Unlike what Ace had anticipated, the registration process went surprisingly smoothly—almost too smoothly.
Just as he was mulling over it, Liu Mei tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft yet insistent.
"Master, I'm hungry," she mumbled, absentmindedly rubbing White Fur's soft coat.
Ace glanced down at her. "Shall we stop by an inn, then?"
Liu Mei scrunched her nose and shook her head. "Huh? No! I want chicken—your chicken, Master!"
Ace clicked his tongue. "Tch, fine. Let's book a place to stay first, and then I'll cook."
Satisfied, Liu Mei grinned, hugging White Fur tighter. "Yay! Master's chicken is the best!"
...
...
A week passed, and the long-awaited selection day finally arrived.
The tournament's structure was straightforward. All registered participants were divided into multiple groups based on the total number of applicants.
From each group, only the top contestants would advance to the quarterfinals, where the real competition would begin.
