Tegages' Recruitment

Qi Tian and Chi Xin drank and chatted in the Meditation Room for a full four or five hours.

Empty bottles were scattered all over the table and floor. But they were both at Universe Level, so although they were a little tipsy, they weren't completely drunk.

Qi Tian also told Chi Xin that this was his first time entering the universe, too. But he didn't mention that he was a native, much less reveal the details of his situation.

In Chi Xin's eyes, Qi Tian was a scion raised by a great family who had simply entered the wider world a little late.

When Qi Tian mentioned that he planned to go on mercenary adventures, Chi Xin said he wanted to go with him.

The Virtual Universe let people experience different races and cultures and spar with countless powerful fighters, but it was still only virtual.

In Chi Xin's eyes, real mercenary adventures, with live blades and live fire, suited him best.

Just as the two were discussing the matter in detail, their Smart Optical Computers both received a message.

Qi Tian glanced at the system sprite beside Chi Xin and its notification, then raised a hand and made a "go ahead" gesture.

He also opened his own communications system to check the message.

[I am Weitz, an external steward of the Virtual Universe Company stationed on Beihua Island. Please come to Meditation Room No. XXX to meet with me, Mr. Wutian.]

Qi Tian read the message and felt a surge of delight. He hadn't expected a single battle to draw out a manager from the Virtual Universe Company's branch.

"Qi Tian, an external steward from the Virtual Universe Company is looking for me..."

After reading his own message, Chi Xin looked up at Qi Tian with an apologetic expression and said he was going to leave first.

But Qi Tian was already looking at him, and nodded slightly before he could finish.

"Don't tell me you also..." Chi Xin asked in surprise.

Qi Tian nodded again. The two rose to their feet together, their Origin Force rippling faintly around them. The alcohol in their bodies vanished in an instant, and they both sobered up.

After leaving the Meditation Room, the two followed the signs to the designated room and knocked lightly.

"Come in."

Hearing the voice from within, Qi Tian and Chi Xin pushed open the door and entered.

Only then did they realize there was more than one person inside. Two people sat on luxurious sofas arranged around a square space, one in the main seat and the other off to the side.

The one in the main seat was a silver-haired youth dressed in casual clothes, his skin pale and bloodless.

Most striking of all were his eyes, black as ink. One glance at them made it feel as if you had fallen into an endless abyss.

As soon as Qi Tian and Chi Xin entered, their eyes met his. In an instant, their consciousness seemed to sink into a black-hole vortex.

But after only a few seconds, Qi Tian broke free of the mental vortex. His body trembled slightly as he recovered, and he felt as if his soul had been frozen solid.

He didn't dare keep staring into the silver-haired youth's black eyes. Instead, he turned his gaze slightly toward the other man.

That man wore a Silver Battle Suit. He was bald, and secret patterns marked his face. He nodded, smiling at Qi Tian.

Tegages was very surprised that Qi Tian had broken free of his mental illusion after only a few seconds.

His willpower is no small thing. I used a Domain Lord-level mental illusion, yet he broke free so quickly.

Then he glanced at Chi Xin. The little fellow from the Dragon-Man Race hadn't broken free, but he was still struggling to hold on. His willpower was decent, too.

After testing their willpower, Tegages dispelled the mental illusion and smiled.

"Sit."

After Chi Xin escaped the mental illusion, his mind wandered for a moment. When he heard Tegages speak, he instinctively sat on a sofa nearby.

"Thank you, sir."

Qi Tian first bowed slightly to the two men. After thanking them, he slowly sat beside Chi Xin.

Now that he had recovered, Chi Xin was a little confused. He looked at Weitz, who sat across from them, then turned toward the silver-haired youth, Tegages.

"Thank you, sir."

Tegages smiled and waved a hand. Weitz, seated beside him, spoke first.

"I'm Weitz, the external steward of the Virtual Universe Company who sent you the message. But the one who truly wanted to meet you is Lord Tegages. He's in charge of the Slaughter Arena on Beihua Island."

Weitz smiled as he introduced Tegages, seated in the main chair. Qi Tian and Chi Xin bowed slightly to the silver-haired youth once more to show their respect.

"I watched your battle in the Decisive Battle Space. You're quite capable," Tegages said with a smile.

"Thank you for the praise, sir," Qi Tian and Chi Xin replied together.

"I see that this was your first time in the Decisive Battle Space, and you had no previous battle ratings. Were you raised by some organization?"

At Tegages' question, Qi Tian and Chi Xin both shook their heads. Chi Xin then spoke up.

"I'm not from some major organization, but I do have a teacher."

Qi Tian shook his head to indicate he wasn't from a major organization, then said nothing more. He didn't intend to explain himself.

Tegages studied their expressions and felt pleased. Whether they had teachers was a small matter; it wouldn't stop him from bringing them into the Virtual Universe Company.

As for Qi Tian's attitude, that didn't matter either. As long as he hadn't joined another organization, a few little secrets were nothing.

"Since you don't have any organizational ties, why not join the Virtual Universe Company? I mean as internal members, of course."

As Tegages spoke, he waved a hand, and a projection screen appeared in front of each of them. A contract was displayed on each screen.

Qi Tian glanced over the contract and felt pleasantly surprised.

The contract Tegages had offered gave them two options, both of which involved joining the Virtual Universe Company as internal members.

The first option was to enter the headquarters directly and be provisionally rated as a "Special Grade Elite," with the corresponding resources. During their training, they would receive basic instruction as well as arrangements for life-and-death trials.

They would have to remain at headquarters throughout this period. Every ten years, they would get a short vacation, and the Virtual Universe Company had dedicated secret realms for holidays.

A ranking competition would be held every hundred years, and the top hundred would earn the right to challenge for entry into the Doomsday Secret Realm.

The second option was to join the Beihua Empire branch under the name of their recommender, Tegages, and they would likewise be rated as "Special Grade Elites."

They would also need to undergo life-and-death trials at the branch. But since Qi Tian was already at Universe Level, ninth rank, management would be a little less strict.

Every ten years, they would need to complete a two-star mercenary mission, with the difficulty left to their choice.

Every thirty years, they would need to undergo a secret-realm trial at a modified secret realm within the borders of the Noah Universe Kingdom.

A ranking competition would be held every hundred years. The top ten would get to compete against the headquarters' elites for the hundred challenge slots to the Doomsday Secret Realm.

Tegages leisurely sipped his wine from the main seat. When he saw that they had finished reading the contract, he added, "Once you join the Virtual Universe Company as internal members, your freedom will be restricted. But the branch is more relaxed than headquarters."

"In return, headquarters provides greater support and fosters fiercer competition, which means you'll grow stronger faster."

"The branch has less competition, but you'll also get fewer resources and grow stronger more slowly."

After hearing Tegages' explanation, Qi Tian had already made up his mind. He was leaning toward the second option.