Chapter Twenty-Four: The Schemes of the Professional Alliance

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Calculation of the Professional League

There were a total of ten matches scheduled for today, but only one truly captured the crowd’s attention: the showdown between Nalan Sheng, the prodigious representative of the Nalan family, and the unknown youth Xia Zheng. Had Xia Zheng not emerged so dramatically as a dark horse, few would have even recognized his name.

Some, however, had searched for information online and discovered that Xia Zheng ranked in the top fifty of the Federation’s entrance exams, and was first in Bolant City. This revelation surprised many—a young man with such impressive academic credentials who was also an Esper? Such a combination was rare, and people who excelled both in mind and body tend to attract admiration.

Yet that was the extent of their surprise. Most regarded Xia Zheng as a promising talent, but hardly comparable to a genius like Nalan Sheng. True, Nalan Sheng’s exam scores might never match Xia Zheng’s, but in the Esper community, combat prowess mattered far more than academic achievement.

Among the preceding nine matches, Xia Zheng’s acquaintance, Lester, was also a participant. At last, Lester’s luck turned, and he defeated his opponent. Though not a perfect score, he had likely reached the passing standard.

“Please welcome Camilla, one of the Twelve Stewards of the Professional League, to the stage!” The announcement boomed across the venue, and the spectators erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Camilla was twenty-seven, an avowed singleton. Today, she wore a smart black suit, her white blouse revealing a daring neckline—a dazzling sight that nearly drove the men present out of their minds. Camilla was among the League’s top Espers, possessing S-class abilities, and her formidable power, beauty, and allure had won her the worship of Espers everywhere, especially the men.

The Esper Professional League was a nationwide guild, also known as the “Esper Hunter Professional League.” Its leadership was elected by Espers, supervised by the Federation’s Professional League, with all positions—from staff to steward, even the League Master and Vice Master—re-elected every three years. Camilla had already served two terms as steward, and rumors suggested she would run for League Master next.

Esper Hunters differed from Esper Warriors. The former was a loose professional designation, with minimal constraints; they could work solo, join teams, or become official League members. Hunters completed tasks issued by the League or accepted private commissions, earning rewards as bounty hunters. Some, however, cared little for money and sought only the pinnacle of Esper power.

Esper Warriors were cultivated by the military, fighting on the front lines in Evernight City. Their powers were at least A-class, with the best surpassing S-class—truly formidable. Esper Warriors took orders only from the military, whose supreme commander was the Federation’s sole five-star general.

Once Camilla stepped onto the stage, she became the on-site host for this round. Wearing her headset, she faced the cameras and the vast audience, and exclaimed, “Wow~!” Her enthusiasm reignited the crowd’s fervor.

“Today’s match is likely the most watched and attended E-class Esper assessment since the League’s founding. But I promise...” Camilla paused, prompting curious gazes from the audience and special guests.

“I promise... this match will not disappoint you, for it is a duel between two geniuses!” Her words sparked an uproar. Nalan Sheng was widely acknowledged as a genius, but Xia Zheng? Was he considered a genius solely because of his outstanding exam scores?

Academic achievement and Esper combat ability were worlds apart. What did Camilla mean by this? Many whispered among themselves.

Among the special guests, Nalan Sheng’s father, Nalan Rong, frowned at Camilla’s words, displeased. He suspected Camilla was intentionally elevating Xia Zheng’s status—was the boy the protégé of some League bigwig?

“There aren’t so many geniuses; my Sheng is enough. Pity... she’s not a man, or she’d reclaim Evernight City and become head of the Nalan clan... what a shame...” Though Nalan Rong’s thoughts shifted, his face remained impassive.

The other guests included celebrities from the top hundred Esper Hunter rankings, renowned business sponsors of the League, and representatives of Esper families, much like Nalan Rong, who had risen to prominence through their abilities.

The Nalan family was famous even before Evernight City fell. Prior to the emergence of Espers, the Federation had gene-modified humans, and the Nalan clan was the pinnacle of that era. General Song Xinghui was a Federation hero of the gene-modification age. When Espers rose to power, gene-modified humans gradually faded, and after the fall of Evernight City, the main Nalan branch collapsed, leaving only offshoots to preserve the lineage.

As Camilla praised Xia Zheng, placing him alongside Nalan Sheng, not only Nalan Rong but the other guests felt skeptical. They saw Xia Zheng as a promising rookie, but doubted he could match Nalan Sheng’s brilliance.

“Words are pointless. Let’s begin this ultimate duel!” Camilla’s passion sent the atmosphere soaring. She was experimenting—planning to turn these duels into broadcast programs for sale, and even considering a grand contest, “Federation’s Top Esper Championship,” as a signature event for the League, making its name echo across every corner of the Federation.

Currently, the League’s reputation wasn’t strong enough. Espers still faced prejudice in society, especially from wealthy corporations and tycoons. While they didn’t dare publicly slander Espers as brutes or inferiors, many privately held such views. Camilla saw this as a grave failure and responsibility of the League, for it had not embedded Espers—these powerful heroes—deeply into the hearts of the Federation’s people. She intended to change that.

As Camilla’s declaration ended, the arena was prepared—a hundred meters square, surrounded by special energy barriers made from “anti-magic energy waves,” derived from Federation-explored anti-magic stones. This setup improved visibility for spectators.

Such energy barriers were costly; once activated, the anti-magic stones were spent, effectively worthless. Camilla, undertaking this for the first time, had gritted her teeth and gone ahead. The League’s main income sources were corporate sponsorships and investments, various transaction fees from Esper Hunters, and funding from the Federation’s League—though the latter was minimal, comprising only twenty percent.

Because neither Xia Zheng nor Nalan Sheng had yet passed their Esper assessment, staff originally suggested D-class protection, but Camilla refused and instead deployed B-class anti-magic stones. In her view, even if both youngsters belonged to the mental power category, their destructive force would not exceed B-class. Anything higher would be wasteful.

The protective barriers had six standard levels, with the highest capable of withstanding a B-class Esper’s full-force attack.

Xia Zheng felt somewhat aggrieved; today, he had been forcibly thrust into the spotlight, earning unwarranted enmity. Seeing the furious faces, some even shaking fists at him, he felt unfairly maligned.

He didn’t expect that the demure, beautiful girl opposite him was considered a genius with a massive fanbase. Yet what did that matter to him? Why did he suddenly become the villain, seemingly here to challenge the genius?

Annoyance aside, Xia Zheng composed himself. For Espers of the mental power type, emotional control was critical before battle, as mood could influence the flow of mental energy and determine whether one’s full strength could be unleashed.

Approaching the edge of the arena, Xia Zheng was intrigued by the “room” not constructed from anti-magic stones. He couldn’t resist touching the barrier; his finger passed straight through.

“Does this really have defensive power?” he murmured skeptically.

Then a girl’s voice drifted from nearby: “Brother Xia, the energy barrier only activates its protection when it senses Esper energy. Otherwise, it remains inert.”

“Oh... thank you. My name is Xia Zheng. Pleased to meet you.” He felt the girl was easy enough to converse with.

The girl, mimicking ancient manners, clasped her hands and replied, “I am Nalan Sheng, greetings to you.”

“Oh, greetings, greetings!” Xia Zheng awkwardly imitated her gesture, wondering if she was some time traveler from the Federation’s distant past.

They exchanged polite courtesies, then separated, clearly not intending to engage in close combat.

“Look at him—not even closing the distance with Nalan Sheng. He won’t even know how he dies.”

“Exactly, he must be clueless about her. Espers of the mental power type excel at ranged attacks; only by getting close does he stand a chance.”

“Sigh, looks like he won’t block a single move. My money’s as good as gone…”

Nalan Rong saw Xia Zheng foolishly standing still, allowing his daughter to distance herself, and sneered—he thought the outcome was already decided.

“A genius? More like a fool,” Nalan Rong mocked.

Most spectators shook their heads, though a few thought differently—Lester, Caroline, and Andrew among them. Competing with Xia Zheng, they sensed his uniqueness; he was not someone to be underestimated.

“Perhaps this truly will be a spectacular duel,” Lester said. Caroline supported him without hesitation. Andrew nodded in agreement.

Camilla glanced at the timer overhead, raised her arm high, and as the countdown reached zero, brought it down: “Begin!”

All eyes widened, staring at the two inside the energy barrier, though most watched Xia Zheng, waiting to see how he’d be defeated by Nalan Sheng in a single move.