked. "What relationship. Did she let you hold her hands?"
It wasn't that Ma Dong despised Wang Zhong. He was still a virgin himself and had never held a girl's hands before other than Emily's, but that brat doesn't count.
"We kissed," Wang Zhong added.
"Kissed… the two of you kissed the first time you both met each other?" Ma Dong asked. His mouth gaped open, showing a face of disbelief.
Wang Zhong nodded his head. "I met her for the first time in the gravity chamber and knew she was the one I was searching for."
"Did you push her down and kiss her afterward?" Ma Dong continued to ask.
"How did you know?" Wang Zhong felt baffled before continuing, "You brat, you weren't peeping were you?"
Ma Dong raised his head and sighed. Even the moon would feel embarrassed. This blockhead had successfully courted a girl. The melancholy he felt at this revelation was overbearing!
Wang Zhong was a prodigy… that girl from the Stuart clan was also a prodigy… He, Ma Dong, was simply an ordinary person!
☀
Within Tianjing Academy, a girl wearing sunglasses, her expression stern and grave, walked out from the beautiful doorway of the grand hall.
It was drizzling lightly outside. Behind her stood the strongest and highest ranking soldier in Tianjing Academy. As a representative of the Tianjing Academy, Chairman Rex personally held up her umbrella to shelter her from the rain while continuing to speak with a wide smile on his face. "Miss Carolyn, put your heart at ease. The Stuart clan has our, Tianjing Academy's, complete and utter cooperation. With this expansion, Tianjing will dazzle the world. I will personally answer for any blunders made."
Carolyn laughed and replied, "Our clan has always believed in your abilities. Since we have been friends for many years, I personally thank you for your assistance. I will relay your ideas to my father. However, how he decides to act is not something I can control."
Rex's smile became brighter as he replied, "That is enough—thank you!" He then personally opened the car door for her. Rex was very pleased with today's discussion. Being able to leave a good impression on the heir of the Stuart clan would help his status rise by quite a bit in the future.
Carolyn never liked making connections with these politicians as they were full of fake smiles and empty lies. She would go as far as to say she despised them. Alas, as a public figure of the Stuart clan, these things were sometimes out of her control.
This time, her visit to Tianjing could be considered as decent. Handling this little matter for Rex didn't actually require her to personally come by, but she would come anyway. Originally, she wanted to use this time to get some fresh air and escape from reality for a while, even if it was for just a moment. What she would never have imagined was that she would experience an event that made her heart flutter.
"Miss, your letter has been delivered." Seated in the front seat of the vehicle was the middle-aged man that had previously delivered the letter to Wang Zhong.
A genuine smile finally appeared on Carolyn's face. Whenever she thought about that guy, she would get a special kind of feeling, making any of her troubles seem insignificant. She would love to discuss this with others, but didn't dare to go too far. "How do you feel about him?" she asked.
"It's too early to tell… but for the young lady to find him exceptional, there have to be reasons. I trust your judgment."
"Haha, he looks weak, doesn't he?" Carolyn spoke and laughed. Truthfully speaking, even she would felt it was hard to believe that Wang Zhong could actually defeat her.
Dero nodded his head solemnly. This was the kind of person Dero would ignore. Even if the person were to look unrefined from their head to their toes, the young lady's command was not to be ignored. As a bodyguard, he didn't need his own eyes, ears, or brain; he just needed to follow orders.
"Start the car." Carolyn was feeling very happy. She extended her hand out the window and felt the light drizzle. Hopefully, she could meet with him at the CHF. When she thought about those fiery lips, Carolyn felt slightly rebellious and secretive. Could this fellow really become her boyfriend?
Thinking about this, Carolyn couldn't help but laugh. She was actually truly considering this question…
☀
Coming back from the dinner banquet, Wang Zhong and Ma Dong felt very satisfied. Their reasons for this feeling were quite different. Wang Zhong now knew Carolyn's background, and while it may be a little unorthodox, this would never impede him.
Student Ma Dong finally found a reason to live. As for the issue of him winning or losing, it didn't matter to him. To shine from the rest is something only a king could do.
CHF Competition. How could Wang Zhong not anticipate it? As a student of a renowned soul academy, being able to enter such a battle would be glorious. It is just that the competition this year would be immensely difficult, making it a magnificent sight to behold. Everyone was talking about how the great clans were choosing their strongest representative to showcase their abilities in this competition.
For the participants from Tianjing Academy, the goal was to qualify for the competition. This was the matter Scarlet most worried about. If they were unable to even qualify, then Tianjing Academy would have to withdraw from the rankings of the top 100 Great Academies.
☀
Wang Zhong reached the OP room and did a few warm-up exercises before entering the Fifth Dimension.
Every single time he entered the Fifth Dimension, Wang Zhong felt as though he was entering into a dream. The only difference was that in the dream world, there was only Simba. He hoped he could face a strong opponent today.
All-Mouthy King has entered.
In an instant, the crowd became worked up. Huge competitions were where more prodigies with excellent fighting abilities were showcased. This year, it was the CHF competition. It was only recently that the Federation had publicly announced that the number of matches within the OP system has risen by 20%. Along with that, there was increasing participation from experts who have not been heard from for a long time. However, not everyone loved the OP system, including families that value their ancient heritage as well as those that follow the same mindset as the Empire. In the past, fighting abilities were a testament to one's brutal training, which made them disapprove of a shortcut like the OP system. While the OP system was beneficial for ordinary people, to them, it was simply for the weak.
"Brother King, you have finally arrived. I've thought of you so much that I couldn't sleep."
"Who will he be trashing up today!"
"Will it be random weapons again for today?"
"You all are a pile of vegetables, how can you understand the feelings of King?"
People who were more traditional might not be able to accept the OP system as it was too casual, simplifying fights that in the past, was very serious and often dangerous. Those fights, however, easily lead to injuries and deaths. For the younger generation, they enjoyed the OP system matches a lot. Within the Federation, the OP system was becoming a huge trend and it is not something that can be changed by anyone.
Freedom Federation. The word Freedom means a great deal.
Wang Zhong could still feel the difference in the atmosphere around him, but didn't care much for it. This kind of fame allowed him to find better opponents.
When he opened his mailbox, Wang Zhong was stunned. It was littered with requests for challenges.
[Youngster King dare to come up and fight a battle?]
[Massa City's Royal soldier invites you to a match!]
[I will kill you in 3 seconds!]
...
These sorts of messages filled his mailbox. Wang Zhong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What in the world was this all about?
Frankly speaking, these kinds of challenges were unreasonable. Some of them were simple jokes, while others were issued for them to get famous.
Wang Zhong entered matchmaking. His recent combat achievements weren't bad, so he should be able to find an opponent that's a bit more skillful.
When they saw All-Mouthy King enter matchmaking, a portion of the people viewing was slightly disappointing. Due to the rise in status from his match with Anlor, those who would get selected to battle All-Mouthy King wouldn't be on the same level as Anlor.
When a forest grew larger, so too would the birds.
☀
Within Copperfield City, Anlor had been training like his life depended on it. He wiped off his sweat and walked out. He carried his Skylink with him, setting a priority alert that set off whenever All-Mouthy King came online.
This was the person who had defeated him and almost destroyed his confidence. It was lucky to have the companionship of his teammates. His captain had spoken correctly when she said that this would be beneficial for him. The CHF Competition was about to begin at the end of the year but he had been too pleased with himself for completing the flying combat axes technique, leading to his complacency. That battle had awakened him up.