This competitive spirit seemed to come out of nowhere.
Su Qi found it somewhat amusing but didn’t call it out.
Such a childish temper.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the ID card stating she was legally an adult at eighteen, Su Qi would’ve thought his silly little sister acted more like she was thirteen or fourteen.
"Alright, alright, thick cheese milk tea it is."
Su Qi put away his phone.
"I’ll go see if they sell it outside."
Yun Huang showed no reaction, sitting quietly as before.
Liu Yuan, however, waved her small hand at him, her face still wearing that triumphant "winner’s" smirk.
Su Qi shook his head helplessly and turned to merge into the crowd.
Watching Su Qi’s figure disappear into the sea of people, Liu Yuan’s smile gradually faded a little.
She stole a glance at Yun Huang beside her.
This woman…
Hmph!
Liu Yuan mentally added another black mark against Yun Huang in her little notebook.
No way she’d let her play with her brother!
The air remained silent for about half a minute.
Then Yun Huang’s voice broke the quiet, still carrying that same indifferent tone.
"Is thick cheese milk tea good?"
Huh?
Liu Yuan blinked, only then realizing Yun Huang was speaking to her.
Is she…?
Liu Yuan immediately grew wary.
"It’s… okay, I guess."
Her answer was vague.
Meanwhile, her little brain was working overtime.
Could befriending the little sister be part of some strategy?
Possible!
Liu Yuan felt she’d uncovered the truth.
Hmph, no way!
"Then I’ll try thick cheese milk tea next time."
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because… uh…"
Liu Yuan found talking to Yun Huang exhausting.
They were completely on different wavelengths.
She seemed genuinely interested in discussing which milk tea tasted better.
So she’d overthought it…
Damn that card’s passive effect…
Making her thoughts occasionally spiral like this…
She decided to give up on the conversation. "They’re all pretty much the same."
"Oh."
Seeing this, Yun Huang seemed to lose interest in continuing as well.
She returned to her earlier posture, sitting quietly once more.
……
About twenty minutes later.
Su Qi returned, carrying two insulated bags.
Liu Yuan’s head snapped up almost instantly, her sparkling eyes locking onto Su Qi.
"Brother!"
The excitement in her voice was impossible to hide.
Su Qi didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he first took out a strawberry boba milk tea and handed it to Yun Huang. "Yours."
Yun Huang accepted it without any particular reaction, her fingertips lightly brushing the cup’s surface.
"Thank you," she murmured softly.
Watching Su Qi’s actions, Liu Yuan’s cheeks visibly puffed up in protest.
Only then did Su Qi prepare the other cup, inserting a straw and holding it up to his eagerly waiting little sister’s lips.
"This is for my adorable little sister."
Liu Yuan’s expression instantly brightened, her face lighting up with unconcealed joy.
Nodding in satisfaction, she bared her little fangs and took a delicate sip from the straw.
The rich, salty-sweet cream cheese foam melted luxuriously on her tongue, its dense aroma nearly overwhelming.
Beneath it, the refreshing tea balanced the slight richness perfectly.
The contrasting flavors blended and clashed, creating an exquisite harmony.
"Mmm~"
Liu Yuan’s eyes narrowed in contentment, like a kitten sneaking a bite of fish.
A soft, pleased hum escaped her throat.
Warm satisfaction spread through her entire body.
Was it the milk tea’s deliciousness or the fact that she was the favored one?
She couldn’t resist stealing a smug glance at Yun Huang.
Su Qi watched his sister’s utterly unguarded delight and nearly laughed.
Was a cup of milk tea really worth this much happiness?
And she was still sneakily eyeing Yun Huang.
He shook his head, thinking this silly girl was regressing further into childishness.
Still, seeing her so happy made the trip worthwhile.
Just then, the restroom’s intercom crackled to life.
"Dear examinees, good afternoon!"
"We apologize for the long wait!"
The second stage—the arena trials—will begin in thirty minutes!
"Please proceed to your designated preparation areas to confirm your order of appearance and avoid missing your slot."
"Repeat: Please proceed to your designated preparation areas…"
Liu Yuan pouted at the announcement. Why couldn’t they just assign all the numbers at once?
Having to confirm again was such a hassle.
So, could the martial exams really have such a major procedural flaw?
Of course not.
Much like how lottery sales close a few minutes early, what’s advertised as "completely random" often has its behind-the-scenes manipulations—those in the know, know.
The second stage of the martial exams was no different.
While claiming to randomly match examinees, pairings were actually arranged based on first-stage results.
Opponents were pre-selected.
Otherwise, a fourth-tier candidate facing a sixth-tier would reveal nothing about the latter’s combat skills while leaving the former no room to perform.
This behind-the-scenes adjustment was benign, grouping examinees of similar strength together.
"Brother, I’m going to check my number. I’ll be right back!"
……
Soon, Liu Yuan confirmed her assigned identifier:
A-55.
Unlike the first stage, this number held a slight difference.
It placed her in Arena A, but she wasn’t the fifty-fifth to appear.
Instead, when the "random" draw landed on 55, she’d take the stage.
After a brief hesitation, she didn’t return to Su Qi.
Instead, she decided to scout the "exam grounds" early to avoid the embarrassment of getting lost at a critical moment.
When Liu Yuan arrived at Arena A:
At the center of the elevated platform, a massive electronic screen flickered to life.
Then, accompanied by pulsing electronic dance music, a group of young women in revealing outfits and bunny-ear headbands bounded onto the stage.
Bunny girls?
This opening ceremony was… unconventional.
The girls performed an energetic dance, movements synchronized, faces adorned with standardized sweet smiles.
No helping it…
Technically, martial exams shouldn’t be this "commercialized"…
But Jiangxia’s finances had always been tight…
And the exams themselves required massive funding, forcing them years ago to start "recouping costs" through such means…
Liu Yuan eyed the scantily clad, gyrating bunny girls and muttered under her breath, "Aren’t they cold dressed like that…?"
Unconsciously, she straightened her posture, lifting her small chest slightly.
Hmph. Her brother wouldn’t be interested in this type anyway.
……
Meanwhile, in the B-area lounge, Su Qi watched the livestream.
Alright, everyone! The arena trials are about to begin! Examinees, please prepare yourselves!
The lead bunny girl held a microphone, hopping lightly, her short tail swaying with each bounce.
Paired with fishnet stockings, the effect was eye-catching!
The audience erupted in cheers.
Suddenly, Su Qi sensed a murderous aura…
He looked up.
His silly little sister, back from checking her number, was glaring daggers.
Liu Yuan slapped a small hand over his phone screen. "No looking, brother!"
"Ahem, I was listening to the rules. I am technically a temporary proctor, after all."
Su Qi coughed awkwardly.
"Is that so?"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
