Chapter 128: Class-A Special Recruitment Contract

Chapter 128: A-Level Special Recruitment Contract

On the arena below, the freshman competition had entered its most intense phase.

Upon the platforms, the younger students were locked in desperate battles for honor and their futures.

Blades flashed, fists howled through the air, and from time to time, a student, exhausted or gravely wounded, was judged out by the referee and left the stage in dejection.

The entire "Polar Crown" echoed with the cheers, shouts, and sighs of tens of thousands of spectators, the atmosphere reaching a fever pitch.

Yet this fervor seemed oddly out of place in the seating area for the senior students of Qiming First High.

Qin Feng, bored and listless, leaned back in a comfortable seat, wearing a holographic viewing device, half-heartedly watching a match on one of the platforms.

The two freshmen on the platform were both fairly skilled, with life force indices around 14.5, and their killing techniques had reached a minor level of mastery—among freshmen, they could be considered outstanding.

But in Qin Feng's eyes now, their fight was riddled with countless flaws.

Hesitation in their strikes, sluggishness in their footwork, crudeness in their energy usage, vast gaps in the transitions between offense and defense… every detail seemed so immature.

He could even clearly predict every move they would make next, and how this battle would ultimately end.

"A year ago, I was probably just like this,"

Qin Feng thought silently to himself.

Back then, he too had fought with all his might to overcome one opponent after another, and had been ecstatic over every tiny improvement.

Now, watching these juniors, he felt like a battle-hardened general observing two children who had just learned to wield wooden swords, playfully sparring.

The gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

Just as he was feeling drowsy and about to remove the viewing device to rest his eyes, the terminal on his wrist suddenly emitted a series of faint vibrations.

"Hmm?"

Qin Feng opened his eyes, puzzled.

He activated his terminal and saw that, somehow, over a dozen unread emails had appeared in his private mailbox.

The titles of these emails were all strikingly similar in format.

[【Special Recruitment Contract】Invitation from Chenxing Military Star Martial Arts University]

[【Special Recruitment Contract】Lanhai Star Martial Arts University Extends a Sincere Invitation to You]

[【Special Recruitment Contract】Tieshan Applied Martial Arts University C-Level Growth Contract]

…

"Star Martial Arts University?"

Qin Feng frowned slightly. "Special recruitment contract?"

He felt a sense of bewilderment.

His own competition hadn't even started yet—how did these Star Martial Arts Universities know about him?

And why had they suddenly sent him these so-called "special recruitment contracts"?

With a trace of confusion, he casually opened a few of them.

The first was from "Chenxing Military Star Martial Arts University," ranked ninety-eighth on the Hundred Strong List.

[Dear Student Qin Feng:]

[We are the Admissions Committee of Chenxing Higher Military Academy. After a comprehensive evaluation, we believe you possess extremely high martial arts potential. We have decided to extend to you a D-Level Special Recruitment Contract, sincerely inviting you to join our academy.]

[The contract details are as follows:]

[1. One-time cash reward: 1 million Imperial Credits.]

[2. Training resource package: A total of 10 million Imperial Credits worth of psychic energy potions, restorative baths, and other training resources, distributed by semester.]

[3. Teaching resources: You will have free access to all D-Level and below killing technique manuals and cultivation texts in our library, along with 10 million Imperial Credits worth of one-on-one guidance from planetary-level instructors.]

[…]

The second was from "Lanhai Star Martial Arts University," ranked eighty-first.

[Dear Student Qin Feng:]

[…We have decided to extend to you a C-Level Special Recruitment Contract…]

[The contract details are as follows:]

[1. One-time cash reward: 10 million Imperial Credits.]

[2. Training resource package: A total of 100 million Imperial Credits worth of psychic energy training resources, including three doses of intermediate psychic enhancement potions.]

[3. Teaching resources: You will have free access to all C-Level and below killing technique manuals, cultivation texts, and psychic arts in our library, along with 100 million Imperial Credits worth of one-on-one guidance from senior planetary-level instructors.]

[…]

The third was from "Tieshan Star Martial Arts University," ranked eighty-fifth.

[Dear Student Qin Feng:]

[…We have tailored a C-Level Growth Contract for you…]

The contract content was essentially the same as Lanhai's C-Level contract, but with an additional clause at the end:

[Additional Clause: If you successfully achieve "acupoint fusion" and advance to a sixth-level martial artist within ten years of enrollment, your contract will automatically be upgraded to a B-Level contract, all resources will be doubled, and you will be assigned a dedicated stellar-level mentor team.]

Looking at these contracts, each worth hundreds of millions of Imperial Credits, Qin Feng's heart remained largely unmoved.

At Qiming First High alone, he consumed three to five million worth of resources every month.

Among the emails, there was one that stood out the most—a private message from "Duna Star Martial Arts University." Its subject line was highlighted in red, making it especially conspicuous.

Qin Feng opened it.

[Student Qin Feng, hello.]

The letter did not begin with formal salutations but adopted a relatively equal, personal tone.

[I am Zhang Ruoyu, an admissions mentor from Duna Star Martial Arts University (ranked 73rd on the Hundred Strong List). I personally greatly admire your talent and potential. After my full efforts to persuade the university committee, we have decided to break convention and offer you an A-Level Special Recruitment Contract, far exceeding your current strength level.]

[The contract details are as follows:]

[1. One-time reward: 1,000 Imperial Contribution Points.]

[2. Training resource package: A total of 10,000 Imperial Contribution Points worth of psychic energy training resources, including one dose of advanced psychic enhancement potion and one portion of "Stellar Marrow."]

[3. Teaching resources: You will have free access to all A-Level and below killing technique manuals, cultivation texts, and psychic arts in our library.]

[4. Exclusive equipment: One set of sixth-level standard power armor and one sixth-level standard psychic weapon (type of your choice).]

[Student Qin Feng, I believe that with your wisdom, you can surely understand the true value of this A-Level contract. It is fundamentally different from those ordinary contracts measured in Imperial Credits. I hope you will seriously consider my proposal. My private communication channel is xxxx. I look forward to your reply.]

"Imperial Contribution Points?"

Qin Feng's pupils contracted slightly.

This term was not unfamiliar to him.

It was a true hard currency, infinitely more valuable than Imperial Credits.

It could not be directly exchanged for money; it could only be obtained by rendering great military service to the Empire or making significant contributions in fields such as scientific research or exploration.

In fact, trading Empire Contribution Points on the black market would invoke judgment from the Tribunal!

In this A-grade contract, the sheer value of the resources alone amounted to twenty thousand contribution points!

Not to mention, that set of Tier-6 power armor and weapons was standard-issue military gear that money simply could not buy!

The sheer worth of this contract was nothing short of terrifying!

Yet, it was precisely because of this that the confusion in Qin Feng’s heart only deepened instead of fading.

These inexplicable offers grew more absurd with each letter.

From D-grade to A-grade, the disparity was so vast it felt as though they were not even recruiting the same person.

How, exactly, was he supposed to handle this?

Qin Feng was not a man well-versed in the subtle art of human relations.

His world was barren and simple, containing nothing but cultivation and combat.

He pondered for a brief moment, finally deciding to relegate the problem to the person he trusted most.

Swiftly, he took screenshots of a few representative contracts he had received, packaging and sending them to Instructor Gu Yue via his wrist terminal.

Along with the images, he attached a concise inquiry:

[Instructor Gu Yue, I have received several special recruitment contracts from various Starry Sky Martial Universities. I am unclear about the situation. How should I proceed?]

...

Meanwhile, at the absolute summit of the viewing tower.

Instructor Gu Yue, who had been resting with his eyes closed, felt a faint vibration ripple against his wrist from the terminal.

Opening his eyes, he beheld the message sent by Qin Feng.

When his gaze swept across the screenshots ranging from D-grade to A-grade, the corner of his mouth inevitably curled into a cold, sharp arc.

Without the slightest shred of hesitation, he instantly tapped out a reply.

[Do not reply to a single one.]

The confirmation tone for a successful transmission had barely sounded when his terminal vibrated once more.

It was Qin Feng’s response.

[Understood. But Instructor, why? One of them is an A-grade contract.]

Witnessing this query, a glimmer of approval flashed through Instructor Gu Yue’s eyes.

Qin Feng had not allowed his head to be turned by the allure of an A-grade contract; choosing to clarify first showed a temperament that far surpassed ordinary men.

Patiently, he typed out a second reply.

[Generous? Qin Feng, your destination is the Canaan Starry Sky Martial University! It is that singular "Supreme Elite," not these so-called "Top One Hundred"! ]

[These institutions lack the mere qualification to recruit you!]

[Furthermore, to even send a C-grade contract is an outright insult to you, and an insult to our Qiming First High! Remember, you are the most powerful genius in the history of our school. Your worth cannot be measured by these contracts. An A-grade contract is an insult to you as well.]

The message was sent.

He believed that with Qin Feng’s intellect, the boy would surely grasp his meaning.

Sure enough, in less than three seconds, he received Qin Feng’s reply.

[Understood, Instructor. I see.]

Simple, decisive, and entirely brimming with resolute execution.

...

In the spectator stands.

Qin Feng stared at the text sent by Instructor Gu Yue—words steeped in an unassailable aura of dominance and absolute trust—and the final vestige of doubt in his mind vanished like mist.

He no longer pondered the underlying motives behind the contracts, nor did he weigh their inherent value.

If his instructor deemed them unworthy, then unworthy they were.

For over a year, Instructor Gu Yue had treated him almost as a personal disciple; Qin Feng naturally trusted him implicitly.

Moreover, Qin Feng was well aware of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University and would naturally choose the strongest institution in the Canaan Star System.

Calmly, he marked the dozen or so emails from the major universities as "read" all at once, never sparing them another glance.

His focus reverted entirely to his cultivation; closing his eyes slightly, his consciousness sank into the visualization of the Emperor's Meditation Technique.

The tumultuous noise of the outside world no longer had anything to do with him.

...

Inside the viewing tower.

Instructor Gu Yue stowed his terminal away, a faint, satisfied smile playing upon his lips.

Immediately after, his gaze transformed into two invisible, razor-sharp swords, cutting through dozens of meters to land with unerring precision upon the phantom projection of a woman named Zhang Ruoyu among the university recruiters.

His stare was frigid and piercing, as if capable of seeing through every hidden motive behind that holographic form.

"Interesting."

A sneer laced with profound disdain tugged at the corner of Gu Yue’s mouth.

"Out of over a hundred recruiting officers, only this Zhang Ruoyu offered Qin Feng an A-minus grade contract. It seems she must have discovered through some clandestine channel the rumor that Lord Zhou Xiong is paying attention to him."

"Heh..."

"To possess such earth-shattering insider knowledge, yet still dare to harbor the illusion that a mere A-grade contract could reel Qin Feng in early?"

"Does she take our Qiming First High for backcountry bumpkins who have never seen the world, or does she view Lord Zhou Xiong’s discernment as something cheap? Or perhaps she believes that because Qin Feng comes from an ordinary background, he would be easily swayed by an A-grade contract? A creature blinded by pedigree."

"Truly..."

Instructor Gu Yue lifted the energy drink from the table, took a gentle sip, and slowly exhaled his final verdict.

"...greedy enough. And utterly shortsighted."