Making Big News (continued)

"Stop, stop, stop! Your voice is so loud! It feels like my ears are constantly ringing and echoing. Why don't you just recite a poem, something longer?"

"A crooked tree, though straight, will eventually bend; a wolf raised as a guard dog will never be truly effective; a cormorant dyed black with ink will not remain so for long; a crow painted white will never truly be white; candied bitter melon will eventually taste bitter; forcibly picked melons and fruits will never be sweet; good deeds are always done by kind people; how can an ordinary person become a god?"

"... Are you planning to do stand-up comedy next?"

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next episode.

"It ended before it even started!"

Laughter erupted spontaneously from the sidewalks, dormitories, and canteens of Sun Wu University. Military School are known for their low threshold for humor, especially in this age of information overload, where many people have never heard more than ten jokes in their entire lives.

"Shouldn't the radio program airing at this time be a discussion on swordsmanship?"

"Maybe they changed the program. I think it's fine. We can just read books for serious content. Radio is more interesting when it talks about lighthearted topics."

Inside the school cafeteria, Fu Feng stopped eating after hearing the announcement and listened intently.

"Isn't that the voice of that exchange student?" said Henchman A.

"That's a quick reaction, less than three hours have passed," he said, looking at Fu Feng with concern. "Our people haven't even started spreading the news yet. If he gives an explanation beforehand..."

Fu Feng laughed confidently and said, "It's no use. This kind of thing is hard to explain; it will only make things worse. We might even have to thank him for helping spread the word. Originally, only about one in ten students listened to the noon broadcast, but he's definitely attracted more people now than he did at noon."

At that moment, Si Ming's voice continued to come over the loudspeaker.

"Hello everyone, my name is Si Ming, and I'm an exchange student from the Su State. I've been at your esteemed school for less than ten days, but due to a grudge between my elders, I've been framed by someone. The recorded broadcast at noon was part of his conspiracy..."

Passerby A said anxiously, "Young Master Fu, this is an attempt to smear you. Should we storm the broadcasting room right now?"

"No need. He's digging his own grave. If reasoning can solve the problem, what's the point of martial arts?"

Halfway through the conversation, Fu Feng's last bit of worry vanished, replaced by a victorious smile, "That explanation is too weak. Besides, his admission of recording is tantamount to admitting that he said those things, even if I induced him to say them. But once something is said, it is said. Some things can't be reasoned with, especially since some students are members of the Military School who hate the Mohist School. If we just provoke them a little, some of them will come looking for trouble. Then we don't have to do anything; we can just watch the show."

Follower B said, "What if he publicly apologizes? As long as he admits he spoke without thinking and asks for forgiveness, the school leaders will step in to protect him. After all, he's an exchange student, and the leaders certainly don't want anything to happen to him while he's studying here."

Fu Feng smiled slightly and said, "If he publicly apologizes, we'll expose this matter and use our connections to get all the media in this county to report on it. We'll also send a copy of the newspaper to the Su State, guaranteeing that he'll lose all his reputation. At this point, no matter what reaction he makes, he'll be wrong. If he apologizes, he'll anger his fellow Mohist School members; if he doesn't apologize, he'll anger our Military School."

"Young Master Fu's plans are flawless, his wisdom and prowess are unparalleled. He drove his man to the brink of despair without shedding a drop of blood. This kid is truly unlucky to have messed with you."

Several followers began to flatter Fu Feng, but Fu Feng humbly claimed that he had only used his wits to outmaneuver those who were not, and that he was not particularly skilled. He also reminded himself not to be careless, and to remain humble in victory and undeterred in defeat, for this was the true path of warfare.

"... The above is the entire process of how Fu Feng framed me. Here, I would like to clarify one point."

Fu Feng scoffed, "What's the use of clarifying? Ink spilled on clothes can't be washed off."

The voice on the radio suddenly rose in pitch. "Every single word I said in that recording is Laozi true!"

"Now that you've admitted your mistake... wait?"

In an instant, countless students, including Fu Feng, who were listening to the broadcast couldn't help but wonder if they had misheard.

"Fu Feng, let me teach you something. In the end, martial artists must settle their differences with their fists, fair and square. What you've done is nothing but third-rate tricks that are beneath your dignity and only make you a laughingstock. Let me teach you what the true kingly way in military strategy is."

Then came a soft gasp over the loudspeaker, followed by a thunderous roar, "You effeminate Military School, led by Fu Feng, come and witness the might of the true men of the Mohist School! Starting tomorrow, I will be holding a seven-day challenge at the martial arts hall. You are all welcome to come and be humiliated!"

"Si Ming, what are you saying? Turn it off..."

Xin Jia's panicked voice came over the loudspeaker, accompanied by the sounds of various objects falling to the ground, clearly indicating chaos in the broadcasting room. Then, the electronic broadcast abruptly stopped.

Many students looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Si Ming's sudden change of heart had caught many off guard, and their anger was still brewing.

Several followers secretly glanced at Fu Feng and found that his face was stiff and frighteningly gloomy, his eyes were filled with shock and anger, and his lips were trembling slightly with anger, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Suddenly, the broadcast was turned on again, and then Si Ming's voice came through.

"Ahem, everyone, don't misunderstand. What I just said wasn't directed at Fu Feng alone. What I meant was—everyone here is trash! Wahahaha—"

This time, the students finally realized what was happening and began to hurl insults. The entire university campus was filled with profanity, including various dialects and vulgarities, in such a variety that it was truly eye-opening.

Under the worried gazes of his followers, Fu Feng's originally gloomy face relaxed, and he did not fly into a rage as expected.

"Young Master Fu, what do we do now? This kid's not playing by the rules!"

"It's nothing. Rather, he made the worst choice. It seems my plan drove him to desperation, leading him to make such a foolish move. He's going to become the target of everyone's ire. No matter how much the school leaders want to protect him, they'll have to compromise with public opinion. If his previous predicament was out of necessity, now it's his own fault. Even if he's severely injured, no one will sympathize with him; instead, they'll laugh at his overestimation of himself. What we need to do is watch him fall off the cliff, and if we're in a good mood, we can collect his corpse."

In the broadcasting room, Si Ming revealed a "that feels good now" expression, then turned off the broadcast switch and relieved Xin Jia and the head of the broadcasting station's pressure points.

"Si Ming, what are you thinking?!" Xin Jia, frantic with worry, didn't even bother with the "classmate" suffix and called him by his first name. "Do you know what you've done? Everything's ruined now! You'd better get out of here as fast as you can, get out of school now, or it'll be too late!"

"The real show has only just begun. How can the main character leave prematurely? Don't worry, my mind is perfectly clear. As a strategist, I don't fight unprepared battles. I naturally bring this up because I'm confident."

Xin Jia was bewildered by Si Ming's nonchalant attitude. "What kind of strategist is he? A strategist who practices Iron Head Skill? Apologizing now... is definitely too late. I'll take you to the vice principal and have him say a word; there might still be a glimmer of hope."

"I don't think he's lying," the head of the broadcasting station said. "Xin Jia, you're just worried sick. Look at his calm and composed expression; you can tell he has a backup plan."

Xin Jia paused for a moment, pondered for a while, and stared at Si Ming, asking, "Are you really sure, and not just making things up?"

"Of course not, you can just sit back and watch the show."

"... Alright, I'll trust you for now. If you need any help, just let me know."

"Of course, I'm not someone who likes to show off."

The minister revealed an interested expression and said to Si Ming, "Let's get acquainted. My name is Cheng Xin. You are the boldest and most interesting person I have met in my four years at school. I have to admit, you have overturned my impression of the Mohist School as low-key and simple. I am really curious about what strategy you plan to use to deal with the current situation. Even if your strength is strong enough to be comparable to the Spirit Transformation, the whole school will take turns attacking you, and sooner or later you will be worn down."

Si Ming feigned mystery and said, "I have a brilliant plan."