I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

The heavy document was stuffed into Lu Yuan's arms. It felt unusually heavy, and the seal of the Supreme Military Commission on the cover seemed to carry a scorching heat.

He looked down and opened the document with some surprise.

On the title page, written in a powerful, vigorous, and bold script, was a striking line of large characters:

[Top Secret Order Regarding the Special Recruitment of Comrade Lu Yuan into the Special Class of the Imperial Capital Starfall Academy]

Below the handwriting was a row of bright red signatures, some even still carrying the aftershocks of spiritual energy. Each name represented a giant in the Chinese military. And the first one was none other than "Su Lie".

"The Divine Craftsman Project?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, muttering to himself. What a simple and direct name, as if afraid people wouldn't know what the project was all about.

"Stop talking nonsense, just go when I tell you to! Why are you making so many questions!" Su Lie snorted, clearly dissatisfied with Lu Yuan's lukewarm response.

Then, he turned around, and his seemingly cloudy old eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp, hawk-like gaze. He slowly swept his gaze across the entire room, and wherever his gaze fell, whether students or teachers, they all subconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Finally, his gaze, like a cold searchlight, locked onto the figure whose face was contorted beyond recognition by shock and jealousy.

Gaoyang.

"impossible!"

Gao Yang could no longer maintain his genius pride and composure; his reason was completely consumed by the flames of jealousy and humiliation. He screamed, his voice hoarse and shrill, like a wildcat whose tail had been stepped on.

"This is absolutely impossible! He's just an F-rank blacksmith! A good-for-nothing who only knows how to memorize books! How could he! How could he get into the Imperial Capital Starfall Academy? That spot was mine! It was promised to me personally by Lord Azure Dragon! There must be a mistake! Something must be wrong!"

He charged at Su Lie like a madman, pointing a finger at the calm-faced Lu Yuan, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, "Senior Su! You must have been deceived by him! He's just a piece of trash who only knows how to talk big! A complete waste! You can't give him such a precious spot!"

Su Lie's eyes instantly turned cold.

An invisible yet terrifying pressure, as heavy as a mountain, erupted from his seemingly frail body like a tsunami, instantly descending upon Gao Yang.

Gao Yang felt as if his very soul was being gripped by a cold, massive hand, and a fear originating from the depths of his being made his blood freeze instantly. He felt as if he were not facing an old man, but rather an ancient behemoth awakened from the abyss.

His proud A-level talent was like a speck of dust in a storm before this oppressive aura, insignificant and not worth mentioning.

"Thump!"

Gao Yang's legs could no longer support his weight, and he suddenly collapsed to his knees in a sorry state under the gaze of thousands of eyes in the audience. His knees hit the hard floor with a dull thud.

"Who do you think you are?"

Su Lie's voice was as cold as a knife, each word as if it had been pulled from the deepest ice of hell, stabbing hard into Gao Yang's heart.

"You dare question my decision? Do I need to explain a national strategic decision to a brat like you who hasn't even been weaned yet?"

The audience was silent.

Su Lie stopped looking at the trembling "genius" kneeling on the ground and pointed to Lu Yuan behind him. With a declarative gesture, he announced to everyone present, including the S-rank Azure Dragon, word by word:

"I'm telling you this right here today!"

"He alone is more valuable than all the A-level talents in your entire school combined!"

Everyone felt their minds go blank, staring intently at the calm-looking boy standing in the back row with the eyes of someone looking at a monster or a god.

The endorsement from the King of Hell left no room for anyone else to question the truth of his words. Lu Yuan was truly a genius, a genius many times stronger than Gao Yang.

So... he wasn't a good-for-nothing after all...

It turns out that he was the real genius, the one who kept his abilities hidden, someone they didn't even have the right to approach or understand!

Their previous mockery, sarcasm, and gloating... all turned into resounding slaps to their own faces at this moment.

Upon hearing the news, Shen Meng's face turned deathly pale, devoid of any color. Her body swayed uncontrollably, almost losing her balance.

She looked at Lu Yuan, the boy she had once ruthlessly abandoned, her eyes filled with endless regret, despair, and fear.

What did she miss?

She single-handedly pushed aside her own future!

She chose the clown who was kneeling on the ground like a dog, looking pathetic.

Just then, Lu Yuan made a move.

He slowly walked to Gao Yang, who was kneeling on the ground, completely distraught, and squatted down.

He didn't look at Gao Yang, but instead reached out and picked up the "superior alloy battle sword" that had fallen beside him, which he had previously cherished immensely.

Then, Lu Yuan slowly took out another item from his pocket.

It was a military dagger, entirely black with an antique design. It was the very one he had casually modified last night.

"You're right," Lu Yuan smiled as he looked at the alloy sword in his hand. "An F-rank blacksmith really can't repair your sword."

Then, in front of everyone, he gently touched the black military dagger in his hand to the gleaming alloy sword.

No force was used.

It's like touching the rim of a bowl with chopsticks.

"Snap!"

A crisp, ear-piercing cracking sound rang out.

The fine-quality battle sword, which cost Gao Yang's father a great deal of his savings and was treasured by him, broke in two instantly, like the most fragile glass, upon being touched by the black military dagger!

The fracture surface is as smooth as a mirror.

"Because I dislike it..." Lu Yuan casually tossed the broken sword in front of Gao Yang, making a crisp metallic clang. "It's too trash, not worth my time to fix."

After saying that, he stood up, without even glancing at Gao Yang, who had completely collapsed.

He turned his head and his gaze fell on the pale-faced girl not far away.

Lu Yuan gave her a bright smile, just like the one he had after the awakening ceremony yesterday.

"Your choice is absolutely correct."

"After all, coal ash is indeed unworthy of starlight."

Leaving behind these scathing words, Lu Yuan did not linger.

Led by Su Lie, amidst countless complex gazes of awe, envy, regret, and fear from the audience, he strode towards the hall's doors without looking back.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the door, casting a long, long shadow of him.