As Long as You Can Win One Match...

It was late at night when he returned to the apartment.

Bai Qiu Li had gone with Jiang Yuan Shuang to Huaxing University, effectively reporting in early, leaving Yi Tian alone in the apartment again.

After changing Alice's class that day, his funds had shrunk drastically, dropping from nearly a hundred to just 35.3!

Fortunately, Alice's strength and dual-template traits made Yi Tian feel it was well worth it.

Before long, midnight arrived, and a new Management Log settlement refreshed!

[Management Log]

[Ye Xiu and Jiang Che teamed up to achieve the first clear of the Hell Dungeon-Heartbreak Valley. Reward: Funds +6!]

[Bai Qiu Li challenged Huaxing University's solo trial secret realm. Reward: Funds +4!]

[Wan Jiang was promoted to squad leader in the Great Xia Border Defense Army's recruit camp. Reward: Funds +1!]

[Ning Jing deciphered the Ruins Stone Tablet in the Ancient Ruins, interpreting three key clues and bringing the ruins' deciphering progress to 74%. Reward: Funds +2!]

...

[You shared the experience your employees earned from killing enemies, trials, first clears, and monster grinding-650,000!]

[Your level increased: Level 25 → Level 28!]

[Funds: 48.3]

This Management Log made Yi Tian realize just how many ways there were to earn funds!

First clears of dungeons, trials in secret realms...

Even military promotions and deciphering the Ruins Stone Tablet counted as achievements for [Profit Sharing]!

As a legendary Scholar, Ning Jing had proven unexpectedly efficient, making an enormous contribution to deciphering the Ruins Stone Tablet in just one day.

Alice, on the other hand, was currently his strongest employee...

But she was trapped in the dungeon with no way to leave for now, so all she could do was kill people, unable to earn any achievements or honors that would trigger [Profit Sharing].

When it came to earning experience by killing enemies, however, Alice was the most efficient.

Yi Tian took one last look at his employees.

"I still have one promotion slot left. Who should I give it to?"

The Race Championship would begin in about two days. At the very least, he needed to use the slot before then to strengthen his employees.

As he mulled it over, his thoughts wandered, and he unwittingly fell asleep.

Early the next morning.

Yi Tian took Wan Jiang, Jiang Che, and Ye Xiu aboard the private Hovercar Wei Yuan had arranged and headed for Xingcheng.

With the Race Championship fast approaching, East China's senior officials would, as usual, hold a selection event in Xingcheng to choose its competitors.

In other words, today was the day all those outstanding talents would make their official debut.

The Hovercar traveled steadily toward East China's only major city.

After yesterday's attack by the Godfall Cult, Wei Yuan had ordered the Garrison Army commander to deploy four battalions and sweep the wilderness once again.

That made their flight route particularly safe.

"So this is Xingcheng? It's so luxurious!"

"This is my first time visiting a major city!"

Soon, East China's only major city came into view, drawing cries of amazement from Jiang Che and Wan Jiang.

Seen from the air, it was nearly ten times the size of Qingcheng, with several striking, high-tech towers.

Compared with the first-tier cities of Yi Tian's previous life, though, the wars had given this place a plainer style. It was hardly all that luxurious.

They arrived at the East China branch office building.

Wei Yuan, Bai Qiu Li, and Jiang Yuan Shuang were chatting by the entrance.

When Yi Tian and the others arrived, Wei Yuan took him straight to the third-floor conference hall, where today's selection would be held.

Wei Yuan and Yi Tian were the last to arrive. A host of East China's big shots had already gathered in the conference hall.

The Race Championship concerned the interests of all East China, and even its survival. If they lost, the countless secret realms they forfeited would have to come from the various cities and departments.

Even Huaxing University, one of Great Xia's top universities, had surrendered quite a few secret realms over the past few years. That was why its president, Yu Hua, had attended in person today.

Huaxing University's president, Yu Hua, was an old man with a white beard and deep-blue mage robes.

Upon seeing Wei Yuan arrive, he approached with another elderly man in military uniform and demanded:

"Wei Yuan, I just heard you turned down headquarters' support for East China's Race Championship!"

"Are you planning to face the Yagu Dynasty all on your own?"

For Race Championships against the Other Races, headquarters or the Hidden Dragon Base would usually send people to help.

After all, it was simply too difficult for a single region to contend with a force of Other Races that controlled an entire Otherworld.

Even with support in previous years, most results had been draws or defeats...

Yet a few days ago, Wei Yuan had taken the initiative to announce that East China needed no support this year!

Naturally, that angered Huaxing University's president. If they lost the Race Championship, his university would have to supply some of the forfeited secret realms too.

Facing the two furious men, Wei Yuan smiled calmly.

"Of course headquarters' support should go to the regions that need it more."

"Old Lin, I think East China won't need it anymore, starting this year."

!!

The elderly man in uniform was Lin Guodong, commander of East China's Garrison Army. Like Yu Hua, he was utterly astonished by those words.

What gave Wei Yuan the nerve to be so arrogant?

That was the Yagu Dynasty! Everyone knew how terrifying those Royal Dragonkin had been in past years.

Even if Wei Yuan had found a few promising talents this year, surely he couldn't be so certain?

For a moment, they even wondered whether Wei Yuan intended to tear up the Peace Agreement with the Yagu Dynasty.

Just then, Yi Tian spoke up.

"Support? Does that mean we can go help other regions with their matches too?"

Wei Yuan smiled. "Of course. Great Xia may be divided into five major regions, but we're all one nation. If we have the strength to spare, naturally we can help our colleagues."

Yi Tian's eyes lit up. It seemed he had found even more ways to earn funds.

Huaxing University's president, Yu Hua, and Garrison Army commander Lin Guodong looked shocked.

East China can barely take care of itself, and you're already planning to help other people?

Why was this boy even more arrogant than Wei Yuan?

Wei Yuan found their expressions particularly amusing.

He raised a hand to introduce Yi Tian, saying in a leisurely tone:

"This is the 'mercenary boss' I recruited, Yi Tian."

Yi Tian's expression darkened at that, while Yu Hua and Lin Guodong were even more bewildered and speechless at the title "mercenary boss."

Still, the two felt something subtle just then...

It seemed the old Wei Yuan had returned. Back when he had become East China's strongest at a young age, he had been carefree and often enjoyed playing the fool.

Only after becoming the head of East China and shouldering its burdens under pressure from the Other Races and Evil Demons had he grown increasingly serious.

For a moment, Yu Hua and Lin Guodong felt a hazy sense of nostalgia.

But Wei Yuan's next words shattered that feeling:

"I'm planning to give Yi Tian full authority over the Race Championship's competitor slots."

"What!?"

"Absolutely not! This is reckless nonsense!"

It was not just Yu Hua and Lin Guodong. Wei Yuan had spoken loudly enough for almost everyone in the conference hall to hear, and every last person was stunned.

The reason they were so shocked and furious

was that Race Championship competitors had never been chosen so casually before.

The cities, departments, and senior officials would each bring promising young talents they favored. Those candidates would undergo rounds of selection and matches before the senior officials voted on the final decision.

Yet Wei Yuan clearly meant to put the outcome of the Race Championship in this boy's hands!

What kind of nonsense was this!?

Handpicking one competitor would have been one thing, but he wanted to handpick all five?

And he was leaving the handpicking to a young man!

The conference hall erupted into discussion, while Yu Hua and Lin Guodong directly took Wei Yuan to task.

"Have you lost your mind? The Race Championship slots aren't a game!

You're letting an immature young man decide something this important..."

Amid the flying spittle, Wei Yuan spread his hands at Yi Tian.

Taking the hint, Yi Tian had Wei Yuan's secretary hand Yu Hua and Lin Guodong two freshly made business cards.

The two froze and looked down. The first line on the cards was crudely printed:

[Grow Bigger and Stronger Office].

Then Yi Tian raised his hand and called out:

"Since everyone objects, let's settle this in the simplest way possible."

"You can send out those talents you favor and challenge my people as much as you like."

"As long as you win even one match, the selection rules will remain yours to decide..."

As his words fell, the entire hall went silent.

Bai Qiu Li, Wan Jiang, Jiang Che, and Ye Xiu all stepped behind Yi Tian, awaiting the challengers.