412: Chapter 412 The Candidate—Qin Yan!

"The contract must be signed."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the several generals below shifted slightly. Their lips moved as if they wanted to offer further counsel.

Xiao Shan did not wait for them to speak, continuing, "What you need to do now is not debate whether to sign or not, but to screen the army for two prodigies at the Fourth Rank Peak with exceptional combat power to prepare for this martial duel."

"Two?"

One of the soldiers below keenly caught the discrepancy in numbers and asked in confusion, "Director Xiao, the contract clearly states a 'three-on-three' duel. Why only look for two?"

"For the third slot, I already have a candidate in mind."

Already has a candidate?

Hearing this, everyone in the tent was stunned, looking at each other in bewilderment.

While there were many Fourth Rank Martial Artists in the army, those who could be called 'prodigies' and had the certainty to fight in such a crucial duel concerning resources and morale were few and far between.

Who could be the candidate in Director Xiao Shan's mind?

Lin Shui and Director Liu Mu, who had been standing quietly by Xiao Shan's side, seemed to think of something at this moment, their eyebrows arching simultaneously.

They thought to themselves, 'Could it be... that kid Qin Yan?'

That name surfaced in both of their minds almost at the same time.

Xiao Wangshu was currently in seclusion, attempting to break through a key bottleneck, and would be unable to fight for a short while.

As for Qin Yan, in terms of talent, strength, and especially actual combat ability at the fourth rank level, there was likely no one who could match him!

His performance at the Hidden Dragon Assembly was nothing short of stunning; he had almost single-handedly suppressed the many prodigies of the Eternal Song Star Realm until they couldn't lift their heads.

His foundation and combat power were absolutely at the top tier among those of the same rank.

If one were to speak of a candidate to represent the younger generation in a crucial duel, he was indeed the only choice.

Just as the people in the tent were harborng various thoughts and making endless guesses—

"Reporting! Martial artist Qin Yan is waiting outside the tent for an audience!"

The soldier guarding the outside of the tent announced loudly.

Lin Shui and Director Liu Mu thought to themselves: As expected.

"Enter," Xiao Shan spoke calmly.

The tent flap was lifted, and Qin Yan stepped inside.

However, the moment he stepped into the tent, he sensed something was off.

It was too quiet.

Moreover, everyone's gaze focused on him almost simultaneously, all at once, carrying various meanings of scrutiny, curiosity, inquiry, and even a hint of doubt!

Even with Qin Yan's firm resolve, he was slightly taken aback by this sudden "center of attention" status.

A hint of confusion couldn't help but rise in his heart: 'What's the situation? Did my temperament improve again after ten days of seclusion?'

'Have I become as earth-shatteringly handsome as the esteemed readers?'

Suppressing his inner mutterings, his expression remained unchanged as he walked quickly to the center of the military tent, cupped his fists, and bowed to Xiao Shan at the head, his voice clear:

"Student Qin Yan greets the Director."

Xiao Shan's gaze fell upon Qin Yan, sizing him up carefully from head to toe, the look of satisfaction in his eyes deepening.

Others might only see Qin Yan as a young prodigy with good talent, but Xiao Shan had seen with his own eyes and even secretly assessed the kid's true combat power.

That clean, decisive, almost crushing spear strike that defeated his granddaughter, Xiao Wangshu.

That Taibai Sharp Gold True Qi, condensed to the extreme and brimming with sharp edge, as well as his composure under the pressure of an Eighth-Rank Grandmaster... all of it showcased this youth's profound foundation and terrifying potential that far exceeded his rank.

In Xiao Shan's view, if one were to talk about true combat power at the fourth rank realm, Qin Yan was absolutely the peak of the peak, a monstrous existence!

Even those so-called "Young Emperor" seeds might not necessarily be able to secure a victory against him at the same rank.

"Qin Yan, there is no need for such formality."

Xiao Shan spoke, his voice slightly warmer than when he was facing the generals, "I have summoned you today because there is an urgent matter I need to discuss with you."

Qin Yan straightened up, his gaze calmly meeting Xiao Shan's: "Please speak, Director. I am all ears."

That feeling of something being off became even clearer as Xiao Shan spoke.

This setup, this atmosphere, and the complex looks those generals had cast earlier...

It was definitely not as simple as a regular "discussion."

As Xiao Shan narrated, Qin Yan quickly understood the sequence of events—the Dragon Whale Clan had proposed a three-on-three martial duel, with the stakes being the resource ownership and patrol rights for parts of the Eastern Sea region for the next three years.

"Director, is it confirmed to be an Arena Tournament between Fourth Rank Martial Artists?"

After listening, Qin Yan cautiously confirmed once more.

"I have reviewed the contents of the contract repeatedly and confirmed it to be correct."

Xiao Shan nodded with certainty, "Each side sends three Fourth Rank Martial Artists to the stage for one-on-one duels. The winner stays on the field while the loser steps down, until all three people from one side are defeated, at which point that camp is judged to have lost."

"During this period, no external items exceeding the standard scope of the fourth rank may be used, and one must not intentionally cause death. However, combat is ruthless, and casualties are inevitable."

"The rules are fair; it is a competition of raw strength."

Hearing this, Qin Yan's eyes instantly lit up!

It was once again a great opportunity for him to show off his skills and rightfully "bully" those of the same rank... ah no, to win glory for the human race!

However, he did not immediately show excitement. Instead, he furrowed his brows slightly, putting on a rather troubled expression, and said hesitantly, "Director, such a crucial duel concerning the defense line's resources and morale, against the cruel and cunning Dragon Whale Clan no less... the martial artists they send will surely be no ordinary folk, but definitely the elite of the elite."

"In battle, weapons have no eyes, and the danger is unpredictable. A slight slip could, at best, result in a heavy injury damaging one's foundation, or at worst... While I am willing to contribute to the human race, I must also consider the risks involved. This matter still needs..."

What kind of person was Xiao Shan?

An Eighth-Rank Grandmaster, an old fox with sharp eyes.

He saw through Qin Yan's little scheme with a single glance and was almost moved to laughter by the kid's pretentious acting.

If he hadn't seen Qin Yan defeat his granddaughter with one move with his own eyes, he might have actually been fooled by this "hesitant and battle-shy" expression.

"Ten thousand military merit points!"

Xiao Shan didn't bother beating around the bush and directly stated a number, his voice firm and decisive.

military merit points were a harder currency on the Zhenhai Battlefield than Modu University of Martial Arts academic credits.

They could not only be exchanged for massive amounts of cultivation resources, high-rank cultivation techniques and martial skills, and rare materials, but could also directly increase one's authority and status in the army.

Qin Yan had already experienced their value deeply during this period.

One point was almost equivalent to one Modu University academic credit, and even had an advantage in the exchange of certain rare resources.

He could get ten thousand points for free just by having a fight?

This was simply a pie falling from the sky!

The "difficulty" on Qin Yan's face vanished without a trace, replaced by an incredibly brilliant smile.

He nodded without hesitation: "Deal! It is my duty to serve the human race! Rest assured, Director, I will not fail the mission!"

The speed of his face-changing caused the corners of Director Liu Mu and Lin Shui's mouths to twitch as they watched from the side.

This kid... was really pragmatically adorable.

After seeing that the newcomer was Qin Yan, the other soldiers didn't say much more.

Although they didn't know much about how this Qin Yan was, they could all see the Fourth Rank Peak aura on him.

Besides, could a Great Grandmaster's judgment really be worse than theirs?