Unrest

"As long as you sell blood thirty times, you can get a Talent Assessment free of charge."

"The Bloodline Group isn't sucking people's blood-it's practically saving the masses!"

"It's only because word hasn't spread. Otherwise, District 13 would probably be packed by now."

Learning that the civilians of District 13 could coast through life without doing a thing left him stunned.

For Lu Zhan, who dreamed of doing exactly that, the feeling was especially complicated.

Perhaps out of "jealousy," he firmly believed there was no such thing as a free lunch. The Bloodline Group had to be harboring sinister intentions.

Nobody in this world did business at a loss, and the Bloodline Group was simply offering far too much.

"Senior Wen, doesn't that mean everyone in District 13 has a chance to undergo a Talent Assessment?"

"No matter how rare talented people are among the poor, there shouldn't be just two of us at the Training Center."

"Where are all the other talented people from District 13?"

Lu Zhan had noticed a very important issue in Wen Shiyan's account-or rather, a hole in it.

If the other trainees really shunned them because they "sold blood," then something didn't add up.

There was no reason to single out just the two of them, unless they were the only talented people from District 13 in the Training Center.

"Junior Lu, you don't think the Training Center is the only way to become an Armored Warrior, do you?"

"The Training Center we're in belongs to the Yero City authorities."

"Any trainee who makes it here has an acceptable allegiance, even if they have some gang or other backing them."

"Conversely, factions whose allegiances are suspect would never send their talented people here."

According to Wen Shiyan, the factions qualified to recommend talented people to the Training Center had all been brought to heel or won over by the authorities.

"Independent" factions like the Bloodline Group in District 13 had their own training systems.

If the Bloodline Group helped assess people's talents for "free," how could it possibly let those talented people escape its control?

"My situation was rather unusual. Although I lived in District 13, I paid for my Talent Assessment myself."

"But even with talent, under the Bloodline Group's oppression, enlisting was my only option if I didn't want to become complicit."

"Ordinary people in the other districts don't know what's happening in District 13, but talented people with backing know perfectly well."

"They lumped me in with the Bloodline Group without bothering to distinguish between us, so naturally, they kept their distance."

Wen Shiyan sighed. Even after leaving District 13, she still found it hard to shake off its influence.

She had tried explaining, but who believed her?

Besides, even if everything she said was true, did that matter to people with prejudices?

Those people simply wanted nothing to do with "District 13," lest they bring trouble upon themselves.

"I really did get caught in the crossfire!"

"I didn't expect the situation in Yero City to be so complicated."

After hearing about Wen Shiyan's "unfortunate" experiences, Lu Zhan realized he probably wouldn't be able to clear the stigma attached to him.

After all, he had enlisted through District 13 too!

Perhaps this was the price he had to pay to "defy fate and change his destiny."

If District 13's circumstances hadn't been so unusual, the Wutu Gang would probably have kept him firmly under its thumb. He would never have had a chance to escape his cage.

"Junior Lu, let's stop talking about such depressing things."

"I'll show you around the Training Center properly."

"You'll probably get sick of being here before long, but for now, it's still worth exploring."

Seeing Lu Zhan begin to frown with worry, Wen Shiyan feared that her junior might buckle under the pressure and immediately changed the subject.

Lu Zhan wasn't going anywhere, anyway. For now, it was better to strengthen their bond.

"We found out! We found out!"

"That bald guy really is from District 13 too."

"Tsk, tsk. So a second one has finally shown up?"

"Looks like we'll have to report this to the gang."

While Lu Zhan and Wen Shiyan were talking, the other trainees had also uncovered his background.

Of course, given how little time had passed, all they had discovered was that Lu Zhan came from the District 13 Recruitment Office.

But that was enough.

For the trainees at the Training Center, signing their contracts had given them not only backing, but also an allegiance.

Since they supported Yero City, they naturally had to show it.

The cheapest and most direct way was to ostracize Wen Shiyan.

Although she had enlisted and entered the Training Center, who could guarantee that she wasn't a spy for the Bloodline Group?

Ever since the thirteen districts had been established, Wen Shiyan had been the first talented person from District 13 to appear at the Training Center-or the first "defector," as she might also be called.

Talented people before her might have wanted to "enlist," but none had ever reached the Training Center alive.

And now District 13 had produced a second "turncoat."

Did this mean that the Bloodline Group, District 13's true ruler, had lost its absolute control?

An event this significant to the balance of power in Yero City naturally had to be reported to the organizations behind them.

As for what attitude they should take toward that bald guy?

Naturally, they would put him in the same category as Wen Shiyan: a "blood seller."

This wasn't merely a matter of prejudice and political considerations. It was also a way to protect themselves and keep danger at bay.

The moment Wen Shiyan appeared at the Training Center, the organizations backing the trainees had all warned them to stay away from her.

They had to avoid contact with Wen Shiyan's blood and prevent their own blood from falling into her hands.

Although the organizations hadn't spelled things out, any trainee with half a brain would only take those precautions further.

"Ugh, Ajak, we're really unlucky!"

"That bald harbinger of doom seems to be the guy assigned to Room 305!"

"We're so close to him. We won't get contaminated, will we?"

Empty.

In the deserted cafeteria, the late-arriving Ajak and his two companions learned some unfortunate news before they even had a chance to eat.

The newcomer assigned to Room 305 was from District 13.

Naturally, they knew what that meant.

"Zhou Qi, stop jumping at rumors and scaring yourself."

"If Wen Shiyan really could contaminate people, how could the Training Center possibly let her join?"

"As for all those rumors about the Bloodline Group, they're even more ridiculous."

"If the Bloodline Group really were that sinister and terrifying, how could the Yero City authorities allow it to exist?"

"Maybe someone deliberately spread those smears to undermine the Bloodline Group."

Ajak wasn't affected by the bad news in the slightest and kept eating.

Eating was what mattered most. How could he receive an injection of [Life Essence] without "filling up"?

Yet Ajak's reassurances had no effect whatsoever.

Zhou Qi still wore a miserable expression.

With no other choice, Ajak came up with another approach.

"There's a Life Alchemy class this morning. Old Man Lu will definitely be there."

"That bald newcomer certainly won't skip class."

"We'll watch how Old Man Lu acts. If there's anything wrong with the newcomer, he'll definitely be covered up from head to toe."