Quota Competition Begins! Protest Team! (Seek Follow-up!)

The first day of the Quota Competition.

The morning mist had yet to fully dissipate, but the martial school's competition area was already shrouded in a palpable tension.

In the center of the massive circular arena, sixty-four platforms stood solemnly in the arrangement of the Bagua, silently heralding the brutality that was inevitable today.

Tens of thousands of students poured in like a tide, taking their seats according to their grade levels.

Some were contestants making their last stand, while others had already decided to forfeit or pay the exorbitant tuition fees, attending only to observe the matches.

Most of the contestants had pale faces, constantly taking deep breaths to calm their thundering heartbeats.

For many who couldn't scrape together the hundred thousand tuition fee, this was more than just a competition; it was a crossroads of fate. Without a Tuition Exemption Quota, it meant permanently leaving the path of martial arts and returning to the underclass world where hope was nonexistent.

In the shadows of the stands, a young man desperately swung his fists, attempting a final breakthrough. His rough-spun training clothes were already soaked with sweat.

He was nameless, just one among thousands of commoner students. His calloused hands had lifted cargo boxes heavier than himself countless times in the dead of night, all for a meager sum to buy resources.

In the nearby aisle, several scions of Great Families, dressed in opulent clothing, chatted and laughed, casually scanning the plainly dressed students their age with undisguised superiority.

At this moment, every young face bore the mark of their destiny. Some clenched their only fists, some caressed the protective amulets on their chests, and others simply stared blankly at the platforms, their eyes having lost their luster.

As Lu Jue and Liu Ga stepped into the area, a wave of heat mixed with anxiety and determination washed over them.

A surge of noise, jarringly out of sync with the surrounding tense atmosphere, erupted from near the entrance of the competition zone.

A procession of several hundred people had gathered there. Unlike other students rushing to find their seats or warm up, they were orderly yet agitated, holding up signs and shouting in unison:

"Cancel the Quota Competition!"

"Cancel the tiered selection policy!"

"Grant commoner students the right to practice martial arts fairly!"

"Oppose resource monopolization! We need opportunities!"

The slogans grew louder and louder. Students turned to look, some with sympathy, some with disdain, but most with a flicker of hope.

At the very front of this protesting group, a female student stood out.

She appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a sharp white training uniform. Her posture was as upright as a pine tree, her face delicate, but her eyes were astonishingly bright, burning with a resolve unsuited to her age.

She didn't shout like the others. Instead, she calmly held the largest banner, on which the word "Fairness" was written in striking crimson paint.

Seeing Lu Jue's inquisitive expression, Liu Ga, standing beside him, lowered his voice and said, "The girl leading them is Su Xiaowan from the Fifth Grade."

"They say she has excellent talent, but she's a bit stubborn. With her abilities, she could easily secure a spot in this Quota Competition. But she gave up her registration and instead organized students to protest."

"In the past few days, major martial schools have seen protests and marches against this Quota Competition and the subsequent tiered selection policy, believing it completely blocks the path for commoner students to advance!"

Having the strength to compete for a quota but giving up the chance to register?

Hearing this, Lu Jue couldn't help but shake his head.

He respected such actions but didn't quite understand them.

In his past life, the voices of commoners might have been able to fight for their rights through public opinion.

But in this world where might reigns supreme, the status of commoners was even more humble.

Without the support of strength, ideals were like duckweed without roots, scattering at the first sign of wind and rain.

Furthermore, it was the Jin Kingdom government, not the East City Martial School, that implemented the tiered selection policy. Over seventy percent of the martial school's expenses were borne by the government. If this funding were to drastically decrease, the foundation supporting tens of thousands of students practicing martial arts for free would collapse. Even cornering the martial school wouldn't change any reality.

The crux of the issue was that ordinary commoners had no right to enter the city center, which meant their protest was futile from the start. They could only vent all their grievances at the only target they could reach: the martial school.

"She doesn't understand."

Lu Jue's voice was soft, as if speaking to Liu Ga, or perhaps to himself. "In this world, the loudness of a voice has always depended on the weight of one's fists. Shouts without the backing of strength are ultimately just castles in the air!"

As the two passed the protesting group, a girl within the crowd seemed to recognize Lu Jue. She immediately went to Su Xiaowan and whispered something.

Su Xiaowan's eyes lit up. She quickly stepped forward, blocking Lu Jue and Liu Ga's path.

She looked up at the taller Lu Jue, her clear eyes meeting his without flinching. Her tone was filled with an urgent sincerity:

"Excuse me, are you Senior Lu Jue? I am Su Xiaowan from the Fifth Grade!"

She spoke rapidly, clearly not wanting to miss this opportunity. "We are fighting for a fair chance for all commoner students. We all heard about you publicly refusing Zhao He. You come from a commoner background and have such backbone; you are the voice we need most! If you could join us and represent the commoner students of the Sixth Grade..."

"I'm sorry!"

Lu Jue interrupted her. But Su Xiaowan merely paused for a moment, organizing her thoughts, her gaze growing more fervent.

"Senior, the path of martial arts for us commoner students has been blocked. After the Quota Competition, countless people will lose the opportunity to practice martial arts..."

As she spoke, she slightly extended the crimson banner with "Fairness" written on it, as if offering a flag, extending a sincere invitation to Lu Jue.

"Please join us, Senior, and demand that the martial school cancel this unjust Quota Competition, and fight for true fairness for all of us commoner students!"

Her voice was clear, with the unique quality of a young girl. The protesting crowd behind her also cast expectant glances. Those gazes held passion, innocence, and the last glimmer of hope in despair, but lacked the fundamental understanding of this world.

"I understand the effort you've made..."

"If I may be so bold, speaking up for commoners is a good thing, but you've chosen the wrong method. You're pinning your hopes of changing your fate on the pity of others and concessions from the system, while abandoning the only thing that is truly reliable."

Su Xiaowan froze, as if she understood a little, but her eyes clearly showed her unwillingness.

"But Senior Lu Jue, if even we give up speaking out, this world will never hear the voices of commoners! If the rules are unfair, should we just accept it silently?"

"You still don't understand what I mean."

"Then what exactly do you mean? You're strong enough to get a quota, so you can condescendingly tell us our methods are wrong?"

Su Xiaowan's impassioned words instantly drew the attention of those around her. The students in the protest line unconsciously moved closer, their faces showing similar stubbornness and grievance. They all asked:

"Senior Lu Jue, you really won't add us?"

Under everyone's gaze, Lu Jue stopped, turned back, and looked at them. His gaze was calm, yet carried the clarity of someone who had seen through the world.

"I won't add you. I'm clumsy with words and can't shout any pretty slogans. The only thing I can rely on is these fists, which are somewhat strong."

"How should I put it? Even though I know the hope is slim, and it's likely a moth to a flame..."

"But I still want to try, to see if these fists of mine can smash through the so-called Class Chasm and fight all the way to the Apex of the World!"

"At that time, every step I take will pave a smooth path, free from high walls and shackles, for those who come after!"