Yu Yu and her team were casting spells, but the crowd watching the live broadcast showed no signs of slowing down.
Though they had long known the otherworld was a flourishing realm, teeming with life, the sight of so many eligible children filling their vision left them speechless for a long while. It was like waking up to sudden wealth—stunned, they dared not utter a word.
Each year, the magic circle scoured the lands for children gifted with mental aptitude. But the number of such children was always limited, and without a list in hand, Yu Yu and her companions already had their expectations tempered. The results rarely surprised them. Disappointment, however, was a frequent guest.
When this group of outsiders first arrived, the magic circle had been thrilled for a time. One of the Archons had even cast a mental probe spell to assess their potential. Indeed, those outsiders had glowed with various hues above their heads—visible only to spellcasters.
And then, to their astonishment, they spotted a child radiating a dazzling golden light, wandering carefree through the town.
That golden glow—it nearly blinded them.
Could such a golden light truly exist in this world? Was this real?
Over the years, they had handled countless recruitment missions. A single spell often revealed a sea of gray, with a couple of blue glows enough to spark joy for half a day. A purple glow? That was like striking it rich overnight.
Yet here, in this moment, a walking beacon of golden light strutted boldly under the magic circle's watchful gaze, parading through the streets. Her name reached the council's desk that very day, catching the eyes of the Archons. To the high-tier spellcasters, she was utterly adorable.
Look at that shimmering golden glow—how charming!
Some even took to casting mental probe spells whenever they saw her, delighting in watching her skip about with that radiant light, their hearts swelling with satisfaction. Of course, Yu Yu herself was oblivious to this. Felix likely hadn't told her either, or with her personality, she'd have pestered them with questions by now.
"Ah!"
Yu Yu's voice snapped them out of their thoughts. They looked up.
Her face twisted in disbelief, a mix of shock and inexplicable anger. "I drew ten thousand times and got no gold?"
Her expression was incredulous. "Not even a single purple?!"
"Is this reasonable?" she fumed. "How can the odds be this unfair?!"
Outside the gymnasium, on a lush green lawn, rows and columns of young girls and boys stood in formation. Dressed in matching school uniforms, they clustered together in vibrant groups, often with a stern homeroom teacher nearby.
The scene felt oddly nostalgic to Xue.
Her voice was hoarse. "This is normal. The odds we talk about are just probabilities. They don't always hold true for you."
She paused, her tone turning peculiar. "During the Golden Era, the continent's population was no smaller than yours, but even then, we only found a handful of children with a mental aptitude of 9 each year."
Yu Yu's voice rose. "Weren't those handful destined to become Grand Archons?"
Xue faltered, sensing Yu Yu was getting carried away. But then again, they had told her this.
Shouldn't have said anything.
Feng Ye cut in. "Enough chatter! Go distribute the bracelets. What are you waiting for?"
Yu Bai, who had been eagerly listening and secretly thrilled, froze.
She stiffly turned her neck toward Yu Yu.
You?
Yu Yu coughed awkwardly. "Grand Archon, keep it down! Are you trying to get me robbed?"
Feng Ye snapped back to reality, scoffing. "Who'd dare rob a spellcaster?"
Yu Yu waved a hand. "Yu Bai, take those with blue glows to the side. The rest can head back."
Yu Bai, still dazed, snapped to attention and hurried off to relay the orders.
Yu Yu plopped down, propped one leg up, and started fiddling with her phone.
The children's comings and goings took time. By the time the next batch arrived, Yu Yu and her team would have recovered.
There was no rushing this.
Dressed in a plain white coat with no insignia, its lapels casually open, she lounged with her leg propped up, engrossed in her phone—a picture of effortless ease.
Zi Shu and the others nearby could hear her clearly. Their expressions flickered, unsure what to say.
Qing Qing's gentle, patient voice broke the silence first. "Yu Yu."
Yu Yu shivered, casting a resentful glance at her phone.
All your fault, Grand Archon!
Qing Qing continued, "I heard you have bracelets?"
Yu Yu pondered for a moment, then set her phone down. "Ask the Grand Archon for them."
Qing Qing: "…"
How can you be so shameless?
The live broadcast audience, including the Grand Archons and High Stewards, fell silent.
But Qing Qing wasn't the only one fixated on Yu Yu. Zi Shu, Yu Bai (who had returned), the young guards nearby, and even Wen Ming and the other spellcasters all stared at her with burning intensity.
Their fervor was undeniable—calling out the Grand Archon wouldn't deter them. And, of course, that troublesome Grand Archon had gone silent at the critical moment.
Always clamming up when it matters.
Yu Yu considered for three seconds. "The magic circle's quotas are fixed, reserved for the children. Don't even think about it."
"If you want some, you'll have to pry them from the Federation."
Yu Bai's heart sank.
Yu Yu's tone was nonchalant, her fingers tapping idly on the table. "The Federation's quotas seem plentiful, but factor in the military, the uneven distribution across regions, and the big shots at the Academy…"
"Even if I gave them to you now, the Federation would just reclaim them," Yu Yu said, glancing up. "What's the point of holding them for a moment?"
These bracelets were meant for greater purposes. They weren't for sharing. Of course, if Zi Shu or Shu Tu had asked, that might be different. But Yu Yu saw no need to tell Qing Qing and the others. At her words, Yu Bai and the other Federation members gave up, looking at her like pitiful puppies.
Zi Shu and her group remained unfazed, but Qing Qing and the others were visibly disappointed. They weren't afraid of the Federation. Who wouldn't want their loved ones to have a bit more security?
A player's vitality far surpassed that of ordinary people.
Yu Yu smiled faintly, her tone humble. "Of course, if the Grand Archon takes pity on us in the future and grants extra bracelets, I won't forget you…"
A sliver of hope to keep them from despair.
She took a sip of mineral water.
The live audience: "…"
Sometimes, they thought this kid was quite cunning. Listen to how smoothly she spins her words.
Qing Qing, lost in thought, shifted tactics. "You're a researcher now, right? Don't you need assistants for your studies? Someone to handle the small tasks? What about me?"
Yu Yu: "…"
Qing Qing pressed on. "Sure, I'm just a background character in the game, but among Rong City's spellcasters, I'd say I'm top-tier. You recruit spellcasters now and then—don't you want a permanent one?"
"The kind that's always on call."
Yu Yu saw through her instantly. "You and I are both mid-tier spellcasters. As for being a researcher, that's just the seniors' kindness and the Federation's favor. I'm hardly qualified. Let's not waste your time~"
She dragged out the last word, dripping with sarcasm.
Ignoring them, she turned to Yu Bai.
Yu Bai stepped forward. "Eighty-seven, all with blue glows."
She couldn't help asking, "What does that mean?"
Yu Yu munched on a small biscuit, crunching before answering. "Mental aptitude of 7."
"So few! Out of ten thousand!"
Yu Yu grumbled, "My card pulls have never been this sparse with blue glows."
"I thought I'd snag a few purples or golds today."
The Grand Archon, silent until now, finally spoke. "Dream on."
"One in a hundred is just an estimate. Often, it's less."
Yu Yu couldn't resist. "Why only children? No young women?"
Yu Yu blinked, confused.
"I figured twelve-year-olds would easily make up a thousand, so I didn't bother with other age groups."
"Does the Grand Archon need specific age ratios?"
Feng Ye: "…"
Other spellcasters: "…"
You have that many twelve-year-olds?
Xue: "How many twelve-year-old students are left?"
Yu Yu: "Seventy or eighty thousand, give or take."
Propping her chin, she mused, "We can squeeze some more in. If not, we'll pull from other cities. Worst case, we tap other regions. The Federation's vast. If we take our time, gathering a thousand with mental aptitude 9 is tough, but a thousand with 8 is doable."
The magic circle's bumpkins: "…"
Just twelve-year-olds, and that many? From one city alone?
Envy hit them like a tidal wave.
Such a vast, vibrant population!
If only they had such a foundation, then…
Noticing the Grand Archon's silence, Yu Yu didn't dwell on it.
"Next batch! Get to work!"
By the time Yu Yu and her team finished testing all the students, night had fallen.
The Federation had received word and was waiting outside.
One thousand twenty-one.
The Grand Archon's estimate was close, slightly exceeded.
The downside? Only one mental aptitude 8.
The odds for 8 seemed low. Seeing Shang Wei, Yu Yu had assumed 8s were common.
With no mood for pleasantries, Yu Yu was brisk. "Keep a thousand for the students. You can take the rest."
Seeing their excitement, she added, "The second batch of quotas is coming soon. This small batch was set aside by the Grand Archon. You might want to wait before dividing them."
The second batch would far exceed these three thousand.
"Understood," a man said firmly.
Military, perhaps?
Yu Yu yawned, feeling unusually drained.
She glanced at the students, their innocent faces oblivious to their fate. Humming softly, she murmured, "They're doomed. They don't even want to study three subjects, and now they'll face dozens of magic circle courses. Hell's waiting."
Xue: "?"
"Care to say that louder?"
Yu Yu shut her mouth and turned to Yu Bai, who had walked over. "Their safety is critical. What's the Federation's plan?"
Yu Bai: "I'll report to the Federation and get back to you immediately."
Yu Yu nodded, feeling done for the day. "Home."
Her eyelids drooped. "Grand Archon, I'm not logging in tonight. Too tired."
Feng Ye's voice softened, rare for her. "Go sleep."
The next morning, Yu Yu bounced out of bed, revitalized.
What a loss. Too tired yesterday to check who the mental 8 was.
How would the magic circle handle them?
She'd planned to talk with Shu Tu first but decided to log in and take a peek.
The moment she did, something felt off.
My goodness, why are there so many high-tier spellcasters in the sky?
Why had the magic circle sent out so many seniors?
For a mere thousand kids?
At the window, Lynn's tone was grave. "What's the magic circle up to?"
"Are they mourning another young spellcaster's death?"
She glanced at Yu Yu. "…You're fine, though."
Yu Yu: "What's going on?"
Lynn, too serious to jest, said, "No idea. The magic circle's making big moves. I need to tell my teacher."
"They'd better not be planning another Great Purge."
"Great Purge? What's that?"
Lynn was already gone.
Yu Yu was baffled.
No way. It can't be that serious.
Just a thousand elementary kids…
The term "Great Purge" felt excessive!
But Lynn's words—did the magic circle often launch these "Great Purges"?