"How is he here? Don't tell me he's the new instructor for the Fighting Department!"
Seeing someone intervene—a man with high combat power, no less—Ning Chuchu's delicate face instantly darkened. From the surrounding students' chatter, she recognized the war hero who had been featured repeatedly on the Star Network for his numerous military achievements.
However, the thought of other rumors about him calmed Ning Chuchu down. "Lord Chen Nan, as a high-level Executor, touching a woman so casually is a violation of the Contractor regulations!"
"I heard your spiritual power rampages are frequent, yet you still haven't been matched with a suitable Controller to help you channel it. I'm about to advance to B-level myself. But with a character like yours, I'm afraid no Controller would be willing to form a Contract with you!" Ning Chuchu said, sizing up Chen Nan with a critical eye.
Chen Nan's expression darkened at her scrutiny. He glanced down at Ning Xuan and saw that her color had returned a little. Releasing one hand, he tapped his wrist-mounted Light Computer a couple of times. Immediately, Ning Xuan's Light Computer lit up.
Ning Xuan frowned at him, a suspicion forming in her mind. She activated her Light Computer and, just as she expected, saw a message from the master brain. She opened it. "Your Contractor, Chen Nan, has canceled the high-level Spirit Controller protection. According to Contractor regulations, he will report to you within three days. If he fails to arrive by the deadline, you may report this to the Contractor Management Center."
A red dot was also blinking on her personal profile, clearly indicating an update.
She tapped it open and saw:
Profile
Civilian Status: Common Citizen (Minor)
Name: Ning Xuan
Sex: Female
Age: 17
Mother: Ning Zilan (Deceased)
Father: Bai Xiwen (Deceased)
Registered Address: D-level Star, D618 Planet, Zone 4 Residence, Xingluo Bay
Attending School: Xingluo Bay Middle and High Level Joint Academy
Major: Culinary Arts
Spiritual Power: D-level (Value: 56)
Brain Domain Width: Untested
Companion Spirit (Superpower Body): Unawakened
Superpower Talent: Slash
Contractors: 5 (Information for 4 hidden)
Contractor: Chen Nan
Sex: Male
Age: 26
Mother: Chen Jingyu (S-Class)
Father: Wang Mu (SS-level)
Registered Address: A-level Star, A110 Planet, Zone 1 Residence, New Moon International
Alma Mater: Federal First Military School
Current Position: Major General, Federal First Corps
Genetic Compatibility: 96%
Spiritual Power: S-Class (Value: 11,341)
Brain Domain Width: S-Class
Physical Ability Level: S-Class (Comprehensive Combat Power: S+)
Companion Spirit (Superpower Body): Green-eyed Golden Eagle
Superpower Talent: Divine Eagle's Eye
"Lord Chen Nan, Ning Xuan is my sister. We have some private matters to discuss. Please let her go!" Ning Chuchu said hastily, a bad feeling welling up inside her as she watched the two interact.
When Chen Nan saw Ning Xuan looking at him with a cold expression, his heart skipped a beat. He knew that by immediately activating the high-level Spirit Controller protection and hiding his information when he first received the contract notification, he was bound to draw his Contractor's dissatisfaction. He hadn't originally planned to disable the protection. After all, she was only seventeen and had just awakened her spiritual power. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for her to ever break through to B-level in her lifetime.
A low-level female Spirit Controller Contractor was useless to him and would only bring unpredictable trouble.
But just now, when Ning Xuan's spiritual power stirred, his Spiritual Sea had an immediate reaction. Even his Superpower Body became active. That feeling of extreme compatibility made him decide in an instant. No matter what happened in the future, he would acknowledge this Contractor.
He let go of Ning Xuan, stood up straight, and carefully straightened his clothes.
"Ning Xuan, get over here!" Seeing them separate, Wu Di thought Chen Nan was worried about his reputation and wouldn't interfere anymore. At a nod from Ning Chuchu, he flashed forward, appearing in front of Ning Xuan and reaching out to grab her.
Chen Nan's sharp eyes flickered upward. With a slight lift of his leg—BANG!—he kicked Wu Di away. THUD! Wu Di was sent flying over ten meters.
The jaws of the onlooking students dropped as they stared at Chen Nan in shock.
After kicking Wu Di away, Chen Nan straightened his clothes again, then knelt on one knee before Ning Xuan. Placing a clenched right fist over his chest, he bowed his head. "Chen Nan greets the Lord Contract Master!"
It was as if someone had hit the pause button on the crowd. The scene fell into a strange silence. They stared at the two people before them—a tall, handsome man and a quiet, beautiful woman. They seemed like a good match. However, the man was Double S-Class, while the woman had been just an ordinary person two days ago. How could these two possibly be in a Contractor relationship?
'This... this has to be a mistake!'
"Lord Chen Nan, are you insane? She's just an ordinary person! Even if she's awakened, she's just a low-level Spirit Controller who can't possibly soothe your spiritual power rampages! If you form a Contract with her, the rest of your life will be ruined! No Controller will ever accept a Contractor who's already been contracted," Ning Chuchu said angrily. She looked at Chen Nan with a pained expression, as if she were genuinely worried for him.
"Oh my god, he's performing the kneeling salute! Are all High-level Male Spirit Controllers this... this proper?" one girl gushed, cupping her blushing face in her hands as she stared at the man's proper kneeling posture. She turned to Ning Xuan, her gaze burning with envy, wishing she could take her place.
"Only a contract with someone of B-level spiritual power or higher is considered a true contract. A woman with no spiritual power, or only low-level spiritual power, is fundamentally unable to solve a Contractor's problems, so she naturally can't make many demands of him," a man in the crowd said coldly.
"But hasn't Ning Xuan always been unable to awaken her spiritual power? Even if she just awakened it now, her level can't possibly be that high!" The surrounding crowd's discussions were a chaotic mix, but the main consensus was one of disbelief. They felt that Ning Xuan was completely unworthy of Chen Nan and couldn't understand why the two would form a Contract.
Chen Nan ignored Ning Chuchu's shouts and the crowd's gossip. He remained focused, kneeling motionlessly at Ning Xuan's feet, his head bowed as he stared at the tips of her shoes.
In that moment, Ning Xuan couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. After a moment's thought, she extended a hand toward him. Chen Nan smoothly placed his own hand over hers and looked up at her. "Rise."
"Yes!" Chen Nan rose to his feet.