Chapter 26

The system added, "But that also means the E-Types or designated prospective E-Types sent in are among the talents the empire has its eye on. If one of them can be the last person standing in the arena, they can skip all the entrance exams and the complicated basic tests and qualify for direct admission to Grandis Military Academy."

"If they graduate successfully, they'll start at the rank of major in their faction's general headquarters."

Xu Qingran could have guessed with his toes who had arranged this again.

On the way to Tower 3, he didn't say another word.

He was so quiet that the system grew frightened, as if it were back on the day he had first transmigrated.

Much later, they rode a round little vehicle to the entrance of Tower 3.

A tense-looking staff member led Xu Qingran to the arena at the far end of the ground floor.

Numerous passage entrances surrounded the square arena. Each person about to enter would emerge from a different passage.

The staff member gave him new silver-white bracelets to wear on both wrists.

Then he explained, "These are to keep you alive. They can protect all the vital points on your body and block Mental Power penetration below S-rank."

"The death-row inmates sent into Tower 3's arena have Mental Power ranging from C to A-rank on average. Once the bracelets send out an alert, Tower 3's guards will come in immediately and rescue you, ensuring your survival."

The mechanical door in front of the passage slowly slid upward.

He took the short blade the staff member handed him. As he channeled his Mental Power, the blade glowed faintly.

Xu Qingran didn't go in immediately. Instead, he copied the staff member's movements, took off both bracelets, and tossed them aside.

Then, to the shock of both the staff member and the system, he said calmly, "No need. I don't need these things."

With that, he walked straight into the arena. The mechanical door closed behind him at great speed, leaving the staff member no time to stop him.

He stared at the pitch-black door in front of him and opened a communication channel to the main office with a trembling hand. "T-Tower Master, the prospective E-Type who was just sent into Tower No. 3's arena took off the protective bracelets Evil Tower gave him..."

Who was the last madman to do that?

Oh, right. That admiral from Golden Wing's general headquarters.

SR-Sirius System, Golden Crow City on Jade Star.

Central District 1, Golden Wing military headquarters.

Having fulfilled his duty of inspecting Evil Tower, Shen Tingyu finally returned, weary from the journey.

Before leaving, he had assigned tasks to each of the squads under him, so there weren't many people in his building when he returned.

Even the chatterbox Xie Nanjun was away.

He had just returned to his office and hadn't even had time to sit down when someone knocked on the door, carrying a letter.

"Admiral, this is an urgent letter delivered to you yesterday from the empire's capital planet."

Chapter 12: Compatible partner

The white envelope bore a seal made with Mental Power that only he could undo.

There wasn't even a signature.

Although it was a letter from the empire's capital planet, one without so much as an emblem on it couldn't possibly be official correspondence.

Shen Tingyu thanked the messenger and took it. After the man left, he locked the door and slowly opened it.

The contents weren't long, but they left him silent.

Even the faint smile habitually present in his eyes vanished in an instant, leaving them like two pools of stagnant water.

He leaned against the desk and stared motionlessly at the words for a long time, then opened his communicator and contacted someone.

The call connected quickly, and a woman's voice came in a rush from the other end. "Shen Tingyu, you finally saw my letter!"

"If I hadn't acted on a whim yesterday and intercepted the final data the S-M System was about to send to the empire's central intelligence system, the royal family would have discovered your highly compatible match!"

Shen Tingyu's voice was deep and calm. "Impossible. There's something wrong with the results."

There was a pause of several seconds before she replied, "Although I'm also shocked that a soul so highly compatible with yours actually exists in this world, you had your physical examination with me back then, and I personally extracted your soul information sample. You should know that very well, shouldn't you?"

Shen Tingyu didn't answer.

She continued, "I personally delivered that batch of samples to Silver Dragon Joint Hospital, and apart from me, there are only four or five people in the entire empire who have mastered the technology to swap the sample chip data."

"Those few have basically no conflicting interests with you. If they'd wanted to change it, they would have done so years ago, when the empire feared you most."

Then she muttered, "Besides, even if someone wanted to give you a fake match, they'd pick someone well-behaved and easy to control, wouldn't they? Look at what Xu Qingran's reputation has become lately. He definitely wouldn't be among the candidates the empire would consider..."

Shen Tingyu gripped the letter and fell silent again.

Indeed, why did it have to be Xu Qingran?

If he had known, he should have thrown him straight into Tower 2's arena.

"You know they don't care whether the data is real or fake. What they care about is having someone who can form a soul contract with you, so they can use him to restrict you. If this ninety-nine percent compatibility result gets submitted now, you won't even have time to prepare. The empire will immediately force you into marriage and a contract."

Shen Tingyu remained adamant. "Impossible."

"I can't possibly have a suitable soul partner."

The woman asked him, "I know none of your matches over the years have even reached ten percent compatibility, but... there's no guarantee of that, is there? How can you be so sure you won't meet one in your lifetime?"

Shen Tingyu's expression darkened slightly. After a long while, he replied, "I know my own situation best."

The person on the other end stopped trying to persuade him and merely said, "Even if you insist there's something wrong with the data, both of you only had physical examinations recently. You'll have to wait at least another year before new soul information can be extracted. In that year, the empire could have the rice between you two cooked beyond cooked."

"So what are you planning to do?"

Shen Tingyu lowered his eyes in thought.