Monday evening.
The cafeteria was bustling.
When Luo Yan and Di Zheng walked in,
the noisy cafeteria instantly fell silent.
Luo Yan acted as if he saw nothing and walked through the cafeteria.
Di Zheng, meanwhile, wore an expressionless face.
One of them did not care about being watched by everyone, while the other never smiled.
Only after the two of them sat down in a corner of the cafeteria
did the atmosphere begin to recover.
In another corner of the cafeteria, a pair of eyes quietly watched Luo Yan.
It turned out to be Yang Lixie, who had tried to buy Credit Points from Luo Yan in the Logistics Department last night.
"Brother Yang, isn't that Commander Di?"
Beside Yang Lixie, a male student whispered, "No wonder he dared to disregard you. He and Commander Di are actually this close."
"I'd only heard rumors before, and I didn't believe them. Why would Commander Di care about a surface savage?"
"Now I believe it."
"Brother Yang, it's probably best if we don't provoke that guy."
Across the table, a fat man with a face covered in pimples said, "What's so impressive about Commander Di? Our Brother Yang's father is the Director of the Construction Bureau. Why should Brother Yang fear some surface savage?"
"Brother Yang, should we teach him a lesson? Just say the word, and I'll take care of it for you right away."
Yang Lixie said with a look of disgust, "If you want to die, go die somewhere else. Don't splash your blood on me."
The fat man froze.
Yang Lixie used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of soft beef brisket and put it in his mouth. "If you have nothing to do, read more books."
"I've read at least eighty novels, if not a hundred. In nearly every one, the protagonist is a commoner who rises against heaven and kills his way to victory."
"Characters like me, with an official for a father, money, and a handsome face, are always guaranteed experience packages."
"Sometimes we're resource packages or equipment packages too."
"In any case, we're there to give money to the protagonist."
"Don't you think that kid looks exactly like he's carrying a protagonist template?"
"Less than a month after arriving at our Academy, he already butchered Luo Beichen."
"I can't afford to provoke someone that ruthless."
"Yesterday, I was just angry."
"Being angry is one thing, but my life matters."
"Besides, I'm pampered and precious. I have food and drink. Why would I risk my life fighting a savage?"
"On the contrary, I should observe him a little longer."
The two followers whispered, "Observe what, Brother Yang?"
Yang Lixie smiled. "His potential, of course. I know exactly what my aptitude is. I'm destined to muddle through life and wait for death."
"I'm not going to accomplish anything major."
"But what if our Classmate Luo has potential? I can invest in him. Then, when he rises to prominence, I'll have someone powerful to rely on, won't I?"
"Wouldn't that be a hundred times better than competing with him out of wounded pride?"
The two followers immediately showered him with flattery, and Yang Lixie shamelessly accepted it with a smile.
Elsewhere in the cafeteria,
Luo Yan reluctantly spent 3 Credit Points to order a tableful of dishes.
Di Zheng did not hold back either and buried his head in the food.
Seeing this, Luo Yan refused to be outdone and joined the assault on the food.
Neither of them said a word. They focused entirely on eating.
After a while,
the two of them had polished off every dish on the table.
Only then did Di Zheng exhale and say, "That's the taste. Ever since I stopped teaching at the Academy, I haven't eaten this freely in a long time."
He continued, "You butchered Luo Beichen. Whether you wanted to or not, you've already been dragged into the struggle between the two major factions of the Undercity."
"So there are some things I have to tell you."
"The Undercity is divided into two factions because of their differing attitudes toward giant beasts."
"One is the Conservative Faction. Luo Tianyi is a leading figure of the Conservative Faction. Of course, he isn't the only major figure in that faction, or I would have brought it down long ago."
"The other is the radical faction. I'm the main leader of that faction. Overall, there aren't many people who support my ideals."
Luo Yan straightened up. "What are the ideals of the two factions?"
"The Conservative Faction is mainly made up of major businessmen like Luo Tianyi, entrepreneurs, and most of the older officials."
"They believe that because the Undercity survived the three years of the 'Giant Beast Calamity,' this place must be safe."
"They demand the dissolution of the Surface Exploration Legion. They don't want us to continue exploring the surface or researching giant beasts, lest we attract the attention of giant beasts and bring total disaster upon the Undercity," Di Zheng explained simply.
"Their ideology has also won the support of the Undercity's residents."
Di Zheng said calmly, "I can understand how everyone feels."
"In peacetime, who wants to go to war? Everyone wants to live peacefully and protect their own little homes."
Luo Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. "But that's impossible."
"It's as foolish as an ostrich burying its head in the sand when it encounters danger."
Di Zheng sighed softly. "That's what I think too."
"Don't be fooled by how prosperous and peaceful the Undercity seems now, with singing and dancing everywhere."
"It seems that as long as humanity hides beneath the surface, it can live in peace forever."
"But this prosperity and peace are separated from the giant beasts by only three hundred meters."
"The moment a giant beast discovers the Undercity, this city will immediately face total destruction."
He said heavily, "That's why I advocate actively exploring the surface, periodically eliminating giant beasts, recovering Abyssal Vein and Giant Beast subjects, and using them to research and strengthen our combat power."
"My ultimate goal is to drive away the giant beasts, reclaim the surface, and take back the homeland that belongs to us."
"We should live beneath the sunlight, not shamefully cower underground and spend our entire lives as rats!"
Di Zheng's forceful words stirred Luo Yan's blood.
But he said nothing.
Nor did he show any reaction.
After dinner, Di Zheng prepared to leave.
Luo Yan saw him to the Academy entrance and then said, "Commander Di, I'd like to ask about something."
Di Zheng turned around. "Go ahead."
"Do you know what the situation in Baoding City is now?" Luo Yan asked somewhat nervously.
Di Zheng glanced at him. "Do you have relatives there?"
Luo Yan nodded.
Di Zheng said, "I'll ask someone and tell you next time."
With that, he left.
Luo Yan drew a deep breath.
Then he returned to his dormitory, showered, and cultivated.
The next day.
During the break between classes, the school broadcast suddenly came on. "First-year student Luo Yan and student Zeng Shan, please report to the Principal's Office."
The broadcast repeated three times.
Luo Yan was somewhat bewildered.
Zeng Shan was even more baffled, having no idea why he had been called as well.
After exchanging a glance, the two rose from their seats together and headed for the Principal's Office.
A moment later.
In a second-year classroom at the Academy,
Yang Lixie was pestering a female student.
"Ruohan, what do you think of this latest model, this custom-made battle armor?"
"I think it suits you perfectly in every way."
The girl was tall and slender. She stood by the window in utter boredom, looking even more graceful and elegant beneath the sunlight.
Without even looking at Yang Lixie, she said, "Do you know how expensive custom-made battle armor is?"
"Even my father's company has to hold a meeting to discuss it before buying battle armor."
"That's easy for you to say."
Yang Lixie said with a fawning smile, "As long as you like it, Ruohan, let alone a suit of battle armor—even the moon in the sky, I could pluck it down for you."
At that moment, footsteps sounded, and Yang Lixie's two followers came running over.
The fat man with the face full of pimples shouted, "Boss, Brother Yang, come over for a moment."
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