Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Heavenly Selection

"Exactly. We’re already having a hard time as it is. If you poach Long Ming, how are we supposed to survive?"

Qian Wei chimed in.

"Haha, forget I said anything!"

Qiansha knew that poaching Long Ming was a bit inappropriate.

"By the way, what are you guys doing here?"

Long Ming asked, a little curious.

"Nothing much, just discussing some family matters. Let’s not talk about that depressing stuff. It’s almost noon, let’s go grab a meal together."

Qiansha said very cheerfully.

"Sure. Let’s go to that place, World of Grilling, again!"

Long Ming suggested to the group with a smile.

"Let’s go!"

Qiansha and the others left the storage room.

...

「Over an hour later.」

Long Ming and the others arrived at a commercial street.

The shops on both sides of the street were being decorated with small red lanterns, and signs announcing various events were placed by their entrances.

"It’s so lively!"

"Looks like the New Year is coming soon."

"Yeah! It’s come so fast!"

...

Long Ming and his friends couldn’t help but sigh with emotion as they looked at the bustling commercial street.

Soon, they arrived at the World of Grilling restaurant again.

The entire restaurant was filled with customers, nearly half of whom were military officers.

"Hey, boss! Find us a bigger grill table!"

Qian Wei shouted to a bald, middle-aged man.

"No problem, right this way!"

The owner greeted Long Ming and the others with a smile and showed them to their seats.

Long Ming and his friends sat around the grill table and ordered some meat skewers and cases of beer.

"Come on, everyone, let’s down a bottle together!"

Qiansha picked up a bottle of beer and said to the group heroically.

"Cheers!"

Long Ming and the others smiled, clinked their bottles together, and then chugged the entire beer.

"Ahhh, that’s the stuff!"

After finishing, Qiansha slammed his bottle down on the table and let out a long sigh.

"Brother, you must be doing well over at the Fourteenth Legion, right?"

Qian Wei asked after putting down his bottle.

"Don’t even mention it. Even though I’m a Major now, I’m constrained at every turn. Those bastards use their connections to suppress me in every way possible! But it doesn’t matter. When we rise up, we’ll settle the score with them one by one."

A trace of long-suppressed anger appeared on Qiansha’s face.

Long Ming was a little moved by Qiansha’s words. ’To think that even the hot-tempered Qiansha has been suppressed into being so much more rational.’

"Our day will come!"

Long Ming said, looking at Qiansha, Qian Wei, and Luoxue.

’Although Qiansha and the others are currently frustrated and unsuccessful, I believe that if they’re given some time, they’ll definitely grow. After all, their skills and talent are undeniable.’

"Well said! Long Ming, let me tell you, I came back from the front lines specifically to take a gamble!"

Qiansha said excitedly to Long Ming.

"Take a gamble?"

Long Ming looked at Qiansha in confusion.

"It’s almost the end of the year, and the Third Legion is holding its grand Sky Selection event, as is tradition."

"Sky Selection? What’s that?"

"The so-called Sky Selection event is a grand tournament. Anyone in the entire Third Expeditionary Army with a gene sequence below Level 4 can participate. The winner gets a high-grade, standard-issue, fourth-generation Mechanical God. This is a golden opportunity to rise to the top, and I’m determined to win the championship this time!"

Qiansha said, incredibly excited.

Long Ming was also quite surprised to hear this. ’To think the prize for this event is a fourth-generation Mechanical God.’

"The championship?"

"Haha!"

...

Just then, a wave of mocking laughter came from the next table.

Long Ming, Qiansha, and the others frowned and turned to look.

At the next table sat several men in company-grade officer uniforms. All of them were officers from the Third Legion.

"Anto, did you hear that? These guys are getting full of themselves. They really think they can win the championship just because the Sky Selection is open to them!"

"A bunch of frogs in a well!"

"That’s right. Has there ever been a Sky Selection winner who wasn’t from our Third Legion?"

...

Anto and his group shamelessly mocked Qiansha and the others.

Even though Qiansha outranked them, they didn’t show him any respect at all.

Qiansha, unable to stomach the loss of face, slammed the table and shouted.

"What did you say?"

"Don’t get salty, sir. The Third Legion may host the Sky Selection and allow all legions to participate, but that doesn’t mean you have a chance! I’ll lay it out for you right here: the champion of this Sky Selection can only come from our Third Legion. It’s just a matter of deciding between Lieutenant Colonel Fei Ang and Major Eliza."

Anto retorted bluntly.

In truth, the prize for the Sky Selection event, which seemed to be provided by the Third Legion, was actually a benefit allocated by the Star Alliance council.

The Third Legion felt it would be too embarrassing to just keep it for themselves, so they created this so-called Sky Selection event and allowed all legions to participate.

But in reality, the winner of the event had long been decided internally. It was nothing more than a contest between the subordinates of the Third Legion’s two vice-commanders. One could even say the event was prepared just for them.

Just as Qiansha was about to explode...

Long Ming reached out, placed a hand on Qiansha’s shoulder, and advised him.

"Let it go."

"Hmph!"

Qiansha suppressed his anger and sat back down.

"Come on, drink up! Don’t worry about what others say. We’ll prove ourselves with our actions!"

Long Ming said, opening another bottle of beer and handing it to Qiansha.

"Well said. Tomorrow morning, all of you come to the arena and watch."

Qiansha said as he took the bottle.

"Alright!"

Long Ming and the others nodded in agreement.

...

「Several hours later.」

Long Ming and his group walked out of World of Grilling.

Qiansha, Qian Wei, and the others walked ahead, chatting amongst themselves.

Long Ming and Luoxue slowed their pace, walking at the very back and gradually letting the distance between them and the others grow.

Then, Long Ming spoke up, sounding a little awkward.

"Luoxue, there’s something I need to tell you."

"What is it? Why are you hesitating?"

Luoxue gave a faint smile and looked at Long Ming.

"About the money for the ore... it might be a while before I can give it to you."

Long Ming barely knew how to bring it up.

"Long Ming, did you get scammed? Are you okay?"

Luoxue was stunned to hear Long Ming’s words and immediately asked with concern.

In fact, Luoxue was so nervous because she knew Long Ming’s personality well. If there hadn’t been a problem, he would have given her the money long ago; he would never delay it for a second.

"I didn’t get scammed. I just... used it for something. I’ll need some time to pay you back."

Long Ming told Luoxue honestly.

"Then it’s no problem. Just pay me back when you’re more comfortable. And it’s okay if you can’t."

Luoxue said with a smile.

"No, that won’t do. Business is business."

"Weren’t you the same way when we owed you money?"

"Alright. But... aren’t you going to ask what I used it for?"

Long Ming looked at Luoxue, a little curious.

"I don’t need to. I’m sure you have your reasons for whatever you did."

Luoxue clasped her hands behind her back and gave a dazzling smile.

"Okay."

"By the way, I have something for you."

"Something for me?"

Long Ming looked at Luoxue, a little surprised.

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