Bai Yi led Diane to a wooden building at the edge of town, pushing the door open and stepping inside. The apartment was modest—a three-bedroom, one-living room setup that exuded an air of neglect. In the innermost part of the living room, a table held two earthen jars, their dusty surfaces hinting at years of abandonment.
With a sweep of his mental power, Bai Yi quickly cleared the dust from the room.
Diane followed him in, her indifference fading as she recognized some familiar items. She watched as Bai Yi retrieved three incense sticks from his space ring, inserting them into the jars. Once the incense burned halfway, he nonchalantly placed the jars into his space ring.
She couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth. Bai Yi hadn't changed at all; his affinity for money and peculiar habits were all too familiar.
She recalled their first encounter vividly. Excited about her first investment, Diane had befriended Bai Yi. One day in class, their teacher had discussed the world of the dead, explaining how many undead creatures could turn their corpses into monsters. In an impulsive decision, little Bai Yi had suggested they dig up his parents' graves, burn the bodies, and collect the ashes in those very jars as a means of keeping their memory alive.
Bai Yi had reassured her, "Even though they didn't raise me much, burning their remains means they can't be used against me. This way, I can remember them."
When she had hesitantly asked if it would hurt, he had delivered a lengthy and serious lecture on the science behind it, ultimately using one of her precious bronze-level magic scrolls to perform the act. She had felt betrayed at the time, especially since she had secretly bought those scrolls, but she was only nine and had been too naïve to fully comprehend.
Reflecting on those memories, a smile crept onto Diane's lips.
"What's wrong?" Bai Yi asked, noticing her sudden mood shift from annoyance to a foolish grin. "I'm planning to check out the school here. Want to join me?"
Diane's smile vanished. She shot him a cold glance. "Of course. I'm just waiting for you to get beaten by that weirdo."
"Then you might not get to see it. Let's go."
Bai Yi escorted Diane into the Lion Guard City School, causing quite a stir among the students. After all, Bai Yi was a graduate of this institution. His rise to fame as the sixth SSS-level genius had spread widely, and as his alma mater, the school relished sharing tales of his accomplishments.
Though the younger students, dressed in ragged clothes, dared not approach, they watched him from a distance with a mix of awe and curiosity.
Bai Yi had no particular agenda; he simply intended to recruit three kind-hearted, upright teachers. He left the school amid the principal's resentful glare and Diane's incredulous expression.
After arranging for Bolton to transport the teachers and their families to Dongwu City, Bai Yi exited the city, satisfaction evident on his face.
"You..." Diane struggled to find words. This guy was truly eccentric, but at least he wasn't annoying.
"What's the problem? A long time ago, they gave me special treatment, so I'm just returning the favor with promotions and raises. It's only fair," Bai Yi said, grinning.
Diane walked forward in silence, then grabbed Bai Yi's sleeve. They ventured ten kilometers outside the city, where suddenly, a series of gazes fell upon them.
Feeling their scrutiny, Diane lowered her head in embarrassment. Although the owners of those gazes hadn't approached yet, she recognized some familiar faces.
Bai Yi sensed the attention as well. He instinctively checked the Internet through Zero and fell silent.
Ah, a video of their earlier confrontation had already been posted, with a title that sounded all too familiar.
[Shocked! Dongwu City's Bai Yi and Forle Family's Guan Xin are fighting for the favor of Diane from the Difeng family, with a life-and-death duel impending!]
Zero: [The poster has been traced to a user named "Big News."]
Bai Yi's mouth twitched. As expected, players always engaged in baffling antics. Now someone had managed to bring recorded footage into reality, and players were relishing the drama for gold coins.
A quick glance revealed that players were increasingly acting like marketing accounts, wildly discussing the unfolding events online. The Internet was abuzz, with half the chatter focused on Bai Yi and Diane, while the other half debated who was stronger.
Zero: [Message from Mr. Sabo: My dear Lord Mayor, congratulations on finding your wife! Please commence the duel in thirty minutes. Thank you.]
Bai Yi turned to the golden-haired Guan Xin, who had been waiting impatiently. "Have you been waiting long?"
Seeing Guan Xin prepare to speak, Bai Yi raised his hand. "Hold on, check your phone."
Guan Xin's expression darkened as he pulled out his phone. After scrolling through the messages, his anger subsided slightly, replaced by a mocking glint in his eyes. "What? Are you scared?"
Bai Yi remained silent, not from fear, but because an official account from Dongwu City had just posted a message.
[Bai Yi vs. Guan Xin: Who do you support? Place your bets now! The official website guarantees a fraud-free experience.]
As he clicked on the link, both competitors' profiles appeared.
[Bai Yi, 19 years old.
Level 54 Alchemist.
Honors: Second-to-last top genius, Lord of Dongwu City. Developed the Alchemical Magic Network, intercontinental missiles, Barrett energy guns, helicopters, steam locomotives, and more.
Odds: 1:1.]
[Guan Xin, 21 years old.
Level 65 Fire Mage.
Honors: Top genius, once defeated Baker Lot, a fellow top genius. At thirteen, he killed a monster ten levels above him. In the monster test, he jumped twenty-five levels and remained undefeated.
Odds: 1:1.]
[Minimum bet: One gold coin. Betting deadline: 29 minutes and 35 seconds.]
[To watch the live broadcast, click the link below.]
Player: [Forward.]
Player: [Forward.]
"Scared? Then just back out. Miss Diane deserves better than to be taken advantage of by a coward," Guan Xin taunted, his contempt evident.
Bai Yi ignored him, activating Zero's link. The words from the official letter streamed into his mind, providing him a 360-degree view of the live broadcast.
Scanning the area, he quickly identified several small metal spheres hovering seven or eight kilometers away.
Guan Xin noticed the spheres too, fury igniting within him, flames flickering around him as he contemplated clearing them away.
"Who dares to take secret photos of me?" he seethed.
"This is a live broadcast device. Don't worry, I won't show it to anyone else," Bai Yi said casually, activating Zero's projection function. An illusory screen materialized before him. "If you're scared, I can ask someone to turn this off."
"No need," Guan Xin replied disdainfully. In his view, Bai Yi was merely a newcomer, and with over ten levels separating them, he felt confident in his superiority. If he lost now, he might as well find a way to end it all.
"I don't mind watching your Dongwu City crumble. If you need help, I might show you some humanitarianism."
With that, he pulled out his phone and began placing bets, sure of his victory. Nothing pleased him more than embarrassing his rival and profiting from it.
Diane, sensing the cameras around them, pulled up her hood and rested her head against Bai Yi's back. She prepared to place her bet, trusting Bai Yi's confidence and eager to wager all her pocket money on his victory.
But just as she was about to confirm her bet, a hand snatched her phone away.
"Um?"
She looked up in confusion, her big eyes filled with doubt.
Bai Yi raised his hand, summoning a magnetic mechanical body that formed a throne. He sat down, drawing Diane close and whispering in her ear, "Wait until the last moment before you place your bet."
Diane felt his closeness, but noticing the anger radiating from Guan Xin, and recalling the harassment she had endured from him, she half-lay in Bai Yi's arms and murmured, "I'll do as you say."
Bang! A crack echoed through the ground as Guan Xin sat down, his expression unreadable. A flaming throne materialized around him, raising the temperature in the vicinity.
The Internet erupted over Diane's action; after all, top geniuses were always a hot topic. Except for Bai Yi, who often drew attention, few people could witness other top geniuses in action.
This time, not only were three top geniuses in the spotlight, but a love triangle added to the drama. Guan Xin's attempt to woo Diane had sparked an online betting frenzy.
This is an official account; there's no scam!
The entire network buzzed with excitement, links to the betting game circulating widely, and discussions igniting everywhere. Many players in the capital were showing signs of coming over to watch.
Meanwhile, in Parliament, Mithras Difeng's mouth twitched as he observed the projection before him. As Diane's grandfather, he felt a mix of pride and concern. His granddaughter had found an impressive partner, but...
He glanced around at the dozen congressmen, all wearing strange expressions. "So, he called us here for a meeting just to run off and fight?"
"Just be happy privately. If Bai Yi and your granddaughter truly get together, that would make three SSS-level individuals in the Difeng family. Would you, an old man, be dissatisfied?" Lot Zheng Quan replied, his tone grumpy.
Having lost the strongest fortune teller, Elsa, he felt heartbroken. The thought of another genius joining Dongwu City made him want to retaliate, but he refrained, knowing he couldn't win.
"But remember, old man, don't let Diane move to Dongwu City with that kid. If another genius joins him there, the parliament will be divided. They already have three top potentials."
"The curse doctor doesn't count, right? She's too unstable, and it's a curse, after all."
"With Luo Ning beside her, she's the strongest healing type. That curse is powerful; how can she be disregarded?"
"That's true. Di Feng, heed my warning. It's too much to place three top geniuses in a border town. If Diane goes, we'll have to follow suit; otherwise, no one will feel secure."
Mithras sighed, trying to change the subject. "When the duel begins, who do you think will win?"
"Need I say? Of course, it's Guan Xin. Among equals, a nine-level difference is insurmountable."
"There's no level 11. If you sense carefully, Bai Yi's energy level is currently 56, not 54."
"The gap of nine levels is vast, but Bai Yi shouldn't be defeated so easily. Let the other four watch this battle; it might inspire them."
Mithras smiled. "They've already arrived. Bai Yi is quite famous, and they're curious."
"Hey, look! Bai Yi actually started a gambling game. But it seems the odds are against him; hardly anyone is betting on his victory."
"Oganna is there too; her presence ensures some safety."
Mithras nodded. "With Helen around, there shouldn't be any issues."
"Old man For, are you so confident? Betting so much on your grandson—aren't you afraid of losing your life?"
"Lose? Then I'll just beat him up when I get home."
While the parliamentarians debated, many in the capital were glued to the unfolding spectacle, primarily younger individuals.
Among them were Kami, who had reached the gold level, and several younger silver-level mages.
Bai Yi's attention was drawn to four individuals he felt were not weaker than Guan Xin; two of them were even stronger, comparable to Charles.
One of the men caught his eye, curiosity and warmth evident in his gaze. This one exuded the strongest sense of threat, a formidable presence that left even Bai Yi uncertain of his chances.
Bai Yi could guess the identity: Helen from the Ren Chu family, a level 75 all-round magician, only 24 years old—the most talented individual in the entire federation. Even Bai Yi, with his panel, might not catch up to her within five years, given her status as the third legendary figure in Dawn.
The other man's cold demeanor sent a chill down Bai Yi's spine; he sensed the hostility emanating from Diane's brother, Yuan Tang Difeng.
Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Bai Yi shifted, acutely aware of the situation. He was holding someone else's sister in his arms, and that was undeniably awkward.
"Or..."
As Bai Yi hesitated, the sharp gaze intensified.
Diane, unable to endure the pressure, turned and buried her face in Bai Yi's chest.
Suddenly, all the weight of expectation fell upon him.