Chapter 44: World
The class was as dull as usual, with Professor Liang explaining the basic structure of the human body and how mana flowed through muscles, bones and internal organs.
Nearly half the students were struggling to remain awake, while most of the others focused on their devices or copied the notes on the board without understanding them.
Wuxia found the situation slightly strange, but he soon understood why these lessons were generally considered boring and useless by combat professionals.
Basic knowledge about the body only became truly important when an Awakened reached a level where precise mana control, internal injuries, and physical reinforcement could decide whether they lived or died.
Most of the students in the room had never faced such situations, and many of them might never become strong enough for these details to matter.
When the class finally ended, Xingluo quickly stored her books and stood from her seat.
"I will speak to you two later."
She hurriedly waved goodbye to Su Lan and Ruan Mei before rushing after Professor Liang, leaving both girls watching her disappear through the classroom door.
Su Lan turned toward Ruan Mei with a confused expression. "Is it just me, or has everything become really strange? Xingluo was acting completely different today."
Ruan Mei slowly lowered the hand she had kept beneath the desk, while the faint light surrounding the detection bracelet on her wrist disappeared.
"There are more changes than just the way she is acting."
Su Lan looked at her blankly. "What do you mean?"
Ruan Mei did not answer, her gaze remaining fixed on the doorway through which Xingluo had left.
The detection result she had seen could not have been mistaken.
[Target Level: 86.]
Only two weeks ago, Xingluo had been Level 68. Ruan Mei’s expression became increasingly serious as a single thought remained inside her mind.
What exactly did you do during those two weeks, Xingluo?
Xingluo left the classroom and found Professor Liang waiting near the end of the corridor with both hands behind his back.
The moment he noticed her, a small smile appeared on his face. "I was waiting for you, Miss Xingluo. Let us speak inside my office."
Xingluo nodded and followed him without asking anything, while Wuxia floated beside her and quietly examined the professor.
After reaching the office, Professor Liang closed the door, walked behind his desk, and gestured toward the chair opposite him.
"Take a seat."
Xingluo sat down, and Professor Liang studied her for several seconds before leaning back slightly.
"It appears you encountered some considerable opportunities during your training."
Xingluo immediately understood that he had already detected her level, though his expression showed no intention of questioning how she had gained eighteen levels in less than two weeks.
"Yes, Professor," she replied. "I was fortunate."
Professor Liang looked at her more deeply before a faint smile appeared on his face. "Sometimes, luck is also a form of strength."
"It is the least predictable variable in the equation of fate. A person may possess talent, resources, and discipline, yet one fortunate encounter can still allow someone else to cross the distance between them overnight."
Xingluo felt that his words carried another meaning, but she could not understand exactly what he was trying to tell her.
She nodded somewhat awkwardly, and Professor Liang quickly returned to his usual serious expression.
"However, we are not here to discuss vague ideas such as luck and fate. Let us focus on what is directly in front of us."
He opened a file on the desk and pushed it toward her.
"The competition I mentioned will begin tomorrow at the city’s Military Headquarters. It is not an ordinary university event, and the participants will not be limited to students."
Xingluo glanced down at the file as Professor Liang continued.
"The military will send several talents from its youth division, while every major university in the city has selected its strongest students, even the younger heirs of the major families will also participate."
His finger tapped lightly against the document. "Those families normally avoid placing their heirs in the same competition unless the rewards are worth the risk."
Xingluo looked up. "What exactly are the rewards?"
Professor Liang did not answer immediately.
Instead, he leaned back and asked, "How much do you understand about the position of our city within the Human Alliance?"
"We are a tertiary city under Golden Dragon City," Xingluo replied. "And not a particularly important one."
"That is the hopeful way of describing it."
Professor Liang turned his chair slightly toward the window, beyond which the crowded university grounds and distant city buildings remained visible.
"We live inside one of the weakest tertiary cities in this region. Resources are limited, high-grade dungeons are controlled, and almost every valuable opportunity is divided between the military and several powerful families."
His words reminded Xingluo how small their city truly was when compared to the rest of Asterion.
The Human Alliance controlled more than a thousand cities and fortified bases across the world, but only seventy-two of them were considered true main cities.
Those seventy-two cities surrounded the Alliance Capital in a vast formation, each governed by one of the seventy-two Pillars of Humanity, beings who had surpassed Level 1,000.
It was said that the arrangement was not merely political.
The Capital formed the eye of an ancient defensive array, while every Pillar City acted as one of its major nodes, supporting a formation that protected the central territories of humanity.
Beyond those main nodes were countless secondary and tertiary cities, each connected to one of the seventy-two.
Their own city was only one of the many territories beneath Golden Dragon City, and even among those subsidiary cities, it possessed little influence or military value.
Professor Liang noticed Xingluo falling into thought and continued, "For people born here, entering the wider world is far more difficult than it appears."
"There are generally two reliable paths."
He raised one finger. "The first is becoming powerful enough that the greater cities cannot ignore you. However, strength requires resources, and most high-grade resources in this city are already controlled before ordinary people even learn they exist."
"Talent alone is rarely enough and without mana crystals, equipment, transition materials, proper skills, and access to suitable dungeons, most Awakened reach their limit long before their potential is exhausted."
Professor Liang raised a second finger. "The other path is the military."
"If someone enters the city military, completes enough missions, and rises to the rank of vice commander before the age of twenty-five, they may receive a recommendation for special training outside the city."
"With an exceptional service record, they may even be sent directly to Golden Dragon City."
Xingluo’s expression became more serious.
Leaving their tertiary city and entering a main city would completely change an Awakened’s future, but reaching vice commander before twenty-five was nearly impossible for someone without strong support.
"There is another path," Professor Liang added after a brief pause. "But it is not one I would advise you to consider."
Both Xingluo and Wuxia looked toward him, but Professor Liang did not explain further.
Instead, Professor Liang closed the file and looked at Xingluo seriously. "The rewards are the reason every major faction in the city is paying attention to this competition."
"The first-place winner will receive direct admission into the city military with the rank of Captain, along with ten thousand Military Credits."
Xingluo’s expression changed immediately.
A Captain was already an officer with authority over an active unit. Most soldiers required years of missions, accumulated merit, and several promotions before reaching that position, yet the winner would receive it directly.
Professor Liang continued, "Second and third place will also receive direct military admission, though both will begin as Privates.
The runner-up will receive three thousand Military Credits, while third place will receive one thousand."
Wuxia’s eyes narrowed slightly, the difference between first and second place was enormous.
Ten thousand Military Credits were already valuable, but entering directly as a Captain meant skipping the lowest ranks and gaining immediate access to missions, resources, and military authority unavailable to ordinary recruits.
Professor Liang tapped the file once. "Now you understand why the military talents, university elites, and heirs of the major families are all participating. First place is not merely a reward it is a direct path out of the limitations of this city."
Next professor Liang pushed the file the rest of the way toward her.
Professor Liang looked at her seriously. "Although your level has increased, do not rely on it too much. The competition arena will suppress every participant to the same level, so your advantage in raw attributes will be greatly reduced."
"What will matter there are your combat skills, mana control, battle experience, and ability to react under pressure. Focus on those if you truly intend to take first place."
Xingluo looked down at the registration document, while Wuxia studied Professor Liang’s calm expression.
The professor clearly knew more about the competition than he was currently willing to reveal.
Professor Liang tapped the file once. "Rest properly tonight and arrive at the Military Headquarters before eight tomorrow morning."
"Do not treat this like a university match, Miss Xingluo. Some of the people entering that arena have been trained to fight since childhood, and the military candidates have already killed outside the city."
Xingluo picked up the document with a smile and nodded. "Understood, Professor."