Yan Province Academy, Merit Division.
Merit Division Manager You Shiliang closed a ledger and set it on the desk, then shut his eyes in thought.
This was the evaluation roster for this year's new academy entrants. It recorded the Merit Division's assessment results for the thirty newcomers over the past month and only awaited You Shiliang's signature before being submitted to the academy.
This roster would determine who stayed, who was eliminated, and who would ultimately qualify for that sliver of opportunity to become a martial master.
When he opened the roster again, one name had been marked with a large red cross, indicating that the person had been struck from the list.
Liu Yuanzhou—a name that had left a deep impression on You Shiliang. He had once placed great hopes on him.
Rising from his chair and walking around the desk, You Shiliang paced back and forth across the open space.
Ma Dong stood quietly off to one side with his hands hanging at his sides, his head lowered and his lips sealed. He knew Manager You's habit: whenever he paced in silence, his mood was bound to be foul.
With a sigh, You Shiliang stopped and sat on a stool beside the low table.
Ma Dong hurried over, brewed him a cup of tea, and placed it before him.
"This batch of newcomers isn't much to speak of," You Shiliang said regretfully after taking a sip.
"They're not too bad. Gao Fei, Xing Youqing, and Long Xiaobing have all trained diligently, and their aptitude seems decent as well," Ma Dong said softly.
You Shiliang shook his head, then suddenly asked, "What is Liu Yuanzhou's situation now?"
Ma Dong thought for a moment before answering, "I've been keeping an eye on the matter. Liu Yuanzhou is still locked up