Although Xu Hai acknowledged Han Wu, Lina showed him no favoritism and treated him like every other student—no favors, no exceptions.
Han Wu spent his days learning and experinting with various thods to strengthen his units. His routine was simple yet deeply fulfilling. One day, after finishing a minor class, he inspected his data.
[Na: Han Wu-Origin of Mutation]
[Rank: Divine Being / Rank 2 Supergene Soldier]
[Divine Talent: Chosen One (Exclusive), Defiance]
[Divine Power: Sacrifice (Exclusive), Controlled Mutation, Gene Lock]
[Skills: Mighty Cleave, Enchant Darkness, Dragon Slash, Black Dragonification, Dash Kick, Plant Fusion...]
[Divine Essence: 8 (7 remaining Divine Essence. Refining in progress)]
[Divine Points: 69.7 million (Personal) / 122.74 million (Foreign)]
[Faith Points: 42.93 million]
[Core Level: 10 (Rank 3 Sacred Object Law of Gluttony (Incomplete); Rank 2 Sacred Object Revelation Stone; Rank 2 Sacred Object Shadow Nail; Rank 1 Sacred Object Poison Gland; Rank 1 Sacred Object Earth Core; Rank 1 Sacred Object Elf Shortbow)]
He was still reviewing his data when Qin Shuang approached, her steps tentative and uncertain.
She asked softly, “Han Wu, can we talk for a bit?”
He closed his interface and looked up. “Is sothing wrong?”
He had noticed Qin Shuang’s abnormal behaviour since before the last major class. After they returned, Xu Tie had honored their bet and stopped interacting with her, but Han Wu sensed she was still troubled.
They stepped out of the classroom and strolled along the college’s garden path, where Qin Shuang quietly shared her problem.
“Han Wu, my family intends to arrange a marriage with Xu Tie’s family. Unfortunately, I am the sacrificial lamb.” She delivered the words with a calm detachnt, as if she weren’t the one being offered up.
Han Wu stared at her, stunned. “There are still arranged marriages in this day and age? Did your parents agree to this?”
Qin Shuang shook her head. “My parents only just beca Demigods. They don’t have the power to oppose my great-grandfather. He is the only God in our family, and his word is law.”
It was common for families to support their younger mbers while they were growing. However, just as natural was the expectation to obey those sa elders without question. Even large families like Qin Shuang’s followed that tradition.
“Who exactly did they arrange for you to marry?” Han Wu asked. “Is it Xu Tie? He already lost and honored our bet. I doubt he’d dare co near you now.”
Qin Shuang let out a bitter smile. “It was supposed to be him. However, after his humiliating loss in the major class, the Xu family replaced him with his brother, Xu Gang.”
Han Wu frowned. “So the Xu family is determined to marry you into their family no matter what. What do you need to do? If it’s within my power, I’ll help you—no question. You’re my best friend.”
Qin Shuang’s expression dimd at the ntion of best friend. Her voice held a faint edge of disappointnt. “Only best friend?”
Han Wu coughed twice, pretending not to hear. He wasn’t blind to Qin Shuang’s feelings for him, but he refused to hold her back. Without resources or a strong background, he felt he couldn’t offer her more.
Qin Shuang was crestfallen. His response wasn’t what she had hoped for. “I was hoping that you could accompany to my house this weekend and help reject their arrangent.”
Han Wu nodded without hesitation. Afterward, they returned to their respective mansions and focused on boosting their units’ strength.
The week passed quickly. By the weekend, they t up at Imperial College’s teleporter and transported together to Qin Shuang’s hotown, the Qin Village.
Despite its na, the Qin Village was no rural backwater. It was actually a thriving city of ten million people, including a few hundred thousand Divine Beings. Although it couldn’t rival the grandeur of the Imperial Capital, it was still a place that had everything one could need.
Han Wu surveyed the bustling streets as they stepped out, just before a butler approached them. He said with a respectful bow, “Young Miss, the Master and Mistress have sent to welco you. They are already waiting for you at ho.”
“Sorry to trouble you, Uncle Zhong,” she said politely.
“You are far too kind, Young Miss.” The butler smiled warmly, then turned his attention to Han Wu. “And who is this gentleman beside you?”
Han Wu stepped forward and introduced himself. “I am Han Wu, a friend of Qin Shuang.”
The butler nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, so you are a friend of our Young Miss. Then you must also be one of the geniuses on Imperial College’s reserve list. Pardon my bluntness.”
Han Wu shook hands with the butler but remained silent. Together, they boarded the floating car, and Uncle Zhong drove them back to Qin Shuang’s house.
As they disembarked, Han Wu caught the sound of a heated argunt, loud enough to carry even outside of the house.
“The family has never given us any dividends before, and now you want to throw my daughter to the wolves for the sake of the arranged marriage? I will not allow it. I don’t care who marries whom, but I will never let my daughter be sacrificed like this!” a voice rang out, sharp and unyielding.
“Sixth Brother, you can’t say that,” another voice replied. “Shuang’er has benefited from the family’s resources since she was young. She has grown strong because of them. Naturally, she should contribute back to the family.”
“Third Brother, your children have enjoyed those sa resources since they were young, yet I don’t see you or your children helping the family. I can overlook those who live far away, but what about your third daughter? We had to spend a fortune just to get her admitted to the reserve list of a Second Rate high school through the backdoor! She’s a worthy candidate and will even save us so resources if she gets married.”
“Watch your tongue, Sixth Brother!” the second voice said sharply. “Speak respectfully to . I am your Third Brother...”
Han Wu listened from outside, piecing bits of information together from the quarrel. The sixth brother was most likely Qin Shuang’s father, fiercely opposed to his daughter’s arranged marriage. The others were trying to persuade him instead, turning the family dispute into a tangled ss of grievances and bargains.
Qin Shuang, overhearing the argunt, flushed with anger. She stord into the room and shouted, “I will not marry into that stupid Xu family.”
The third brother, Qin He, slamd his fist on the table. “Nonsense. This is a matter for us elders to decide. You do not have the right to interject. Soone, co and take the Young Miss back to her room to rest. She’s clearly exhausted.”
The fourth brother, Qin Hu, stepped forward with a warm smile that barely masked his avarice. “Shuang’er, you are also part of the family. You should help us. The Xu family also has a God, and they possess vast resources. They won’t hesitate to share if you marry into their family.”
Qin Hai, the sixth brother and Qin Shuang’s father, imdiately stepped forward to protect her. “I’d like to see who dares lay a finger on her as long as I’m here!”
Qin He frowned and snapped, “Sixth Brother, you are coddling her. That kind of indulgence will ruin her.”
“I will keep coddling her because she is my daughter!” Qin Hai didn’t back down. “She is a student on Imperial College’s reserve list and has a real chance to beco a God in the future. I will never allow you to ruin her future!”
The eldest brother, Qin Jiang, scolded sharply, “Sixth Brother, are you really trying to defy the family? Do you expect our grandfather to co and plead with you personally before you relent? Your daughter is talented, but she’s not even a Demigod yet. It could take centuries before she becos a God.
“anwhile, the Qin family only has one God right now, and we must protect him at all costs. If we lose him, the family targeting us will descend like wolves. Sixth Brother, you know this better than anyone. This isn’t sothing that we can handle on our own!”
Qin Jiang’s reasoning was solid and even Qin Hai was taken aback by that. He didn’t want to sacrifice his daughter, but he also couldn’t bear to lose the Qin family’s only God. Unfortunately, the world rarely offered a path where both could be saved.
The room fell into heavy silence. Han Wu’s curiosity grew; the matter involved the Qin family’s only God, but he wasn’t aware of the full details. Finally, he turned to Uncle Zhong. After a mont’s thought, the latter decided to explain, mindful that Han Wu was Qin Shuang’s friend.
Apparently, the Qin’s family only God had ventured into another foreign civilization when an unexpected incident led to his capture. Now, he awaited trial and punishnt. The foreign civilization was under the control of a powerful God, so Demigods couldn’t save him.
Only a fellow God had the strength to challenge the ruling power and intervene on his behalf. Unable to escape alone, the Qin family’s God managed to send word back ho, pleading for soone to find another God capable of rescuing him.
The Qin family had reached out to nurous allies, but only the Xu family’s God was willing to help. However, the Xu family set a condition—soone from the Qin family had to marry into theirs.
That soone was Qin Shuang. She was a student on the Imperial College’s reserve list, a prodigy with limitless potential. She was destined to beco a formidable Demigod, and very likely a God in the future. If she married into the Xu family, it would virtually guarantee them another God. It was a strategic move that would bolster their power and security.
The Qin family’s God understood their motives, but he was in no position to refuse. He needed their help to escape. To survive, he could only accept their demand, sacrificing Qin Shuang’s future to save himself.
Now that Han Wu learned the full story, a spark ignited in his mind. He did know a God who could help him right now.
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