Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

"What more is there to ask? You're lucky to even stay on the team as a substitute. Who apart from you would shamelessly stay on the team when they are not qualified to?" interrupted Mu Tingying.

Mu Ningxue completely treated Mu Tingying like air.

Mu Tingying's eyes flickered furiously. However, she soon gloated over Mu Ningxue when she remembered that a piece of news would soon be delivered to her.

Mu Ningxue looked at the advisors and asked in a serious voice, "The people who perform well in the National Training Hall have a chance to be promoted to representatives of the national team. I want to ask if I may be appointed as a defender at the National Training Hall after I leave the team?"

The advisors were stunned by the question. Normally, the members who were disqualified would leave for good. After all, it was rather humiliating to stay around.

"Well..." Feng Li was troubled. He had never seen any member willing to become a defender at the National Training Hall after being disqualified from the team.

The defending team at the National Training Hall was basically the second team. To be blunt, they were the reserved substitutes for the national team. Their purpose was to allow some friendly matches between students of different countries prior to the final showdown in Venice. However, the national teams would not be dueling one another before Venice. Otherwise, the final battle in Venice would be meaningless!

Similar to Japan, China also had defenders at the National Training Hall. Whenever teams from other countries came to China for training, they would have to acquire the stamp from China's National Training Hall. Those who failed to acquire the stamps would receive fewer resources, and only the teams with a certain number of stamps could compete in the final round at Venice.

As such, many countries would be disqualified during the training phase.

However, achievements during the training phase were basically undisclosed. As such, most factions did not see any value in the defenders.

It was a surprise to everyone that Mu Ningxue wanted to be a defender.

"It seems like you're quite determined!" Feng Li finally showed a hint of admiration.

"May I?" asked Mu Ningxue.

"Of course, you are more than qualified to be a defender, but you have to know that everyone on the team has reached the Advanced Level. Your chance of coming back will be grim if you are unable to overcome your current bottleneck. Also, everyone on the team will continue to improve, especially the official members on the national team. Do you really think you have a chance of coming back?" asked Feng Li.

Mu Ningxue did not answer. She had no idea if she could make it back to the team, but if she were to leave now, she would definitely be overtaken by the others.

As a matter of fact, she could leave the team with pride. She could easily become a reputable Magician in society. She would surely be able to live a freer, more comfortable life as she wished...

However, she knew she was going to regret it in a few years, and would be living in remorse forever.

Her goals were no longer the same. What she really wanted was to continue to overcome her limits and stand at the top of the Magic Society, not for her own sake, but for her declined and shattered family.

"Alright, I'm looking forward to seeing your impressive performance at the National Training Hall," Feng Li nodded.

Everyone looked at Mu Ningxue. Most people felt sorry for her.

They were clearly aware of Mu Ningxue's contributions to the team, either it be the fight against the Scarlet Rending Demon, or risking her life to save Jiang Shaoxu and Nanrong Ni. They had all seen her sincerity, and if she was not a substitute, the resources from the advisors would be hers, too.

Unfortunately, luck was not on her side.

Mu Ningxue had already packed her stuff. The rest of the meeting was no longer her concern. She returned to her room, and waited to return to her country with the advisors.

----

Sitting at the edge of the bed, Mu Ningxue subconsciously lowered her gaze. She was able to stay calm just then, but when she was alone in her room, she felt miserable.

It had been ten years, she had earned the approval of the people in the Mu Clan through her hard work, and became the person with the highest chance of making it to the national team... but she never thought she would leave the team like this.

When she recalled how the members of her family had left or scattered to different places, she missed the little villa that was now destroyed in Bo City, the place where she was born, and how she could hide inside her room without any worry despite the terrifying storms and thunder outside.

Many things had changed over the past few years, and they had come too quick… Her cousin Cai Tang had died in the calamity of Bo City; Yu Ang was a member of the Black Vatican; and even her uncle Mu He was a leader in the Black Vatican. In just a night, all her family was brought into custody and interrogated. Even after they were proven innocent, they were still humiliated by people and society.

"Hello, Ningxue... I'm calling you because I heard..." Mu Zhuoyun's voice came from the phone.

"I was disqualified," answered Mu Ningxue softly.

"Oh, oh, don't feel too sad, it's within expectation… by the way, if you're coming back, make sure to go back with the advisors. If you're taking a plane yourself, you might have some problems with your identity," Mu Zhuoyun told her.

"I'm planning to go back with them. What happened?" asked Mu Ningxue when she realized something weird about Mu Zhuoyun's tone.

"Nothing, we'll talk when you're back."

"Tell me now," said Mu Ningxue.

"Well… you should use your mother's surname from now on, it's not bad," said Mu Zhuoyun, who was having a hard time spilling the beans.

Mu Ningxue was startled. She almost asked for the reason subconsciously, but she could not say a word after she realized the truth.

Have they really gone that far? To even force them to change their surnames?

"How about you?" Mu Ningxue withheld the stabbing pain in her heart.

"I...It's fine, I'll be Zhuoyun."

"How about the others?"

"Oh, they still have other relatives, so they will be seeking refuge from them. It's just changing our names, nothing too important. I was also furious at the start, but on second thought, changing our names might be a good thing for us. Otherwise, wherever we go… oh, it's not that serious either. Anyway… it's fine as it is," Mu Zhuoyun was talking incoherently.

The truth was, it was extremely humiliating for a man in his fifties to change his surname, not to mention he had to relay the message to his family himself.

Mu Zhuoyun had told the others, but he was struggling to tell Mu Ningxue. The sense of failure and helplessness simply urged him to jump from the tallest floor of the Mu Family's building and put an end to everything.

"I...I got it..." Mu Ningxue ended the call.

She took a deep breath. The air was sour. Her throat was stuck. She had the urge to tear it open with her hands!

Lowering her head, something was shaking vigorously in her eyes. The tears that she thought had completely dried up since the death of her mother flowed out.

However, she used the back of her hand to rub the tears when they were halfway down her cheeks, as if it was a disgrace to let the tears fall off her cheeks.