Chapter 56: The Choice

Chapter 56: The Choice

Xu Qingran watched as Shen Tingyu unfolded the paper printed with the matching results between him and Lu Cheng.

He saw him holding it, staring at it silently for a long time without saying a word.

His expression wasn't one of relief or joy, as one might expect. His lips were tightly pursed, his eyes cold, and even a bit displeased.

"?"

Why was this reaction so off?

Xu Qingran, puzzled, reached out and took the document from his hand.

After confirming it wasn't a mistake, he held it up and questioned, "Shen Tingyu, I went out of my way to get this for you, and all I get is this deadpan expression?"

For this result, he had driven away Xu Yan and his troublesome spouse, traveled from the Tianshe to the Tianshen system, and then all the way back, barely resting.

Shen Tingyu, sensing his dissatisfaction, paused and quickly suppressed the coldness he had unconsciously revealed.

"No," he responded in a softer tone, "I was just thinking, you and Lu Cheng actually have a one percent compatibility."

Lu Cheng and Xu Qingran had 1%, while he had 0%.

General Shen Tingyu was unhappy.

Xu Qingran's rising anger was instantly extinguished by Shen Tingyu's straightforward answer.

He was somewhat incredulous, thinking—was Shen Tingyu actually jealous?

Shen Tingyu's mindset was typical of a Type E user's possessiveness.

Type E users have a strong sense of territoriality, and for the people and things they like and desire, they possess an almost insane desire for exclusivity. Historical records indicate that cases of imprisoning lovers, keeping them like caged canaries, and extreme control over partners are more than 80% from Type E users.

By nature, Shen Tingyu would also harbor such thoughts subconsciously.

He even wished that Xu Qingran's soul compatibility with the entire world was a mere 0.01, so no one would covet him. And even if he only had a pitiful 0% with him, it would still be a unique 0%.

But soon, Shen Tingyu's rationality took over.

He knew that if he acted as extreme as other Type E users do with their loved ones, it would only cross Xu Qingran's bottom line.

Shen Tingyu was well aware that Xu Qingran wasn't some fragile Type D, nor was he as delicate as his appearance might suggest. He wouldn't become a caged bird or a plaything controlled by others.

He didn't want to become such an extreme Type E partner.

If Xu Qingran had wings, he should be allowed to fly freely. Moreover, someone as charming as him should be seen and liked by more people, not have his light dimmed by his selfishness.

So he would forcefully resist his nature to like him in a more compatible way.

Xu Qingran, amused by Shen Tingyu's answer, said, "I didn't know you were so petty?"

He glanced down at the numbers on the result, his eyes disdainful: "I'm so excellent, I even think this number is too low."

Other Type E users even have over 30.

Tsk, no wonder he could fancy Xu Qingan.

His taste is just poor.

Shen Tingyu quickly took the paper back from his hand.

He folded it neatly along the creases and held it up, saying, "This is a gift from you; I'll treasure it."

Xu Qingran: "You can toss it if you want."

The data results are what really matter.

But Shen Tingyu pretended not to hear him, carefully putting it in his pocket, looking so serious, it was as if he wanted to frame it and hang it in his study.

Of course—Xu Qingran hoped he wouldn't really do that, or else he'd be grossed out.

Shen Tingyu quickly picked up the pile of belongings Xu Qingran had brought to the door, effortlessly carrying them with one hand, then grabbed the largest suitcase and headed toward the guest room.

He didn’t say a word, but his determination to stop the move was crystal clear.

Xu Qingran looked up at the tall, straight back.

He thought to himself, *This guy can be kind of cute sometimes.*

At this point, he had no choice but to grab the handle of the small, lonely suitcase at his feet and walk in the direction Shen Tingyu had left.

As he walked, he suddenly thought of another question and asked the person ahead, "Aren’t you curious? My compatibility with Lu Cheng used to be 99%, but now it’s down to 1%."

Shen Tingyu pushed open the door to his room and said calmly, "There have been cases where someone’s soul orientation shifted after a major trauma."

"It’s no surprise you’d be completely over him after what Lu Cheng did."

Xu Qingran noticed Shen Tingyu didn’t seem suspicious and decided to go along with his explanation for now.

He didn’t mind telling Shen Tingyu the truth about the time travel right then, but he figured it’d be hard to swallow at first under normal circumstances. Besides, he had just agreed to start a further 'cooperative' relationship with him, so he figured it was better to wait and confirm before spilling the beans.

Xu Qingran walked into the room and started unpacking, noticing how unusually formal Shen Tingyu looked today.

He asked curiously, "Where’d you come from?"

Now that he’d calmed down, Shen Tingyu remembered how rude and out of character he’d been in the headquarters conference hall.

Keeping a straight face, he said, "There was a summary meeting at the Golden Wing Battalion headquarters today. I didn’t finish it—just took off."

Xu Qingran blinked, surprised.

He’d thought it was a coincidence, but Shen Tingyu had actually ditched work to come after him?

After a pause, he asked, concerned, "Will there be any fallout?"

"There won’t be any consequences," Shen Tingyu chuckled, "At worst, I’ll get a warning and have to write a self-criticism."

As the model officer, Shen Tingyu had never been slapped with a self-criticism before.

He was usually the one making others write them.

Xu Qingran fell silent.

Then he reminded him, "You could have just called me."

But Shen Tingyu said, "I thought it would take a long time to persuade you."

After all, it was Xu Qingran who mentioned leaving, and after saying that, he disappeared for several days, leaving Shen Tingyu alone in this big house to overthink for days.

He even overlooked that the soul with a 99% match to Lu Cheng might not necessarily be the current Xu Qingran.

It wasn’t until he saw the latest matching results from Xu Qingran that he admitted the joy in his heart at that moment far outweighed the disappointment over the 1%, and the small thorn in his heart was finally removed.

After a brief pause, Shen Tingyu softly added, "And such an important matter, I always feel it’s better to discuss face-to-face."

Xu Qingran’s gaze met his briefly before slowly shifting away, "You’re right."

It’s often said that he has peach blossom eyes, capable of looking deeply at anyone. But in reality, he thought Shen Tingyu’s cold, clear eyes, when focused intently on someone, could almost drown them.

Yet, he was completely unaware of this.

After wrapping up this topic, Xu Qingran decided to move on to serious matters, "So? Should we just go ahead and form that soul contract now?"

"Let’s do it then."

Shen Tingyu’s reaction, however, suddenly became stiff.

After a pause, he evasively said, "This matter isn’t urgent. I still need to go back to headquarters to explain my sudden departure. We can discuss the rest when I return."

Xu Qingran, puzzled by his reaction, immediately pulled out his phone to look up information on forming a soul contract.

Then things got even stranger.

Isn’t it just one soul lightly touching the other, then leaving a symbolic 'mark' or something?

Why make it seem like it requires getting intimate?

But he didn’t press further. He was ready to cooperate whenever, but the decision was ultimately Shen Tingyu’s.

Shen Tingyu tidied up and cooked him a meal before getting ready to leave.

Before leaving, Xu Qingran stood at the dining room entrance and called out, "Wait, come here for a sec."

Shen Tingyu turned and walked back to him, "What is it?"

No sooner had he asked than Xu Qingran stepped forward and hugged him.

The unique D-type spiritual energy washed over him like a breeze, instantly refreshing and soothing. The beloved scent filling his arms brought an unusual sense of satisfaction and attachment.

Shen Tingyu froze for a moment.

Xu Qingran’s casual tone broke the silence, "Do you dislike it?"

Snapping out of it, he instinctively pulled Xu Qingran closer, his eyelashes fluttering slightly.

In that moment, the joy of their closeness far outweighed his fear—the fear of being completely controlled by someone.

"I don’t dislike it," he replied calmly.

How could he possibly dislike it?

It was a fondness that made him want to secretly treasure the person.

At this, Xu Qingran’s eyes curved slightly.

His tone remained aloof, "Is that so? Then you’re pretty lucky."

"Because I don't mind it either."

Shen Tingyu was both amused and annoyed by his attitude.

Yet, his eyes slightly reddened, his restrained emotions masking a resignation to all that had unfolded.

Perhaps he could believe that not all DEs would end up as he had expected.

At least he knew it wasn't just a natural attraction that drew him to Xu Qingran.

But from the very first glance, Xu Qingran had been the sparkle in his otherwise dull world that caught his attention.

·

All DE matching test results in the Kayan Empire are made public.

However, they are not announced with fanfare but are quietly updated on the official website of the soulmate system. The main purpose is to ensure transparency in all DE-related arrangements for the empire's citizens.

After many days, the soulmate system headquarters had retested Xu Qingran's sample countless times, with consistent results. Thus, the final compatibility score was nearly confirmed and quietly updated on the official website.

While past updates would draw attention and discussion from those interested, they usually didn't cause much of a stir.

Involving Xu Qingran, this report had only been up for an hour and already sparked heated discussions across social media and forums.

"It's been a while since we've heard from Young Master Xu. I didn't expect to see him in such a mundane event."

"Haha, it hasn't been that long, right? Didn't someone just leak on the forum last week that the young master crashed Xu Qingan's birthday party again?"

"How is this a small matter?! I've never seen such a 'bold and greedy' D; it seems like every E-type can hook up with him!"

"Correction to the sister above: it's every E-type that 'wants' to hook up with the little lunatic! But our little lunatic is determined to stay single, indifferent to everyone (shrugs)."

"Wuwuwu, who gets it? The CP I ship actually ended in BE! I can't accept that the compatibility between the young master and General Shen Tingyu is only 0.01!"

0.01% is the official figure provided by the soulmate system.

Mainly because 0% is unprecedented in the Kayan Empire, and they feared releasing it would spark excessive discussion and speculation, affecting the general of the Golden Wing Battalion and Xu Qingran, who is about to officially join the military. So they decided, before fully understanding the anomaly, to release the 0% as the minimum standard of 0.01.

"I told you not to ship everything! Just say that Xu Qingran and our general have a clean relationship. General Shen Tingyu is naturally gentle and kind, always taking good care of Xiao Tianyi, so it's no problem to look after his future niece-in-law, right?"

"+1, I don't get the mentality of shipping the niece-in-law with the uncle. Our general from the Golden Wing would never do anything unethical like some people."

"? Praise your general if you want, but no need to drag others down!"

"Enough! Our Major General Lu is diligently cleaning up the Silver Dragon's mess; don't drag him into this!"

"Yo yo yo, no one named names, so why are you so quick to jump to conclusions?"

A new round of factional bickering begins.

Some are seriously discussing Xu Qingran's matching results.

"Am I the only one shocked that, among all E-types, the one with the highest compatibility with Young Master Xu is a certain notorious fugitive?"

"After all, Ming Hai is somewhat of an unconventional lunatic? The little lunatic and the real lunatic's thinking somewhat aligns, which seems understandable."

"Me too... although it's still 5% short of being arranged by the empire for further acquaintance, but that person is Ming Hai, I'm a bit worried if he sees this news, will he cause trouble for the young master?"

"No problem! The little lunatic is so capable; he won't be harmed by Ming Hai!"

"Speaking of which, wasn't there news last week about Ming Hai possibly venturing into Silver Dragon Battalion's jurisdiction? Apparently, someone nearly fell victim, but luckily, patrolling officers spotted them just in time and saved their life."

"I wonder if Young Master Xu's groundbreaking data means he can get along with many E-types?"

"Damn, the idea from the previous poster is terrifying! One E-type is bad enough—what if Young Master Xu goes crazy one day and unleashes his E-type friends to destroy the world—"

"Nah, not really."

As netizens were passionately debating, posts on the Star Horizon forum were also buzzing about another topic related to Xu Qingran.

Main post:

Now that Xu Qingran's compatibility results with E-types are out—and since none exceed 65%—the empire won't enforce a marriage contract, so his arrangement with the Shen family's child will proceed.

Let's discuss rationally: next week is the graduation ceremony where military academy graduates choose their allegiance. Family members, do you think Xu Qingran will choose Silver Dragon or Golden Wing?

The OP leans toward Golden Wing, considering both its current development and his ties to the Shen family.

"2nd floor: Front row, claiming my spot!"

"99th floor: I got here first—this thread is moving way too fast??"

"233rd floor: I'm team Golden Wing! Didn't a post recently reveal that Young Master Xu was seen dining with the Shen family at Cloud Sky Tower? That's basically meeting the parents, so the Shen family must approve of him."

"997th floor: Agreed on Golden Wing—since he's bound to join the Shen family, it makes sense to choose Golden Wing."

"1766th floor: Based on what you're saying, Xu Qingran's roots are still in Silver Dragon, and he's on good terms with the Qi family now, so I think it'll be Silver Dragon."

"2898th floor: Team Silver Dragon—the little lunatic is one of our own, and he'll definitely come home!"

"5633rd floor: Silver Dragon +1!"

The votes piled up, and once it hit ten thousand, the discussion took a weird turn again.

"LOL, seriously, Silver Dragon folks are so hypocritical."

"Right? When the compatibility data between Young Master Xu and Shen Tianyi came out, how many Silver Dragon folks were celebrating with firecrackers? Remember that 'plague god' post for Young Master Xu, where all the IPs posting 'send off the plague god [clasp hands]' were from Silver Dragon territory?"

"It's heartbreaking how the little lunatic was dragged online, even by his own camp, who cursed and despised him."

"So, where does Silver Dragon get the nerve to call him back now that he's successful and stronger than ever?"

Silver Dragon netizens were not to be outdone.

"Funny, I recall Golden Wing wasn't exactly holding back either, huh?"

"Wasn't the 'plague god' nickname started by Golden Wing? Back then, when they found out Young Master Xu was joining the Shen family, especially General Shen's fans, the insults were brutal."

"Golden Wing folks, don't act all high and mighty now—when you heard Young Master Xu was coming, weren't you also whining and hating on him?"

In just over a year, Xu Qingran's online reputation has done a complete 180. From mutual disdain and rejection to now desperately competing for him, each side hoping to add another D-type general to their ranks.

"Young Master Xu! No matter how much the Xu or Lu families from Silver Dragon hurt you, come join Golden Wing!"

"Little lunatic, we cursed you out of frustration, but don't forget—you've got Silver Dragon blood in you!"

"Anyway, you're bound to join the Golden Wing Shen family, so being in the same camp makes sense! If not, we'll throw in a General Shen for free!"

"The Silver Dragons still have your loving blood relatives in the Qi family!!"

Finally, someone stepped in and said—

"Ah, no matter how fiercely you argue, it's useless. Knowing Young Master Xu, even if he sees this, he won't take your advice. There's going to be a live broadcast on the day of the ceremony, right? Just tune into Young Master Xu's channel and witness the answer for yourself."

A week flew by in the blink of an eye.

The debate over Xu Qingran's faction had gone viral on social media, so he was aware of the discussions. During this period, many seniors and instructors from the military academy, who had his number, called to lobby for their factions.

Xu Qingran hadn't expected things to escalate like this.

After a month of thinking, he had already decided on his future path. So, he just listened politely to all the advice, which didn't change his mind.

Xu Qingran headed to the graduation ceremony alone in his aircraft.

Mainly because Shen Tingyu hadn't been able to come home since that day. He had called, saying that because of his impulsive move, the general had punished him with overtime and a ten-thousand-word self-critique.

When he heard this, Xu Qingran couldn't stop laughing.

The aircraft passed through several galactic checkpoints and arrived smoothly at Queen's Star, home to Grandis University.

The main building of Grandis University was as grand and beautiful as a palace.

Decorated with gold and silver, it highlighted the peaceful coexistence and mutual support between the two factions, with Golden Wings and Silver Dragons motifs everywhere.

It was also close to the palace. From a higher spot, you could see the top of the palace castle in the distance. There was a large clock with starry designs, said to glow with colors like the night sky in the evening.

As Xu Qingran parked his aircraft, he bumped into Ni Xiaoyuan and Ji Huaixiu, who had just arrived.

The Ni and Ji families were close, and they had known each other since childhood, so it made sense they came together.

Ji Huaixiu was his usual self, always wearing headphones to tune out the noise.

As if it helped him stay calm and keep his temper in check.

When he saw Xu Qingran, he gave a cool nod, one hand in his pocket and the other raised. His gaze, though, was full of regret, as if he wished this D-type was his perfect match.

"Xu Qingran, you've really changed!" Ni Xiaoyuan exclaimed in amazement, "I was just being nice, but you actually said no! You would've been too shy to refuse before."

She was talking about the recent invite to the Ni family's dinner.

Xu Qingran smiled without responding.

Ni Xiaoyuan then asked him, "Have you made your choice?"

"Seriously, if you pick the Golden Wings today, my dad will kill me when I get home."

"I've made up my mind," Xu Qingran said, but no matter how Ni Xiaoyuan pressed him, he wouldn't spill.

With time to kill before the ceremony, they decided to take a stroll around the university's main campus, which was new to them.

The main campus of Grandis University was vast, with many lecture halls and auditoriums, primarily used for special events or large lectures hosted by the university.

Each branch of the academy had a significant number of students, especially the military academy, so the ceremony was arranged in different halls according to their spiritual pool levels.

He, Ni Xiaoyuan, and Ji Huaixiu were not in the same location.

Today, the main campus was exclusively for the military academy's event.

On the way, they encountered many familiar faces, also wandering around and snapping pictures just like them. When it was nearly time, everyone waved goodbye and went to their assigned auditoriums.

Compared to the simple and harsh environment of the Military Academy, the main hall here was far more upscale.

Seats with cushions, floors and walls covered with carpets and soundproof pads, air conditioning that adjusts to the appropriate temperature according to the season, and air fresheners sprayed around, making everyone feel at ease.

When the ceremony began, the official website's live broadcast also started simultaneously.

Mainly to facilitate family members who could not attend in person, as well as nosy netizens tuning in.

Undoubtedly, the live stream featuring Xu Qingran was a massive hit.

The chat was flooded with comments.

However, compared to the previous disputes between the two camps, today's barrage content was almost one-sided.

"After all that's happened, the little lunatic's bound to pick the Golden Wing, huh?"

"Join the Golden Wing! Join the Golden Wing! The Golden Wing folks will definitely take good care of the young master!"

"Although I am from the Silver Dragon, I also hope the young master can really shake things up for the Silver Dragon, but after seeing the news on the hot search, the young master should still go to the Golden Wing."

Xu Qingran had been on the road these days, only catching short videos and live streams now and then during breaks.

Today, after meeting Ni Xiaoyuan and Ji Huaixiu, he bumped into Zhang Zhihe and a few old roommates, and was too busy socializing to surf the internet, so he didn't know that his name had shot up the trending list again in no time.

The reason was that the official account of the Silver Dragon Fairy Star System Police Department had released a flurry of announcements back-to-back.

——Announcement regarding Ms. Zhang Hongyan, a resident of the Silver Dragon in the Kayan Empire.

Ms. Zhang Hongyan, a high-level official of the Empire's Soulmate System, misused her power to tamper with soul specimen chip data, which was supposed to be used for emergency corrections, to harm others, intending to replace the highly compatible partner of victim Xu with Mr. Chen XX.

Twenty-four years ago, instigated by Ms. Zhu Ailian, she replaced the highly compatible partner of Ms. Qi Shengxue with Mr. Xu X, resulting in a mismatched marriage. After interrogation, she confessed without hesitation. These outrageous actions blatantly break Article 28 of our nation's Soulmate laws.

Moreover, Ms. Zhang Hongyan set off an illegal bomb at Yun Tian Building in the Tian Shen Star System on August 28, 3211, causing panic, and obtained military psychic weapons through illegal means, attempting to murder victim Mr. Chen XX, with solid evidence, the charges stick.

Therefore, Ms. Zhang Hongyan is sentenced to a lifetime ban from public service, and her family and direct descendants are prohibited from participating in any official work of the Empire. She is fined ten million and will be shipped off to the Tower of Evil in five days for a life sentence.

——Announcement regarding Mr. Xu Qingan, a resident of the Silver Dragon in the Kayan Empire.

Mr. Xu Qingan, currently a student at the Medical School of Grandis University, is accused of teaming up with Ms. Zhang Hongyan to replace the specimen chip data of Xu's compatible partner. After investigation, the charges have been proven. At the same time, Mr. Xu Qingan is also charged with 'defamation' and 'illegal invasion of privacy', and after verification, the crimes are established.

Because of the severity of his crimes, Mr. Xu Qingan is sentenced to be sent to the Tower of Evil in five days for criticism and punitive education, his release date depending on how he behaves. Moreover, he will be permanently expelled from Grandis University, and all his past admissions and exam scores are wiped clean.

——Announcement regarding Ms. Zhu Ailian, a resident of the Silver Dragon in the Kayan Empire.

This announcement, besides mentioning the conspiracy between Xu Qingan's mother and Zhang Hongyan years ago, also includes her proven guilt in harming Qi Shengxue and her unborn child, Xu, and she will also be sent to the Tower of Evil in five days, with a sentence of 80 years.

——Announcement regarding Mr. Chen Shengfei, a resident of the Golden Wing in the Kayan Empire.

Boss Chen here is mainly accused by Zhang Hongyan, but since Xu Qingan did not betray him, and the evidence from Zhang Hongyan is insufficient, the charges against him are not established. However, he's still forced to shut down his 9,200 nightspots for a cleanup, and after investigation and review, it will be notified whether normal operations can be resumed.

Finally, there is the announcement regarding Xu's father, Xu Yan.

This announcement is not a big deal, saying that he is suspected of participating in the plan of Zhu Ailian and Zhang Hongyan years ago, but due to the lack of conclusive evidence and Zhu Ailian's protection, his crime was ultimately not established.

However, just being named in this mess is enough to trash his reputation and humiliate him.

When these announcements were issued, netizens were still waiting to see which camp Xu Qingran would choose, but they were overwhelmed by this series of closely issued contents.

Looking at the announcements related to the Xu family, almost every one of them mentions a certain unfortunate victim, 'a certain Xu.'

At this point, the only name not mentioned, Xu Qingran, is clearly the poor guy. Whenever an event involves the name Xu Qingran, netizens swarm in, turning into Sherlock Holmes to dig deep.

The more they dig, the more details they uncover, and the more silent they become.

A group of people are wailing in the comments sections of news and gossip blogs, saying what utterly pitiful figures Xu Qingran and his mother are, to be sucked dry and harmed by the despicable Xu family. Even the Qi family, who had kindly offered help, ended up being betrayed by the Xu family, their malicious behavior, reminiscent of the farmer and the snake, was also exposed.

Now, the internet is ablaze with curses against the Xu family.

Even their commercial brands are affected, with a large number of netizens calling for a boycott of such unscrupulous businesses.

The Xu family is in complete chaos, sweating bullets trying to manage the crisis.

The old patriarch of the Xu family was once again so angry that he was hospitalized.

Xu Qingran is completely in the dark about all this.

He also doesn't know that the live chat is blowing up with messages urging him to join the Golden Wing Battalion, saying he should go to the Golden Wing Battalion, and in comparison, the Shen family has been nothing but considerate towards him.

Soon, some viewers noticed another point.

"Wait, am I seeing this right? Is that Lin Qianmu sitting next to Xu Qingran?"

"Yeah, the little angel from the Lin family, both Type D, and they were classmates at the military academy, so why the fuss if they're close?"

"...Holy crap, I noticed that too!"

"No way, no way, it can't be what I'm thinking, right?!"

"???"

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

"Come on, don't be cryptic, this clueless gossip lover is totally lost!"

"Guys, Lin Qianmu is a double S-class!!"

"Damn, wait, I remember when they announced Young Master Xu's classification, they said he was an S-class, right?"

"Indeed, they said the little lunatic was an S-class, but you're not mistaken, this is an all double S-class class."

So, what's the deal here?

Is Xu Qingran getting special treatment because of his outstanding performance, or is it because—he's double S?

All the speculation was answered when Xu Qingran was called on stage to receive his graduation medal.

The host introduced him as: "Xu Qingran, double S-class outstanding graduate."

The audience was stunned once again.

Casual onlookers were floored.

Haters were crushed.

Fans were over the moon.

"Damn, so the suspicions from the graduation exercises were spot on!"

"I also remember that pinned analysis post on Star Horizon, where the OP mentioned suspicions that Young Master Xu's strength might actually be double S! Those who agreed with this argument were heavily criticized!"

"God, why does all the good luck fall on Xu Qingran! Even the slightest possibility of a mental pool level upgrade after stabilization could happen to him!"

"Family members asking about good luck, haven't you caught up on the latest gossip yet? Young Master Xu has clearly had a hard time, and now all this is what he deserves!"

"Haters, come out! Who said we were ambitious and arrogant?"

"Did you hear that, double S! double S! The official directly slapped you in the face with it!"

"Feeling good, the little lunatic really made us proud, damn it! It's worth all the live stream tips I sent him!"

After the shock of Xu Qingran's double S class, the more intense and closely watched moment finally arrived.

Each graduate who took the stage was presented with two medals.

One was the Silver Dragon, and the other was the Golden Wing. Their choice represented their future allegiance.

The host was still on stage, praising Xu Qingran's status as a special invitee and his outstanding achievements.

Meanwhile, the major military headquarters and branches of both the Silver Dragon and Golden Wing camps were also watching the live broadcast.

The crowd gathered in front of the live broadcast of Xu Qingran's sub-hall was particularly large, everyone was very interested in Young Master Xu's choice.

At the Silver Dragon headquarters, Mu Ziyu happened to be in his office dealing with recent public opinion-related affairs, while Wang Jian sat on the sofa in his room, tuning the live broadcast to Xu Qingran's channel.

Mu Ziyu saw Xu Qingran in the camera, looking handsome and harmless, but it gave him chills.

"Deputy Wang, there are so many talents in the military academy, can't you watch someone else? I want to see Ji Huaixiu, or even Ni Xiaoyuan would do!"

Wang Jian on the sofa ignored him, not even intending to change the channel.

Mu Ziyu angrily slammed the documents in his hand.

He wouldn't come to their Silver Dragon anyway, and he really prayed to heaven and earth that this lord wouldn't come, he still wanted someone more obedient and easy to control. And with Xu Qingran's grades, entering the camp would at least start as a sub-camp major, increasing the chances of contact with him.

Downstairs, Lu Cheng was also sitting in his small room, watching the live broadcast.

Since learning about his true compatibility with Xu Qingran, he has been filled with regret, reminiscing about their past interactions every day. The more he recalled, the more he missed, and he was even more grateful that Xu Qingran was still fine, he hadn't missed out.

After the exposure of Xu Qingran's compatibility with him, too many things were involved, so despite his reluctance, he still took Shen Tingyu's advice and temporarily kept this matter from the outside world. He now desperately hoped that Xu Qingran would choose the Silver Dragon, so he would have more opportunities to make up for past mistakes.

At the Golden Wing camp, Xie Nanjun and several of Shen Tingyu's deputies shamelessly sat on the high-end sofa in his office, legs crossed high, watching the live broadcast of the graduation ceremony.

In previous years, he had no interest in these events, it didn't matter who joined their camp. But this year, there was someone they knew from home, and since he had nothing to do, he joined in the fun.

After all, if Xu Qingran came in, the Golden Wing would definitely give him high treatment, and they might become colleagues in the future, fighting side by side on the battlefield.

Xie Nanjun, always at the forefront of gossip-eating, had already seen all of Xu Qingran's gossip.

Chewing on candy, he mumbled, "Xu Qingran had such a hard time in the Silver Dragon, he probably has no feelings for the Silver Dragon, right? He will definitely come to the Golden Wing!"

Others also nodded, thinking that no matter from which angle, it was the most suitable.

After discussing with them, Xie Nanjun turned to Shen Tingyu, who was still writing a review, and asked, "Tingyu, which camp do you think your little nephew's wife will choose?"

Shen Tingyu glanced up at the calm-faced boy on the TV screen and replied with a smile, "Silver Dragon."

Xie Nanjun was stunned, frowning in rebuttal, "Tsk, why do you always like to go against the grain?"

"I’m sure Qingran will choose Golden Wing. He has so many friends here; you just don’t know him well enough."

At the same time, the person on the screen finally followed the emcee's instructions and walked toward the two medals.

Applause from both the stage and the audience filled his ears.

Xu Qingran looked at the two finely crafted medals resting on the red velvet, smiled, his eyes crinkling, and reached out to the one on the left.

He picked it up and clasped it firmly in his hand.

When netizens saw his choice, they went wild.

The screen flooded with shocked ? and !.

"?"

"Ah??"

"Holy cow!"

"Not again... Xu Qingran, you’re at it again...!!"

"Classic little lunatic, always bucking the trend, huh?"

Xie Nanjun shot up from the couch in disbelief, loudly asking, "Why?!"

"Silver Dragon’s on its last legs; what’s Xu Qingran thinking?"

Yes, Xu Qingran chose the Silver Dragon Battalion's medal.

Shen Tingyu bowed his head, a faint smile playing on his lips as he listened to Xie Nanjun’s incredulous question.

Maybe that’s precisely why he picked Silver Dragon.

Xu Qingran’s never been one to follow the crowd.

He thrives on swimming against the tide.

Since Xu Qingran is a top student, and many people across the country are paying attention to his choice, the emcee asked him a few more questions before he stepped down.

"Xu, care to share why you chose Silver Dragon?"

Xu Qingran paused, his gaze dropping as he considered the question. Then, cool as ever, he faced the camera.

"As a soldier, my duty isn’t to a faction—it’s to the empire and its people, above all else."

"Picking a faction is symbolic for me."

"Silver Dragon’s my birthplace, so it’s where I belong. I won’t turn my back on Golden Wing just because I’m with Silver Dragon, because I know, above all, I serve the Kayan Empire."

His words left the entire room, onstage and off, in stunned silence.

The crowd’s eyes widened, stunned by his unexpectedly stirring words.

That’s right!

This is the essence of the Grandis Military Academy! Before factions, you are first and foremost a soldier of the empire! Choosing a faction is just about giving a home and a daily service group, but if something happens to the entire Kayan Empire, they will not distinguish between factions—as long as it concerns the citizens and territory of the empire, they will protect it to the end!

The netizens were also deeply shocked. "...Is this really the same Young Master Xu I know?"

"I never thought the little lunatic would say something so serious and humane."

"Sniff sniff, I always knew our little lunatic was only crazy on the surface, but inside he's a very refined person!"

The host on stage, also touched, was about to respond when Xu Qingran suddenly let out a chuckle.

With a look of disdain, he casually addressed everyone, "What I just said is the official answer I memorized over a day, thinking it was fitting."

"Of course, if you want to ask me the real reason," he added with a smirk.

Xu Qingran paused, then continued with a smile, "Basically, I really like the Silver Dragon's uniforms and badge designs; they're awesome."

"That's why I chose it," he added.

There was a brief, awkward silence around.

Online users were speechless: "..."

Damn it, all that emotion for nothing.