A Talent in Two Decades

The host raised an eyebrow as Ria Zhang dropped her paper inside the box. There was indeed a rumor that Master Feng has already chosen his disciple. But any other information about it was tightly guarded. In a sea of five thousand people competing for the grand prize, the woman in the black hoodie was the first to finish. Is she the one? He asked himself.

Lulu leapt on her feet as soon as Ria Zhang took a step out of the building. Other people turned around as they noticed her. "Young Miss! How was it?"

Ria Zhang crossed her arms. "I'm hungry. Can we grab some snacks first?"

Lulu's mouth twitched before nodding. Indeed, her Young Miss was a certified glutton. "We can only settle with a cheap restaurant, Young Miss," she whispered while she looked around, her eyes were wary.

Although no one recognized Sierra Co because of her outfit, one cannot be too complacent.

Ria Zhang rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she murmured before walking out of the vicinity.

The cheap restaurant Lulu referring to can be found along the road. Inside the restaurant were five pairs of wooden chairs with tables in between. The whole restaurant was made of wood including the roof.

It gave the patron an intimidating yet homey feeling. When they took a step towards the door, the area was deserted. A thin man smiled towards them as he ushered them inside.

"Good afternoon, esteemed guests. Please, have a seat," he greeted them.

Ria Zhang smiled tightly. "Good afternoon. Give us your bestseller," she told him.

"Right away, miss," the man left them shortly.

Lulu glanced around. The place was not that far from the Feng Royal Cultural Hall. In fact, it only took them less than one hundred steps. Why was it that no one paid a visit?

"Coz it's too shabby for their taste," Ria Zhang remarked when she noticed Lulu's gaze.

"It looks decent for me, Young Miss," Lulu responded after a while, curious on how Sierra Co knew what on her mind was.

"The people who are attracted to wealth will have a hard time recognizing a true gem. Always remember that," Ria Zhang explained patiently.

Lulu nodded as she listened to Sierra Co. The both of them didn't notice the oman who entered the premises and occupied the seat next to them.

When Lulu accidentally drop her handkerchief, she bend down and reach for it. However, a wrinkled arm beat her to it. She looked at the owner of that hand and gasped.

"You dropped your handkerchief," the old man informed her as he extended his hand and put it in her hand.

Lulu nodded, her fingers fiddled the hem of her blouse. "T-Thank you," she stammered.

Ria Zhang's left hand was tapping the table as her right hand supported her chin. Her eyes were trained outside that she was oblivious to the surroundings.

If she was paying attention, Ria Zhang would know that it was the same old man she met at the tea garden not long ago.

Although Lulu was Sierra Co's personal maid, she was still updated of current events and people who should not be offended. The old man was none other than Master Feng.

Master Feng trained his eyes towards the woman who did not even glance at him. If ever she won the competition, he was wondering if she would be more arrogant and audacious. He shook at his head at the thought and walked towards the far corner of the place.

At the training room of Feng Royal Cultural Hall, all one can hear was the typing of keyboards and occasional shuffling of seats. More than twenty persons were inputting the results of the preliminary round.

The results were based on the pre-installed algorithm provided by the Yun Industries. The mother computer inside the training room will select the best pieces among the rest. After they have been selected, the panel will check the poems to make sure that the results were correct.

There were ten members of the panel coming from the literature world. Some are award winning writers while some have ventured in the media industry. The panel changed every year with the exception of Master Feng who was the head. The newest member of the panel was the winner of Best Novel held in Europe.

In the adjacent room, the ten members of the panel were sitting in the U-shaped table. All wore serious expression.

"Say, do you think the person Master Feng has chosen will pass this round?" A man with spectacles asked no one in particular.

The winner of the Best Novel shrugged. "If he or she was chosen, then no doubt. That person will enter the finals."

Almost everyone nodded. Who is Master Feng anyway? He can produce a superstar out of nothing.

The door opened, revealing a man. In his hands were bundle of folders. "Good afternoon, honorable judges. We're sorry to keep you waiting," he explained as he walked towards the table.

"Was there some glitches?" A woman wearing a peach blouse asked. This was the first time they waited beyond the allotted time.

The man scratched the back of his head. "There was none. We j-just—"

The woman raised her eyebrow. "You just what?"

"See for yourself," the man told them before distributing the folders.

Every one reached for the folder. The gleam of eagerness in their eyes cannot be concealed. As they flips the pages, no sound was heard except their shallow breathing.

The woman brought her hand over her mouth, suppressing a groan. Her eyes widened in surprise as she read the contents.

Is this work of the chosen person? She asked inwardly.

"Too early to tell," someone broke the silence.

Mr. Best Novel laughed. "Regardless, we cannot deny the fact that this person is a rare talent."

"Indeed. Who would have thought that a talent will appear after two decades?"

"Seems like someone will soon follow the footsteps of Dana Hu," another man remarked.

The man at the center of the U-shaped table stood up. "About time. The Phoenix Palace has been vacant for the longest time," he said.

"That's just so unfair. What if he's a guy? Phoenix Palace is so awkward," another one commented.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Then you can just name it as Dragon Palace."

The room erupted in laughter when they heard the remark.