Getting Ahead Takes Connections

"How is it? How is it? Isn't it delicious?"

"Five Ants, I never expected you to be such a good cook, guild leader. I thought you were just a mascot."

The word "mascot" slipped out, and the air fell silent for a split second.

Nabomo's smug smile froze on the spot. She blinked and glared fiercely at Wuling, who had just spoken.

"What mascot? I'm clearly the most beautiful student council president, okay? If you say something like that again, I'll bite you!"

As she spoke, Nabomo revealed her little fangs and let out a fierce growl.

Damn it, how did he know I was a mascot?

No, no, how could someone as beautiful as me be a mascot? I must have been played with for too long.

"But that's what mascots are supposed to look like, right? Being able to cook must make it a high-class mascot."

So you don't deny the statement that I am the most beautiful?

"No, I just haven't figured out how to complain yet."

"..."

It hardened; its fist hardened.

But I can't beat them in a fight either. They're taller than me even when they're sitting down. This feeling of being unable to win an argument or a fight is so frustrating. I'm so angry!

"... Fine, I'm a magnanimous person, I won't stoop to the level of a newbie like you."

After weighing the pros and cons, Nabomo chose to follow her heart, which was something she couldn't help but do.

As for relying on her teammates, that's even less reliable. They certainly wouldn't stand by her side anyway. Nabomo even thought that if she had to choose between her and the carrot, everyone would choose the carrot.

Shit, none of these guys in the underworld have any sense of loyalty.

"By the way, President, where did you get these cookies? They look freshly baked. Were they made off campus?"

+1

Are you two curious? Then come with me.

Nabomo beckoned Wuling and the other to walk towards a private room. Although they didn't understand why, they followed.

But when Nabomo opened the door, a blinding golden light suddenly shone out from inside, making the group's eyes glaze over.

"Is that legendary quality equipment inside? It's so dazzling!"

Phrolova covered her left eye with both hands, feeling incredibly grateful to herself for deciding to cover her eye with a bandage—it had been so effective.

"No, I think I forgot to turn off the light, hahaha, sorry."

Nabomo pulled out a remote control from somewhere, pressed buttons randomly, and finally turned off the lights.

"What brand of light is that? It's so glaring."

"I don't know, it was already there when I arrived. Maybe some senior student put it there."

The blinding golden light slowly faded, revealing the interior of the cubicle in its entirety.

The space wasn't spacious, but it was exceptionally tidy. A brand-new small baking oven stood against the wall, next to which were delicate baking trays, piping bags, and various ingredient jars. The countertop was spotless, clearly indicating that it was frequently used.

Wuling looked inside and suddenly saw something that shouldn't have been there.

What is that?

Wuling pointed to the cylindrical object at the very back of the cubicle.

"The stove, don't you know that?"

Nabomo looked at Wuling with a strange expression. "You're a Huanglong person, you don't know about a stove, do you?"

"No, I know this is a stove, but the key question is why is it here?"

Wuling felt like her worldview had been completely shattered. She'd definitely seen a stove before, but a stove inside a school building? Seriously?

"Well, I took this car."

Nabomo spoke of it casually, as if setting up a stove in a cubicle of the teaching building's activity room was a perfectly normal and trivial matter.

Wuling froze on the spot, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A stove could be in the cafeteria, the kitchen, or even a small shop on the street, but it certainly doesn't seem right to be in a small cubicle on the third floor of the teaching building.

Baking ovens are supposed to be contraband by now, right? Now they're even being used on stovetops.

Are they really that brazen?

"Did you drive this?"

Wuling confirmed again, his voice slightly choked.

"They set up a stove in the school building, doesn't the school care? Will it pass the fire safety inspection?"

Phrolova also glanced sideways, his previously indifferent expression now showing a hint of surprise.

She had seen stoves before, but this was clearly the first time she had ever seen such an outrageous setup.

Faced with the two women's simultaneous questioning, Nabomo remained completely calm. Instead, she put her hands on her hips with a smug look, as if to say, "You don't know the ropes."

"Don't worry, this is definitely not compliant with regulations."

What are you so smug about?

"After all, even if this kind of thing is reported in advance, it's unlikely to pass inspection."

"If you can't pass, why are you still taking the ride?"

"No, no, no."

Nabomo extended her index finger and shook it in front of the two of them.

"Gentlemen, you're new here and may not understand yet, but do you know what's most important in this world?"

"What?"

"When you're in the game, you need influence and connections."

"Do you think I carried all this stuff up here by crawling up step by step, no matter how heavy it was? Wrong! Utterly wrong."

"Judging by the time, she should be arriving soon."

"Yes..."

Before Wuling could finish saying the last word, the club's door was pushed open once again.

Wuling and Phrolova both took a few steps back in unison, bent down and peeked into the doorway.

Standing at the door was a tall, slender figure in purple wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Looking at that face, Wuling felt it was somewhat familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Principal Luosela, you've arrived."

Oh right, this is the principal of the Star Torch Academy, her name is Luosela. Wait, principal?

Wuling's mind went blank for a moment, and he was completely stunned.

No, why is the principal here?

Judging from Nabomo's tone just now, she seemed to be quite familiar with the principal.

More than a dozen group members also greeted the principal one by one.

Holy crap, why do you all seem to know the principal really well? Good grief, I'm now an outsider.

Luosela and gently removed the wide brim of her purple hat, revealing her delicate and gentle face.

Her gaze swept over Wuling and Phrolova, who stood blankly at the door of the cubicle, and finally landed on Nabomo, who looked completely at ease. Her voice was gentle but tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"Nabomo, are you secretly showing off your equipment to the newbies again?"

The tone wasn't exactly accusatory; rather, it carried a hint of helpless indulgence.

Nabomo immediately dropped her arrogant expression, switched to obedient mode in a flash, and chuckled dryly while rubbing her hands together.

"No, no, I was just showing the new member around the club's unique facilities."

Luosela looked at her earnest and evasive expression, a faint smile appearing in her eyes.

She walked slowly and gracefully into the activity room, her black dress cascading gently down her back.

Luosela didn't dwell on the equipment issue; her gaze gently fell on Wuling and Phrolova, and she softly asked, "Are you two the new members this year?"

"Yes, Principal."

The two quickly snapped out of their daze and obediently nodded and greeted each other.

"Hehe, you're really good-looking. Why are you so scared? The principal isn't some man-eating monster."