Chapter 95

Lifting his wrist to take a look, it was a message from the police chief of the district.

"Chief Li!"

Zhao Shude, like a drowning man clutching at the last straw, hurriedly said, "You came just in time. Right now, there are a large number of disabled veterans gathered at the entrance of Chixiao No. 2 High School. Please help me think of a solution!"

In the holographic screen, Chief Li wore a pair of crystal sunglasses, his expression as cold and stern as if he were made of steel. He said calmly:

"Principal Zhao, I am here to inform you that the Disabled Veterans Association will be holding a grand victory parade in front of your school for the next three days. This parade commemorates the victory of the 9907 Heights Counterattack 153 years ago. It was a hard-fought battle where an entire platoon of Federation soldiers fought bravely, repelling four attacks by seven beast monsters over the course of an afternoon!"

"The police have already approved the application for the victory parade, so this is a legal parade, protected by law!"

"Of course, if they cause noise disturbances, litter, damage plants, or even rush into the school causing any damage, your school can report it to the police, and we will handle it seriously. We will not show favoritism just because they are disabled veterans."

Zhao Shude was speechless and glanced out the window again.

There was no noise, no litter, nothing. Thousands of disabled veterans stood silently outside the school, like a frozen sea.

Silence can sometimes be a sound, a sound even more piercing than noise.

Zhao Shude opened his mouth but could not find the words. Even if he wanted the police to intervene, he needed a reason. Now, they were not hitting or cursing him; they were just standing outside, watching him intensely, and it was completely legal!

Zhao Shude was completely deflated and said dejectedly, "Chief Li, this is something we at Chixiao No. 2 High School did wrong. Please give us a way out!"

Chief Li sighed and said, "As a friend, I will give you a suggestion—find out who initially proposed Li Yao's suspension and have them come forward to explain to the Disabled Veterans Association. That should resolve the issue!"

"It won't be that simple!"

Zhao Shude thought to himself that if he really handed over the Helian father and son, these disabled veterans would tear them apart raw without even needing vinegar, leaving not a trace behind.

"Alright, I've said my piece. You do what you think is best. I'm off to work!"

Chief Li slowly stood up, calmly unbuttoned his deep blue police uniform, and opened an old, sealed leather box.

"Chief Li, you..."

Zhao Shude, at a loss, watched as the other man changed into a crisp black military uniform.

Chief Li removed his sunglasses, and a pair of mechanical eyes glowed red in his eye sockets.

He said, word by word, "I should have told you that I lost these eyes in the Beast Plains. I am also a member of the Disabled Veterans Association. Now that I'm off duty, I need to go to the victory parade. Goodbye!"

"Click!"

The holographic screen went black, cut off unilaterally.

Zhao Shude's facial muscles twitched wildly in the darkness, his lips trembling for a long time, unable to form a single coherent word.

Outside the window, it was deathly silent. The disabled veterans seemed to blend into the night, forming a black giant beast that completely devoured Zhao Shude's soul.

"Beep beep beep!" The micro-crystal brain vibrated again.

Zhao Shude, in a daze, did not want to deal with it, but the other party was persistent, the sound continuing without end.

Zhao Shude cursed and looked down, his whole body shivering.

He jumped up, first driving everyone out of the principal's office, locking the door, and then respectfully connecting the call, bowing and scraping, "Elder Zhou, hello!"

Zhou Yin seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, staring at Zhao Shude gloomily for a while before slowly saying:

"I'm not doing well. In just one hour, the stock price of the Chixiao Sect has dropped by more than four points, and there's no sign of it stopping. Do you know how much money has been evaporated?"

Zhao Shude trembled like a sieve.

Zhou Yin, expressionless, continued, "Also, I recommended a wife of a Core Formation cultivator to buy 200,000 shares of the Chixiao Sect yesterday. This cultivator has considerable influence in the northeast, and I've been communicating with him for over two years. I was very likely to persuade him to make a significant investment in the Chixiao Sect, even becoming a guest elder. Now, he tells me he needs to reconsider the entire investment plan. Tell me, how do you think I feel?"

Zhao Shude's face turned pale, wishing he could faint.

Anger rose in his heart, and he gritted his teeth, "Elder Zhou, it all comes down to that little bastard Li Yao. He has caused so much trouble for the Chixiao Sect. We must get rid of him!"

"Fine, go ahead," Zhou Yin said coldly.

"Me? Elder Zhou, you know I'm just a teacher, not a combat cultivator..." Zhao Shude stuttered.

"Oh, so you're just a teacher. I thought you were some gangster boss with all that murderous intent... Zhao Shude, do you even have a brain?"

Zhou Yin's eyes bulged, and he roared, "Do you think you're some ancient cultivator from 40,000 years ago? Killing people left and right? Do you not know that the Federation has laws? Do you not know that cultivators who commit crimes are punished more severely? Do you not know that countless eyes are watching us? Do you not know that there are eight elders in the Chixiao Sect, and the other seven are waiting to see my downfall? If Li Yao really has an accident, even without the secret police, a pig could figure out it was us! Do you want to ruin me and the Chixiao Sect completely?"

Zhao Shude was so terrified that he dared not say a word.

Zhou Yin grew angrier, his fingers almost poking through the holographic screen, pointing at Zhao Shude's nose, "Use your brain! The Chixiao Sect is a law-abiding and prestigious sect. There is still a way to salvage this situation, but if it gets tied to a murder case, especially the murder of a disabled veteran, it will be the end! You like killing so much, why don't you join the demonic path and become a demon cultivator? If killing wasn't illegal, the Sect Master would have killed me long ago, and before he did, I would have torn you apart, you pig!"

"I, I—" Zhao Shude's face was a picture of woe, not knowing what to do.

Zhou Yin's gaze was like a tiger's, staring at him fiercely.

It seemed to pierce through space, digging two holes in Zhao Shude's chest.

After a full minute, Zhou Yin gritted his teeth and said, "Forget it, it's no use talking about this now. In any case, someone has to take the fall for this mess. Who do you think should be responsible? You, me, or Helian Ba?"

Zhao Shude was taken aback and quickly said:

"Elder Zhou, I actually know very little about this. The whole thing was orchestrated by Helian Ba behind my back. You know, the Helian family has considerable power in Fuguo City. Although he is just a board member, many people are willing to give him face. It's easy for him to bypass me and do some underhanded things. And Elder Zhou, you are so busy with your work, it's possible you were misled by him."

Zhou Yin's expression finally improved, and he nodded, "Hmm, that sounds more like a human statement. Think about the details carefully. I still need to explain to the Sect Master. Think it through! By the way, the old Ding at the Chixiao Sect's Seventh Primary School is retiring next month. After he's gone, you can take over as the principal of the primary school!"

"Ah?"

"What, not willing? How about the kindergarten? The Ninth Kindergarten still needs a deputy principal. You can go there?"

"No, no, no, the Seventh Primary School, the Seventh Primary School is good!"

Zhao Shude, pale with fear, stammered. Looking at the holographic screen, he found that Zhou Yin had already cut off the communication.

Zhao Shude stood there for a moment, his face changing rapidly. Suddenly, he stomped his foot hard, shattering several floor tiles.

"Helian Ba, Helian Lie—may you both die!"

...

Most of Fuguo City was shaken by the victory parade, but the source of the entire incident, Li Yao, who was at the center of the storm, was still completely unaware.

On the open ground outside the "Chao Yang New City" low-rent housing complex, he was surrounded by layers of people, forming a massive human whirlpool.

Not all of them were journalists and officials; there were also a large number of admissions officers from the "Nine Greats."

Fuguo City was a major cultivation center of the Federation, and every year during the college entrance exam, the "Nine Greats" would send a large number of admissions officers to the city.

However, in previous years, their work was relatively easy because most promising candidates were discovered in the "Ultimate Challenge Competition" and had already signed contracts with the "Nine Greats." They only needed to execute the contracts after the exam.

This year, however, a miracle occurred. Li Yao, the darkest of dark horses, emerged and became the top scorer in Fuguo City's college entrance exam. After a few minutes of shock, the admissions officers realized—Li Yao had not signed a contract with any university.

Li Yao was still a free agent, and he could choose any university!

This made all the admissions officers go wild. They frantically sent urgent requests to their respective universities and stumbled over each other to rush to the Miners' Children High School, surrounding Li Yao and refusing to budge.

What was the most important thing in the 40,000th generation of cultivators? Cultivation geniuses!

"Li Yao, please choose our Nebula University. I just got approval from the school to waive all tuition and fees!"

"Li Yao, our school not only waives tuition but also offers a substantial scholarship!"

"Li Yao, consider our Federal First Military Academy. As soon as you enroll, you will have the status of an officer. After graduation, you can directly join the Federation Army with at least the rank of major!"

Seeing the fierce and menacing looks of the numerous admissions officers, Li Yao got goosebumps and kept saying:

"Excuse me, teachers, all your offers are very attractive, but I need to think about it. Can you let me go home and think for a few days before making a decision?"

"Of course not!" The admissions officers shook their heads vigorously.

What a joke! They were all experienced professionals who knew each other's dirty tricks.

If they let Li Yao go home now, someone would sneak in by midnight and make a private deal with him. Some might even use underhanded tactics like the beauty trap.

Li Yao, a young man full of passion, might get carried away and agree.

Since that was the case, it was better to stay here and openly compete, putting all the conditions on the table.

Li Yao was at a loss, scratching his head, not knowing how to get rid of these people.

At that moment, a dusty flying shuttle car roared to a stop. Even before the cabin door opened, a powerful aura shook the entire scene.

An expert was here!

The cabin door opened, and a purple-robed old man slowly flew out, his face showing a hint of regret, landing in front of Li Yao.

It was Professor Xie Tingxian, the equipment refinement expert from Deep Sea University!

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