Chapter 1 Repose in the Capital

Hua Xia, Imperial Capital City, in a company break room.

Jiang Xiao sat in a chair, head down, playing with his phone—or rather, looking at photos on his Weibo account.

It was a group photo of the four of them on the podium at Allianz Arena in the Federal States of Will, taken a week prior. The Hua Xia Imperial Capital quartet were holding up the trophy.

The four of them were about the same height, except for Gu Shi'an, who was a bit taller, making it slightly awkward...

Each with a hand on the trophy, the team of four raised the Star Warrior World Cup high, hoisting what was practically the highest honor in the world.

After looking for a long while, Jiang Xiao swiped his finger down, browsing the comments from his fans:

"Little Pi, Little Pi, should I call you a double champion or a triple champion?"

"Little Pi, Little Pi, should I call you the king of kings, or a sausage?"

"He's only 19 years old, such honor, it's worth dying for, right..."

"I'm telling you, it's because you guys didn't believe in Pi the God last time, or else we'd have four championships by now! There are too few people who recognize talent like me..."

"The perfect combination of hindsight and flattery! I'm laughing~"

...

"Jiang Xiao." A voice came.

"Hmm?" Jiang Xiao turned his head and saw Han Jiangxue, dressed in the national team uniform, standing at the door, waving at him. "It's time for the shoot."

"Ah..." Jiang Xiao grimaced, looking quite distressed.

A hint of a smile appeared on Han Jiangxue's face as she said, "Hang in there, this is the last promotional video, then we can go home."

Since returning to China, Jiang Xiao and the others had spent the past week cooperating with the Star Warrior Association to film promotional videos and participate in events. Now, they were cooperating with the Imperial Capital Star Warrior University to film more.

But cooperating with the Star Warrior World Cup promotion wasn't without its benefits.

The quartet had each received Star Bead rewards and cash bonuses.

Jiang Xiao's cash reward was doubled, totaling two million, and there was also a "Distinguished Star Warrior Student" award, which came with an additional three million bonus.

According to the official explanation, this was a reward for his consecutive championships and a commendation for the positive impact he had brought to China through his significant influence during the World Cup.

This award was specially created this year and hadn't existed before. The trophy for the Distinguished Star Warrior Student was exquisite—a small golden figure with its head bowed and right fist raised.

The pose of this little golden figure... was obviously Jiang Xiao's response to the thunderous cheers of the audience while warming up on the sidelines before the team finals began.

The trophy was modeled after Jiang Xiao's original pose!

From this perspective, Jiang Xiao's influence was undeniable.

But Jiang Xiao didn't understand why this pose was approved. Raising a fist was fine, but lowering your head?

Jiang Xiao couldn't figure it out, he really didn't know where the official limits of approval were.

So... raising a fist represents struggle and unyielding spirit, while bowing the head represents humility and peace?

As a literary figure, Jiang Xiao could find many reasons and excuses.

The Star Atlas in Jiang Xiao's inner vision didn't acknowledge this sudden "Distinguished" award and didn't grant any skill points.

On the day the team won the championship, Jiang Xiao only received the "Match Victory 100 points" and "Championship 3000 points" he deserved. Judging from the rewards given by the Star Atlas in his inner vision, the team competition was far more important than the individual competition.

The individual championship was only worth a thousand points, but the team championship was worth three thousand.

The embarrassing thing was that the team championship wasn't a consecutive one, so there was no "consecutive championship" bonus of three thousand points.

The unexpected surprise was... the Star Atlas in his inner vision gave him a "Grand Slam" honor!

"Grand Slam! Skill Points +3000!"

At this point, the number of skill points in Jiang Xiao's Star Atlas in his inner vision had reached .

In terms of Star Beads, the World Cup champion reward distributed to Jiang Xiao and the others was the Star Bead from the unique Other Dimension Space of the Federal States of Will - the Fairy Tale Forest.

Except for Han Jiangxue, who received 3 "Black Void's End" Star Beads, the others' rewards were all from the Fairy Tale Forest.

In terms of preciousness, the Star Beads from the Fairy Tale Forest could indeed be considered a reward, after all, it was unique to the Federal States of Will, and this World Cup was held there. The World Star Warrior Association itself had provided three Black Void's End Star Beads, so of course, they also wanted the Federal States of Will to bleed a little.

But... to be honest, Jiang Xiao looked down on it.

Jiang Xiao received 5 "White-Robed Star Beads", which possessed the three auxiliary aura-type Star Techniques of Swiftness, Vigor, and Purification, and were also single-target Thin Mist Auras.

Xia Yan received 5 "Little Red Riding Hood Star Beads".

Strictly speaking, what Jiang Xiao and Xia Yan received were auxiliary Star Beads for both medical and battle professions. It didn't matter for the medical profession, but for the battle profession, such auxiliary Star Beads were very rare.

Everyone had obtained them in the Fairy Tale Forest before and knew these Star Techniques well.

Gu Shi'an received 5 "Little Blue Riding Hood Star Beads", which could be called the top-tier Star Technique for shield warriors worldwide. An ordinary person would be ecstatic to receive them.

Unfortunately, Jiang Xiao wasn't an ordinary person. He had already raised the team's standards to the level of the "Dragon Cave". This world-class "Platinum" Star Technique could only be said to be barely satisfactory, after all, Little Blue Riding Hood Star Beads were indeed suitable for Gu Shi'an.

After returning to China, Jiang Xiao also returned the 2 Little Blue Riding Hood and 1 Big Iron Riding Hood Star Beads that the others had previously obtained in the Fairy Tale Forest to Gu Shi'an.

At this point, Gu Shi'an had 7 Little Blue Riding Hood Star Beads, hoping that he could absorb "Fall of the Gods" and "Twilight of the Gods" after upgrading to the Star Sea stage.

The World Cup rewards were jointly given by the World Star Warrior Association and the Federal States of Will, while the Hua Xia side, the National Star Warrior Association's rewards to the quartet, were a massive outlay!

3 Void Woe Shadow Star Beads for each person!

It wasn't that Void Woe Shadow Star Beads weren't valuable or were common, but that Hua Xia wanted to focus on cultivating these four people!

Similarly, Jiang Xiao was very depressed, because Void Woe Shadow Star Beads really weren't much to him...

Of course, if he said this, Jiang Xiao would be scolded to death.

But there was no way, the fact was right here, Jiang Xiao, Er Wei, and Han Jiangxue had practically farmed the Void Woe Shadow Star Beads to death in the Void Other Dimension Space, and even farmed a double-space Star Technique for one of his clones!

Now, in Jiang Xiao's Woe Shadow World, piles and piles of Woe Shadow Scarecrows were still standing there~

Well, it's not that your Star Beads aren't precious, it's just that I, the Toxic Milk King, am too rich...

Alright, let's keep them. Anyway, the Bait's qualifications are low. If I farm another double-space Star Technique Bait in the future, even if Jiang Xiao has hundreds of Star Beads in stock, they would indeed disappear in an instant...

On the National Star Warrior Association's side, Jiang Xiao also pulled off a sly move.

That was... Jiang Xiao asked for the World Cup champion trophy from the previous session!

Um...

The people at the National Star Warrior Association were dumbfounded!

When Jiang Xiao came to deliver the trophy to the exhibition room last time, he asked if he could take the champion trophy away.

The National Star Warrior Association's staff's reply was very clever: "The exhibition period is six months in total. After six months, you can take the trophy away, but look at your seniors, their trophies haven't been taken away and are still placed here."

And Jiang Xiao's response at the time was also very domineering: "Give it to me, they probably forgot to take it, I'll send it back to them..."

This time, Jiang Xiao brought the team competition champion trophy and the individual competition champion trophy, exchanged the old for the new, handed over two, and took one back.

The people at the National Star Warrior Association didn't know what to say, the regulations were indeed the regulations, but...

But you really took it?

Don't you have any shame?

Jiang Xiao said: I already have enough shame! If I really had no shame, I'd take all the trophies in this exhibition room with me!

Of course, taking other people's trophies was useless. Jiang Xiao still liked the ones he obtained himself.

His insistence on taking back the trophy was also a small act of hoarding.

In the Woe Shadow World, he already had a particularly safe and stable home. In Jiang Xiao's stone villa, there was also an exhibition room.

In the glass boxes in the exhibition room, were all the badges and certificates of merit for reclamation and Night Watch. If he put a golden Star Warrior World Cup inside, the colors would immediately come to life!

Don't you pay attention to the "color, aroma, and taste" when you cook? Sweet red peppers aren't spicy, but they enhance the color!

Look at that Night Watch medal, so silver!

Look at that Wasteland Fire medal, um... sparks of fire!

And look at this Star Warrior World Cup, so gold!

...

The quartet finally finished filming the promotional video with the Imperial Capital Star Warrior University and could be considered to be on vacation.

The Imperial Capital Star Warrior University's rewards hadn't been distributed yet and would have to wait until the school year started in September, but Jiang Xiao didn't have any expectations.

With only one month of vacation left, Jiang Xiao and the others asked for leave from the Reclamation Army, preparing to accompany Gu Shi'an back to his hometown.

The person who asked for leave was naturally Han Jiangxue.

Jiang Xiao could also ask for leave, but now Jiang Xiao didn't dare to call Qin Wangchuan, after all... Jiang Xiao had already spoken to Er Wei, and Er Wei was handling Xia Yan and Gu Shi'an's enlistment procedures for the Night Watch Army/Volunteer Corps.

"Yes, Instructor Qin." Han Jiangxue agreed softly, talking with Qin Wangchuan for nearly 10 minutes before hanging up, seemingly discussing many issues.

"How is it?" Jiang Xiao asked curiously.

Han Jiangxue looked at Jiang Xiao's appearance, reached out and rubbed his head: "You need a haircut."

Jiang Xiao scratched his head: "Uh..."

Han Jiangxue: "Get a short haircut, don't get a buzz cut."

Jiang Xiao said: "I'm fine with anything, isn't a buzz cut faster? The electric clippers go 'shua shua shua' and it's done. Let's not talk about this, what did Qin Wangchuan say to you?"

Han Jiangxue looked at Jiang Xiao with a smile, and said: "What do you think he could say?"

"Hehe." Jiang Xiao smiled. The soldiers under his command were too strong, enough to be on par with him in some aspects, and even surpassed him in some aspects. In addition, Qin Wangchuan's relationship with the siblings' parents, so Qin Wangchuan really couldn't say anything about this team.

Only... indulgence.

Han Jiangxue said: "He told us to return to the team on time when school starts. At that time, there will be a awarding ceremony for the Reclamation Apprentice Army."

Jiang Xiao: ???

Han Jiangxue thought about Qin Wangchuan's words, organized her language, and said: "This World Cup is a bit different. We not only represent the Imperial Capital Star Warrior University, but also the Reclamation Army, or rather, the Reclamation Apprentice Army.

In the 'Doomsday World Cup', people need to hear this, and Hua Xia Army also needs us to show such an image, and in the process of broadcasting the game, the host has repeatedly mentioned that the four of us are the Reclamation Army.

Therefore, for our team winning the World Cup championship, the Reclamation Apprentice Army is going to award us medals. Commend our contributions."

Jiang Xiao's face was astonished: "Holy crap?"

Han Jiangxue's palm had been resting on Jiang Xiao's head, originally studying what kind of hairstyle to leave, but upon hearing this sentence, her palm moved down, pinched Jiang Xiao's earlobe, and tugged hard.

"Hiss... eh? Eh?" Jiang Xiao bent over and lowered his head, following her strength. Her actions like this were rare. The last time she pulled Jiang Xiao's ear was about a year ago?

Han Jiangxue's face was reproachful, and she whispered: "Don't swear."

"Hehe." Beside them, Xia Yan was looking at this "Jiang Xiao Suffering Picture" with her hands behind her back, tilting her head, feeling very comfortable in her heart.

Jiang Xiao tried to pry open her palm, rubbed his ear, and said aggrieved: "I've won the individual World Cup championship twice! Plus the team championship with you guys, the Night Watch hasn't expressed anything at all!!! Why doesn't the Night Watch give me a medal!?"