Mr. Liu maintained a calm and composed exterior, looking perfectly unruffled, yet his mind was a chaotic blank.
In truth, he had no idea the Marshal was coming!
It was true that the admissions team had received instructions yesterday not to harass Xie Guanning, but he had assumed those were just orders from above to ensure they left a good impression on the boy. Who could have guessed that this man, who rarely appeared in public, would show up so quietly today?
He began to frantically scan every bit of information he knew, but for the life of him, he couldn’t find a single link between Xie Guanning and Marshal Jiang.
Although the Marshal was currently on leave, he still held sway over critical military decisions. As the youngest Marshal in the Empire, no one dared to underestimate him. However, given his low-profile nature and his distaste for the press, very few outsiders truly knew him.
As Mr. Liu’s thoughts raced, the hot-tempered representative from Tate Military Academy could no longer hold back. “Marshal Jiang’s personal presence shows great sincerity,” he began. “However, Student Xie, the Marshal of our Fifth Legion also places great value on talent. He personally oversees training at our academy every year. It is only due to the distance that he cannot be here today, but in his heart, he surely hopes you will choose us.”
As soon as he spoke, the other academies refused to be outdone and began another round of competitive poaching.
The office instantly descended into a noisy fervor once more.
The homeroom teacher watched Jiang Yan cautiously, worried the noise might displease him. Fortunately, the Marshal’s expression remained calm and undisturbed. However, those eyes of his never once left Xie Guanning.
The teacher’s heart skipped a beat; he knew then that as long as no accidents occurred, this student’s future would be anything but ordinary.
Mingli saw its fair share of elite students every year, and it wasn’t uncommon to see top schools like Imperial University fighting over them. But to see the major military academies clash like this? It was a first.
As the teachers bickered incessantly, Mr. Liu caught Jiang Yan’s calm, sweeping gaze, and his heart gave a little jolt.
What a joke, he thought. This is our territory, and our own Marshal has personally taken the field. If we still can’t secure this student, the Imperial First Military Academy might as well throw its reputation in the trash.
Especially when the student himself was already interested in them—if they lost him now, Mr. Liu wouldn’t need anyone else to tell him; he’d resign in shame himself!
The teachers argued until they were red in the face, their previous “elite” personas completely discarded. Their words were laced with sarcasm and barbs directed at competing schools.
Mr. Liu let out a soft cough, and the room instantly fell silent.
He looked at Xie Guanning and said with a smile, “Since our brother schools are showing such sincerity, it’s only right that we show ours. We cannot let Student Xie feel slighted.”
At this, the other representatives watched him with renewed vigilance.
Mr. Liu adjusted his glasses. “We will increase the scholarship by an additional fifty percent on top of the current highest tier.”
Except for students in extreme poverty, scholarships usually didn’t play a decisive role in recruiting top-tier talent. The other teachers knew Mr. Liu had more up his sleeve and didn’t relax their guard.
Sure enough, Mr. Liu continued, “The mentor selection clause remains the same—whomever you prefer, the academy will do its utmost to facilitate communication. Furthermore, regarding any materials or energy sources required for mecha design, the school will provide everything. As long as you successfully design a mecha, the associated costs are naturally negotiable.”
The representative from Keville Military Academy’s face paled, and the others looked equally grim.
To be honest, none of these top-tier academies lacked money. But mecha design was more than just a matter of funding. Mechas were things that those without a substantial family fortune couldn’t afford to touch. Expense was one factor, but more importantly, the higher the level of the mecha, the rarer the materials required.
With this promise, the Imperial Academy was essentially covering every material cost for Xie Guanning’s four years of university. Even the Keville representative didn’t dare make such a claim; after all, if a student wasted those precious materials, it would be like cutting flesh from the school’s own heart.
Hearing this, Xie Guanning’s gaze sharpened, and his expression gradually turned serious.
Mr. Liu added, “Regarding lifestyle requirements—such as preferring a single dormitory room or wanting to live off-campus—as long as it isn’t unreasonable, the school will agree.”
Xie Guanning’s expression softened. He was clearly moved. The other teachers watched anxiously, but they didn’t know what else they could possibly say to top that.
After a moment of reflection, Xie Guanning looked up at the teachers and smiled with a look of finality. “I truly appreciate the appreciation you’ve all shown me.”
The teachers’ hearts sank.
With a sincere and humble attitude, Xie Guanning said, “Your institutions are all top-tier; I am in no position to be picky. I am grateful that you were all willing to give me this opportunity. However, I grew up on the Capital Star, and my friends are all here. I have no plans to move to another planet in the near future, so I’m afraid I must decline your kind offers.”
Even though they had anticipated this, the teachers couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. Yet, because of his graceful and appropriate response, their respect for him grew. Having handled admissions for so many years, they had seen all kinds of students. One who understood such etiquette and knew when to advance or retreat was truly rare.
The representative from Tate was the first to speak. “You have the talent to deserve all of this. There’s no need for a young man like you to be too self-deprecating.”
Since things had reached this point, the other teachers couldn’t keep pestering him without appearing desperate. They added:
“There’s still plenty of time before the application deadline. You can think it over. If you change your mind, Keville will always welcome you.”
The atmosphere gradually relaxed. The homeroom teacher, who had been standing by in a state of high tension, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Liu kept a smile on his face, his inner emotions unreadable. He checked the time and suggested, “It’s still early. Since Student Xie is interested, why not come with me to see the campus? It would be good to familiarize yourself with the environment in advance.”
Xie Guanning had been thinking the same thing and was about to agree when the man who had been silent all this time spoke in a deep voice: “No need.”
Xie Guanning instinctively turned to look at Jiang Yan. The man stood up, walked over to stand in front of him, glanced at him, and then turned his gaze to Mr. Liu.
“I will accompany him,” Jiang Yan said.
Mr. Liu, who had been wondering if he had done something to displease the Marshal, was momentarily speechless. Even the Principal, who had been watching the drama from the sidelines, looked surprised, his gaze lingering on Xie Guanning with renewed curiosity.
Jiang Yan gave a slight nod. “I will take him to the academy later. Mr. Liu, thank you for your hard work; you may head back first.”
Mr. Liu opened his mouth, but found he truly had nothing to say. Finally, he could only nod dryly. “Very well.”