Sad Odd Zhuo

Wang Ling absolutely didn't want to be Lei Feng. He Bufeng had caused this incident himself, so he only had himself to blame. Wang Ling could have ignored it and chosen to walk away.

However, Father and Mother Wang had taught him from young that he had to have a bottom line in anything he did… leave a line in all things, in case of meeting again1. Even if He Bufeng was a delinquent, he was still in no way like that heinous bunch of Shadow Stream dog-headed humans2…

Hence, Wang Ling left his school jacket, a decision he made even after considering overall the relationship between the two schools. Everyone knew that the relationship between No. 59 High School and No. 60 High School wasn't very good.

But then, when would the cycle of revenge end?

Wang Ling didn't know whether a single school jacket could change anything, but he thought it was worth a try.

After all, even Director Xie, the most difficult person to deal with in No. 59 High School, had been ensnared by Old Antique. Anything was possible…

...

In No. 59 High School, someone's ass and balls were turning blue from the wind.

Elsewhere, in the office of the General Administration of 100 Schools, Odd Zhuo was feeling very sad today.

Odd Zhuo, who had become Deputy Director of the General Administration of 100 Schools at a young age, was the envy of outsiders, but no one knew the considerable pressure which he was under.

On one side, this pressure came from his superior.

The General Administration of 100 Schools was in charge of all the cultivation schools, even kindergartens, in Songhai city. All the major district education offices were subject to its directives. And above the General Administration of 100 Schools sat the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools, which was under the direct jurisdiction of Secretary Sun Dakang, a member of the central government.

The position of Deputy Director wasn't big or small. However, in Odd Zhuo's opinion, sitting in this position was just like prostituting himself… the benefits all went to the Director while he was the one who answered the phone calls in the office. Pressure from his superior directly led to work pressure, which made him feel that his life was miserable.

On the other side, the pressure also came from Odd Zhuo himself.

He was well aware of the reason why he had been able to become Deputy Director. Additionally, what terrified him the most was how, at the annual meeting every year, a few of his drunk superiors would insist on dragging him over to perform the "Sky-Parting Sword Skill" that he had used to kill the sky-swallowing toad back then…

In short, sitting in this position of Deputy Director was very exhausting for him.

There was no shortage of parents who came to see him about their children entering school. The issue of their children's education was an important matter, so it was impossible for him not to help. Of course, there were also plenty of parents who discretely tried to give Odd Zhuo red packets, but he never accepted them.

He thought that although he wasn't quite at the level of a true, morally upstanding model worker, at least he was upright and honest… which was why he wanted to report his own superior for corruption and would face whatever consequences to come out of it. However, he didn't have a shred of evidence.

Furthermore, since the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Huaxiu nation's central government had issued the Eight Provisions and Six Bans, various leaders had begun to restrain themselves, no longer indulging in luxury and debauchery. Party banquets no longer even served dishes; leaders would take out abalone-flavored fasting pills from their pockets, pop them into their mouths, then start drinking tea and chatting…

Thus, it was more difficult now for Odd Zhuo to find proof.

...

No. 60 High School's defeat of the international, first-class assassin organization Shadow Stream had become a widely-discussed topic in society. With regard to the spirit sword exchange meet between No. 59 High School and No. 60 High School this time, the head office of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools had personally called Odd Zhuo to express fervent concern regarding the event.

Actually, the main issue was Lotus Sun's safety. After Shadow Stream's assassination attempt, rumor was that the big boss of Huaguo Water Curtain Group had directly called the central government… Odd Zhuo didn't know what they had specifically talked about. However, after that, the head office of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools had personally called Odd Zhuo to ask about all of Lotus Sun's movements at school.

Just that morning, he had personally answered a phone call from his senior.

Over the phone, he could guess what his senior wanted to talk about. It was very likely about the security issue.

This time, so many first-class Shadow Stream killers had died — there was no way they would give up so easily.

In the spirit sword exchange meet between the two schools, leaders of various status would be present. The more people there were, the higher the chance of something happening. Problems were bound to arise if there weren't any security measures in place. In fact, Odd Zhuo had had people carry out surveillance in the last two days, for fear of something going wrong. If this task wasn't dispatched satisfactorily, the first unlucky person in the line of fire would be him, as the Deputy Director who had ordered for this very important task to be carried out.

A receptionist and a scapegoat… it sounded pretty sad, but these truly were the problems which Odd Zhuo currently faced.

It wasn't just about work, but more about the current situation.

After he had gotten off the call with the head of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools in the morning, an unusual guest visited Odd Zhuo's office that afternoon.

The person was very tall, dressed stylishly in a black windbreaker and carrying a motorcycle helmet. He didn't look like anyone important at first, but the moment he pushed open the office door, Odd Zhuo was struck completely dumb as he almost started cursing in his heart. "Sec… Secretary Dakang?"

Sun Dakang, the Director of Huaxiu nation's Education Department and Secretary of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools… this old leader of unfathomable realm was a monumentally influential personage in Jinghua city.

Odd Zhuo hadn't had any direct contact with this legendary old leader before and had only seen him from afar at previous annual regular meetings.

Honestly speaking, he had only been able to recognize Sun Dakang's identity at first glance because he was so deeply impressed by the man.

Rumor had it that Secretary Sun Dakang was a very low-key person, and when Odd Zhuo saw him today, he could see it was true… god, a black windbreaker and a helmet — anyone who didn't know might take him for the food delivery man!

Sun Dakang put down his motorcycle helmet and didn't wait to be invited before he sat down in a guest chair with a faint sigh. "After so many years, this place… it really hasn't changed at all." His voice was magnetic and had that particular accent which older leaders used, giving his manner of speech a unique lingering charm.

Usually there were plenty of parents who visited the office, and the tea leaves which Odd Zhuo had on hand were running low. When he opened the tea canister and couldn't find anything good to offer, he immediately felt a little embarrassed.

Sun Dakang smiled at Odd Zhuo. "It's alright, Deputy Director Zhuo, green tea is fine. I turned up uninvited today, I hope Deputy Director Zhuo won't blame me for it."

Odd Zhuo hurried to offer Sun Dakang a cup of herbal tea. "How can Secretary Dakang say that… if there is a problem, a phone call would have sufficed."

"This telephone is the people's hotline, I don't have the right to use it." Sun Dakang laughed and said, "… So, I came to visit you myself today."

"If it's about Student Lotus Sun's safety, I have already made the arrangements. If Secretary Dakang is worried…"

"That's not the reason why I'm here today."

Sun Dazhong waved his hand. "With regard to Student Lotus Sun's safety, we are of course very confident in Deputy Director Zhuo's arrangements. Upper management is aware of Deputy Director Zhuo's contributions to the General Administration of 100 Schools in Songhai city in the last few years. If Deputy Director Zhuo hadn't personally made plans to protect No. 60 High School and defeated Shadow Stream a few days ago, I'm afraid that might have been the biggest terrorist attack we would have ever experienced in the history of education in our Huaxiu nation. If we didn't have Deputy Director Zhuo, who could predict what could have happened then!"

"…"

Odd Zhuo: "Then why has Secretary Dakang come to see me today?"

"No. 60 High School's spirit sword exchange meet will be held in two days. This time, I will be observing it on behalf of my superiors."

"…"

"It suddenly occurred to me yesterday that I hadn't informed anyone yet. It's not too late for me to come and report to Deputy Director Zhuo, is it? Of course, it's fine for only Deputy Director Zhuo to know of this matter and to give me another identity under the General Administration of 100 Schools when I take part in this event. If my real identity alarms too many people or causes a fuss, it'd be boring."

Sun Dakang spoke frankly and evenly, his expression mild. "In short… a low-key profile!"

"… Old leader, what are you talking about?"

Odd Zhuo wiped at his cold sweat and could already make the connection. Bloody hell, if this got out…

The school authorities of No. 59 High School and No. 60 High School would go crazy… and not just the school, local and even city-level leaders would be shocked…

Sun Dakang this name was really too famous.

Even without saying anything else, just hearing this name would make anyone shudder. This Secretary of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Schools was one of the ten renowned personages who had founded Huaxiu nation! He was a hero who had once fought bravely on the ancient cultivation battlefield, an old general who had made distinguished contributions to the creation of the Scientific Cultivation era!

Odd Zhuo couldn't help feeling doubtful when he thought about this… such an esteemed person actually wanted to attend a spirit sword exchange meet between two ordinary high schools?

He felt it was really too inconceivable!

"Apart from this, there was one other thing."

Sun Dakang took a sip of tea. "I wonder whether Deputy Director Zhuo still remembers the demon rampage that happened six years ago?"

"…"

At the mention of that incident six years ago, Odd Zhuo felt a faint sense of foreboding.