LABMY CH85.2

The selection competition ended, and the finals of the Academy Grand Competition quickly began. Countless people in the empire were watching this day.

Because this was not just an academy competition, but also the hope of the empire that would one day appear on the battlefield.

The Zerg race had always been a blade hanging over the hearts of the empire’s people. The current peace across the empire was only because the previous generation Zerg Queen had died.

The Zerg had entered a period of dormancy, and the entire interstellar Zerg race seemed to have vanished. However, everyone knew they were merely hibernating in the interstellar wormhole, which only the Zerg could enter, quietly awaiting the birth of the next Zerg Queen.

Therefore, the entire empire, regardless of status, paid close attention to the Academy Grand Competition. Even members of the royal family would attend the event to show their importance.

On the grand and majestic square, gathered 150 student representatives from 50 academies participating in this competition. At the center of the square stood three gate-like devices.

These devices not only detected bone age but also verified identity to prevent cheating. All participating students had to line up for inspection.

If anyone carried devices that altered appearance or had injected any substances, the devices would detect them, ensuring the fairness of the competition.

Fortunately, the inspection was quick. As long as one passed through without triggering the red light, there would be no problem.

With the sound of a bell, the staff hosting the competition stood at the inspection gate. The three devices allowed three students from the same academy to pass through simultaneously.

At this moment, the students from the First Imperial Academy arrived late, walking straight to the front.

Jian Yuanbai watched as the three students in First Imperial Academy uniforms openly bypassed the queue and frowned, “Does the First Imperial Academy not need to wait in line?”

They had been waiting in the square for half an hour since early morning for the inspection to begin.

Fan Youjin, standing behind him, sneered, “That’s the First Imperial Academy. They’re first place every year. They haven’t followed the rules for a long time.”

“Besides, by queueing order, they are first anyway.”

“Being powerful sometimes comes with privileges.”

Jian Yuanbai: “Won’t the other academies be upset?”

Lu Qianyun, who was once a student of the First Imperial Academy, replied, “Most academies won’t mind. The empire respects the strong. Only the academies ranked close to them will feel dissatisfied.”

Jian Yuanbai understood, “So, if I defeat the First Imperial Academy, they won’t have any objections?”

Upon hearing this, Lu Qianyun fell silent, while Fan Youjin patted his shoulder and said, “You’re overthinking it.”

Jian Yuanbai ignored him and said to Lu Qianyun, “Your cousin seems to be here too.”

Among the three from the First Imperial Academy was Lu Qianyun’s cousin, Lu Qianshan.

Lu Qianyun was not surprised and said, “He’s an S-level alpha. It’s normal for him to represent the First Imperial Academy.”

His tone was calm, neither resentful nor angry, as if he were speaking about a stranger. This made Fan Youjin, who expected him to say more, look at him with newfound respect.

Fan Youjin found Lu Qianyun contradictory—sometimes mature and composed, other times childish and arrogant. Yet, in front of Jian Yuanbai, he was obedient and clingy, making it hard to figure out who he truly was.

After the First Imperial Academy passed through the inspection, the staff loudly announced, “First Imperial Academy, pass.”

As each academy passed through, figures appeared on the stands at the front—principals from all 50 academies, waiting for the inspection to end and the royal family to arrive.

When it was Jian Yuanbai’s turn, the red light didn’t go off, but the staff hesitated.

Holding the list in hand, the staff member’s lips trembled, unable to speak.

At this moment, countless cameras were live-streaming to the entire empire. The stands were filled with the principals of the top 50 academies, and soon the royal family would arrive.

The staff gripped the list, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and with all the professionalism he could muster, he finally announced:

“The Fifty Years of Trash Academy, pass.”

The audience watching the live broadcast exploded. The comments section flooded with reactions, with the most liked comment being:

“I think I understand why the staff hesitated just now. His silence was deafening.”

All eyes turned to the principal of the academy in question. Their expressions varied, but curiosity prevailed—what kind of principal would name their academy that?

Li Wenshu, who was forced to face the attention, felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Why were they looking at him? Weren’t Jian Yuanbai and his team the ones standing at the inspection gate?

Even the most composed and experienced principal couldn’t help but glance at him at this moment.

The scene fell silent. Li Wenshu felt his scalp go numb.

Under everyone’s gaze, he silently took off his glasses. The world became blurry, and the stares became less intense.

At this moment, he had only one thought:

“Thank goodness I never got laser eye surgery!”

If Li Wenshu knew what people were saying in the live stream comments, he would probably regret not demanding more emotional damage compensation from Jian Yuanbai.

“How shameless can you be to name your academy that?”

“Where did this sour chicken come from? The jealousy is practically suffocating.”

“Damn, does anyone actually study at this academy?”

“These students and their principal look decent, but they sure act like garbage.”

“Or maybe the principal forced them here. The students could be victims.”

“Are they desperate for attention? Do they think this will make them famous?”

“LOL, this kind of fame would make people’s teeth fall out from laughter.”

“Let’s see how long they last before getting eliminated. A bunch of trash.”

“No need to get mad. Just enjoy the show. The clowns are performing for free.”

This comment seemed to awaken everyone, and the comments section was filled with laughter.

The principal of the First Imperial Academy maintained a polite smile, not showing any hostility, like an old fox. However, on the square, someone had already approached Jian Yuanbai’s team.

“Trash should know their place. How dare you show up here without feeling ashamed?”

Lu Qianshan walked over and spoke. But when he saw who was standing at the inspection gate, his expression changed dramatically.

“You?! How are you here?”

“Didn’t they already remove your gland?”

Lu Qianyun nodded and briefly explained, “I underwent secondary differentiation, so my gland recovered.”

His gland recovered?!

Lu Qianshan’s expression was filled with disbelief. But he quickly remembered that this was a live broadcast to the entire empire. He forced a smile and said, “Congratulations. Why didn’t you tell the family?”

Why did all the luck fall on Lu Qianyun?

The name “Lu Qianyun” was like a dark cloud hovering over Lu Qianshan’s head. Even though he was the heir of the Lu family, he had always lived in Lu Qianyun’s shadow.

He thought he had finally gotten rid of Lu Qianyun after luring him to the underground red-light district and having his gland removed.

But now, Lu Qianyun stood in front of him again, lightly saying he experienced a one-in-a-billion secondary differentiation.

Why him?!

Despite the bitterness in his heart, Lu Qianshan maintained a facade of brotherly affection. However, he needed an outlet for his anger and humiliation. So, he said, “Though I’m happy for you, as a former First Imperial Academy student, isn’t it shameful to be in such a school?”

He deliberately emphasized Lu Qianyun’s background to imply he was an ungrateful traitor.

In fact, he succeeded. The surrounding crowd began looking at Lu Qianyun with subtle contempt.

At this moment, Jian Yuanbai spoke up:

“Oh, it’s you.”

“No wonder. A little piece of trash from the First Imperial Academy.”

He repeated the words “fifty years of trash” and added, “Since when did seeking justice for being harmed by a teacher and denied an apology become something to be ashamed of?”

Lu Qianshan’s face turned red with anger. “Who are you calling trash?”

“Do you think you can insult the First Imperial Academy?”

Jian Yuanbai: “I thought that a place that couldn’t wait to expel a student after something happened to them could only be called a garbage dump.”

He chuckled lightly and said indifferently, “After all, why did Lu Qianyun compete on behalf of another academy instead of the First Imperial Academy? Wouldn’t it be better to let your principal explain the reason?”

As the first alpha in the empire to be detected with an SSS physique, the incident of Lu Qianyun’s gland being forcibly removed spread like wildfire.

Yet, after recovering his gland, he didn’t represent the First Imperial Academy in the grand competition but instead joined a school that was clearly aiming to challenge the First Imperial Academy, standing directly against his former alma mater.

If he hadn’t been expelled, why wouldn’t he still be in the First Imperial Academy?

At this moment, a male high schooler squatting in front of the screen suddenly slapped his thigh and stood up. “Holy sh*t!”

“What the hell are you freaking out about?”

Wang Nianguang stared blankly at the screen and murmured, “I think I just saw Lu Qianyun… alive.”

Thinking of that movie, he screamed, “F*ck!!”

His best friend yanked him down to sit. “Stop going crazy. Sit down and see if a fight’s about to break out.”

“This academy is insane.”

On the live stream, the discussion was heated. Some people understood Lu Qianyun, while others believed the First Imperial Academy wasn’t in the wrong.

“Having your gland removed is already a huge blow. If he was also kicked while he was down, seeking revenge is completely understandable.”

“White-eyed wolf? They say he was expelled, but who knows if that’s true or not?”

“F*ck, I thought he was just a clown, but turns out he’s the former SSS physique Lu Qianyun.”

“Hilarious. Who knows if his secondary differentiation is still SSS-level? Stop blindly hyping him up, okay?”

The arguments on the StarNet were endless, but those supporting Lu Qianyun were in the minority.

On the scene, the atmosphere grew tense. Lu Qianshan had already noticed the principal’s gaze from the stands and suddenly remembered that Jian Yuanbai was…

“Our academy’s affairs are none of your business. Since Lu Qianyun was expelled, wasn’t it because of fighting and brawling?”

“And you—aren’t you violating the rules by participating in this competition as an active-duty soldier?”

He suddenly turned to the staff. “Excuse me, is it against the rules for an active soldier to participate in the academy grand competition?”

The crowd erupted.

Jian Yuanbai replied calmly, “Currently, I am a student.”

“There’s no rule that says a student can’t be outstanding enough to hold a position in the military while still in school, right?”

“You can check my student records. Everything is legitimate and compliant.”

Lu Qianshan’s face turned dark. For Jian Yuanbai to speak with such confidence, he clearly had no issues. Lu Qianshan sneered, “Outstanding? Ha, the only reason you got into the military was because you paid a huge sum. And you only hold some insignificant position.”

Everyone knew that the military did allow people to buy their way in to fund military expenses, but the positions offered were meaningless and purely symbolic.

However, no one had ever truly managed to enter the military through this method.

Because the price was so high that even the nobility would feel the pain, and the position itself was useless.

“What you consider a huge sum is nothing more than a drop in the bucket for me.”

Jian Yuanbai shrugged and raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Sorry for being too rich.”

Arrogant!

How could he say something so infuriating with such a casual tone?

What the hell did he mean by “Sorry for being too rich”?

If it weren’t for the competition, no one would want to stay here for even a second longer.

Everyone was seething with jealousy, while Lu Qianshan was too furious to speak.

Meanwhile, on the live stream, a flood of comments filled the screen:

“In three minutes, I want every detail on this man.”

“What do you mean ‘too rich’? You’re just bragging. I won’t believe it unless you send the money to me.”

“Just looked up how much it costs to buy a position in the military. Not much.”

“Only a mere one billion star coins. Seriously, not much. I could totally donate that to support the empire’s military expenses… in my dreams.”

When the royal family arrived at the scene, they were met with an atmosphere that was both tense and awkward.

The elderly emperor was too old to attend, so the one hosting the opening ceremony was the eldest prince. Following behind him were the second prince and the second princess.

The eldest prince had mediocre talent and appearance, but as a member of the royal family, he excelled in dealing with the public. He addressed the crowd and the cameras with the standard motivational speech before the competition.

Yet, despite being the speaker, the audience’s attention was focused on the second prince. Compared to the plain eldest prince, the S-rank, handsome second prince perfectly fit the public’s ideal image of royalty.

“Ahhh, the second prince looked at me!!”

“My destined husband is still as handsome as ever.”

“Which Omega hasn’t dreamed of marrying the second prince?”

“The second princess is also gorgeous. The eldest prince is just… so average.”

Jian Yuanbai raised his head and glanced at the people in the stands. He didn’t miss the second princess’s gaze lingering on Lu Qianyun.

It seemed he now understood why the second princess came looking for him when he wasn’t home.

But if he remembered correctly, the second princess was supposed to be engaged to Lu Qianshan.

Jian Yuanbai withdrew his gaze and quietly stood in front of Lu Qianyun, leaning in to whisper, “It’s about to start. Nervous?”

Lu Qianyun shook his head.

Fan Youjin, who stood beside them, cut in, “I’m nervous. Can you two stop moving? You’re blocking my view.”

In the stands, following behind the First Imperial Academy’s principal, wasn’t that Fan Youjin’s sister?

Fan Youjin tried to hide like an ostrich, not realizing that doing so made him even more conspicuous.

But their team was already full of attention-grabbing people.

Fan Youjin whispered, “Do you realize the academy grand competition is being live-streamed? You’re way too arrogant today.”

“Forget making a movie about Lu Qianyun. Just compile your own iconic moments and lines into a film. The box office would definitely break even.”

Jian Yuanbai: “Lu Qianshan is already showing his arrogance on his face. Should we endure this?”

He turned to Lu Qianyun, “Lu Longlong, tell me, can we endure this?”

Having come this far, Lu Qianyun gave up and played along as Jian Yuanbai’s comedic sidekick. “No, we can’t.”

“The name of our academy is above our heads. With this name, we must crush the arrogance of the First Imperial Academy.”

Lu Qianyun nodded as if he were a seal clapping its flippers.

Fan Youjin wanted to say, “You’re the most arrogant one here,” but before he could, Jian Yuanbai pulled Lu Qianyun aside and ended up right under his sister’s gaze.

Jian Yuanbai even righteously said, “Cowering damages our academy’s image. Jinjin, stand up straight.”

“Look at Li Wenshu in the stands, sitting perfectly upright.”

Fan Youjin gave his sister an ingratiating smile and then glared at Jian Yuanbai through gritted teeth.

“I bet 1,000 star coins that Li Wenshu isn’t thinking that.”

Jian Yuanbai, fully aware of Li Wenshu’s personality, replied, “I won’t take that bet.”

“But I’ll bet 2,000 that if you keep standing like that, your sister will definitely remember this moment.”

Lu Qianyun nodded and subtly pointed toward Fan Youjin’s sister in the stands.

Fan Youjin immediately stood up straight, as disciplined as a soldier, only to realize his sister wasn’t even looking at him.

Damn!

Why was he even playing along with these two idiots?

As the eldest prince’s speech ended, 150 students boarded the starship that would take them to the competition site on a harsh, remote planet.

Over the next month, the team that stood tall in the end would be the victor.