Kicking Down the Door
What kind of strategy is that? It's just about crushing anyone who disagrees, subduing them with force, a perfectly legitimate and open plan that leaves no room for error.
Perhaps going directly to Huyan Lie's place is one way, but doing so would be tantamount to exposing one's full strength to the public. Revealing one's trump card for a mere Huyan Lie seems like a bad deal.
So far, only his close friends and their elders know Si Ming's true strength. In particular, his two major increases in strength occurred in the Barbarian Continent, and no matter how powerful the intelligence organization in the Sea Continent is, it can't reach that far.
Looking back at Si Ming's several all-out attacks in the Sea Continent, it is not hard to find that there were very few witnesses. The organization that knows him best is probably the Remote Heaven Society. For the Remote Heaven Society Si Ming, who has the combat power of Spirit Transformation but no Spirit Transformation Internal Cultivation, is certainly worth paying attention to, but he is far from being a key target for prevention. They would not be idle enough to spread information about Si Ming everywhere.
Given the low-tech nature of this world, where intelligence gathering relies solely on manpower, coupled with Yan Jinghong and others' deliberate concealment of Si Ming's strength, Si Ming remains relatively unknown. Most intelligence organizations describe him as "Yan Jinghong's disciple" or "Grandmaster Candidate," with some even adding the additional detail that he "practiced the forbidden martial arts of the former Grandmaster."
His strength was generally assessed as "a top expert below the Spirit Transformation, with the Profound Armor, capable of challenging the Spirit Transformation stage," including Mohist School experts like Xing Daozhuang. After all, the martial arts system in the Sea Continent was based on Internal Cultivation level, and the inertia of thought limited judgment. There are very few wise people in this world who can break free from inertia of thought. Only Remote Heaven Society the experience of personally fighting him and judged his strength as "surpassing his master, Yan Jinghong." If this evaluation were to spread, it would be enough to shock a lot of people.
Without intelligence from the Barbarian Continent, unless one is a prophet, even the most shrewd strategist would misjudge Si Ming's strength. That's why he decided to let Huyan Lie go. Otherwise, if he went to Huyan Lie's house and beat him up, even a fool could estimate his true strength, and he would be useless in the upcoming Martial King Cup. Others would definitely ban him from participating.
Besides, to teach Huyan Lie, violence wasn't always necessary. For a big shot like him, physical pain was nothing compared to his reputation.
In fact, Si Ming himself did not intend to hide his strength, but since it had not been exposed, he decided to go with the flow and simply hide it as a trump card to be used at the critical moment. Having an extra trump card is never a bad thing. The secret of the Wheel-Turning King Sword opening the Tathagata's Indestructible Body should be kept strictly confidential and should never be used unless absolutely necessary. If it is used, one should do everything possible to ensure that the person is killed to cover it up.
As a student, Cheng Xin naturally couldn't understand Si Ming's confidence. She said, "I'll be going to the stadium to watch the game for the next few days and provide live commentary. I hope you don't shoot yourself in the foot. If you perform well enough, I'll even find people to cheer you on."
Si Ming asked curiously, "You weren't angry when I called the Military School a sissy?"
Cheng Xin laughed and said, "Nation of Valor isn't just full of Military School strategists. I'm a disciple of the Lu School. What does it matter to me if you call Military School strategists effeminate? In fact, I'm happy to see them make a fool of themselves."
It is said that the Military School and the Lu School were very close, like brothers, but that doesn't seem to be entirely true. However, thinking about it, it makes sense. After living together for so many years, it's impossible for a "couple" not to quarrel due to accumulated conflicts.
Xin Jia asked, "What do you plan to do next?"
Si Ming thought for a moment and said, "Let's make a banner first."
"A banner? What do you plan to write on it?"
"Just write, 'Welcome to the effeminate Military School men led by Fu Feng to be humiliated.'"
Xin Jia smiled wryly, "Are you really going to offend them completely? Are you sure you really want to hang this banner? Once it's up, there'll be no turning back. Even the school leaders won't stand up for you."
"Don't worry, the one who has no room for maneuver isn't me, it's Fu Feng."
Cheng Xin picked up a pen and twirled it between her fingers, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "I see. So you plan to frame Fu Feng. The first few days might be fine, but once you hold out until the sixth or seventh day, Fu Feng will be finished."
"It's just tit for tat. He schemed against me with underhanded tactics, so I'll retaliate with open strategies."
"Haha, that's interesting. I'll help you get the banner. Right now, you're the enemy of the world; no one will dare to make you a banner even if you want one."
Xin Jia said helplessly, "Cheng Xin, you're just looking for trouble."
Cheng Xin twirled her pen and chuckled, "After all, I also serve as the head of the news department, so naturally I hope to create a big news story."
Si Ming, "I'll leave the banner to you. I'll go check the competition venue."
Xin Jia said, "The martial arts hall is jointly managed by the Martial Arts Club and the Military Strategy Club. I'm afraid they won't lend you the space."
"I know, but I believe everyone is reasonable. As long as I show sincerity, they will agree. Persuading people with reason is my strength."
Chapter 640 Challenging the Hall
On the first day of the ring duel, Si Ming encountered Cheng Xin and Xin Jia waiting by the roadside on his way to the martial arts hall.
"The banner you requested is ready."
Cheng Xin pointed to the cardboard box at her feet, which was about three zhang long and an arm's width wide.
Si Ming was quite surprised. He had originally envisioned a banner made of a roll of red cloth with a few words written on it, but judging from the heavy weight of the cardboard box in front of him, it was clear that it did not contain a roll of red cloth.
Upon disassembly, it was discovered that inside was a plastic board, somewhat resembling a shop sign, with LED-like lights embedded in it. By injecting True Qi into the energy storage tank behind the plastic board, it could be made to glow, displaying a line of colorful, flamboyant words that read, "Welcome to the effeminate Military School led by Fu Feng to be humiliated."
"Your banner is pretty flashy!"
"You don't like it?"
"I like it very much." Si Ming gave a thumbs up.
Cheng Xin smiled and said, "I knew you would like it."
"You finished it in just half a day, that's quite a skill."
"I am a disciple of the Lu School —though I would like to say that, this thing is just a small gadget, not difficult at all. Anyone who does advertising can make it. The key is the materials. With the materials, even a layman can make it."
"But I never expected it to turn out like this. I have to admit, everyone has their own expertise. Anyway, thank you."
Si Ming carried the banner on his shoulder and continued towards the martial arts hall, attracting many glances along the way. People pointed and whispered curiously at him. Some students who had missed the broadcast because of class quickly learned the whole story from their classmates, and their eyes lit up immediately.
College students are a bunch of troublemakers, especially in this era without computers and smartphones. Entertainment options are scarce, with little to no choice but to read or practice martial arts. The hormones accumulating during puberty have nowhere to go. News of a boy being caught peeping into a girls' dormitory can circulate for a week. In the age of information overload, such news would be forgotten the next day. But now that there's such an interesting topic, how can they not join in the fun? Just as Cheng Xin said, they wish they could create a big news story.
As for Si Ming's declaration of provocation against the entire Sun Wu University, some people were angry, some sneered, but most of them were just watching the show. They felt that Si Ming or later, or that a senior would step in to mediate, and that this farce would inevitably end inconclusively. They could at most be spectators and not get involved.
"You said yesterday afternoon you were going to the martial arts gym to choose a fighting ring. Did you get permission from the Martial Arts Club?"
"No, I just went to scout out some locations yesterday to see which one would be the most suitable."
"That's a real shame. You missed the best opportunity. They definitely won't agree today."
"Don't worry, I have a clever plan."
Si Ming chatted as he arrived at the entrance of the martial arts hall, where he met Yu Shuying, Hualiu, and Si Huaruo.
"I used to say you were a human disaster, that wherever you went trouble would gather. To prove you weren't just passively involved, you deliberately created trouble. I have to admit, your idea is quite interesting," Yu Shuying said sarcastically.
"You can't say that. I don't offend others unless they offend me. In the end, they're the ones who provoked me. I just find it too troublesome to deal with them one by one, so I might as well make a big show of it to warn others. Besides, it's annoying to always deal with these short-sighted guys. That's the result of not having a reputation. If this were the Barbarian Continent, even the big shots of the Evil Dao path would have to give me a wide berth. So I'm thinking it's time to build up my reputation."