“Stop it!” Murong Yue turned back in horror. “Su Cheng, you can’t do this!”
Su Cheng stood to the side with her arms crossed. “I didn’t do this.”
“You can control it!” Murong Yue roared. “Don’t think I don’t know how your powers work. If you hadn’t activated that—”
“AAAAAAAH!”
The younger female student let out a heart-wrenching scream. Her flesh began to fall away in clumps, turning her into a bloody mess. Her limbs were already stripped down to the stark white bone.
“Compensation! I’m willing to pay!” she wailed. “I’ll give you as much money as you want!”
“Stop!” Murong Yue shouted sternly. “Is it because I haven't made myself clear—”
Su Cheng paused.
Since her hypothesis had been confirmed, there was no benefit in this person dying; it was naturally better to take the money and let her live.
However—
Su Cheng tried to intervene, only to find that she couldn't stop the process.
The student collapsed into a pool of blood, howling in agony.
She was a solid mass of red. Shreds of flesh torn away by an invisible force littered the ground, and her limbs were reduced to a skeletal frame. It was a gruesome sight.
“You!” Murong Yue was filled with shock and fury. “Why would you do this?!”
Su Cheng frowned as she looked at him.
At this moment, she realized with absolute clarity why people feared the God-favored.
“That’s enough,” Su Cheng said softly. “Where were you when she was tearing up the 'contract'?”
Murong Yue took a deep breath. “The moment you took it out, I knew that wasn't a contract!”
He had personally read and signed the original, so he naturally remembered what it looked like.
Su Cheng sneered. “Just because it wasn’t the contract, she’s allowed to snatch it and tear it up? Your rank is higher than hers, and your movements are faster. If you had lifted a finger to stop her, she wouldn’t be like this. Why don’t you reflect on your own actions! You knew I wasn't someone to be trifled with, so why didn't you warn her beforehand? We stated clearly in the contract that the contents had to be fully disclosed! Why didn't you say anything? Were you embarrassed? You actually value your own pride more than someone else's life! You truly are beyond saving!”
Murong Yue’s expression was hideous. “I did tell her about the broken engagement, and I told them not to bother you anymore—”
“She didn’t know about the existence of the contract! She didn’t know about the compensation! Don’t try to play word games with me!”
The students from Nanhe Academy were dumbstruck. Some wanted to speak up, but one glance at the flesh and bone on the floor silenced them.
Most of them had intended to suck up to Murong Yue and had even tried to insult her earlier; now, they were infinitely grateful they had kept their mouths shut.
This was definitely not the power of an ordinary elemental mage!
Even though they had seen death and even killed before, this scene was too eerie and shocking.
Su Cheng turned around.
While the atmosphere here was tense and murderous, the rest of the guild hall remained chaotic.
Because the place was so crowded, most people couldn't see what was happening; they could only smell the blood.
“...What happened?!”
“Is someone dead?”
Mercenaries dealt with violence year-round, so it wasn't rare for lives to be lost, but most people exercised restraint on guild property.
Behind the railing on the upper floor, a dense crowd of mercenaries stood watching the show.
They looked down from their vantage point, eyeing the bloody figure that was no longer moving and whispering among themselves.
“A heterodox mage? It looks a bit like a curse. They spoke a few sentences earlier; maybe that was the trigger condition?”
“Could be Arcane. It looks like space was being torn apart—”
“I didn't feel any fluctuations, though...”
They speculated about her power while looking at Su Cheng.
No one mentioned the God-favored.
There were so few God-favored that ordinary people wouldn't even consider the possibility. Furthermore, the hall was noisy, and very few people could hear what she and the deceased had actually said.
Su Cheng looked toward the second-floor corridor. Her gaze swept over the mercenaries and found a familiar figure.
A silver-haired young man was leaning against the railing watching the drama, holding a glass of bright red drink. When their eyes met, he even winked at her.
She tilted her head slightly and saw Camus leaning against the entrance of the hallway.
People were passing by, occasionally obscuring the blonde man’s figure. His dark blue eyes glinted coldly under the shadow of his hat brim.
He met her gaze from a distance, then turned and went back inside.
It looked as if he had come out specifically to check if she was still alive.
Su Cheng: “...”
During this time, two students from Nanhe Academy had already carried away the unlucky victim—whether she was dead or alive was unclear—leaving behind a massive pool of blood.
Suddenly, another commotion broke out behind them.
Several people descended from the other staircase, and the nearby mercenaries scrambled to make way.
This group was dressed in military attire. Their armor was ornate and exquisite, and they radiated a bloody aura that marked them as battle-hardened veterans.
On their breastplates was an engraving of spread wings.
The insignia of the Silver Wing Mercenary Group.
Leading them was a tall, beautiful youth with silver curly hair tied in a loose braid behind him. Streaks of pale blue were woven through his hair, resembling waves amidst a glacier.
His skin was porcelain white with a lustrous glow, and he possessed a pair of beautiful, long, pointed ears.
Most of the guild hall fell silent.
The appearance of members from an S-rank mercenary group drew everyone's attention.
“...Xiao Lan!”
One of Murong Yue’s classmates gasped.
Clearly, this silver-haired youth was the person Nanhe Academy wanted to recruit.
The silver-haired youth walked over unhurriedly, the crowds on both sides parting like a cloven sea.
Murong Yue forced himself to rally his spirits. “Your Excellency Xiao Lan—”
Buzzing whispers broke out nearby.
It was common knowledge that the title "Your Excellency" was usually reserved for two situations: those with formal noble titles, or mages and warriors of the sixth rank and above—meaning at least a Great Mage or a Great Battle Master.
Of course, clergy members of the Holy See were also eligible for the title after reaching a certain status.
Or the God-favored, but they were even rarer.
“No need to speak.”
The silver-haired youth raised his hand, cutting Murong Yue off.
His voice was gentle and mellow, very pleasant to the ear. “The act of bullying the weak is truly despicable. The conduct of your school’s apprentices says enough. I was the one who asked to meet you here, but I’m afraid we have nothing left to discuss.”
Murong Yue’s gaze turned cold. “Do you truly believe she is the weak one?”
“She isn't,” Xiao Lan shook his head slightly. “But your classmate *believed* she lacked strength and thus attempted to humiliate her. Because that wasn't the case, that person suffered the consequences. But if she truly had been lacking in strength, would she have just had to endure it? It seems your school selects students based only on talent, strength, and background without regarding character. Well, there's nothing more to say. I will not be classmates with such petty, vulgar people. It would ruin my mood.”
Su Cheng tilted her head as she observed him.
As Murong Yue’s “best friend,” Xiao Lan had clearly been gender-swapped as well.
Her impression of this character from the original work was quite vague, but now it seemed rather interesting.
The faces of everyone from Nanhe Academy were all rather awful.
Xiao Lan's words were truly unpleasant, yet they didn't know how to refute them.
The silver-haired youth no longer looked at them, merely turning slightly. "Good day, miss."
"Good day, Grand War Master," Su Cheng nodded in acknowledgment. "I must say you've made a wise choice."
Xiao Lan looked at her thoughtfully. "And what about you? Which school will you choose for your continued cultivation?"
Su Cheng was somewhat taken aback. "Huh?"
They were probably around the same age, but Xiao Lan looked even younger, to the point where calling him a middle school student wouldn't feel off.
Yet, he was still a good head taller than her, and his physique already had the outline of a grown man.
Only his face retained a childish air.
The youth's brows and eyes were exquisite, his pupils a blue like the shimmering, sun-dappled surface of the sea, his silver-white eyelashes thick and layered like frost crystals.
Su Cheng felt her heart skip a beat.
She immediately didn't dare look any longer. "Ahem, I haven't decided. Perhaps I won't go to any particular school."
Murong Yue beside her had a flicker in his eyes.
He actually believed Su Cheng hadn't considered studying elsewhere.
Nowadays, the gods were basically divided into two factions: either allies and subordinates of the God of Light, or those who had pledged allegiance to the God of Darkness.
The God of Law and the God of Contract were both allies of the God of Light. The Church loved to win over the Blessed of these deities, offering them extremely favorable treatment.
As a Blessed herself, she could naturally enjoy these benefits as well.
The Church was a gathering of elites and masters, and of course had its own academies to train promising new clergy or those with special abilities.
"...I understand."
Xiao Lan nodded, those beautiful blue eyes shimmering as his gaze swept past her arm, a look of realization dawning on his face.
"If your intentions change, please do me the favor of notifying me. I believe your choice would hold more reference value."
The youth said very seriously, "I don't know many humans, and almost none my own age. I originally thought talking with them might yield some gains."
He tilted his head to look at Murong Yue and the others. "...Clearly, I was mistaken."
Su Cheng was stunned for a few seconds. "So, you still intend to choose a school to attend?"
"Yes," Xiao Lan nodded earnestly. "I've never experienced school life. Some believe it's an indispensable experience."
Su Cheng understood. "Well, if I really do decide to go somewhere to study, I'll have someone notify you. After all, you always have people stationed here, right?"
Top-tier mercenary teams like Silverwing, number one in the Empire, were also occasionally hired by the royal family and even the imperial government's military.
As a medium-sized mercenary group, their formal combat personnel might only number in the hundreds or even less, but they would also have some administrative staff responsible for paperwork, recruiting new members, and mission negotiations.
Therefore, in strategically important major cities like Gold Amber City, within the Mercenary Guild, there were often outposts for these top mercenary groups.
They would have long-term use of at least one office, unlike other mercenary teams who had to rent temporarily, sometimes unable to rent at all when it was busy.
"So," Su Cheng said casually, "I can just come and say something then, right?"
"Correct, thank you for the trouble," Xiao Lan said politely. "I noticed you just registered as a mercenary?"
Su Cheng was still holding her little booklet. "Yes?"
The silver-haired youth looked at her quietly. "Then, have you considered joining any team yet?"
Su Cheng blinked. "If I said no, would you recruit me?"
He smiled slightly, using her own tone. "If I said I would, would you be willing?"
There were several Silverwing mercenaries behind Xiao Lan, and not a single one showed any protest or even a hint of surprise on their faces.
All around, there were gasps of astonishment, countless envious glances cast their way.
Su Cheng instinctively turned her head.
The leader of Black Flame was still standing by the wall, right in front of the bulletin board covered in invitations.
He was exceptionally tall and robustly built. Even surrounded by a group of burly mercenaries, he wasn't completely hidden.
Through the shifting crowd, her eyes met Kai's.
The leader was remarkably composed, even giving her a gentle, approving look, as if genuinely happy for her.
The people from Nanhe Academy were even more shocked.
"Given her age, she'd need to be at least an intermediate mage or war captain to even qualify to apply to become one of your combat personnel, and even then, it would require approval—"
Someone familiar with Silverwing's rules said indignantly, "And the approval isn't even guaranteed!"
"That's right," Xiao Lan said softly. "But firstly, there are always exceptions to everything. Secondly, some rules exist precisely to discourage those without much skill."
The person who had just spoken instantly flushed red.
Murong Yue sighed inwardly.
Whatever situations the so-called exceptions might include, the status of a Blessed would undoubtedly be one of them, especially a Blessed chosen by two major gods.
Xiao Lan had probably already guessed.
"...I'd better not," Su Cheng said clearly. "Organizations like yours have many rules. Members also have to regularly take on assigned tasks from above. I've promised someone else, and I have other things to attend to."
Xiao Lan was taken aback.
The Silverwing members behind him also showed expressions of surprise, clearly not expecting her to refuse.
The people from Nanhe Academy were utterly dumbfounded.
In their view, this was like a pie falling from the sky—with their own abilities, wanting to join Silverwing wasn't even a guarantee of acceptance.
Then it occurred to them that Su Cheng had just killed their classmate; clearly, her capabilities were far greater than they had imagined.
"In that case, let's forget it," Xiao Lan smiled. "I look forward to our next meeting."
The youth bowed very courteously.
Su Cheng hurriedly returned the gesture.
Xiao Lan paid no more attention to Murong Yue and his group, turning and leaving directly.
Su Cheng also acted as if they didn't exist, turned, slipped out of the crowd, and found the leader who had been silently observing all along.
The surrounding mercenaries who had been watching stared at her. Several wanted to come up and talk, but stopped when they saw her take the dark-haired man's hand.
Su Cheng looked up. "Let's go."
She couldn't fully grasp the leader's wrist with one hand, only managing to hold about half of it.
Her fingertips brushed over the leather bracer, feeling its fine texture and the cold, hard metal rivets at the edges.
Kai didn't resist either, letting the young girl lead him as she walked forward.
The two of them exited through the side door of the guild hall, all the way out to the street outside.
Su Cheng released him. "I really didn't expect all these messy things to happen. Sorry for wasting your time."
"There's no need to apologize," the leader said, looking down at her. "You seem preoccupied."
Su Cheng sighed.
—It was proven that the power of the gods could not be completely controlled. Once used, there was no guarantee of what would happen next.
But that wasn't the only thing on her mind.
Su Cheng: "I'm thinking about the probability of winning a lawsuit against him. He obviously didn't disclose the full contents of the contract, nor did he mention the existence of the contract itself. But he definitely mentioned breaking off the engagement and told me not to mock him or things like that. Given his personality, people might only see it as an arrogant display and wouldn't consider it involved compensation. And given the Murong family's status, even in court, few would dare to use truth-compelling magic on him. That person is most likely dead, so there's no way to cross-examine. And I made another mistake—I didn't set a time limit for disclosure in the contract. When the time comes, he could completely claim that before the deceased spoke, he was just about to inform me of the remaining contract terms—Argh, I'm so useless!"
Su Cheng stopped talking mid-sentence.
She suddenly realized that to an outsider, she probably seemed like a lunatic.
Or a money-grubbing beast.
Yet the man beside her had a calm expression, as if he hadn't heard a word she said and had no intention of mocking or questioning her.
She couldn't help but pause for a few seconds.
Kai looked down at her. "I haven't read the original contract, but if he selectively disclosed parts of it, and truth magic isn't dared to be used on him, does that mean every single one of his friends is also too intimidating for judicial officials to confront?"
Su Cheng: "..."
He actually listened seriously! And he understood what she meant!
"And if you need it," he thought for a moment, "whatever it is, I can appear in court as a witness. When that Mr. Murong entered, he wasn't speaking to anyone around him at all."
Su Cheng: "???"
Spring Day.
Su Cheng suddenly felt like she had met him too late in life, and for a moment, she wished she could become sworn siblings with him on the spot.
