Chapter 90. Returning to the Capital, Goodbye...

"It's finally over! I survived this damned Trial of the Prodigies!! (Great Eagle's words)"

"Thanks be to God for His help, enabling your believer to triumph in this trial. (Po San Yu)"

"We, the nation of Ball Japan, are the strongest!!! (Ball Japanese)"

...

After the trial ended, the more than one thousand surviving professionals in the arena shouted excitedly in their own languages, venting the suppressed emotions they had been suppressing during their time in the secret realm.

Lin Xiaoxiao slowly approached the female professional who had fallen to the ground. When she was about 35 centimeters away, she stood firm and said to Xiao Weizhi beside her, "Weizhi, help me up."

As she finished speaking, Lin Xiaoxiao was helped to half-squat down by Xiao Weizhi. With a sigh, she reached out to close the eyes of the lifeless woman who was still staring wide-eyed.

I felt a pang of regret and sorrow. This professional, as a woman, must have put in tremendous effort to reach the very end of the trial. She was about to pass the trial, but she died at the hands of her companion. What a pity.

After Xiao Weizhi helped her up again, the screen began announcing the rankings:

【(Dragon Kingdom) Lin Xiaoxiao, Xiao Weizhi: No.1 [Team Points: 2232450]】

【(Great Eagle) Irwin, Tos, Vilia, Stan: No.2 [Team Points: 2229798]】

[(Po Sanguo) Femet...]

...

When all the rankings were announced, the screen in the sky suddenly shattered, turning into colorful specks of light that hovered above the heads of the various professionals, fluttering everywhere like little sprites searching for their respective targets.

Several tens of seconds later, a dozen or so points of light of various colors floated towards Xiao Weizhi, only to be gently brushed away by Lin Xiaoxiao.

Undeterred, they continued to approach Xiao Weizhi. Lin Xiaoxiao activated the [Divine Might BUFF] and glanced at them. Sensing the danger, the light spots immediately disappeared before their eyes.

Xiao Weizhi tilted her head, puzzled, and asked, "What is that?"

Lin Xiaoxiao answered softly, "Divine Seed."

This is a highlight that always occurs after the Trial of the Prodigies ends, recruiting the top talents who survived as reserves for the Gods' favor.

Those who obtain the seed of divinity will be assessed based on their aptitude, and will be either directly promoted to follower or attendant, or will need to complete prerequisite tasks to become a chosen one of the gods.

Of course, there is also the option to refuse to become a favorite of the gods.

As time passed and the divine seed disappeared, all the professionals were teleported back to their respective countries.

Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi were also teleported back to the central square of the capital.

As soon as she came out, Lin Xiaoxiao closed her eyes. She hadn't seen such dazzling sunlight in a long time, and her eyes needed some time to adjust.

Xiao Weizhi reacted quickly, using his large hand to cover her eyes, and only slowly withdrew his hand after she had adjusted to the sudden light.

Also teleported back were four other professionals: Mu Qingfeng, looking disheveled; Wang Xudong, who had lost an arm; Liu Chen, the grandson of the Third Minister of the Operations Department; and Luo Taiji from the First Academy of the Capital.

This time, 100,000 people from the Dragon Kingdom participated in the competition, and 3,768 of them survived and walked out of the secret realm.

Excluding the 3,745 professionals who withdrew early from the first and second trials, only 23 people from the entire Dragon Kingdom survived the third trial, with the capital city accounting for 6 of them.

The central square of the capital city has been completely surrounded by the troops of the Operations Department. Except for the family and relatives of the returning professionals, everyone else has been isolated two kilometers away.

When Lin Xiaoxiao opened her eyes again, her gaze inadvertently swept over the seven people standing dozens of meters away from the fence, their eyes filled with anticipation and surprise.

Her body, which was very relaxed even when facing enemy attacks, was now slightly tense, though she couldn't help but tense up a little.

Those were her second uncle, second cousin, cousin, cousin sister, cousin brother, and cousin brothers.

A moment later, Lin Xiaoxiao led Xiao Weizhi toward the location of those people and greeted them in a hoarse voice: "Second Uncle, Second Aunt, it's been a long time."

My second uncle, Lin Qihang, is bald, 1.74 meters tall, with a fair and slightly round face that always wears a simple and honest smile. He is a plump professional who works in the lifestyle industry and is a master chef.

Uncle scratched his bald head helplessly, his eyes reddening, and said with a simple smile, "It's good that you're back safe and sound, it's good that you're back safe and sound."

Second Aunt Jiang Meiyu is 1.66 meters tall, with dark skin, a lean yet muscular build, and her hair is tied in a high ponytail. She looks like a very capable woman and is a fourth-level combat-type professional.

Auntie reached out and grabbed Lin Xiaoxiao's hand. When her gaze swept over Lin Xiaoxiao's right leg, which was covered by a prosthetic leg, her eyes were filled with undisguised heartache and sadness. Her tone was gentle: "Xiaoxiao, are you tired? When we get back, I'll have your second uncle cook you something delicious. Look at your face, there's not a bit of fat left."

My eldest cousin, Lin Xiaodong, is a tall, fair-skinned man. He stood to the side, smiling warmly and concernedly: "Xiaomei, you must be tired. Go back and wash up and rest."

Lin Xiaoxiao's second cousin Lin Xiaoxi, third cousin Lin Xiaonan, fourth cousin Lin Xiaobei, and youngest cousin Lin Xiaopei surrounded her in the center, chattering away:

"Sister Xiao, I haven't seen you in so long."

"Xiaomei, I brought you lots of your favorite foods. I'll give them all to you when we get back."

"Xiaomei, you've been wronged."

“Xiaomei, we’ll be living in the capital from now on, so we can see each other anytime we want. If you get bullied, your brother will be there to fight back for you right away.”

...

Lin Xiaoxiao listened to her relatives' concerned words, stood there blankly, and turned her head helplessly to look at Xiao Weizhi, who had been squeezed a meter away. A sour feeling welled up in her heart, an instinctive reaction from her body.

Xiao Weizhi clenched his fist in front of his mouth, coughed twice, and suggested in a hoarse voice, "How about we catch up when we get back?"

The others present had been watching Lin Xiaoxiao closely and were eager to strike up a conversation.

Only then did the second aunt notice the menacing eyes around them, as well as the dark circles under Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi's eyes. She immediately said, "Let's go back."

Lin Xiaoxiao was pulled outside by her second aunt. She pursed her lips and asked somewhat awkwardly, "Second Uncle and Second Aunt, what should we do about Weizhi?"

Uncle Er chuckled and reached out to pull Xiao Weizhi: "Come on, let's go home together."

When the Imperial Capital Operations Department took them over, they had already arranged housing, jobs, and even Beijing residency for the family.

Lin Xiaoxiao helplessly cast a pleading look at Xiao Weizhi.

Xiao Weizhi accepted the request for help and stopped his second uncle, second aunt, and Lin Xiaoxiao's siblings. He explained with a gentle smile, "Second uncle, second aunt, I'm sorry, I plan to take Xiaoxiao for a check-up first. I'll send her back after the results are in."

Upon hearing that Xiao Weizhi planned to take Lin Xiaoxiao for a check-up, Lin's second uncle and aunt forgot about going home. Their first reaction was to worry that something was wrong with her health, and they anxiously wanted to go with her to the hospital for the check-up.

In the end, Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi dissuaded them, saying that they could go for the check-up themselves.

As they were escorted away by operations personnel, they kept turning back, repeatedly saying, "You must come home after the inspection. Everything's ready at home; we're just waiting for you."

As they boarded the speedboat bound for the hospital, Lin Xiaoxiao rested her head on Xiao Weizhi's shoulder, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

They are still as warm and welcoming as ever, but now that the operations department has taken them under its protection, the tragedy should not repeat itself.

Xiao Weizhi thought Lin Xiaoxiao was worried about being discovered, so he put his arm around her waist and gently kissed her forehead: "Don't overthink it. They are your family. You haven't seen each other for years. They will understand the changes in you."

Even if the soul within changes, the blood ties between bodies remain real.

Lin Xiaoxiao forced a smile, leaned against Xiao Weizhi, closed her eyes, and replied, "Mmm."

Compared to their affectionate relationship.

Meanwhile, on a floating island in the capital of the gods, several people were furiously cursing after some unspoken schemes failed:

A frustrated male voice said, "Damn it, she got the last fragment. She didn't follow the plan to kill that professional without making a single mistake. She's about to take over [divine favor management and law enforcement authority]."

An annoyed female voice said, "I shouldn't have put the last fragment in the trial. And we even had to pay such a huge compensation. It was a complete loss! What a bastard!!"

A calm female voice said, "What a pity. So many divine favors were sacrificed, yet not a single hair on her head was harmed."

A playful male voice said, "He's an agent of the true god T, after all. Even if his level isn't high now, he's not someone that ordinary divine favored beings can harm."

A steady male voice said, "It is a bit of a pity, but she has already synthesized the Endless Treasure Vault. It seems like it wouldn't be bad for us to trade with her in the future."

A frustrated male voice: "Hey, which side are you on? Not bad? What's so good about it? What, are you willing to spit out all the resources you've taken in over the years?"

A gentle male voice said, "No rush. Let's wait for her to come back, observe her behavior, and then discuss it."

"Yes." They said in unison.*7

...

After undergoing a check-up at the hospital last night and having a hearty meal in between, Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi washed up and then slept soundly together in the hospital's VIP ward.

When I woke up again, it was already evening of the next day.

The test results showed that Lin Xiaoxiao had no other problems besides being slightly malnourished and overworked.

On the contrary, Xiao Weizhi's problem is slightly bigger. He is over-exhausted, over-fatigued, and also suffers from the aftereffects of mental energy depletion and internal injuries.

After receiving treatment with a master-level skill, his internal injuries were completely healed before he was discharged from the hospital.

However, the aftereffects of the deficit still require a period of rest and recovery.

Just as they were about to leave the hospital, two rows of about thirty professionals, dressed in black uniforms, wearing matching combat boots, and sporting short, neat haircuts, stood at the hospital entrance.

When the leading man saw Lin Xiaoxiao come out, he walked up to her with clean and neat steps, bowed 90 degrees, and said: "Miss Lin, Mr. Jiang invites you to the Operations Department to discuss important matters."

Lin Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly. "Finally, they've arrived: Lead the way."

The leading man led Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi to the combat department's flying vehicle, slowly opened the door, and gestured for them to get in: "Please."

For the rest of the journey, the flying car carrying Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi was surrounded by seven or eight other flying cars, escorting them towards the Imperial Capital Operations Department.

Two hours later, Lin Xiaoxiao and Xiao Weizhi took the elevator to the 28th floor and entered a 100-square-meter office.

The office is divided into two areas: a reception area and an office area.

The interior design blends modern elements with distinct classical features: continuous brown wooden floors, reddish-brown bookshelves filled with books of varying thicknesses, a two-meter-long desk made of mahogany, and huge floor-to-ceiling windows...

Jiang Dehai was sitting on the sofa in the guest area, quietly brewing tea. Next to him sat a well-known professional, Mu Dongye.

These two are the pillars of the Imperial Capital's operations department. It is said that as long as these two are still around, the defenses outside the capital cannot be breached.

The moment Jiang Dehai saw Lin Xiaoxiao, he immediately stepped forward from the sofa to greet her: "Hello, Miss Lin, your arrival is an honor to the Imperial Capital Operations Department, and I am deeply grateful."

Lin Xiaoxiao chuckled and shook Jiang Dehai's hand in return: "Liao Zan, you don't deserve it. Elder Jiang, it is I who feel honored. Your legendary experience is a role model for every child in China from childhood to adulthood."

Immediately afterwards, Mu Dongye shook hands with Lin Xiaoxiao: "Ms. Lin, welcome."

Lin Xiaoxiao responded with a warm smile: "Mr. Mu, you're too kind."

The three of them exchanged pleasantries for a while before Jiang Dehai led Lin Xiaoxiao to a seat.

Mu Dongye was not so polite to Xiao Weizhi, who was standing to the side. He was as casual as if he were calling his own dog: "Xiao family boy, come along."

Xiao Weizhi smiled wryly and followed, "Yes, Elder Mu."

Once the four of them were settled on the sofa, Jiang Dehai began to pour water and brew tea, explaining as he did so: "This tea was picked for me by Lao Mu eight years ago in an SS-level secret realm. It tastes quite good. Why don't you try it and see if you like it?"

Mu Dongye grinned widely, his face crinkling into a deep smile: "Yes, yes, this tea is very fragrant, and it even has a restorative effect on your mental energy. Please try it."

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled and nodded: "Then I'll have to try it properly."

A few minutes later, a cup of pale pink tea was placed in front of her, with tiny specks of light on the wisps of steam, making it look incredibly mysterious and attractive.

Lin Xiaoxiao reached out and picked up the fist-sized teacup, and then a resolution screen popped up:

【Moonlight Tea (Tricolor Grade): This tea is made by picking the tenderest buds from a tree spirit called the Moonlight Osmanthus Tree during the full moon. Master tea makers of the highest level then process the tea through thirty-three steps of processing and gentle roasting. Regular consumption can nourish and replenish spiritual energy…】

She took two sips and found that the tea was fragrant, warm and mellow, and after swallowing, there was a refreshing sensation that went straight from her stomach to the depths of her mind.

My initial fatigue vanished completely after those few sips of tea, as if swept away by a refreshing breeze.

Lin Xiaoxiao placed the empty cup in her hand directly on the table and smiled gently: "It is indeed a good thing."

Not long after she put the cup down, Mu Dongye picked up the teapot and refilled her teacup.

After finishing his cup, Xiao Weizhi noticed that the mental aftereffects of his depletion were slowly recovering. He then picked up the teapot and poured tea for himself and everyone else present, drinking cup after cup until he was full.

They drank tea for over an hour, and then chatted for over an hour.

When the 7th pot of tea was finished.

Jiang Dehai sat in a chair with his legs apart, hands on his knees, head slightly lowered, his tone earnest and solemn with a hint of pleading: "Miss Lin, please protect our Dragon Kingdom."

Before Lin Xiaoxiao arrived, she had a rough idea of ​​what Jiang Dehai wanted to ask her for. She was not surprised by his words at all. She leaned back on the sofa, lowered her eyes, and thought about whether to accept his request.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Mu Dongye explained the reason with some urgency: "Miss Lin, you don't know how miserable our Dragon Kingdom is. Because we don't have the protection of agents, we are often bullied by countries that do have agents, and we can't even get many pieces of information..."

Lin Xiaoxiao was of course aware of what they were talking about.

Not to mention that Dragon Kingdom is a vast country with abundant resources and hidden realms, it is also one of the three most populous countries.

The fact that over 90% of the people in the Dragon Kingdom have no primary faith is enough to ignite the greed of those favored by the gods.

For them, this is a vast, talent-rich, and resource-abundant 'pure land'.

Secondly, most of the agents from the Dragon Kingdom have died, and those who are still alive are hiding in the City of Divine Favor, not daring to show their faces at all.

If it weren't for the large number of powerful ninth-level professionals in the Dragon Kingdom, it would have long been annexed by those covetous nations and become a vassal state, thus allowing them to develop various sects and absorb faith.

Lin Xiaoxiao tapped her fingers lightly on the sofa twice and asked in a low voice, "How many agents of the Dragon Kingdom are still alive?"

When this topic came up, Jiang Dehai and Mu Dongye exchanged a glance, their expressions quite awkward: "Five."

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded and continued, "None of the five of them are willing to protect the Dragon Kingdom?"

Jiang Dehai said in a low voice: "Of those people, one was seriously injured, one was trying to protect himself, one was not interested, and the other two made unreasonable demands that we cannot agree to."

Are the demands too much? What kind of demands could make them say they can't agree to them?

Liu Duoxin made quite a few demands at the time, and they all agreed to them.

As if sensing Lin Xiaoxiao's curiosity, Mu Dongye sighed and explained, "Those two want us to create a temple of faith that belongs exclusively to them, to pay tribute with 70% of the total harvest of the entire Dragon Kingdom every year, and for all professionals in the Dragon Kingdom to be available at any time."

Lin Xiaoxiao looked up in astonishment upon hearing these outrageous demands. These demands were even more ruthless than those of exploitative slave owners.

70% of the total—are they planning to leave the entire nation starving? Treating professionals like slaves, always on call?

No wonder Liu Duoxin, who later became an agent of the God of Greed, made many demands that were agreed to by the high-ranking officials of the Dragon Kingdom.

Compared to the previous two, those conditions are simply insignificant.

Lin Xiaoxiao rubbed her forehead, feeling a bit of a headache.

The problem is that the Dragon Kingdom is probably already being targeted by the wolves of the City of Divine Favor. If she were to bring the Dragon Kingdom under her protection, it would be equivalent to her having to fight against more than a dozen agents all by herself.

Seeing that Lin Xiaoxiao didn't immediately refuse, Jiang Dehai felt hopeful and pressed his advantage, saying, "As long as you leave us the resources for upgrading and living, the tribute portion can be discussed further. We can give you a mobilization token, which will allow you to command public officials at any time..."

The ninety-year-old man stared intently at Lin Xiaoxiao, lowering his status and continuing to explain.

Lin Xiaoxiao rested her hand on her throbbing forehead and waved it weakly: "Quiet down, let me think."