Merlin's Domain?

The league was winding down, and the semifinal draw between Moye and Lianda had barely concluded before the Longyuan versus Qingjun schedule was announced.

This year's top four were packed with talent, so even a lackluster final couldn't be a total disaster. On top of that, the league's viewership had surged again this year, and the Sky Network League Center was buzzing with energy.

The tightly packed semifinal schedule served two purposes: keeping the audience hooked with back-to-back thrills, and buying enough breathing room to build hype for the grand finals.

"Let's see what map Moye and Lianda have drawn this time," Senior Colonel Ren said, clasping her hands. She was nervous too—map advantage mattered a lot this season. If Moye could pull a map that suited their combat style...

The draw result flashed up the next second:

[Moye vs Lianda: Space Fleet Racing]

A space map, of all things!

The venue erupted in murmurs, and the VIP seats didn't look pleased—Jinfang Taibai and the others had grim expressions.

"If I remember right, this is Tansen Meilin's specialty," Guan Chuanjun said with a frown. "What the hell is Sky Network trying to do?"

"They claim every year that it's fair and impartial, random map draws," Hei Yingzhi shook his head. "I say they've been customizing maps to crown champions for years now. Qike Meilin is impressive, sure, but everyone knows how Lianda got their three-peat. Forcing a legend like that—look at how far the viewership tanked last year. Our school was ready to drop out and stop playing along. It's only because a god descended from nowhere this year—Xu Lingqu—that they got their ass saved..."

"Could you keep your voice down when trash-talking Sky Network? Our miss is sitting right here," Jiang You muttered.

Hei Yingzhi stiffened and glanced at Jia Xiangying beside him.

Jia Xiangying used to care a lot about this kind of thing—she'd argue with everyone over Sky Network's issues.

But this time, no anger radiated from her. She just nodded. "Sky Network has been sliding downhill all these years because idiots have been running it."

She wasn't angry!

Emboldened, Jiang You joined the rant: "If I'm not mistaken, the racing segment sewn into this map is that ultra-dangerous space course the Merlin family has held the record on for ages."

Yun Yao nodded. "They might as well be handing the Merlin family a letter of fealty."

Jinfang Taibai leaned over. "What's a letter of fealty?"

"...Kind of like a bribe? I've heard my great-grandmother say it—she always uses these weird phrases," Yun Yao recalled. Last time, it was also her great-grandmother who'd mentioned the Three Heroes vs. Chen Bu, and she never explained that either.

"Xu Lingqu doesn't necessarily lose. She can win if she manages to take down Tansen Meilin in the combat phase before the race," Jia Xiangying said, watching Xu Lingqu on the big screen, who showed no reaction to the draw result.

Sin City had also looked like a natural win for Dolanston, but everyone had seen how that turned out.

Xu Lingqu showed no reaction to the map at all. She and Tansen Meilin stepped away from the draw machine, making room for Gu Tingzhi and Jia Xianglan.

Tansen Meilin, meanwhile, could barely contain his glee—his whole face lit up with unrestrained excitement.

Remembering how Xu Lingqu had just threatened to wipe out Lianda, he couldn't resist gloating right in front of her: "You've watched my matches, right? You should know my specialty is sky combat and space combat..."

"I don't really care," Xu Lingqu said, annoyed by his chatter. "And I don't want to care about what you're good at."

Tansen Meilin's smile froze on his face. "Do you even know what you're saying? As a commander, you don't study your opponent? Any qualified commander, no matter what, studies their enemy to plan around them. Are you really this arrogant, and saying it right to my face?"

If Xu Lingqu didn't give a damn about him, then what was all that time he'd spent before this match, pulling up her replays over and over, watching them with almost every waking hour except eating and sleeping?

His face flushed red, burning with humiliation and resentment.

But Xu Lingqu just stared back at him, utterly calm, like he was a madman putting on a solo act!

Realizing he'd made a fool of himself, Tansen Meilin quickly reined in his emotions. One sentence from Xu Lingqu had shattered his composure—he couldn't let that stand. He'd make her regret ignoring him in this map.

"You don't even know what the racing segment on this map is, do you?" Tansen Meilin stared at her darkly. "The most dangerous driving course in space—its record has stayed in the Merlin family's hands. Every generation of Merlins inherits and breaks it. Last year, I became the new record holder—two hours, thirty minutes, five point seven seconds. You don't need to know me; I know you. You're a freshman, you haven't systematically studied starships yet, right? Most of Moye's people are freshmen too..."

"What you don't know yet is this: this map is Lianda's territory. My territory," Tansen Meilin said, flashing what he thought was a dazzling smile.

Xu Lingqu's gaze had already drifted to the draw machine.

The Longyuan versus Qingjun map was up, and finally she could escape being stuck here listening to Tansen Meilin ramble.

[Longyuan vs Qingjun: Contaminated Zone]

With both maps revealed, the four semifinal commanders could disconnect and exit their competition pods.

Tansen Meilin had been ignored once again, and when he climbed out of his pod, his face was pale.

The Federation venue's audience exchanged uneasy glances at the sight of him. After the maps were announced, the Federation crowd had been thrilled—both draws favored the Federation's military academies.

Especially Lianda versus Moye: the racing record was in Tansen Meilin's hands, the match was about to start, and Xu Lingqu was still an ignorant freshman. Some spectators in the Federation stands had already popped their champagne early.

Wasn't this literally Tansen Meilin's domain?

Seeing the crowd, Tansen Meilin forced a smile onto his face. No matter what, he couldn't lose the Merlin family's poise—he was the new standard-bearer of the Merlin family, after all.

The smile came, and the spectators who'd been a little anxious were fully reassured, happily sipping their champagne.

Tansen Meilin clenched his fist hard. He'd make Xu Lingqu pay for ignoring him, for underestimating him!

Then again, once the match was over, if Xu Lingqu sincerely admitted her mistake and apologized, he could graciously forgive her...

With that thought, Tansen Meilin's mood lightened considerably. For this space battle, both chief commanders had to set their own starship configurations, and he'd already worked his out, so he headed straight to the League Center to submit it.

He couldn't wait for this match.