Chapter 77

In the anticipation of the audience, Gong Sun Murong made his appearance.

And his opponent directly conceded.

Thus, the audience shifted their expectant gazes to the next match, more accurately, the competition for first and second place.

Because another one of the four finalists was a geomancer, an eighteen-year-old first-level geomancer, also from the imperial family.

His name was Harold.

He was the opponent the audience believed could challenge Gong Sun Murong, and the two might put on a very exciting, or even brutal, fight.

Harold's opponent also directly conceded.

This left Harold and Gong Sun Murong to compete for first and second place.

The higher the ranking, the richer the reward.

The two attracted everyone's attention, standing on either side of the arena.

"The match begins!" the referee announced.

"I concede." "I concede."

Gong Sun Murong and Harold shouted simultaneously.

The entire venue fell silent.

The commentator's mouth dropped open, his eyes wide.

The audience's shocked expressions froze on their faces.

Emperor Rexlar continued to slowly drink his wine, seemingly the only one still moving.

"I called it first," Gong Sun Murong and Harold said in unison again.

"Refunds, refunds, refunds." Some of the audience finally came to their senses, roaring in anger.

Today's ticket prices were very high.

They came to see an exciting battle, not to have the order of the top four decided by a series of concessions.

Do you, the contestants, have any professional ethics? Do you still have any sense of morality?

The four children in the younger age group conceded to each other.

And in the older age group, you still concede?

The two contestants competing for first and second place both concede?

What about the bets I placed? I didn't bet on a tie.

One of you can summon Meteoric Skyfall, the other is a geomancer.

Standing on the arena, you can both shamelessly concede at the same time.

Did we pay for tickets to watch you concede?

Refunds, we must have refunds.

The calls for refunds grew louder, with one audience member after another indignant.

"This is a match I've been looking forward to for a long time. Last night, I even dreamed about the intense battle on the field. But what did I see? I saw no contestant make a move. Don't they want the good rewards?

Oh, I just got some news. They already went to the palace last night. Our respected Emperor Rexlar opened the warehouse for them, and each of them received a set, or even several sets, of magical equipment, including those for warriors and geomancers.

This means they have already received the prizes, and they are even very good sets. Is that why they are unwilling to fight?

But I also know that the winner of the match will automatically become the team leader. Don't they want power? I want to ask, what's wrong with our empire? Have we lost our fighting spirit, or have we lost our determination to win the competition?

Everyone is shouting for refunds. Yes, today's ticket prices were the highest, but what did our audience see? Concessions, concessions, concessions, one after another. The match is over, leaving us with endless regret.

Do I, the commentator, still have a purpose? What should I comment on? Who shouted 'concede' faster? Yes, the two contestants both conceded. So, who is first and who is second? A tie is not possible, right? Everyone, is that correct?"

The commentator complained in his rapid-fire speech.

"Right~!" the audience echoed.

On the arena, the referee stood there, unsure what to do.

"Why do you concede? You can instantly summon Meteoric Skyfall, your strength is great, you are, or should be, first." Harold shouted angrily at Gong Sun Murong.

Gong Sun Murong's gaze was calm, his tone even: "I can't beat you. You are a geomancer, a far superior existence to a great mage. Whether in the intensity of mental power or in the suppression of magical fluctuations, you can completely win."

"No, no, no, don't underestimate yourself. When I saw you, I felt admiration. Your strength makes me tremble from the bottom of my heart."

Harold shook his head vigorously, defending himself.

Gong Sun Murong still said calmly: "You are lying. You want me to get first place, then you will mock me with your geomancer rank, mock me with reality. I see through your plot."

"I say you win, you win."

"No, you win."

"If you don't admit you can win, I'll beat you."

"Afraid of you? Not a chance."

"Then let's fight. Whoever wins will concede."

"Come on, do you think just because you're a geomancer, I can't beat you?"

"You, a mere great mage, dare to challenge me?"

"Prepare."

"Prepare."

"Let's count to three together."

"One, two, three."

"I concede!" The two conceded simultaneously again.

Then they looked at each other with a cold smile, as if to say, "Little guy, trying to play this trick on me?"

"Refunds, refunds." The audience, who had already been excited, shouted for refunds again.

Accompanied by various national curses.

"Your Majesty, what do you think...?"

On the viewing stand, Steward Nigel asked Emperor Rexlar, who was still drinking his wine.

"Hehehehe~~!" Emperor Rexlar laughed.

He knew the reason.

In the younger age group, Nalasha fought for first place to take care of the children as the team leader. She didn't trust others to lead, so she did it herself.

In the older age group, they believed that hiding next to the team leader would be the most threatening to the enemy. The team leader was not young and had received many years of education.

There was basically no problem, so they didn't need to stand at the front.

When the team leader was taken seriously by the enemy, they could then launch a surprise attack.

So, the concessions in the two age groups were different.

Gong Sun Murong and Harold didn't care about the empty title of first place. They thought more practically.

It seemed they wouldn't fight.

Emperor Rexlar shook his head slightly, flew to the commentator's stand, and moved the magical amplification device in front of him.

"I am Emperor Rexlar."

His voice echoed, and the entire venue instantly fell silent.

Even Gong Sun Murong and Harold, who were still bickering, stopped.

Everyone waited, waiting for the Emperor's final decision.

"First, I want to tell you that the tickets will not be refunded, but we will compensate you in other ways. Within a year, you can use your tickets to watch twenty other matches for free."

Emperor Rexlar made a compensation promise. The income from twenty matches wasn't much.

The audience erupted in cheers.

Even those who couldn't always stay in the capital joined in, as they could sell their tickets.

After a while,

Emperor Rexlar continued: "The final match, where Gong Sun Murong and Harold conceded, was to avoid exposing their strength. We still have to compete with people from other empires and participate in the continental tournament.

Not only are there spectators from our empire in the audience, but also spies from other empires.

So, please forgive their behavior. After they finish all the matches, we will record their battles and play them for every citizen of the empire to watch.

Then everyone will see how they fought for the empire. I believe that scene will be more intense than any match you have ever seen.

Because there will be no referee to protect them. Do you agree?"

"Agreed~!" The audience understood, shouting in agreement while constantly looking around, as if everyone around them was a spy from another empire.

"Then, now, I announce that the first place goes to Harold from our royal family. He will become the team leader and lead the contestants in the competition." Emperor Rexlar set the rankings, favoring his own family.

Harold's face was filled with reluctance. He didn't want to be the team leader.

But he didn't dare to oppose, only glaring at Gong Sun Murong with a "You wait" expression.

Gong Sun Murong smiled like a victor, looking at Harold with indifference.

Thus, the match ended like a farce, and the real test was about to begin.

Sixty people would rest for ten days before boarding the spacecraft to depart. In that battle, the word "concede" would carry much more weight.

******

The audience members left the venue one by one. The audience from the Principality of Gels were a bit disappointed but mostly happy.

They won, with the first and second places in the younger age group both from the Principality of Gels.

The second place in the older age group was also from the principality, but everyone believed that the first place in the older age group was also from the Principality of Gels.

It was because Lord Gong Sun conceded to hide his strength, not because he couldn't beat the opponent.

The people from the capital also believed that the first place should be Harold, as Harold was also hiding his strength.

As a result, the people from the Principality of Gels and the capital began to argue. In different places and at different times, one could always see people from both sides meeting and arguing.

In the past, the people from the Principality of Gels didn't have the courage to argue with the people from the capital, but now they were not afraid.

Even when arguing, they would bring up Nalasha and Lucia, and they could still have the upper hand.

The capital has only one first place, while we, the Principality of Gels, have one first place and two second places, two more second places than you.

******

There was no conflict among the sixty contestants who were about to compete.

They were all gathered and underwent intensive training.

The empire's experts fought with them, and they had to familiarize themselves with working together. The ten days passed quickly.

During these ten days, Steward Nigel actually found four parts and delivered them to Gong Sun Murong and Nalasha, leaving them with only ten parts to find.

He believed that when they returned, the empire would help find more.

Not only did Steward Nigel deliver the parts, but on the last day, he also delivered over a hundred thousand magical jewelry pieces, asking Nalasha to help combine them.

They received 170 sets with decent compatibility.

He decided to collect more during the competition period and have Nalasha help again when she returned, to make money and share it.

******

Ten super-large combat magical spacecraft carried the sixty contestants, countless mages and warriors, and the guns made according to Gong Sun Murong's method, rising into the sky and heading toward the sea to the south of the empire.

Gong Sun Murong and Nalasha, who had more space, took out the nineteen treasures they found in the Hot and Cold Mountain, planning to use them.

[End of Chapter]