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Chapter 7 — “Don’t be nervous. We don’t eat people.”
The reception hall was so quiet that even a pin drop would have echoed.
The golden light had already faded, but a thick, nauseating stench still lingered in the air. The carpet and furniture were drenched in blood, and scattered fragments of flesh and bone were everywhere.
The young students who had accompanied them were either unconscious or barely standing. None of them had ever seen anything like this before—several were gagging uncontrollably.
Su Cheng: “……”
Even she was fighting down a surge of nausea.
She had killed Lin Yun herself before, but the clean cut of a wind blade through a throat couldn’t compare to this kind of raw, chaotic carnage.
And yet what overwhelmed her more than disgust was shock.
The elders of the academy all had deep fear written across their faces.
“—A divine favored?!”
Their gazes toward her were filled with terror.
Every day, countless merchants raised contracts high, praying for the protection of the God of Contracts.
And just as many criminals and judicial officers swore oaths in court, offering their sincerity and faith to the God of Law.
But how many people’s prayers could actually summon a divine response? How many could trigger a manifestation of a god?
Only a Divine Favored could call upon the gods in this way.
No wonder.
The “offering to the church” had just been an excuse. What could a mere Lin family possibly present? And what reason would be enough to draw a military commander here in person?
There was only one explanation.
A Divine Favored.
—Someone whose character, temperament, or actions had earned the attention of a god, receiving their blessing as a result.
It was common knowledge that all humans could cultivate battle aura and become warriors. Even those with the worst talent only needed more time.
Some could resonate with elemental spirits and become mages.
These were all ordinary paths to power.
But beyond them existed domains that normal people could never reach—fields requiring either special guidance or divine favor to even touch.
Among the gods of the divine realm, there were two supreme gods, over a dozen main gods, and dozens of lesser gods—each with clearly defined divine authority.
They could select favored ones and bestow blessings tied to their domains.
For example, demons belonged to the Dark God’s kin. All demons were born with the blessing of darkness, making high-ranking demons naturally adept at dark magic.
But humans were not the kin of any god.
Those chosen as Divine Favored were extremely rare.
And once chosen, the upper limit of their power often surpassed what ordinary cultivation could ever achieve.
The elder who had just died was the best example.
He was a seventh-tier Battle Master—but even a level eleven Battle Saint would have met the same fate.
In domains governed by divine authority, the power of a god could be invoked through their favored one. That was not something any mortal race could withstand.
As for why he died… most likely he had harbored some form of blasphemous intent. Others might not have noticed—but gods never missed it.
“You’re a Divine Favored?!” another elder murmured shakily. “Why didn’t you say so sooner…”
If they had known earlier, why would they have bothered breaking off the engagement?
Divine Favored held transcendent status. Just that identity alone could grant nobility. Most simply didn’t accept imperial titles—either they wandered unpredictably or were taken in by the church.
No wonder.
Everything suddenly made sense to them.
Her connection with the church must have come from this.
And even more shocking—she was favored by two main gods.
The elder didn’t dare complain to Su Cheng, but still couldn’t help glancing toward Murong Yue.
Murong Yue’s brows were tightly furrowed.
He understood what the elders were thinking. Some had wanted to marry into his family and were now regretting the broken engagement.
Others had genuinely believed Su Cheng was unworthy of him—too low in status, too weak. Now that she had revealed herself as a Divine Favored, they felt regret instead.
But he didn’t think that way.
He had broken off the engagement purely to focus on cultivation—not to replace one fiancée with another.
Even if someone of equal or greater strength appeared now and proposed to him, he still wouldn’t accept.
Knowing Su Cheng was a Divine Favored didn’t change anything for him.
And yet—
His gaze fell to the blood and fragments on the floor.
Elder Li had always been proud and short-tempered. He had even spoken harshly while guiding Murong Yue in martial techniques before.
Murong Yue hadn’t liked him much, but he never expected this.
And yet this was divine punishment.
Even the emperor himself would kneel in gratitude.
If he hadn’t come to break off the engagement… if he had firmly refused to bring them to the Lin family…
Elder Li wouldn’t have died.
Murong Yue suddenly stood up, his expression cold.
“…In that case, we take our leave.”
Su Cheng remained seated, her tone equally indifferent.
“See you out.”
The academy elders quickly stood as well, waking those who had fainted. None of them dared blame her attitude—they didn’t even dare look at her too long.
The students fled with their hands covering their mouths.
None of them realized she was also mentally reeling. They likely assumed she had done it on purpose to summon divine power, which was why she demanded contracts in the first place.
No one suspected she had only just become a Divine Favored.
How old was she?
If it was her first time, she should have been ecstatic—jumping for joy, not sitting so calmly.
The group left in haste.
The Lin family head tried to see them off, but he was drenched in cold sweat and barely able to stand. He slumped back into his chair instead.
The rest of the Lin family were pale with fear. Some had only just woken up, disoriented and trembling. Others were frantically recalling whether they had ever offended this niece of theirs.
One by one, they hurried to take their leave.
Lin Zhen forced himself to steady his breathing, as if about to speak—but the others were already terrified, swearing they would never speak of what happened.
He watched them go, then turned to Su Cheng with a confused yet excited expression.
“What… what exactly is going on?”
Su Cheng didn’t answer immediately.
This cheap uncle of hers was a typical merchant—affectionate enough toward his sister’s child, but not deeply attached.
In the original story, after the engagement incident, Lin Yun and Murong Yue would clash, and after the academy people left, Lin Zhen had scolded his niece and expressed strong dissatisfaction with the male lead.
Because he didn’t want to offend powerful figures.
And now?
Su Cheng looked at him. “Exactly what you saw.”
She was also full of questions herself, but her expression remained calm and composed—as if everything was under control.
Lin Zhen was completely fooled.
His niece suddenly becoming a Divine Favored was simply too shocking. Even more shocking than becoming a mage.
He quickly reasoned it through.
“No need to say more!” he said hurriedly. “I won’t ask anymore!”
Anything involving gods was taboo.
Years in business had taught him that much.
Then his face lit up with delight. “You’ve always been clever since you were a child. I knew you’d amount to something! This engagement was absolutely the right thing to cancel—you’re a Divine Favored! You could have anyone you want in the future!”
“Mm, mm,” Su Cheng said, already exhausted. “Actually, I was going to ask you to tell the rest of the family not to mention the engagement with Murong Yue—”
“I’ll handle it!” Lin Zhen immediately nodded. “Everyone who left will spread the word. I’ll take care of the rest too!”
Su Cheng sighed inwardly.
Then she rolled up her sleeve slightly.
On her pale arm, a golden gavel-shaped mark appeared, flickering briefly before fading.
A moment later, a black scale symbol emerged in her palm.
They represented the blessing of the God of Law and the God of Contracts.
As long as she focused, both marks would manifest.
…So losing one “cheat item” just gave her another in return?
A protagonist’s luck conservation law?
In the original story, Lin Yun only became a Divine Favored hundreds of chapters later—and even then it was tied to the Dark God.
“Uncle,” Su Cheng said, standing up. “I want to take a walk and look at the schools that are recruiting.”
Lin Zhen didn’t dare refuse. He nodded immediately, even asking if she wanted to rest first.
“I’m not tired.”
Divine manifestations didn’t mean the gods were truly present.
They might be watching from the divine realm—or not watching at all.
And if they weren’t, it simply meant something had triggered their authority.
For example, the God of Contracts punishing oathbreakers, or the God of Law punishing criminals.
But there were countless oathbreakers and criminals—most were never punished.
As for Elder Li… it was likely he had thought something blasphemous at the worst possible moment, coinciding with her becoming a Divine Favored.
If he had done nothing, he might have survived.
And this punishment didn’t exhaust her at all.
Su Cheng glanced again at the blood and fragments on the floor.
It was impossible to tell that this had once been a person.
Her uncle’s voice reached her ears again, asking if she wanted a carriage. Servants crowded around, offering hats and money bags.
She accepted the hat and the money without resistance. “Thank you. I’ll walk.”
Outside, she ran into a few young members of the Lin family.
They looked like they wanted to speak, but hesitation and fear held them back.
“Don’t cause trouble,” Su Cheng said flatly. “I don’t want anyone else dying today. Keep your distance.”
They froze.
Even without knowing what had happened in the reception hall, they had seen the academy people leave in grim silence—and watched the elders depart in panic.
Now rumors were already spreading through the estate: the once-useless girl had become a mage.
No one dared approach her.
Su Cheng left the manor smoothly.
The Lin estate was vast, located in the upper district. Beyond the streets, she could see the clustered buildings of the church district in the distance.
A white spire pierced the sky, shimmering with rainbow light under the sun, radiating an almost overwhelming sanctity.
She lingered on it for a moment.
In the northern continent, the Church of the God of Light had reached its peak influence.
Every city had its cathedral. Every human settlement had believers. Even coronation ceremonies of emperors and kings required church officials.
She left the quiet noble district and entered the bustling commercial streets.
Crowds pressed shoulder to shoulder along both sides. Shops bustled with customers coming and going.
Goldcore City lay on a major trade route in the empire’s southern region, so travelers, merchants, and mercenaries of many races filled the streets.
Humans made up over half. The rest were beastkin, demi-humans, and dwarves. Occasionally, elves appeared—taller than expected, with pointed ears and strikingly beautiful faces, moving with light, graceful steps.
Su Cheng moved with the flow of people.
The empire’s major academies held admissions in spring and autumn. Spring recruitment took place in the southern region.
There was no fixed start date—just a window from late spring to early summer when recruitment teams gathered in the most prosperous city of the south: Goldcore City.
Students from all over would arrive, making this the busiest time of year.
But Su Cheng hadn’t come out for that.
In the early part of the story, the male lead had joined a mercenary squad that included a mysterious arcane mage who noticed the curse on him and offered to suppress it.
However, the procedure was complicated and required expensive materials.
Lin Yun had refused Murong Yue’s compensation and was always short on money, so he postponed it.
Su Cheng wanted to find that mage.
By timeline, that mercenary group should already have arrived in Goldcore City.
“They’re looking for a fire-element mage… reward starting at three gold coins…”
“Escort mission, ten silver coins per day…”
At the junction of the upper and middle districts stood the Mercenary Guild building, with crowds already shouting outside.
Flags hung above the entrance, representing well-known mercenary groups—some permanent residents, others temporary.
Each flag meant they were open for contracts.
Only B-rank and above organizations were allowed to display flags in a city like this, and their fees were far beyond what most could afford.
The shouting mercenaries outside were mostly low-ranked—too desperate or trying to save money on posting fees.
Next to the guild stood a magic barrier enclosure, where mid-sized magical beasts rested peacefully: winged deer, pegasi, and horned sheep. Gentle creatures that didn’t react even when people watched them.
A child tapped on the barrier, but the beasts didn’t even glance over—just continued grazing or dozing.
Inside the guild, noise surged like a tide. Over a hundred people filled the hall, queues stretching from service counters.
The walls were covered in notices—general rules, local regulations, and a dense array of mission postings.
There were even wanted notices for fugitives and heretics, some stamped with the Church’s golden sword emblem.
Another wall listed mercenary recruitment notices.
Most were looking for mages.
In theory, everyone could become a warrior. But mages were far rarer.
That meant most teams had very few of them.
In the original story, the male lead had joined a mercenary squad precisely because he was a mage—his magic taught by an old “cheat” mentor figure.
“…Black Flame Mercenary Group, recruiting elemental mages with special abilities. Cooperation-based missions. Details and payment negotiable. Room 319.”
There it was.
That was them.
They had already arrived.
Black Flame’s members all had unusual backgrounds, though they were currently disguised as ordinary mercenaries.
Lin Yun would only join them days after the engagement incident—but that wasn’t today.
Su Cheng adjusted her clothes and revealed her novice mage insignia.
She went upstairs and found room 319 at the end of the corridor.
A black flame emblem was pasted on the door.
She paused.
Took a breath.
Then pushed the door open carefully—only to immediately hesitate again.
She peeked inside.
A circular table. Scattered chairs. A mess of documents.
And—
A silver-haired young man sitting on the edge of the table.
He smiled lazily.
“Don’t be nervous,” he said, voice teasing. “We don’t eat people.”
His skin was pale like marble, yet his eyes burned a vivid crimson—like twin flames.
He wore fitted silver-gray armor that emphasized broad shoulders and a narrow waist. High boots climbed to his knees, outlining long, powerful legs.
One hand rested casually at his side while his legs swung in the air, fingertips tapping lightly on the table. His silver gauntlet looked sharp enough to cut.
Su Cheng: “?”
She stared at his throat for a few seconds.
“What is it?”
Another voice came from the room.
A man leaned against the wall, arms crossed, head slightly tilted as he looked over.
He wore a dark gold bowler hat. His golden curls were tied into a low ponytail. His robe was black and red, embroidered with fine crimson-gold thread. A scroll hung in his hand.
He tossed it aside. It hit the wall with a crisp sound.
“Elemental mage?”
Half his face was hidden by a raised collar. Only his sharp brow bone, high nose bridge, and deep blue eyes were visible—cold, like a lone wolf in the wilderness.
Su Cheng snapped back to attention.
“Yes…”
The man’s voice was calm.
“Your mercenary log.”
Right. Standard procedure.
A mercenary log recorded all completed missions—a proof of identity and experience.
They thought she was here in response to the recruitment notice.
She covered her face. “Sorry… this is my first time at the guild. I forgot—I don’t have a log yet. I’ll go register first.”
She turned to leave—
And collided head-on with someone entering the door.
Too late to dodge.
Her forehead hit a solid chest.
A firm, muscular impact met her face. Warm, dense muscle pressed against her nose. A leather strap buckle scraped her cheek, leaving a faint sting.
