Chapter 2013 Li Jialing
Those people of the upper cla.s.s were all the elites of the Imperium of True Human Beings, who gave speeches to the media every few days. They were from military, political, economic, academic, and many other fields. Some of them were tough generals from the military who commanded thousands of troops, and some were big shots from the financial sector who could drop trillions of dollars whenever they pleased. There were also specialists and professors from the famous universities and research inst.i.tutes of the Imperium. Everybody had a vague air of pride around him. The few young, beautiful, and smiling stars of the show business among them were almost like humble servants.
However, even the toughest iron-blooded generals were wearing sloppy, casual clothes and chitchatting with each other casually.
This was an informal wine party and more like an occasion for the big shots from various fields to relax themselves in their busy life. The room had adopted an open design. The most precious cuisine—including caviar from the Seven Stars s.p.a.ce Zone, the Nine Phantom Snake Blood Brew from the Silver Ring Planet, and the Cloud-Shocking Crane Liver that was even more valuable than high-quality marrow crystals of the same weight—had been placed on the long desk covered by a white, silk tablecloth, ready to be enjoyed by the honorable guests.
A lot of them were holding their gla.s.ses and communicating with each other while watching the war game all around them.
“General Gu, there are quite a few promising talents among the newcomers whom you have brought to trials this year, aren’t there? I can tell that of the top fifty on the total score rank, three are from your ‘Bone Breaking Hammer’ troop. No wonder you secured such glorious triumphs on the frontline!”
“You are flattering me. If we are talking about promising talents, who has more of them than the Sky Holding Group? Even the trials of the employees in your group are conducted in the dangerous Land of Sins. Your criteria are truly rigorous, and the quality of your employees is remarkable!”
“We dare not be compared to the military. We are just a bank and financial inst.i.tution that is expanding quickly and ready to march into the territory just recovered by the Imperium. So, we need to raise a new batch of geniuses in finance, which is why we have consigned some candidates with potential to this place to test their personality. They are not necessarily required to accomplish many dangerous tasks, but if you haven’t killed a hundred or so people or fed on human flesh and blood, how can you be engaged in the financial business, right?”
“Fair enough. Look. The new generation of the Yuwen family and the Li family are quite impressive, too. The talented youngsters of the big families are like fish in a river. There are never enough of them!”
“Of course. The Yuwen family is a n.o.ble family that has existed for more than seven hundred years. It controls two highly developed Sectors. Not just that, their influence has already spread to the financial and media fields. All the branches of the family have the most intelligent people. How can there not be many talented young people?
“As for the Li family, we don’t even need to talk about it. One of the four Kurfürst families! I’m told that a lot of new people have distinguished themselves this year. Many unprecedented geniuses have appeared in plenty of branches of the family. To fight for a better future in the family, they are now engaged in a fierce compet.i.tion. The Li family seems to have given a tolerance of two-digit casualty rate. The death of a couple of geniuses won’t mean a thing to them!”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Kurfürst families are indeed different from the common n.o.ble families. A two-digit casualty rate in trials. Even the special forces of the military do not dare set such a rigorous standard when we are screening talents!”
“No arguments here. Even Li Lingfeng, one of the pillars of the Li family right now, has come here to supervise the selective trials of the new people of the Li family!”
“What? Even Li Lingfeng has come? Wuying Lan is truly remarkable to have invited such an influential person. His ‘Manjusaka’ is getting better and better each day!”
Outside of the big shots from the military, financial, capital, and media fields who were chitchatting with each other lightheartedly, a lot of youngsters who looked rather juvenile but indifferent were gathered.
They were mostly the young generations of the n.o.ble families that were the favorites of the big shots but had not reached the age of trials yet. They had followed the big shots there to open their eyes; meet their uncles; and cheer for their brothers, sisters, and cousins who were fighting in the Land of Sins.
From the position of the youngsters who were like stars surrounding a moon, those standing in the middle, who were wearing pure black uniforms with a ‘Li’ painted on their chest, had the highest social status.
It was only reasonable; they were all from the Li family, one of the four Kurfürst families.
Years later, one or a few of them might even get to decide who the next emperor of the Imperium of True Human Beings would be.
Therefore, despite their young age, there was not the naivety or innocence typical of normal teenagers on their faces. The only thing that could be found was nonchalance and coldness. They watched and commented on the b.l.o.o.d.y light beams, almost like a younger version of the big shots who were chatting at the center of the room.
“Brother Lie has demonstrated an excellent performance. He has killed twenty-two pigs since the battle began with stable breathing, heartbeat, and adrenaline secretion. That is truly impressive!” a seemingly harmless and beautiful girl said with a smile.
“Stable, yes, but it is too impa.s.sionate. I prefer Brother Shan’s style. He has boosted his breathing, heartbeat, and adrenaline to the maximum, and he does not hesitate to kill anyone after he goes mad. Ha. Look. Even a pig from the Yuwen family has been slain by Brother Shan. It’s true that nothing can stand in his way!” another tall and arrogant teenager observed.
Watching the flas.h.i.+ng blades, the falling heads, the soaring blood, and the twitching bodies on the light beams, the future of the Li family finally cheered delightedly like a bunch of normal young people.
Not far away from them, another group of young people who had ‘Yuwen’ sewn on their chest looked rather awful and glared at them in fury.
“Excuse us. People of the Li family are always straightforward. If we accidentally hurt your vulnerable feelings…” the arrogant young man of the Li family shouted at the infuriated young people of the Yuwen family. “You can just suck it! If you are discontent, why don’t we ask Wuying Lan, the producer of the game, to help us arrange a free contest after the Battle of Liberty City so that we can all go to the Land of Sins and see what’s what?”
“That’s a great plan!” The innocent-looking and beautiful girl clapped her hands and smiled. “After all, we will have a few days to ourselves after the Battle of Liberty City. We can go to experience the atmosphere of the Land of Sins first and make preparations for our selective trials next year. Why don’t you come together with us? I very much would like to find out what it feels like to kill the pigs of the Yuwen family!”
Exasperated, the young people of the Yuwen all made throat-cutting gestures and nodded at the Li family. “It’s a deal. Just wait for it!”
The young people of the other big families were fond of nothing but trouble. They immediately started whistling and cheering for both parties.
It was merely one of the everyday riots that did not raise the interest of the adults. After calling each other’s names for a while, the young people s.h.i.+fted their attention back to the battlefield that was becoming more and more fierce and b.l.o.o.d.y.
Skulls were exploding, flesh was roasted, and internal organs were shattered into cl.u.s.ters of b.l.o.o.d.y mist that sprayed on those who were behind the victims. All the scenes activated the appet.i.tes of the young people. More than half of the food on the table was gulped by them.
However, in the middle of the exclamations of amazement from the young people of the Li family, an inharmonious noise came over. One of them was actually gagging.
It was a slender young man who gave an air of femininity, like a lamb that was wearing the skin of a wolf. He looked entirely different from the aggressive, intimidating, and ruthless young people around him.
He knew himself very well, too, and had been hiding in the shadows, not having the courage to join any conversations.
It was almost like his greatest happiness was when other people ignored him.
However, the pictures of battles on the light beams in all directions were too b.l.o.o.d.y and exciting. However he tried to avoid them, he still happened upon a 3D, vivid head that exploded entirely like a cantaloupe. Some of the red-and-white stuff even seemed to have splashed into his mouth.
He immediately shut his mouth, but he felt that he could not catch his breath. He breathed hard but still could not hold back the feeling of nausea. He was so uncomfortable, as if a tsunami was raging in his stomach, that he could not help but cover his mouth with a napkin and gag in secret. But the noise was still too loud to escape anyone’s attention.
The young people of the few n.o.ble families nearby all looked at him in surprise.
Further away, the young people of the Yuwen family all noticed the quirky guy and eyed him in mockery.
The young people of the Li family immediately blushed before they turned gloomier than ever.
“Li Jialing, what is the meaning of this? Do you have to humiliate the Li family in public?”
In the utmost fury, the young man who had provoked the Yuwen family just now dashed over and grabbed ‘Li Jialing’, the gagging young man, by the neck.
“Garbage is always garbage!” The innocent, beautiful girl also put on an expression of extreme disgust. “I really don’t know why we had to bring such a useless man. If he cannot stand such pictures, won’t he pee his pants once he goes to a battlefield? We are a mighty Kurfürst family. Even if we die, we must open our eyes and remember who kills us. How can there possibly be such garbage among us?”
“I won’t give him an opportunity to pee his pants.” The arrogant young man narrowed his eyes and declared, “In a few days, when we have a chance to visit the Land of Sins, I will certainly kill you to honor the Li family! A renowned Kurfürst family does not need such a weak member. Just wash your neck and prepare to die!”
Like a panicked chicken, Li Jialing shuddered for a long time before he uttered feeble gagging noises again.
“*sshole. If you dare vomit on me, I will cut your tongue right now. Get lost!”
The arrogant young man pushed him hard, shoving Li Jialing to the ground and making him hit the corner of the desk heavily. One of the dishes on the table was knocked over, and he was soaked by the leftovers in it.
All the young people of the Li family chuckled in amus.e.m.e.nt. Seeing Li Jialing’s weakness, they all wanted to stomp on him and only restrained themselves because they were in public. But such a thing was not unusual when they were within the Li family.