Chapter 101: Snatching the Recruit
The burly man strode up to the desk and snatched the list right out of Huo Jia's hands.
He flipped to Chen Yu's page and declared with rock-solid determination, "Little Huo, Chen Yu must come to our Combat Department!"
Huo Jia frowned, standing up and trying to retrieve the list. "Instructor Hou, assigning departments isn't something you can decide with a single sentence. It has to be based on the student's abilities and wishes."
The burly man's name was Hou Baizhan (literally "Hundred Battles"). As the name suggested, he was a powerhouse in combat with a fiery temper, serving as the Head Instructor of the Training Camp's Combat Department.
His seniority in teaching at the camp went back even further than Huo Jia's own tenure.
Huo Jia could only try to persuade him gently. "This can't be decided by your personal preference alone."
SLAM!
Hou Baizhan slammed the list onto the table, pointing a thick finger at Chen Yu's name. "Based on ability? Chen Yu became the Rookie King as soon as the camp opened."
"Which Rookie King doesn't enter the Combat Department? Are you going to send him to the Academic Department to hide in a lab and research useless junk?"
"Am I, the dignified Head Instructor of the Combat Department, not allowed to decide the placement of a single student?"
"Oho? Instructor Hou, that's quite the tone you have there."
Just as Hou Baizhan finished shouting, an old man wearing a white lab coat and glasses walked in.
The old man held a report in his hand, his tone laced with dissatisfaction. "Research in the Academic Department helps everyone develop their abilities better, invents equipment to counter Divine Phenomena, and charts the future direction of humanity."
"If it weren't for the Academic Department, would you muscle-heads in the Combat Department be able to return safely from Divine Phenomenon zones time and time again?"
This old man was Professor Wang Zhijun of the Academic Department. He was usually focused solely on research and rarely argued with anyone, but when it came to matters of the Academic Department, he was incredibly stubborn.
He was the Chief Professor of the Training Camp's Academic Department and a national treasure of the Alliance.
Huo Jia scratched his head. Great. Another difficult one has arrived.
Professor Wang walked up to the desk and looked at Huo Jia. "General Huo, Chen Yu must be assigned to the Academic Department."
"That mysterious power he controls is the same as the Lord Marshal's—it can resist the influence of Divine Phenomena!"
"If we can research and understand his power, it would be far more important for the long-term development of the human race than sending him to fight on the front lines!"
"More important?" Hou Baizhan glared at Professor Wang.
"If it weren't for us in the Combat Department holding back the Ferocious Beasts and guarding the Great Wall, would you have the leisure to do research in your labs?"
"Chen Yu is the number one combatant in the camp. He should go to the front lines and fight alongside us, not hide in the rear!"
"Fighting can solve temporary problems; research solves the root cause!" Professor Wang refused to back down.
"More and more Divine Phenomena are appearing now, and Ferocious Beasts are becoming stronger."
"If we can't find a way to counter the Divine Phenomena, no matter how strong Chen Yu is, there will come a time when he can't handle it alone!"
"Today, he even proposed the theory of 'Fruit Awakening'! We had speculations about this theory before."
"But Chen Yu, completely on his own, explained the gist of it—he was even more detailed than us! He belongs in my Academic Department!"
The two went back and forth, arguing incessantly. Huo Jia sat on the side, rubbing his temples, looking utterly helpless.
He knew both of them had the Alliance's best interests at heart; they just had different standpoints.
"How about this? Chen Yu does a dual major—merged departments?" Huo Jia tried to mediate. "I've suggested merging departments for many promising seedlings. It's the only way to maximize their poten—"
"NO!" x2
Before Huo Jia could finish, both men shouted in unison.
"Only by specializing in one department can one possibly reach the pinnacle!" x2
On this point, their opinions were surprisingly aligned.
The two glanced at each other, snorted coldly, and stopped talking.
But the determination in their eyes didn't diminish in the slightest. Clearly, neither intended to give up.
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The Next Morning.
Inside the classroom, Feng Qi stood at the podium holding the assignment list. "Regarding the department assignments..."
"The Training Camp has provided recommendations for subject selection based on your abilities and recent performance."
"This is the list. I'll read it out. If you have any objections and want to change, you can come find me after class."
The classroom was exceptionally quiet; everyone was afraid of missing their name.
"I'll begin." Feng Qi cleared her throat and started reading.
"Gu Yunxi, Academic Department."
"Long Aotian, Academic Department."
"Bai Han, Combat Department."
"Zhuge Jing, Academic Department."
"Su Qingqing, Combat Department..."
Those whose names were called reacted differently—some were excited, others disappointed.
Most people here were young and felt that entering the Combat Department to fight on the front lines was a badge of glory.
So, those assigned to the Combat Department couldn't help but cheer.
People like Gong Wei, Jin Ling'er, and He Yan were exchanging glances that practically sparked with electricity.
Those assigned to the Academic Department, while knowing it was important, felt a bit let down. Of course, there were some who were happy about it.
"Ling Yue..." Feng Qi paused intentionally when she reached Ling Yue's name.
"Combat and Academic Departments—Merged!"
"Shen Lie, same as above!"
"The Alliance values you two highly. I hope you seize this opportunity."
Shen Lie was stunned for a moment before nodding. Ling Yue, on the other hand, looked like she had expected it.
The surrounding students looked at them with eyes full of envy. A merged assignment meant they were key targets for cultivation by the Alliance. Their future development would be limitless.
The list was finished. Everyone in the classroom had found their place.
Everyone except Chen Yu. He hadn't heard his name from start to finish.
Teacher, I haven't gotten on the bus yet!
Gu Yunxi also noticed something was wrong and leaned over to Chen Yu. "Yu-zi, why didn't she read your name? Did Sister Feng skip it?"
Feng Qi put down the list and looked at Chen Yu, her tone calm. "Chen Yu, come with me to the office. General Huo is looking for you."
Chen Yu paused, then nodded and followed Feng Qi out of the classroom.
On the way, he couldn't curb his curiosity. "Sister Feng, is this about the department assignment?"
Feng Qi didn't hide it. "Yes, but I don't know the specific details. You'll have to see for yourself."
After that brief exchange, Chen Yu walked into the office.
He looked up to see two figures standing like door gods behind Huo Jia.
The burly giant revealed a ferocious grin that was so terrifying it almost scared Chen Yu into transforming into a dragon and bursting out of his clothes on the spot.
The other one looked kind and amiable, but his smile was eerie, and the way he sized Chen Yu up made his skin crawl.
Seeing Chen Yu, Hou Baizhan immediately stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke enthusiastically. "Chen Yu, you're here!"
"I'm Hou Baizhan. You can just call me Teacher Hou."
"Let me tell you, you must enter our Combat Department. Follow me, and I guarantee you'll learn plenty of practical combat skills and become a top-tier Awakener in no time!"
"Old Hou, don't mislead Chen Yu!" Professor Wang immediately stepped forward and pulled Chen Yu away.
"Chen Yu, I am Wang Zhijun. I still suggest you come to our Academic Department."
"That mental impact you possess is very unique. If we develop and research it properly, it will definitely help more people. That is far more meaningful than fighting on the front lines!"
Chen Yu was sandwiched between the two, caught in a dilemma.
Seeing that they were about to start arguing again, Huo Jia quickly spoke up to stop them. "Alright, you two, stop arguing. Listen to me first."
He looked at Chen Yu, his tone serious. "Instructor Hou and Professor Wang both value you highly."
"They both want you in their respective departments. We considered this for a long time."
"We felt that whether you only entered the Combat Department, only the Academic Department, or even merged the two... it still felt like something was missing."
Chen Yu looked at Huo Jia in confusion. "General Huo, what do you mean?"
"We discussed it and decided... we want you to be an Assistant Instructor," Huo Jia said.
"???"
Again?
(To be Continued)