Pat, pat, pat!
The head steward remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table as he sank into thought. The proposal Feng Lin had put forward stirred a flicker of temptation within him, yet at the same time, a vague unease gnawed at his mind.
How difficult was it to get into a Starry University? Every Starry University recruited from all interstellar humans across the entire universe, with a fixed number of spots—at most a few thousand. And how many candidates were there each year across the whole interstellar realm? No less than trillions. The competition was fierce, with admission rates of one in ten thousand, one in a million... or even one in a hundred million?
This Feng Lin had a vitality of 1.5, just an apprentice, far from being a true cultivator. How could he possibly get into a Starry University? Even among the Feng family, where geniuses abounded, those with a hope of entering such a university could be counted on one hand, let alone a low-ranking clansman like him. Though there were still seven or eight months until the college entrance exams, there was no way he could leap from an apprentice to a true cultivator in such a short time, let alone pass the exams for a Starry University, which was harder than reaching the heavens!
In the end, wouldn't he just obediently come back to work?
The head steward didn't believe that a mere low-ranking clansman could surpass the family's many geniuses in such a short time and get into a Starry University. He finally realized what was off.
No, that's not right!
He'd almost been tricked by this kid!
If he agreed, the kid would gain freedom if he won, and if he lost, he'd only delay factory work by half a year, losing nothing. But as the enforcer of family law, he would be violating it himself. Everyone would follow suit, and wouldn't that lead to chaos?!
What a clever scheme!
No way, this precedent absolutely couldn't be set.
Watching Feng Lin's calm and composed demeanor, the head steward marveled inwardly. The kid was young, but his mindset was almost demonic—still, he was too green! A cold, mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Admiration aside, trying to exploit a loophole in family law? Don't even think about it!
Family law was inviolable! No one could break it!
"Ridiculous! Fulfilling your duty is your obligation, not something you can shirk. What right do you have to make a deal out of it? As a member of this family, you should obediently follow the rules and stop dreaming. The family won't engage in such childish bets with you!" the head steward said coldly, his voice icy and merciless, crushing Feng Lin's hopes.
Feng Lin frowned deeply, not expecting the head steward to deny him even a chance to wager. He said in a low voice, "Are you, as the family steward, lacking that much backbone? What help is a lowly factory clerk to the family? If you win, I'll go to work obediently; if you lose, the family gains a Starry University student. Isn't that the greatest benefit? Why not go along with it?"
"Ridiculous!" The head steward didn't hide his contempt. "Don't play these mind games with me! Provocation won't work. If you could get into a Starry University, wouldn't that make all the Feng family's ancestors and geniuses worthless? They couldn't do it, so how could you? At the end of the day, this is just an excuse to avoid the internship! I'm telling you, it's impossible! Family law is not something you can challenge. If you persist in being stubborn, don't blame me for enforcing it!"
It was a thorough threat, an ultimatum delivered to Feng Lin.
Feng Lin's face was as heavy as water, a genuine sense of oppression weighing on him. This decaying family was so rigidly hierarchical it was suffocating. The family law's clauses wrapped around him like chains, offering no freedom, making him want to flee immediately. And now, the head steward wouldn't even give him a chance to bet, clearly pushing him to the brink!
The head steward watched his helpless, despairing face with satisfaction, nodding approvingly. Everything was under his control.
"It's not that I'm not giving you a chance! If you want to escape the internship, it's simple!" His eyes suddenly flickered with interest as he spoke, anticipating Feng Lin's reaction—would it be despair? Despair? Or despair!
"How?" Feng Lin asked in a low voice, not believing the head steward was being kind. The conditions were bound to be outrageously harsh. But for his future, no matter how difficult, he had to try.
"Two ways! One is to become a true interstellar cultivator before going to the factory internship. Then the family will fully support you in preparing for the Starry University exams. The other is to compensate the family for raising you—a million star coins—and you can leave the family and gain freedom!" the head steward said with a malicious grin.
"What?" Feng Lin's expression darkened. There were only three weeks left until the factory internship; becoming an interstellar cultivator in that time was impossible. And the other option—a million star coins for upbringing fees—where would he get that kind of money? Wasn't this robbery? Besides, as a low-ranking clansman, what had the family provided him since childhood? Low-grade nutrient fluid, low-grade nutrient fluid, and more low-grade nutrient fluid! Did that cost a million star coins? That was the biggest joke under heaven!
Seeing Feng Lin silent for a long time, the head steward's smile turned ice-cold. "No cultivation! No money? Then what right do you have to negotiate with me? Do you think the family is a charity? We raised you with hard work, and you want to be an ungrateful wretch dodging responsibility? You have two choices now: either go to your post obediently, or pay the upbringing fees. Otherwise, don't even mention it!"
He laughed coldly, savoring Feng Lin's unwilling yet helpless face of despair.
Feng Lin pressed his lips together, unwilling to give up. He knew he couldn't back down, or he'd never have a chance to turn things around.
"I refuse!" Though he knew the consequences would be dire, Feng Lin gave his answer. At this point, he had no way out.
"What?" The Feng Lang beside him was genuinely stunned. This guy was asking for death! The head steward had made it clear there was no possibility, yet he still didn't back down. How could the head steward let him off? Feng Lang could already see Feng Lin's miserable fate.
And things were heading exactly that way.
"Say that again?" The head steward's face darkened instantly, and a dense aura rose from him, solidifying into a tangible pressure that bore down on Feng Lin. The overwhelming force from before returned—if it had been a small hill earlier, now it was like Mount Tai crashing down.
Feng Lin strained to keep his spine straight, refusing to bend.
Creak, creak.
His spine groaned under the strain, as if it might snap. A man's spine couldn't break; once it did, he'd never stand tall again. Feng Lin's face was full of suppressed anger, his hands clenched tightly, nails digging into his palms until blood dripped. This so-called tyranny couldn't crush him!
Was this the power of an interstellar cultivator? What was his vitality—10? 20? Or even more... He had never felt so weak, so desperate for strength. But alas, he lacked time and opportunity. Before he could truly grow strong, the pressure of fate was already upon him. Otherwise, why would he suffer such humiliation? He would have overturned everything with his fists!
Seeing that he still refused to yield, the head steward finally lost patience. With a casual wave, a fierce gust of wind swept out, sending Feng Lin flying like a sandbag, powerless to resist. He slammed heavily into the metal wall and collapsed to the ground.
"Guards! Feng Lin has defied family law. Confine him for a week! If he does it again, forcibly escort him to the family factory!" the head steward said coldly. Though he deemed Feng Lin guilty, it wasn't a capital offense, so he gave what he considered the harshest punishment.
The door opened silently, and three burly men in black strode in, their expressions hostile. This was the family's enforcement squad, each with a vitality above 3.0, their demeanor fierce as they encircled Feng Lin with sneers.
Feng Lin staggered to his feet, let out a low shout, and shook off their arms. "I don't need you! I can walk on my own!"
With that, he cast a disdainful glance at the head steward and walked out with his head held high, never once bending his spine.
The Feng Lang beside him was stunned speechless. What a man!
The head steward stared coldly at Feng Lin's retreating figure, his face iron-hard and emotionless, as if looking at a dead thing. Without becoming an interstellar cultivator, trying to defy the family and break the law? Dream on! He slowly rubbed his palm, fingers curling as if grasping, like the Five Finger Mountain of the Tathagata Buddha.
Feng Lin was like the monkey in his palm—no matter how he struggled...
He couldn't overturn the heavens!