Chapter 31 - The Anxious School Leaders
“Do you even realize what you're saying?”
Mi Hongbo's gaze bore into Lu Lixing, his face dark with fury. If Lu Lixing were to actually make it onto the Hidden Dragon Platform, it wouldn't just spell disaster for him; the entirety of Skyhaven's Forest Lake Academy would be doomed! The school board would certainly not let him off the hook.
It was common knowledge that any challenger who stepped onto the Hidden Dragon Platform was signing their own death warrant. The students who had faced injustice and chose this path weren't aiming for a spot at the Six Great Academies; their true intent was to pin the school and its leadership to the pillar of shame with their demise.
Looking back at the four previous Battles of the Hidden Dragon Platform, each challenger perished, but they succeeded in tarnishing the schools' reputations and dragging the names of their leaders through the mud. Those four high schools have since shut their doors for good, a testament to the profound impact of the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform on an institution.
Now, after being ousted in the qualification test, Lu Lixing's unexpected request to confront the Hidden Dragon Platform caught everyone off guard.
Was he not afraid to die? Did he harbor that much resentment towards Zhang Tu?
Lu Lixing's grudge wasn't against Zhang Tu, but against the school's leadership!
Had the leaders not turned a blind eye to the Zhang family's misconduct, Lu Lixing wouldn't have been pushed to this extreme. Their only concern had been their own interests.
Mi Hongbo was now consumed with regret. Had he anticipated Lu Lixing's declaration, he would never have allowed him access to the microphone.
With the eyes of the entire assembly upon them, everyone had heard Lu Lixing's declaration to face the Hidden Dragon Platform. The only way to avert disaster now was to persuade Lu Lixing to retract his statement; the alternative was too dire to contemplate.
At this critical juncture, it wasn't just Mi Hongbo who was fraught with anxiety; every leader on stage was seething with anger. Yet, their ire was not solely directed at Lu Lixing but also at Zhang Tu and Zhang Maozhe.
Had it not been for their schemes against Lu Lixing, none of this trouble would have arisen.
Once the dust settled and word got out, the reputation of Forest Lake Academy would be irrevocably sullied, and the leaders, including Mi Hongbo, would likely find themselves out of a job.
The Zhang family wasn't the least bit concerned, and given Zhang Tu's talent, any high school would welcome him with open arms. Neither Zhang Maozhe nor Zhang Tu were worried about Lu Lixing stepping onto the Hidden Dragon Platform.
Indeed, Zhang Tu wasn't intimidated by Lu Lixing's ascent to the Hidden Dragon Platform. He was merely taken aback that Lu Lixing would launch such a bold counterattack in dire straits. But what of it? The Zhang family's clout in Skyhaven was so substantial that these events couldn't possibly undermine their stronghold. Zhang Tu was unfazed.
Zhang Maozhe, on the other hand, was somewhat perturbed, as the family's reputation was at stake. If the Zhangs were to distance themselves from this affair, who would be bold enough to serve the Zhang family in the future?
Thus, in the face of this unrest, it was imperative for Zhang Maozhe to step in and soothe the anxious crowd.
“Lu Lixing's challenge on the Hidden Dragon Platform is nothing more than a bid for a final showdown with us. Rest assured, the Zhang family will not ignore the difficulties you face. Once Lu Lixing meets his end on the Hidden Dragon Platform, the Zhang family will offer you employment with generous compensation. I assure you, the remuneration we provide will far surpass your current earnings.”
For the Zhangs, with their sway over Skyhaven, securing employment for a few individuals was a trivial matter.
Upon hearing Zhang Maozhe's assurances, the crowd internally cursed the Zhang family for stirring up this mess.
Yet, they kept their grievances to themselves. With the potential closure of the school looming, their livelihoods might depend on the Zhang family. Despite their current discontent, they were compelled to treat Zhang Maozhe with the utmost respect.
In stark contrast to the complacent school officials, Principal Mi Hongbo was filled with resentment. Leaving Forest Lake Academy meant a future of subservience and constraints. Regardless of what others might think, he knew he had to persuade Lu to retract his statement for the sake of his own career.
“Lu, if you believe the school has treated you unfairly, let's try this: I will, as principal, grant you an exception to retake the qualification test. The entire process will be broadcast live on the Crystal Screen, ensuring that all eyes are on us. With such transparency, any attempt to disadvantage you would be impossible. This should guarantee the fairness and integrity of the test. What do you say?”
“However, to prevent any possibility of the answers being leaked to you, we're going to switch to a different set of questions with an equivalent level of difficulty. If you're not okay with that, then there's really nothing more we can do.”
Mi Hongbo's decision to change the test was strategic; even if Lu Lixing scored highly, he could attribute it to Lu's familiarity with the test material, deflecting any suspicions. As long as Lu Lixing didn't have a death wish, he'd understand the choice he needed to make.
As for the embarrassment Mi Hongbo suffered this time, he knew there would be ample opportunities to redeem himself in the future.
With these thoughts, Mi Hongbo's expectant gaze fell on Lu Lixing, awaiting his decision. This was the greatest compromise he was willing to offer.
Mi Hongbo's statement sent ripples of shock through the crowd. No one had anticipated his willingness to bend. Yet, considering the far-reaching impact of the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform, they breathed a sigh of relief. If Lu Lixing were to actually step onto the Hidden Dragon Platform, his death was certain, and the school would vanish. The school's administration had to yield to protect the institution's future—a move that, under the circumstances, seemed reasonable.
The onlookers' eyes were filled with mixed emotions as they regarded Lu Lixing. No one had imagined that a few simple words from him would back the school leaders into a corner, leaving them with no option but to allow Lu another test.
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