Chapter 15-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
The official competition announced that in three days, the specific rules for the third phase of the competition would be revealed through video.
Ye Zheng and the protagonist's group had agreed to meet on that day to analyze the new rules and devise a strategy.
Before that, Ye Zheng had some other things to do.
The Royal Academy of Ability Users was the most powerful academy in the upper district. The champion's throne of the Ability User Competition had always been a prize for these favored individuals, only occasionally taken by the nearby Divine Academy.
This year, with the 3S-rank Crown Prince leading the Royal Academy, it was the strongest lineup in nearly a century. Before the competition even officially began, everyone believed the Royal Academy would once again take first place, so much so that even the private betting houses were too lazy to open a market for the championship.
However, in the second phase, the Royal Academy only managed to get third place, being trampled underfoot by the Divine Academy and even the "trash" academy from the lower district!
As Ye Zheng walked through the Royal Academy, the most discussed topic among the students was the upcoming third phase of the competition, and their expressions were a mix of disdain and worry.
On one hand, they believed the success of that team from the lower district was just a stroke of luck, while on the other, they were worried that if the Royal Academy could only achieve such results in the third phase...
Their class might be forever etched on the pillar of shame!
"I wonder who reformed the rules this year. We wouldn't have lost if it were a simple ability confrontation like in previous years!"
"This is bullying us for not having experience fighting in the Demonic Domain! A competition for ability users should be about comparing our abilities. I hope the third phase can return to the old rules; that would be fair."
"The Saintess is also participating this time, wow. I can't imagine what she looks like fighting."
Because she was quite recognizable in the upper district, Ye Zheng had disguised herself to enter the Royal Academy, so as to avoid unnecessary social engagements.
Hearing people around her talking about herself, the ears peeking out from under her hat twitched slightly.
"Although the Saintess is famous, she only has A-rank talent. All the participants from our Royal Academy this year are S-rank and above."
"Are you saying the Saintess will be a liability? I heard she often goes to the lower district, so her practical experience in the Demonic Domain must be much richer than yours."
"Tsk, you women are so naive. Would someone of her status personally go serve those filthy people from the lower district? My record in the Royal Academy's arena is definitely more authentic than hers."
The boy smugly praised himself by stepping on the Saintess, while the girl opposite him rolled her eyes in disgust. Ye Zheng, who was passing by, couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
The Royal Academy was still so uninspired.
Ye Zheng walked into the sparsely populated library. The library was magnificent, yet it was the place students least liked to visit. After all, in an academy where strength was king, wasn't it more useful to use the time for practical combat rather than reading?
But she loved coming to the library.
The library contained not only books on how to train one's ability but also many books from before the Age of Abilities.
They recorded what this land used to look like, how it had progressed step by step, and how it was thrown off its original course by the sudden arrival of the Demonic Domains.
Compared to the sparsely populated third floor, the top floor was completely deserted.
Ye Zheng entered the library room on the top floor. The space here was even more vast, with a rich variety of books. She picked up a copy of Alchemy Formulas from a tall bookshelf. It documented the peculiar inventions and creations of people before the Age of Abilities. Unfortunately, after the Demonic Domain descended, very few people were passionate about these purely industrial creations that had been abandoned by the times.
She knew only one person who was still researching inventions unrelated to abilities and Demonic Domains all day long.
The girl's serene posture suddenly froze for a moment. She quickly shoved the book back onto the shelf and turned her head to dodge a strike from behind, the gust of a fist narrowly missing her face.
Ye Zheng spun and delivered a swift side kick, but the person behind her had already anticipated it, ducking down and nimbly seizing the girl's attacking fist.
With her hand twisted behind her back and her head pressed against the bookshelf, the girl gave a helpless smile.
"Still smiling."
A cold, hard object was pressed against her temple. Ye Zheng obediently reined in her smile.
"Your skills are so bad, and you're still going to participate in that ability competition? Aren't you afraid of being beaten to the point of crying for your mom?"
A languid female voice carried a hint of teasing.
Ye Zheng felt the pressure on her wrist disappear, and then a cold metal object was forcibly placed into her palm.
"You came to me to get this, didn't you."
She clutched the gun tightly and turned to face the person in front of her.
The young woman had her short hair tied up in a small knot, with a few stray strands falling across her forehead. She wore a neat vest and long pants, with the relaxed air of an unrestrained artist. She now stood with her arms crossed, looking at her with a teasing expression.
Artists were extremely rare in this era, yet the woman in front of her—Qin Lu—was one of the rarest people at the top of the empire's pyramid.
She was the former empress's sister, the only female duchess in the empire, a person whom even the Crown Prince Sykes would yield to—
Even though she was a commoner with no ability.
Ye Zheng lowered her head to look at the gun in her hand and gave Qin Lu a brilliant smile. "Thank you, teacher. I will make good use of it."
Qin Lu was also the most unique teacher at the Royal Academy. Without an ability, she taught a course on physical techniques. At first, many students were unconvinced by her, a commoner, but after they were beaten to the ground by this powerless duchess, the students became very proactive in her class.
"This is a new version I've modified. It's definitely more useful than those brats' abilities. It's guaranteed to win."
Teacher Qin patted her on the shoulder vigorously as a sign of encouragement. Ye Zheng secretly wondered if her fair shoulder might have turned red and swollen from the pat.
"It's a shame. If you were a contestant from the Divine Academy or that team from the lower district, you would have a chance to blast my arrogant nephew to smithereens."
Ye Zheng lowered her head. "You're joking. How could I do such a disrespectful thing to His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Qin Lu 'tsk'ed. "Don't pretend. Anyone would want to beat him up."
The girl didn't reply. Her shoulders moved slightly, and Qin Lu knew just by looking at her that she was secretly laughing.
After leaving the Royal Academy with the item, Ye Zheng did not keep it for herself as Qin Lu had guessed. She packaged the gun in a gift box and handed it to the tall knight standing beside her.
"Wendell, please take a gift to the lower district for me. That person is running for the lower district mayor recently, and it's just right to send him something to calm his nerves."
The tall, silent woman took the gift box. The other knights of the Sei Curia were not surprised; the Saintess had always been a thoughtful and well-liked adult who always reciprocated.
Perhaps it was her personally dried flower tea or some pastries? Beautiful women always loved to fuss over these pleasant little things.
Three days later, in the lower district.
"Babe-Mei! Over here, we're over here!"
A petite girl wrapped in a black robe peeked her head out of a small alley and waved vigorously at the black-haired, green-eyed boy.
Ye Zheng looked suspiciously at a few shady-looking black-robed individuals not far away. Had the protagonist's group done something? Were they being hunted?
[There was a post praising the protagonist's group that blew up in the lower district. The Cloud-Soaring Squad is now a superstar, the light of the lower district, with fanatical followers wherever they go.]
The system explained, its mechanical voice filled with confusion.
[That's strange. This didn't happen in the original plot. Popularity shouldn't have reached this level, but it's not a bad thing, is it...]
Ye Zheng recalled a certain command she had given a month ago and coughed lightly, walking nonchalantly toward the protagonist's group hiding in the shadows.
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