[Time: Three Months After Chen Kong Challenged the Martial Arts Tower]
[Top Floor of Luxury Hotel, Martial Arts Capital]
The morning sun sliced through the clouds, passing through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window and landing on Tendo standing beside it.
He stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the Central Kirin Tower that pierced the clouds in the distance.
The tower's body shimmered with a faint golden Star Energy glow, its spire hidden in the clouds, like a gigantic pillar connecting heaven and earth, dominating the center of the Martial Arts Capital.
And this colossal tower is not only the landmark of Martial Arts Capital but also the 'starting landmark' for the Starry Sky Ladder qualification selection—the pivotal event signaling the formal beginning of the plotline for The Brilliance of the Stars.
"Tendo, time's about up. We should get going."
Caroline's voice came from behind Tendo.
She was now dressed in a silver-grey uniform, a tactical tablet clipped to her waist, its screen paused on the 'Qualification Match Procedure' interface.
Hearing her reminder, Tendo turned and walked out of the hotel.
"Let's go."
Soon, Tendo and Caroline got into a vehicle that looked ordinary but was actually arranged by the Star Emissary Association. It drove them directly to the core area of the Martial Arts Capital—the Kirin District.
[Outside the Heavenly Martial Kirin Tower, Martial Arts Capital]
As the camera switched, an ordinary-looking hovercar slowly stopped at the edge of the plaza surrounding the Heavenly Martial Kirin Tower.
As the heart of the Martial Arts Capital, the plaza outside the Kirin Tower was paved with special Star Energy slabs, allowing those walking on it to feel a subtle energy feedback with every step.
The car door opened, and Tendo and Caroline stepped out.
Following the pair's line of sight, thousands of people were gathered in the massive plaza.
These people had varied appearances: there were middle-aged individuals in vintage martial arts attire, their knuckles covered in calluses, indicating years of constant training.
There were young people wearing high-tech glasses, miniature Star Energy devices twirling around their fingertips, clearly Star Emissaries of the Mechanist type.
Regardless of their appearance, every single person here possessed the strength of at least a Level 2 Star Emissary.
Those with stronger Star Energy fluctuations, like Tendo, had reached 'Level 3 Star Emissary.'
The sheer number of Star Emissaries gathered here indicated the extraordinary appeal of the event about to take place.
Caroline scanned the crowd, a flood of data rapidly crossing her retina.
After a moment, she turned to Tendo and said, "Level 2 Star Emissaries account for 67%, Level 3 Star Emissaries 12%, and the rest are those who have concealed their level... About one-third more people than expected."
Tendo merely smiled at this.
"It doesn't matter; the result is the same anyway. After all, the number of people who can enter the tower is fixed."
"That is true."
Just after the two finished talking, the crowd suddenly stirred.
Before long, a young woman in a bright yellow reporter's vest approached Tendo, holding a microphone.
Trailing behind her was a peculiar-looking 'cameraman.'
The latter's head was a silver professional camera lens, and its body was entirely constructed of metal.
A sign hanging on its chest that read 'Qualification Match Contestant No. 0879' indicated that besides being a cameraman, it was also one of the participants in this qualification selection.
Under Tendo's gaze, the reporter and the humanoid camera approached Tendo and Caroline with strange expressions.
Although she had already received the script and Tendo's profile from her 'Editor-in-Chief,'
Upon seeing Tendo in person, the reporter, Ms. Hannah, couldn't help but be impressed.
Tendo's appearance was already eye-catching, combined with his 'permanent theatrical version art style' and the aura of 'standing in a crowd yet seeming to be alone on a high perch,' he was a blatant 'camera killer' and very attention-grabbing.
"Sir, are you also a contestant participating in this Stars Sky Ladder qualification selection?"
As Ms. Hannah posed her question, the 'lens Star Emissary' behind her immediately adjusted the camera angle, aiming the lens at Tendo.
At the same time, it subtly activated the 'Star Energy Beautification' mode, making Tendo look softer on screen without altering the genuine data.
It was professionalism maximized.
Facing the reporter, whose voice carried a deliberate enthusiasm and whose microphone nearly touched his collar,
Tendo subtly turned his body to avoid the overly close microphone, displaying a perfectly calibrated 'gentle smile' and speaking with a modest tone.
"Yes, I suppose so. After all, I'm just a commoner with no background. It's only by luck that I get to participate in this rare event."
"A commoner?!"
The reporter played along with a gasp, looking utterly surprised as if she had discovered a 'new continent.'
The narrative of a grassroots underdog rising to the top is always a hot topic in any world.
Whether the grassroots status is genuine is completely irrelevant.
It only matters if the audience believes it is.
Following Tendo's lead, Hannah immediately pressed, "Sir, could you share your goal for these qualification matches?"
"The President recently mentioned that he would select some outstanding candidates from this ranking match to be trained as his personal disciples. You must be aiming for that, right?"
Hearing this, Tendo raised a hand to stroke his chin, his expression suggesting he thought seriously for a few seconds, then delivered his pre-prepared 'line.'
"I don't have much of a goal. I'll just do my best and let fate decide."
"After all, for commoner Star Emissaries like us, every step forward is already immense luck. Everyone is just living with effort, aren't we?"
Hearing this, Hannah's mouth, hidden from the camera, twitched slightly.
She knew very well how 'fake' Tendo's words were.
The man before her was the legendary NO. 1 of the Stars. Anyone could talk about luck, but not this guy.
Because every step he had taken to get where he was... involved no luck.
The humanoid camera behind Hannah seemed to know this too, as the indicator light on its metallic face flickered, as if stifling a laugh.
After regaining her composure, Hannah immediately continued acting out the 'script.'
"Then, may I ask you..."
Before Hannah could finish, Tendo subtly interrupted her, raising his hand to look at the ordinary digital watch he had specifically worn to fit his 'commoner persona.'
"Excuse me, the assessment is about to start. Perhaps we can chat another time?"
The reporter immediately understood, gave an 'OK' gesture to the camera, and reluctantly ended the interview.
Once Tendo turned and walked towards his assigned assessment area, she lowered her voice and said to the lens Star Emissary, "Jing, Tendo's acting is too good, isn't it? When he said 'commoner,' he didn't even flinch!"
In response, the lens Star Emissary's camera turned, answering with a cold, mechanical electronic voice: "In a sense, having no backing from any faction... he truly is just a 'commoner.'"
"Uh..."
Hannah pondered this, realizing it was actually true.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but look back in the direction Tendo had left, sighing, "I'd say the President has excellent judgment. This guy really fits our 'God-Creation Plan.'"
"There are already too many dissenting voices in the Association right now. It's time to bring in some fresh blood."
Hearing this, the lens Star Emissary thought for a moment, then calmly offered its analysis.
"It won't be that easy. After all, those people... won't easily relinquish the power they've obtained."
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